The first thing that happens when your eyes come to, again, your ears popping and your sinuses clogged as the pressure makes you dizzy, was Aeriel's voice.
<Sorry, I overshot us a bit.> He said.
You peek over the edge of the ship, and you can see sparse islands portside, and nothing starboard. Raziel pulls herself to her feet, holding her head. "Aeriel, be more careful when you make us higher or lower."
<Sorry, I didn't mean to.> He said. <The further things get, the more inaccurate I get, and I didn't want us to end up in a solid object, so I elevated us a bit.>

>>21042024
Look around the ship
"Is everyone okay?"

>>21042024
"No one's dead, right? Just uncomfortable?"

>>21042012
"It's fine, Aeriel, good job."

>>21042024
"So where are we?"

You look around the ship, and Fellwind is already leaning over one of the fallen people.
"Is everyone okay?"
"Everyone will be fine." Fellwind said, his eyes gleaming with healing magic. "From what I see, they don't even need magic to heal, just some time."

<... Again, sorry.> Aeriel said.
"It's fine, Aeriel, good job." You respond, as Raziel takes the sphere out of the dragon's eyesocket, and slips it back into Aeriel's body. He pushes himself to his feet.
"I sent us a little far, so we'd probably need to go west to get anywhere."

>>21042119
Set a course for west. Whichever direction west is. We have a magic compass, we can work it out.

>>21042127
What's that going to do? Nobody has any diseases.

"Set a course for west." You say.
"Right away." Ell said- he didn't seem affected at all. He spun the compass at the head of the ship, and the wheel spun, until it pointed portside. The ship shuddered, and started moving. Far, far below, you see the islands slowly get closer, and if you squint, you can hardly see a small tower here and there.
"There are golems, down there." Raziel said. "Made out of orichalum or something, and they're fighting eachother."

File: 1349719749414.png-(20 KB, 800x600, SORQ east continent.png)

>>21042212
"I suppose we're in Elvish territory. They're probably Goldsteel, they don't have Orichalum over here."

"I suppose we're in elvish territory." You say. "They're probably goldsteel. They don't have Orichalum over here."
"I agree." Ell said. "Fighting eachother, you say?"
"Cassie, mind taking a look?" Zeke asked.
Cassiel leaned over the edge of the ship, peering down.
"Whatever's happening, one side is obviously winning." Cassiel said. "They have more golems, and the losing side is backed up to protecting a tower."

>>21042351
"We shouldn't interfere, I think."

File: 1349720305492.jpg-(183 KB, 800x450, Robot_Wars.jpg)

>>21042351
Go lower to get a better look.
Do we have any popcorn on this ship?

>>21042351
Make sure we are hidden.

"Your orders?" Ell asked.
"Take us lower to get a better look." You say. "But we shouldn't interfere, I think. Keep us hidden."
He nodded, and Jormungandr started descending, cloaked by a two-year-old stealth spell. By the time you can finally see what's happening, there is no more fighting- only humongous, thick goldsteel soldiers, collapsed and in pieces. Long-limbed golems, with sharp claws, start tugging them apart, tearing crystals from their flesh, as other thick golems enter a strange tower, made of what looks like leaf-shaped blocks of stone. A living being comes flying from a window, and crunches on the ground, the twisted, dead form of a sickly green elf laying on the grass.

>>21042463
Ok, this is no longer fun to watch. South-west to the snakes or north-west to the dwarves? I vote snakes first.

Rolled 15

>>21042463
Seize one of the dead golems.

Order guns trained any any potential hostiles. Put on the cloak (hood up) and go down to the elf to ask him what has happened here, and why. Keep the ship cloaked.

>>21042564
The dead elf? I don't think he'll answer. And it's really none of our business anyway.

>>21042564
He's dead, Jim.

>>21042587
>>21042589
>implying we don't have a skilled necromancer on board

>>21042598
He just said go down and ask, nothing about bringing Raz. She doesn't have an invisibility cloak. And there's no way I'm bringing a corpse with some weird eastern disease up to the ship to infect everyone.

>>21042598
Okay, kidnap the body

>>21042587
>>21042589
My mistake, I misread and thought that there were two elves, one of which was dead.

"Seize one of the dead golems." You say. "And the body."
"Right away." Ell said, and lowered the ship some more. "Zeke."

Ezekiel nodded, spread his arms, and two spells shot from his palms, grabbing hold of a golem and the elf, pulling them into the invisible ship. The elf looks almost more sickly, now that you can see it up close, with colorless hair, the pallor of green covering his body, and he was scrawny beyond belief, his face covered in wrinkles. He was older than Kyvann, even. The golem itself is different- it was simply made out of goldsteel, carved out of the metal crudely, with blue light shining from the cracks in it's armor.

>>21042696
Ok, I apparently am bringing a corpse with some weird eastern disease up to the ship to infect everyone.

>>21042696
"Raziel, could you... rouse him, so we might speak?"

>>21042728
Hasn't been an issue yet.

>>21042696
"Ensure that the golem will not reactivate."
"Raziel, can you do you bring back this old man so I can speak with him?"

>>21042800
>Hasn't been an issue yet.
What?

Rolled 93

>>21042696
Ell, please stand back in case he has some sort of disease.

>>21042824
Strange foreign diseases. They haven't been an issue yet.

"Ensure that the golem will not reactivate." You say, and Ell kneels near the golem, his talented eyes ablaze.
"Raziel, could you... rouse him, so we might speak?" You ask.
"Right." She said. She put her hand on the dragon's skull, closed her eyes, and the elf's back suddenly arched, as a spectre climbed out of the corpse.

"Damn Theussiel." The elf said, creaking to his spectral feet, as he brushed himself off. "Eh? Who are you? What are you doing in my tower?"

>>21042841
Well no, we've never seen one before. But now we just did, so it is an issue.

>>21042851
"We happened to be passing by and saw the end of your fight. We were curious as to what it was about."

