/monster/ - The Last Bastion of Romance

“I’m just saying…” The bald man insisted, rubbing a rough hand over his shiny pate before picking his tankard back up “…Baron Alexander’s married to his daughter, that’s close enough, isn’t it?”

“I always suspected you spent too much time peering at our tutor’s cleavage and not enough time in your actual studies, Jimmy.” his bearded companion chortled before taking another draught of foaming ale. “Firstly, the Caladonian faked his own damn death once to keep from the throne, and Lady Kylie takes after him. Secondly, Every time that someone who’s not Horus or Hathor take the feckin’ thing, the dead have a bad habit of waking up and causing mischief. I for one am happy to leave this ‘Senate’ thing in place until such time as the Caretakers of Duat get around to telling us they’re back.”

“Thank Tyris you’re not the one who gets to decide that, Chris.” The bald man teased, rolling his eyes.

Chris thumped the table with the pommel of his knife. “I’m a landholder, ain’t I? I got a right to vote as I like, don’t I?” He demanded from around a mouthful of food.

“Will it matter when all the votes in Dixon and Doric come down the same way?”

“Why would that happen? You could fit half of Doric in one Dixonian Landsholding.”

“Because Duke Raymond was raised Continental before he got acknowledged. He’s done this shit before. He’s managed to convince half the landholders to come together in something called a ‘Party.’ They all vote together, even when it’s not in all of their interests.”

Chris sliced another sliver from the juicy steak before him, chewing pointedly as he considered that. “That’s retarded. Still…”

“Still what?” Jimmy insisted, dunking a lump of bread into his hearty stew.

“Don’t think I’d be entirely comfortable seeing a Black Knight of Corvus sitting on the Throne. Bloody dour lot.” Chris murmured self-consciously.

Jimmy looked around, yet his eyes scanned over you without recognition. “You know who really weirds me out? These Reitians… They’re just so….”

Chris nodded conspiratorially “Hear ya. What ever happened to Worshipping Tyris and Maou like normal folks? Gotta complicate things up with…”

“Shh, it’s a Disciple!” Jimmy hissed, spotting a husky, middle-aged human stump through the door of the inn’s taproom. Dressed in a townsman’s garb, the Disciple planted himself with an explosive exhalation of breath at one of the empty tables near you and the pair of human landholders. An elegant, matronly Anubis made her way from the rear of the tavern, plopping a pewter tankard down in front of him.

>>380402

“Water?” The man asked in puzzlement after studying its contents.

“You’re drunk, Travis.” The Anubis declared with no room for argument.

“Yeah, but only a little bit.” the Disciple agreed with a cheeky smile. “Robby decided that it was our duty to make sure that the sacramental mead wasn’t tainted after the Mellisari had casked it up.”

“Have you no regard?!” the Anubis gasped.

“We only tested it, I swear!” Travis insisted. “Just… Bees can make a LOT of mead, can’t they?”

The Anubis put her face in her paw briefly, her Jackal-like ears twitching in her exasperation. “You’re hungry, I take it?”

“Yeah…” Travis agreed, before his hand whipped out, surprisingly quickly for a man of his size, seizing the Anubis by one fluffy paw and pulling her into his lap, stopping her surprised shriek as he lowered his mouth to hers. Her paws beat against his chest for a moment before slackening and sliding about his neck. “…Missed you Dalila.” He murmured after breaking the kiss.

“M-missed y-you t-t-too…” The Anubis stammered, clearly torn between mortification at being so thoroughly wooed in public, and bliss at the man’s affections. “I need to finish off the orders before we close tonight… and there’s the new…”

“The staff can handle it, love… How long’s it been since we had a night together that didn’t involve just falling into bed a hair before the witching hour?”

“T-Travis! We’re in public!” Dalila squeaked, her long, pointed ears twitching madly and her dusky-gold skin aflame with embarrassment.

“Anybody here got an issue with me kissing my wife?” The Disciple asked in a loud, clear voice, looking pointedly about the common area as he did so. Mild chuckles and murmurs of negation were the majority of his answer, with a brief ‘Woo! Get some!” from an unknown female voice at the far end of the taproom. “See? No problem.”

“I don’t know how I get anything done married to you…” Dalila sighed meltingly, putting a paw to Travis’s face before pushing herself gently off him. “…I’ll see you at home, please try not to drink too much. We’re not as young as we used to be and I worry about you.”

“Bah, you’re only as old as the person you’re feeling… which puts me in my… would you say you’re twenty-five this year love?”

“Get on you!” The matronly Anubis shrieked, torn once again between mortification and flattery. Without further word, she dashed back into the rear of the inn.

The Disciple chuckled as he watched her depart, before his face turned serious as his attention returned to his tankard. Murmuring a few words, he passed his hand over the cup, and a pale, frothy head suddenly spilled over its brim. Smacking his lips, he drank deeply, before his gaze in turn fell on you.

“You know…” He remarked, as if completely unsurprised to see you “…You’re going to end up starving to death if you just hide in the corner like…”

“Here Pilgrim, I’m sorry it took so long!” A kobold barmaid gushed apologetically, setting a bowl of thick, meaty stew before you, and a half-loaf of warm, crusty bread beside it.

“Thank you kindly.” You respond with a smile “And I haven’t been waiting long at all.”

“That’s real nice of you to say… Actually… I was wondering…” The kobold mused, wringing her paws bashfully.

“Marie! The Fish! Hurry up!” A throaty yell from the kitchen demanded.

“Yes Chef!” The kobold responded, dashing from your side and back towards the kitchen.

“I stand corrected…” Travis murmurs amusedly, returning to his magically transmuted ‘water’.

You place your hand briefly upon your breast, bowing your head in acknowledgement of the Disciple’s faint praise, before tucking into the rich stew with gusto.

>After you finish, would you like to…

>Find the Kobold, ask what she was after

>Talk to the Disciple

<Tell the Disciple about the Landholders’ conversation

<Don’t mention it

>Talk to the Landholders

>Something else?

>>380403

>wut do

tell the disicple about the landholder's conversation. if what the wan wanted to ask was important enough she'll find the time to ask.

>>380403

Ask the Kobold what she wanted, we're supposed to be helping people, and she brought us food.

The kobold would not have asked if it wasn't somewhat important. We should find out what it is.

The kobold probably needed some help with something and the conversation really wasn’t any of our business. Also let’s ask the disciple if he has any advice for us.

>>380404

>>380420

Is that a tiebreaker on tell/don't tell? Wanna make a call on that one or should I flip a coin?

>>380449

I'll tiebreak. Going with "be nice to wan and ask her what she wanted" instead of "bring up conversation"

>>380450

Also with talking to the kobold.

>>380403

Talk to the pupper.

>Talk to the Kobold

You leaned back in your chair, the pleasant discomfort of being thoroughly full spreading warmth throughout your body. You notice the Kobold placing a plate before the Disciple, a steaming, juicy cut of meat on a bed of roasted vegetables. The Disciple smiles his thanks, tucking in immediately, raising his tankard suggestively between bites. Yet once again the Kobold lingers, before being called back to the kitchen by another throaty yell.

Clearly there was something she wanted to talk about, and if the Disciple was being so deliberately obtuse, clearly it was something he expected you to address. Rising and dusting breadcrumbs from your simple tunic, you follow the lithe Mamono into the busy din of the kitchen.

“Marie?” You call questioningly, doing your best to keep out of the path of the scurrying staff. You pan your eyes over the organized chaos, trying to spot the Kobold…

…Something yanks you back into the hallway, slamming you against the wall. Hard.

“Well little morsel, scrounging for seconds? Our charity not sufficient for you?” That throaty voice asked, the undeniable sensation of a furred, taloned paw pinning you to the wall. You shook your head, blinking the swimming spots from your vision, to come face to horned, fanged face with a figure of nightmare. An Ushi-Oni, one yellow, feral eye almost glowing as it glared at you, the other hidden behind a crimson, runewoven seal.

“No! It was… very generous…” You wheeze, trying to draw breath against the pressure of that talon against your torso. “I was… Looking for… Marie…”

“I thought you Reitian whelplings were celibate… Are you falling off the wagon before you’ve even made it five miles, morsel?” The Ushi-Oni demands, her spideresque bulk looking massive behind her as clawed, chitinous feet tapped menacingly against the floor.

“It’s not like that… She needs… Help…”

The Ushi-Oni’s fanged mouth widened in sardonic amusement. “Does she?” She mused, seemingly to herself as much as you. “Marie!” She yells, releasing you to fall on the floor, wheezing and coughing in relief.

“Yes Chef?” The Kobold answers without a hint of trepidation, leaning out from the kitchen. Her eyes widen and she gasps in alarm as she beholds you on the floor, the looming figure of ‘Chef’ above you.

“You’re overdue for a break. Take this one with you.” She ordered shortly, pointing a deadly claw at you.

>>380493

“I’m so sorry I didn’t think you’d come into the kitchen are you alright please say you’re alright Oh Maou I’ve ruined everything…” The Kobold babbled, almost coddling you as she lead you outside into the cool evening.

“I’m fine, really…” You assured her, gently extricating yourself from her soft, furred paws, leaning against the wall and examining your ribs gingerly. “…Is she always so…”

“Crabby? No, I think she might be pregnant again.” Marie whuffled, rolling her eyes. “I honestly don’t know how her husband’s still alive, let alone walking.”

“If it be true, Love will find a way through all trials.” You recited, somewhere between joking and sententious.

“Yeah… Guess it will at that…” Marie agreed, shuffling her paws. “Pilgrim… I was wondering…”

“Please, my name’s Deniel.” You offered with a smile.

“Deniel.” She repeats, her tail wagging absently behind her. “I’m Marie, by the way.”

“I know, it was kinda hard to miss.” You chuckle conspiratorially.

“Right? Anyway… How… How do you know if a boy likes you?” The Kobold asks, suddenly incredibly vulnerable.

“There are so many ways…” You began, absently adjusting your tunic. “…everyone’s got their own way. I take it someone’s caught your eye?”

“Uh huh!” The Kobold gushed, her eyes shining and her tail now wagging frantically. “His name’s Fynn and he’s cute and has the most amazing smile and he held my hand and put his arm around me and told me I was pretty and he has an ass you could…”

“Alright!” You laughed, holding up your hands pleadingly. “I think we can safely establish that you don’t love him from afar…”

“Well…” Marie trailed off.

“Well?”

The Kobold shuffled her paws in the dust again. “Y’see… he lives in Charlestown, over thataway a while…” She pointed a furred digit towards the southwest.

“How far’s a while?”

“Far enough he’s gotta bring a wagon and stay the night when he comes here.”

“Goodly distance.” You agreed. “He trades with Sea-Of-Grasses and the Holy Temple?”

Marie shrugged absently, her eyes cloudy with confused thought. “I guess so… but his dad gives him a list of stuff from other artisans here in Williamsberg as well… and he always finds time for me… but then he just leaves every time and I’m so confused and…”

You squeezed the Kobold’s arm comfortingly. “I think I get it. You want him to tell you that this time he’s staying here with you, but he never says it.”

“Yeah… I mean no… I mean…”

You nodded in understanding. “Have you tried to tell him how you feel?”

“I was… kinda hoping you’d help me with that? I mean I’d go myself but It’s real busy now and Chef’s pregnant and… and…”

“…And you’re afraid you’ll go all to bits and lose your nerve once you see him.” You concluded for her.

“Cybelle was right, you Reitians do know a whole bunch!” Marie gushed, pushing a folded piece of parchment into your hands. “She helped me write this, she’s so good with words!”

“Mind if I…” You ventured.

“Please!”

You opened the folded parchment, reading the undeniable angular script of Magisterium written by an Arachne hand. It was pristine, elegant… and thoroughly debauched.

“Reitia’s Mercy!” You choked, your face flaming and your eyes wide after a particularly lewd passage. “Did you know that she’s written…”

“Yuh-huh!” The Kobold answered sunnily.

“Even the bit with…”

“Yes, Deniel. I am aware. Yes, Deniel, I would like him very much to do that.” The Kobold stated evenly, staring at you unblinkingly as if to drive the point home

.

“A-alright…” You gulped, folding the parchment carefully and putting it in the satchel slung over your shoulder. “I guess I’ll be leaving first thing in the morning.”

“Eeeeeee! Thankyou thankyou thankyou!” The Kobold yelped, throwing her paws around your neck and kissing you on the cheek, before releasing you just as suddenly. “Now I gotta get back to work! Thank you so much again!”

“R-Reitia Bless You…” You murmured to the ghost of her absence. When you were told you would be helping people in matters of love, this was the last thing that came to mind. Still, you concluded that if Reitia did not wish this task to be undertaken, She would not have put it so obviously in front of you.

Besides, you had to start somewhere, right? Charlestown seemed as good a place as any.

>>380494

“Deniel.” The disciple greeted you with slurred voice and raised tankard as you picked up your staff and travelling cloak where they had been left at your now empty table.

“Reitia’s Blessings, Disciple.” You murmured in deference, ducking your head and putting hand over your heart.

“And you.” The Disciple replied almost nonchalantly, repeating the gesture. “Y’didn’t tell me about those two though.”

You looked across the emptying taproom to where the two landholders were staggering out, arms over each other’s shoulders, murmuring a continual succession of “I love YOU, Man!” to each other.

“No Disciple.”

“Call me Travis, kid, and have a seat. We’re hardly in public, the wife owns the place after all.” The Disciple chuckled.

“Travis.” You echoed with a nod, taking the offered seat.

“Now…” Travis continued, refilling his tankard from the crock of ale on the table. “…why not?”

You shrugged. “They were two men grousing over a meal, so they’re not entirely comfortable with Holy Reitia’s following yet. I’m not entirely comfortable with the new staircases in the temple, much too wide in my opinion. Doesn’t mean I want to take an axe to them.”

“Fair. Don’t dismiss grumblings about politics too quickly though. Sometimes people will talk about big issues because they’re afraid to talk about what’s really bothering them.” Travis grunted, taking a draught from his tankard. “Drink?”

You shook your head.“Thank you, no.”

“Teetotaller?”

You suppressed a snerk of amusement. “Hardly. But I’m on Pilgrimage. I don’t want to become accustomed and lament its absence.”

“Smart.” Travis praised, gesturing at you with his tankard, yet if he was being deliberately ironic or not, you couldn’t tell. “The business with the Kobold though… You know the Empire has a very well paid and perfectly functional postal service, right?”

You paused for a moment, taken aback at the Adept’s seemingly prophetic knowledge of what had occurred outside. “How did you…”

“Deniel, since you first came to the Temple, so fresh from the Abbey of Blessed Innocence you still made the Sign of the Sunburst before every meal without thinking, you’ve been unable to lie worth a damn.” Travis laughed fondly.

“But I didn’t…” You protested lamely.

“You roll up your sleeves to hide the fact your left arm’s a bit gammy, yet you’ve got no problem with the fact something took your finger clean off at the knuckle. Why? Because you hate the thought that you don’t have your own agency.” Travis continued pointedly. “And yet you just, not an hour ago, accepted on FAITH that Reitia would guide you, was guiding you, had put that Kobold in your path because that was WHERE YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE.”

“I wasn’t thinking about that though!” You retorted. “She needed help… I wanted to help…”

“Reitia’s Mercy, I fucking LOVE where your head’s at.” Travis almost crowed. “So many Acolytes go out into the worlds with their heads jammed firmly up their own arses, so convinced of their own piety and virtue that they forget the whole point of this. Learning through Service. Keep wanting to help, but never forget to consider the lessons that you’re taught throughout. Everyone you meet has something to teach you, but it may be years before you understand the lesson.”

“I…” You blustered, your head awhirl. “…Thank you, Travis.”

“You’re gonna go far, m’boy, just you wait!” The Disciple declared, hoisting himself to his feet with a grunt. “Now… I’m gonna go find my wife.”

>>380495

You groaned, picking straw off your face and out of your hair. Sitting up, you squinted as the morning sun lanced directly into your eyes. For a moment you forgot where you were, and then a hulking figure loomed large before you.

“Morning sleepyhead.” An amused female voice chuckled. “You know you sing in your sleep? It’s kind of adorable.”

For a moment you felt a rush of panic, had you betrayed your oath so quickly? Then, as your vision cleared, the memory of the previous night came back to you. Saying she was drunk was an understatement, and leading the near-paralytic Centaur into the stall of the inn’s cozy stables seemed an almost insurmountable task. Still, after much grunting and staggering and dodging sloppy, clumsy attempts at kisses, you had managed to get her securely ‘To Bed’, as it were. You had intended on only staying a moment to make sure she was alright… evidently you were more tired than you thought.”

“Thank you for sharing your stall with me, madam.” You begin politely, standing and brushing yourself off.

“Thank YOU! Not every day a girl meets someone who’ll put her to bed and not even rifle through her saddlebags!” The Centaur replied, far too sunnily for someone who had been so spectacularly drunk the night previously. She stretched, and you blushed and averted your eyes as her unbuttoned shirt revealed the generous endowments of her humanoid torso.

“Oh, whoops!” The Centaur giggled, buttoning herself up. “Guess the girls got away from me there.”

“As you say… uh… sorry, I never caught your name.”

The Centaur pawed the straw beneath her, batting her long lashes at you. “Rose, of the Split-Boulder clan. And you, cutie?”

“Deniel, Acolyte of the Reitian Temple.”

“You’re one of the ascetics? Maou… what a waste!” The centaur groaned lamentingly.

“We’re only under vows during our Pilgrimage.” You reply without thought. Funny, why did you feel the need to justify yourself to her? Was it pride? You made a mental note to meditate on that later.

“So where are you headed?”

“Southwest to Charlestown…” You began, picking up your staff from the straw and making sure your satchel was secure. “…Again, Miss Rose, thank you for your hospitality last night.”

“Oh I’m sure…” The Centaur chuckled, waving her fingers at you coquettishly.

You couldn’t have gone more than five hundred meters when the sound of hooves on the soft earth made you stop and turn.

“So I was thinking…” Rose began conversationally “…Since I’m heading in that direction anyway, want a ride?”

You fix the centaur with a level look. “Were you really?”

“Well… Okay no you caught me, but a twenty five mile run sounds like a good way to stretch the withers before lunch, whaddaya say?”

>Accept the ride

>Decline the ride

>Decline the ride, but ask if she’d like to come along anyway.

>Sperg out in defense of your precious virginity

>Something else?

Let’s decline the ride, she’s welcome to come along if she wants though. We could use the conversation. Plus she might need help or love advice.

>>380496

Don't centaurs only let their husbands ride them? If that's the case, we should walk but let her come along with us if she wants.

>>380496

I don't think we know her well enough to ride her, but she's welcome to come along.

>>380496

Decline the ride but if she comes along you can offer her some advice on her technique for picking up people, at the end of it just tell her that may mother Reitia bless you.

>>380496

Decline horsepussy's offer nicely but may as well keep in her company. Going to need someone to chat with on the way.

>>380496

Do only centaurs husbands ride them here? If not, I'm good with a ride, if so, asking her to walk with us sounds good.

>>380563

I'll agree with this anon. Waifu by horseback is the main reason I don't want to so if it's JUST a helpful offer with no shenanigans take the free ride.

>>380503

>>380563

It's not only husbands, but it is a gesture of extreme familiarity for her to offer. Definitely out of place, well spotted.

>>380567

Would it be weird to offer to a pilgrim? Sometimes they can be accommodated in unusual fashions as such.

>>380569

Has she shown any reverence for Reitia or her followers?

(You know you guys do have that 'sense aura' spell…)

>>380571

Ah right. Would you be able to stick our spells and such in a pastebin and link it future threads? That stuff is only listed in the prep thread right now. That being said, how obvious is our casting? Like, would it be super obvious to her what we were doing if we cast right now? I feel like that's going to be important to know in the future.

>>380574

>pastebin

Derp, that would make sense. Will get on it as soon as I'm not phoneposting.

She'll know that you're doing something, but it's an aura reading, not a mind-reading, so all she'll really see is you wave your hand and mutter something in a language she doesn't understand.

>>380576

Wellness let’s also do an aura reading too. She’s being a bit too friendly for an almost total stranger

>>380581

Well then*

>>380581

We don't need an aura reading to tell she's hitting on us. Politely remind her that we are celibate for the duration of our pilgrimage.

>>380576

Right on. After all that faffing about: use the spell, let her give us a ride if it doesn't look like she's up to anything weird, walk with her if she is, and fuck right off if it turns out she's secretly satan or something.

>>380496

Not everything placed in front of us is sent by Reitia, but Reitia’s hand may also be exercised in its restraint. The point of a pilgrimage is to knock the edges off and the cotton wool out, but excess suspicion will blind us to what we might actually learn.

A centaurback ride is a gesture of extreme familiarity, which in this context registers as both a test of us by her and a claim on us to others. It’s not only the action but the perception of the action that matters. A pilgrim who hops on a centaur’s back after spending the night in her stall may well be considered to have done something more than slept in her straw. That’s not good for the Temple and it’s not good for us. Additionally, we are far too early along to be accepting call options being bought out on us. It’s not an option.

Quietly call Rose’s attention to our knowledge of these facts by way of politely declining her offer of a ride but not of company. Perhaps an opportunity to help her will emerge in other ways, perhaps she’ll be pleasant company on the walk, or perhaps we’ll simply make the journey alone. Any of these are fine.

Do not ride the centaur. We must walk.

She is welcome to join us as a traveling companion.

>Decline the Ride, ask if she’d like to come along anyway

<Use ‘Sense Aura’ to attempt to determine her motivation.

Spell list up: https://pastebin.com/5GYq5jeF

“Liaida Ananael…” You murmur, making a brief gesture with your right hand. The Centaur before you seems to glow, varying hues shifting and flowing about her form as your magic makes what you only understood as ‘the greater reality of her soul’ visible to you in mundane light.

“What?” Rose blurted in puzzlement, her brow furrowing. “Who’s lying and eating anal?”

“It’s nothing…” You assured her. Yes. Orange of Excitement, need for Socialization, of course the firey red hints of sexual desire, yellow/gold of joy and outgoingness… ‘Genki’, as the Zipangan masters would term it… But it was hollow. Grey and brown muddiness swirled beneath, speaking to pain… loneliness… abandonment…

“Oh Rose…” You sighed in sympathy. “…who hurt you so?”

