>>22661545

how will she get back there?

carefully take Tannis off her arms and lay her on a pillow/something soft.

see if Isavla needs anything else.

"How will you get back there?" You ask, taking Tannis out of her arms and setting her down on your bedroll.
"I'll go with the next caravan." She said. "The steward will be rather unhappy with me, but he will understand when I explain."
"Do you need anything else?"
"Well, I did want to tell you the story inscribed on my hands." She said, raising her hands and wiggling her fingers. "But that was it."
She looked down to Tannis, and scratched her ears absentmindedly. The small, pale blue cat curled up, and started purring. Isavla allowed herself a little grin.
"... She didn't get much sleep last night." Isavla said, nodding to Tannis.
"... You realize that maenad only sleep half as much as humans, right?" Veez asked.

Isavla grinned up at her.

>>22661545
Guys, come on. We /really/ need to accept her offer, not for ourselves but for her. She knows that she's in danger of losing the one she loves most and if we deny her aid she'll feel guilty the entire time he's gone and even moreso if anything /does/ happen to Kale.

>>22661656
"I don't want to know."

>>22661656

>as long as no one has been taken advantage of, i'm fine with Isavla and Tannis hooking up.

we'll gladly listen to her story.

>>22661667

i'm at odds about accepting basically everything that makes Veez, Veez.

i know we could use the knowledge of crafting to make a higher quality firearm but even if we bring Kale back safely she won't be the same and that would probably hurt him a lot more than i'd want to put him through.

isn't there a way for us to share some of her knowledge without draining away her very self?

>>22661656
"So what's on your hands then?"

"I don't want to know." You say.
"I do." Leez said.
"Anyways, how is Kale and Cassandra?" Isavla asked.
"They're still training." Leez said. "He's teaching her to sense and resist glamours."
"And how is it going?"
"No idea." She said. "Tell me... how did you resist the glamour, back at the cave?"
"I simply... focused." Isavla said. "I didn't trust her anyway, so I suppose that meant something, too."
"You truly shouldn't be able to do something like that. Do you have elven blood?"
"It's said that my mother's blood was special." Isavla said. "So.. perhaps that has something to do with it."
"So, what's on your hands, then?" You ask, nodding down at her.
"A story." She said. "It was a simple story. There once was a great serpent that made up the earth. Each scale a different color, each scale unique, and had two heads instead of a tail. It kept biting itself, back and forth, writhing and wiggling, and that's how the world goes round. I remember something about it laying two eggs, but... I don't quite recall, and it's not all written here."

>>22661816

sounds interesting, maybe we can look it up in town.

>>22661816
"Certainly sounds familiar."

>>22661816
With regards to Veez, I think we should accept her offer of glamours, as long as she's certain she'll get it back if/when we die, but the knowledge would be too much, I think.

"Certainly sounds familiar." You say, considering. You could swear you'd heard a story like that before... "Maybe we can look it up in town."
"It's not an atlaskan story, I don't think." She said, thinking.
"Kale will know it." Leez said.
"I'll go ask him." Isavla said, and pulled up her hood to head outside again. "Feel free to come with, Abel."

>>22661902
She already said she can re-learn the knowledge easily enough.
We should accept the whole thing.

>>22661967

we'll join her in a second, ask Veez if there is any way she could share her abilities without resetting herself in the process.

>>22661967
"I'll catch up to you later."

"I'll join you in a second." You say.
"Okay." Isavla said, with a nod, and made her way out again.
"Veez? Is there any way you can share your abilities without..." You trail off, not certain how to word it. "Resetting yourself in the process?"
"Teaching you properly would take months, if not years." She said. "And you and I both know that we don't have the time for that. If I give you the knowledge, I can learn it again on my own. I don't need the knowledge myself, but if it can help you and Kale, I'll give it freely."

>>22662072
"You're definitely okay with doing this? I don't want Kale to be angry with me."

>>22662072

if Kale finds out about this... i'm not sure he would react

>>22662072
"Can you choose what knowledge you give?"

"You're definitely okay with doing this? I don't want Kale to be angry with me. If he finds out about this... I'm not sure how he would react."
"Neither do I." She said. "But to me and to him, the knowledge isn't important. We have all the time in the world to learn. But the glamours... Giving away my magic... I've no idea how he will react. A human lifetime isn't long, but... it's too long to be without."
She shrugged. "But still, I'm prepared to give it, if you swear to help him."
"Can you choose what knowledge you give?"
"Of course." She said. "I'm giving you my knowledge of forging and smithing and crafting- the things I don't need, that I learned due to my compulsion."

