File: Rath.png (332 KB, 511x800)

332 KB PNG

Rath rubs her eyes with the back of one freckled hand, wiping the sleep from them as her yellow gaze adjusts to the dim bioluminescence above her. You finish off your cup of tea, returning it to the chipped plate on the table before picking up the full one and extending it to the groggy young woman. She takes it, only just now realizing the soft down she'd been sleeping on a massive creation of yours, a bumblebee-inspired swarmling nearly twice her size that lies prone on the floor.

"What in...the fuck am I?" She mumbles confusedly, taking the cup and sipping from it greedily as a smile crosses your lips.

"A firecracker and a damn good fighter, to answer your question." Comes your quick reply, and the girl before you chuckles weakly, draining her cup of the steaming liquid within. "So how'd you sleep, Rath?"

"Long, hard." She sighs, glancing around. "Shit, I thought Gina'd jump on that to make a stupid joke. Speaking of which, where is everyone?"

"After we all reviewed West's notes...and don't worry, I would've woken you up if we needed any help." You say, pausing when Rath winces at her missed opportunity. "There was some useful stuff in there, mostly about what's up ahead, and a few things about Gina, so..."

Rath just shoots you a questioning look, and you realize you owe her something of a recap. You summarize what you'd recently learned about powers, skills, and the unique qualities of Gina's Neuromancy, along with the opportunity it provides when you and everyone reaches the Cord together. Rath listens idly until you wind to a close, the constant thrum of the monastery humming around you as you speak to her.

"Damn dude, that's some heavy shit." She groans, running a hand through her orange hair as she searches your eyes. "So, between the arena, the forest, or the machine cult; where are you taking us next, Boss?"

"I'd like to get your take on things, if you're willing to share." You reply, and to your surprise Rath seems taken aback, fumbling for a reply for a second or two before making some sense.

"I, uh...so...shit, I don't know. I think the arena sounds cool since we didn't go to the first one, but it'd depend on who we take. I think it's a fair bet that anyone we fight there is fair game, but that's...yeah, I don't think everyone would go for that." Rath muses, stretching absent-mindedly as the seams of her joints part, exposing the pale while and razor sharp filaments that compose her Tensile Strand. "I think keeping on west is our best bet, but I wouldn't make a fuss if we went to go check out the mech girls up north...n-not that I'm...anyway, it's up to you, Shu. As long as I get to bust some heads, I'm down for whatever." She finishes, and you put your chin in your palm as you weigh where to go...and who to expose to the dangers you may face.

>>Carroll's Forest

>>The Disassociated Ones

>>Golgotha Arena

PICK THREE OF YOUR ALLIES TO ACCOMPANY YOU

>>Gina, Rath, Julia, Dorian, Amara

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(I equipped my name, it fell off in the interim.)

>>3453550
Right, so this is my thoughts on our best options;

>Go Amalgam Hunting. You need to get stronger before you head to the forest. See if any Daughters know of good ones to hunt, or ones causing trouble for good folks that needs to be taken care of.
>>Party; Gina, Dorian, ???


>Visit the Dissociated Ones.
>>Party; Whoever wishes to go.

Basically i dont think we should ham rush for the forest just yet. We should get a bit stronger first, get Gina a bit of experience too, though its quite possible we may not do much fighting at the DOs place, hence it being up to our party members for that one. Note i do understand our good BHOP likes throw stuff at us but IC it still makes sense to ask whos actually interested in meeting the cyborgs. My guess would be Julia and Dorian are not interested personally.

Who to bring overall and who to give what Relics too im also not sure on. SUI goes well on anyone but Gina and Amara, though best on Julia or Rath. The Boosters i can't see being bad on anyone, only that if it's again Amara or Gina, if were playing our cards right and keeping them outta combat they may never need them.

Also we should take Dorian, poor bastard seems to have been run ragged and could use some time away from the monastery. With the exception of the DOs if he isn't interested, of course.

My actual vote is whichever of these two needs it to win, leaning towards amalgam hunting, with Amara as our third.

(Voting shall close in one and a half hours, Gentlemen. It's good to be back.)

>>3453578
Same here. Just finished reading Abara over the long weekend, so im hyped as hell now.

>>3453550
>Golgotha Arena
>Gina, Rath, Dorian

I just want to see what it's like, unlock a waystation to it, and check out some potential threats we might run into outside the arena. Maybe get some combat pointers from gladiatorial veterans too.

>>3453650
If its like the last arena was implied to be, which this one was, its at least optional fights to the death, which sounds like the exact opposite of our type of crowd or people we wish to interact with, and they said this one was more brutal than the last, which was said to be founded to speed up the crucible i think, so its a good bet its a place not for us to be.

(As per usual, ties will be broken by either coin flip or die roll, whichever is appropriate Gentlemen.)

>>3453700
eh. I'll change mine>>3453650
to>>3453574
instead.

>>3453578
Welcome back BHOP. As much as I applaud your return, the same might not be said for me. I found employment recently and depending on the workload and policies, I won't be able to post as many detailed write-ins and in-depth battle plans in the future. I stumbled upon this and enjoyed this quest with a passion during my time of unemployment.

>>3453550
>Dorian, Julia, Gina
>Destination: Hold a vote and ask for everyone else's opinions. (personal pick: Golgotha Arena)
Spine and Shawl goes onto Gina. She's our squishy wizard of the group. The spine will augment her Neuromancy while the Shawl will provide her active camo. Her Earthen Mind Augmentation will let her stay mobile and do Neuromancy bullshittery through Scarlet Drone and Terraforming.

Gauntlets and Boosters is given to Julia. Her ability set is basically equivalent to being a Monk armed with a trick weapon. She has no mobility. Gauntlets will help with her melee and defense to her arms while the boosters will provide the mobility, and the inclusion of trick weapons will give our Sculptor some ranged options. As for the Trick Weapon, I'm thinking a Sculptor's Machete that telescopes and expands outwards into a Blood Glaive that looks like a paintbrush A simple mechanism for a simple weapon.

Sui Tormentis for Dorian. Dorian's overall abilities gives him +18 bio regen with a store of 120 bio. He's slippery in grapple, and can traverse difficult terrain which means, he's got the perfect ability to be a mobile tank unaffected by Terrain be it created due to collateral damage or through Gina's Terraforming. which means anyone attempting to grapple him will always be at disadvantage, but conversely that also means that he'll always have the advantage in grapple. And then there is the Scarlet Terror. The upkeep is heavy, but that means it's also a burst defense option. the armor will give him a bigger strength boost and a bio buffer that allows him to tank more hits in canvas form as well as take advantage of Wounds of Creation.

>>3453659
As much as I like your reasoning. keep in mind that we also have to keep track of notable persons of interest. Given the rumor mill, we'll be forced to face the Midnight Crew sooner or later, so going to the Arena will be a good option to scout out any future threats. In addition, Gina needs some form of close combat ability when a daughter eventually decides to gank her unaffected by Terraforming and Verurteilung. Besides, if they do have a waystation there, we can come back and fetch Rath if she want to have a go.

As for Amara and Rath back home. Rath can learn the basics of meditation while Amara can go connect with the skinwalkers that reside in the Monastery.

>>3453717
(Congratulations on your new job! While I'll miss your frequent participation if you're not able to join as often, I hope your new employment goes very well.)

>>3453574
I'll support your amalgam hunting idea, but I would like to put in the motion of this party composition:
>Gina, Dorian, Julia.
If we're heading towards the Disassociated ones, this party composition is the most stable for interacting with them alongside with the Relic loadout stated here>>3453717

>>3453717
Nah, im still against going to the arena, just doesn't suit our party. That and im not for using either of the T5 relics still. Just because we ourselves didn't make them doesn't mean its right to use them.

>>3453574
As for relics:
>Shu; Contender, Gauntlets.
>Dorian; Sui Armor.
>Amara; Whistle loaded with words of her choice, Shawl.
>Gina; Boosters.

>>3453717
Is there a good reason to go to Golgotha Arena rather than the 'less brutal' one?

>>3453748
it appears that I have been out-voted on this issue. I'll accept this.
>>3453752
Now that I think about it, other than scouting for the Midnight Crew and observing their abilities, I don't really have any other 'good' reason. The Midnight Crew seems to be a group that we will inevitably encounter and their group synergy will probably be dangerous to us if we don't bring the right team comp.

>>3453746
Well, with amalgam hunting were not necessarily going to meet them though, or at least it's not the goal.

(Writing now, Gentlemen. Due to the class I had to attend last week, the first day or so of this Vein will be a little slow to start as I catch up on work. Thanks for your patience, and I'm glad you all are here.)

>>3453748
My only point of contention with this comp is that Amara is double-dipping. But that might as well be moot due to the counterpoint that Amara's core class levels up via exploration.

>>3453789
I get what you mean but i think we can make it work. Ginas terraforming offensive ability is much better now, so i think we can handle it. Plus while we hope not to use it, in a pinch Amara isnt anything to snuff at either now.

>>3453774
(Glad to have you back, BHOP! Been looking forward to this thread.)

File: Sui Tormentis.jpg (149 KB, 1280x1149)

149 KB JPG

>>3453550

“I’m thinking I’ll take Gina, Dorian, and Amara to go hunt Amalgams.” You say aloud, and Rath’s shoulders sag a fraction of an inch. “If you’re up for it, I’d prefer you and Julia keep getting rest here. You went through a lot, and I don’t want to stress either of you out.”

“Eh, yeah, that’s fair.” She sighs, rising from your swarmling mattress and padding barefoot along the warm ‘stonework’ of the Monastery floor. “If it’s all the same to you, I’ll probably spend some time sparring. I’m still getting used to the whole multi-arm thing, so…”

With that, you gather your allies and assemble in the main hall, quietly donning your selected Relics as you glance over to the assembly of white-clad Daughters let in meditation by an even more haggard-looking Sister Uzu, barely able to keep her eyes open as she speaks. You left Julia with a request to keep an eye on the Monastery leader, despite having Gina check in on her over the course of your adventure to retrieve the Forge Core. Turning from the exhausted speaker back to your allies, you watch Amara disappear underneath Shalaev’s Shawl, while Gina nearly falls over as she tests the booster capabilities of the specialized Swarmlings that now cling to her back. Meanwhile, Dorian doffs his bright white coat, folding it neatly and placing it upon the surprisingly clean floor.

“Dorian, run those targets by me again, if you would.” You request, plunging your hand into one of the Rath’s Ignition Gauntlets. The flesh within warm to the touch as it tightens around each individual finger.

“It would be my pleasure, Miss Shu.” He replies, his pleasant voice cool and calming as slides his amorphous limbs into the Sui Tormentis’ vicious, angular form. “There are four of note; two are Basic, one is Titan class, while the other is potentially a Colossus class, but the reports of its capabilities vary so I can’t be sure.”

“Of the basics, one boasts a purportedly feline body and prowling a little past the factory you told me about, while the other resides in the cliffs further north of the Calcite Peaks near Miss Julia’s home, using its wings to flit between the spires. Additionally, the Titan-class has been seen at the outskirts of the Swamp and the Shrouded City. Little information on its abilities, but it’s humanoid and a special class, so I’m certain it has its surprises.”

“What about the Colossus?” Gina asks, her mind buzzing with curiosity across the Crimson Cord that binds your thoughts and minds together as one. Dorian grimaces slightly, whether from the discomfort of the armor he now wears or your companion’s enthusiasm for the unknown, you’re not sure.

(Continued)

>>3453946

“It supposedly resides in the Swamp itself, though most avoid it out of good common sense.” He replies, glancing towards GG as she hangs on his every word, ignoring his very pointed statement. “Capabilities are a complete unknown, but supposedly it never leaves the heart of the mire, so those that have seen it haven’t been pursued.”

“I’m a ghost! Boo!” Comes a happy shout from your navel, and you look down to see Amara’s head floating in mid-air, the rest of her shrouded from view. You grin, patting her head before glancing towards Gina and opening the empathic channel.

<You’re hot to check out the Colossus, aren’t you?> You ask silently, her reply filling your mind the moment you fire off your preceding question.

{Eventually, yes} She says, a fleeting look of guilt crossing her face and flitting across your bond. {I’m not saying we have to do it now, but it’d be worth taking a closer look at one, just to know what we’re up against…plus, given how much stronger we got when we fought the last Titan that tried to attack Julia’s home, I can only imagine what we’d get for downing a Colossus}

“Let’s go see the kitty!” Amara pipes up from your waist.

“Miss Amara, I doubt the feline Amalgam will be quite as understanding as Ringo was.” Dorian says, trying to put a light veneer on his cautious warning, glancing to you for support.

“I wanna pet the things!” She says stoically, turning to the painter, her eyes wide and filled with determination. “ALL the things.”

Two easy ones, an unknown challenge in the center of a place you’re a little more equipped to handle now, and something whose difficulty lies somewhere in the middle…so, which will you hunt down?

>>The Feline Amalgam, lurking just past the Sororitas’ old haunt.

>>The Avian Amalgam, to the North of the Calcite Cliffs.

>>The Titan, lumbering around the Shrouded City.

>>The Colossus, that supposedly dwells within the heart of the Swamp.

>>Write-In (Choose a place or direction to Hunt for random Amalgams)

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3453949
>>The Titan, lumbering around the Shrouded City.
Is my go to vote. Its not as absurd as a colossus, though its near it if we just wanna have a peek, though im against that risk honestly. Im just not sure a regular amalgam, even one thats survived long enough to have a minor reputation, is enough levels to be worth it.

But my second option would be
>>The Feline Amalgam, lurking just past the Sororitas’ old haunt.
Just cause Amara is cute and who knows, maybe she can pet it? Even if she cant, going up against a flying amalgam just sounds like asking for trouble and shenanigans. Plus maybe Amara can say hi to Ringo.

(Voting shall close in two hours, Gentlemen.)

>>3453949
>>The Feline Amalgam, lurking just past the Sororitas’ old haunt.

Kitty...

>>3453949
Seconding >>3453983
I'm up for scouting the Colossus from a distance with constructs, as it doesn't pursue. Depending on what's keeping it there, it might even be possible to abuse this to snipe it safely..

>>3454017
We have 2 sensor-type daughters with us anon. Gina has perfect vision of 1km radius with the halo. Also, the last time we fought the titan-class we had the town architecture on our side to exploit and deal critical damage, Rath's old explosive bombs, And B'ni. With our current team composition, I'm not sure if we can accomplish the same feat of making short work of the amalgam.

>>3453949
>The Feline Amalgam, lurking just past the Sororitas’ old haunt.

If I recall correctly, Meg said there was also a set of ruins where she got her Neurotic Halo near where we fought her, coincidentally it's also close to the Factory where Ringo resides and also the general area where the Feline amalgam resides.
If Amara can't find an opportunity to pet the feline (I'm heavily betting that it's either a Savanah lion or a cheetah prowling the hairy plains), then the Ruins will be a good consolation to explore. Hopefully no one else has looted those Neuro-crowns.

>>3454017
Actually i suppose using constructs to scout it is fine sure. Would make sure we ourselves avoid having to go too deep into the bloody swamp too, as that place is probably a death trap.

Also i feel kinda bad now for not taking Rath as this is her type of thing, but she just doesn't need the experience anywhere near as much as the party we did take, plus we take her pretty often.