>>21042851
"I apologize, but we are not in your tower. I am Queen Ishelda of New Arcturus, from the continent to the west. We arrived as your tower was being invaded by golems, and then... you were deposed."

Rolled 28

>>21042851
We are not in your tower, you are on my boat.

"I apologize, but we are not in your tower." You say. "I am Queen Ishelda of New Arcturus, from the continent to the west. We arrived as your tower was being invaded by golems, and then... you were desposed."
The spectre looked around- and saw his own body, laying dead on the ground.
"Well, that's the way of things, innit?" He asked, and shrugged. "Some fey'd kill me eventually. My golems were weak and low in number. I see you have one, though it's busted." He said, nodding to the golem. "Keep it. Better than Theussill getting the core. Now, why'd you make me undead, or some kinda revenant?"
"We happened to be passing by, and saw the end of your fight. We were curious as to what it was about."
"The one who's golems killed me wanted my slaves and my cores." He said. "That's how things work here, if you can't tell yet. Old, mad wizards like myself tryin' to kill one another for more power. Didn't even have an apprentice yet. Poor me."

>>21042951
"Well the clear solution is to brutally wrest control of the Elven towers and eliminate all the older wizards, turning the golemns and the younger elves into a fighting force. Thank you." Then dismiss the spirit.

>>21042951
"I'm afraid we don't know much of the lands here."

>>21042951
"What are these cores?"

Suddenly Sorc Quest is a tower defense game.

...I approve.

>>21042992
What

"What are these cores?" You ask.
"Magic." He said. "Only us wizards can make em, and they're loaded with magic power, to fuel the golems. No need to waste em after we destroy an enemy, so we set scavenger golems out after a battle."
"I'm afraid we don't know much of the lands here."
"Well, here in the eastern part of the continent, the islands and a bit of the mainland is all for us elves. The mountains in the north are for the men of stone, led by Overlord Tyr, and the south goes to those snake women and their horrid pets." He said. "Most of what I know is about here, for the elves, but most of the wizards don't matter- the big one is Theusill. Blathers on about uniting feykind, freeing the slaves, wiping the snake women and dwarves from the map. An' he's gonna do it, because he's hellishly more powerful than anyone else."

Rolled 74

>>21043032
a D100 understanding roll is required.

>>21043081
"Could you tell me a bit more of the manufacture of these cores? I'm just wondering if I could whip some up if I really wanted to."

>>21043081
"Great. Another person that most likely needs to be dealt with. That makes what? Three? Tyr wants to kill magic, someone in the snake woman lands wants my blood, and now Theusill little plan. Which I just can't approve of."

>>21043081
Wait. What did he say about slaves?
Ask him to elaborate on this.

>>21043081
"What's wrong with the snake women and the dwarves?"

>>21043124
After, re-reading that. Add on to that.

"Well freeing the slaves I can approve of but wiping out the dwarves and snake women? Why?"

"Could you tell me a bit more of the manufacture of these cores? I'm just wondering if I could whip some up if I really wanted to."
"We all have our secrets." He said, and chuckled. "And that's one of mine. But I'll give you the basics. we take water- the purer the better- and alchemize it into a crystal, or a sphere, then cut it like a gem, and set it into a goldsteel socket. Then it's ready."
"What did you say about the slaves? Can you elaborate."
"Theusill wants to take our slaves, and make them citizens. He doesn't seem to understand that we're wizards, while they're just pedestrians with no ounce of magic ability."
"Well, freeing the slaves I can approve of, but wiping out the dwarves and snake women? Why?"
"Well, the snake women have their god. Hates magic, so they hunt down the towers and the wizards inside whenever we turn our backs. They call it hunting heretics. Damn lunatics, all of them. An' the dwarves tear apart our golems when we get too close. They're both powersinks. They take our magic, our population, and destroy everything we make."

Rolled 72

>>21043197
"This whole continent seems to be some sort of twisted wargame."

"Is that how all crystals are made? I usually just go..."

Crystal of heat!

>>21043197
"I see. Thank you for your help."
Dismiss him and throw him overboard. This society is fucked up.

>>21043197
"So, from what I can gather you equate magical power and strength to how high in the hierarchy you ought to be.

So, by your system since I'm extremely strong with magic it is my right to crush any of you who disagree with me and make you my slaves. I don't particularly like your system, it's unkind and I truly dislike slavery."

>>21043197
well looks like the dwarves will win soon an the snake women get what they want soon Tyr will seal all wizardry in the world know any one who would want to stop that and how best to approach them

"So, from what I can gather, you equate magical power and strength to how high in the hierarchy you ought to be."
"Hah, not at all." He said. "Power and strength is for fools and evokers. Trickery and craftiness is more important. Why fight a wizard's golems when you can give his concubine a poisoned dagger and a mindspell?"

>>21043305
I'm guessing that all the wizards will want to stop wizardry from being destroyed. Seeing as that's what separates them from mere slaves.

>>21043334
but how best to approach them and who first

Rolled 20

>>21043324
So you're a bunch of murderous pricks then?

>>21043324
"And why fight the snake-women when you can frame them in an assassination attempt and get somebody else to fight them? Maybe I'll have to talk to this Theussill."

>>21043357
We should find the guy who wants to free the slaves first. And he's not going to give good advice on how to ally with the guy who just killed him.

>>21043324
"That explains much. The misdirection attempt on my life was clumsy. What sort of fool gives an assassin his own dagger?"

"And why fight the snake-women when you can frame them in an assassination attempt and get somebody else to fight them? Maybe I'll have to talk to this Theussill."
"Heh, good luck." He said. "Kill him for me while you're at it, will you? All fey-kind will celebrate. Well, except for the slaves, but those don't matter. Anyway, he's on the tallest tower, on his own island. Makes it impossible to siege him properly, with all the water."

>>21043429
"Before we go, you do know that Tyr plans to somehow end all wizardry in this world."