>>22662229

can you promise me that you will not lose anything else besides your knowledge and glamours?
that you won't start acting like a different person?

>she gives away her glamour to us, when we die she gets it back. correct?

>>22662229
"I might be just overly cautious, but I won't end up like that wizard that attacked us, will I?"

"Can you promise me that you won't lose anything else? Besides your knowledge and glamours? that you won't start acting like a different person?"
"I don't know." She said. "I've never given a boon of this like- nor have I known any elf who has. We are outside of the bounds of knowledge, and I leap freely."

>>22662427
"If the magic doesn't work, is there any way I can give it back?"

Also >>22662425

>>22662427
"Your glamours are a significant part of your person. So is your knowledge. I refuse to take both. Which one would you feel easier with parting?"

"If the magic doesn't work, is there any way I can give it back?"
"The nature of boons allow them to be returned." She said. "But this one... is not a tool, nor simply a few words, or a shawl of moonlight. It is transferrence of power and knowledge. Part of the soul."
"I might just be overly cautious, but I won't end up like that wizard that attacked us, will I?"
"Again, I don't know." She said. "In a way... you would become a wizard, I suppose. A mortal with fey magic. The result would be something like the world has never before seen."
She closed her eyes, and sat back.
"I don't know." She said. "I know I would keep my name, and you yours, but... we would both be changed. How, I don't know."

>>22662427
"If you can choose what to give, then I won't take both of your gifts."

Exabyte, is Kale Kristoph?

>>22662585
>>22662550
I support these.

>>22662427
ok.... In truth I doubt Ill make it a full human life time

File: 1358539624877.jpg-(112 KB, 600x800, Abelclose.jpg)

>>22662556
>Here's a pic of Abel in all his scruffy glory.

>>22662604

and i support this.

but i'm in favor of only taking knowledge and leaving the Glamour with her.

living for so many years with it, giving away that magic won't be easy to get over and I'd rather not find out if we go insane like that wizard or not.

"Your glamours are a significant part of your person. So is your knowledge." You say. "If you can choose what to give, then I won't take both of your gifts. Which one would you feel easier with parting?"
She closed her eyes.
"I've long considered this." She said, sternly. "I saw that Forged you made. I saw Gearworks, and the weapon on your hip. I also know a little of Gareth, Tyrant of the Fae. You need both. You have knowledge that we don't, you just need to know how to Make... but you also need the magic to face Gareth. Without that, your mind is hers. The knowledge gained from obsession, and the power of being born from wildfire."
She opened her eyes, and pulled you close, a hand tugging at the front of your scalemail. Glaring at you, with something other than hatred.

With fear.

"I don't need them. I don't need any of it." She said, quietly. "Kale needs it, and I can't be at his side."

>>22662691
"If I may ask, why can't you accompany us?"

>>22662556
Doo eeeeet.

>>22662691
"...Alright. Do it."

>>22662691

let everything she said sink in "alright... i'll take it, i will make sure Kale returns to you, i WILL keep him safe."

take her hand a squeeze it.

>>22662691
Sigh, "I don't like the idea of taking so much from someone, especially someone I consider a friend...but you're also very right.

I promise you. I will do everything in my power to ensure Kale's safety."

".... Alright." You say, after a moment. "Do it. I don't like the idea from taking so much from someone, especially a friend... but you're also very right."
"It's not taking." She said. "I'm giving it to you."
She brought the dagger up to her own wrist, her hand a blur.

There was the clang of a hammer. The screech of a rivet being bolted.
Your frame trembled, something tightening around your arm, burning.
In your mind's eye, you could see a simple sphere of water, floating in an endless nothingness. Swirling, twisting, endlessly beautiful. A crystal teardrop, solemn, cold.
And then it burst into light.

You open your eyes, and she pulled her needle away from your arm, her hands trembling.
"It's... It's done." She said.

Your head ached, and for a moment, you could see the way the needle was made- with light taps, with a small hammer and a delicate touch. Something you could do, easily.
You felt like you'd had weights around your ankles and wrists your entire life, and now they were gone, letting you move freely.

Leez wrapped up the tattoo on your upper shoulder. "It would be best not to let Kale see this." She said.