>>3453949
>The Avian Amalgam, to the North of the Calcite Cliffs.

About time we learn to fly.

>>3453949
>The Titan, lumbering around the Shrouded City.

I want to go for one of the bigger prizes.

>>3453983
>>3454017
(Gentlemen, am I to interpret your votes as two for the Titan, or two for both the Titan and the Feline?)

>>3454269
Er, can we do both? They aren't exactly near eachother.

Certainly the Titan first then, or Titan if only one can be picked, but if we can long-term plan to do both im fine with that too.

>>3454306
(You certainly may. Since the vote prioritizes the Titan, I'll do that one first. Writing now.)

File: Dorian.jpg (297 KB, 658x1000)

297 KB JPG

>>3453949

“Titan it is. Not too hard, not too easy.” You declare, and when the four of you depart the Monastery you find yourselves traversing the darkness of the Shrouded City until the exit opens up to a rolling field of sandy hair, undulating like a field of blonde wheat across the horizon with the Forest of Thought far in the distance. Gina takes point thanks to her Halo-enhanced sight, and with Amara insisting that she tell GG her own rendition of the fight that almost claimed your lives, you’re left in the back with Dorian, trudging along in his twisted armor as the four of you work your way around the city as you start your search.

“Glad to be away from your adoring fans?” You ask, sidling up to him as Gina and Amara walk ahead of you, just out of earshot. He chuckles sheepishly as his helm recedes, and you note the shifting fluid that makes up the majority of his face turns a curious blend of cyan and magenta, swirling together in a dazzling display of what you assume to be embarrassment.

“If it’s that obvious, I suppose I would do well to take my emotions off my sleeve.” He replies with a sigh. “It was…flattering. Overwhelming is another good word for it. Please don’t misunderstand, I do appreciate the attention, it’s just…jarring, I suppose.”

“How so?”

“To go from drawing the attention of one select portion of people to the one you actually feel for is validating, in a way, and scary in another if I’m being totally honest.” He begins. “I was under my Father’s watchful gaze for so long that when he exiled me to the relative freedom of art school, I just threw myself into my work, and then he got sick, so I was dealing with that, so…”

He shrugs, the armor making the simple gesture more dramatic than it has any right to be.

“…I always ended up having to focus on other things than finding someone to be with. Being at the Monastery was the romantic equivalent of going from dipping a toe in a kiddie pool to being tossed off a boat.”

“Maybe you just need someone with a gentle touch, who can ease you into the whole romance thing?” You say with a shrug, yourself. “Someone who’s patient, kind, considerate…able to make a great cup of tea, for a start?”

Dorian chuckles, a sound that ends in a long sigh as he walks alongside you.

“Ah well, I really am obvious, aren’t I? Julia is…marvelous. She’s everything you said and more, it’s just…I fear that she’s keeping a great deal to herself in trying to not be a burden on others. I’ll be the first to admit denying your own needs and wants for the sake of others isn’t a healthy way to live…speaking of which, I’ve been meaning to ask you something about yoursel…”

{Hold up}

Gina’s hand is thrown out, stopping Amara in her tracks at the same moment you put a hand on Dorian’s shoulder, freezing in your tracks in response to the jolt of alarm that just surged through the Crimson Cord.

(Continued)

File: The Silent Witness.jpg (433 KB, 1000x1597)

433 KB JPG

>>3454330

It is over twenty meters tall, its footfalls utterly silent as it lumbers around the edge of the city well ahead of you. Even at this considerable distance, you can see the single, massive red eye set in its crown, an array of undulating branches shifting to and fro with the breeze, the hands at the tips of each skeletal branch splayed out, as though straining for the light above. It brings one elephantine leg down hard, and you’re met with silence, each heavy footfall impossibly devoid of sound or reverberation. The flesh that’s wrapped around its body hangs from its thick frame and tatters, resembling a misshapen titan mummified and wrapped in its own skin, the seemingly fresh skin fluttering in the warm breeze that caresses the fleshscape around you.

“Does it see you guys?” Amara whispers from underneath her Shawl.

“I don’t think it can see much of anything, kiddo.” Gina replies, voice low as an amethyst cord snakes out from one baggy sleeve and into your arm, allowing you to see through her eyes. You find yourself staring into a bright vermillion orb, a deep gash carved across its surface as it oozes scarlet fluid from the gaping ocular wound, an unceasing flow of bloody tears running down its neck and chest.

As it paces towards you with its casual, uncaring gait, you notice that it does seem to leave footprints behind despite its otherwise ghostly countenance, its trail looping around the Shrouded city several times over, evidence of countless laps around the city’s obscured buildings.

{Well, Shu?} Comes the question you’ve been expecting from the brunette just ahead of you. {How’re we gonna topple this thing?}

>>Describe your approach.

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3454332
>SHU; take up a position ahead with Dorian, being sure to be cautious until close, bit ready ot make sure its attention is on you, and spawn two Knightlings and four banelings, then wait for the right moment.
>DORIAN; go ahead with Shu, be in CANVASS form, ready to pull the two of you away, but only after spawning six constructs on the way forward.

>GINA and AMARA; Skirt to the sides, one on each, and be stealthy. Once the creature is close to Shu and Dorian and has its attention on them, team up to cause the terrain to throw it off balance, then to try and pin it in place.

>SHU and DORIAN; once the creature is tripped, Shus swarmlings should go for its feet and knees, aiming to incapacitate its ability to move, extras to the shoulders and elbows. Dorians constructs should jump into said joints once hit to clog its regeneration.

(Voting shall close in two hours, Gentlemen.)

>>3454332
>Gather more info on the giant walker
>Have Amara ask the fleshscape that has been trodden by the giant for info: did it get into a fight recently, how does it fight, if it has any weakpoints.

>We play as a passive observer.
>Send a Scarlet Drone to the ocular bleeding eye. have it jack into the Amalgam but not attack. Have Gina do an enemy scan, don't start the neuromancy damage.
>the witness will not attack if we don't openly provoke it.
>Play the encounter to our advantage. Hug the skin-barrier to the shrouded city. If we catch its attention, we retreat into the city. My guess is that once we get the titan agitated enough, it'll spend bio and energy to break the skin barrier. That's where we prepare our surprise ambush. Once Terrain is on our side.
>Load up a Parabellum and a Fullbore.
>>3454363
I've never been one for going full leeroy Jenkins. Keep in mind that the thing we're fighting is on the open plains. We need better terrain if we want to fight this thing. And some of this thing's traits are straight up unnatural. it's as if the main body isn't there at all. Those heavy footfalls should have vibrations and the earthquakes, but there's no sound nor reverb, so I think the limbs and torso are hollow. I think the main body of an the Silent Witness is the shining red eye. The branches help the titan regain bio and hp via photosynthesis., so we need to somehow cut down the branches or the leaves.

>>3454388
I disagree. Not taking the first move when you can is a bad idea. We ourselves have had some of our worst fight outcomes due to being ambushed hard.

>>3454408
Id also like to say that waiting too long to grab an opportunity both in and outside of combat has more times then not ended poorly for us. Setup isnt bad but it isnt king either.

>>3454408
The overall plan:

Observations
>It's blind, therefore it has different method of sensory. either Air-currents, vibrations or sound.
>Sound could be ruled out. If it relied on hearing, then it would make noises or behave like Hecaton.
>vibrations could be ruled out. the footsteps are soundless, and it seems the limbs and main body take no visible damage nor wounds aside from the giant red eye.
>Air currents is very likely. The crown of branches sway easily. and the picture accompanying the post show cloud and wind movements, suggesting it uses a combination of air current sensory and sight to navigate.
>unnaturally silent movements. the surprise limb swatting will be deadly. We will require full team coordination. The Ashen Vagrant was noisy, but it was the good kind of noisy because we get more important cues.

Ways to cripple it:
>Attack the eye, obvious weakspot.
>Cut off the branches. Or have Dorian Slather paint onto the leaves of the branches and have the toxic eldritch-based paint rot the leaves and branches from the inside out.
>Trip the beast or force it to kneel. Get its attention somehow, make it kneel or bend downand then impale the titan right through the eye. Impale it with a hooked barb and then reel it down by reverting the terrain to about 75% the way back to normal.
If enraged:
>Retreat into the city. It inevitably has aggro on the group, and the city will provide great cover as well as multiple avenues of attack and time for us to prepare a surprise if it decides to break through the skin barrier.

When it's pinned:
>Pump paint into the wounds.
>Lock out a core ability and/or paralyze it. (We may need to use the spine)
>Parabellum and Fullbore into the eye.

>>3454447
Ill agree being prepared to fall into the city to fight it is a good idea, but i dont think the eye and branches are a good focus point. For one only Shu can even reach them properly unless we bring it down first. Secondly last time we focused on the thorns in the last ones head but those i dont think is why it died.

>>3454332
If he really walks around the city in an endless loop, let's search around the city for the perfect point where to stage an ambush.

>SHU: spawn 6 basic stealthlings to scout the terrain. Watch for amalgams or enemy Daughters.
>AMARA: interrogate terrain, aid in scouting
>DORIAN & GINA: standby

We are looking for a point where the loop passes by a tall building. We hide there and wait for the Titan to come, then:

>GINA: dig a thench directly in the Titan's path.
>AMARA. fill said trench with nasty stuff (GRINDING EARTH)
>GINA: collapse building on top of the Titan
>SHU, DORIAN: finish him with paintlings and knightlings

>>3454470
The Main damage output that delivered Ashen Vagrant's death was 3/4 A toppling Iron Tower, 1/8 Terraforming Impalement, Rath's (old-style) explosive bombs beheading the thing from the neck, and a brutal beatdown on the thing's head with bombs when we pinned the thing.

It looks like a good focus point to me because the similar characteristics that the Silent Witness and Ashen Vagrant share is that they have one external feature that makes them special. The Ashen Vagrant had burning spikes that emitted burning cinders and smog. The Silent Witness I wager has something similar. It has a distinctive feature that allows it to move about and navigate in a unnatural way. It once had eyesight, but clearly someone has attempted to kill it before, and probably managed to blind the eye before being forced to retreat.

>>3454482
that doesn't disprove my point though that focusing on the eye may not be the best way to deal damage, nor the fact that only Shu has really good access to it until we topple it over.

and i still feel our heavy focus on the spikes in that fight was an awful waste of time.
(home now so ID change)

>>3454471
>>3454332
i like the idea of staking out an ambush point

(I shall begin writing shortly after dinner, Gentlemen.)

>>3454332

"Amara, I need you to ask if there's anything of note around here, anything we need to know." You order as a half-dozen Swarmlings crawl free of the myriad of holes along your spine, writhing forth from your hive as their glossy shells shimmer then melting away into their surroundings as they cloak. "Dorian, Gina; we're going to set a trap with the info that Amara gets us, you're on standby until then."

They nod as you hear Amara begin to whisper animatedly to the ground at her feet, taking off her Shawl before a chittering throng of voices echoing around you as she speaks to the very flesh you walk upon. After a moment she turns to you, her brow furrowed as your Stealthlings scout the surrounding area, showing no other foes in range that you can see.

"The floor bits say they're tired of the big one stepping on them all the time, but they're also glad that he's really light, so he doesn't hurt them." She says as you spy one of the taller structures around the other side of the city, a covered tower that you assume to have once been used as an office building, unsightly and looming at one side of the area. "I don't get it through, how could something so big be so light?"

"I'm thinking out big-boned boy is hollow." Gina muses, keeping a close eye on the Titan as it pads closer to you. "I like the idea of pulling a second act of the building trick, but depending on how this thing works, that might be pointless."

"Maybe so, though we could..." You begin, pausing when a glimmer of movement on a distant hill through your Stealthling's compound eye catches your attention. You focus, hovering low behind the distortion before its shape slowly becomes apparent, an errant breeze fluttering the cloaked figure for a brief moment, long enough to allow you a glimpse of the Daughter that lies prone beneath it.

A head of long black hair is tied back, eye intent through a scope of a bio-organic rifle trained on the Titan's movements. At her side hangs a pair of jars; one filled with yellow liquid, the other disconcertingly filled with eyeballs of various colors and sizes. The shawl flutters back in place, obscuring further observation as you turn to your allies and silently ushering them to crouch.

"Sniper, second hill back." You say bluntly across the empathic channel, Amara rises to look before Gina grabs her arm and yanks her down, pulling the Shawl back up over the little girl's head.

"Friendly?" She whispers.

"Not sure, but they don't seem to have spotted us...yet." You reply, weighing your next move.

HP: 170%
BIO: 190% (6 Basic Stealthlings, 6/22 Active)
CONTENDER: Empty, Lionheart Form.
RAVENOUS MAW: Primed.
HUNDRED-HANDED: None.
ACT: 2/2
Threat: Distant, slowly approaching.

GINA HP: 170% (Booster Active)
DORIAN HP: 140% (Canvass Form)
AMARA HP: 120% (Cloaked, Whistle: VUL RHO)

>>Pull back and pursue the Feline instead.

>>Contact the Sniper.

>>Go ahead with a revised ambush plan for the Titan.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Voting shall close in one and a half hours, Gentlemen.)

>>3454849
>bring back a swarmling, and etch onto it a note to send to the sniper.
>"Group hunting Titan. friendlies. Team up?"

if she sends back word of 'no', then im not sure. it would be amiss of us to start a fight with someone we dont need to, but at the same time dodging sniper fire while fighting this thing is not worth it, nor would chasing her off to claim the prize alone look good on our reputation.

if yes however:
>scout out the best place to ambush the titan near the City edge.
>Have Gina and Amara team up to use the trench and Grinding Earth combo to bring it down.
>Shu will send fourth 2 Knightlings and 4 Banelings to try and acid down its knees and elbows to keep it down, then Dorian will clog up the joints with Constructs from his Creator Form.
>Our resident Sniper will then have a clear shot to fire into the thing, aswell as Shu should load up and be ready to fire in a Parabellum Round herself.

id say this combines the best of the plans presented so far.

>>3454849
>sniper with jars full of piss and eyeballs
you’ve made a disturbing version of Team Fortress 2’s Sniper
>contact the sniper
>empathy channel: “ You hunting for the big eyeball on the big boi?”

>>3454899
>mfw we trade the eyeball for friendship
im not sure how to feel about that one honestly, other than hopefully she doesn't come after ours.

>>3454896
the only issue that i have with this plan is the fact that you didn’t take into account that the titan’s limbs are hollow, as in there is no flesh beneath the mummy wraps, no bone joints to cripple, there’s only the giant eyeball and the empty bandage body

(Gentlemen, I shall actually be pausing here for the evening and extending voting for the next twelve hours, with plans to resume promptly in fourteen hours. Thank you all for your participation, and I look forward to seeing how you handle this scenario. Posting shall pick up as the week goes on, with evenings of rapid-posting set for both Wednesday and Thursday evenings, if that suits you. I hope you all have a wonderful evening, and take care.)

>>3454934
no, i did. that just means theres less needed to melt. and yes i get that there is probably a trick up its hollow sleeves, but until we see it in action we can only plan so far. another thing is, even if it can easily bend and reform the 'bandages', the paint constructs can hopefully gunk that process up, and keep them pinned, aswell as no matter what he can do with them, them being melted is not going to be a bad thing for us, even if all it does is removes some of his Bio pool.