>>21043429
"That wouldn't be a problem, really."

>>21043429
"I see. What if we just landed on the roof?"

>>21043468
I would advise against that, considering that the man is undoubtedly justifiably paranoid.

"I see." You say. "What if we just landed on the roof?"
"Hah, before she died, Zalzaphrenis and her harpy golems tried that. According to everyone's scrying, he went up there personally, blade in hand, and slashed them apart before reforging them and sending them back. If you tried that, he would go up there and show you what the inside of your own torso looks like." He shrugged. "If you wanna talk to him, you'd best just knock on the door and talk to his courier."

>>21043500
"Thank you. Do you have any last requests before we set off?"

>>21043500
"Well, maybe I could try that. Thanks for the help."

>>21043455
This

>>21043542
Did his slaves get last requests before he ate their souls?

>>21043500
What happened to your slaves?

>>21043548
Why is that relevant to him at all? He's dead.

"What happened to your slaves?"
"Still in the tower." He said, and shrugged. "The golems'll lead them to Theussil's tower. They're used to that sort of thing."
"Thank you." You say. "Do you have any last requests before we set off?"
"Yeah." He said, and his spectre leans over the edge of his ship. "That golem." He said, pointing at one of the ones being torn open by one of the spindly-legged 'scavenger' golems. "Take that one's core. It was one of my projects, and I don't want it to fall into anyfey's hands. Especially *his*."

>>21043563
He may have information on the matter.. like "how" could Tyr be able to do that.

>>21043596
"Zeke, grab that core."
"What's special about it?"

>>21043596
Thanks for your help. Do you want a headstone or something?

>>21043596
Blast the golems with the airship cannons, grab golem, get core.

Rolled 84

>>21043596
Traslocate the core. If not, tell Aeriel to grab it.

>>21043596
Not that I think we should vocalize this at the moment, but I think we should seriously consider pulling a Death from Above, shredding the golems on the ground, and evacuating the slaves ourselves.

>>21043638
I think we should remain neutral.

>>21043638
We want to talk to Theussil, and shredding his golems isn't conducive to that.

"What's special about it?" You ask the spectre, and he chuckles.
"S' not made out of water." He said, and started chuckling. "The rest is a secret."

The scavenger peels open the golem's chest, and you bring forth your magic, reaching out for the red sparking object on the inside.. and you Move it, into your palm.
"Impressive." Aeriel said, as you hold a very large red gem, gilded with goldsteel, and with miniature, perfectly carved runes in the metal.

"Good, good. Use it for whatever, just don't let my rivals get ahold of it." He said, and started laughing.
"Before we go, do you know that Tyr plans to somehow end all wizardry in this world?"
"I didn't." He said, and frowned. "That'd make us no more than *slaves*. Eugh, if I had an apprentice, I'd charge him with ending the men of stone once and for all... but I don't. Oh well, it doesn't matter to me anymore."

>>21043661
...right, this would be easier if I was certain that we weren't talking about two or more people.

>>21043698
"You seem quite reasonable. Would you like the opportunity to one day perhaps pass on your knowledge in my kingdom? All we'd have to do is carve a totem."

Rolled 1

>>21043698
Examine the core with magic. See how it was made.

"I dislike slavery. I think I might fix this place. Go to your rest."

>>21043723
Dude no. He does not seem reasonable at all. He thinks it is right that people who don't have magic should be taken as slaves. And more importantly, he's not a very good wizard and only the best can teach at our school.

>>21043723
Let's not. The dude thinks non-magical people are non-people. That's not really reasonable.

>>21043741
No no, examine it, not break it in half.

Rolled 95

>>21043741
You were supposed to do 1d100, not 1d20.

Allow me.

Rolled 100

>>21043741
That was meant to be a d100.

>>21043698
"Ok. Have a nice afterlife."

>>21043723
Dude, he's an asshole. He's only being reasonable because he's dead and has no more stake in the world of the living

>>21043741
>>21043760
What are you doing to those dice?

>>21043757
>>21043760
>Dem rolls
You are forgiven.

>>21043778
Magic. And the dice's sense of humor.

"I dislike slavery." You say. "I think I might fix this place. Go to your rest."
"Eh, might as well." The spectre said, and shrugged. You nod to Raziel, and it vanished. You dump the body overboard, and examine the core closely, focusing... and then you close your eyes, and reach for it with magic.

"Get me more food." The elven wizard said, in the past, hunched over a table. A woman with a goldsteel collar bowed, and then left, coming back with some fruits and meat.
"No, more." He growled, and she left the room, flinching.

He stared down at the bowl in front of him, and pages and pages of runes on a scrap of paper... and then slashed his own wrist, with a silver knife, blood boiling out, wreathed with magic power, as his veins go black with blood magic. He's incanting... strange words, words that resonate with you, and burn into your mind, alongside... knowledge- knowledge of cores, and golemcrafting, complete with the runes involved. Trembling, you realize that the golem on the ship is most likely inactive because the casing around the arms were shattered, and it went dormant, not wanting to waste energy trying to move it's damaged arms.

You don't pay attention to the fact that you just learned how to use blood magic with wizardry.

>>21043828
...FUCK.
We do not need to learn this.

Rolled 59

>>21043828
Yeah, well that's no big deal. We're not going to use it or teach it to anyone. And Azariel's idea of trying to keep the whole idea dead was out of the window as soon as we found the whole country of people using it.

Let's fix up that golem and put the super-core into it.

>>21043828
"Ell, do you think these cores would work with your armour?"

>>21043871
Why would we do that? We don't know how to control the thing. Yet, anyways.

>>21043860
This isn't as bad as you make it out to be.

If someone dies on this trip, we can just bloodmagic the enemy to bring them back to life now.

>If I concentrate really hard I can just about cast a light spell
>But I can sacrifice my life and make it really really bright!
Ishelda is the best wizard.