>>22662903
"What is it, exactly?"

>>22662903

let her finish wrapping, then embrace her.

"i promise i will do everything in my power to keep Kale safe and to bring him back to you."

"What is it, exactly?" You ask.
She unwrapped it and raised a mirror. You could see a wildfire, surrounded by arcane runes made of swoops and angles, written on your arm.
"My origin. Part of my name. Part... something else. Something I don't remember, or perhaps I never knew." She said. "He'll recognize it, but nobody else will."

She rewrapped it, still trembling.
"I promise I will do everything in my power to keep Kale safe and to bring him back to you."
"... Thank you." She said. "If you do... I will have owed you much more than the mean power I gave. This will have to suffice."

>>22663006
"It's already more than I would ever dare ask for. Thank you."

>>22663006

"is there anything you need right now?"

"It's already more than I would ever dare ask for. Thank you." You say. "Is there anything you need right now?"
"No, I actually think I need to rest a bit." She said. "That... was very different than I thought it would be. Tiring."
She gave you a nod- and then a sudden hug, before making her way to another room.

You make your way outside, where Isavla was sitting next to Cass, Kale standing in front of them. You feel electicity in the air, as Kale raises his hands, and you can see the image of a lion, overlaying reality. A message, sent to one's eyes and ears, overwriting reality. Fake, obviously so, emanating from Kale's own eyes and ears.

Isavla scooted back.
"I know that's not real, but..."
"It's... like lightning." Cass said, eyebrows meeting. The lion roared. "It sounds like... it's an echo."
"Good, good." Kale said, as the lion image's mouth followed his own.

>>22663144
"That's pretty impressive."

>>22663144
DO NOT GIVE ANY INDICATION WE CAN SEE THROUGH IT!

>>22663144

play dumb,

i'm not petting that one as well...

"That's pretty impressive." You say. "I'm not petting that one."
It took a step toward you, and you took a step back.
Kale lowered his hands, and the lion vanished.
"That's enough for today, I suppose." He said to Cass. "You can recognize them, now. Seeing through them can come later."
Cass got to her feet, and stretched, her tail twitching.
"So." She said. "We're heading north again, and then go west, or are we taking a ship straight west, to Skiitara?"
"I'd be surprised if you can find an atlaskan ship going to Skiitara." Isavla said.

>>22663216
"True. At least it gives us a bit more time to decide. Maybe we can go to Skiitara whilst Lyra meets up with Crios?"

>>22663216
Lyra needs to get a message to Ciros, so we'll go wherever she needs to go to send that, then west as fast as possible.

I get the feeling we're forgetting something in Atlask, but I don't know what it is.

>>22663216

>wasn't Ariana coming back here once she made sure her sister was well taken care of?

Lyra needs to send a message to Crios.

>>22663312
The only thing I can think of is the rifle barrels we commissioned. With Veez's knowledge, we might actually be able to make guns that are worth a damn.
Although I still don't think we can make adequate cartridges without a bullet press, so we'll be stuck with muskets probably.

>>22663345
Oh yeah, we should wait for Ariana as well.

>>22663345
If we were looking to make modern-er guns we'd need to make cordite instead of simple blackpowder too.

>>22663345
Well let's try to make a gun before we leave, unless we don't want kale to find out what leez has done until after we've left.

"True." You say. "At least it gives us a bit more time to decide. Maybe we can go to Skiitara whilst Lyra meets up with Crios?"
"But Lyra is the only one who speaks Skiitaran." Isavla said.
Yawning, and looking rather miserable, Lyra came out, Tannis standing on her shoulder.
"I heard my name." She said, her eyes half shut, hair disheveled.
"Lyra needs to send a message to Crios." You say.
"I also need to send the book." She said, and yawned, rubbing at her eyes. "But I can do that through a courier."
"We should wait for Ariana, as well." You say.
"She can fly." Cass said. "If she comes here, Leez can just tell her where we went next. She can catch up. It's possible we might even see her flying above while we're at sea, then we can just flag her down."

>>22663396

after those, the gun barrels are the only thing we need to wait for, going to need some tools as well.

we can make a gun, pretend its highly dangerous stuff and not let anyone near to see us make it.

>>22663396
"Yeah, good point. Still, we've got a bit of time to decide."

>>22663396
"Well, let's make a short trip to the blacksmith, say out goodbyes and head off."

Do we want to tell Talbot about Gareth?