>>3454944
take care, have a good evening! so long as its past 5pm or so rapid posting works for me, but dont let me hold everyone else up, of course.

>>3454960
(Regarding both evenings in question, rapid-posting would begin at around 6:00PM Eastern time.)

am >>3454934

>>3454960
now that you mention it, this brings me to speculate that the "bandages" may be Fiber optic Nerves. If it weren't for the fact that gravity still exists, this titan class amalgam would've been a giant floating eyeball. We can't crush or pin the nerves, but we could cut it, poison it, or hijack it.
>>3454966
depending on how my work schedule goes, this may work for me. tomorrow's my day one shift.

>>3455040
(Best of luck on your first day, Anon!)

>>3454849
>Swarmling Shell message: "Group hunting titan. Friendlies. Will attempt to pin Titan to give you clear shot."
>Hold up LionHeart and try to reflect what daylight there is towards the position of the sniper. Flash it in a signal.
>
Revised plan for Titan ambush:
>Gina: Hook spikes. Have them shoot up, hook into the bandages, and then retract it so that the titan is forced down towards the ground. a bandage body won't do us good if it gets free of the hooks. Once the Scarlet Drone is Fixed onto the Titan's singular eyeball, use Neuromancy to either lock out one of its core abilities or paralyze the titan.
>Amara: Ter Vul Rho one of the footprints. Convince the Fleshy bits to "stitch the bandages together like Needle in cloth".
>Dorian: Creator mode, slather as much paint as you can onto the bandages. Go for maximum surface area on the Titan's body. If my guess is correct, the bandages are Nerve cord sheaths, so your paint could "infect" the bandages if given enough time.
Shu:
>Act 1:Spawn 2 Knightlings, 4 banelings, and a Scarlet Drone. Have our 5 Stealthlings fly up to the top and attempt to pluck the leaves off the banches on the top of its head, failing that, direct them to chew into them, leaves and branch included. It may hinder whatever hidden tricks the Titan has up its sleeve. 4 Banelings will inject their acid into places where the Bandages knot up or clump together (back of the head), Knightlings will go on guard duty and try to block any attacks aimed at party members. Scarlet drone will fly right up to its blind eye and give Gina a Neuromancy wifi port.
>Act 2: Load up Parabellum and Hollowpoint. Staggerfire so that Parabellum gets a clear shot at the main eyeball while Hollowpoint can land at any part of the body.

>>3454896
A guess adding in, if she does say no, sit back and enjoy the show incase she changes her mind, or if our party prefers go check in on the colossus on our way back to the other objective.

(Writing now, Gentlemen.)

(Apologies for the delay, Gentlemen; between catching up, training a new employee, and making some good new buiness, it's been a busy morning. I'll be posting soon, and thank you so much for your patience.)

>>3456082
take your time. my first shift will be a busy day

>>3456088
(Ah yes, I wish you the best of luck and I hope all goes well on your first shift!)

>>3456088
Good luck my man, hope it does you well!

>>3454849

The Contender shifts as you draw it from the built-in holster in your dress, stretching into a gleaming blade of shining calcite that you raise up, reflecting the luminescence shining down from the heavens and towards the sniper positioned in the distance. One of your swarmlings flits down, scratching a message of hopeful collaboration onto its belly at it lands near the cloaked gunner.

You wait a moment with bated breath before her shawl flutters, a ragged magpie taking flight and coming to rest a short distance away, opening its beak as its feathers slowly slough off its emaciated form.

“Will wait for opening. Shot has collateral damage. Keep back.” It croaks out with a low, raspy voice before returning to its master once its message is relayed. You share a glance with Gina and Dorian, the latter of whom shrugs the shoulders of the Sui Tormentis.

“Alright.” You say, rising from your crouch and casting your gaze over to the lumbering titan. “Let’s bring it down.”

A few minutes and several newborn Swarmlings later, you and your allies are in position around the oblivious Amalgam, with Gina and Amara in a terraformed alcove safely out of sight, while you and Dorian hide in the undulating scalp fields just off the Titan’s circuitous path. With every breath you take it paces closer, its eye leaking ceaselessly. Even now, as it towers a scant few meters away it is utterly silent, and you find the only noises filling your ears to be the humid, whispering winds caressing the follicles you hide in and your own steady heartbeat. Silence, and then…

[Now]

The earth beneath the Titan’s feet erupts into hooked spears, clawing into the Amalgam’s limbs and hauling its light body to the ground, the wind that harshly whistles through its hollow form echoing across the plains like a ghostly howl. Your Scarlet Drone swoops down, spearing into the creature’s weeping eye as it flickers with Gina’s amethyst light. The branches atop the being’s head stiffen, then wilt as GG locks down whatever dangers they would have posed as their owner begins to come apart at the seams, bandages of raw flesh lashing out at its own eye in a vain attempt to rid itself of your creation.

An echo of syllables spoken with intent, a tripartite word that spells the end. Amara warps the fleshscape beneath the titan as you watch it lash out with oozing, fetid tendrils of black tar, sticking randomly to the Titan’s ephemeral body. The more it struggles, the more bound it finds itself as the tar stiffens suddenly into jagged obsidian needles that serve to bind more and more of its body with each panicked flailing. A series of shifting, multicolored orbs soar over your head and towards your collective target, and you watch as Dorian’s constructs smear a rainbow’s worth of color across the surface of the Titan’s writhing body. It’s going perfectly, until you realize…

You’ve lost track of the eye.

(Continued)

>>3456122

The Titan’s vacated collapses lifelessly, even as your swarm continues to tear and melt away at the wilting bandages of flesh. You’re loading the Contender with a Parabellum and Hollowpoint when the side of the Shrouded City near to the pile of bloody strips stretches out, as though something large and humanoid is attempting to break free. You watch as a new, larger figure strides forth, tearing itself free of the city-wide shroud. A single scarlet eye emerges from somewhere within, peeking out from the bulbous head as it begins to leak a fresh stream of tears down the front of its reformed body.

Your and Gina’s Scarlet Drone still holds fast, suppressing whatever is trying to form atop the new form’s head. You’d be somewhat more relieved if it wasn’t dragging a club of scrap metal behind it by one amorphous limb, its globule-like hand entwined in the makeshift’s weapon’s steel and wire frame.

It steps forwards, a shuddering reverberation thrumming across the field you stand in. Another step, faster this time, and directed towards where Gina and Amara are hidden. It turns away from you as it picks up speed towards your allies, obscuring a clean shot from the sniper’s current position as Dorian dashes forwards, trying to reach the Titan as it breaks into a frantic run, bringing its twisted club to bear on the two girls that are rapidly drawing within striking distance of the colossal weapon. One thing is clear…

You have its attention.

Shu the Defiant

VS.

THE SILENT WITNESS

HP: 170%
BIO: 98% (6 Stealthlings, 2 Knightlings, 4 Banelings, 1 Scarlet Drone. 13/22 Active)
CONTENDER: Parabellum & Hollowpoint Loaded, Lionheart Form.
RAVENOUS MAW: Primed.
HUNDRED-HANDED: None
ACT: 2/2
Threat: Medium, running towards Gina & Amara to strike.

GINA HP: 170% (Booster Equipped)
DORIAN HP: 140% (Creator Mode)
AMARA HP: 120% (Cloaked, Whistle: Empty)

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3456125
Huh, so its literally JUST the eye. Well that throws everyone's ideas for a loop haha.

>DORIAN; Canvass form to catch up to the Titan, then shift to Critic form and spear into the things club, exchanging 15% health for Strength increase to at least slow its swing down.

>SHU; recall the stealthlings and transform them into banelings. Send the Knightlings up to its eye to gouge into it, and send the banelings to melt its club arm, forcing it to drop the weapon.

>GINA and AMARA; have Gina and Amara encompass its legs in tar then harden, then have Gina Boost the two away and behind Shu and Dorian.

(Voting shall remain open for the next one and a half hours, Gentlemen.)

>>3456145
For the record, im saving Shus shots for now, as it would be a waste to hinder its body for the sake of hindering the body due to it being so replaceable, so we need to wait i think and see if we cant get a better shot at the eye, once we get our allies out of danger. Best bet would be while its reforming it is probably the most vulnerable.

>>3456147
Oh, BHOP, how does the SUI increases work? It says as it takes damage it loses the Ability to enhance, but does it work where as it takes damage, the applied increases slowly dwindle, or is it after it takes a certain amount of damage the increases all disapate at once and cant be applied anymore?

>>3456178
(The latter, where they all disappear at once when the armor can no longer support the boost. It's basically the last thing to go when the armor reaches critical damage.)

>>3456182
Ok, good to know, thank you.

>>3456125

At your silent command, Dorian’s limbs lash out towards the Amalgam, flinging himself bodily towards the speeding Titan as his arms reshape mid-leap into a pair of azure scythes that he brings down and through the giant’s club. Dorian’s feet spear past the armor and into the fleshscape below him just as he lands, and it’s thanks to him wearing the Sui Tormentis that he isn’t ripped apart by the act of bringing the Witness to a shuddering, violent halt. While your recalled Subversive Swarmlings alight on your shoulders and begin to shift into a different form entirely, the giant continues to tug at its stuck weapon while Gina and Amara warp the ground beneath it, a flurry of spikes laced with neon-pink ooze that spear into the Titan’s form. You watch as the pair emerge from the alcove and take flight towards you, GG’s arms wrapped tight around Amara as the booster that Gina wears carries them skyward…

…but not fast enough.

The Titan’s other arm reaches out and splinters with a deafening crack into a shotgun spray of jagged flechettes that pepper Gina mid-flight. Pain flares across your empathic bond as she tumbles to the ground, landing hard on her back and somehow keeping Amara cradled in her arms and shielded from the worst of the fall. The Shroud catches on the ground, tearing in two as Gina skids to a stop just before you reach her, your reformed Banelings taking flight towards their target as your friend groans at your feet. You kneel, wincing as you see over two dozen rigid daggers of flesh stabbed into Gina’s back and side.

{…fucking damn it…} She mutters into your mind as Amara hops up, reaching out to pluck the flechettes free of Gina’s side before you stop her. You glance up, watching a flight of ten Banelings swarm over the Titan’s arm, their simultaneous injection of acid into the limb reducing it and the handle of the club into a sizzling jelly of flesh and caustic steel.

With a burst of Tormentis-enhanced strength, Dorian flings the club back and away from the grasping Titan, rendering it out of reach as its body lashes out at the grasping earth beneath it. Slowly, painfully it tears itself free of the clinging terrain, the flesh around its eye lashing out with claw-tipped tendrils of flailing skin that finally tear your Scarlet Drone and one of your Knightlings asunder with blinding speed, the sheer number of consecutive slashes moving too fast for your eyes to track…but it doesn’t matter.

They’ve done their job.

The moment they’re cleaved apart by the Witness’ merciless blades they burst, the two of them burst forth a spray of sickly-green acid, sloughing off the Titan’s eyelid and the surrounding skin. The smell of rotting, boiling flesh hits you hard as the creature body erupts into a flurry of lashing whips, a silent scream of pain that precedes a clear, open line of sight.

The sound of a gunshot echoes from far behind you.

(Continued)

File: Magpie, the Sniper.jpg (165 KB, 490x700)

165 KB JPG

>>3456293

You see a burst of liquid from the Witness’ scarlet orb, and the moment your warning to Dorian crosses the empathic channel you see movement beneath the lens of the Titan’s massive eye. A myriad of forms twist and flail within the eye’s liquid, feasting on the biomass-rich sphere until it bursts with their number, and you witness dozens, hundreds of magpies fly out, swooping down to rip and tear at the Amalgam and your swarmlings indiscriminately. A handful of them peck wildly at Dorian until he gets out of range, their serrated beaks and razor-sharp feathers carving deep gashes in his armor until he gets out of range and they return to their brethren, relentlessly picking apart the Titan’s body until there’s practically nothing left.

You turn to see a tall, slender figure rise atop the distant hill, casually making her way towards you as her flock dissipates into the wind, fluttering off in random directions and leaving a storm of sharp feathers that stab into the ground where they fall.

“Where are they going?” Amara asks, waving them goodbye.

“Hell if I know, kid.” Mutters a voice from behind you, and you turn to see the sniper towering over you, a mere meter away. She seems utterly nonplussed at the fact that her sudden proximity prompts Gina and Dorian to jump as one, while you merely crane your neck up to look into the woman’s…oh.

“Got an ‘aug that makes them strong but wild, so they’ll do what they’ll do until they run out of food.” She drawls, her eyeless sockets staring into nothing as a half-dozen forest-green eyeballs hover about her person.

“Thank you for your help.” You say, your hive writhing at the prospect of an uncertain confrontation. She merely nods, her waist-length black hair only serving to heighten her unnerving countenance. “Pleasure to meet you. I’m Shu.”

“Magpie will do.” She chuckles joylessly. “It’s as good a name as any.”

The two of you stand like that for a moment as you wait on her to speak, a moment that lengthens as it becomes apparent that she’s sizing you and you and your team up, content with the silence that settles among you all. She doesn’t move, and neither do you as the six dark eyes stare at you, intermittently flicking between your teammates before consistently settling back on you.

Not one for conversation, then.

HP: 170%
BIO: 108% (6 Banelings, 1 Knightling. 7/22 Active)
CONTENDER: Parabellum & Hollowpoint Loaded, Lionheart Form.
RAVENOUS MAW: Primed.
HUNDRED-HANDED: None
ACT: 2/2
Threat: COMBAT CEASED

GINA HP: 124% (Booster Equipped)
DORIAN HP: 139% (Critic Mode)
AMARA HP: 116% (Visible, Whistle: Empty)

>>How do you proceed?

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3456309
So it sounds like theres really nothing left of the Titan to consume then?

>>3456327
(There is enough to consume, yes. A fair bit of the eye still remains. What Magpie's birds ate was mostly the constructed body.)

(Voting shall remain open for the next one and a half hours, Gentlemen.)

>>3456336
Got it.

>>3456309
>Check to make sure the things truly dead, you never know in this fleshscape.
>Offer to give her a chunk equal to her contribution to the fight, and compliment her sharp shooting.
> Try and fail to stop Gina from making a joke about how she was blind before too.
>Tell her you had other hunts planned if she wanted some company for a bit, your not against letting her tag along.

>>3456309
>Have your drones collect the eye for your party.
>"So is the sniper with you then?"

>>3456354
That is the sniper, she just moves disturbingly fast and silently it seems.

>>3456365
(This is correct.)

File: scienceman.jpg (1021 KB, 1653x2339)

1021 KB JPG

Dr. West did nothing wrong. I wholeheartedly agree with her actions as a fellow scientist.

>>3456353
Seconding.

>>3456501
I dont actually know if him or west is more evil. I think i hate West more because she makes excuses for her evil, while he just kinda doesn't care.

File: he earned it.png (2.69 MB, 2000x1772)

2.69 MB PNG

>>3456501
Spoken like a true scientist.

File: Best Dad.png (2.17 MB, 1280x1818)

2.17 MB PNG

>>3456540
(Indeed.)