>>21043886
I thought we knew everything about golems ever because nat 100.

>>21043828
How blood magic works when it doesn't consume souls? Was it the cause of the bad health of the elf?

"Ell, do you think these cores would work with your armor?" You ask, as you kneel down, and quickly take out the damaged casing. It needs more goldsteel to be properly repaired, but it will run now, and you can alchemize that easily enough. You reach up to touch the golem's blue core, and put your hand over it's mind, quickly wiping it's 'ownership', replacing it with yourself.
"... Maybe, I haven't examined the cores well enough." He said. "And I can't seem to get this one out-"
You twist out the core, making sure to flip the clasp on the inside of the golem, and hand it to him.
"Huh."

>>21043914
"I tried to examine this core to see what was special about it and learnt how to make golems from scratch. Yay sorcery."

>>21043914
"Yeah, I used sorcery to find out more about the core and wound up learning everything the elf knew about making golems. Sorcery's weird, huh?"

"I tried to examine this core to see what was special about it, and learned everything he knew about golems." You say. "Hooray, sorcery."
"That will be useful." Ell said. "And... I think I can get the cores to work with my armor. For quite a long time, actually- as long as the golems normally last." From looking at the blue core in his hand, you suspect it could last maybe a day or two without needing to be recharged. "They're suitably powerful enough. More powerful than the western elven crystals, at least."

>>21043963
It would be if we had been paying attention to the fact that we just learned how to use blood magic. Later, when the realization hits us I suppose.

>>21043973
"Oh, good. Maybe I should make some giant ones to upgrade the Jormungandr with."

>>21044005
Seconding this. Plug BloodCore into Jormungandr to supercharge it.

>>21043973
What special abilities does the bloodcrystal have?

Rolled 42

Shouldn't we not try to use the blood core? it is a symbol of all that is wrong in magic.

>>21044056
Well, the sacrifice has already been made, there's no changing that. We might as well use it or it would simply be wasted.

>>21044056
It's a core with some blood in it. If we have to hold on to it, we may as well use it. He used his own blood for it, he didn't kill anyone. It's the killing people and destroying their souls that's wrong.

Rolled 55

>>21044073
Sure, whatever, but we definitely should not be doing this
>>21044005

"Thats because it was created using the blood of the innocent, Ell."

>>21044097
No. He means make some giant NORMAL ones, not giant blood ones.

>>21044097
It was made using his own blood, not the blood of slaves. He is most certainly not innocent.

>>21044097
I'm talking about making normal blue cores, made out of water, because they're more effective than the current crystal cores. I'm not talking about using blood magic ourselves.

>>21044097
Read again.

"Oh, good." You say. "Maybe I should make some giant ones to upgrade the Jormungandr with." You say, already running the newly-learned transmutation and enchantment spells through your head.
"The cores look like they can't cast spells." He said. "Not like spellcrystals, at least, so they're only good for magic power."

You look down to the red core in your palm, examining it- it's been being charged for months on end, and it's only at half of full power, you can tell. It almost feels like an artifact, but it has no special abilities that you can tell- only an enormous, enormous capacity.

You make your way belowdeck, and find Jormungandr's power crystal. For a moment, you hesitate- this was made by blood magic, using bloodmagic- and then you remember what you scried. The elven wizard didn't use the blood of any of his slaves. He used... his own blood, his own power. You take some spare orichalum, and place the core onto the side of the powercrystal, connecting the core with newly-learned transmutation spells. Jormungandr shudders, and immediately, the dark purple crystal fills, and the much smaller red core beneath sparks with energy, slowly charging.

>>21044126
"I'm sorry, Jorm. I'll disconnect it if you don't like it.!

>>21044126
Now all we need is some way to generate more magical power for Jormy. Can we scan through what we learnt from the nat 100?

>>21044140
This, but Jormy instead of Jorm.

"I'm sorry, Jormy. I'll disconnect it if you don't like it!"
The ship didn't respond, and instead, the power crystal hummed, not seeming to mind the violent red addition clasped to the side. Shrugging, you make your way abovedeck again, where Ell is starting to take the golem apart, examining it piece by piece.
"Are you okay?" Kaliel asked, taking your hand. "The Soul felt weird when you examined the red jewel, and now you're acting a bit strangely."

>>21044198
"I'm acting strangely?"

>>21044198
<I just learned how to use wizardly blood magic.>

>>21044198
"I accidently learned to use blood magic when I examined the core" in a low voice.

>>21044198
"I accidentally sorcerered blood magic knowledge"

"I'm acting strangely?" You ask.
"Just... just your expression, and the... air of competance you had when pulling the golem apart for Ell." She said, looking more unsure as time went on.
<I just learned how to use wizardly blood magic.> You say.
<What?! But. but. You won't use it, will you? Promise me you won't, please.>

>>21044257
<Of course I won't use it!>

>>21044257
<I promise. It's too horrible to use, and I never intended to learn it in the first place.>

>>21044257
"I won't. But...if you were ever in trouble and it was the only way..."

>>21044257
<Of course I won't.>
<And me being competent is NOT strange, cheeky.>

<I promise.> You say. <It's too horrible to use, and I never intendd to learn it in the first place.> You say. "And me being competent is *not* strange, cheeky."
"It is when you're better than Ell at elven crafting." She said, and squeezed your hand. "But sorcery does this kind of stuff, I know."

>>21044347
"It does. To the tallest tower!"

>>21044377
Have we ever piloted Jormy? I think we should try.

>>21044386
We have. It's easy.

>>21044377
Seconded

"It does." You say, and make your way to the helm of the ship. You put your hand on the control crystal, and bring forth your magic to control it. "To the tallest tower!" You cry, and the airship shudders, going northeast and descending quite a bit more.
Eventually, on a rather large island, a tower was spearing up to the sky, surrounded by dormant golems of multiple types- there was a few more thickly built ones, which you know intuitively were Defenders, and then some winged ones- Harpies- and the spindly, thin ones- Scavengers, alongside more esoteric designs, all dormant.