>>22663396
"I'm going to run into town and grab some stuff from the blacksmith, anyone want to come with?"

>>22663430
Cass would know that's a load of horseshit, since she was there when we made gunpowder the first time.

"Yeah, good point." You say. "I'm going to run into town and grab some stuff from the blacksmith. Anyone want to come with?"
"I do." Lyra said.
"And I might." Isavla said. "We're soon to part, so I want to stick around as long as possible."

The three of you made your way back into the city, and you made your way into the blacksmith shop.
"Welcome!" Ode said, with a wave. "I have your commission done."
He brought out the three grooved tubes for your inspection, and something in your mind... clicked, as you saw snapshots of their forging. Other than a very minor fault in one of them, they were perfect.
"Is there anything else you need?" He asked.

>>22663543
"No, I don't think there is."
Is the fault something we can fix, or are we just going to have to deal with it?

>>22663543
reach into the deep depths of our new found knowledge and see what we would need to perfect this.
also is it posible to ask the sword "whats up? anything new?" i feel they havent said much in a while

>>22663543

these will do nicely, what tools do we have and what is he selling?

>>22663543
"I'm not sure. I think this should be it."

I hope that our gun-knowledge will help us see if we need anything else.

>>22663543
"That's excellent work."

If we can make a gun in a reasonable amount of time, say two hours, then ask.
"Can I borrow your forge?"
We can pay him if he insists.

"No, I don't think there is." You say, and took them in hand. You examine the faulted one more closely, but decide that it's not major enough to become an issue. "These will do nicely. They're excellent work." You say, and look around the shop. You reach into the depths of your newfound knowledge, and think.

>Magic roll.
>Roll 1d6. Taking first roll.

Rolled 5

>>22663624
got it.

Rolled 4

>>22663624
wasn't d6's for events?

>>22663629

we win?

>>22663641
>Magic isn't a skill. It's an 'event'.

Static bursts into your mind, synapse binding with synapse, old memories of Veez's forging binding with your own memories of carving, with the strange, alien knowledge that had burst into your mind. Your limbs feel lighter, and before you knew it, you turned to Ode once more.
"... Can I borrow your forge?" You ask.
"Um, if you wish." He said.

You weave past him, your body moving like thought, and you get to work, pulling out your alchemy set. You weren't thinking about what you were doing- you were just doing it.
"Lyra, I need your Aqua Sanctis." You say, and take two of the grooved cylinders, pulling out your alchemy supplies. Knowledge burst into your mind.
The forge roared, as you carefully, tapping with the hammer, beat the slides into shape.

Two hours later, Isavla, Ode, and Lyra simply sitting down, watching you at work, you pull away from the forge, two of the three grooved cylinders used as barrels of a gun. Sitting next to you was a large, double-barreled weapon, with four slugs, all treated with Aqua Sanctis.

The magic left you, and your limbs felt dead as you stared down at the weapon.

You aren't sure where you got most of the non-metal supplies.

>>22663793

>double barrel shotgun
>i love shotguns!

... tada?

>>22663793
this is my boom stick

>>22663793
"Well that was fun."

>>22663793
"Yeah. This should work."

>>22663793
We've still got a cylinder left?

A musket! Guns for the almighty lord of guns!

>>22663836
>The barrels are vertically arranged, as opposed to horizontally, if you're curious.

"Yeah, this should work." You say, and pull back the bolt on the side of the weapon, slamming back the slides and sending two of the four slugs flying, as the other two lock into the Aqua Sanctis-treated barrels.
"... What." Ode said, as you picked up the slugs, examining the cardridge's pure white- almost glowing- tips, as they slowly faded back to normal. You loaded them back into the weapon.

"... I hope you're happy with using the last of my Aqua Sanctis." Lyra said, frowning.

>>22663933
Oh more then happy. This is glorious.

Hold onto this, Lyra. It will kill four people.

>>22663793
hmm exabyte is it possible to forge a barrel to the spider somehow? would be badass
>>22663933
"what do you guys think?,it shoots fire "

>>22663933
Can we make a few more shells to test it with?

>>22663933
"Now that you mention it, I remember I almost picked up a book on how to make it. A shame I didn't, now that I think about it"

Can't remember if that book was aqua sanctis or ignis.

>>22663933
o you will be too :)
lets use the last tube to make a pistol or two if we can

>>22663933
Wait, did we make a semi auto double barreled shotgun, or some wierd bolt action double barrel with a small internal magazine?