“I d-don’t know what you’re talking about.” the Centaur babbled, her eyes wide in concern as she pawed the soft ground with a forehoof. “What’d you do, Pilgrim?”

You shook your head. “Nothing. Just looked.”

“Y-you were in my mind? Little Shit!” Rose seethed, rearing up.

“No! Not that! I would never!” You insisted, holding up your hands in supplication. “Reitia shows us how to see feelings… desires… it’s how we help!”

Rose seemed to calm, yet still regarded you with slight suspicion. “You’re not playing Mindflayer on me?”

“In the name of Mother Reitia, I swear it.” You pledged sincerely.

The Centaur huffed. “I don’t think I want you to ride me any more.”

“And here was me trying to find a way to let you down easy…” You drawl wryly. “…You’re a lovely woman, Rose. But I know what that means, the… intimacy of it.”

“It’s not you, it’s me…” Rose spits with poisonous cynicism.

You fold your arms, looking levelly at the centaur. It was one thing to reject the ego, it was another to prop up her victim complex. “You barely know me, why would you even ask me? Especially knowing I can’t be with you the way you’d like me to be.”

“I don’t know! I saw you and… I just thought… ‘good enough’, y’know?” The centaur whinnied desperately, rearing slightly as she gesticulated. “…Beggars can’t be choosers.”

“And you shouldn’t be a beggar.” You stated firmly. “You matter. You’re precious in the eyes of Reitia.”

“Trying to convert me now, Deniel?”

You shook your head with a chuckle. “I won’t ride you… But would you like to walk with me aways? I’d be more than willing to listen.”

“I… I don’t think I’m ready to go baring my heart to a stranger…” Rose answered haltingly, before her eyes snapped up and glared at you defiantly “…And if you DARE make a quip about being willing to bare anything else I’ll kick you in the face.”

“Would never dream.” You assured her. “Still, you’re welcome to come.”

Rose’s face softens and she gives you a small, genuine smile. “…Okay.”

“So tell me…” You began, striking out again towards the southwest. “…Where do clan Split-Boulder’s lands lie?”

>>380730

“…but you know you just can’t get those apples just anywhere!” Rose declared, grinning at me cheekily.

“I would imagine not!” You laughed, patting the Centaur on her equine torso. The Grey-brown in her aura was receding, it was hard to tell by how much, considering so was your spell, but evidently she had been hurting for someone to just talk to.

“You’ve been alone for a while, haven’t you?” You ventured boldly.

“Is it that obvious?” Rose sighed without thinking, before her back stiffened as if ice water had been poured along its length. “I-I mean…”

“Can’t put it back in the bag now, though I won’t press if you don’t want to…”

“My mother died.” Rose interrupted. “And my sisters had long since married… I’m it. I’m the Matriarch of the Split-Boulder clan… and also the only member.”

“My sympathies.” You offer, resting a hand on an equine forequarter. “I can’t imagine what that must be like.”

“Fucked, human. It’s fucked.”

You furrowed your brow in thought. “If continuance is your only issue surely there’s an agreement you can reach with some of the male centaur…”

Rose’s grin was without mirth. “Ever seen one?”

“No, but they can’t be as bad as the Bulls of Ancient Time…”

“No, seriously. Think for a moment. Ever seen a Male Mamono? Like Ever?”

You pause in your tracks, rubbing your temple as you fervently sorted through your memory… Surely you must have. They existed, you were sure of it!

“I can’t say I have…” You admitted.

“Me either, and I’ve been amongst every clan in the Westerlands, from Caladon to the Brasil Protectorate. Everybody insists they exist, but nobody’s ever seen one!”

“That’s…” You trail off in bemusement.

“Here’s one to really cook your noodles…” Rose interjects again “…When did Mamono start birthing Human sons?”

“What do you mean when? They just… I mean…” Your directionless babble meandered from your mouth as you were forced once again to search for a specific example of something your mind stubbornly ‘knew’ was fact.

“You know what? My Great-Gramma used to tell me stories about the Sun-That-Was-Not back when Apophis tried to break the world… I think she actually broke some stuff and the Gods haven’t figured out how to fix it yet.”

“If I was a Tyrisian I’d denounce you for Heresy for that.” You chuckled.

“Well I’m glad Reitians don’t have THAT particular pole up their asses.” Rose snorted. “In fact… from what I’ve seen of your Disciples and the Bees they’re strangely deferent to… Not a lot seems to get under your skin at all. Maou, even Ammitians will get their backs up on occasion.”

“Because of who Holy Reitia IS.” You explain, secretly relieved to be back on familiar ground. “She’s the All-Mother of Creation… There’s a story in the Doctrines, about when She walked amongst us… She set things in place so a Mage would have the power he needed, when he needed to have it. If you’re dying of thirst and you magically come across a bucket of water, you don’t waste time debating which river it came out of, you give thanks and drink. That’s a big part of what it means to be a follower of Mother Reitia. If the end result is love, real love, then are the means really that important?”

Rose’s gait quickened slightly as she ran around a log fallen over the dirt trail, a log you clambered over without giving it too much thought. “I don’t follow.”

“If I look silly, but the end result is people being able to come together, then I’ll gladly look silly.” You explain. “Tyrisians don’t have that option, their faith was the primary load-bearing structure for the civilized world. They couldn’t afford to look silly.”

“Well they do anyway.” Rose huffs. “Did you know they STILL do that ‘Continuance’ thing?”

“Mmmm.” You acknowledge. “Magisterium’s still concerned about birthrates and… well… we’re used to it.”

“That sounds like experience…” Rose teases.

You look at the Centaur in surprise. “Who, me? No… I’ve never been called for Continuance. Not sure I realistically COULD now, being an Acolyte of Mother Reitia and all… I was Abbey-born though, so that’s…”

The remainder of your statement is quashed as the Centaur impulsively crushes you to her in an emphatic embrace “That’s AWFUL!”

>>380731

“Wasn’t… That bad…” You reply, gasping for breath as you extricate yourself from arm and cleavage.

“Not knowing your Mother though…”

You smile. “But I do.”

“But you said…”

“I never knew the woman who gave birth to me, though I would like to meet her someday.” You explain. “But I have a Mother. A Mother who will love me, unconditionally, until the very stars burn out and beyond. A mother whose most fervent desire is to take all that lives into her arms and tell them how very loved they are.”

“Do you actually believe that?” Rose asks suspiciously.

“Absolutely.” You answer with the utmost sincerity.

The Centaur stomped hard on an unoffending twig. “Wish Maou took some notes from her then…”

“You know there’s no law in the Doctrines of Maou about Polytheism…” You offer, somewhat more cheekily than you intended.

“Git.” Rose snorts, punching you gently in the shoulder. “Look, I can appreciate what you Reitians do, but I’m just a bit uncomfortable with the fact you’re on such good…” The Centaur suddenly broke off, looking into the distance with an expression of wary concern. “Rider.” She hissed.

“I don’t hear anything.” You admit, straining your ears.

“Course not. You Humans are deaf as posts.”

“Bigot.” You accuse good-naturedly. “Still, it’s a free road, I don’t see what…”

“There’s only one kind of rider that makes THAT kind of noise.” Rose explained. “Quick! Into the trees!”

All bemused, you followed the Centaur off the rough road and into the mossy green that surrounded you. Ducking behind a fallen log, you peeked over, watching the road. Gradually, you became aware of a sound getting louder. Jingling of metal attachments, the rhythmic thudding of heavy hooves moving at a mile-eating trot… and then you saw him.

The horse itself was intimidating enough, black as the night sky, eyes glowing with eldritch light, hooves seeming to smoke where they hit the ground… but the rider atop it… Clad in plate which seemed to devour the very light around it, beaked helm fashioned into the head of a great raven… You fancied you could even hear him breathing, the harsh, hollow sound echoing in the cavernous depths of that helm.

“Black Knight!” Rose hissed, as if the words themselves were an insult.

“We’ll just let him pass by…” You offered in a hushed whisper. “…He’s got more important things to worry about than…”

The rider reined in.

“Oh Maou…” Rose whimpered.

“Why do you hide from me, little brother?” The Black Knight called, his helm facing towards you as if he could see through the trees themselves. “What cause has a good servant of the Rafnsdottir to fear me?”

Little brother? Why did he call you that? And damn it all, he had a point, what possible reason had you to fear a man who had shown you no violence?

“Don’t move!” Rose insisted, gripping your shoulder as if anticipating your thoughts. “Quick! On my back! I promise I’m not trying to do anything here! Just do it!”

>Get on the Centaur

>Stay where you are and hide

>Confront the rider peacefully

>Attack the Rider

<Use Arcane Bolt to attack the Rider

>Something Else

>>380732

Let’s try talking with this guy. He’s not attacked us, and running away may cause trouble if we ever see him again. Let’s also ask him why he called us “little brother”. Also who or what is Rafns?

I would suggest reading his aura, but since he can somehow see us through the trees I think he would know what we’re doing and take offense at it.

>>380737

>tfw you keep forgetting not everybody's read all of your autism

Rafnsdottir is Nordenlander for "Raven's Daughter"

Corvus is the Raven

Reitia is the Daughter of Corvus.

>>380732

Get on her back and ask her what's going on as soon as we're in the clear.

>>380740

Ah ok. Then we really shouldn’t be afraid of anything then.where do you keep the rest of your work. I want to read it

>>380732

He's already seen us, no point in hiding. Go out and talk with him.

As for why we were hiding, just tell him he's an intimidating sight.

>>380732

Talk while keeping a particularly healthy distance from this guy. Be ready to GTFO by riding Rose depending on how the situation goes, she's a lot faster than we could hope to be.

>>380744

touchfluffytail.org/?author=180

>>380732

>what possible reason had you to fear a man who had shown you no violence?

>“Don’t move!” Rose insisted, gripping your shoulder as if anticipating your thoughts

Clearly, one person here has a better idea of what's going on than the other.

I'd normally talk to the dude but Rose, who obviously know more about what's going on here than us, is wigging out. Follow her advice and get on her back. Just because we think this guy isn't a threat to us, doesn't mean he isn't a threat to her.

>>380774

But just because she’s freaking out doesn’t mean we should run. He can see both of us and he hasn’t said anything about Rose. For all we know she’s only wanting to run because of stories and rumors.

>>380778

You're not wrong, it's just a matter of choosing who to respond to. I'm just sticking with the person we do know, and has some idea (even if potentially flawed) about the situation, over the unknown.

>>380781

While that’s good thinking, what about when we inevitably run into him again? He may end up attacking us or causing some other trouble later down the road when we meet again. Whenever there’s interaction with characters that an NPC initiates and not the player;that interaction is extremely important. There’s either some information they have that we need to know, or they initiate a quest, or they affect the story later on based on how their interaction went.

Given that he’s referred to us as “little brother” and referred to Reitia as “Ravens daughter” he is likely a servant of Corvus. With that in mind, even on the off chance we never see him again he is likely part of a religious order that could give us trouble later down the road. It’s possible they even have some kind of power or authority over our church due to this relationship. Talking with him could have enormous benefits

>>380788

If his church was connected to ours, we would know that already.

Some Lore since I didn't really spell it out.

Deniel would be academically aware of Corvidian worship. The Baron Alexander, who is Husband of Princess Kylie, Cheshire Daughter of Samuel the Caladonian is probably one of the more high profile of his public worshippers. But he certainly doesn't dress like that or ride around on some kind of nightmare horse.

Reitians and Corvidians have no official relationship, but neither do they share emnity, the former being focused on spreading love and healing, and the latter… well… whatever it is they do. Apart from the Baron it's rare to even see one.

>>380732

Can we Sense Aura him for a more informed decision?

Or would it be noticed and generally considered rude?

Let's talk to the guy and see what's up.

Keep our distance though and be ready to cheese it on Rose if he tries anything funny.

>>380802

He'd probably sense that too and call us out on it. Just come out and chat with him.

>>380732

He seems friendly enough. Go out and say hi.

>>380732

>Little brother? Why did he call you that?

Because we're a monk (a 'brother') on pilgrimage? Has that term fallen out of favour?

>And damn it all, he had a point, what possible reason had you to fear a man who had shown you no violence?

This seems an abrupt departure from our previous line of thought. I wonder if we are being influenced.

I vote to hop on Rose while we still have the ability to do so.

>>380816

Ehh I disagree.

This seems in character for Deniel. He doesn't seem to be the kind of person to be scared away based on appearances alone and he has yet to do anything nefarious to us.

>>380732

I'm down for trying to be optimistic. Talk to him while still being ready to cheese it at the first sign of conflict. That said I doubt a centaur would be able to outrun whatever mythical beast he is riding, If things do break down. Don't try to jedi him either. He would obviously know what we're doing and it could sour relations

Apologize to the man and blame it on him cutting such a mean figure, Like other anon said. Really try to handle this diplomatically, Because I get the feeling he is on at least mid game boss difficulty level and we don't want to bad end when we've barely just started.

Mother didn't raise a little bitch.

Peace, Love, And Tranquility Motherfuckers

>Come out and talk to him.

>Be ready to give it legs if shit goes south

“…None, sir.” You called from behind the fallen tree.

“What are you DOING?!” Rose hissed.

“It’ll be alright.” You assured her in a soft whisper. “He doesn’t seem to know you’re here. Just stay down.”

“Bad idea! Bad idea!” The centaur whispered desperately at your back as you stood, making your way back to the road at as even a pace as your legs would allow, your heart hammering in your chest in nervous trepidation.

“…But you must realize, you strike an imposing figure, and I am hardly equipped for conflict.” You explained, stopping what you hoped would be considered a reasonable distance away.

The rider made a noise of acknowledgement, hollow within that raven helm. He swung an armored leg over the horse, coming to ground with a clatter of ebon plate. Turning to the steed, he placed his hand upon its forequarter, looking directly into a glowing eye.

“Go.” He ordered, and all at once the ’horse’ burst into a cloud of black smoke which dissipated into nothingness. Turning back to you, he gestured with a mailed fist, the fingerplates pointed like the talons of some terrible bird of prey. “I trust now you’ll find me somewhat less overwhelming, little brother?”

“Only somewhat…” You clarified, after all the armored figure still looked like he could tear you in half with a simple twist and pull. “…why do you call me that?”

“Ah… The Temples of the Rafnsdottir still avoid the conversation, I see…” The rider noted with a touch of sardonic amusement. “…She truly embraces Her calling, and I fear falls into the same mistakes.”

“Mother Reitia is beyond your insults, sir.” You chided, setting your staff into the ground and folding your free arm across your body “And you will gain no satisfaction if you seek to bait me.”

“You mistake my intent, but do your training credit.” The rider noted with what sounded like surprised approval. “My Divine Master has a particular… interest in the matter.”

You shook your head in confusion. “I don’t understand.”

“Tell me, little brother. Do you know who I am… WHAT I am?”

“From all outward appearance I would hazard a guess that you are a Black Knight of Corvus.” You answered honestly.

“And do you know what that means?”

“No.” You admitted. “Baron Alexander is a figure known in Williamsberg, if only in passing, but…”

“The Lord Com… Baron…” The rider quickly corrected himself… was that a significant slip? You couldn’t tell, his face still being obscured by that intimidating helm. “…Performs the public duties of his secular office. The first and last of our order to do so.”

“Which would explain why the details of your order are the subject of rumor and speculation, sir.” You rejoined, unable to resist the temptation to slide that needle home.

“Hah.” The rider chortled, the sound hollow and mirthless within that helm. “Holy Corvus is the God of That which is Hidden. He is not to be known, only obeyed.”

>>380896

“How sad.” You remarked. “I know the Love of Reitia… I do Her will because I want others to know it, not because I am driven to do so… You call me ‘little brother’ but I see no similarity between us.”

“Because you do not yet possess the means to SEE, pilgrim.” The rider retorted, clenching a mailed fist as if to drive his point home. “Reitia, All-Mother of Creation, nurtures a garden of boundless, wondrous beauty. Yet the Servants of the Dark God are those who tend to the weeds. It is an onerous task, and thankless, for it is my Master’s desire that the denizens of that garden be not distressed by the smoke of their burning.”

“If that’s the case wouldn’t it be easier for people to know what you do?”

“Easier to be welcomed into inn or taproom. Yes. Easier to obey the Will of Corvus? No.” The rider explained “For the denizens of the garden would beseech us not to tear out the strangling vine, for its flower is beautiful and sweet of scent. Yet they would not see the fledgeling orchard it has killed beneath its mass.”

“We’ll be at this all week if we start into parables, sir.” You interrupt, shaking your head. “What do you want from me?”

“From you, little brother? Nothing.” The rider explained. “But I tell you true, it was your light that led me to my goal.”

“Rose…” You blurted in sudden revelation.

“Just so… Your centaur companion is known to me.” The rider admitted “…As is her woeful attempt to sneak up on me from behind.”

You looked over the rider’s shoulder as a gasp sounded from behind him. There, at the edge of the treeline, the Centaur stood, shocked. Reitia’s Mercy, you hadn’t even heard her approach!

“I am Split-Boulder…” Rose intoned, her expression turning from surprise to naked fury, holding a hand to her side as if reaching for some unseen object. “…Wood and Earth, Attend me!”

The ground at her side split, a thorny vine springing upwards impossibly fast, forming itself into a spear, its head adorned with a razor-edged head of solid rock. The centaur yanked the spear from the ground, flourishing it with deadly proficiency.

“You come into your birthright, as I always knew you would.” The rider remarked appraisingly “Yet you will have no need of…”

“MURDERER! KIDNAPPER!” Rose screamed in whinnying fury, charging at the rider. “You can’t have him! Not again!”

The rider gave a snarl of frustration, making a gesture with his mailed hands and forming a blade of utter darkness seemingly from the very air itself. The two clashed, the Centaur’s height and weight offset by the rider’s armor and shocking strength.

“Deniel!” Rose whinnied, “He can’t take us both!”

“You have seen her pain!” The rider retorted, slashing to open space between them. “She is of the garden! She does not understand!”

“I understand plenty!” Rose yelled, driving her spear at the armored figure, the lower beak of his helm shattering free as her magical spear made contact. “You took my Jamie! You murdered his father!”

“You know nothing!” The rider growled, driving his plated shoulder into her equine torso, knocking the centaur off balance, her humanoid torso indefensibly open to deadly strike.

>Attack the Rider with staff

<Attack the Rider with arcane bolt

>Put yourself between them

>Do nothing

>Something else?

>>380897

>Put yourself between them

>>380897

>all this backhanded secretive bullshit from a ponce talking out of his ass

He's likely too strong/well trained for us to do any damage traditionally. Doesn't mean he's immune to everything. If Deniel arcane bolts him with the intent of using it like a flashbang to fuck with his senses while having Rose use her most effective option to disable him that should I hope give the pair enough time to GTFO and away from the blacked knight.

>>380897

>Put yourself between them

Let's be smart, and bring it off

>>380904

If we do some basic brainstorming:

The black knight was guided to our location by a light. The black knight had known where we were despite our concealment. He had sensed Rose despite his being somewhat distracted in conversation with us. He can conjure a sword with his dick.

So from that we can gather that he has one or a combination of:

A. magic sight

B. premonition

C. precognition

D. superhuman senses

E. above average or superhuman spacial awareness

F. above average martial prowess

E. enormous confidence

G. magic resistance

Our dinky little fuckboi sparkle magic is going to do jack diddily shit. He doesn't want to kill us and it seems like he wants us and horsepussy for something. Get in between them. he'll probably save us from getting skewered by horsepussy. probably.

>>380897

Step in. Hopefully they stop but we might have to take a blow, If so try to guide it into a not fatal area to the best of our ability.

Nigknight doesn't seem to want to hurt Horse Puss but if she keeps going at him he won't have a choice, And I still personally get the feeling him being serious could kill both of us with not that much difficulty.

If we get them to have a pause I think our best option would be to just implore him to leave so we can avoid more pointless bloodshed. He said she wasn't a "weed" so I think he'll let it go. We'd miss his side of the story for now but trying to hear out both sides right now would ignite the fight again. We can always ask him later if/when we see him again.

If he doesn't then I guess we have to pick a side or just let it be. I like Rose but I am damn near certain our little taser would do less then jackshit against our Dark buddies obviously enchanted high tier armor.

>>380897

Step in, break it up, and pull out the diplomancy.

Try to find out both sides of this story before coming to any conclusions.

>>380906

Also, just thought of this, we could really use a calming spell. We should look into learning one next chance we get.

>>380937

A shield spell would also Be nice. It would be a good way to protect us and our companions as well as breaking up fights in a pinch. A better heal spell as well is needed.

>Get between ‘em

“STOP THIS MADNESS!” You yelled, secretly thankful that your voice didn’t crack. Seizing your staff, you ran forward, planting yourself firmly in front of the splay-legged centaur.

The rider paused, seemingly conflicted, the skin of his jawline, dusted with dark stubble now visible through his broken helm. He shook his head, and you saw muscle ripple along that jaw as he clenched it in determination.

“I won’t lose her again.” The rider declared firmly, before plunging that dark blade into your chest.

“NO!” You heard Rose’s whinnying scream as you spiralled into the dark.

>>381014

“Mama didn’t raise no bitch…” A woman’s voice intruded, and you opened your eyes, surprised for a moment to recognise a scene from your childhood. You looked up at the round, disapproving features of a Tyrisian Priestess, one of the ‘Mothers’ from the Abbey of Blessed Innocence, the only home you had known since birth. “…And I don’t want to see you dissapointin’ Holy Tyris by standin’ idle while someone’s doin’ wrong again, y’hear?”

“Yes Mother… I’m sorry Mother…” You heard yourself murmur abashedly.

“Aww Denny-boy… “ The Priestess sighed, taking you in her warm, soft arms. “…I know Ben’s bigger’n you, and it can be hard to stand up to that. But the hardest times to do right are the most important ones.”

Your vision clouded, and you felt yourself floating, absent any sense of time or space, drifting in and out of awareness until you felt yourself come once again to ‘rest’. You blinked, trying to clear your vision, but could only manage to discern the faint outline of what looked like a woman’s torso above you, your head evidently in her lap. A cool, smooth hand stroked your face with exquisite tenderness. Her hair, long and blue as cornflowers framed a face of heartstopping beauty as she raised your head to kiss your forehead, lupine ears the same azure shade flicking absently atop her head. Grey shadows mantled you… were they wings?