The main doors to the tower was closed, but there was a large brass knocker on one of them.

>>21044506
Settle a distance off, get Aeriel to portal us and two other down. Knock on the door.

Rolled 37

>>21044506
Ok. Keep the ship hovering and hidden. Put on the cloak, in case we need it. Take The Cage out of the body and put it in a pocket for quick getaways. Put up a mind shield (rolling), go and knock on the door alone.

Rolled 74

>>21044553
Shit roll for shit shield
Let daddy Discord show you how it's done

>>21044619
calm down brah

"Keep the ship hidden." You say, as you whip the cloak out of your inventory, donning it over your armor"Aeriel, I'll need The Cage in case I need a quick getaway."
"Right away." He said, and took the sphere out of his own head, before collapsing. You picked it up, and slipped it into the cloak's pocket, and then closed your eyes, and erected a simple mind ward around yourself.

<What now?> Aeriel asked.
<Send us down there.> you respond. The sphere buzzed, and you flashed into existance in front of the door, already on the ground. You reach up and grab the knocker, and bang it three times.

Slowly, the door creaked open, and a quite young elven man stood there, his skin thicker than Kiyara's, and very slightly tinged with green. He wasn't wearing a collar, you note.
"You arrive at Theusill's tower." He said. "Please, come in, take a seat, relax. What sort of message do you have for the wizard Theusill?"

>>21044664
"I seek information. What the Wizard knows of Tyr and his plans to end Magic."

>>21044257
The real problem is that we can't unlearn blood magic, so were always going to be tempted to use it if things get rocky.

>>21044664
"I wish to speak to him directly."

>>21044664
"Id like to talk to him, and inform him of a death of another wizard."

Did we get that other elfs name?

>>21044664
"Tyr plans to destroy wizardry itself."

>>21044718
You'd like to inform him that the guy he killed died? I think he kind of knows.

"I wish to speak to him directly." You say.
"But, honored visitor, it's too much a risk-
He pauses.
"I'm... I'm sorry, but you're not elven, are you?"
You stare at him, and he nods. "I'm sorry, sorry, I'll send you up right away."

He led you into a different room of the large castle, and you see other elves, staring at you, as you go up the stairs, your cloak catching the air behind you. Eventually, you reached the top of the stairs.
"Please wait here, a moment, honored visitor." He said, and stepped into the room ahead. A moment later, he came back. "Theusill will meet you, now." He said, and opened the door for you.


You stepped in, and a normal, translucent elven man sat there, purple hair trailing from his head, and a golem sat on each side of him, dormant.
"Welcome, welcome!" He said, very charismatically. "Please, have a seat. Humans, ogres, and orcs are always welcome here, for, well, I can't trust any other race. I do hope you understand, well, with the wars going on."
He chuckled, and got up, pulling the chair out for you.

>>21044778
"Greetings, my name is Queen Ishelda of New Arctururus, a kingdom to the west. I happen to be passing by on my way to stop Tyr from destroying the entirety of magic. I thought it'd be nice to talk with the various rulers along the way."

>>21044778
"Ah, Theusill, it's a pleasure to meet you, from what I've heard you're the most stable person in this whole land."

>>21044778
"What do you know of Tyr and his plans to end Magic?"

You know, with one of these Crystals for a power source, and some kind of harness, Ell could probably make sure Kiyara never has to walk around on the ground she hates so much, she could just fly everywhere.
Like some sort of...magic jet pack.

>>21044778
"Yes, everyone seems to be fighting everyone else over here. I'd rather not get involved, but it seems Tyr is going to destroy wizardry in about a month, and I simply can't let that happen."

>>21044831
Hovering platform like Yuri from RA2?

>>21044804
Don't open with tyr and magic, have you no ranks on diplomancy?

"Ah, Theusill, it's a pleasure to meet you." You say. "From what I've heard, you're the most stable person in this whole land."
"Perhaps, perhaps." he said. "But since you obviously know who I am, may I have the honor of your name, lady?"
"My name is Queen Ishelda, of New Arcturus." You say, and he suddenly bows, takes your hand, and kisses it.
"Ah, I've heard so much about New Arcturus, of late." He responded, as you take a seat. "You unwarped the warped lands, defeated the mutants there... My scries have said nothing but good things about you, your highness. For what reason have you come, if you don't mind me asking."
"I happen to be passing by on my way to stop Tyr from destroying the entirety of magic." You say. "I thought it'd be nice to talk with the various rulers along the way."
"Oh my, oh my." He said, steepling his fingers. "Overlord Tyr, destroying all magic? I've no idea how he could do such a thing... But this is bad news, bad news indeed."

>>21044896
"I have no idea how either, but a reliable source told me it had happened about a month from now."

>>21044896
I thought it was destroying all wizardry, not magic itself?

>>21044896
"'overlord' tyr? How did he earn that title?"

>>21044896
"You know that scrying could be officially declared as a declaration of espionage on my nation..."

>>21044981
>a declaration of espionage
Haha, what. "I hereby announce that I'm going to spy on you!"

>>21044981
Please don't start a international incident, please?

"'Overlord' Tyr?" You ask. "How did he earn that title?"
"I don't know, I'm afraid." He said. "He has always led the dwarves every age, and that is the honorific they call him by."
"I have no idea how either, but a reliable source told me it had happened about a month from now."
"... had happened?" He asked. "Hm.... interesting..."

>>21045072
"Yes. He's going to war first. I don't know whether against the Elves or the Children. Has that happened yet?"

"Yes." You say. "He's going to war first. I don't know whether against the Elves or the Children. Has that happened yet?"
"Not quite." He said. "The mountains are warded against scrying, so I don't know what happens behind their doors, but they're obviously preparing for war. Against whom, I don't know."
He started tapping at his desk for a few moments. "I know what to do. You come here to stop things, correct? Give me one of your enchanted rings of communication, and then if you require military assistance, I can have my harpies anywhere on the continent in a day."