Aww, I missed the fight. I've been reading through the archives trying to catch up after discovering this quest, I had one more thread to go before this one and I just took a little too long to finish it. Oh well, joke's on me for not getting into the quest sooner. Anyways, hi everyone!

>>3456501
>>3456540
>>3456551
(I'm unfamiliar with this character, who is he and where is he from?)

>>3456613
(Hello and Welcome! I'm glad you're able to join, and don't worry about missing the fight; there are several others lined up soon.)

(Also, writing now, Gentlemen.)

>>3456632
Bondrewd the Novel, Lord of Dawn from "Made in Abyss". One of the White Whistles who runs the base at the bottom of the fifth layer of the abyss.

>>3456634
Thanks. It's a really good story you've got here, I'm happy to join in.

>>3456632
Bondrewd, a villain from that Made In Abyss manga that started out looking real cute and then got creepy. Bondrewd is responsible for a lot of said creepiness. He got real into unethical science. You can guess the sort from the title of BHOP's image, but better not to spoil the specifics. They're fun.

>>3456613
welcome to the ride, always glad to see new blood join in. if you dont mind me asking, any favorite parts or character so far? any of BHOPs bamboozling throw you for as big as loop it did us?

>>3456651
>>3456658
Good to know, thanks guys.

>>3456682
> if you dont mind me asking, any favorite parts or character so far?
The interactions with Mother have been favorites. I really like how it plays into the themes of control and accountability that the quest has. It's fascinating to me how she both tries to deny culpability and assert authority. She claims to have utmost power, that everything she's doing is something that she wants to and isn't just forced on her by the cycle. At the same time, she insists that she didn't have a choice in the matter, not because the Crucible parasite's instincts are forcing her but just because going along with it is the only path that makes sense in this messed-up universe. It's such a classic example of rationalization, emotion and instinct being rephrased as logic. It almost makes me sympathetic to her, because it's clearly a coping mechanism. "No, shut up, I'm doing this because it makes sense, it's just coincidence that 'what makes sense' lines up perfectly with the drives of the horrid alien parasite that has subsumed my mind." Of course, she's still an absolute monster, so I can only extend that sympathy so far.

>any of BHOPs bamboozling throw you for as big as loop it did us?
Well, I think a lot of the impact of the bamboozling was diminished by my not being involved in any of the decisions that shaped Shu's path, so I had less of an emotional investment in them than a veteran of the quest would. Still really cool story telling, but none of that "I was so dumb for not noticing it sooner". The fact that I was binging the archives helped, too, because it meant that the time between plot beats was much shorter for me than for you. So the only bamboozle that truly threw me for a loop was the most minor one, that being the pun in how the original core four characters' names linked together. I'm supposed to be better at spotting wordplay than this, I'm ashamed for needing it to be spelled out for me.

>>3456309

Your remaining Swarmlings give the Witness’ eye a few more cursory stabs to ensure the Amalgam’s defeat before some of them buzz their way back over to your shoulders as you and Magpie continue to stare each other down.

"That was a nice shot.” You say, finally breaking the silence as those of your brood that stayed behind haul the remains back over to where you stand. “We’d be happy to split the remains, if you’re willing.”

“Hm.” She intones, readjusting her grip on the hideous weapon in her hands. It is an ugly, misshapen thing, the ‘scope’ merely a length of flesh with an unblinking eye that stares down the spiraled length of the calcite barrel. “Considering that I had my eyes on that one before you came by, I would very much like what remains.”

“Miss….Magpie.” Dorian begins, his genteel voice somewhat muffled by the fact that the helm of the Sui Tormentis still shields his face, a sign of a guard still wisely raised. “I am sure we could come to some sort of arrang…”

“All of what remains.” She interrupts coolly, her finger hovering above. Your empathic field grazes the woman that looms over you, and you’re met with a cold, vacuous space where her emotions should be.

“Though I’d be willing to part with a quarter of it if you’d be willing to assist me with my next target.” She finishes, slowly placing the butt of the weapon on the ground, the barrel skyward as she relaxes a fraction, a shake of her head sending a few strands of her lengthy ebony hair behind one angular shoulder. You shift your balance from one hip to the other, cocking your eyebrow at her and trying your damnedest not to let your irritation show.

“There a very powerful Amalgam at the heart of the swamp.” Magpie begins, Amara whispering something to Gina a short distance behind you. “What do you say to taking a quarter of the one I just killed in exchange for half of the one in there? I'd say that's fair, wouldn't you?"

{Amara just informed me she's a projection of some sort} Gina says, her voice cold. {The real deal moved behind the second hill and has her sights on us. She’s had a nice big opening to blow our heads off for the past minute and hasn’t, so there’s that, at least.}

You put thumb and forefinger on your chin in a play of consideration as you silently converse with the girl behind you. [What’re your thoughts?]

{That she’s a spooky bitch and I wouldn’t trust her as far as I could throw her} GG fires back without a moment’s hesitation. {And I’ve skipped arm day way too often to be able to even lift this chick}

She may not be trustworthy, but at the very least you all worked together to finish off this Titan with minimal injury to you or your friends. Taking down the Colossus in the swamp from a safe distance is a very real possibility with Magpie in tow for the short term, as she doesn't strike you to be the type to hang around for any length of time.

(Continued)

>>3456735

"Truth be told, we had some other hunts planned." You say slowly, picking one of her eyes to fix your gaze upon as you speak.

"You won't mind if I take this one, then?" Magpie replies, and you hold up a hand to stop her as she makes a play of moving forwards.

"I didn't say that." You continue, crossing your arms and taking a deliberate step forwards, bringing you closer to the being before you. The breeze that gently caresses your arms does nothing to the hair of the woman before you, and you've finally realized three of the eyes that hover near her are focused on their owner, no doubt key to whatever is keeping her projection active. Somewhere out in the plains beyond, you know the barrel of her baroque firearm is trained on you and yours.

"I don't like playing games, Shu." Magpie says, her voice devoid of malice or threat, her words merely a simple statement of fact. "Tell me where you stand, and I'll go from there."

You're about to turn her words back on her, but you hold your tongue. There's an undeniable opportunity here, and several ways to play your hand...the only question is which card to open with.

>>Decline her offer, and continue on to the Feline Amalgam. You're less than happy about leaving the Titan behind, but you're not about to put faith in someone who's playing a puppet show while keeping you in her sights.

>>Haggle with her. You're not sure what you can bargain with, but it's worth a shot to get more of what's at stake. You and yours put skin in the fight, as it were; it's only fair you get compensated in the here and now. You'll sort that out, then figure out where to go next.

>>Try to convince her to go with you to slay the Feline Amalgam. You'll be able to take down a weaker foe and it'll give you some time to feel Magpie out a bit. Maybe she's just slow to warm up to people, and if she is dangerous, then at least it would force her to be in arm's reach in case things go south.

>>Accept her offer to slay the Colossus. Considering the ease with which she felled the Titan, there's no reason you shouldn't jump on the possibility of taking down something stronger. There's a price to pay, but you're willing to take it.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3456735
She's asking for too much when we have to provide for more people. No deal! We weren't planning on going after the Colossus yet anyways.

(The voting period shall remain open for one and a half hours, Gentlemen.)

>>3456740
>Accept her offer to slay the Colossus. Considering the ease with which she felled the Titan, there's no reason you shouldn't jump on the possibility of taking down something stronger. There's a price to pay, but you're willing to take it.
>But she only gets half of the Colossus if she proves she's worth that much and ends up doing half of the work. Otherwise, you and yours get most of the Colossus.

>>3456728
huh, didn't expect mother to be a favorite part, but then again ill admit i can be very harsh when it comes to judgment, so maybe for me comparatively i just saw her as the villain and a hypocrite, and left it at that.

and fair enough on the bamboozlements, i cant really say being here from the beginning how they look to a newcomer afterall.

>>3456740
this bitch.

>Tell Gina to throw up a wall between your group and her real self.
>"now that terms are a bit more even, we get half, you get half. regardless of if you were after it first, and got the killing blow, you hardly did half the effort, so you already are getting more than your share."
>shrug.
>"we would be happy to help you take down the colossus; so long as we get our fair share aswell, which could very well be more than half."
>"Look, we dont like unnecessary fights with other daughters. we like helping others, and making friends."
>Narrow eyes.
>"but we also have not hesitated to put down those who are a threat to us and others. we have our own goals. we need this as much as you, and our groups bigger too. we dont want to be enemies, but we wont be pushed around by flimsy arguments like 'dibs' either. "
>"i dont want to make you walk away with nothing. i dont want to fight you over this; but we arent walking away without our fair share, and we will make you walk away with nothing if we have to. this can be beneficial for all of us, and we can leave or even work together on good terms. or you can make this a shitshow for everyone."
>"Your choice."

>>3456755
i should mention i want that wall to be very strong and very thick. she no doubt has something strong to throw against armor, and we should be prepared for the worst outcome here.

>>3456740
>>Try to convince her to go with you to slay the Feline Amalgam. You'll be able to take down a weaker foe and it'll give you some time to feel Magpie out a bit. Maybe she's just slow to warm up to people, and if she is dangerous, then at least it would force her to be in arm's reach in case things go south.
>>Write-In
"I'm interested, but a Colossus is pretty big game. You don't hunt something that tough with a team you don't know how to fight alongside. This hunt was too brief, no way we know enough about each other's abilities to tackle the swamp monster. Let's go after some smaller prey, just to get a handle on each other first. We know about the location of another few Amalgalms, we can knock them off in an afternoon and then head for the swamp once we're better coordinated. Last thing either of us wants is for me or Dorian to intercept your killshot because we zigged when you expected us to zag."

>>3456755
>huh, didn't expect mother to be a favorite part, but then again ill admit i can be very harsh when it comes to judgment, so maybe for me comparatively i just saw her as the villain and a hypocrite, and left it at that.
Oh, Mother is absolutely a villain and a hypocrite. But she's a villain and a hypocrite that plays very well into this narrative, and I love what brief glimpses into her psyche we've had.

>>3456750
>>3456775
i really dont think we should back down on getting our fair share here. as much as i dont like even being perceived as a potential bully here, we also cant be pushovers on these things, nor afford to get a reputation as pushovers. we dont want to look like people who you can convince or coerce into helping you then taking advantage of them to screw them over. we help people, but we also expect our fair dues of the spoils when they come around, even if we dont always do it expecting there to BE spoils.

Okay. I'm back what did I miss? Also, motherfucker. they stuck me with the dinner shift. I won't be able to participate for a majority of the day and don't get me started on their no-cellphone policy.

>>3456792
oof, harsh. bathroom breaks are a godsend my friend.
We killed the titan fairly easily but now the sniper bitch is trying to give us only a quarter of the bio, but trying to soften the blow by convincing us to team up to kill the colossus, with us getting half of that.

shes also using a hologram to talk to us while keeping a gun aimed at us from a hilltop, thinking we dont know shes doing it. im thinking hell no, we deserve more than a quarter for sure and probably will deserve more than half, but as i said above if shes willing to actually be reasonable im not against helping her take it down if we get our fair share of both. otherwise she can fuck off as far as im concerned.

>>3456799
note us getting a quarter is ONLY if we help with the colossus. otherwise she wants ALL of it.

>>3456309
Wow OK kill stealer.
Stay firm on the fact that she didn't act on the attack when she was here first, and that all she did was shoot it ONCE and then claim we stole the kill? Fuck off. You get the quarter, not us.

>>3456802
>>3456799
I think the issue is that her bio-ability (Magpie birdshot) destroys the Bio-essence that's available in exchange for more damage. If her ammunition was something different, then there would be more of the titan left to consume. Instead we're stuck with having to haggle with the scraps because her augments makes her Magpie Hive uncontrollable.

>>3456799
How about we argue that if she wants us to wade into close quarters with a Colossus while she hangs back, we should be as durable as possible? It's in her interests to let us feed on more so that we can put more levels into defensive options. It's less food now in exchange for a more guaranteed shot at much more food later.

>>3456805
Changing my vote to this >>3456755

>>3456805
yeah i forgot to mention myself that lets not forget we GAVE her the opportunity to tell us to back off, but instead she agreed to and accepted the assistance. she agrees to team up, lets us put our lives on the line to get her a better and easier shot, then says we get nothing, or only a quarter if we help her with what could be a massively hard fight?

get bent with that nonsense. you wanted all of it, you should've told us to leave.

>>3456806
thats not a good argument for her getting more than us/more than her fair share though, especially not when she will only give us ANY if we agree to help with another fight.

>>3456809
nah, honestly have no reason to have to haggle with her like that. shes in the wrong and being unreasonable as hell as far as im concerned, we shouldn't have to convince her through, not lies, but still other reasoning, to potentially get what we deserve.

>>3456806
Also, not our problem her ability destroys important resources everyone needs.

>>3456814
>nah, honestly have no reason to have to haggle with her like that. shes in the wrong and being unreasonable as hell as far as im concerned, we shouldn't have to convince her through, not lies, but still other reasoning, to potentially get what we deserve.
I see your point, but I was thinking more of as an out for her to accept our position gracefully. I think you're right, we should be assertive in defending our right to our share of the kill. But tacking on a concillatory bit at the end gives Magpie a way to reframe conceding the point as something she wants. People like to rationalize their decisions to put themselves in the best light. If Magpie can tell herself that giving up the meat isn't her submitting to someone else but just making a smart decision, she'll be more likely to go for it. Make it a one-two punch, force her to consider backing down and then give her a way so that backing down works for her.

>>3456831
i see your point, but her pride is her own problem. and i think a big thing is, im still kinda iffy on even agreeing to face the colossus anyways, and hardly think we should HAVE to agree to face it to get anything here, no matter how we go about getting our share of the Titan.

it still kinda feels like even with how you say it, shes basically holding us hostage as meat shields against the colossus for us to get anything out of our efforts, nevermind the literal hostage situation of aiming a gun at us while pretending not to.

>>3456740
>Haggle
>Have Gina and Dorian coordinate together. Dorian spawns Paint constructs to coat the fields on the ground behind us to create an optical illusion image of us, the gang and Magpie's projection while Gina slowly raises the ground to display the illusion while hiding the fact that the group is behind a barrier.
>"You drive a hard bargain. How long have you been stalking the Witness?"
>"And how do you plan on killing the Colossus? Shoot it until it dies? You can only fire so many shots downrange before you're forced to relocate or enter close combat. Work with us, give us a bigger share, and you won't have to risk your skin and sit back comfortably firing flocks of Magpies with the rifle that you're looking at."
>"We would like 40% of the Titan. You'll get 55% of the Colossus in exchange. In terms of sheer biomass and essence, the Colossus's a bigger pie. And when you think about it in terms of bio-mass consumed per daughter, you'll always get the bigger slice."

>>3456838
True. I guess my perspective is being shaped by the fact that I like the "hunt some lesser prey together, then see if we want to fight a colossus" option. And I don't want to be overly confrontational, because even if we put up a blind we'd still have to get back through this terrain with a sniper angry at us. Actually, shit, I just realized something rereading the post. She needs to have line of sight between her duplicate and her real body in order to maintain connection.

>The breeze that gently caresses your arms does nothing to the hair of the woman before you, and you've finally realized three of the eyes that hover near her are focused on their owner, no doubt key to whatever is keeping her projection active.