“Mother?” You mumbled, feeling like a newborn babe in her embrace “Am I dead?”

“Far from it, precious one…” She whispered and your heart exulted at the sound of her voice. “…Now wake up.”

“…Wake up, Pilgrim.” Another voice echoed, and you felt yourself crashing back to awareness and the shock of dull pain which radiated through you. You groaned, rolling over on the ground, harsh and unforgiving when compared to that spectral embrace, and coming face-to-broken helm with the Black Rider once more. The shadows were long and the light dim, yet a cheery fire had been lit against the encroaching night.

“What did you do?” You demanded of the Rider, feeling your chest for any evidence of the blade which had peirced it.

“Pacified you.” The rider answered, rising to his feet. “I would have never armed myself with the means to kill you. Either of you.”

“Liar! You’re just savouring the victory so you can torture us!” You heard the centaur yell.

“Rose?” You murmured, shaking your head and regaining your feet, to behold the bound and hobbled figure of the centaur glaring death at the black-armored man. The sight would have been comical given any other circumstance.

“Now.” The rider continued, moving towards the centaur. “It is time, at last, for you to stop running.”

“I’ve outrun all of you for two years now, carrion.” Rose spat loathingly. “These ropes won’t hold me long.”

“Not ‘All of us…” The rider corrected, shaking his head. “…Just me.”

“What are you doing?” You demanded, picking up your staff that the rider had nonchalantly left lying on the ground.

“Showing her the truth…” The rider answered, turning his head to look at you through broken helm, before returning his attention to the centaur.

“You wouldn’t know truth if it kicked you in the parts… assuming you still have them.” Rose retorted witheringly. “I don’t care what you say, I’ll never forgive you for taking Jamie!”

The rider shook his head, unbuckling his helmet and pulling its shattered remains from his head. He was human, that much was clearly evident, with a head of wavy brown hair and green eyes that stared at the centaur with a desperate yearning.

“No!” Rose screamed, struggling against her bonds “No no no no! I won’t believe it, it’s not true!”

“Stop running, Rose!” The rider demanded, his voice now heartbreakingly human without the distortion of the helmet. “Pretty pony… It’s me… It’s Jamie…”

Rose kicked and flailed against the hobbles on her legs. “No! They killed your father!”

“They ended the life of a broken man sunk to vileness.” The rider… Jamie… corrected.

“They took you!”

“They SAVED me!”

“You left me!”

Jamie hung his head. “I did… The one thing I never wanted to do. I am sorry.”

“This is a trick!” Rose yelled in desperate denial, working desperately at the ropes binding her hands. Freeing one, she reached out again to the earth, forming a stone knife which she used to cut herself free.

“Please, pretty pony… stop…” Jamie begged “…I’m so tired…”

>This is a trick, tell Rose to run

>Jamie is being honest, tell Rose to stay

>You’re not convinced either way, don’t get involved

>Tell Jamie that he can’t force Rose to accept what he’s telling her.

>Ask Rose what she’s so afraid of

>Something else?

>>381015

Well shit this is getting complicated. Let's not intervene, it isn't our place. At most we should get ready to distribute some heals if shit goes pear-like.

>>381015

>Tell Jamie that he can’t force Rose to accept what he’s telling her.

>Ask Rose what she’s so afraid of

Well I’ll admit this went a direction I wasn’t expecting. But we can’t just walk away from this. If there were ever a time when we were needed it’s now. Two long separated lovers who have a chance to reunite!

Firstly let’s ask Jamie if we can use sense aura to discern his character and whether or not hes deceiving us or Rose and if he’s not put Rose at ease. Secondly if he is being genuine let’s hear this story from the beginning and help both of them reconcile. Helping two lovers is our mission statement basically.

He easily could have killed us, yet he did not. He easily could have killed Rose, but he did not. Let’s at least try to bridge the gap here!

>>381025

I'm a little more cautious, but something along these lines could work. We could also go for getting her to ask him some questions only he would know the answer to.

>>381015

>Pretty pony

>Other stuff

In light of this complete 180 of what I was expecting, figuratively send these two to bed without dinner until they sort their business out.

>>381015

Convince Rose to stay long enough for us to use Sense Aura on Jamie

<Use Sense Aura on Jamie

>Try and find out what Rose is so afraid of

>Tell Jamie to stop trying to force the issue

“Reitia’s Mercy…” You sighed explosively “…ENOUGH, both of you. You’re just hurting each other more!”

“I don’t care about a liar!” Rose spat.

“I will bear any pain if…” Jamie began sententiously.

“Commah Tah Noblo Zien” You interjected, soothing light springing forth from your hands and washing over Man and Centaur.

“Wha… Oh… Oh my…” Rose almost purred, the abrasions on her arms and legs fading, light returning to her eyes as her fatigue lifted. Jamie, however, merely gave a tearing moan, and you noticed with alarm that your energy was flowing into him at a much more rapid rate than you had anticipated.

“He’s…” You began helplessly. “…Liaida Ananael” you intoned, waving your hand and invoking your spirit-vision. Jamie’s Aura sprang out at you immediately, regal blues and golds… uprightness, integrity, nobility… Wait… Had it gotten dark all of a sudden?

With a sinking feeling you realized, the Blues and Golds were his core, the essence of his soul… But surrounding it were radiating waves of darkness that made you shrink back instinctively.

“He’s telling the truth…” You began hesitantly.

Rose shrieked, throwing the knife at an unoffending tree and bursting into tears. “He CAN’T be! Don’t you see? It’s not possible!”

“By all the Gods Rose, you’re making no sense!” You bluster, still nervously avoiding the radiating darkness of Jamie’s Aura.

The Centaur took a deep, shuddering breath. “I’m the last of my bloodline, the Scion of all Split-Boulder’s Magic… You can’t tell me the only man I ever truly loved is a Maou-damned Mage Hunter!”

“A WHAT?!” You declared in revulsion, shying away from Jamie, who looked at you with a somber expression.

“I was Mage…” The man admitted. “…like my father. A man given over to vile and forbidden rites…” He continued, shucking his gauntlets and unstrapping his cuirass. “…So many nights, strapped to his machines while he flensed me… bled me… tortured me…” Jamie hoisted off his gambeson, his torso covered in angry scars, traced in strange and arcane symbols… symbols which horrified you to the depths of your very soul. You felt something shift in your mind, and became aware of vile whispers, tempting beckonings from the oubliettes within the Palace of your Awareness.

“Reitia, Wellspring of all Mercy… Deliver me…” You whispered in fear.

“You told me you fell into a blackberry bush!” Rose accused, stepping towards the rider, unthinkingly jabbing a finger at him. Jamie caught her hand, and as their bare skin touched, the barriers of pain seemed to burst within her soul, the grimy greys and browns bleeding out to be replaced by pinks and greens… raw, agonized… but pure.

“Rose, my pretty pony… The Black Riders SAVED me… The Umbral Baptism cleansing me of all corruption…”

“But leaving you without your magic… Maou’s Glory, Jamie, I can FEEL it! Like the stump of a missing damn leg”

“The Dark God takes…” Jamie admitted, kissing her hand and stepping away from her. Spreading his arms, his body became shrouded in ethereal armor of utter nothingness. “…But he gives in return. As Tyris Bestows the Benedictus upon His chosen, so does Corvus anoint his Black Knights with the Inimicus.”

“Put it away! I thought you WANTED me to stay.” Rose demanded, shying away from the sight.

Jamie dispelled the nothingness, stepping towards the Centaur. “I want to be honest with you. No more secrets. No more hiding. No more running. I love you, Rose. I’ve always loved you.”

>>381172

“…Dammit it isn’t fair!” Rose lamented as Jamie took her hand again.

“We can be together, love…” Jamie entreated, putting her hand against his face.

Rose stared at him, her heart in her eyes warring with fear and doubt. “Can we? What about our children? Can the Magic even pass to them after…what you’ve done to yourself?”

“Corvus is not a cruel God… there’s a way, I’m sure of it.”

Rose sighed, bending her equine torso in a strange kneel.

“What are you doing?” Jamie asked in puzzlement.

“Get on.” Rose answered snippily. “We have a lot to talk about… probably even more to fight about… and I’m not doing either without a barrel of ale in me.”

“As you wish…” Jamie laughed, the first time you had seen anything but somber sonorousness or pain from the man, as he swung his leg over the Centaur’s back.

“Farewell, Pilgrim…” Jamie called back to you “…I pray we are not fated to meet again.”

“For my sake, I take it.” You remark wryly.

“Just so.” The man nods, his smirk mirthless.

“Seeya Deniel!” Rose whinnies, galloping away from the camp with a speed which defied belief.

“Maybe I should have just feigned ignorance…” You sigh. Today had been a trying day, moreso for being the first of your pilgrimage. You tried to ignore the armor pieces lying neglected upon the ground, as absent their owner, they began to smoke and fade into nothingness. The cheery warmth of the fire soothed your troubled soul, and you sat in front of it, crossing your legs and breathing deeply, striving to clear your mind of the confusion and troubling implications the Corvidian’s words had nested within your thoughts.

“Sahnate, Pora…” You chanted reverently as you slipped into meditation “Reitia Dei in Excelsius…”

>>381173

You floated on a plane of twisting light and shadow, the markers of the Intersects stretching out like a fractal webway around you.

“As Above…” A musical voice intoned, and you imagined your breath catching in your lungs as an Angel, Radiant and Beautiful, floated before you.

“…So Below.” A second voice added, no less lovely than the first, A Dark Angel materializing, taking the Celestial by the hand and drawing her into embrace, both pressing cheek to cheek as they stared at you.

The nexus of the first intersect, your anchor on the Astral plane… shuddered. Alarm filled you as dark crimson spread from the intersect, a fractal maze to match the Heavenly Intersects growing like the diseased roots of some vile tree beneath you.

“No!” You cried in denial. “I don’t want any part of it!”

“That which has been seen…” The Celestial began

“…Cannot be unseen.” The Abyssal finished.

“But Your Choice…”

“…Is Your Own.”

“Mother!” You cried out in fear, and at once your vision blurred, spectral arms surrounding you in an embrace of acceptance and love.

“I Love You, Precious One…” Reitia’s whisper resounded within your soul. “…But the turnings of your journey are for you to decide.”

“I am Yours, Holy Mother!” You insisted, clinging to that sensation of unconditional love like an anchor. “I have always been yours!”

“I know, Precious One… But now you must wake…”

<You have learned the following DARK magic:

<Pain - Contact attack, agonizes the target until released

<Terrify - Fill the target soul with inescapable fear

<Rot - Putrify food/drink or other organic material, used on living things will render any wounds septic.

Basic Dark Magic will not automatically make you an evil git, but it will usually be more powerful/easier to obtain than the Light Magic, and, in case you hadn’t figured it out, High-End Dark Rituals may make you a target of Black Riders

>>381174

“Hey… Young Feller, you alright there?” A Querulous voice demanded, the intrusive sensation of a boot in your thigh bringing you to awareness.

“Wh-What?” You mumbled, blinking as you sat up, the fire long burned out, and a white haired trader standing over you, his wrinkled face sun-browned and leathered by exposure.

“Sleepin’ in the middle of the road, yer liable to get run over!” The man chided good-naturedly.

“Sorry… I didn’t…”

“Didn’t think, I’d wager. By Tyris it looks like someone’s done made off with yer supplies too!”

“Supplies?” You echoed dumbly, still not fully aware.

The trader frowns in puzzlement. “Did they cosh yer noggin? Are ye after makin’ a report to th’Waylanders?”

“They?”

“Whoever left ye with naught but a stick and a sack-o-books, o’course!” The old man explains with a slight note of exasperation.

“Oh… Well, it’s not quite…”

“And they got yer horses too!” The man laments. “Poor mite. Well hop on up, I’m bound for Charlestown fer the Chancel Sowing. Y’can see if the Browncoats done arrested any brigands. Not holdin’ out much hope, but Tyris Willing y’might be lucky.” He assured you, making the Sign of the Sunburst and gesturing to his battered wagon, drawn by a pair of indifferently groomed draught horses.

>Accept the ride, tell him who you are.

>Accept the ride, play along with the misunderstanding

>Decline the ride, you need to forage for breakfast

>Decline the ride, we’re too holy for this shit

>Something Else?

>>381174

Let’s accept the offer but be honest about who and what we are. Let’s not lie to take advantage of him.lets never use those dark spells. That will lead to a bad end.

>>381175

Accept the ride and tell him who we are. A ride and company is welcome, especially after our ordeal.

Ask about any interesting going-ons and try to learn a little more about where we're headed.

Also, no dark magic. Ever. Good pilgrims of Reitia's love don't do that shit.

>>381174

>>381175

Terrify is the least evil out of all the spells so we might as well go with that, and let's be honest with the guy.

>>381175

Accept the ride and be honest that we're a pilgrim of Reitia. Better to get in trouble for telling the truth than to get caught in a lie.

Avoid dark magic cause shits nasty. Avoid consumption of dog shit.

>>381175

Be honest and accept the ride. Don't sniff his petrol stash either

>>381175

Hold up, So we got corrupted by the dark just from seeing the scars left on NigKnight from his culty background? One of the guys who's whole job is to smite out magical Hersey? If Corvus went through the trouble of purging the evil from his body and soul you'd think he make sure to fix the issue of the infectious corruption on his chosen's skin. So basically Corvus a Cuck, Is what I am getting at here.

Still though, The dark side powers seem pretty great, Especially at this early stage. You've got me curious as to what the high end dark spells that require rituals would manage to do. The temptation has already taken root. I hope you lead us into situations where we have an actual pull to use them instead of it being just a one of thing.

I go for option A.

No reason to lie to the man.

>>381223

No, the symbols were powerless. You just understood enough of them to unlock awareness of the dark intersects along what mages call 'The Path'. (A bit like how seeing a cloud in a particular shape may trigger association or memory.) You have not been infected or corrupted. All evil you do from this point onwards is on you and you alone.

The reason Jamie still has them is to remind himself of what evil mages are capable of, in case one makes with the pleading eloquence in the future.

>>381223

>You've got me curious as to what the high end dark spells that require rituals would manage to do.

You could probably push yourself as close to godhood as someone who can only exist in one place at any given time and only perceive five or six dimensions can get.

Jamie's dad's original motivation was a way to ressurect his dead wife, but after a few failed attempts he just got a taste for it.

>>381223

The dark side leads to pain and suffering.To the bad end.

>>381232

quick question about your TFT. Is the twighlight of the gods set in the same ‘verse as child of the australs, tales of the wanderer etc.?

>>381223

Nah m8. We're playing a NG pilgrim of a NG goddess.

Even if using some dark magic won't automatically make us evil, it'll still be shitty and be like insulting our goddess.

Also, i've played an asshole in tabletop for a while and want a wholesome adventure for once.

>>381238

Yep, everything I've written so far is in the same questionably-consistent magical realm

Take the ride and accept the Dark offer. Go with terrify because that's the most NG option and use it always as a last resort.

Just because it's dark magic dosen't mean it's evil magic. LG Clerics get some sketch spells too.

>>381247

You're not accepting anything, you KNOW these spells, you're not obligated to use them.

>>381240

Scaring the shit out of someone isn't exactly nice, but could be useful to end a confrontation nonviolently.

>>381174

><You have learned the following DARK magic:

I think some of you guys are missing this, We don't have to choose a spell, We just now know how to use these.

>>381240

Or maybe the best end?

U N L I M I T E D power in service to Mother's teachings. Joking aside, completely denying the dark side might bite us in the ass. Don't just completely rule it out, especially since our tipsy storyteller is making a big point to say just using them doesn't flip a switch and make you evil

>>381175

>Accept the ride, tell him who you are.

Lets go with this.

>>381259

Oh, well that's a error on my part. Thanks for clearing it up OP.

Sorry about the delay Heroes, leadup to Christmas has my wagecuck ass run around

>Accept the ride, tell him who you are.

You stood with a slight grunt, retrieving your satchel and staff. “That’s a very kind offer, sir…”

“Call me Geoff, young feller.” The old man interjected, clambering into the wagon with practiced ease and holding a hand out to help you up. You take his calloused hand, taking a seat on the rough wooden bench next to the wagoneer.

“Geoff.” You echoed with a nod. “I’m Deniel. And just to clarify…”

“Hungry?” The man interrupted again, pulling a loaf of bread and a hunk of cheese from a sack behind the bench.

“Famished, but I think…”

Geoff pulled out a knife, flipping it over in his hand and offering it to you hilt-first. “Eat first, Deniel.”

You sliced off a couple of pieces of bread and some of the sharp, crumbly cheese, taking a bite and murmuring your thanks. Geoff places the bread and cheese in his lap, and briefly muttered a prayer to Tyris, raising his arms in the Sign of the Sunburst before carving himself off a generous portion. Holding it in one hand, he nonchalantly flicks the reins at the horses, and the wagon begins its trundling journey down the road.

:”Now…” Geoff muttered after taking a long pull on a waterskin and passing its sloshing bulk unceremoniously to you. “…You were saying?”

“Well it’s kind of after the fact…” You chuckled somewhat self-consciously, taking a drink to clear your throat. “…But I wasn’t robbed. I’m a Reitian Acolyte on Pilgrimage.”

“I’m afraid I don’t follow you, Deniel.” Geoff replied uncomprehendingly, wordlessly accepting the waterskin back and putting it away behind the bench.

“It’s a mendicant pilgrimage. We take nothing but a few holy texts, relying on the good-will of our fellow sapients for sustenance.”

The man’s eyes widened slightly. “Huh… So that’s a thing then. I’d heard rumors but I don’t really keep up to date with these new religions. You’re not what I’d have expected an ascetic to look like though.”

You raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“I think ‘ascetic’, I’m thinking those hardcore Ammittians who stagger through sometimes. Shaved head, dirty linen robe, babbling nonsense.”

“Necromancers.” You chuckle slightly. “Ones in training anyway.”

“The babbling makes sense then!” Geoff snickered. “I’ll go to stand before JUSTICE in time like everyone else, but far as I’m concerned man’s got no business staring death in the gullet on purpose.”

“We agree on that. Plus I’d imagine Mausoleums aren’t the most comfortable places to sleep.”

Geoff gave a noncommittal noise, rocking his hand back and forth. “Can’t wake up with a stick in your ass atop a stone slab. But you know how they talk about the ‘Quiet Dead’ atimes?”

You nod. “I’ve heard the term”

“They’re not. Wights constantly babbling and arguing to each other. Banshees caterwauling about whatever’s got ‘em on edge this week. Ghouls fighting over a choice bit o’ carrion…”

“You’re speaking from experience I take it.”

Geoff burst out in an ugly, mocking laugh. “I’ve been all over the Westerlands in my years, Deniel m’boy. Get a graveyard to a big enough size and it becomes almost a city in its own right.”

“That’s got to get complicated.”

“Ammit’s Keepers seem to have good heads on their shoulders… At least I’ve not heard any stories of anybody’s young wife dead in childbirth crawling back into the marriage bed after a few days.”

“Thank the Gods for that.” You murmured in relief. The dourness of the Corvidian Jamie had been unsettling enough without actually needing to interact with the Undead, let alone try and counsel one that had risen to find her husband again.

>>381528

You rode along in silence for a time, the old man seeming to be lost in his own thoughts for a time.

“So this pilgrimage…” Geoff began, breaking the silence. “…what happens when they say no? Or when you’re on the road and there’s nobody to beg alms off?”

“Forage, ideally… worst case scenario the human body can go a surprising length of time without food, and water’s plenty easy to come by.” You replied confidently.

“But if you’re in the desert or something…”

You chuckled to hear the question of a younger you from the old man’s lips. “It’s a vow of poverty, not stupidity. If I’m going into the desert I’ll go prepared.”

“You say that like common sense is common, m’laddo.” Geoff snickered. “Seen wagoneers half-dead because they thought a few kegs of beer would substitute for water down in the drylands.”

“Urgh…” You grunted sympathetically “…sounds like a terrible way to go.”

“Yeah, ‘specially when that beer turns in the heat and they’re vomiting and shitting more liquid than they can keep down.” Geoff added with a grimace. “I was just thinkin’. Say if I were to tell you I hadn’t the supplies to keep you fed ‘til we get to Charlestown. What would you do?”

You looked out across the lush meadow the road tracked its dusty brown length across “If that’s the case, thank you for your charity with breakfast. You don’t need to worry, Caladon’s almost swarming with rabbits this time of year.”

“That it is, but my old bones can’t handle the work.” Geoff laughed. “Tell you what though, if’n you manage to knock up a nice brace o’coneys, I’ll stew ‘em up fit for a lord’s table.”

You smiled. “Deal.”

The shadows were lengthening, the evening breeze cool in your face as you crept slowly forwards. You had spotted your quarry pop-hopping their way into the longer grass. Pausing, you tested the wind as it eddied, no sense your smell driving them to their burrows.

Suddenly, with a heart-stopping flurry of wings, a flock of pheasants burst from the long grass. You raised your hands, focusing your magical energies.

“Vime Alonusahi” You almost snarl, as tearing bolts of arcane energy ripped through the pheasants, hitting four and dropping them to the ground.

“Thank you.” You murmured sincerely as you quickly wrang their necks, picking them up by their horny, clawed feet. Feeling thoroughly pleased with yourself, you began your way back to the camp, when a rustle in the grass made you pause. Two black, lupine ears twitched atop a humanoid head, and a pair of feral green eyes glared at you with frustration. She was a young thing, the gangly coltishness of adolescence giving her an awkward look, but her limbs were lithely muscular, and she was gathered in a crouch that looked as if it could become a springing charge at any moment. She looked at the pheasants gripped in your hand with open yearning, licking her pink lips.

>Give a couple of pheasants to the Wolf-Girl

>Invite her back to the camp

>Ignore her

>Tell her to go away

>Attack her before she pounces

<Use Arcane Bolt (3 uses remaining)

<Use Terrify

>>381530

>Give a couple of pheasants to the Wolf-Girl

No reason not to be charitable.

>>381530

Let’s give her one or two pheasants. We should have more than enough for two people even with just two pheasants. They weigh a few pounds a piece. And even when you remove the bones and feathers and such you can probably get a pound of meat together

>>381530

Invite her to come back to camp with us.