>>21045072
Yes, let's not talk about that, it gets complicated very quickly and then before you know it the world key is in pieces, and I don't oven know what that'll do.

Rolled 57

>>21045194
"Ah, very well. I suppose we should start by heading to the mountains to begin reconnaissance then."

rolling for ring (just incase we need to make one?)

>>21045194
"Hmm, you certainly know a lot about me."

He can do Enchantment, he could probably listen in to fucking everything if we gave him a ring. And from how much he's been spying on us already, I'm really hesitant to trust him with that.

Rolled 100

>>21045194
Can we hive him a restricted version? One that can only talk to us?

>>21045194
"Very well. But be aware that in this situation, I intend to pursue a peaceful solution, and consider violence to be a last resort."

>>21045288
Did um....did we just make an artifact out of an enchanted ring AGAIN?

>>21045288
>2 natural 100s
These fucking rolls.

Rolled 91

>>21045310
If we did, we can give him ours, and well wear the control ring.

>>21045310
I doubt it. The roll was trying to make the ring LESS powerful.
But with that power of restriction on it, I suppose I could support giving him a ring. Can only talk to us, no eavesdropping on anything. He probably can't break a nat 100 enchantment.

"Very well." You say. "But be aware that in this situation, I intend to persue a peaceful solution, and consider violence to be a last resort."
"Of course. Peace is always preferable to war."

You reach for a ring from your inventory... and at the last moment, you decide to restrict it, from the network as a whole, weaving wards around the ring, locking it away, and preventing spells from travelling through the connection, power wracking through your body, as the silver lines on your arms blaze with power.

You take up the ring, gleaming with new, powerful spells, and you hand it to him.
"Thank you." He said. "I'll take it graciously."

He puts it on, giving you a polite smile.

"I suppose we should start by heading to the mountains to begin reconnaissance, then." You say.
"I don't believe that's a good idea, queen Ishelda." He said. "The mountains are closed to outsiders, and if one is found on the inside, they're executed for spying. I've lost many golems that way, and I can't even begin to think of the sorrows of a living being caught inside." He said, and frowned. "I will have to amass more power, I believe, so that when Tyr pokes his head out of his shell, we can take off his head, like a turtle."

>>21045399
"Yes, wait for him to come out and be vulnerable...
Then I'll try and negotiate with the Children as well."

Rolled 4

>>21045399
"What can you tell me about the snakepeople?"

>>21045399
"I have heard you wish to end with slavery"

Rolled 94

>>21045399
Kal, what's a turtle?

You wonder, for a moment, what a turtle is, and resolve to ask Kal next time you get back to the ship.
"Yes, wait for him to come out and be vulnerable... Then I'll try to negotiate with the Children as well." You say. "What can you tell me about the snakepeople?"
"The snakepeople have two leading castes, from what I can tell." He said. "The Handmaidens, which serve as their police force, lawkeepers, and such, upholding their laws and punishing lawbreakers, and the Priestesses, who serve to keep things running, keep morale up, help with food and organization, reproduction... and the two castes constantly bicker. They're impossible to try and speak with, because they have my couriers eaten by what they call their 'god'."
He frowned, for a moment. "I stopped trying, after a while."
"I have heard you wish to end with slavery." You say.
"Oh, yes, of course I do." He said. "Even though they aren't wizards, feykind are still feykind, and they shouldn't be slaves, or lessers, but peers, and people. Additionally, some wizards have learned the fell arts of bloodmagic, from... somewhere, and they've started to utilize that against their slaves." He gritted his teeth, and his face was flush with anger. "It's despicable."

>>21045569
"I agree with you on that point. Once the situation with Tyr is resolved, I would like to offer my aid in abolishing the practice."

Rolled 68

>>21045569
"I am most inclined to agree. Such a waste, destroying the soul for petty gains."

>>21045569
"Yes. It is."

Voice of command!

Rolled 79

>>21045569
I agree with you completely, using blood magic to steal the lives of unwilling victims is horrible.

>>21045569
"That's recent? I know Jaredan used blood magic to help his slaves escape this continent ages ago. I thought you all did it over here."

>>21045615
he used it on HIMSELF. he didn't use it on them.

>>21045632
Yes? He still knew blood magic. This dude's saying they only just discovered it.

>>21045569
I recall the other elf who freed the slaves used blood magic.

"blood magic seems to be a thing for elves."

"Yes." You say. "It is. Once the situation with Tyr is resolved, I would like to offer my aid in abolishing the practice."
"I'm trying to abolish it *now*." He said. "If I can just take out the other towers in time, before Tyr opens his gates and go to war, then feykind, united, can hold our own. But fragmented as we are, we'll die."
"The blood magic is recent?" you ask. "I know Jaridan used blood magic to help his slaves escape this continent ages ago. I thought you all did it over here."
"That's insulting." He said, and took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. "No, we do not all have blood magic. Someone- one of the wizards, last generation- found, or revived the practice, and taught it to anyone who gave them enough cores... or slaves. And their apprentices are who I fight now."

>>21045667
"Oh. So what are the slaves for? I don't see how one man could need hundreds of slaves."

Rolled 74

>>21045667
Do we have tea? Sip our tea and let him continue, or grab dome gladriels light tea and brew some up.

"Oh. So what are the slaves for? I don't see how one man could need hundreds of slaves."
"Construction." He said. "Mining, farming. You need metal to make goldsteel, and you need the goldsteel to be put into place, for golems. Having a workforce helps with that... and then you need enough food to keep your slaves alive, so you need more to take care of that... the more slaves you have, the more of a working force you have. But I have none- instead, I have but willing servants, who want to see an age of freedom just as much as I do."