>>22663933

my apologize, but whatever gets hit by this will feel it forever.

>>22663933
Flintlock pistol! Let's do eeeet.

>>22663988
I think we made a standard over-under shotgun, similar to ones used in clay pigeon shooting.

We should really try to make more non-sanctified ammo for it.

>>22663933
"It's a tad better than that crossbow of yours."

>>22663988
>>22664024
No, it seems to be a double barreled slide action shotgun. So it's got two shots and then loads another two with one pump. Probably doesn't have a very large amunition capacity.

>>22663988
>Yes. It may as well be a bullshit sci-fi bolt-action dual-barreled rifle thing due to fae magic. It has no grounding in reality.
>In this case, high *was* good with the magic roll. 6 was even better.

"Oh, more than happy." You say. "This is glorious."
"What do you mean?" She asked. You toss it to her.
"Hold onto this, Lyra." You say, and turn back to the forge. "It will kill four people."
"Wait... what?"
"It's a tad better than that crossbow of yours." You say. "Now that you mention it, I remember I almost picked up a book on how to make it. A shame I didn't, now that I think about it."
"It takes all sorts of rare materials." Lyra said, and sighed. "Next time we get to an outpost, I'll restock."
She looked down to the weapon again.

An hour later, you finish a simple flintlock pistol, complete with a carved wooden stock. It wouldn't be too hard to slip cotton packets filled with gunpowder and then lead spheres into it before firing, but it'd be nowhere as convenient as your revolver, or the ... other thing you made, for which you have no name.
"... I am very confused as to what you're making." Ode said. "But, um... I guess you can keep what you made free of charge, I guess. I'd planned on reforging all those scraps into something, but... well, if you want to use them, go ahead."

>>22664126
Give him a silver piece or something anyway. We took up his time and his scrap, that's worth money.

>>22664126
"What I'm making are weapons. Very, very dangerous weapons. These things could kill a fully armored templar with a single hit."

>>22664126
"Don't think too much about it, Ode. They're just items that might come in handy one day."

I want to make some more slugs for the shotgun, that way Lyra can get a feel for the weapon if she's going to use it.

>>22664126
Give him a few silver, tell him: "These things shouldn't be known for some time. Many years. They will change the shape of the world."

>>22664177
a fully armored templar from half a mile away

>>22664126

give him some coin, we used his property and materials.

>>22664196

could kill potentially more if the projectile makes it through the target.

>i'm not from /k/ so i'm just guessing

>>22664196
>>22664231
Depends on the ammo. One mile is a big stretch, it'd more likely be no more than 300 meters.

"What I'm making are weapons." You say. "Very, very dangerous weapons. These things could kill a fully armored templar with a single hit. From half a mile away."

Lyra daintily put down the Sanctis-treated rifle, and took a step back.
Then a second.

You give Ode three silver.
"Don't think too much about it." You say.
"Right." He said, pocketing the silver.
You pack up your alchemy set, most of your material gone... but you have just enough to make one more slug. You were lucky you chose to make as many casings as you could. Using the last of your black powder materials, you make a single extra slug- one significantly less powerful than the others.

"... That's from that strange... knowledge you get, that everyone talked about, wasn't it?" Lyra asked. "I've never seen you move like that. You move like kale does. All... graceful."

>>22664260
"Pretty much yeah. I'll show you how to use that."
Even blanks would be good for learning how to shoot, so we can load up a few of those along with the training shell.

>>22664260
"Do I? I never noticed."

"Hey, Lyra. Want to go test it out? I made a spare shell."

>>22664260
Yeah... yeah, let's go with that.

>>22664260
No, that was something new, made with skills I have been gifted and knowledge of things that shouldn't be.

So we're giving this one to Lyra, right? She's pretty good with a crossbow, and we have the revolver and the sword.

>>22664260
We should've saved the Orichalcum (or whatever it was) power core to make a gauss rifle.

>>22664260

maybe its best to avoid this topic

"Pretty much, yes." You say. "I'll show you how to use that. I made a spare shell."
"A spare what?" She asked.