So if we put up a blind the connection will cut, she'll take it as a hostile action, and even if we wanted to avoid a fight we'd have no way to communicate with her.

>>3456849
>>3456740
>Haggle
Amending my vote do not include the Terraforming:
>Haggle:
>"You drive a hard bargain. How long have you been stalking the Witness?"
>"And how do you plan on killing the Colossus? Shoot it until it dies? You can only fire so many shots downrange before you're forced to relocate or enter close combat.
>"We would like 40% of the Titan. You'll get 55% of the Colossus in exchange. In terms of sheer biomass and essence, the Colossus's a bigger pie. And when you think about it in terms of bio-mass and essence consumed per daughter, you'll always get the bigger slice."
>Work with us, give us a bigger share, and you won't have to risk your skin. You can sit back comfortably firing flocks of Magpies with the rifle that you're currently looking through.
>"Turn and flash a smile at Magpie's actual location."

>>3456851
Good point.

(Gentlemen, due to a sudden change of evening plans, I shall be extending the voting period by an additional hour and a half. I won't be able to return back home for a bit this evening, but I still intend to make at least one more post this evening.)

>>3456851
>>3456858
thats not true i think. the floating eyes give off the hologram, not her actual self, hence three of them aiming at her directly, like projectors.

also in that one we are still giving her WAAAAY too much. i just cant accept haggling ourselves out of what we deserve here, sorry. if she decides to be hostile, so be it.

>>3456755
Can you at least make it so the barrier doesn't break Magpie's Line of Sight with her projected self? The problem is that once Magpie sees something she doesn't like (i.e a barrier being raised), she'll probably shoot the titan corpse to deny everyone the goods including herself.

Or have Dorian coat the ground behind us with paint so that Magpie's projected self sees an optical illusion of a still-landscape while Magpie's actual self sees a moving paint-picture illusion of us still being open and vulnerable?

>>3456867
>thats not true i think. the floating eyes give off the hologram, not her actual self, hence three of them aiming at her directly, like projectors.
Oh, right, sorry. I misread it. I interpreted "focused on their owner" as them aiming back at the original, not at the replica. Yes, that makes much more sense. I retract my issue with your plan.

Would comment more, but takeout just got here. Hopefully I'll be back before the voting period ends.

>>3456870
>>3456875
i mean, the wall just has to protect our group, and though she is a meter away we still can put it up just between us id think. but like i said, unless she has to see the eyeballs to control them, which i kinda doubt, that shouldn't cut the connection.

and while i dont dislike the Dorian strategy, i just dont like leaving us out in the open in any way while shes training a gun on us. id LOVE to wait to throw it up til we think we have to, but we have no way of knowing WHEN shes firing, and even if we did, cant be sure we can react in time to throw it up before our heads been blown off.

grah. i get you guys concerns, i really do, nor do i want to have to fight her, or deny her her fair share, i just cant stand by with my own vote and let her basically bully us like that, especially given the context of how we really did give her her chance to take it all for herself.

we just, we need to stand up for ourselves. just because we help people and want to make friends not enemies doesn't mean we should or have to back off empty handed to every stubborn bitch who wants to abuse our good nature.

>>3456755
Seconding this. Half is more than enough.

>>3456882
And back.

No, I totally agree with you that we can't let Magpie take advantage. I'm just overly cautious around snipers, I guess. But, no, you're right, throw up a bunker fast and the sniper is less scary. We'd be pinned down, but we have stealth drones and radar so we'd probably win a sniper duel.

>>3456925
I think we have the tools to beat her or at least survive the encounter. Our biggest issue would be her stealth moreso than her range, but we already know her camo isn't perfect and we have ways to draw her out, though would have to make our tricks count.

Also ive been hoping for and am very happy to see bioguns are a thing. I am biased as a gun lover but still, awesome.

>>3456960
The question is whether it's a relic like the Contender or if she's pieced together some skill that lets her make guns. She's got at least some Hive Mistress in her build, and probably some Neuromancer or Phantasmal Conduit to do the holograms with, but if she's hunting Titans solo I wouldn't be surprised if she's high enough level to also have hybridized together Calcite Armorer and something for propellant.

File: also called compensators (...).png (445 KB, 597x814)

445 KB PNG

>>3456973
the most plausible way would be fibromancer and calcite armorer id say. muscle spasms firing shards of bone, hollow tips filled with different things from other ability trees.

basically how the tyranids do it.
aka dickguns.

>>3456973
There's also the fact that Titan class amalgams have specialized skill-tree abilities that give them an extra-oomph in the form of supernatural abilities. Ash Vagrant's main schtick was Ash, Cinder and smog. Which is something that isn't related to the typical bio-mancy of the Crucible.

>>3456976
Yeah, I figure it's either that, Generator to make chemical propellants, or Humoral Paladin for pressurized body fluids.

>>3456977
I can see ways it could be derived from the more standard Daughter abilities, but it does seem somewhat out of theme aesthetically. Makes me wonder what that thing's history was, that it wound up all fiery and with metal stakes in its flesh.

(Writing now, Gentlemen.)

>>3456740

A single thought, a silent utterance is all it takes before Gina stabs a pair of cords into the ground at her feet, a wall several feet thick erupting to form a barrier between you and the sniper's nest. You fix Magpie's projection with a cool, businesslike stare.

"Now that terms are a bit more even, we get half, you get half." You declare, arms folded as a trio of eyes regard you passively. "Regardless of if you were after it first and got the killing blow, you hardly did half the effort, so you already are getting more than your share. We would be happy to help you take down the colossus; so long as we get our fair share as well, which could very well be more than half."

Silence is her reply, and you simply shrug.

"Look, we don't like unnecessary fights with other Daughters. We like helping others, and making friends...but we also have not hesitated to put down those who are a threat to us and others." You add, narrowing your eyes the the hovering orbs. "We have our own goals. we need this as much as you, and our group's bigger too. We don't want to be enemies, but we wont be pushed around by flimsy arguments like 'dibs' either. I don't want to make you walk away with nothing, but we will if we have to. This can be beneficial for all of us, and we can leave or even work together on good terms...or you can make this a shit-show for everyone."

Your swarmlings' refilled stingers drip steady droplets of acid that eat away at the fleshscape with a continual burn of decay and death.

"Your choice."

You projection merely give you a small half-smile before fading away, and for a moment, there's only the sound of the wind whipping the field of blonde hair about at its whims, until...

(Continued)

File: The Road to Hell is Paved(...).jpg (105 KB, 500x727)

105 KB JPG

>>3457025

"I can see why Mara picked you to be her next pet project." Comes Magpie's voice from behind you. The four of you whirl as one to see the sniper less than two meters away, standing there relaxed with her rifle slung over one shoulder. "You're entitled to the Titan. All of it."

{How the...that's her} Gina sputters, the amethyst crystal embedded in her forehead flickering as it processes your collective surroundings. {Like, legit her real body. But how in the fuck did she...?}

"Why the change of heart?" You demand, on guard as your hive vibrates with creativity, flight leading to fight.

"No change of heart. Just a test." Magpie shrugs, the sextet of eyes orbiting her head in a languid circle, glancing between your allies. "With the great Marrow Dragoon singing your praises from the rooftops and telling anyone who'll listen about the kind-hearted Defiant, I had to test the limits of your kindness."

She makes an odd sort of noise through her teeth, an ugly blend of laughter and hissing that reminds you of an amused snake.

"I'm glad you have some mettle to back up that mercy you're becoming famous for."

"I like games even less than you do, and I like tests even less." You reply slowly, an angry scowl working its way across your forehead.

"Then you'd best give Marrow Dragoon a wide berth." She replies calmly before stepping aside, gesturing to the remains with the arm that isn't slung over her weapon. "I'm serious about the spoils. They're rightfully yours."

"Bon appetit."

>>Consume the Witness' remains (6 POINTS TO DISTRIBUTE, PLEASE SELECT PLAYER AND SKILL DISTRIBUTION).

>>Question her (Write-In)

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Gentlemen, I shall be pausing here for the evening. Voting shall remain open for the next ten hours, and writing shall resume in less than twelve. Thank you all so much for bearing with the pauses today, and let me know if tomorrow evening's rapid-posting works well for you. I shall be around for a little while longer to address any questions, comments, or criticisms you may have, and I hope you have a wonderful evening. Take care, Gentlemen.)

>>3457028
first
>Tell her if she'll be more straight forward with you, you still have another hunt she can join you on, or you can help her take down the Colossus still so she can still get something. be clear you arent happy with her, but you're not against second chances either. maybe she can show you who she is when shes not interacting with you under Maras influence, but as each of you as yourselves.

now, something to remember is that we came out here to help Gina level up, and also we have CHOICES near us.
>Consume the remains.
>Talk to Dorain and Amara about what reaching 'Level 5' means, though they may know just make sure Amara specifically understands the severity of it, and that a third option exists. tell them both you and Gina are willing to go to it with them, but understand if they wish to go it alone.

>SHU; 0
shes honestly fine and this outing isnt about her, we can give her one from the kitty or colossus.

>GINA; 4
>>NEUROTIC HALO X2
>>VERURTEILUNG x2
Neuromancer and Halo really really would work well hybridized, so keeping them equal in level so we can combine at level 10 is a really good idea. otherwise, i think we have been overlooking Verurteilungs usefulness, and what it may hold if we level it up more.


>DORIAN; 1
>>UNKNOWABLE HUE
its time to get those choices made. his also is one i dont think we need to wait to hybridize, like with Rath.

>AMARA; 1
>>HOLISTIC LEXICON
again ,choices to be made. id really love to see what a hybridized Lexicon does, but i dont think any of her current abilities are the right choice, so if we do, we can shoot to do that later.


id also say we really didnt see anything from this Titan worth taking, i cant see it being a major boon into anyone's kit. maybe the Kitty or Colossus will have better options for consuming. plus, besides Dorian, everyones kit is pretty full and we should only shoot for so many abilities, so we dont have so many options we cant use them all, and also so we dont start under-leveling ones we have.

>>3457028
Aww man, I hate secret tests of character.

>>Write-In
"So what's happened to the rest of Mara's 'projects'? I take her for the sort with pretty exacting standards. She have any graduates?"

>>3457031
6pm for rapid posting works for me, thanks for running, and hey, work comes first, i understand that.

also i do have to ask how those documents on Wests notes are coming along. im not trying to rush you, please take as much time as you need, i only wish to know if saving over some of the info temporarily while you get them properly done right would be a good idea, that way i dont have to go looking for it all the time haha.

>>3457028
Ok guys, can we please, PLEASE, put one point into swarming for Shu? I love my bug friends.

>>3457058
i think you misinterpret us not putting points into it as us not liking the ability, rather than seeing better places for the resources.

i also dont really aim for what i like as much as i do what i think we need, though ill not lie and say im not happy or biased towards certain abilities and playstyles, only that i try my best to put whats needed over what i like.

>>3457052
>id also say we really didnt see anything from this Titan worth taking, i cant see it being a major boon into anyone's kit. maybe the Kitty or Colossus will have better options for consuming. plus, besides Dorian, everyones kit is pretty full and we should only shoot for so many abilities, so we dont have so many options we cant use them all, and also so we dont start under-leveling ones we have.
I kind of want to see if there's any synergy between the Witness' skin-cloth and Dorian's paint. Canvas, you know. Maybe something to do with making more durable paint minions with a cloth backing, or allowing him to armor himself with portraits, or something like this.

>>3457057
(It was slow going last week, as the majority of my days and evenings were devoted to study. TRhat being said, if there's a particular section you'd like snippets of, I'll be happy to provide. A lot of my notes are shambles of compiled notes, and a lot of my writing efforts go into making it a readable format that doesn't take five minutes per sentence to decipher. Rest assured that it's high on my priorities, just behind making sure the Vein keep flowing as well as I can make it.)

>>3457056
(I do too, hence why it seemed fitting for it to be one of the first things for Magpie to do.)

>>3457064
the mummy strips really weren't that durable though. they were basically his Critic Form, but solid strips of flesh rather than liquid. really feels like a waste to give it to him, as he basically already has it.

otherwise, Shus Hands basically fills that roll well enough, and combining Maw and Hands, rather you want to do that or not, would probably do it better.

i cant see Amara or Gina making good use of it either.

the only thing of use we MIGHT get out of it, is its eye ability, where as someone has a hollow body with a core thats their actual self, but just like the Titan i feel like thats gonna be trading less actual damage for more Bio consumption and much much worse scenarios if the core ever does get hit, and thats not something im willing to risk.

>>3457069
like i said take your time, i understand. really i was looking back for the Class summaries and the Hybridization snippets, as i couldn't remember which levels Hybridization can happen at(though did look back and find said info already.)

>>3457070
Hybridization happens at interval levels of 5, 10, and 15.

>>3457070
>the mummy strips really weren't that durable though. they were basically his Critic Form, but solid strips of flesh rather than liquid. really feels like a waste to give it to him, as he basically already has it.
Well, that's why I thought it would be an interesting match. Similar effects with thematic compatibility, I figured it could make for a good augmentation. But I can see the argument for skipping it, it was mostly idle curiosity.

On more serious build crafting, I'd like to put some levels into Scarlet Terror soon. Not at this meal, I want to get Dorian past the Choice if for no other reason than so we can keep raising Unknowable Hue, but the next. It's a great buff for a melee tank, which Dorian is currently our best option for filling that role, but way too expensive. The health regen raising it offers is also a good match if Dorian's going to keep using Sui Tormentis.

As for Amara, she's currently got three abilities all at level one. I'm inclined towards giving her levels in either Queen Crimson or Sternuation Cannon, just to give her a better safety net if something gets close to her. Maybe alternate levels, so she'll get both the BIO regen and capacity increase. I'd put the priority towards Sternuation Cannon, though, since it doesn't cost HP to use.

>>3457084
i actually agree with you on both Amara and Dorian, but i want to get them both past their Choice this level up, which we can do for both of them. both of their secondary abilities need levels, just we have a slightly more important event with both their core abilities to fulfill now is the thing.

>>3457085
Oh, sure. Like I said, I want to get the Choice out of the way just so it's done with, I'm taking into account that we'll planning on having a few more meals before we go home. Sorry, this is my first time actually taking part in these character building sections, it's fun to plan the upgrades out.

File: bdcc1725df82558a3e56671ab(...).png (325 KB, 665x840)

325 KB PNG

>>3457089
its no issue, you got nothing you need to apologize for. i whole heartily agree with the sentiments, it is a very fun section.

and a terribly debate heavy one at times, im not sure if you just read the actual Story updates from BHOP or everything in the threads, but let me tell ya, words pile up in heaps over the littlest details over consume or upgrade choices at times. and thats all part of the fun!

>>3457091
I read the whole thing, though did not retain much of the arguments about builds. You are not kidding about the size of those, my mind kind of glazed over. Actually participating in them is much more engaging.

>>3457097
indeed. though debates less than usual, though not for bad reasons so far. if we do take down the colossus, thats gonna be an interesting time i imagine.