Let's be wary here guys. A united front is a good thing for when you're about to go to war, but it has a tendency to produce fascist dictatorships after the war is over (Which I'm pretty sure Ishelda is against).
If we aid Theusill in taking over now, what's to stop him from controlling the lives and fates of all the elves on the continent when we leave?

>>21045752
If they don't want to serve you, where do they go?

Rolled 41

>>21045752
"How good is the dwarven info network? Will they know I've arrived on this continent already?"

"If they don't want to serve you, where do they go?"
"I still allow them to live in my tower, and I still protect them, because there's no other place they can go and be safe, but they aren't required to mine or put together golems for me. Only those that wish to, do so."

"How good is the dwarven info network? Will they know I've arrived on this continent already?"
"I doubt it." He said. "Within their mountains, and their mine, their knowledge is absolute. Not a thing happens that they don't know about... but outside of the mountains, they're clueless."

>>21045782
Nothing. Nobody's even mentioned helping him take over, he seems to be managing that fine by himself.

Rolled 81

>>21045844
"That's very noble, Theusill."

>>21045844
Ariel, can you make a stable portal back home?

I'd yes

I'd like to talk to those who don't want to serve you. I would offer them a life on New arcturus.

>>21045844
"That's good."

>>21045892
He said that the portal here was harder than the one to Arcturus. I don't think he can open another one so soon. And remember how inaccurate it was? They'd come out in the middle of the wasteland and get eaten by mutants.

"That's very noble, Theusill."
"Thank you, but that's not why I do it." He said.

<Aeriel, can you make a stable portal back home?>
<Sorry, but I can't. It was hard enough to make a temporary one here. We're weeks away from New Arcturus, and bending space that much is exhausting. Making a stable, long-term one... Impossible.>

>>21045952
>Weeks
>I mean days, whoops.

>>21045952
"Oh? Why do you do it?"

"Oh? Why do you do it?"
"I used to be a slave." He said. "Before it was found I had magic power, I was raised by a wizard- a cruel, cruel man who turned out to be my father. He chose me as apprentice, and I took his tower and title when he died. I do that so that nobody else will have to live as I lived."

Rolled 23

>>21046007
"...I see"

"How far away would you say the snakepeople city is?"

>>21046007
Grab his hand. We will make this world better.

>>21046007
"Interesting, I'll have to put more thought into it before deciding if I will help you right away, as I still must visit the Children of the Great Wyrm. I'll contact you through the ring once I've reached a conclusion, thank you (insert title here) Theusill."

Guys, what ever happened to Meta Soldier? I miss him.

You reach up, and grab his hand. His eyes meet yours.
"... We will make this world better." You say, in a small voice. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and nodded.
"Thank you." He mumbled.

"How far away would you say the snakepeople city is?"
"Quite far, but nowhere near as far as you've travelled." He said. "It's halfway across the continent, to the south. The entire area of the continent is a scrubland, with hardly a bush here or there, and it somehow gets warmer the further south you go, until you end up in a proper desert. It would take my couriers a day to travel the distance."

"Interesting." you say, and get to your feet. "I'll have to put more thought before decided if I will help you right away, as I still must visit the Children of the Great Wyrm." You say. "I'll contact you through the ring once I've reached a conclusion. Thank you, Wizard Theusill."
"Thank you as well, Queen Ishelda." He said, stood, and bowed.

You make your way down to the bottom of the tower, and outside the main doors, and then you teleport back up to Jormungandr.
"How was it?" Raziel asked, slightly worried. "Are you okay?"

>>21046289
"Oh, I'm just fine.

He seems like a nice fellow, if what I've heard is anything to go by I'd place him far far above any of the other wizards in this place."

I'm thinking we should take a communication ring, with similar measures we put on Theusill's, put it in a clear very strong cube, and then launch it into dwarven lands with a note that says

"Tyr, we need to talk.

Ishelda"

Rolled 15

>>21046289
"It was fine. He seems to be the only voice of reason on this continent."

"Now, set engines to maximum and kettle to brew!"

>>21046289
"I'm fine. He seemed nice. Let's go see the snake-people."

h>>21046289
Kal, what's a turtle?

"It was fine." You say. "He seems to be the only voice of reason on this continent." You say. "Now... let's go see the Children."

As you reach for the helm of the ship, you turn to Kaliel.
"Kal, what's a turtle?"
"Well..."
Lunch came and went, which you spent giggling as you fed the enormous shelled creature vineapple cubes, as the creature's head shot out, taking a cube, and started chomping away. Other than a minor issue where a 'harpy' golem happened to crash into the same spot you were, nothing of interest had happened.
"What an interesting beast." Your father said, eying the turtle. "I wonder what happens when you roll it onto it's back?"

>>21046440
"Well, as amusing as it would be to say that it would be stuck, I doubt they would have come about if such a simple thing disabled them completely.

It'll probably take a while before it levers itself back into position."

>>21046440
"that would be mean."

Do it.

"Well, as amusing as it would be to say that it would be stuck, I doubt they would have come about if such a simple thing disabled them completely." You say. "It'll probably take a while before it levers itself back into position."
"Ishelda's right." Kaliel said. "Though this construct isn't smart enough to do it."
"And that would be mean." You say, feeding the turtle another cube.

Ell climbed away from his in-pieces golem armor, as he stuck bits and parts from the eastern golem into his own armor, examining each piece, and then checked the airship's location.
"I see it." He said. "I see the Children's city."

You look over the edge, and you see an enormous palace, made of marble, with strange, hexagon-shaped buildings- but strangely, none of them had doors- only windows. You see two strange creatures, waddling about on four legs in the sand, with bronze scales and a very hunched back, complete with a long tail that it kept held above the ground as it wandered. The creatures were enormous- almost the size of an ogre, as they wandered about.

"I think the gate's down there." Cassiel said, pointing. "It's the only building that's guarded, right now." You do see a large gatehouse, of sorts, but it looked like it went downwards, under the sand, and four Children stood there, all four of them in the shade, with armored tails and torsos... and what look like white veils over their mouths.