>>381530

>Invite her back to the camp

Introduce yourself and tell her who you are. Invite her back to camp to eat with you. If she declines, then throw her a single pheasant, your blessings, and be about your way.

>>381530

Invite the wan for dinner

>>381530

Gib wan a couple of dead birds, but do NOT invite her back. Last thing we need is a practical demonstration in sex ed … along with pissing off our ride.

>>381530

After giving it a think and looking over the other responses, I'm changing my vote from >>381536 to inviting her back to camp for dinner. We can give her some pheasants if that doesn't fly with her.

>>381574

>Last thing we need is a practical demonstration in sex ed

If Deniel can't fend off a horny wolf-girl pup, then he's hardly fit for his job. It was Reitia's guidance that led to his encounter with her. It's perfectly fitting for someone in his position to be open and friendly to all, and particularly monstergirls.

>>381530

I'm down for inviting her for dinner. If push comes to shove I think we could manage her if she gets rapey.

If she doesn't like that, Just toss her a bird. She knows we are here now so it would be best to try and create good relations to hopefully avoid getting jumped by the pack in the middle of the night.

>Invite Wolf-Girl back to camp

You smiled, crouching slightly to look the wolf-girl in the eyes. “Hello there.”

She started at your voice, a cagy look in her eyes belying her internal debate on whether you warranted running away from. Finally, it seems curiosity (And likely hunger) won out over caution.

“Hi.” She answered hesitantly, still not moving from the grass.

“Can’t help but notice you admiring the birds. You hungry?”

The wolf-girl nodded enthusiastically, gradually inching towards you.

“Well, it’s late, and I can’t imagine you’ve already got a fire going.” you noted, sniffing at the air as if to drive your point home.

The wolf-girl stood slowly, forlornly shaking her head and holding one arm awkwardly across her adolescent frame.

“It’s a good thing that we do. You’re welcome to come along if you like.”

The wolf-girl swallowed. “Y-you’re sure?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” You asked with a smile, before shying away in mock fear “Not going to try and gobble me up are you”

Her features were a mixture of outrage and amusement. “N-no!”

“Come on then.” You beckoned, and as if that were enough to overcome her last resistance, the girl loped towards you on canid feet, looking up at you curiously.

“How’d you do that?”

You raised an eyebrow. “Do what?”

“You know, with your hands and the ‘pew pew pew’… the magic stuff!”

“Oh, well it’s a little hard to explain… Some thoughts, have a certain sound, that being equivalent to a form…”

“Oh, I get it!” The wolf declared girlishly “…wait… nope… That made absolutely no sense to me.”

You pat the teenager briefly on the head. “Took me seven years to grasp it, and that’s even WITH being… gifted…”

“Did you burn your house down? My friend Wendy? She’s a Hellhound. She burned her house down… Her daddy was so mad…”

You chuckle, shaking your head. “No I didn’t burn the house down. It was mostly about dreams, some I even had while I was awake, except they weren’t really dreams.”

“Did you kiss a Jabberwocky? Little Billy from that logging camp up north says his brother kissed a Jabberwocky and they say he was seein’ stuff for weeks.”

You laugh out loud at that. “You get around a bit then?”

“Well, we did…”

“We?”

The wolf-girl scuffs her paws against the grass “Mama and papa and me…”

“Hold on…” You pause “…do we need to tell your parents where you are?”

Lupine ears twitched as the wolf-girl shook her head. “No, they know where I am.”

“You sure?”

She raised her eyes to yours, her gaze challenging. “Yuh huh!”

“Well alright…” You concede, ducking your head and handing her a pair of the birds. “…I’m Deniel, and you can carry these two.”

“Lucy.”

“Glad to meet you Lucy, now come on, Geoff’ll be thinking I got eaten by something.”

>>381938

“Yer back then?” Geoff noted, dusting himself off as he stood from where he was chopping wild herbs, evidently gathered in your absence, on a flat block of slate. Noticing the wolf girl, he peered at her through squinted eyes before cocking his head and giving a deranged smile. “Bit scrawny isn’t she? Sure she’ll feed us both?”

Lucy gave a brief scream, instinctively hiding behind you before the old man started laughing.

“Sorry girl, couldn’t help m’self.” He apologized, wiping his eyes. “Now are those some nice fat pheasants I see?”

“I’m surprised she didn’t throw them at your head, Geoff.” You chided, tsking as you made to hand the birds over.

“Ut ut!” Geoff interrupted. “I’m cooking, you clean.”

You frowned uncomprehendingly. “Fair… but…”

“Clean the birds, boy!” Geoff demanded in exasperation.

You give an “Oh!” of comprehension and a rueful grin as you turn to the wolf-girl. “Help me Lucy? We’ll still be hungry at midnight if I’ve got to dress and butcher four birds myself.”

“Okay.” Lucy agreed, following along behind you. “Did you know he was a Tyris-man?” She asked softly when presumably out of earshot of the old wagoneer.

You shrugged as you began plucking a pheasant “I didn’t ask specifically, but it doesn’t surprise me. How did you know?”

“He smells like it.”

You paused, looking quizzically at the wolf-girl. “What does a Tyrisian smell like?”

“Like when your dad is REALLY mad at you.”

“How is that… that’s not even a smell!” You laughed helplessly.

“Made more sense than that thought-and-sound stuff…” Lucy muttered to herself as she began plucking another pheasant.

>>381939

“Sweet Tyris…” Geoff groaned, rubbing his stomach. “…I think I outdid myself there.”

You attempted to suppress a belch, your body filled with warmth and the insistent weariness of having eaten well and plentifully. “I think you missed your calling Geoff, that was magnificent.”

“I think I ate too much.” Lucy moaned, looking slightly discomforted.

Geoff laughed. “No such thing my girl. Times of plenty are to be savoured and enjoyed, for when tribulation comes the memory is all the sweeter. Family, friends, food. These are comforts we all share.”

“Small comfort…” Lucy murmured darkly, a sudden departure from her more innocent mannerisms previously.

“Everything alright Lucy?” You asked the wolf-girl, concern worming in your breast.

“Come now girl.” Geoff cozened, looking every inch the kindly grandfather. “Whatever’s troubling you I’m sure we can find a solution. After all, where there’s life, there’s always hope!”

“Yeah…” Lucy murmured in affirmation, her ears twitching as she seemed to mull over that statement. “Wait… YEAH!”

Standing, she sketched a bow towards the both of you. “Thank you both so much for dinner… and… I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” You echoed in befuddlement. “Whatever for?”

“This.” Lucy murmured almost sadly, before kicking you solidly in the face.

>>381940

“Deniel! Deniel!” A male voice intruded on the blissful shroud of oblivion. “You alright boy?”

You groaned, gingerly touching your face, halfway convinced your hand would meet nothing but pulp. Whilst you sported the beginnings of what would clearly be a black eye, and a couple of your teeth wiggled slightly in your jaw, you seemed to be little the worse for wear.

“What happened?” You mumbled, blinking to try and clear your swimming vision, your head throbbing as consciousness re-asserted itself.

“Your little friend kicked you rather solidly in the face. Never seen a man’s head go all the way back like that before, was worried she might have broken your neck.” Geoff explained with gruff brusqueness. “Little bitch stole my good pot too… Stupid girl, if she wanted to take more with her she could have just asked.”

“It’s not hunger…” You pondered, looking at the clear drag marks leading off the road and towards a rocky copse some small distance away, the bright, gibbous moon bathing the landscape in silver. “…did you see her face drop when you said ‘Family?”

“She’s too skinny too… Wolf her age should have no trouble hunting enough to keep herself fed…” Geoff agreed. “What’s the little mite gotten herself into?”

You nod. “Shall we find out?”

Geoff chuckles mirthlessly. “I’m too old to be breaking a leg in the dark, boy. And I can’t do an axle taking the wagon off-road when I’ve got a full load.”

“Mmm…” You acknowledged, still staring towards the copse.

“Come. It’s a pot boy, I won’t lose any sleep over it. And I’m sure every man’s got a story about having their clock cleaned by a surprise smack from a desperate Mamono, Tyris knows I could tell you stories…”

One of the horses nickered in its traces. The wagon might not be able to make it across uneven terrain… but a horse?

>Track down the Wolf-Girl

<Ask for a horse

<Take a Horse

<Go on foot

>Leave her be

<Tell the Waylanders in Charlestown about her waylaying you

<Don’t tell anyone about it

<Heal yourself before taking your chosen course

>Don’t bother, it’s minor and who knows, bruises might make begging easier in Charlestown?

>Anything Else?

>>381941

The silly girl was too desperate and childish to ask for help, when she clearly needs it. We should help her. This is Reitia's guidance and another trial to overcome. There's nothing to say that love letter must reach Charlestown ASAP. But lets not forget about it or anything.

<Heal yourself before taking your chosen course

Before we go anywhere, lets spend a few minutes healing up our face and clearing our mind. We could be going into a situation involving bandits or worse.

<Ask for a horse

Ask Geoff for a horse we can borrow. He has been more than generous, so I'd understand if he said no. But I've got a bad feeling about letting that wolf-girl go on as she has been doing. She'll end up getting hurt or killed. And worst case scenario, she could end up becoming a bandit herself.

>>381941

We're gonna hunt that wan down and we're gonna help the fuck out of her

Ask Geoff if he can spare a horse, though I doubt he can

>>381948

As an addendum to this. If we do discover a bandit camp, or something equally dangerous, then we should definitely not go inside on our own. We should just carefully observe the place and take note of its location, before leaving to go get help from Charlestown.

As a side note: We should have used Sense Aura on the wolf-girl. That could have given us insight to avoid some risk in this situation.

>>381941

>the posters above me behaving like a bunch of swedes

Waylanders need to know about this miserable little shit. Also, help Geoff keep an eye out for any suspicious activity just in case the previously mentioned little shit has family and friends of a similar bent.

Let's heal our face and hunt down the wan without using a horse. Horses aren't exactly stealthy and Geoff has been more than generous to us. There's something fishy going on here and I want to find out what it isalso because wan deserves some kind of punishment for assault and theft.

>>381941

Let's try to track down and help the wan, skip the horse.

>>381968

Oh, and skip healing for the moment. Bruises are useful as evidence at this point, and we should keep as much of our juice in reserve as we can right now.

>>381969

>skip healing for the moment

He should at least heal himself to the extent that his mind is no longer dazed or clouded. But yes, it not necessary to go so far as to fully heal every scrape and bruise. Extra delays could be costly in the long run.

>>381955

>Waylanders need to know about this miserable little shit

Heartless as ever. Are you trying to turn us away from Reitia?

>>381941

ask for a horse and go on foot if he won't let us borrow it

Find the girl and teach her a lesson about stealing and throwing hospitality back into ones face. No magic, but maybe we can scare her straight with that nifty new spell. Or just, you know, good old fashion discipline.

>>381974

>Heartless as ever. Are you trying to turn us away from Reitia?

There comes a time when the open hand must become a fist. Does that mean we should kill her? No, absolutely not. Kick her ass? Still no. Teach her a lesson that may or may not involve a stick? Yes. We took a vow of chastity and poverty, not pacifism.

>>382016

>>382017

>There comes a time when the open hand must become a fist.

I agree that she should be taught a lesson. But that heartless anon was recommending ratting her out to the city guard and turning our back on her. She seemed like a nice girl, with unfortunate circumstances sending her down the wrong path. And a good spanking just might help get her back on the right path.

>Go after the wan

>Ask for a horse

“She could be in trouble, Geoff.” You insisted, before settling on your knees, raising your hands in front of your face. “Commah Tah Noblo Zien”

Geoff sucked at a tooth in thought. “Could be bandits, boy… sure you want to be wasting that magic on a shut eye and a split lip?”

“Just enough… Ahhhh… Praise you, Mother Reitia… To clear my head.” You sighed, feeling the throbbing recede. “A clear mind will serve me better than any magic.”

“You’ll never catch her on foot.”

You nodded, regaining your feet. “Which is why I must beg your charity again.”

“Tyris be Merciful Deniel, I told you my wagon…”

“Not the wagon.” You corrected. “Just a loan of a horse.”

The old man fixed you with a studious look. “Are all Reitians as presumptuous as you?”

“Some are worse, sir.” You admitted with a slight grin.

“Tyris save our Holy Mother Church then.” Geoff chuckled helplessly, throwing a blanket over the back of one of his unkempt draughts and releasing the gelding from its traces. “Take Dom here then, he’s not liable to shy on you.”

“Dom?” You echoed, accepting the rude rope halter and patting the placid horse’s nose.

“After Dom the Null… A Hero of Caladon’s Centaur from before the time of Seti the Great.”

You nodded your understanding and thanks, mounting the animal with some small clumsiness, the horse peering over its shoulder at you, as if questioning if the funny human who didn’t seem to know what he was doing was entirely serious in the matter.

“I’ll give you until dawn…” Geoff grunted, plopping himself on a crate. “…then I’ll send the Waylanders after you. We’re close enough to Charlestown to be in the patrol route now.”

You took the halter in hand “For what purpose?”

Geoff looked at you soberly. “If you’re not back by dawn, you’re probably dead. And if our opportunistic little wolf IS tied up with the wrong sort of people, I’d prefer Dom didn’t become further plunder.”

“Understood.” You nodded, suppressing the slight chill of foreboding that ran down your spine.

“Tyris go with you, Pilgrim.” Geoff offered, raising his hand in benediction.

“Thank you, my friend.” You replied sincerely, placing a hand on your breast and bowing your head in acknowledgement, before setting heels to the draught horse, which snorted, cantering towards the copse as you bounced clumsily upon his back.

>>382323

“Woah Dom… shhh….” You hissed, pulling the draught in as you reached the edge of the trees, the twinkling of a fire visible through its branches.

“D’ya hear that Tommy?” A harsh voice demanded as you slid from the horse’s back. You tied the halter to a sturdy-looking sapling, praying the horse didn’t get it in his head to pull too hard.

“Bah, scavengers.” another voice answered. “Old mate’s been dead a couple days now, he’s starting to get fragrant, isn’t he Marge?

A wordless snarl met that mocking enquiry, deep and full of hatred. What in the name of Reitia was happening here? You crept forward, willing yourself to keep as quiet as possible. As you approached, you saw a rough wooden hut, a blazing fire burning in a pit before it. You crawled forward, grimacing as the low bushes scratched at you. There… beside the fire was Lucy, spooning the pheasant stew into a bowl held presumptively out by a positive bear of a man, his face raggedly bearded, one eye white, a scar running along the length of his face.

“Please…” Lucy begged “…I did as you asked… J-just let us go!”

“Let you go?” The other man laughed in disbelief, roughly shoving the wolf-girl aside and sloppily filling his own bowl, corded muscle criss-crossed with angry red scars covering his bare arms. “Tommy please explain to me why we should let dear Lucy go for naught but a pot of pheasant stew?”

“S’good stew though Rufus…” The one-eyed man mused, before laughing cruelly. “You fucked us, Lucy-girl. You and your mam and your da there. We’ve got a code, y’see… you don’t just walk away from that.”

“P-please…” Lucy sobbed. “…Let me bury him at least…”

“And lose out on my wager? I’ve got five silver chalices says yer mam eats him before the rot sets in completely.” The one identified as Rufus snorted dismissively. You bit back bile and disgust at the concept, looking towards where the man indicated. A chain jingled where it was attached to a post nearby, feral green eyes staring out of the blackness where a shape loomed over a prone figure… human, from the look of the boots.

“Nah Rufus… It’s true love…” Tommy spat mockingly. “…She’ll starve herself mad before she even thinks about it. Which leaves me to wonder… what to do with you…”

“I’ll go…” Lucy promised desperately “…I won’t say anything!”

“Go?” Rufus cackled. “Bitch, you came back even after yer own MOTHER told y’to run!”

“Loyalty…” The bearlike man mused in a rumbling voice. “…Question is, how best to turn it to our advantage?”

“They say a Mamono’ll never forget her first.” Rufus suggested lewdly.

“That true, Lucy-girl?”

Lucy began backing away from the men on shaking legs “D-don’t… please don’t…”

“Shoot you for it?” Rufus held out a fist towards the hulking Tommy.

“Nah… She’d never survive the Tommy-knocker…” Tommy chuckled, grasping at his crotch.

“Guess it’s on me then… C’mon Lucy-girl… let’s make a woman of you.”

“No!” Lucy screamed, stumbling on shaking legs, holding out a paw beseechingly, Rufus bearing down on her, his eyes alight with intent as he unbuckled his breeches…

>Confront the bandits, Mama Reitia didn’t raise no bitch.

<Attack them with Staff

<Attack them with Arcane Bolt

<Attack them with Agony

<Terrorize them

>Wait for the Waylanders, Lucy can endure this and everyone makes it out alive

>Try and reason with the bandits

>Not your Brewery, Not your Satyros. Go back to Geoff and let the fruits of Lucy’s evident banditry be plucked.

>Something Else?

It time for a good old fashioned lynching! Attack them with arcane bolt and terrify. This shit will NOT stand.

>>382328

This, it's definitely a lynching scenario.

>>382328

Do we have to leave them alive else we end up on the wrong side of the law? Yes. Does this mean the bandits need to be taken into custody in good condition? No. We leave enough for the Waylanders to deal with … but no more than absolutely necessary. Still leaves plenty of room for Deniel to lay plenty hurt on them.

>>382324

I vote for a combination of arcane bolt and stick beating

I reckon if we could somehow free the mom she'd kill the both of them with her bare hands though

>>382336

>leave them alive

These animals are guilty of banditry, at least 3 counts of kidnapping, at least 1 count of murder, attempted rape of a minor, and are starving the girl’s mother to force her to eat the remains of her husband. The fact that they are still breathing is an affront to JUSTICE! Tonight they have an appointment with a noose and Ammit and by all that is good in the world we shall must them to her!

>>382324

I've got an urge to purge. Hit them with agony.

>>382355

Any personal interpretation of JUSTICE shouldn't ignore the JUSTICE of the world. That being said, if mama awoo was the cause of some unfortunate accident that cost the bandits their lives? I'm not going to say anything.

>>382324

Seems like everyone has already gave in to our dark arts. Y'all are great.

I vote for trying to sneak up behind Tommy while he's distracted and hit him over the head with the heaviest thing we can manage to pick up. If that knockes him out then [Arcane Bolt] the living hell out of Rufus while we caught him with his pants down. Bonus point if we aimed for his boys and it just so happens to burn them off.

I'd advise against freeing the Mother. She is feral'd and might attack us as well. Dannyboy has to handle this one himself

>>382345

I feel like I ought to add to my vote by saying we should avoid using the dark arts just because we have a couple of targets in front of us who particularly deserve to be tortured.

>>382328

<Terrorize them

<Attack them with Arcane Bolt

These are probably tough experienced bandits. We need to move quickly and decisively. Terrorize each of them as you run in, and hit the nearest one with your staff. Arcane bolt the other and continue beating the shit out of them both until they pass out. Prioritize neutralizing those 2 bandits. If all goes well then we should be able to have them under control within a minute or less. While you tie them up, ask the wolf-girl if there are anymore bandits than just those 2. Once we're confident that the area is secure then we can ask the wan to free her mother. But we should not stay there any longer than necessary, just in case more bandits are around.

We should not try and stop momma-wan if she wants to kill them. That is her right to decide. Not ours.

Agony and then coup de grace with the staff. Kill 'em all 2018.

>>382366

>he wants to let them live

Aww how adorable.

>>382379

Deniel isn't a murderhobo. Also, there's a lot more pain in suffering until one dies, then confronting Ammit and having your heart devoured than meeting her right now. It would be much better for them to suffer in prison and have the taint of false hope from surviving before their final judgement.

>>382324

>Confront the bandits, Mama Reitia didn’t raise no bitch.

Except replace "confront" with "ambush". Fuck fighting these guys fair. Wait until the one guy's got his pants down, then nail the other with arcane bolt. Then, apply staff liberally.

2 votes for no dark magic

4 votes for, 3 for terrify

EVERYBODY WANTS MAGICAL DAKKA

Seeming general consensus for releasing Wan mum

>Attack the Bandits with Arcane Bolt, Terrify, and Staff

“C’mere girl…” Rufus almost drooled, the crude, muscular bandit reaching forward to seize Lucy with one grasping hand, his other holding his unbuckled trousers from tangling about his legs.

“Caladon, Reitia, and the Holy Empire!” You yelled, bursting from the bushes and raising your staff in both hands, tensing your muscles in anticipation of the strike.

“The fuck…” Rufus grunted dumbly, caught with his pants down both figuratively and literally as he instinctively reached for a wicked-looking knife.

You brought your staff down in a two-handed strike, its metal-banded end impacting the man’s forehead with a crack you felt resound through your entire body. Rufus’s head jolted back, and the man collapsed as if his legs had turned to jelly beneath him.

“Deniel?” Lucy gasped in disbelief. “No! Stupid human! Run!” She demanded.

“This monstrosity will not stand…” You snarled, turning towards the bearlike Tommy.

“Whazzis then?” Tommy chuckled in a voice which spoke of death as he hoisted himself to his feet. “Some farmboy who wants to play hero?” The massive bandit hefted an axe nonchalantly in one hand, an axe you would have struggled to lift with two. “Don’t die too quick then, farmboy… I’d have you scream for the inconvenience.”

Your eyes narrowed as you flourished your staff, turning it in one hand to rest across your back as you held out the other towards the bandits, your fingers already tingling as you focused your magics.

“Vime Alonusahi” You snarled, luminescant bolts of arcane fury shrieking as they flew from your hands to strike the bandit solidly in the torso. Tommy gave a choked cry of pain as the power flung him back, and you felt a momentary alarm as you sensed the effort your magic was beginning to expend upon you.

“Fucking… Mage… Shit…” A voice from behind you hissed, and you turned, spinning your staff into a guard as you saw Rufus regain his feet, his scalp open and bloody from your strike, his trousers now fastened and that knife held expertly before him “…I’ll feed you your own parts.”

You noticed that Lucy was nowhere to be seen, and relief washed over you like a momentary balm. Good. Let her flee from this fear, this horror that such a vile creature had visited upon one who deserved the Love of her Family, as Divine Reitia intended. A family now broken…

Horror…

Terror…

Yes…

“Kadishtu N’ghft” You choked, the words of the Dark Tongue uncomfortable, almost painful in your throat. A Shadow lept like smoke from your mouth as you completed the incantation, ensnaring the man’s head before forcing its way into the orifices of his face.