>>3457028
>"Cheeky Crow, being able to get the jump on us like that."
>Let Amara and Dorian know about "The Choice".
>"Amara. I need to let you know about something. When you grow strong, one day you'll be visited by a being who calls itself "Mother. She'll give you a choice to choose a gift. That day is near. It might happen soon, but who knows? Anyways, Mother will come to you with two presents she has already prepared for you. You can only choose one present. But do you want to know a secret? You can ask for a present of your own. Any present, not just one of the two presents she wants you to pick. And she'll give it to you regardless."
>"Dorian. Like Amara, you're near the threshold where you'll be visited by Mother. Your core ability if you level it up after consuming the Titan, will prompt Mother to visit you in a vision. and offer "The Choice." You may have seen it mentioned in Dr. West's notes. This is what the choice means. You will get to choose an upgrade path. A path for your abilities to grow. Those paths will be the ones offered by Mother as grand vivid visions not like your dreams. Pre-made and ready like paintings already filled in. You get the drift. The reason why we're having this talk is because there is a third path. A path of your choosing. Your own path. I simply want to help you make the choice that's best for you by laying out what is possible. So when the time comes and the choice is presented, ask yourself this: 'what do you want for yourself as an Artist? an Art-style to emulate? or an Art style that you've developed yourself?' "
Point distribution
>Dorian: 2 points.
>Gina: 3 points.
>Amara 1 point
>Shu: 0 points.

>>3457124
you forgot to say where to spend the points for each character.

>>3457124
>>3457168
Gina gets one point across the board. Neuromancy, Halo, and Conviction get a point apiece
>Dorian gets 1 point into Unknowable Hue and a consume option.
The titan is special for something, can't let the properties go to waste.
>Amara gets a point into Lexicon.

>>3457124
I'd say cut out the bit to Amara about asking for any present you want, because that's misrepresenting the Fool's Choice a bit. We don't want her getting disappointed when that's not what happens and choosing one of Mother's options out of frustration. I say we treat her as having the maturity to understand the real crux. Kids like it when you treat them as (their impression of) an adult, able to handle responsibility. Put into terms she can understand easily, at least.

>Remember when you first met us, and decided that you didn't like your name, and so asked me to give you a new one? What would you have done if you decided you didn't like "Amara"? You wouldn't have had to go back to your old name, right? You would have just found another name you liked better. It's like that. Mother is going to offer you two ideas of who she thinks you are. But you don't have to choose either one, you can go find a new idea all for yourself. If you decide you want to be one of those people, that Mother's ideas sound good, that's fine. We'll love you all the same, that's not going to change. But just remember that you can be whoever you want to be, and you don't have to take one of Mother's options just because they're the only ones in front of you.

>>3457185
You know, I like this. >>3457124 I'm amending our talk with Amara into what >>3457185 said.

>>3457031
I'm stuck with the dinner shift and won't be able to get out until 8 pm. It'll still work with me to a degree. but don't let me slow you down.

>>3457028
Shu: 1
>Swarmlings

Gina: 1
>Neurotic Halo

Dorian: 2
>Scarlet Terror
>Consume

Amara: 2
>Queen Crimson x2

I don't want Shu to get nothing. That she gets less is fine, but I still want her to progress. I also want to try to get some Hybridization action for the others.

>>3457124
Seconding the speech about the Choice. For point distribution:

>Shu: 1 Point
>Gina: 1 Point
>Dorian: 2 Points
>Amara: 2 Points

>>3457355
Also, if we have to choose which skill gets which points, my votes are for:

Shu: Exsanguinating Leash
Gina: Neurotic Halo
Dorian: Scarlet Terror, CONSUME
Amara: Queen Crimson, CONSUME

>>3457028
Shu: 1
>SWARMLING

Gina: 3
>NEUROTIC HALO x 2
>NEUROMANCY
I want to put points in Verurteilung but I think we should be getting Neuromancy and Halo to 10 asap first. Having said that, is it possible to hybridize three abilities at once?

Dorian: 1
>Scarlet Terror
It would be nice to hybridize something with Hue but he doesn't have anything particularly appropriate yet. Unfortunately nor did the Witness. Open to changing to Unknowable Hue.

Amara: 1
>QUEEN CRIMSON

Gosh dang dimma darnit. We really should be ay least getting Dorian and Amaras choices done guys, and both their Core Abilites are pretty difficult to rind matches for to hybridize. If we try and hold off on this just for that, its never going to be the right time, and the choice has always been a good power boost, which they both need.

Also the titan has shown NO ability worth taking. None. Just because its special does not mean its good or meshes well with anyone's kit.

Also if your gonna try and focus on Ginas abilites both reach level 10 together making sure they stay the same level is how you are going to do that, not over leveling one compared to the other.

>>3457402
Well I dunno, Scarlet Terror might go with Unknowable Hue to buff Dorian's forms and paint familiars.

>>3457403
The thing is, hybridizing doesn't just tack on one ability onto another, it makes an entirely new ability. The thing is his is already kinda 3 abilites in one, and ST kinda honestly already works best with Critic Form the most id argue, and despite the risk of muddling up the uniqeness of his form shifting i kinda feel like hybridizing it may do the same.

But its not a bad choice either ill admit, and i cant see much else being too much better. My point still stands though that at LEAST for Amara we should make the choice, lexicon could take ages if we EVER find something to roll it up with, and for both of them missing this opportunity is silly, especially on an extremely optional outting made to get everyone stronger for the sake of strength, which the choice undoubtedly dies, even with the third option.

>>3457294
>>3457355
Also i really cant let go that a major point of amalgam hunting was getting Gina levels im preparation for the forest and you guys are giving her jack all for levels.

>>3457028
Alright then. Changing.

Shu: 1
>Swarmling

Gina: 3
>Neurotic Halo x2
>Verurteilung

Dorian: 1
>Scarlet Terror

Amara: 1
>Holistic Lexicon

>>3457414
Seconded

>>3457414
Can i at least convince you to do an even spread for Gina, so that its easier to line up Halo and Neuro for later Hybridizing?

>>3457433
But this does make it an even spread. Neuromancer and Halo will both be at level 6 from that point.

Also, I'm fine with switching Dorian's point to Unknowable Hue to go through the choice or the Consume option for a third ability tree if people would rather have those.

>>3457437
Oh, im a dumbass, my bad. Thought you had given those 2 points to Neuromancer.

>>3457437
I really dont think the Titan here has good consume options, but ill meet you on the middle and say aiming to hybridize something into Hue is not a bad idea, jist not sure if scarlet is the best. Mind you, we could do scarlet, then at level 10 Hybridize again.

Points Votes so far;

SHU;
>0 points- 2
>1 points- 4
GINA;
>1 points- 1
>3 points- 4
>4 points- 1
DORIAN;
>1 points- 4
>2 points- 2
AMARA;
>1 points- 5
>2 points- 1

Choices votes so far;
SHU;
>SWARM- 3
>LEASH- 1

GINA;
>NEURO- 2
>HALO- 2
>VER- 3
>HALOx2- 4
>VERx2- 1

DORIAN;
>HUE- 2
>TERROR- 4
>CONSUME- 2

AMARA;
>LEXICON- 4
>QUEEN- 2
>CONSUME- 1

(Writing now, Gentlemen.)

>>3457455
(You are magnificent, thank you for this.)

>>3457455
Yay swarmling!

>>3457586
Shu really didn't need any points but if we were gonna do it, we should've given it to her other abilites. We both cant keep over leveling her, nor ignoring her secondaries if we are gonna level her.

>>3457624
Especially if, as people have discussed, we're going to hybridize Ravenous Maw with Hundred-Handed. We're already past the first hybridization point for Ravenous Maw, so if we're going to put them together at Level 10 that's another thirteen levels that needs to be split between them. Or eleven, I guess, since we need to raise both to Level 9 and then raise them both at once. An alternative would be combining Exsanguinating Leash with Hundred-Handed, they've both low enough that we'd only need another five levels to set up the merger. That could be a good hybrid skill, get the ability to deploy life-drain tendrils from our constructs so they can feed and extend their combat endurance.

>>3457657
I feel that ones kinda redundant with their Ability to heal from dealing damage, which they would need To hurt the enemy do do anyways. Another thing to note is, swarmling already often seems to cause other abilites, like handed, to naturally sometimes be usable by the swarmlings, with guranteed secondary ability based boons to swarmling at level 10. With how swarmling works it feels like choosing which abilites to Hybridize based on it is a moot point, and should focus on how Hybridizing helps our secondary abilites themselves.

File: PARTY LEVEL UP.jpg (130 KB, 579x600)

130 KB JPG

>>3457028

“Sneaky crow.” You say, your tone devoid of amusement.

“Thank you.” Magpie replies, crossing her legs and collapsing to the ground before gently setting her firearm to one side. It’s an obvious display of submission, a clear attempt to set you and your friends at ease before you let your guard down enough to consume the remains. You study her a moment before reaching out to the brunette by your side.

[Gina, keep watch on her with Dorian] You say, taking Amara by the hand and leading her away from the corpse and sniper, both. [I need to chat with this little one for a second]

“Hey, remember when you first met us, and decided that you didn't like your name, and so asked me to give you a new one?” You begin, once you’re a few yards away from the others. You kneel down as you ask the question with the little girl in front of you nodding her head up and down rapidly, her face plastered with a wide, joyous grin. “What would you have done if you decided you didn't like "Amara"? You wouldn't have had to go back to your old name, right?”

“If I hated it, I’d have picked my own cool name, then! Fuck tha’ police!” She declares, and you stifle a groan. You need to have a talk with Rath later about vocabulary, but for right now you need to focus on the here and now, and the gravity of what Amara’s about to tackle.

“Well, when we absorb that Cyclops over there, you’ll be given a choice like that. Mother is going to offer you two ideas of who she thinks you are. But you don't have to choose either one, you can go find a new idea all for yourself. If you decide you want to be one of those people, that Mother's ideas sound good, that's fine. We'll love you all the same, that's not going to change.” You continue, and something shifts in her posture as she listens patiently. “Just remember that you can be whoever you want to be, and you don't have to take one of Mother's options just because they're the only ones in front of you.”

The expression she wears on her youthful face is a curious one, one blue and one hazel eye fixed on you with inscrutable intent. You’re almost knocked over bodily when she slams into you with a hug, wrapping her skinny arms around your neck, her face buried between your neck and shoulder. After a moment she pulls away from you, her smile containing an unexpected trace of melancholy. Then, with a small shift of her features, she’s back to her usual, innocent smile, grinning at you as you rise.

“You ready?” You ask, extending a hand which she takes immediately with both of hers.

She nods, and with that you rejoin your allies next to the Witness’ meagre remains. You share a pointed look with Gina and Dorian, both of whom chance a look towards Magpie. She’s still sitting cross-legged, her rifle pushed even further away to attempt to ease some of the tension she herself is responsible for.

Here goes nothing.

>>SHU, GG, DORIAN, AMARA – LEVEL UP

(Continued)

>>3457675
I thought swarmlings didn't themselves heal, but just stored healing for Shu to use. Maybe I misunderstood. Either way, you're right, probably best not to mono-focus on what can benefit the swarm so much. I do think that Hundred Exsanguinating Hands could be a nice combo in its own right, though. Being able to drain life would make the sprouted limbs very nasty. Especially if Hundred Hands develops the ability to grow from neutral biomass as well as that under Shu's direct control. Then she'd have a combo bind/DoT move, grow life-draining tendrils from the ground to consume the target. Even if it has to be biomass that she controls, that combo would still work well with the Hollowpoint Hive round for the Contender. Shoot the target, infect them with a hive, hive sprouts limbs to do the same thing directly.

File: SHU LEVEL UP.jpg (218 KB, 850x963)

218 KB JPG

>>3457732

SHU – LEVEL UP

>>SWARMLING (Lvl 8): Your arsenal grows as you do, drawing ever closer to the inevitable day when all the pieces are finally in place. You now possess the ability to create Swarmlings of the Bishop-Class for the cost of 40% BIO per unit, which manifest as stout, rotund things resembling large beetles more than any kind of wasp or bee. In lieu of any sort of acidic payload or raking talons, they are instead packed full of a potent mixture that pulls double duty as a neuro-muscular accelerant, with the intent of clinging to allies. As long as the Bishop is attached, over the course of three rounds they augment your ally’s speed and reaction time, increasing their default movement range by two zones and drastically increasing their chances of scoring a critical hit and resisting critical hits delivered from foes. Some would say that everything outside of yourself are but pieces of a grand game…regardless of the veracity of that musing, you have a feeling your ability to control the world around you is just going to keep growing. (BIO +20%)

(Continued)

File: GG LEVEL UP.gif (2.19 MB, 800x950)

2.19 MB GIF

>>3457739

GG – LEVEL UP

>>NEUROTIC HALO (Lvl 5): The true purpose behind the Halo’s curious design is slowly becoming more apparent. The wearer now boasts the ability to wield greater control over the dreamscape, granting them heightened resistance to dream-based attacks. Additionally, extended conversations with Daughters that are contained within the wearer now have a far greater chance of granting Augmentations and bonus Level Ups for Neuromancy or Phantasmal Conduit skill trees. The mind is a terrible thing to waste…so Gina intends to use every moment to her advantage. (BIO +10%)

>>NEUROTIC HALO (Lvl 6): The mind of a general, the swiftness of cavalry. The Neurotic Halo now receives a considerable boost to its processing at the start of combat, granting the wearer an additional ACT that disappears in the following rounds. Additionally, Gina’s auto-counter increases in speed and power, with the reciprocal attack now dealing three times critical damage. Her mind strives for greater and greater heights to satiate her boundless curiosity, the lust for knowledge an endless journey…but Gina intends to reach the finish line. (BIO +10%)

>>VERURTEIUNG (Lvl 3): Fear, lurking at the fringes of the mind, unaddressed. If taken lightly, it will only grow into a force nothing can stop. The absolute terror field projected by the user has been expanded in breadth and power, and now covers a medium area with an aura of fear that imposes disadvantage against foes’ attempts to free themselves from bindings or negative status effects, as their formerly rational mind devolves into a primal, panicked mess. Finally, critical hits inflicted on terrified foes from any source now deal an extra level of damage. Is it better to be feared, or loved? Gina never understood why she’d have to choose between the two when both held equal appeal…(HEALTH +20%)

(Continued)

File: DORIAN LEVEL UP.jpg (237 KB, 956x1080)

237 KB JPG

>>3457743

DORIAN – LEVEL UP

>>SCARLET TERROR (Lvl 2): A thin, red streak, the artist’s line a surgical incision into the heart of the viewer. When Scarlet Terror is active, any slashing damage done by the user is now guaranteed to open severe wounds, with the drawing of blood almost guaranteed, depending on the physiology of the Daughter. What’s more, melee attacks inflicted upon Dorian while Scarlet Terror is active will now result in a series of small blades erupting from the armor, dealing little in the way of damage but boasting a high chance of inflicting the BLEED status on the attacker. The world is Dorian’s canvass, and all the bodies therein may serve as his medium. (HEALTH REGEN +10%)

AMARA – LEVEL UP

>>LEXICON OF FLESH (Lvl 5): 48 45 4c 4c 4f 20 43 48 49 4c 44

(Continued)

>>3457756
That hex text: Hello child

File: Amara.jpg (1.02 MB, 1280x1422)

1.02 MB JPG

>>3457756

When you and your allies finish off the Titan’s remains, you’re pleased find that Magpie is right where you left her, orbiting eyes regarding you impassively as they orbit the Daughter’s head.