>>21046678
We should probably check in with the gatehouse, introduce ourselves, and all that first. They wouldn't appreciate it if we just landed on the palace.

So keep the airship invisible and drop down with a few people nearby the gatehouse and announce ourselves.

I'm thinking we should at the very least take Grayson and Kell to show strength, Kristoph to deal with any potential magical shenanigans, and our Father in case we'd like help with negotiations and talking.

We should take more but those are the ones I feel we need.

>>21046678
Same setup as last time - cloak, cage. Only land properly, they probably won't appreciate us suddenly appearing in front of them. We're just a simple non-threatening courier with a letter for whats-her-name.

"Lower the airship to ground level." You say. "Kristoph, Grayson, Kell, and father, come with me."

The five of you step out from the invisibility spell surrounding Jormungandr, suddenly appearing- a bear and a troll, towering on both sides of your group, and Kristoph and your father on each side of you. You walk, your cloak whipping out behind you as the wind blows, and you approach the four guards, who quickly stop hissing in whatever tongue they speak, and spread.

"Human." One of the snakewomen said. "This is the palace of the Great Wyrm. For what reason have you come? If you are seeking the other humans, they left this place many weeks ago."

Rolled 98

>>21046853
"We have come to speak with priestess <her name>. We also have a message to deliver"

>>21046869
Second.

"We have come to speak with the priestess Velk'lea." You say. "We also have a message to deliver."
Their eyes met for a moment, and then the speaking snakewomen turned to one guard. "Please, lead these humans and their pets to the priestess. I will inform the handmaidens."
"Of course." the guard said, and bowed. "This way, humans."
Slowly, she started slithering downward, where mirrors seemed to reflect sunlight throughout the underground tunnels, leading you through seemingly random passageways and tunnels. you note that the other snakewomen seem to avoid the five of you, and eventually, you end up in a large, dazzlingly light room, with a snakewoman laying back, red paint covering each of her scales, the inside of her hood painted a beautiful array of colors.
"Velk'lea, we have visitors." The guard said.
"Send them in, please." She responded, halfway dreamily, as she sat up. "I apologize, visitors, but I've only just come from sleep, and so I need a bit of time for my overmind to awaken. Good day, humans. And... other creatures."

>>21047003
"It's quite alright. And might I say that your makeup is quite beautiful.

Qu'azlith asked me to deliver this message to you, and to give you a hug for her."

>>21047003
Introduce ourselves, then say,
"Whenever you feel awake enough to recieve it, I have a message from Qu'azalith for you."

>>21047003
"Good day Velk'lea, I have a letter for you."

>>21047054
>>21047080
I'd rather not say her name, we don't know if we can trust the guards.

You bow. "It's quite alright. and might I say that your makeup is quite beautiful."
"Oh, thank you." She said. "The little ones wished to decorate me, and I'd say they did a wonderful job."
"I am the Queen Ishelda, of New Arcturus." You say, and curtsy to her. "Whenever you feel awake enough to recieve it, I have a message from Qu'azalith for you."
She shot up, eyes wide, and quickly slithered closer, pausing in front of you. she turned to the guard. "Go get my daughters." She said, and the guard bowed, and left.

The snakewoman teared up, and pulled you into a hug.

"She's alive? My baby is alive?!"

She started sobbing into you, hugging you tightly.

>End of thread!

>>21047154
Human half hug or tail half hug?

>>21047154
Well, isn't that a nice thread end for today.

>>21047185
Yes.

>>21047190
Right, so we're going to have to teleport a few feet to the left so we don't get our foot broken again.

>>21047154
Aww.

>>21047205
No, we have to hug her back. Quaz entrusted us with that task, and we'll complete it no matter what it takes.

Rolled 45

>>21047220
Rolling for magically warm hugs.

Rolled 72

>>21047237
That's barely lukewarm.

Rolled 4

>>21047237
>>21047243
Testing out black magic on the tg dice.

The warmest of hugs.

>>21047284
this kills the snake

Rolled 38

>>21047284
The dice gods may be tricksters, but they're not outright evil. Black magic and sacrifice are just not appreciated. You have to give them good offerings, like cookies.

In my experience, the best way to appease the dice gods is not to roll until you really need to.

>>21047491
Are you saying that giving the absolute best hugs is not something Ishelda really needs to do?

Rolled 4

>>21047570
I agree. This hug is so amazing that Velk'lea spontaniously turns fluffy.

Rolled 31

>>21047603
no. that's not how you make a Coatl. THIS IS!

Rolled 82

>>21047622
I am sad. There will never be a coatl at this rate.

>>21047570
I'm saying that we don't need to roll for it for another 17 hours and 16 minutes, in the next thread.

>>21047640
This. I'm in the IRC right now, and Exabyte is not even paying attention to the thread anymore. He's getting his ass kicked in Dark Souls.

Rolled 4

>>21047709
Rolling to see how many tries it takes him to beat Priscilla.

>>21047709
I totally am paying attention.

Rolled 88

>>21047746
Rolling to hide from Exabyte.

>>21047709
He'll catch up before the next thread. As the author it is his unfortunate responsibility to read all the posts in his threads, no matter how stupid the after-thread gets.

Rolled 1

>>21047759
roll move silently.

>>21047768
I'm fairly sure he's posted some after thread stuff as anon anyway.

>>21047773
Keep it down, I'm trying to concentrate here.

>>21047773
Damn you're loud.

>>21047781
Actually, other than a single 'general broadcast whatever' in space cyborg, I've never gone anonymous in thread without accidentally dropping my trip. I've also been Exabutt once.

>>21047807
By 'without', I mean 'unless'. Whoops.

Where are you in Dark Souls, Exabyte?

>>21047868
Killed all four lords, now I'm going through the painted world before I do the DLC and then beat the game. First playthrough, with a large shield, large axe, and heavy armor.