The two of you end up outside of the city, as she held up the weapon, one hand on the grip, and the other holding the foreend.
"And I just point straight at them?" She asked.
"You do." You respond.
She fired, and a loud crack echoed out. two blanks shot straight out, just barely missing.
She pulled the bolt, and two casings shoot out of the side. She fires again, and both blanks miss again.
"I can only fire three times before having to reload, right?" She asked, and you nod, catching the second set of casings.
She fires the last two blanks, and they slam into the hay target. It trembled... and then one bale fell off of the other.
Lyra took a deep breath, and then gave it back to you.
"... I don't like it." She said. "It's... unnerving. Unnatural. I prefer my sword."

>>22664310
Don't say this.

>>22664388
Well yeah, it is unnatural. That's kinda the point. We're going to use it to make Gabriel miserable.

>>22664388
It shoots two at once? How horribly inefficient. Surely we made it with a single/double shot selector?

>>22664388
"It's really not unnatural...just more advanced. Think of it like a crossbow, but from two thousand years into the future, I guess."

>>22664388

its understandable, these things should not exist at this point in time and yet somehow i can craft and handle it like i've been doing so for years...

i plan on using it and the other information i have to make right what i've done wrong, and to settle my score with Gabriel.

afterwards it's best that no one ever finds out about these... until someone invents them naturally.

"That's kind of the point. We're going to use it to make Gabriel miserable." You say. "Think of it like a crossbow, but from two thousand years in the future, I guess."
"... I still don't like it." She said. "I'm sorry. I'm just not comfortable with it. It's... eerie."
She shook her head. "Maybe you could teach Tannis or Cass how to use this."

>>22664545
I guess I'll ask them later.

We should get Isalva a gift or something, before she goes.

>>22664545
"That's alright, I understand. Thanks for giving it a chance anyway."

>>22664545
"Yeah, maybe. There's always the flintlock pistol as a backup if you want it."

"That's alright, I understand." You say, flipping on the safety and slinging it onto your back, next to your bow. "Thanks for giving it a chance anyway."
The two of you make your way back toward the tattoo shop.
"We should get Isavla a gift or something, before she goes." you say.
"We should, but she already got a gift. She got a cat." Lyra grumbled. "I couldn't sleep with all that... yowling."

>>22664709
"What do you think'd be a good gift for our half-sister, Lyra?'

>>22664709
hahaha, I need to talk to her about that, thanks for reminding me.

Well we're taking the cat with us, so we'll get her something else.

Maybe we can make her a little metal sculpture with our newfound forge knowledge.

>>22664709

Isavla is leaving soon so you'll be able to get a good rest eventually.
if they're both happy then that is good enough for me.

we could pick out a pendant, carve a personal message in to it.

whatever happens, i love you sis. It feels like i haven't said that enough.

"What do you think'd be a good gift for our half-sister, Lyra?"
"... A book." She said. "A blank one, for a journal. She enjoys writing, I think. Or perhaps some clothing. You can't go wrong with clothing. Ooh! We could get her a pretty dress!" Lyra said, her eyes lighting up. "She'd be gorgeous with the right dress! I have like... an entire gold coin spare, so we can splurge on one! And maybe while we're there, I can mooch off of you and have you buy me one, too."

>>22664821
"Sure. Why not both?"

>>22664821
A nice book and some nice ink, and some clothing. Sounds great.

>>22664821

a dress if a good idea, why do you want a dress?

>>22664821
"You want a dress, yet you're an initiate of the Order? When are you going to get to use something like that? You'll be in armor all day every day!"

"You want a dress, yet you're an initiate of the Order? When are you going to get to use something like that? You'll be in armor all day every day!"
She stuck her tongue out.
"I want one because I want one." She said. "We only wear armor when we're on duty, you know. Well, paladins and templars do. Initiates have to wear it most of the time to get used to it, but the point is, I can wear a pretty dress. Especially if I make *you* buy it for me."
You sigh.
"A nice book, some ink, and some clothing." You say. "Sounds great."
She shot you a grin, and the two of you entered the general store. A few minutes later, you came back with a leatherbound book, and some ink. The two of you immediately went next door, to the tailor shop.
"So, what color for her should we get?" Lyra asked. "I'm thinking something dark, because she's so pale. Blue, maybe?"

>>22664987
Reds and blues, I think.

>>22664987

i'm going to trust your sense of fashion and hope that clothing color doesn't have an significant meaning around here.

>>22664987
"Does that even matter? Grey would be pretty cool though."

"I'm going to trust your sense of fashion and hope that clothing color doesn't have a significant meaning around here."
"Of course you should trust my sense of fashion." She said, with a grin, and dove into the tailor's shop.