“I…” Rufus began, before taking in a deep breath and shrieking so loud it almost hurt your ears, the bandit clawing at his eyes as if to rid himself of a sight too horrible to see, collapsing to the ground and clawing at the bare earth, in wordless search of a refuge from the terror which assaulted his very soul.

“Reitia…” You gasped, shocked at facing the naked reality of Dark Sorcery’s power.

“Dunno who you are mage…” Tommy’s voice forced you to spin again, the bearlike bandit staring at you with his one good eye, leaning on his axe as he panted his weariness. “…But I’m tempted to parlay…”

The clank of a limp chain hitting the ground rang through the night air like a crack of doom. Tommy’s eyes widened in fear and understanding.

“Tyris Fu…” He groaned as a snarling, slathering black shape descended upon him, tearing him open from throat to belly with a pair of powerful swipes from ebon paws which might put a Jinko to envy. The bandit’s screams were wet and raw, blood frothing from his throat as he dropped his axe, desperately trying to stuff his innards back into his ruined torso. The She-Wolf gave a low ‘Roooo’ of satisfaction, bending to the bandit as if to kiss him. Tommy’s screams became an open AAAAHHHHH as she seized his lower jaw in her mouth, ripping it from his face and spitting it onto the ground. The bandit collapsed, his screams turning to gurgling chokes as he slowly drowned in his own blood.

“What did you do to him?” Lucy asked almost conversationally as she appeared from the shadows, pointing with her paw at the figure of Rufus, who had now clawed his eyes from his face, and was screaming and laughing, holding the ruined orbs to the pitiless sky, gibbering in utter insanity.

“Something terrible…” You gulped, suddenly awash with guilt.

“Good.” The wolf-girl sniffed, before burying her teeth in the mad bandit’s throat.

>>382447

“Blood… he has spilled it…” The Dark Angel noted almost clinically as you hovered in that fractal twilight of the Astral planes.

“The Cause was Just!” The Light Angel insisted, her voice joined with the chorus of the Heavens.

“Action begets Reaction. The Primary Universal Law.” The Dark Angel rejoined.

“Tyris will Absolve him!”

“Tyris is no longer his Lord.”

“Sophistry”

“Legality”

“Enough! Both of you!” A new voice intruded as a light the colour of a new rose began to glow between the light and dark. A light from which a figure emerged. She was a slight thing in comparison to the other angels, an intricate bow slung across her slender frame, her wings a pale pink to match her wavy hair.

“His path is yet indistinct” The Dark Angel objected, turning to face the new arrival.

“Yeah well, shit happens.” The smaller figure sniffed dismissively.

The Celestial, her golden radiance burning brightly rounded on the new arrival. “These are weighty matters which are not served by your nonchalant…”

“Listen, Goldilocks. Is he or is he not ultimately under our purview?”

“Certes, but…”

“Then off you flit. I’ve got it from here.”

“He is not adept! He is at the third intersect, fourth at a stretch!” The Dark Angel objected strenuously.

With a flick of her pale pink hair, the new arrival folded her arms over her modest chest. “Fun fact. Don’t care. Scram.”

The angels paused for a moment, before fading into auroras of light and dark respectively. The pink-winged angel approached you, crinkling her nose as she looked up into your astonished features. “Deniel, Deniel, Deniel… What are we going to do with you?”

>>382448

“What are we gonna do with you then?” A male voice intruded as you returned to reality. You started, blinking in the morning light (It was morning? What happened to the night?) scrambling to your feet and grabbing instinctively for your staff.

“Hey! He’s back with us!” The man, clad in Waylander’s browns laughed over his shoulder. “Now you’re not about to do anything stupid, are you boy?”

“No, Waylander.” You answered respectfuly, resting your staff on the ground in as non-threatening a manner as you could.

“Tyris be Praised!” Geoff’s now-familiar voice rang out, the old man hobbling over to put a hand on your shoulder before shaking you roughly. “What in the hells did you DO?”

“It’s a long story.” You sighed, guilt still clawing at you from what you had been party to. “Wait… Where’s Lucy?”

“I’m not leaving my daddy!” The wolf-girl’s voice cried, and you spied her being bodily forced into a caged wagon, her wrists and ankles bound in shackles. Her mother, likewise shackled, snarled and snapped, struggling against the militia which forced her likewise. The wolf came down on one of her paws for a moment, her snarls changing to a cry of agony, and you spied a poorly bandaged wound on her calf, pus leaking through the flimsy bandages.

“Reitia’s Mercy… Have a heart Waylander, she’s hurt!” You begged beseechingly “Both of them have suffered enough for one…”

“Deniel, is it?” The Waylander rounded on you. “I don’t know your part in this, but rest assured you’ll have your chance to speak your peice. Until then… Guards!”

“Waylander!” Geoff objected “The boy’s innocent. I will vouch that…”

“Respectfully, your Worship…” The Waylander interjected, holding out a leather-gauntleted hand. “…I am Law in Charlestown, and you too shall be welcome to present your testimony. At the appropriate time.”

Your Worship? Geoff was… a paladin? The thought so shocked you that you barely noticed as you were shackled and bundled into the caged wagon with the wolves.

“Mama…” Lucy sobbed, clutching at the she-wolf. “…They can’t just leave him there!”

Your heart broke for them. “Geoff!” You yelled at the old man through the bars of the cage. “Your Worship! I beg you… her father lies there… Give him rites, for pity’s sake.”

Geoff paused in the act of being helped atop Dom’s broad back. “Tyris…” He murmured resignedly “…Why do you curse me with such a soft heart?” He hobbled back towards the hut. “Which one?”

“Behind the hut.” You sighed in relief, turning to Lucy. “Don’t worry Lucy, Geoff is a good…”

“Benedictus Benedicat…” You heard the old man begin “…per Tyris Dominum Nostrum. Per istam sanctan unctionem et suam piissimam misericordiam, indulgeat tibi Dominus.”

“All Glory to The Most High.” A few militiamen, evidently more pious than their fellows intoned, raising their hands briefly in the Sign of the Sunburst.

“No!” The She-Wolf howled as fire sprang from the rear of the hut, spreading quickly to envelop the wooden structure, the aged form of Geoff hobbling back to his horse, the militiaman paitently waiting to help him atop.

“Good…” The She-wolf spat at you derisively, before taking her daughter as best she could in her shackled paws, the two mamono weeping bitterly as your cage began its bouncing trundle towards the main road to Charlestown.

You looked back at the flames… strange… they seemed to resonate with a perculiar energy… the sensation… uplifting… destructive… as above… so below…

<You have learned the spell: Cleanse - Holy fire which will remove magical corruption from an object or person

<You have learned the DARK magic: Hellfire - Basically a tactical fucking napalm strike (Range increases with ability)

>Try and Comfort the wolves with scripture

<Offer to heal Mama-Wan’s leg (This will leave you without magic for the rest of the day)

>Ask the wolves their stories, try and find out some context for what happened.

>Ask the wolves how the hell you just up and missed half the night

>Try and talk to one of the guards, find out what the hell was going on considering you ended up in medias res for this whole thing.

>Meditate in silence, we’re too holy for this shit right now and opening our yap might complicate matters.

>Something Else?

>>382449

Get that leg fixed first and foremost. We shouldn't need any magic for a while since we're going into town.

>>382451

shit

Let’s heal the wan and ask what happened after we passed out. Also let’s see if we can’t learn anything from the guards. But cleanse sounds really cool and useful the next time a situation like this pops up

>>382449

<Offer to heal Mama-Wan’s leg (This will leave you without magic for the rest of the day)

>Ask the wolves their stories, try and find out some context for what happened.

>Meditate in silence, we’re too holy for this shit right now and opening our yap might complicate matters.

Do these, in this order.

>>382462

>This is why people fall to the Dark Side. Heal her leg, we can always be lawful evil

I can see the appeal of it, for sure. But we've not done anything that could truly be considered evil just yet. We're approaching True Neutral, at worst. I think we should just continue forward, using dark magic as a last resort. But even dark magic has a time and place where it is appropriate.

>>382449

OP, could you update https://pastebin.com/5GYq5jeF with these new spells and descriptions? It's quickly becoming a bit much to keep track of.

>>382449

>>382480

>update with these new spells and descriptions

Better yet, update it with all our current spells and their descriptions. And divide it into Light and Dark magic sections, please.

>>382449

I fucking said dark magic was a terrible idea, and now look. It's knocked us out and made us look like murderers. Even if these waylanders accept a defense-of-a-third-party plea, they're gonna have some fucking questions about why that guy clawed his own eyes out.

Check the mother's wound and offer to heal it (and if it's infected heal her whether she wants it or not) and ask what happened in between us beating that guy with a stick and us being in a cart bound for jail.

>>382487

Yeah uh… I wasn’t quite expecting that to happen. Run away in panic sure but not so far as to claw his own eyes out and go insane. No more dark magic.

We couldn’t control either of the two girls though. We simply came to the defense of a girl and her mother who were being brutalized. Though I admit them eating the bandits probably won’t look good to the waylanders

>>382491

We heal the leg and talk to the wolves. We went through the trouble of asking and now we're in the same shit.

>>382480

>>382481

Done, unsaging for info

>>382487

>>382491

>Though I admit them eating the bandits probably won’t look good to the waylanders

I don't think they ate them at all. Unless you're just talking about their attacks. I didn't notice anything that would imply that they ate their bodies afterwards.

>Dark magic is fucking hardcore

Yeah… I also did not expect terrorize to be quite so irreversibly effective. I don't plan to use anymore dark magic unless it's absolutely necessary. At least the hellfire spell doesn't seem quite so evil, but I also greatly underestimated terrorize. Our actions are clearly being judged for their moral fiber. Our options were very limited with those bandits. Perhaps we could have beat them without using any dark magic. But either way, we should be very careful with dark magic, even with an elemental spell like hellfire.

>>382495

Thanks, OP.

>>382491

They didn't eat the bandits, just tore them apart with fang and claw.

>>382497

Hellfire's dark magic because it's utterly destructive. Normal fire has its place in nature but Hellfire is primal destruction given form, which is why the Avatar of Entropy in the form of The Great Dragon was vomiting it so liberally during the War of the Angels.

Just as a bit of context.

>>382461

> cleanse sounds really cool and useful the next time a situation like this pops up

If it calls on the power of Tyris, its probably anti-monster. Might be less destructive, but we should be careful where we cast it anyway.

Heal wan's leg

>>382508

>power of Tyris

Nope, ecumenical holy fire. Basically say if you came across someone who'd been afflicted by dark magic, cleanse would consume the magic.

>>382449

heal mum

ask how you missed the night

ask their story

in that order

>>382511

I've waited all day to call you a faggot and tell you to sage your posts.

You're a faggot, sage your posts.

>Heal Mama wan

>Ask them about what happened

>Ask them their story

“Madam…” You ventured as the wolves weeping ceased.

“What?” The She-wolf snapped, glaring at you.

“Mama!” Lucy gasped. “Deniel helped us!”

The She-Wolf growled. “Didn’t need it.”

Lucy sighed, a surprisingly mature sound from the adolescent wolf. “No… We didn’t.”

You stared at the wolf-girl incredulously. “Lucy, I don’t mean to scratch at fresh wound but you were not exactly in a position of power last night.”

Lucy shook her head at you. “Close enough to fuck is close enough to fight. I could have outrun him easily, why would I edge away like a mewling infant?” The wolf-girl glanced around, seeing no guards paying much attention to them. “Lead him beyond the firelight, get my teeth in his throat, make the appropriate noises in the dark, then take his keys, sneak around our house… that your ‘Good Man’ just burned to ashes, by the by, fuck you… Release Mama and both of us could have taken down Tommy with surprise on our side.”

“Oh…” You blurt in a mixture of embarrassment and shock at the innocent-looking wolf’s cruelly calculating plot to straight up murder the bandits.

“It was very gallant of you though… I… Thank you, I know I didn’t give you much cause to show me any further kindness.” Lucy admitted, smiling at you softly.

“What is this?” The She-Wolf demanded.

Lucy turned her limpid green eyes upward to face her mother. “I kicked him in the face after he and the Tyris-man fed me, mother. I would have ransacked their wagon in the hopes of finding something to distract Tommy and Rufus but the old man started glowing and… I just…”

“Lucy! You disrespect the Den-Rite?” The she-wolf gasped, lowering her head towards you. “I apologise, sir, for my daughter’s dishonour.”

“There’s no need, Madam.” You insisted, waving off her submissive gesture. “And please, call me Deniel.”

“Marguerite.” The wolf replied, sniffing and nodding.

“Will you let me look at your leg, Marguerite?”

“Are you healer?” The wolf asked, holding out her injured leg with a grimace.

“After a fashion…” You admit, raising your shackled hands and making the required gestures as best you could. ”Commah Tah Noblo…”

“Ere! What’s goin’ on then?” A guard demanded, jabbing at you with the butt end of a spear.

“Healing her wound, Sir.” You answered honestly. “Without it she will sicken and die.”

“What’s a murderin’ bandit to worry about?” The guard scoffed.

“The Law will decide her fate, soldier. Leave the mage to his mercy.” The Waylander ordered, his eyes flicking towards you and giving a faint nod of approval.

“Aye Waylander.” The guard conceded, tugging his forelock deferrently before giving you a suspicious look. “No funny business, I’ll be watchin’ you.”

“Commah Tah Noblo Zien” You intoned, glowing light springing forth from your hands and flowing into the infected wound. Putrescence at first boiled forth, causing Lucy to gag, covering her nose with an ebon paw.

“Remove the bandage, Lucy… I need to see it.” You muttered, concentrating on the healing magics.

Gingerly, Lucy unwrapped the wound, eliciting a poorly suppressed whimper of pain from her mother, a whimper which quickly turned into a sigh of utter relief as your magics worked their way through her flesh.

“How long’s this healin’ take then?” The guard demanded.

“As long…” You panted, struggling valiantly against the EFFORT of maintaining the magic. “…As it takes.”

>>382542

You returned to wakefulness at the calming sensation of something patting your head gently, something soft under your head. “Mother?” You muttered, opening your eyes and blinking to find the amused face of the She-Wolf Marguerite looming above you.

“I hope not.” She chuckled.

“Yeah, that’d be weird.” Lucy agreed.

“Sorry, what happened?” You blustered, removing your head from where it rested in the wolf’s lap.

“You healed Mama’s leg!” Lucy exclaimed brightly, pointing at where the faintest of scars was all that remained of the once pustulent wound. “Then you said something about being tired and fell asleep.”

“Must have been a nastier wound than I thought… I’m glad I could help.” You admit seriously, trying to shake off the sheer exhaustion which wracked your body.

“W-would Mama really have died?”

You nodded at the young wolf-girl. “If nobody saw to that wound.”

“Mama!” Lucy chided, huffing at her mother.

“It wasn’t the most pressing danger recently, dear.” The She-Wolf replied consolingly.

Lucy pouted for a moment, before her gaze turned back to you. “What happened to you last night, Deniel?”

You shifted in the tight cage, trying to get comfortable in your shackles and the tight confines. “How do you mean?”

“You know… after…”

“I don’t know…” You admit “…it was like the dreams I used to have before I pledged myself to Reitia. I went… somewhere else. Enochian mages call it ‘The Path’.”

“But you didn’t go anywhere!” Lucy insisted. “You just… you just sat down, and it was like you were listening really hard to something… But I didn’t hear anything.”

“For hours?” You ask disbelieveingly. The young wolf-girl nods with such earnest innocence that you can find no reason to disbelieve.

“That’s… Strange.” You admit, puzzled. You had experienced brief ‘daydreams’ throughout your training, usually prior to a new understanding of magical theory, but truly CEMENTING the knowledge required deliberate meditation, and the ‘daydreams’ were NEVER of that length. Was something manipulating you? And who exactly was that pink-winged Angel?

Lucy shook you rougly with her ebony paws “Deniel?”

“What is it?” You blurted in surprise.

“Oh, I thought you ‘went away’ again. You had your thinky face on.”

“Oh, No… Actually come to think of it Lucy, why didn’t you run? If I was just sitting there, and the problem was… resolved… so to speak, you and your mother could have just.”

“Our traditions forbid us to abandon one who has come to our aid.” Marguerite sighed forlornly, looking at the approaching town with resignation. “No matter the cost.”

“Productive morning there, Waylander?” A voice rang from the bailey surrounding Charlestown. The Waylander sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose briefly before looking up. You followed his gaze, noting with slight surprise the Ratatoskr hanging three-quarters of the way out of the fortifications, one clawed hand inside a murder-hole all that held her secure.

“Somewhat. And I’ll thank you to keep a handle on your enthusiasm this time, Emma. The rule of Law…”

“Pish to that Waylander!” The Ratatoskr scoffed, waving her free paw dismissively. “The people have a right to know! What do we have here, a trio of dark cultists, clearly, caught in the act of foul ritual… no… CANNIBALS! Yeah that’s the ticket!”

“False Witness is a vile sin in the sight of Holy Tyris, young lady…” Geoff’s voice rang out in chiding displeasure.

“Your Worship, you are NO fun at all…” The Ratatoskr pouted, her fluffy tail brushing out behind her as she vaulted back inside the walls.

“Not feeling particularly at risk of losing control of your magic, are you boy?” The Waylander asked you despairingly. “I could be easily convinced to look the other way if you were to cramp that one’s feet for a week or so…”

“Waylander!” you gasped, equally shocked at the suggestion as well as his casual suggestion of crippling the squirrel-girl. “Reitia Forbid!”

“Never mind I think he did all his magey-stuff fixing Mama’s leg.” Lucy added.

Odd… How would she even know that?

“Quiet now.” The Waylander insisted. “Regardless of what you may think, Ladies, I take no pleasure in this. But the Law is the Law, and will be upheld.”

“Reitia Bless you for your uprightness, Waylander.” You intoned in benediction. “I have no doubt our innocence will be proven.”

Marguerite made a noise, giving you a sidewards glance, her expression unreadable.

“To be certain, Madam… I never asked exactly how things ended up so…” You began, only to be hushed as the She-Wolf put a paw to your mouth.

“You’re a gentle soul, sweet Deniel. And that is not a tale I wish to tell twice.”

>>382543

“Your trial will have to wait until tomorrow.” The Waylander informed you, his tone almost apologetic as he locked the cell door. “With you being a mage and all, there are forms that need to be obeyed.”

“You need to send to the Temple in Sea-of-Grasses?” You asked, a sinking feeling in your guts.

“What? No… There’s a mage in town who’ll serve well enough as Amicus.” The Waylander chuckled in surprise. “You’ve given us no trouble, and no sense making a big deal out of this, if, as Geoff suggests, you are indeed innocent.”

“Waylander, you don’t strike me as one who thinks we did anything wrong.” You state pointedly.

“Rufus the Glut and Tommy the Knocker dead as last week’s breakfast? This is not something I’m terribly upset about, I won’t lie.” The Waylander admitted. “But the law is the law, and Marguerite is… not unknown in Charlestown.”

“Surely Lucy though…”

“The Law is the Law.” The Waylander repeated. “And the circumstances surrounding what happened must be examined properly, as the Law dictates.”

“Please tell me Lucy is at least with her mother.” You near-begged.

“Of course, Mage.” The Waylander chuckled, shaking his head as he walked towards the door. “I’m a Waylander, not a monster.”

“Ooh, new fish…” A smoky, sultry voice mused as the Waylander shut the door of the cell block behind him. A pair of red, luminescent eyes shone in the dimness of the cell opposite, and powerful ashen claws seized the bars as a face the colour of charcoal grinned at you through a fanged mouth. Two lupine ears twitched atop her head, and you spied a canid tail lashing behind a pair of sleekly muscular thighs. “…whatcha in for, new fish?”

“Leave the boy alone, Becca.” Marguerite’s voice sounded from somewhere down the hall. “He’s not for playing with.”

“Marguerite?” the Hellhound, for that was surely what she was, gasped in astonishment. “Maou’s ample arse, what are you doing here?!”

“Settling accounts.” The She-Wolf answered simply.

“C’mon… Don’t just leave it like that!” The Hellhound begged, pausing as the She-Wolf’s pointed silence gave firmer answer than speech ever could.

“Hey! New Fish! Why’s Marguerite here, and Where’s Domenic?” The Hellhound demanded.

The words ‘Who’s Domenic’ had almost left your mouth before the sound of Lucy’s soft sobbing answered that question for you. Your heart broke once again for the poor girl, and you wished you could hug her, and tell her that Reitia would look after them.

>Tell the Hellhound what happened.

>Ask the Hellhound to leave it be, it’s upsetting the poor girl

>Try and deflect, ask the Hellhound why she’s here

>We’re too holy for this shit, Meditate on the Word of Reitia… Maybe ask the pink angel what gives with the unexpected forced trances while you’re at it.

>Something Else?

>>382545

>Ask the Hellhound to leave it be, it’s upsetting the poor girl

Tell the inquisitive Hellhound to ask Marguerite what happened to Domenic. It's not your place to speak on it.

>We’re too holy for this shit, Meditate on the Word of Reitia… Maybe ask the pink angel what gives with the unexpected forced trances while you’re at it.

Afterwards lets meditate and see what more we can learn about "The Path" and our place in it.

>>382545

>>Ask the Hellhound to leave it be, it’s upsetting the poor girl

>>382547

Was going to post literally this, but it was posted before I typed it out. Throwing my hat in this ring.

>>382547

Voting for this except we should tell her to just drop it, she should be able to put two and two together from Lucy's crying

Also voting to ask the angel what's her angle with a shit eating grin

It’s not our place to say, and the loss is still fresh on their minds. Let’s not drive the knife in further. For now let’s just meditate and try to figure out what’s going on with this path business.if the pink angel says anything about us using terrify we honestly had no idea it would be so horrible.

>>382559

Terrify should be renamed Self-Mutilate honestly. If we ever need to resort to dark magic again, Agony might be better. Have to keep on mind the magic isn't evil in itself, just how we use it and for those bandits, I'd say justified. Just have to be careful not to attract the black knights.

>>382563

>Have to keep on mind the magic isn't evil in itself, just how we use it and for those bandits, I'd say justified.