“Good meal?” She asks, and Gina just shoots her an irritated scowl as Dorian slides the visor of the Tormentis’ helm back into place, interposing himself between the sniper and you, but a small figure slips by him and runs to your side.

“Miss Shu?” Amara groans, tugging on the hem of your dress as she stares up at you miserably, her other hand on her stomach. “I don’t feel so good.”

A knot grows in your stomach as you look into her frightened eyes. The fact that it hit so suddenly is a little disconcerting…you’ hoped that it would take a little while to hit, but the fact remains…

It’s time.

>>Let Amara do this alone. It’s a choice only she can make, ultimately. You trust her to do what’s best for her, and besides; you aren’t keen on letting anyone else go under while Magpie’s this close.

>>You wouldn’t put it past Mother to try and pull something with someone so young. You’ll go under alongside her, with Gina and Dorian free to defend your sleeping bodies. She’s not alone in this, and she never will be.

>>Gina or Dorian can accompany Amara to her Choice, while you keep an eye on Magpie. Who knows, maybe you’ll be able to feel her out a little bit…though given how cryptic she insists on being, getting anything out of her might be more trouble than its worth.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Gentlemen, voting shall remain open for the next two hours. Also, my sincerest apologies for how long this took to pull together. It has been a comically busy morning with a silly amount of interruptions, so thank you for your patience. I hope you're having a great day so far, and rapid posting is still set to go live at around 6:30 this evening, though I'll keep everyone up to date depending on when I get out of work.)

>>3457739
Queen-class, Knight-class, Bishop-class.
I'm sensing a pattern here. What next? A Rook-class? Moves like Castling with the swarmlings? The weirder pieces from chess variants or historical sets like Camel or Counselor? Well okay, maybe not the last one.

>>3457624
Cry more

>>3457761
>>Write-In
"Amara, you want anyone to be there with you, or do you want to handle this yourself? Gina can plug us in, but I understand if you'd prefer it be private"

Because we trust our bomb-ass little sister. It's her decision, our being there should be welcome support instead of helicopter parenting.

>>3457787
This.

>>3457779
Its no worry, you do what you need to do.

>>3457786
You have issues man, its simple discussion over important choices, nothing more.

>>3457739
>>3457743
>>3457756
Also i apologise, but due to the nature of phone posting i wont be able to update the character sheets til i am home.

>>3457736
They can heal themselves but not anyone else but Shu.

Also fair enough on the hands, maybe shoot to combine them then at 10 roll maw in to it aswell?

>>3457761
>accompany amara.
I’ve come to the realization that Shu and friends basically become her surrogate family. With Shu becoming her surrogate mother, Rath as Amara’s cool big sister, Gina as her aloof big sis, Julia as her aunt, and Dorian as her brother/uncle. if she’s having a stomachache, then we should keep her company.
>”Amara? does your tummy hurt? lie down on Miss Shu’s Lap. Do you want someone to keep you company when Auntie Mother visits you? Nod you head if you do.”
>Have Gina plug one of us in to keep Amara company for her choice. We are Amara’s new family, and she shouldn’t have to go through this alone.

>>3457783
Chess motif. the theme is there because of how we play as Shu, both IC and as a playerbase. we make moves like a game of chess.
Also, I wonder what kind of construct would a King-class swarmling would be...
anyways it’s almost time for my shift. I’ll most likely be unavailable for the next 6 hours

this a pre-emptive speech against Mother if she tries to call us out, with a few points of calling Mother out on her character:. i’m typing this out so that some of us anons can use this as reference points for their responses.
>I am not here because I want to control her, I am here because she asked for company. to have someone support the choices she makes.
>For a being who prides on calling herself “Mother”, what do you know of Motherhood? of Parenthood?
>You wait from the sidelines, force a choice upon the daughters and then leave. how does that qualify as being a parent?

>>3457851
Well, the King is most important piece yet has very little use of its own. So maybe something that has a lot of passive buffs for the rest of the swarm, but at the cost of being slow or even immobile, and easily taken out.

I'm liking the other upgrades we got, too. Gina getting more bonus points from dream conversations is going to be huge. That extra ACT gives a lot of potential for first-round dominance by either quickly terraforming or jacking into a target. And the improved fear aura really makes me want to get a bind/DoT skill for Shu now, because then the two of them working together would be killer.

For Dorian I'm a little disappointed that he didn't get anything to reduce the BIO cost for Scarlet Terror, but the improvements it did get are so good I don't care that much. Just shifts how it has to be used, instead of a general buff it's a super mode. I can only imagine how strong it will get as it levels up even more.

>>3457887
The maw actually is pretty good at binding up enemies. Hands isnt bad but too close range, which is why it would be another benefit of meshing it with maw. Leash might also help hand with that, depending on what the hybrid ability actually becomes.

File: Marrow Dragoon, Helm.jpg (221 KB, 668x1012)

221 KB JPG

>>3457761
>>3457787
>>3457830

She’s quiet for a few seconds before putting on a stiff upper lip and staring you down hard with her mismatched pair of eyes.

“No, I’m strong. I can show Mother who’s boss.” She states, trying to stand tall despite the discomfort evident on her face, paired with the hand on her stomach.

“I’ll have to brag to Rath about you when…” You begin, faltering when Amara’s eyes flutter and you catch her mid-faint. “You guys watch her okay? Be ready to pull her out if anything seems off, alright? I keep the empathic field attuned to her to watch for any problems.”

Gina and Dorian are by Amara’s side at once as you gently leave her in their capable care. You stride the three paces that it takes to bring you before the sniper, glaring at her a moment before taking a deep breath -- a preface to the air of civility you try to equip before plunging into conversation with someone that hasn't stopped unnerving you.

“So, how do you know Mara?” You start, matching Magpie’s cross-legged pose as you sit across from her, picking one orbiting eye and staring it down.

“We traveled together for three months before going our own ways a month ago.” She replies. “There’s no ill will. It was just creative differences, is all.”

“You mentioned games earlier. What did you mean by that?”

“I’m no stranger to grooming, and I got the feeling that’s exactly what Mara was doing during our time together.” She reflects, caressing the barrel of the weapon at her side.

“If she was talking you up to other Daughters, then why haven’t I head of you before?” You ask, and she makes that same laughing hiss from earlier. The second time is even less endearing that the first.

“Most who knew my name came gunning for me, in my infamy. Some to take my place, others to have a crack at Mara…I was always faster on the trigger. I hope you are too, when you start attracting the same sort of attention that Mara gifted to you that she did to me.”

“You make it sound like she was doing that maliciously.” You reply, and Magpie shrugs one sharp shoulder blade. “How well did you two know each other?”

“We weren’t on a fucking basis, but we had each other’s back.” She grins. “Neither she nor I were ever into that sort of thing…probably made us more efficient, come to think of it. She took melee, I took ranged. We were a good team, and that was the extent of it.

“You do, and if I’m being honest you seem to relish the fact.”

“Before all this it was often said I gave people the creeps. I suppose it’s all I have to give.” She clips, leaning back on her hands. “Tell you what. If you help me with the Colossus, depending on your contributions I’d be willing to split it a max of seventy-five twenty-five…your favor. Consider it a discount for a fellow student.”

You open your mouth to reply when you hear Amara murmur behind you.

(Continued)

File: Spoiler Image (88 KB, 960x597)

88 KB JPG

>>3458057

“Hey, how'd it go?” You ask after racing to Amara’s side, and she gives you a little thumbs-up paired with a grin.

“I told Mother that when you and everyone climb up her tower, you’ll tell Rath to punch Mother in the crotch so hard they’ll have to make a new sport!”

“A…new sport?” Dorian echoes, confused until she elaborates.

“Yeah, upper-cunting!”

You watch Dorian’s face go scarlet as you mentally elevate the conversation you need to have with Rath about three priority levels higher than it was.

“Perhaps, ah…maybe we should leave that part out when we recount this tale to Miss Julia?” Dorian interjects, clearly uncomfortable. To your amusement, Magpie’s lips are cocked in a grin, her shoulders shaking slightly with silent laughter.

“So, how did your powers change?” Gina inquires, glancing down at Amara’s head in her lap. The smaller girl thinks on it for a moment until her eyes light up, and she asks for GG to use her cords to help her understand what it means.

{You know, if it was anyone other than Mother she just said that to I’d be furious, but I’ll let it slide} Gina says as she slides a cord into Amara’s wrist, granting you and her insight into how your youngest ally’s powers have altered. {Actually…oh shit, you think we could train her to totally dunk on West when we see her next?}

You’re about to give your reply when a torrent of information floods your mind, detailing the results of Amara's Choice.

>>LEXICON OF FLESH (Lvl 5): Amara's favoritism extends to a select word in her arsenal, reducing its BIO and ACT costs to zero. You may select an additional Favored Word every fifth level of this skill tree. Additionally, where Amara would normally find a single new word in the Fleshscape, she will now find herself faced with a choice between two when the opportunity arises. Finally, you now have the ability to re-name a word in Amara’s Lexicon once per level up or when she acquires a new word. After all, sounds are merely the voicing of an intent or concept, so why shouldn’t the form they take be as fluid as the ideas they embody? (BIO +10%)

SELECT ONE WORD TO UPGRADE AND ANOTHER TO ALTER

AND

SELECT YOUR ACTION

>>The chance of getting the majority of the Colossus is too good to pass up. You’ll take Magpie up on her offer...it's worth it.

>>Hunt down the Feline Amalgam. It should be even easier than tackling the Titan, since you had it on the ropes even before Magpie took a potshot at it. Time to tackle that kitty…hrm. You hope Gina isn’t getting to you…

>>Given your most recent power-boost and the ease with which you were able to bring down the Witness, you feel confident in your ability to traverse Carroll’s Forest and continue west, so that’s exactly what you’re going to do.

>>Magpie’s being more open than you expected her to be. Maybe continuing this line of conversation would prove fruitful.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3458064
>>The chance of getting the majority of the Colossus is too good to pass up. You’ll take Magpie up on her offer...it's worth it.

Now for Amara;
>Upgrade RHO
it can be both a buff or debuff, so it makes the most sense in my opinion to wholly upgrade.

>Alter REV
I feel like this one's the least usable at the moment, so perhaps altering it will change that.

Also proud of our girl, you go Amara! Rath has nothing to apoligize for in my opinion, that was funny as hell.

>>3458084
(Regarding the nature of alteration; it merely changes the actual word, not its effects. It's essentially a way to customize her 'spells'.)

(Also, voting shall remain open for the next two hours, Gentlemen.)

>>3458064
>Hunt down the Feline Amalgam. It should be even easier than tackling the Titan, since you had it on the ropes even before Magpie took a potshot at it. Time to tackle that kitty…hrm. You hope Gina isn’t getting to you…
Tempting, but I'd rather have a dedicated combat team for that, which for me means getting Rath.

>Upgrade SUTH
Being able to soothe anyone's mind for free can be pretty beneficial outside of combat I feel.

>Alter RHO
Since we already have words for "terrain" and "enemy", and REV SUTH can have the same effect as "harm", I think we can customize this one. But then I figure that Gina can already alter the terrain.

It's true that REV hasn't been used much, but it can make any word be worth another we don't yet have if we want to get creative. What's REV TER, for example? Does it affect the air or sky?

>>3458096
Fair enough, my point on it being the least useful in my opinion still stands however.

>>3458119
Considering altering outright makes us lose the owrd i am very very against altering RHO.

>>3458064
Nice job, best little sister. I'm proud of you.


So, upgrades. I'm thinking RHO for the word she negates the cost of. It's one of her more expensive words, and between its innate versatility and Grinding Earth she can do a lot with it.
>Upgrade RHO

Not sure what to do for word alteration. I don't really have any issue with the current language she uses. Though it would be nice to change the words up just in case we run into an enemy familiar with Skintalking who tries to anticipate Amara's commands by keeping an ear out. "RAK? That's not a word of pow-oh god, my leg!" But the choice is kind of arbitrary, I don't have any strong feelings about these syllables. Short of replacing all of her words with vulgarity (which I assume is why she even has this option), I don't have any ideas.

>>Hunt down the Feline Amalgam. It should be even easier than tackling the Titan, since you had it on the ropes even before Magpie took a potshot at it. Time to tackle that kitty…hrm. You hope Gina isn’t getting to you…
I'd want to bring Rath along for high damage if we're going after a Colossus. Also to get some catharsis from those acid burns by setting the swamp on fire.

>>3458119
>>3458123
No, it changes the actual word, not the effects of the word. So altering RHO would still let Amara invoke obstacles, but by shouting TITS or whatever else it's changed to.

>>3458064
Amara is the best girl ever, and Rath is going to cry with pride when she hears about what Amara said to Mother.

>To your amusement, Magpie’s lips are cocked in a grin, her shoulders shaking slightly with silent laughter.

I think I'm starting to like this creepy crow lady.

Also, Amara made the best choice, because holy shit, this is really going to help her out.

In regards to word choice:

>Upgrade: GRA (8% BIO): a word indicating an escalation of events, this word possesses the ability to vastly enhance the effects of the word it precedes, essentially doubling its effects.

Not only is it the most expensive word, but it doubles the effect of whatever word it precedes. If we upgrade this, WE CAN DOUBLE THE EFFECTS OF ALL OF AMARA'S WORDS FOR FREE.

>Alter: REV

And finally:

>>The chance of getting the majority of the Colossus is too good to pass up. You’ll take Magpie up on her offer...it's worth it.

I want to see what else Magpie can do. And this opportunity is perfect to take down the Colossus.

>>3458129
Grah, damn work making me misread things. Still, RHO has meme potential so lets change the word for enemy then, to something like 'cunt'.

>>3458119
>>3458129
Do keep in mind, if we pass up the chance to get the colossus now, we may never get it again, and it is much more valuable than the feline. It would not be the first time passing up an opportunity has made us lose it forever.

>>3458064
Changing >>3458119
to support >>3458152

File: 705.gif (538 KB, 240x176)

538 KB GIF

>>3458158
>Rath's reaction when she hears about this choice of word

>>3458158
Seconding. It's much funnier than my choice of REV.

>>3458152
>Not only is it the most expensive word, but it doubles the effect of whatever word it precedes. If we upgrade this, WE CAN DOUBLE THE EFFECTS OF ALL OF AMARA'S WORDS FOR FREE.
Yeah, thinking it over, this is better than making RHO free even for a combat style that wants to take advantage of Grinding Earth, because GRAH RHO TER wins on action economy. With RHO free you could do three RHO TERs for the cost of a GRAH-free GRAH RHO TER, but it would take three turns instead of one.

>>3458161
True. Okay, I'll change it to agreeing with a few stipulations first.

>>3458057
>>Upgrade GRAH

>>The chance of getting the majority of the Colossus is too good to pass up. You’ll take Magpie up on her offer...it's worth it.
>>Write-In
Ask Magpie for any information she has on the Colossus first. If it sounds like Rath or Julia would be useful, ask to delay the hunt momentarily while we go swap them in at a waystation.

>>3458084
Changing my alter to
>>3458158
'VUL' to 'CUNT', or more of confirming i wish to do so.