Some time later, the two of you came out of the tailor's shop, with a dark blue dress for Isavla, and a silver and yellow sundress for Lyra. It only took a few silver for both of them, and Lyra was overwhelmingly happy with her own dress, giggling and hopping on her toes.

The two of you made your way to the tattoo shop, where Gearworks (With Tannis sitting on it) sat outside, as Kale and Cass sparred, his axe hooking her spear and knocking it out of the way. The two of them sparred, weapons clashing, until the two of you arrived. Tannis waved at you.
"Abel!" Tannis said, stretching.

>>22665216
"Hey Tannis, I made weapons that ought not exist in this world, good times."

Give her the standard hug and headrub.

>>22665216

you seem energetic, had a pleasant nap?

>>22665216
Hey Tannis, you look happy.
Give hair ruffles

I trust my sister is treating you well?

Are sisters are harlots.

"You seem energetic." You say, and step on Gearwork's leg to half climb up, pulling Tannis into a hug, ruffling her hair. "I trust my sister is treating you well?"
Tannis nodded, ears perked up.
"She is! I like her. A lot." She said, sitting back on Gearworks, smiling up at the sky. Her tail flicked, excited, but she didn't say anything else.

>>22665376
"We could tell."

>>22665376
we should see if we can improve Gearworks with our new knowledge.

>>22665376
"You know you're not going to see her for a while, right?"

"We could tell." You say. "You know you're not going to see her for a while, right?"
"I know." She said, nodding. "She made me promise to write her letters, though, so I will."
"So, since he won't ask, I will." Lyra said, stepping up on another one of Gearworks' legs. "What exactly happened?"
"Well..." Tannis said, rolling forward, resting her head on her hands, elbows on the Forged. "At first she was just trying to make me feel more comfortable talking to a councilor, I think, with all the scritches. I was nervous. And then... Something happened, after ... Gareth. I think she was trying to make me feel better, and then we, um, got carried away. We're friends now."

>>22665532
Friends, huh? Give Lyra a Look.

We should say farewell to Talbot, then find a boat.

>>22665532

could you keep it down next time? Lyra gets a bit grumpy when she hasn't had enough sleep.

>>22665532
"Well I'm happy for the both of you. Though I'd like to thank you for not going overboard on details, she's still my sister."

"Friends, huh?"
"Yep." Tannis said. "The prowls I was in never let me join in when it came to... that."
"Well, I'm happy for the both of you." You say, and climb back down.
"We should say farewell to Talbot, then find a boat."
"Right." Cass said, knocking the axe out of Kale's hands again. Kale sighed, and picked it back up.

Lyra took the gifts into Leez's house, where Isavla was sitting. You hear a squeal and something about trying it on, and not much time later, Isavla came out in a long, dark blue dress. She squinted out at you, sun in her eyes.
"I really like this, Abel." Isavla said, standing as tall as she could, and gave you a curtsey.

>>22665750
"I'm glad, you look great in it."

"I hear you've been treating my cat to a good brushing."

>>22665750
"It looks good on you.

So, you and Tannis, I'm not that surprised."

>>22665806
Calling a maenad a cat is pretty insulting.

>>22665750
"Seeing you happy is it's own reward."

>>22665826
a)Tannis doesn't mind
b)We're talking to Isalva
c)Tannis' is not listening

>>22665750

it looks great on you, i wish we could have spend more time together.

you're making leaps and bound in terms of progress Kale, keep it up and you'll even be able to beat my sister.

>0:31
>haha, time for sleep

>>22665806

calling her "my cat" is out of the question, she's not our property.

>>22665750
"Hey, Isalva, let's grab Cass and checkout this thing I made."

"I'm glad, you look great in it." You say. "So, I hear you've been treating Tannis to a good brushing."
"I uh... got carried away." She said, cheeks suddenly turning beet red. "Something about the way she was purring, but... uh. Um."
She covered her eyes from the sun, and met yours.
"But I don't regret it."

>>22665962
"You know what? Good for you and good for her."

>>22665962
"Good."

>>22665962

smile, pull her in to a hug.

"take care... big sis."

>>22665962
Ruffle her hair. "Just so long as you know it's not quite the same with meanad as it is with humans. I don't think you get, uh, exclusive trade rights."

>>22665962
"Why should you regret it? Tannis is a lovely woman as are you, and I know that you'll take care of each other. Besides, no one can resist her purring.