I agree that intent is definitely a big part of the equation. But there is all but certainly a taint being put upon our soul resulting from using any kind of dark magic, regardless of our intent. Just being exposed to it, next to the dark knight we met, was enough for it to leave a mark upon on us (that's how we learned it in the first place). After seeing the effects of terrify, it's definitely not something we should fuck around with. Our other dark spell, pain, is probably going to be almost as bad. I have mixed feelings about hellfire. But it's still magic we should avoid using if at all possible.

It's clear that we could have taken a different more saintly path with how we handled the wolf-girl. We should have used Sense Aura on Lucy when we first encountered her. We were too trusting at that point. Then we could have gotten enough insight to convince her to tell us what was bothering her. We could then have rallied the Waylanders to help us with those bandits. And we wouldn't have been tempted to the dark side. Hindsight is 20/20. And I very much doubt this will be the end of our easy way out temptations with dark magic. But if we want to stay true to Reitia then we need to be wiser and not put ourselves in those situations. And be more resistant to taking the easy path.

>Tell the Hellhound to leave it alone

>Meditate

“Becca, is it?” You begin mildly. “Why don’t you leave it alone, it’s upsetting Lucy.”

“Ooh… New Fish wants to be the big man…” The Hellhound growled throatily, her eyes smouldering “…Why don’t you turn on around there and give Becca the Bonebreaker something to look at…”

“Becca the Bonebreaker?” Another voice laughed sibilantly, some kind of Reptilian perhaps? “You’re a virgin who gets the Waylander to lock you up every time the heat’s on you.”

“SHUT UP YOU SCALY SHIT! I’LL BITE OFF YOUR FUCKING HEAD-SPINES!” The Hellhound snarled in a mixture of rage and mortification, slamming so hard into the bars you feared for a moment they would break free of the stone they were mounted in.

Hoots and mocking derision sounded from the remainder of the cells’ occupants. A militiaman bursted in, smacking the bars of the cells with a truncheon and spitting a stream of invective and threats which left you almost in awe of its sheer vulgarity. The man must have sworn for three straight minutes without repeating himself once!

“And you, Mage? Any smartass from you?” The guard demanded, smacking his truncheon against the bars of your cell.

“No sir.” You smile, sitting cross legged on the (surprisingly clean) floor of your cell.

The guard narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “What’s this then?”

You smiled serenely, closing your eyes and taking a deep breath. “Sahnate, Pora, Reitia Dei in Excelsius…”

>>382581

You glanced about in surprise and mild concern when instead of the Twilight of the Astral Realms, you found yourself in what appeared to be the dim closeness of a forest clearing. Birds sang sweetly overhead, the warm sun casting dappled beams of light through the trees. A chuckling spring bubbled over rocks, emptying into a clear pool, and within that pool, a figure of wonder.

Her hair was still the same rose-pink you remembered, likewise her wings which shook sparkling drops of water into the air that glittered like diamonds. Yet instead of the shining armor of the celestial host, she wore a simple shift of white samite, rendered nearly translucent from the water, her bow and quiver of arrows lying discarded upon the bank.

“Deniel!” She exclaimed in a musical voice. “Back so soon? Do you like what I’ve done with the place?”

“I… Uh…” You mumbled, feeling the heat rise in your face at the sight of her. Merciful Reitia, that shift left absolutely NOTHING to the imagination.

“Well come on, get in the water.” The angel orders presumptively.

You lower your eyes, your face flaming. “I am sworn to chastity.” You hiss through clenched teeth.

The Angel gives a peal of crystalline laughter. “I told you to get in the water, not have your way with me.”

You blushed even harder, if that was even possible. “S-sorry.”

The Angel smiled warmly. “Don’t be. I’d be more worried if that wasn’t where your mind went.”

You swallowed, moving to shuck your tunic from your body, only to have your hand meet your own bare skin. Looking down in utter horror, you noticed you were completely nude.

“Reitia’s Mercy!” You choked, your face again aflame and your hands covering your crotch in mortification.

“Deniel…” The Angel chuckled, emerging fully from the pool, her samite shift clinging to her in a MOST unfair fashion “…Do you think you were ever wearing clothes in this place? You are naked to the universe. Mind, Soul and…”

“Body.” You finished for her, removing your hands from your crotch and valiantly attempting to recover the scraps of your dignity.

“Just so.” The Angel agreed. “Now come on, get in the water.”

You approached the Angel, wading into the pool. “Who ARE you?”

“You can call me Cirice, for now.” The Angel smiled, putting a wet hand on your chest, the other behind your head, immersing you gently on your back, floating you face-up in the pool, the warm sun on your face and chest contrasting noticeably with the cool water you were suspended in.

“Washing away my sins?” You mused.

“What is sin, Deniel?”

You pondered that for a moment “I guess it depends.”

The Angel smiled. “It does. And no, this is not a baptism, whether of Body as the Ammitians dictate in their daily ablutions, or of Anima, as the Tyrisians insist of their Priestesses.”

You studied Cirice’s delicate face. “You’re not of the Heavens’ Choir then?”

Cirice looked down at you quizzically. “You really don’t know what I am then?”

You shook your head, water sloshing in your ears. “No idea.”

“They called us ‘Cupid’, once upon a time… And we never really fit in anywhere… The Heavens tolerated us, the Hells found us an amusement… We, the sowers of Agape, The True Love… ironically alone.”

“Until Reitia.” You added, understanding at once in a flash of Inspiration.

“Yes.” Cirice smiled, her eyes shining with utter devotion. “The Holy Mother embraced us as none other through the Infinite Universes of Light. She is our everything, we are for Her.”

“Praise Forever the All-Mother of Creation.” You intoned, caught up in the Angel’s reverence.

“Don’t get sententious, Deniel.” Cirice chided gently, flicking water at your face.

>>382582

“Why did you order the Celestial and the Umbral to leave? Why did you do… all this?” You asked, wiping your face instinctively.

“Mother Reitia is… Unamused.” Cirice answered delicately. An answer which hit you like a knife in the guts.

“I must make penance.” You grunted, trying to extricate yourself from the Angel’s hold.

Cirice held you firm. “Don’t splash. Why do you think so?”

“I have displeased Her.”

“Have you?”

“You just said…”

Cirice stroked your face with her delicate hand. “I said she was unamused, not that you were the cause.”

“But I used dark magics!”

“Why?”

“Because they took Lucy’s father. Marguerite’s husband… They robbed the world of Love.”

“A Reitian driven to unthinking fury by the blasphemous death of Love? What an unexpected occurrence!” Cirice mocked gently, tweaking your nose.

“Then…”

“Driving the man to such terror as to claw his own eyes out? Not the IDEAL method, but what is this pilgrimage for, Deniel? For you to learn. And how do Humans learn? By making mistakes.”

“Then Mother Reitia is not wroth with me?”

Cirice smiled down at you. “Holy Reitia is Goodness Incarnate, but she is also wise enough to know that Humans are not. You have seen the marks on the Corvidian Knight, how he keeps them to remind himself of the dangers of the darkness… Now you too have a reminder. Of what the darkness is capable of.”

“Where does it come from?” You asked, your arms drifting listlessly in the water as you stared up at Cirice’s perfect features.

The Angel stroked your face again. “From you.”

“Me?”

“All humans have capacity for Good and for Evil. Too many insist the corruption of their souls must have sprung from external source, when in fact, they simply gave in to their heart’s most debase desires. Do you think those bandits afflicted by some possession?”

“No, they were just bad men.”

“Just so. Just as you are learning to be a good man. Learning how to nurture and spread Love.”

“Thank you, Cirice.” You sighed, feeling peace flow through you at last. “But we seem to have gotten distracted.”

“We have, but it’s nice to be able to talk to you like this.” Cirice admitted. “You’ve seen the Light and the Darkness… I want to show you everything else.”

“Everything else?” You echoed.

“Feel the Water around you Deniel… feel the power that flows through it from where it begins in the deeps of the earth, feel the trees as they harness the very power of the sun, how they breathe…”

“I… I feel…” You gasped, sensing the intricate and subtle flow of magic all around you.

“This is Natural Magic… you would have known it as ‘Mamono Magic.’ The power of life and death, of the world and its turning… of the furnaces in the deep places of the earth and the unstoppable power of the winds.”

“How have I not known of this before?” You asked, amazed.

“You have.” Cirice answered “When you cast bolts of arcane power, you are using the distilled power of nature, yet absent of its intrinsic properties. You can learn how to restore those properties.”

“I have so much to learn…” You breathed reverently.

“Dear Deniel…” Cirice giggled, smiling sweetly down at you “…You’ve only just Begu…”

RETURN

The sheer Authority of that command ripped you into spiralling chaos, and as your vision fled, you fancied you heard Cirice’s outraged voice yelling “I wasn’t finished!”

>>382583

“What…” You gasped, blinking in the darkness of the cell as you returned to mundane reality. Your vision focused on a stern-looking man in an elaborate robe standing in front of the bars to your cell. “…Who are you?”

“You may refer to me as Archmage Nicholas, or Archmage.” The man sniffed. “And yes, I am the one who ceased your sojourn on The Path.”

“An Enochian then.” You mused, grunting as you regained your feet.

“A diminutive title…” Nicholas glowered “…coined by hedge-mages and cenobites to disparage what they have not the wisdom to revere.”

You stretched your limbs, stiffened by the inactivity of your meditation.“You will be this ‘Amicus’ in my trial tomorrow?”

“It has pleased me to concede so to the Waylander’s humble request.” Nicholas nodded “Though I am friend to the court, not you.”

“Why are you here then?” You retorted bluntly, somewhat annoyed at the man’s presumptive termination of your meditations.

“To inspect you, to determine if you are worthy of further attention by The Circle.”

“I am sworn to the service of Divine Reitia, an Acolyte in Holy Pilgrimage…” you intoned.

“You are an abbey-born holdsward who barely meets the criteria of manhood…” The Archmage interrupted witheringly. “…a boy who clings to this myth of ‘Organic’ magical development, born of the amateur and God-blinded delusions of those Time-Spanned ‘Disciples.’”

“If you are only here to dispariage my faith and myself, I would prefer you left me to my meditations… Archmage.” You seethed, putting as much venom into the title as you could.

Nicholas grabbed the bar with a bony hand. “I see your potential, boy. You are worth more than the inexpert and piecemeal tutelage which would render you an ‘Adept’ of the Reitian Temple.”

“Get thee behind me, Adversary.” You intone in cold anger. “I will never forsake the Holy Mother.”

The Archmage smirked. “Did I say anything about your worship, boy? You are free to give obeisance to whichever God you deem fit. I’m talking about your TUTELAGE.”

You shook your head. “I cannot…”

“How do you think you will better serve Reitia? As some cenobite in temple? Reciting ritual and performing small miracle for dumb and adoring populace? Or as a true mage, privy to the collected wisdom and knowledge of the Great Circle of Magi?” Nicholas entreated, stepping back and clenching his fist to drive his point home. “Tomorrow in the trial, make the sign of the Seal of Enoch. This will grant me Authority to have the case ‘Moved’ to a Council of Archmages. Your name will be wiped from all record, any stain you have borne from this… misadventure will be as if it never happened.”

>Accept the Archmage’s offer

>Call him every nasty word you can think of

>Get liturgical up in this motherfucker

>Meditate like a pacifist boss at him

>Be polite, tell him you’ll think about it

>Tell the Hellhound behind him to smack him across the head if she can reach.

>Something Else

>>382584

Politely refuse and try to get our temper in check.

>>382584

Say we'll think about it and start preaching the gospel. Spirituality is a big thing is prisons, Maybe we can pick up a convert or two from those who are listening in on our conversations.

I am kinda torn of The Circle. Possible early powerup being under direct teachings of masters but I feel like we would be betraying Mother, Which is a no go. I personally think we should just stay true to our pilgrimage. Our guardian Cupid basically told us we are not locked off from other forms of magic and that she would like to show us more of what can be done, So I think taking the slow approach while staying true is our best option.

Plus we'd be abandoning Mamma And little wolf by being removed from the court. If we stay we can still possibly help out at their trials. Unless the court is corrupt we will be fine, But we are the only witness to what was going on in regard to their situation.

>>382603

I second this option

>>382584

>Be polite, tell him you’ll think about it

As >>382603 says, it's worth some thought. The Archmage is arrogant, but probably rightfully so. At face value, their path is not ours. But perhaps it is not totally incompatible with Reitia's teachings. I don't want to do this sign of Enoch and be swept away to some mage college. I don't want to abandon Lucy and her mother. However, I don't want to shun the idea of receiving some of their teachings in some capacity. As long as we are still allowed to worship Reitia and take the path we see fit. But I doubt that will be very compatible with their teachings. And honestly, now that we've learned to perceive Nature magic (AKA Elemental magic), we really don't need them.

>Get liturgical up in this motherfucker

Sure, why not? We've had our beliefs reaffirmed by Cirice. Lets annoy the shit out of the other prisoners and guards with our feeling of relief and Reitia's love.

>>382584

Tell him we'll think about it, don't take him up on the offer.

>>382584

Tell him we'll think about it (we shouldn't take his offer but we also shouldn't piss off a guy who's going to be heavily involved in our trial)

Also preach The Good News to all of our fellow prisoners and to the guards as well.

>>382603

The merchant guy we were traveling with could back up at least part of our story. Try to get him on the witness stand if they don't listen to us at first.

2 things have occurred to me that I want to ask about now. Firstly does the arch,age try to circumvent the courts every time a mage gets arrested? This seems suspicious to me. Why would he go out of his way to offer to teach us magic? There’s something fishy with that.

My second questionwill we be able to waifu Cirice once pilgrimage is done?

>>382659

The “merchant guy” we were traveling with is named Geoff and he is a paladin of Tyris. He has already vouched for our own innocence and once the situation is fully explained I’m sure everything will be sorted out.

>>382670

>archmage interfering

When it's a circle mage or someone who is likely to become one.

The Circle operates largely on mentorships. A particularly gifted student is usually viewed to be so due to the expertise of their mentor which affords them greater renown and influence within the Circle's internal politics, but you don't know that

>spoiler

Yeah I don't see why not. Fair warning though it's going to be adorable. Cirice has a big thing for hand holding and weddings.

>>382675

Oh so he’s doing it to try to further his own ambition then. At the very least it’s not nefarious in and of itself, which is somewhat relieving but since we don’t know that I think ultimately deciding against following him simply out of our own desire for independence should be sufficient.

>Politely decline

>Get Religious

You closed your eyes, taking a deep breath and recentering yourself. Opening them, you inclined your head politely to the robed archmage, looking the cadaverous man in his cold, grey eyes.

“I have been short with you, Archmage. My apologies.”

Nicholas’s thin lips turn upwards in a smug smile. “Then I can expect…”

“I will adhere to the judgements of the Waylanders, guided by your esteemed direction, as must any good and faithful Citizen of the Empire of the Westerlands.” You interject “But I cannot surrender my role as an Acolyte.”

The smile died on the man’s lips. “Stupid boy! You spit on the memory of the venerable Mages whose tribulations granted you the abilities you possess today! The power of magic must never again be subject to the whims and vagaries of religion!”

“It is written, Archmage, that all Power is a gift from the Gods. For did not Tyris in His wisdom sacrifice the Hosts of Heaven against The Dragon, that His Covenant with Humanity endure? Did not Maou humble Herself that Mamono may endure upon this world in the ancient days of the Pax Deus? The Gods ever deserve our praise and veneration, for they are worthy of our supplications.”

“All Glory to the Most High!” A male voice yelled harshly from somewhere along the row of cells.

“Spare me this sententious pap…” Nicholas scoffed, his lip curled in a sneer. “…We are not the Resonants of old, beholden to and humbled by reliance on the vagaries of external authority, distrusted and mutated by its whims. Magic is OF us, and FOR us!”

“I’m sorry Archmage…” You continued, ignoring the man’s derision. “…All of our magic is dwarfed before the greatest of all forces, before which all power is as nothing.”

“And that would be?”

“Love, of course. And we should Rejoice, for Holy Reitia gives of it without cost. For in the Words of the Mellisari, “He who gives Love shall inherit Love, she who embraces it shall too be embraced. And She, even She who is the Wellspring of Goodness and Mercy shall be their God, and they shall be Her children.”

A noise interrupted your sermonizing, and you glanced over the shoulder of the Archmage to see the Hellhound Becca, once again clinging to the bars, yet this time her smoking, smouldering eyes were filled with utter longing.

“Run out of sermon, did you boy?” The Archmage scoffed, mistaking your pause for wordlessness. “Just as well, for I have run out of patience… Guard!”

The clanking steps of a heavily armoured Militiaman resounded up the stone hallway, as the Archmage was led deferently from the cells.

“Reitia grace you, Archmage!” You called after him, “For all are deserving of Her grace!”

The clang of the outer door was your only response. Sighing, you resumed your cross-legged position upon the floor, ready to resume your meditations.

>>382896

“Hey… New fish…” The Hellhound’s voice interrupted.

You opened your eyes, looking at the ashen-skinned mamono. “Yes?”

“Did you mean that? Everybody deserves love?”

“Everybody.” You smiled with utter certainty.

“E-even me?”

You resumed your feet, leaning your arms against the bars of your cell. “Especially you.”

The glittering of sulphurous tears welled in the Hellhound’s eyes. “Then… Why won’t he notice me?”

“Oh HERE we go…” the reptillian hissed in exasperation.

“Do you lament Love’s absence such, that you must mock others who have the bravery to bare themselves to Her Mercies?” You retorted sternly.

Utter silence was your only answer. Not even the guard moved to quiet you.

“Kisha want Love.” Some unknown Mamono grunted sorrowfully.

“You really are stupid, aren’t you?” The harsh-voiced human snarled in reply.

“Roger mean!” The mamono lamented accusingly “Kisha thought Roger friend!”

“Fuck’s sake Kisha! Why do you think I stuck with you all this time?” The Human laughed bitterly. “I’m staring down ten years in the quarries for you, and you still can’t get the obvious through your bone-plated wyrm skull.”

“Tell her then man.” You entreated. “Confess in the eyes of Reitia.”

“It’s not that simple… Uh… I don’t even know your title, your honour…” The man blustered.

“I have none, call me Deniel. But it’s more important that you tell HER.”

“How can I? I’ve got nothing to offer her… She deserves better than me.” The man admitted woefully.

“Tell Kisha what?” The Wyrm demanded, rattling what sounded like impossibly huge chains.

“That… Oh Tyris, hell with it. That I love you, you beautiful great natural disaster. I’ve always loved you.”

“Roger… Love Kisha?”

The man chuckled bitterly. “Yes, though you deserve so much more than some two-bit…”

A terrible sound of tearing stone and shattering steel rang through the cell block, and a cloud of billowing dust boiled up, causing you to cough, staggering as the very building shook.

“Merciful Tyris! Alarm! Alarm!” The guard yelled in panic. “Jailbreak! Call the Waylander!”

A large shape hurtled past your cell, the strange melange of Dragon and Serpent which characterised the rarely-seen Wyrms. A clearly shell-shocked man was draped over one shoulder where she held him posessively, her other talon extended in anticipation of her impact with the door. Once again the building shook as the door caved in with a shrieking of metal and an explosion of wood.

“This way out!” The wyrm declared delightedly.

“Kisha, for you, any sodding way’s out.” The man over her shoulder cursed, as you stared all bemused as they disappeared into the dust and rubble of the Mamono’s unstoppable exit.

>>382897

“I suppose you think…” The Waylander noted as he stood in front of your cell, his gauntleted arms folded across his chest, his high-collared brown jacket framing his disapproving features. “…That was terribly clever.”

“It was most definitely NOT expected.” You admitted, shaking the dust from your hair as best you could before sneezing.

“Whipped ‘em into a religious frenzy, he did!” The guard accused, one arm bound across his body in a sling.

“You’re a liar!” Becca accused with a snarl, grabbing through the bars at the guard. “He didn’t tell them to do anything!”

“Ere! Waylander! The regular’s after me!” The guard cried, ducking behind the brown-coated human.

“Regular? REGULAR?!” Becca growled, slamming her body against the bars. “I’ll have your throat! How dare you?”

“Becca.” The Waylander snapped shortly. “Down.”

“Waylander I’m sick and tired of…” The Hellhound spat, her eyes aflame.

“DOWN!” The Waylander roared in a tone of implacable authority. Slowly, reluctantly, as if the very concept of obeying that command was anathema, the Hellhound backed away from the bars, and you surmised you knew who the ‘he’ she craved attention from was.

“Now, what happened?” The Waylander demanded.

“The new fish… Deniel… He… he told us that we deserved love.”

The Waylander made a surprised sound in his throat. “That was all?”

“Well he said a bunch of other stuff that seemed to crawl up the back passage of that skinny man in the dress but I wasn’t really paying attention to that and… Waylander… You smell really good…”

“Becca, focus.” The Waylander demanded.

“Do you remember when we used to chase wisps in the trees when it was just Becca and Ian not Waylander and whatever I am to you now? When did you get so far away…”

“Becca!” The Waylander snapped.

“He told Roger to confess his feelings to Kisha.”

“That Wyrm he followed from disaster to disaster?” The Waylander sighed “The one we’ve kicked out of town seven… no… eight times?”

“Yeah. Listen… Waylander.. I really have to tell you…”

“Took him long enough.” The waylander chuckled cynically, ignoring the Hellhound and turning to the bandaged guard. “That sound about right, guardsman?

“He was real eloquent with it though, used a buncha big words that mighta been magic and…” The guard justified lamely, shuffling his feet on the stone.

“Trust me. If there was even a trace of magic used, Esteemed Nicholas would have been nipping at my heels like a Kobold pup. You heard how quickly he wanted down here while the pilgrim was at naught but sitting on the floor doing… What was it you were doing, Deniel?”

“Meditating, Waylander.” You replied politely.

“Riveting…” the Waylander mused dryly.

“Quite.” You agreed, flushing slightly at the memory of Cirice in that wet samite shift.

“Ian! Waylander!” Becca growled.

The Waylander turned without a hint of fear to face the Hellhound again. “Was there something else, Becca?”

“I need to tell you something… in um… in the name of Reitia or um…”

“You’re in Heat, Becca.” Ian noted clinically. “Tell me next week.”