>>3458216
...What are the odds that by the end of Body Horror Quest, all of Amara's words are changed to 'CUNT'.

>>3458245
No, that will be no fun. We've got to change every word to a different curse, and expand Amara's vocabulary and ability to use multiple words in one command, until in the final fight she shouts "SHIT COCK HELL DAMN FUCK CUNT DICK ASS!" and it just washes her opponent away in a wave of vulgarity.

>>3458252
This.

I like this idea.

>>3458172
>Mfw our first teammate death is not to an enemy, but to Julia strangling Rath to death.

File: giphy.gif (1.14 MB, 500x210)

1.14 MB GIF

>>3458314
Rath's last words

File: e96f5fc4-2c24-47a4-90ea-c(...).jpg (319 KB, 1280x850)

319 KB JPG

>>3458364

>>3458378
Gotta admit. Over the past two days i have read all the archives of your quest. Good shit. Look forward to more.

(Back home and writing now, Gentlemen.)

home now, and Character sheets up to date. somehow Gina and Shu reached 210% BIO at the same time, keeping their pools tied. found that kinda sweet in a stupid sorta way.

>>3458398
welcome to the game, always glad to see a new reader join us players.

>>3458398
(I'm glad you've caught up, and welcome to the thread, Anon. I happy to hear you're enjoying it, and I'm looking forwards to what's up ahead.)

>>3458398
Glad to have you with us!

>>3458398
Hello, fellow newbie. Glad to have you onboard. I figure I'll extend to you the same questions I was asked when I joined recently: What have been your favorite moments in the quest, and did any twists particularly throw you for a loop?

File: Rath shows off her alabas(...).jpg (127 KB, 810x986)

127 KB JPG

>>3458441
shit, meant to throw those out but had to feed my animals, thank you anon.

>>3458441
Well to be fair i missed the leg trick like the rest of you. The way the world is built is fascinating and so are the game mechanics. The little slice of life in this horror ahow is my favorite parts.

>>3458452
My favorite but also saddest part was when B'ni left. And the friend heist too.

>>3458064

>>"GRA" UPGRADED

>>"VUL" RENAMED TO "CUNT"

After conferring with your team and trying unsuccessfully to dissuade Amara from configuring one of her words into a far more vulgar but no less effective form, you convene back with Magpie to address the offer she extended.

"We'd like to accept your offer to take down the Colossus, on two conditions."

"Name them." Magpie sighs, rising from from her seat and hauling up her rifle as she awaits your stipulations.

"First, we'd like any info you have on the Colossus, so we know what we're heading into and can plan accordingly. I think that's fair." You continue as you become aware of something off about your hive, though not necessarily in a negative way. "The second is that if we think our allies might have a better chance against this, then would you be willing to delay the hunt to let us get better equipped to tackle this thing?"

"As far as info goes, it's scarce but consistent." She replies, checking the sight on her firearm as she speaks. "It's a quadruped, and if you average all the stories I've heard then it's two or three times as tall as the Titan. Uses grappling and area control, drawing foes in to keep them in close quarters. It's resilient, stubborn, and unwilling to leave its nest. I planned to stay on the move since the last team that tried to take it at range was swarmed with the thing's minions, but they're the only ones I've heard that've dealt with that, so maybe it's a distance thing. If you want to switch up your team, then knock yourself out."

You're pleasantly surprised at how accommodating she's being, but your appreciation is cut short by the nagging feeling that tugs at your back, within the very core of your spine. Your hive feels stronger, more versatile, and across your connection with Gina you realize she feels the same thing, her own mental defenses that much greater.

It doesn't take you long to realize who you have to thank for that.

>>SUPPORTIVE SOUL has evolved into DEFIANT HEART

>>DEFIANT HEART (Passive): Amara's desire to help her friends has developed into a singular purpose. As long as Amara is within a SHORT or LONG distance to you and your allies, the maximum capacity of created constructs is boosted by 20%, rounded up. Additionally, the chance of allied Neuromancer or Generators' abilities backfiring is reduced by 35%. Amara has finally found the one thing she always wanted, and she has resolved to help her new family in any way she can.

Now, before you head into the mire that almost claimed you and your team the first time through, you ponder if there are any adjustments to be made before you set out.

RELICS: (Shroud damaged, unusuable until end of next rest. All other equipment at 100%. Contender still loaded with unfired Hollowpoint and Parabellum.)

>>Proceed into the Swamp with your current team.

>>Go to Monastery and adjust team (Vote for new team composition)

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Voting shall remain open for one hour, Gentlemen. Rapid posting begins now.)

>>3458514
oh, nice.

hrm, this is a tough one, buuut...
>>Go to Monastery and adjust team
>Gina
>Julia
>Dorian

again, we are doing these hunts to get Gina a bit stronger. i also still think shooting for Dorians choice via Hybridization is a good idea, and a Colossus will probably more than give us the levels to do that.

otherwise, i think Julias Debuffs will be absolutely what we need, bring the colossus down to Titan level at least, potentially, and Rath honest to god does not need the levels compared to Julia or Amara still, her kit is absolutely kickass as it is. she would be good, great even, in this fight, dont get me wrong, but on the point of leveling our team and keeping everyone viable, it would be an honest waste to give her the levels from this fight is my biggest issue.

considering this thing is supposedly super mobile though, having both Amara and Gina to hold it down might not be bad, but i think thats overkill and we need Julia for that close in kill strength.

>>3458529
Agreed. Rath would be great in this fight, but Julia could use the levels more. And adding a grappling/area control to Julia's list of abilities would definitely work well with her current build.

File: 41a3e8ecd91639fdccd7b5896(...).png (81 KB, 278x240)

81 KB PNG

>>3458529
also Amaras upgrades have been added.

never thought id be editing something to be yelling CUNT in caps but i cant say im upset either.

>>3458514
Ooh, thanks for the boost, Amara. Considering that we plan to eventually HACK THE PLANET, even more protection from Neuromancer backlash is very useful.

I'm down for >>3458529. Send Amara back to tell Rath the hilarious story about how she cussed out God. Julia's melee debuffs and reactive defenses means that it's a mistake for the Colossus to draw her in. Gina's Neuromancer abilities can hasten the speed at which stack-based debuffs are applied, they've got great synergy.

Dorian's also a great option for this fight, since he's immune to grapples and has excellent melee. Trying out the new Bishops on Dorian may be a good idea, too. Inspired Critic boosts crit chance and damage, Bishop boosts crit chance and damage, put it together and he can probably drill a hole straight through this thing. The Bishop's speed boost should also let him move in before the Colossus can deploy any area control abilities.

>>3458529
Thirded. Yall make excellent points.

>>3458529
oh, right.
RELICS;
>Shu; Contender

>Gina; Whistle, Amaras Choice.(BHOP did say i think anyone can use it, but only a Skintalker can load it.)

>Julia; Sui Tormentis and Gauntlets
i kinda feel bad putting her in the armor, but with what i have in mind for the party she would need the protection and strength they both provide.

>Dorian; Alas
having him use the Alas to help chase the thing down and clog it up with Constructs will be a major blessing. Gina can already do her job from long range better than he can do his i feel, so him having it makes more sense.

i thought about giving Dorian the gauntlets but honestly i feel like while he might still be in the fight, he wont be the main target or damage dealer here and has really good dodging capabilities, while Julia, while strong, doesn't really have as many methods to escape, so instead armor her the hell up so its not an issue.

>>3458565
>>3458529
I agree. Debuffs are very important against bosses with big health pools, attack damage, or high defense.

>>3458572
>i kinda feel bad putting her in the armor, but with what i have in mind for the party she would need the protection and strength they both provide.
She routinely flays her skin off, leaving exposed flesh and raw nerves. I figure the Sui Tormentis probably isn't that uncomfortable by comparison.

>>3458591
you make a very good point....her motherly and kind nature, aswell as her natural stutter, often makes me forget we first found her skinless with giant angel wings of blood vessels, surrounded by artwork made of said missing flesh.

fuck me i think its safe to say we have been a good influence on her life in more ways than first thought.

>>3458514
Also, as a completely serious and mature addition to this quest, I have theorized a list of alternative words to rename Amara's abilities. I tried thinking of ways each word could be applied, if anybody has any better suggestions then I'm all ears.

>GRA -> FUCK
GRA doubles the effect of whatever it's applied to. And what better emphasis word than Fuck? It's not just a big explosion, it's a Fucking big explosion. We don't just hit hard, we hit real Fucking hard.

>RHO -> SHIT
Rho can be used for buffing allies or hindering enemies. It's either useful Shit for ourselves, or a chance to land our enemies in deep Shit.

>SAN -> DAMN
Speeding things up, so they're not just fast, but Damn fast.

>SUTH -> PUSSY
Suth is used for calming people down or smoothing an area of land. And what do you call someone who deescalates a fight?

>THA -> BITCH
Directed towards party members or allies. We are all each others bitches, and we look after our bitches. Bitches for life.

>TER -> HELL
Targets a section of ground, which we'll most likely turn into difficult terrain. Thus, Amara's own little section of Hell.

>REV -> ASS
Reversing words, turning them upside down to have the opposite meaning. The ass end of the original definition.

>>3458623
Im not sure how i feel about actually doing that but i both laughed heartily, and genuinely compliment and appreciate the thought you put into that, bravo to that.

>>3458642
Thanks! And I feel as though since we've already renamed one word to CUNT, it would be a waste if we didn't have a theme for Amara's Lexicon.

>>3458602
Yeah, I think it really helped her to have someone appreciate her art. Kept her from going full Bioshock villain out of desperation to make someone understand her vision. And then Shu just kept expanding Julia's social circle, with Amara and the Monastery artisans and Dorian, and now she has plenty of people who respond to her work with interest instead of revulsion and her life is pretty good. Now if only she could get Rath to stop teaching curses to the seven year-old. Look at this >>3458623! Look at what you've done, Rath!

>>3458646
You make a good point, our path might just he set.

>>3458659
Rath is only growing more and more as my favorite character due to this, Amara and Julia still tied for second though.

As for Julia, yeah seems like thats what happened. She took to being a caretaker and homemaker very quickly too.
Dorian is a lucky guy, huh?

back from work and on my laptop. what did I miss?

File: The Monastery.jpg (173 KB, 650x790)

173 KB JPG

>>3458514

You resolve to drop Amara off with Rath and take Julia to the Swamp, despite Dorian's protest that leaving your impressionable young ward with the most foul-mouthed among you will have dire consequences, but it's a risk you're willing to take. You're somewhat taken aback when Magpie offers to accompany you back to the Monastery, giving the excuse that she's curious if something that she left there remained undisturbed.

After traversing the disconcertingly unattended Waystation, the five of you stride through the corridors into the main hall where you immediately realize something is terribly wrong. The bustle of activity remains at the same fever pitch as before, but a sharp undercurrent of fear and sadness runs through it, blatantly clear even without expanding the empathic field. Uzu is delivering some sort of awkward eulogy mixed with an attempt at an inspirational speech, the words lost among the murmur of the crowd as Julia darts her way through the throng of mourning Daughters to meet you.

"Julia, what..." You begin, cut off as Julia begins speaking breathlessly, just low enough that her voice blends with the crowd.

"Elder Uzu's stopped f-functioning, they f-found the construct's b-body about a-an hour ago." She explains quickly. "

"Are you okay?" Dorian demands as he steps forwards, and Julia waves off the question with a hand and a nod, directing a worried glance across the crowd.

"I'm fine, it's just..." Julia's cut off mid-sentence as, when the younger Uzu finishes her speech, the podium is practically swarmed with Daughters peppering her with questions and demands. A small section of the crowd flinches when Magpie appears only a stone's throw away from their leader, striding forwards with intent. Recognition passes between the two, the crowd's insistent interrogation pausing as the pair exchange a meaningful glance.

"Sister Magpie, it's..." Uzu begins, pausing when Magpie reaches out and puts a hand on her shoulder.

"Uzu...you have my condolences, for what's it's worth. Tell me, is Mara's room vacant?" The tall woman solemnly intones, and Uzu's reply comes in the form of a stiff, sharp nod. With that, the riflewoman strides off, leaving Uzu at the mercy of the crowd as they assail her with questions that she quickly begins to address with her clipped and professional manner.

You turn to Julia and explain the situation and the need for her assistance, and she relents with just a hint of reluctance. Uzu seems to be in command of the situation as you watch her deftly address her followers, and it weighs on you that time is of the essence if you're to capitalize on the Colossus.

>>Depart for the swamp with Magpie and company. She's been kind enough to offer you an opportunity you can't afford to pass up, and you trust Uzu to handle the situation.

>>See what Magpie's up to before you depart for the Swamp, since she's clearly not the sort of person you initially took her for.

>>Write-in

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3458707
Level ups, Amaras choice in which she told off mother by saying Rath was gonna invent a new sport called 'upper cunting' , and now VUL is replaced with CUNT for the same effect so Julia is probably gonna kill Rath.

>3458712
>>Depart for the swamp with Magpie and company. She's been kind enough to offer you an opportunity you can't afford to pass up, and you trust Uzu to handle the situation.

I feel bad for Uzu in multiple ways but i really dont think we can help with this...

>>3458707
Amara made the Fool's Choice by cussing the hell out of Mother. We are now walking a path to replace all of Amara's words of power with swears. Soon she'll be able to transform the terrain by yelling "FUCK SHIT HELL". Part of me regrets stepping onto this path, for it will drain much gravitas from the proceedings. Part of me thinks it's the best thing ever.

>>3458723
..... We really need to have a talk with Rath about this. Lest we have Julia AND Dorian tie Rath's limbs into a knot as a form of punishment for teaching Amara all the swears.

>>3458712
>>Depart for the swamp with Magpie and company. She's been kind enough to offer you an opportunity you can't afford to pass up, and you trust Uzu to handle the situation.
We don't know Magpie enough to intrude on her privacy. Maybe after we kill a kaiju together we'll be close enough to ask her about her personal life, but for now let's just go get some monster meat while it's still fresh.

Poor Abbess Uzu, though. I wonder if it had something to do with the increased Hunger mechanics? More mental strain on the Daughters damaging the integrity of a transplanted mind. Or maybe she's just been in that construct for too long, I doubt it's designed to be used for long periods.

>>3458723
home from getting food now, and damnit, i just had a thought. a bad but important one.

BHOP is giving us all the signs. clear as day. the Monastery is falling apart. Uzu is at, if not past, her limits trying to hold it together. everyone in there is terrified and scared of the uncertainty this all brings.

...while im not even sure what, if anything, we can do...if we dont try something, we might soon not have a monastery to come back to. FUCK, i want to fight that colossus nor go back on our word with Magpie, i hate breaking promises, but i really feel like we should offer to help Uzu out here, even if we cant do much, maybe there is something we can do, even potentially something our skillset as an adventurer party can do to help, rather than running classes or something we wouldn't be good at.

i dunno i just feel like were being given clear signs something needs to change at the monastery if we want it to stick around....

>>3458712
>Stick around. Help Uzu out.

>>3458764
grah, i really dont know what to do here. besides our promise, we could still have time, or getting those levels could even somehow help us help the monastery.

but waiting too long could also let the dominoes fall too quickly to stop it if we dont act now. im just not sure at all on this or what direction to take.