Word of note, she's a Maenad, and what you two did may not mean exactly the same thing to her as it did to you."

Give her a hug and headpat.

"You know what?" You ask. "Good for you, and good for her." You say, and ruffle her hair. "Just so long as you know that it's not quite the same with maenad as it is with humans. What you two did may not mean exactly the same thing to her as it did to you."
"... What do you mean?" She asked. "What did it mean to her?"

>>22666120
"Well, the social implications are a bit different for Maenad. As I understand it, that's something that close friends among them usually do.
Or to put it another way, you don't necessarily have exclusivity on her, the same way you would with a human."

>>22666120
"When did my job become explaining the birds and the bees but modified for different races to my little sisters?

Okay, Maenads, they do what you two did on a fairly regular basis with each other, though Tannis was never included in that. It's considered a gesture of friendship, respect, but not necessarily exclusivity or actual romance."

>>22666120
"Well, ignore what I said. She *does* like you a lot though."

>>22666120
She said it's something that prowlmates do. Friends and trusted companions and such.

>>22666120
"Well I don't actually know Tannis' thoughts, but I know the social convention for Maenads is that it's something that their prowls, close friends, regularly engage in with each other - although Tannis claims that she was never included in that sort of thing due to her being different."

On top of whatever
"She was raised as a human, though, so maybe it's different for her."

"When did my job become explaining the birds and the bees but modified for different races to my little sisters?"
"Birds and bees?" She asked.
"Okay. Maenads. As I understand it, that's something that close friends among them usually do. Or to put it another way, you don't necessarily have exclusivity on her, the same way you would with a human."
"... Oh." She said, her face still red, and nodded. "I see. I uhm, figured that maenad aren't much for romance."
"She was raised as a human, though, so maybe it's different for her."
"A-anyways! Thank you for the journal and the dress." She said. "W-what time did you plan to set out north?"

>>22666311
"Soon. Basically once I get everyone and everything together."

>>22666311
More or less now, I was just going to let Tannis say goodbye to her Father and pick up her Mother's stuff from her house.

"More or less now." You say. "I was just going to let Tannis say goodbye to her father, and pick up her mother's stuff from her house."
"Well, then, I'd best say my goodbyes." She said, and pulled you into a hug, patting your cheek. "I'm glad we met, little brother. Come to Vann'ikal if you need any help. I'll even make sure there's a place for you to hide, if you need it."
That said, she pulled away, and made her way over to everyone else, pulling Lyra into a similar hug.

>>22666381
I'll miss you, little sis.

>>22666381
"Love you, I'll miss you. Don't get into too much trouble. I may end up needing to hide, that's just how my life is."

Pack everything up and get going.

>>22666381
we should give her one of the pistol for self defense

>>22666447
Only if we show her how to use it.
It's less than useless if she doesn't know how.

Soon enough, your belongings were packed, and Kale and Leez were saying their farewells to one another.
Cass's eyebrows met as she looked to Kale.
"... something seems off about his fighting." She said.

Before you could ask her what she meant, Isavla came by again, pulling you into another hug.

"I'll miss you, little brother." She said.
"I'll miss you too, little sister." You responded, and she grinned, and nodded. "Don't get into too much trouble."
"I'll try not, but... with the forged, and the order, I have a feeling war is on our doorstep." She said, taking a serious expression. "Atlask will be needed, and I intend to get us ready. May the three gods be with you."
"Thank you." Kale said, with a nod, and the group set off, north, to the cabin. From there, strapping Tannis's chest to your Forged, you went east, to the port.

The ship sat there, sails flowing, as Captain Brenner leaned back in his chair. He noticed you, and chuckled.
"Welcome again." He said, with a grin.

>End of thread!

>>22666467
of course also how to make more ammo for it
I am sure she will be responsible with it

>>22666501
>"It was a simple story. There once was a great serpent that made up the earth. Each scale a different color, each scale unique, and had two heads instead of a tail. It kept biting itself, back and forth, writhing and wiggling, and that's how the world goes round. I remember something about it laying two eggs, but... I don't quite recall, and it's not all written here."

All that foreshadowing.

>>22666579
You forgot:
> I'll even make sure there's a place for you to hide, if you need it."

That's a chekov's gun if I've ever seen one.

>>22666637
I think the writs of passage, and Kale's position in Skiitara will be moreso.