“No! Dammit you’ll listen now while I’ve got the nerve and…”

“I don’t accept confessions from drunks, wether they be lust-drunk or drunk-drunk.” Ian interjected. “Tell me next week. Guard, summon the next watch, ensure the cells that remain are examined METICULOUSLY. We don’t need another jailbreak during the night. Post a notice for Roger and Kisha as wanted fugitives, though I seriously doubt we’ll see them again.”

“Aye Waylander.” the guard replied, stiffening to attention before following the Waylander from the cell-block. The sound of Becca’s frustrated sobbing the only noise which remained after their footfalls had passed beyond earshot.

“It’s not fair!” Becca lamented “It’s just not fair!”

“Why can’t you tell him next week?” You asked as gently as you could.

“B-because I’ll get all tongue tied and then I’ll just try and jump him and then I’ll end up down here for real…”

“Told you!” The Reptilian hissed again.

“You’ve got no cause to talk, braining that merchant…” Marguerite retorted, the first time she had spoken up since the evening began.

“W-what do you know about…” the Reptilian spluttered

“Just shut up, all of you.” the She-wolf demanded. “Lucy is trying to sleep.”

You couldn’t help but smile at that, as you found the rough wooden cot which would comprise your bed for the evening. Kneeling beside it, you folded your hands in front of your face. “Sahnate, Pora, Reitia Dei in Excelsius…”

>>382898

“Shahiss of Three-Rivers…” Waylander Ian intoned from behind a heavy oaken desk, staring levelly at the green-scaled reptilian standing in shackles before him. “…You stand accused of assault and battery most greivious against the person of Goodman Benjamin, factor of the trading company Tenno and Goldstein. What is your plea?”

“It’s not like that!” Shahiss objected strenuously, her sibilant voice echoing in the small courthouse. “It’s tradition!”

“The Goodman seemed most surprised that your… congenial friendship to that point be brought so abruptly to an end at the point of a blade…” The Waylander clarified. “…You do not deny that you did violence towards him?”

“I… I…” Shahiss shook her head softly, her eyes squeezed shut as the long, thin, hairlike spines atop her head rustled with her movement.

The Waylander rifled through a few parchments on the desk. “Goodman Benjamin has requested recompense in the usual manner and I have seen fit to grant his request. You are sentenced to twelve months indentured servitude.”

“To whom am I beholden, Waylander?”

“To me, of course.” A man’s voice rang out, and a richly dressed merchant stepped down from the (blessedly small) public gallery. “To tutor me in swordplay.”

“Ben?” Shahiss gasped, her eyes welling with tears.

The merchant approached her with a small, cheeky smile, holding out his hand. “Perhaps, if next year you again attempt to make court of me, you can do so on a more… egalitarian footing.”

The Reptilian lowered her head submissively, yet she could not hide the naughty smile of triumph on her soft lips as she kissed the merchant’s hand. “It shall be as you say… Master.”

“Tyris bless that man’s insight.” Geoff’s voice murmured suddenly from beside you, and you turned in surprise to behold the old paladin, doubly so to see the finery he had bedecked himself in. Reitia’s Mercy, you didn’t even hear him approach!

“Your Worship?” You gasped. “What are you doing here?”

“Playing the peacock, it would seem.” Geoff grumbled, plucking at his surcoat and grimacing.

>>382899

“Next Case.” A clerk intoned “The Imperial Throne Versus Marguerite of Scarred Mountain Clan, also known as the Night Shadow, also known as Despair’s Howl, also known as…”

“I think we can dispense with the theatrics.” Ian interrupted as the She-Wolf was led forward in chains. “Madam, you are accused of Murder, of Banditry, of interfering with a Magisterium Missive, of burglary, of Assault and Battery, and of poaching livestock.”

“I refuse to answer these charges.” Marguerite declared, holding herself proudly erect. “I am Scarred Mountain and I but defended the lands of my people from their illegal occupation.”

The courtroom murmured with confusion as the clerk rapidly leafed through a large tome. “Waylander, the accused refers to a matter relating to disputed seizure of lands and titles during the war with the followers of the False God Apophis.”

The Waylander pinched the bridge of his nose. “And the verdict?”

“…Indistinct, Waylander. It would appear there was some dispute between the landholders prior to the war which devolved into accusations of treason and apostasy. The matter is still under appeal with the Imperial Senate.”

“And my tribe forced from our home! My Husband… my dear Domenic… He was the rightful heir to the Barony!” Marguerite interjected hotly, her eyes full at the memory of her husband.

Ian leaned forward over the desk. “Then the bandits…”

Marguerite’s eyes lowered. “Once loyal men and women… desperation is a cruel and unyielding mistress, Waylander. But I swear to you, we took not one scrap that was not our due by right!”

The Waylander shook his head. “Tommy the Knocker once a soldier… I fear I can barely believe it.”

“I will not honour that traitorous THING with a name.” Marguerite growled.

“Let us table the matters of Burglary and Banditry and Poaching and whatnot until more appropriate counsel can be sourced…” Ian murmured, scribbling on a parchment. “…For if she is indeed correct, then legally speaking she COULD be said to be entitled to them. Now. Onto more concrete cases. The Murder of Tommy the Knocker, of Rufus the Glut, and of the Assault of one Acolyte Deniel of the Reitian Temple.”

“Acolyte Deniel also stands in accusation of that matter, Waylander.” The clerk noted delicately.

The Waylander looked at you levelly before nodding. “He does. Deniel?”

“I am here, Waylander.” You replied evenly, stepping forward to stand beside the Wolf. The cadaverous figure of Archmage Nicholas bored holes in the side of your head with his steely gaze, as if he would will you to make the sign and turn yourself over to him.

“I did it!” Lucy’s voice piped up, the adolescent Wolf having slipped her shackles somehow, shouts and confusion spreading through the courthouse. “I kicked Deniel in the head! Me! I tore Rufus’s throat out! I let Mama free, all crazed with hunger! She can’t be held responsible for what she did! It’s my fault! All of it!”

“ORDER! I will have Order in this place!” Ian roared, slamming a weighted gavel against the table, glaring at the courtroom as it came to silence. “Acolyte, does the youngster speak the truth?”

Lucy turned to look at you, her large green eyes pleading.

>Tell the truth, including your use of dark magic

>Tell the truth, excluding your use of magic

>It’s a bit fantastic, give them a more easily swallowable version

>If Lucy wants to make this bed, let her.

>Something else?

Just as a note, you don’t have to worry about the lands claim business. That’s just flavour, needless to say Marguerite through good or ill believes she and Domenic had a right to the holdings they raided.

>>382900

>Tell the truth, including your use of dark magic

>>382900

>Tell the truth, including your use of dark magic

Let's stay on the level with this, including up not knowing that Terrorize would do that, if asked.

>B-because I’ll get all tongue tied

Hellwan needs help with love issues? You'd best bet we'll step the fuck in. If nothing else, let's help her write a letter or something to give to him if she's worried about fucking her words.

>>382900

Tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Mention that Terrify seemed like it would, at most, paralyze the target in fear, not drive him to claw his eyes out.

>>382900

Let's not get skimpy with the truth and tell the Waylanders exactly what happened.

>>382907

This.

>>382907

And this too. We aren't done here yet. We have to get Nighound to get her feelings across.

If they make it out of this okay, Give Lucy a headpat before we go. Little wan has had it rough.

>>382900

Tell the whole truth.

>>382900

>Tell the truth, including your use of dark magic

This seems to be the consensus, and I see no reason to go against it. As long as we clearly emphasize, like >>382907 mentions, that we thought that terrify would only temporarily cause someone to be fearful. Not that it would drive them to insanity. And we will be trying our best to avoid dark magic, henceforth. Because it is a terrible thing.

And since we're telling the truth and all, we must also tell the truth of what Lucy did in assaulting us and murdering Rufus. We should carefully and compellingly explain the situation as we encountered it. Highlighting the evil atrocities of the men who were murdered. Particularly their betting on Marguerite eating the dead body of her husband to avoid starvation. And Lucy's looming rape. But don't mention what Lucy said about them being able to handle themselves in that situation. She has already incriminated herself enough.

I really have mixed feelings about admitting to using dark magic. It may be the truth. But is that really wise to admit to? I don't even know if dark magic is considered to be blasphemy, or if simply using it is itself a crime. Clearly, evil dark magic users are deservedly hunted down. But it's possible that it could only be seen in a neutral light, at best. What is societies general view of dark magic, OP?

>>382923

This seems really important to know. If admitting to dark magic could get us imprisoned or otherwise disappeared by knights of Corvus or some other group we shouldn’t admit to it

>>382946

If it is a really big deal, then it could easily end up overshadowing everything else. And we'd be much better off keeping our mouth shut about it. But I really have no way of telling. Perhaps that Archmage already knows? If it was a terribly big deal you'd think he would mentioned it. It would be a good tool to leverage us into joining his magic school. But if he doesn't know, then we might be able to pass it off as being unsure what happened if we're asked about it. Really don't have enough info about this world to make a good call on it.

>>382948

You’re right, if the archmage knew then he probably would have used that to force us to join him. I dont think using the defense “we didn’t know what the spell would actually do” will hold up under scrutiny. It’s kind of like “I didn’t know this new gun would kill him because I’ve never fired it before.” We are a magic user with at least a basic level of training, we know that it can be dangerous and trying to play it off that we don’t know what we were doing exactly will not look good for us

>>382950

>we know that it can be dangerous and trying to play it off that we don’t know what we were doing exactly will not look good for us

That is exactly what we did though, kek. But with different expectations than the results we got. Regardless, I'm still curious if using dark magic is even actually a crime. And if it is, then how serious of a crime is it? It could be highly politicized "it's worse than murder" shit, as far as we know. And if that is the case, then we really might be better off turning ourselves over to the Archmage, for better or worse.

>>382950

Not so much "I didn't know that gun would kill people because I never fired it before" as "I thought that taser I found would hurt enough to stun them, I didn't know it was made to fry people's innards".

>>382953

Yes, that is a better analogy. The effects were much more effective and permanent than I had imagined. I had expected them to be harsh but temporary. The spell would be better named "Invoke Insanity"

But I just thought of another question. Do these court systems have an expectation that you must testify against yourself? Is there something equivalent to real world idea of pleading the 5th to avoid self-incrimination?

>Dark Magic

As far as secular law? Not a crime any more than having a gun makes you a murderer. What matters is what you do with it. You do have a reasonable point that there was nothing to indicate to you Rufus would respond so strongly. (The reason he did was he was already half-cooked from a number of other factors. Rufus and Tommy both definately had their 'survive at all costs' modes on.)

Of course that's not to say Nicholas won't be a cunt about it…

>5th Amendment.

As so much of this world's legal system began in rigid theocratic dictates from the Cathedral Solar, there is minimal legislation around the rights of the accused. Ammittian practice has, however, helped change the secular local systems to focus more strongly on reconcilliation and restitution (JUSTICE) than retribution (Vengeance)

>>382959

>Good info

Thanks OP. Well, given that, I guess I'll stick with what I said in >>382922. Lets just try to be tactful with mention of dark magic and not dwell on it. Focus more on the idea that we were trying to be "Just" in our actions. We were just trying our best to help Lucy.

Thanks for sorting that out OP. with that in mind I second >>382964 let’s be honest but not make it the entire focus of our defense

>>382992

Turns out we were mostly worried about nothing. But you never know how any given world is going to react to dark magic, necromancy, demonic summoning and the like. Some see dark magic as a tool like any other form of magic. Some see it as such an evil thing that common people are scared to even speak of it. And accusing someone is enough to make them "disappear" in the middle of the night. This world seems to lean more towards the idea of viewing magic as a tool to be used. But it still seems to have a fair amount of stigma associated with it. And more disconcertingly, there are religions which consider it to be apostasy, even if it isn't illegal in secular law.

>>382992

It's a crime in the same way shooting JaRaqeous when he tries to run off with your TV is a crime. There's a slim chance you'll be found guilty, but any judge who even skims over the events leading up to it will see that you're in the right.

>>382900

Tell the full truth - especially the near-monstrosity - and brush over the dark magic without misleading the court. What actually happened was that we expected our spell to temporarily and non-lethally disable him, our attention was pulled away by mortal peril, and by the time we returned our attention to him, he had committed rather brutal suicide. If we had cast upon him before the situation became life or death, we would be culpable for whatever the manslaughter equivalent is here. But the situation was life-or-death, we had no other choice, and the non-lethal means we used could not reasonably be expected to lead to the bandit’s death. The situation here is a little like having a Taser trigger an undetected heart problem in a knife wielding maniac and then failing to give CPR because you were occupied in fighting off a second knife wielding maniac. Tragic but in no way criminal.

It is very, very important that the Law not be mislead here. We are simultaneously at the tip of its spear and safe beneath its shield.

>>383010

This. Assuming the Monstrosity laws still apply at this point in the timeline (last I recall them being brought up was with Samuel's older brother, but I see no reason why that'd be taken off the books ever), and assuming Lucy's young enough that they apply (and given Deniel explicitly refers to the attempted rape as 'monstrosity', that seems a safe assumption too) - That's functionally a death sentence for the guy, right? So, accidental death whilst attempting to prevent someone commiting a crime that carries the death penalty. I'd say we're in the clear for being absolutely, 100% truthful here.

>>382906

On the topic of dark magic, disregard the not knowing what it would do if asked. say so if pressed, but I don't think we want to say anything resembling "I didn't know it would do that" around FuckFace McMageGuy.

>>383064

And make it seem like we willingly had the guy claw his eyes out? That will just make us look worse. They might think we are perfectly fine with hurting people that way. At least by pleading ignorance they will understand that we'll try to avoid using such spells in the future.

>>383065

Eh, I'm just wary of the possibility of Mr. Mage being able to pull some legal shenanigans if we say we used magic on somebody without knowing how it worked. There's probably some strong arguments that could be made by somebody with enough political clout about putting us into "protective custody" for training or some shit because we're a danger to ourselves and others or whatever bullshit arguments they want to go with. Honestly, going either way with this has it's downsides, so I don't think either option is without consequences.

>>383067

>>383065

I think it's more unwise to act like we purposely used magic in an objectively evil way (a lie that makes us look like a sociopath criminal), than to claim the spell had effects beyond what we were expecting (the truth that makes us look a little stupid and untrustworthy with magic). I'd rather tell the truth and face what consequences may come. But I doubt it'll be as bad as Wizard McFuckFace dragging us off unwillingly, though that isn't an impossibility. The law seems to have a lot of leeway for intent (with our judge, at least) and ensuring that JUSTICE is properly served.

>Tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you Reitia.

>Admit to your use of Dark Magic

>Don’t submit to Circle Authority

“Sorry Lucy, I can’t let you take that all on your head.” You smile softly, shaking your head.

“It’s the truth!” The Wolf-Girl insisted.

“Leaves something to be desired when it comes to details.” Nicholas sniped from the gallery.

“The Esteemed Archmage has the right of it… though I don’t know if he has to be quite such a boor.” Geoff interjected with a glower in the cadaverous man’s direction. “Waylander, if I may?”

“Please, Your Worship.” The Waylander inclined his head respectfully.

The old Paladin stumped down from the gallery, “When Deniel brought her into the camp, Lucy was… conflicted would be the mildest way to describe it.” he began, all traces of the ‘folksy trader’ gone from his voice. “She tried her best to hide it, but she positively radiated despair and fear… but not for herself. Fear, evidently, for the mother she had left behind.”

“You KNEW?!” Lucy gasped accusingly.

“That you’d left your mother? Yes. Exactly what was going on? Of course not. You kicked Deniel in the head and ran off before I could even get a proper sermon going.” The Paladin replied mildly.

“You started glowing!” Lucy cried helplessly.

Ian looked at you askance. “Deniel?”

“I can’t speak for the glowing part… Lucy has one hell of a heel-kick.” You admitted ruefully, the wolf-girl preening at the praise momentarily before guilt at the true realization of what she had done overrode her smugness.

“I’m sorry, Deniel… I… I didn’t think you’d listen and…”

“You were afraid.” You smile forgivingly. “For what it’s worth, Waylander, I hold no fault against her for it. After all, I’m hardly the worse for wear.”

“The fact that the left side of your face is a lovely shade of purple notwithstanding…” The Waylander mused dryly.

“I suffered worse in the Abbey as a boy, Waylander.”

“On a slightly related note, Deniel…” The Waylander noted, pointing a quill at the Paladin. “…You had His Worship with you, yet you followed after Lucy alone.”

“I thought him but a Trader, Waylander.” You answered honestly.

“Somewhat unworthy of you, Geoff.” Nicholas noted snidely.

“The Blessings of Holy Tyris are many, but crawling around in the dead of night is not something these old bones can readily do, Archmage.” Geoff retorted, rounding on the Archmage. “Or are you impugning me?”

The Archmage’s thin lips spread mirthlessly. “Should I?”

“Make your accusation then. I would just love the opportunity to put you to Confession…” Geoff almost snarled, his shoulders glowing with the faint outline of golden, etherial armor. Caught in his bluff, the Archmage blanched at the Paladin’s easy command of Tyris’s blessing.

“ORDER, Gentlemen.” Ian yelled, rapping his gavel against the table again.

“Forgive me Waylander.” Geoff replied immediately, bowing his head deferrently towards the oaken table “But returning to the case, Deniel borrowed my horse and followed on after Lucy. After Dom returned without him, I sought you out, and we made our way after them together.”

Ian nodded, scribbling at a parchment. “Thank you, Your Worship.”

Geoff bowed, squeezing your arm before returning to the gallery.

>>383176

“Acolyte Deniel, please continue.” The Waylander prompted.

You outlined how you had followed the tracks created by Lucy dragging the pot back to the hut hidden in the rocky copse. How you had seen Tommy and Rufus, how you had heard them admit to killing Domenic, outrage building within your breast with every word.

“…and Waylander, I swear this in the Holy Name of Reitia… Those foul men… They had wager on wether Marguerite in her hunger could be driven to consume the body of her Husband, Ammit Judge him Lightly.” You seethed, barely retaining the presence of mind to make the Sign of the Scales of Ma’at.

“Monstrosity!” Someone in the gallery shrieked, outraged voices taking up the cry.

“And then…” You continued, spurred on by the crowd’s revulsion “…Rufus, Damn him to the Void, he made to RAPE Lucy! An innocent child!”

“Foulness!” Someone yelled.

“Tyris smiles upon those who smite the wicked!” Another cried

“Innocent! The Reitian is Innocent!” A third insisted.

“I WILL HAVE ORDER!” Ian bellowed in that implacable tone, slamming the desk so hard with his gavel you swore he would break the thick oak in half. “Lucy, does Deniel speak the truth?”

“I could have gotten away…” Lucy sobbed, her eyes full “…He didn’t have to…”

“And what if you didn’t, Lucy?” You interjected, kneeling down in front of the wolf-girl and holding her arms in your hands. “I couldn’t watch you defiled like that. Couldn’t bear to take the chance…”

“D-Deniel…” Lucy gasped, wide-eyed and thoroughly overwhelmed by the passion in your voice.

“An accusation of Monstrosity must be verified by instrument of the Benedictus.” Ian intoned. “Deniel, will you submit to Confession?”

“Gladly, Waylander.” You answered immediately.

“Well this is an exercise in formality.” Geoff scoffed, stumping down to stand before you again. “Never in all my years seen a liar agree to Confession willingly.” The Paladin raised his arm, planting it atop your head as golden light suffused you both. “In the Name of Tyris, The Most High, God of the Light of Order, the Lord of Humanity, has the testimony thou hast given been True, against thy eternal soul?”

“It is.” You answered without fear.

“He speaks truth.” Geoff nodded. “Did you do violence against those men to prevent the commission of Monstrosity?”

“I did.” You admitted, a slight worm of guilt crawling in your gut.

“Truth.” Geoff remarked casually, his stance relaxed as if thoroughly convinced of the rightness of your actions. “Now let’s bring this ridiculousness to an end. Were your actions spurred by the desire to prevent violence to you, or in the justified defense of another?”

“They… Were?” You stammered before your conscience looked pointedly at you, tapping its metaphorical foot in disappointment.

“T… Wait… That was a lie!” Geoff gasped in shock, his expression darkening as if you had personally insulted him. “Again, Deniel, against your soul. Why did you do violence against them?”

“I… I wanted them to suffer.” You admitted with a gallows sigh “For what they had done… for what they would do, I wanted them to be afraid, to feel pain. Forgive me… I have sinned.”

“Yes.” Geoff agreed, removing his hand from your head. “But hardly without cause…”

“And the killing blows?” Ian interjected.

“We killed them!” Marguerite snarled challengingly. “As the Law of Maou permits, has always permitted, past the Pax and to the beginning!”

The Clerk unrolled a thin hide scroll, the unmistakeable runes of High Pandemonian scrawled along its length. “She speaks the truth, Waylander. She has the right to the kill for the violence done to her and her daughter.”

>>383177

“Then that answers that.” Ian sighed, leaning back in his chair. “As far as I am concerned the actions of all three accused are permissible by law, even as…”

“A moment, Waylander…” Archmage Nicholas interrupted “…As Amicus to this court, I would have specifics of the magic utilized by the Acolyte.”

“Is this really necessary, Esteemed Nicholas?” Ian sighed.

“You requested my presence in this hearing.”

Ian looked at the cadaverous man with open exasperation. “As a matter of legal requirement!”

“Even so…” Nicholas smirked, pulling a sheet of what looked like blank vellum from his robe and holding it out in front of you. “…Inscribe the spells you used that night. Assuming you have the capacity.”

You fixed the Archmage with a level look for a moment, before inscribing the Angelic runes which allowed you to cast bolts of arcane power.

“How provincial…” Nicholas scoffed. “…Is that all?”

You swallowed, gathering your nerve. “No, Archmage.”

“Well, don’t leave us waiting all day.” Nicholas demanded, waving his hand in front of the vellum as if the runes were naught but dust to be brushed away. The vellum stood blank and spotless before you once more.

With hesitant hand, you inscribed the words of the Dark Tongue… those words that had instilled such terror in Rufus that the man had clawed his own eyes out in desperate insanity.

“Merciful Tyris!” Nicholas gasped, dropping the vellum as if it had become a live snake. “IALPRG!” He intoned, and a bolt of fire incinerated the vellum to fine white ash.

“What is this, Nicholas?”

“Where did you learn this, boy?” Nicholas demanded, ignoring the waylander. “Who instructed you?”

Taken aback, you could but stare uncomprehendingly at the Archmage. “Nobody!”

“Don’t lie to me!” Nicholas hissed, striking you across your bruised face with his bony hand. “Who unlocked the Dark Intersects for you?”

“Nobody! The words were written in the flesh of a Black Knight of Corvus!” You insisted, the pain in your face awakening outrage in your breast.

“Impossible!” Nicholas gasped, staring at you in a mixture of fear and avaricious anticipation.

“Am I, or am I not Waylander, Archmage?” Ian seethed, standing and leaning over the table threateningly. “You will cease, and tell me what this is all about.”

“Forgive me, Waylander.” Nicholas replied, taking a breath and forcing himself back to equilibrium. “Deniel has used Dark Arts, and given his testimony under Confession, I would argue in manner malevolent.”

“Which the Law has Justified…” Ian replied, frowning in slight puzzlement.

“Has it?” Nicholas retorted, planting a posessive hand on your arm “With your permission I will remove the Acolyte to the Circle to better ascertain…”

“You will not.” Ian declared. “I will not subject one who has, in the eyes of the Law, defended an innocent against monstrosity to further indignity.”

“He has… though it should be impossible… defied the Edicts of the Grand Circle of Magi. Under Magisterium Law, we have the right to insist that the act be properly chastized. He can come with me, or he can go under the lash. Your choice, Waylander, will you whip an innocent, will you give me my due, or must I call upon the Black Riders?”

Ian’s face expressed helplesness for the first time. “Deniel… I will not speak for your fate. This decision is yours.”

You took a deep breath, whispering a silent prayer to Reitia before deliberately moving the Archmage’s bony hand from your arm. “The Whip, Waylander.”

“Are you demented, boy?” Nicholas decried incredulously.

“I am a Servant of Reitia.” you replied, raising your eyes to the heavens. “I will not forsake my pilgrimage. I will bear any pain, and through it do due penance for my sin.”

“The boy’s insane!” Nicholas blustered “You cannot…”

“You presented the same choice to me, Archmage.” Ian interjected. “Do you cast dispariagement to my sanity?”

The Archmage’s jaw trembled with fury and frustration, before he swept his robes about him, storming from the courtroom.

>>383178

“Prisoner… Halt!” The guard ordered as you came to a halt in front of a rough, bloodstained post, greasy leather bindings hanging limply from its top.

“For the crime of breaching Magisterium Legislation relating to the Appropriate use of Magic, Acolyte Deniel of the Reitian Temple is sentenced to Fifteen Lashes.” Ian intoned, as a curious crowd began to gather.

The guard fastened your hands firmly to the leather straps, before glancing about and pulling a rolled cylinder of tough hide from his pocket.

“Bite down on this, son.” The guard insisted, pressing the cylinder against your lips.

“Reitia look fondly on your Mercy, Sir.” You gulped, unable to keep the worm of fear from your voice, before gripping the leather in your teeth.

“May Ammit ever inspire JUSTICE upon the Offices of Law.” Ian continued in ritualistic fashion before sighing. “I take no pleasure in this…”

The whistling of the whip gave you the barest warning before a line of fire inscribed itself across your back.

“One!” The guard shouted.

Again… “Two!”

Again… “Three!”

Again… “Four!”

Your legs began to tremble, the leather felt like it was choking you. “Five… Six… Seven…”

You spat it onto the ground, whimpering in pain, panting, desperately trying to catch your breath…

Sahnate… “Eight!”

Pora… “Nine!”

Reitia Dei… “Ten! Eleven!”

''In Excelsius…” “Twelve!”

“Mother…” You groaned.

“Thirteen! Fourteen!”

Your legs gave out from under you. “…I’m sorry…”

“Fifteen!”

You heard the sound of scampering paws behind you… Marguerite’s voice faint, as if coming from a long way away. “Lucy! What are you doing?”

“Commy Toy… Uh… Knobbled…” The Wolf-girl’s voice stammered behind you, thick with tears. “Dammit! Please… Please Spirits… Help Me…”

You groaned in utter relief as soothing warmth washed over you, the pain of the lash rapidly fading, before being shut off like a switch as Lucy whimpered, her body hitting the dusty ground of the square with a soft sound.

“Medicus!” You heard Ian yell desperately, as darkness fell upon you.

>>383179

“He’s awake.” A female voice remarked as consciousness reasserted itself. “Lucky for you, Waylander.”

“What was I to do, My Lady?” A man’s desperate voice. “Nicholas invoked Magisterium Legislation. I don’t have the authority to gainsay…”

“That walking corpse invoked the letter of the Law whilst shitting all over its spirit. Maou’s ample bosom, I’ve used more damnable incantations after shutting my paw in a door!” The woman declared.

“The Law is…”

“Kshaaaa…” The woman hissed, and you fancied you saw a felinid tail lashing in the dim light. “…The Law… No wonder you’re still single. Do you cuddle Imperial Legislature in bed at night, Waylander?”

“Lady Amaranth, you’re better than that.” That was definately Ian, his disapproving tone was unmistakeable.

“Whipping a Reitian in public square for quite possibly the most milquetoast application of Dark Magic the Westerlands has seen in…”

“Don’t blame him.” You protested, your mouth dry.

“Hush, pilgrim.” The woman ordered you presumptively, a black and violet felinid paw patting you briefly on the cheek. “He was dumb and deserves to be bullied.”

“She’s awake, My Lady.” Marguerite’s voice intruded, and you raised your head off the simple yet comfortable bed to see the Wolf standing in a doorway, her posture surprisingly submissive.

“Oh Goodie.” The violet-haired felinid clapped her velveteen paws together in delight. “Now if you’ll excuse me…”

Between one breath and the next, the Cheshire vanished.

“Lucy?” You croaked questioningly. Marguerite crossed the room to you, kneeling beside your bed and stroking your hair gently.

“She is well.” Marguerite whispered, her voice choked with overwhelming pride. “And better than well. My little girl is Shaman! And it was your pain which awakened her magic. You will be remembered amongst my tribe, Acolyte Deniel. Remembered with fondness.”

“Then I thank Reitia…” You coughed, attempting to rise “…For the suffering.”

“Lie still Deniel.” Marguerite insisted, her tone warm and mothering. “Are you thirsty?”

You nodded. “Parched.”

“I will get you some broth.” The She-wolf promised, kissing you atop the forehead with affection.

>>383180

You shifted your newly returned satchel across your chest, putting a hand over your heart and ducking your head as you stood without the luxurious townhouse where you had been so generously sojourned the night before. “Reitia bless your charity, Lady… er….”

“Amaranth.” The Cheshire finishes for you, her plump mouth curved in the smug smile so common to her kind.

Your heart skips a beat, and you take a knee, looking intently at the ground.

“Something the matter Pilgrim?”

“Forgive me, Your Grace! I did not know you!” You apologised fervently. Reitia’s Mercy! The Daughter of Princess Kylie and Lord Baron Alexander! Granddaughter of The Caladonian HIMSELF!

“Oh Maou… Not another one…” Amaranth sighed, stepping forward on velveteen paws to raise you to your feet. “…I’m not my Mother, or my Father, or my blessed Grandfather. I’m me, and nobody else. Do you understand?”

“Y-yes My Lady.” You swallowed nervously.

Amaranth giggled slightly, tweaking your cheek gently between her claws. “You’re cute. Has a girl ever told you that before?”

You’re sure at one stage you spoke Magisterian… You must have, yet the command of a civilized tongue seemed to escape you at present, your face flaming in mortification.

“Heartbreaker, this one.” Amaranth chuckled to nobody in particular, patting you on the cheek before turning away. Pausing, she turned back to you, studying you with those slitted, amethyst eyes. “Incidentally, where’s your pilgrimage taking you next?”

“Wherever the Will of Reitia Leads, Your Grace.” You replied honestly.

“The matter of Scarred Mountain’s claim is not liable to be finalized quickly, and I’ll not see Marguerite and Lucy lament in a cell for the remainder of their natural lives. I have offered to house them on my estate, which happens to be within the lands of the Ghost Plain Wolf Clan… Lucy will need education now that her Shaman’s powers have come to the fore, after all.”

“Lady, that is most kind of you… Surely Reitia will…”

“Mother says there’s not a set of odds tempting enough to bet against her Blue-Haired little friend having this whole thing planned in advance.” Amaranth interjected teasingly. “Which means, she MEANT for you to be here.”

“If such be Her will.” You replied reverently.

“Nyawww… You’re so ADORABLE!” Amaranth near-squealled, wiggling slightly as she clenched her paws to her face. “Point is…” She continued, composing herself “…Lucy could probably use someone she trusts on the trip.”

“Her mother will be…”

“Someone who UNDERSTANDS what magic involves.” Amaranth interrupted. “We won’t be leaving until tomorrow, take some time, think about it, pray about it… Does Reitian prayer involve singing? If so, wait until I’m around to hear it.”

“I will give the matter the consideration it des… ACK!” You blurted, grabbing at your backside where it felt like a velvet claw had just pinched you on the cheek.

“Wasn’t me.” Amaranth declared ingenuously before vanishing from sight.

“Reitia… These Mamono do not play fair at all.” You grumbled, ensuring the Kobold’s letter was secure in your satchel, and heading towards where you had been told this ‘Fynn’ lived with his mother and father.

<FINALLY we get to deliver that letter. After we’re done, would you like to:

>Go with Amaranth, Marguerite and Lucy

>Wait around, Becca the Hellhound still needs a shove in the Waylander’s direction

>Fuck this town, fuck these highborn you’d fallen into the laps of, let’s go to Atlantea or Doric or Dixon where, Reitia willing, shit will get a little less high-stakes.

>Pray to Reitia for inspiration

>Something Else?

>>383181

Once the letter is delivered let’s help Becca get together with the waylander,then meet up with amaranth, Lucy and them.

>>383181

I'd like to help the hellwan, as well as the wan wan. We should offer to write Becca a letter, telling Ian how she feels, then tell her to give it to him when her heat passes. That way she can confess without worrying about stammering and stuttering.

>>383188

And by "write her a letter" I mean have her dictate one to us. That's assuming she's illiterate but who am I kidding she's a nighound :^)

>>383189

>written her a letter

Oh come on they’re both in this town. There is absolutely no reason to have her write him a letter when she can tell him in person. It’s much more meaningful that way.plus given what happened the last time we agreed to deliver a letter I wouldn’t put it past us that we accidentally hand over the wrong one or something

>>383181

Deliver the letter and help Becca out in confessing her love to Ian.

Write the letter, Becca needs our help.

>>383191

Problem is she finds it really difficult to talk about her love with him. This way she won't get tongue tied. Of course we'll make sure she's around for him to read the letter, and maybe we'll make up for her inability to say it herself by making it poetic.

>>383181

Help Becca out, then leave with Amaranth and Lucy.

>>383193

Since Ian said he wouldn't accept a confession from her while she's in heat, I was thinking more

>Becca writes down (or has written down) all her feelings for Ian

>She waits a week or however long it takes for her heat to wear off

>She goes to Ian to give him the letter full of things she doesn't have the courage to say aloud

Bonus points if she bows her head and presents the letter with both hands like in my Vietnamese CBS All Access Shorts

This is assuming that Becca is actually in heat and Ian wasn't just coming up with an excuse to blow her off. I don't really know how to check that.

>>383181

Great update!

>Go with Amaranth, Marguerite and Lucy

Lets make it our top priority to travel out with Amaranth, Marguerite, and Lucy. We should take this opportunity to begin exploring Nature magic with Lucy. Cirice implied that Mamono also make use of Nature magic. So it works out perfectly. We definitely deserve some time for relaxation and meditation after what we've been through lately.

>Wait around, Becca the Hellhound still needs a shove in the Waylander’s direction

Time permitting (before the Wan crew leaves for the lands of the Ghost Plain Wolf Clan), lets try to see if we can't help out Becca somehow.

>>383193

But telling it to him in person and overcoming her flaw is what makes it romantic. Letters work best when the lovers are separated by distance. Here it is better she overcome her poor speaking and proclaim her affection to him.

>>383181

>Mother says there’s not a set of odds tempting enough to bet against her Blue-Haired little friend having this whole thing planned in advance.”

I am slow, Who is she referring to? I get the impression based on Daniel's reaction its Retia, But I'm not sure and it wouldn't make much sense for her to be so familiar to just a regular royal.

We've comes so far and put up with a ton of shit, Glad to finally deliver that damn erotic letter. We have the rest of today so we should be able to go give Becca some assistance in her love life. Go find Waylander Ian and ask if we can have her pulled into a interrogation room so we can speak with her privately, Should he being willing to oblige. If not we can do it in the cell block, But Nighound would not be able to save face. I personally think writing a letter would be her better option, And I personally find it cute. If she can read/write we can help her articulate her feelings and make it more eloquent, If not we can do that and pen it for her. She can tell us where she lives or just a safe space for us to leave the letter so that when her time and heat is up she can personally deliver it.

While I would personally like to accompany the faggotprincess and Wans, Would that still be okay with our pilgrimage? Pilgrims don't normally set down roots and jumping on this wagon might tie us up for the considerable future.

I guess we should meditate and get a divine opinion on our actions and future choices

>>383212

>I am slow, Who is she referring to?

All but certainly Reitia. As for how she knows Reitia's intentions so well, I guess we'll learn in time?

>>383181

If we can, I'd like to help Becca write a letter for Ian, and then go with the trio out of town the next day. If push comes to shove, helping Becca is what I'd consider higher priority.

By they way, given the amount of smut in your other quest, I'm curious if sticking it in a lady is the end of the line for us in this one. I don't think we'd be going crazy if not, but I'm curious how that ties in with the Reitan teachings

>I'm curious how that ties in with the Reitan teachings

Based on what I've read of this story, marriage is not forbidden from Reitian followers. They only wish to remain chaste while they go out on their mendicant pilgrimage. I don't know if this is done out of respect or just to keep Acolytes from being nabbed by the first horny monster they come across. But it would be pretty silly for the Goddess of Love and Families to forbid those very things from her most devout followers. As a matter of fact, we meet an older Reitian Disciple (I think…) at the very beginning of the story who is married to an Anubis. I'd imagine that he met her at some point during his own pilgrimage adventures.

Aside from the practical benefits of requiring chastity of Acolytes during their mendicant pilgrimage, I don't know if getting some monster muff would actually have any impact on their magic. I would imagine not, but I don't recall the story implying anything one way or the other. I suspect it's just a rule to keep monsters from jumping their bones and let them actually be useful for a while before settling down. Maybe OP can shed some more light on this. I'm just doing a bit of speculating!

>>383222

if I remember things right getting MAMONOMANA'd is a game over of sorts this time around. we should treat Deniel like a wizard apprentice or throw him in situations to bully the virgin

for stuff? I think going along with the two wolves would be a good idea. teaching wereditz about magic will presumably help us with ours because we have to explain what we do to someone else …. and make it simple enough for them to follow. and remember to deliver that awfully descriptive letter before we do anything else.

>>383231

What? Having sex in this one won't wipe out our magic. The time spanned disciplines practically got married immediately and still maintained their magic

>>383231

>teaching wereditz about magic will presumably help us with ours because we have to explain what we do to someone else …. and make it simple enough for them to follow. and remember to deliver that awfully descriptive letter before we do anything else.

Don't forget that we learned to perceive Nature magic (the magic Mamono use) just recently when we were with Cirice. We'd be foolish not to pursue that avenue of magic with Lucy. We could potentially learn as much from her and she from us.

>>383232

We need to treat Deniel like a wizard because when we violate our oath of chastity or get our oath of chastity violated it's game over. Deniel would presumably still have his magic, but it wouldn't be much of a pilgrimage CYOA if we weren't on a pilgrimage anymore.

>>383232

that's not coming from me, that's coming from OP.

>>383234

good point. forgot about that. however I want to throw in: if that faggotcat tries to faggotcat we break out a medieval spray bottle on her ass.

>>383212

>Who is she referring to?

Reitia

>But I'm not sure and it wouldn't make much sense for her to be so familiar to just a regular royal.

Kylie, Amaranth's mother, isn't really a regular royal. She's a Handmaiden of Hell's throne which puts her only just below the Lilim in the Demonic Heirarchy. Her father is Samuel the Caladonian, who has claim to the throne of 3 seperate empires, is over 500 years old, is the only remaining Resonant on the planet, and regularly bullies Gods. Her Mother Yumi is the adopted daughter of Maou Herself. (Also Kylie was with Reitia during the Apophean Wars before she Ascended to Godhood.)

Feel free to have Deniel get stroppy with Amaranth about her familiarity with his Goddess, but she's going to come back with something like "She didn't have a problem with it when She stopped in for dinner last week…" then probably grope you.

>Pilgrims don't normally set down roots and jumping on this wagon might tie us up for the considerable future.

3-5 days travel until the Ghost Plain Shamans will basically say "Cheers for not letting her completely fuck up the elements, now sod off, secret wolf business…" and you're on your way. Amaranth is completely aware of what your pilgrimage entails. (How? Well… that's something you'll have to ask her.)

>>383222

>>383230

>>383240

>>383235

>>383232

>>383231

>Sex and Magic

Getting waifu'ed will end the GAME, it won't affect Deniel's magic whatsoever. It and dying are the 'lose' conditions ('Win' condition as well I suppose)

And Reitians are not only permitted, but positively encouraged to marry. They're only chaste on pilgrimage because they're supposed to be selflessly focused on nurturing love within others.

>All these 'Do Both' votes.

There's a reason I set travel times the way I did. If you stick around to help Becca, Lucy will already be amongst the Ghost Plain wolves before you can catch up with her and they'll politely tell you to GTFO. But, you'll have nearly a week to preach the word of Reitia in a law-abiding, low risk environment, where the populace already see you as a bit of a Holy Martyr, and the Chancel of Tyris regularly feeds the indigent such as yourself.

You can write/help becca write a letter and go with Amaranth, but you're leaving it to the whims of fate as to wether or not the Hellwan actually mamonos up and gives it to him or just tries to rape him out of hand. However, you're in a position to have 3 days worth of conversation with someone who has personally spoken with Gods and Heroes, as well as exploring Nature Magic with Lucy.

Or you can say 'Fuck both options, this shit's retarded and I'm gonna go elsewhere' which considering you just got your back peeled, wouldn't be an unreasonable reaction.

>>383243

As tempting as the magical cart journey may be, I feel like we ought to go with

>Wait around, Becca the Hellhound still needs a shove in the Waylander’s direction

Since the point of our pilgrimage is to help bring others together in loving unity, I feel like we'd be doing a disservice to our faith and to Mother Reitia if we went "Oi cunt write a fuckin' letter aye?" and buggered off into the wildy for a handful of days in hopes of learning cool things.

>>383243

If we need to choose one or the other, I'd like to help Becca, but the best course of action is to pray for guidance. If Reitia says we need to go with Lucy, we go with Lucy. If she says stay in town, stay in town. We should still make time to say goodbye to whoever we aren't going with though, either give Lucy some parting advice on magic or help Becca write a letter.

Changing my vote from what I said here >>383188 to prayer, with a bias for staying put. ( >>383188 and >>383208 are both me but my ID keeps changing from mobileposting so don't count these as separate posts)

>>383185

This is me originally in case ID changes. Let’s jsut help Becca get together with Ian. 5e whole point of pilgrimage is to help the world grow more love.

>>383243

If you're making us choose one, then we should stay here and help Becca.

>>383243

We already helped Lucy out. Now we should help Becca. Spread around the faith a bit afterwards before heading out of town.

>>383243

>supposed to be selflessly focused on nurturing love within others.

Well that settles it for me. I'll go with straight up helping Becca. Helping her is definitely more in line with our goals than Magical Cart Ride.

>Deliver the Letter

>Stay in Charlestown to help Becca

>Preach a bit while we’re here

“Excuse me.. Fynn?” You called to the young man at the front door as you wove your way through the thick garden surrounding the house.

“Yes?” The young man replied, and you instantly understood the Kobold’s infatuation. You were hardly a retiring waif yourself, yet Finn’s build made you feel instantly inadequate. Six and a half feet tall if he was an inch, broad and deep in the torso, the corded muscle of his arms evident in the short sleeves of the simple shirt he wore. His strong, square jaw bore a close-cropped red-brown beard, and his hazel eyes where they focused on you were clear and somewhat intimidating.

“I bear a message from Williamsberg.” You explained, holding aloft the letter the Kobold had given you.

Fynn’s eyes widened in surprise. “Oh?”

“Yes. A young lady named Marie?”

“Marie?” Fynn echoed in slight alarm, snatching the note from your hand “What’s happened, she’s alright isn’t she?” He demanded, rapidly reading through the letter, sucking in breath as he grasped its contents.

“She is well.” You replied simply, unable to keep the smile from your face as the young adonis stared bug-eyed at the lewd contents of the letter.

“We’re talking about the same Marie here, right?” Fynn blustered, waving the letter, his face flaming.

“Brown fur, wavy hair, bubbly personality, works at the inn under a terrifying Ushi-Oni?” You clarified somewhat cheekily, allowing yourself a hint of smugness at the man’s clear embarrassment.

“She wrote this?”

“With assistance.” You admitted.

“Yours?”

“Reitia no!” you assured him. “I won’t lie to you, sir. I can only guess at the meaning of some of those… entreaties.”

“Whose then?”

“An Arachne, friend of hers… Name of…” You trailed off, struggling to remember the conversation.

“Cybelle.” Fynn growled, finishing for you. “I swear to Tyris if that spider put her up to this…”

You shook your head. “As far as I can tell, she was entirely sincere in this confession.”

Fynn took a deep breath, screwing his eyes shut and rubbing his forehead with the fingers of his free hand. “It never rains but it pours.”

“Something the matter, sir?” you queried, slight concern worming in your guts.

Fynn studied you again. “I know you… You’re the Reitian, the one that was whipped in the square yesterday.”

“I suffered thus for my sins, yes.”

“Sins!” Fynn scoffed. “Were it my little sister in that wolf-girl’s place, I’d have cooked that bandit alive. Over a slow fire.”

“Sadly you are not an Archmage.” You noted with slight cynicism, the memory of pain still fresh in your mind.

“No.” Fynn agreed. “Listen… are you bound to confidence in this matter?”

“If you wish it. Is something wrong?”

Fynn shook his head. “Not here, my stepmother’s a Troll…”