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>>5518581

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee6Ua6jQEjw

Both you and Pandion emerge from the underbrush and square off against the pair of warriors blocking the path forward. They show no signs of surprise at your abrupt appearance, merely regarding you with a curious indifference.

Pandion approaches the one on the left, and you find yourself facing the one on the right. This’ll be a one-on-one deal.

You’re not quite sure which of the pair that you’re matched up with, but it really doesn’t matter. Both are wearing the same heavy armor and wielding an oversized club. Doubt that their technique varies all that much.

Pandion seems to be certain that they’re both direct descendants of Hercules, which means that you should categorically avoid pussyfooting around. Might be a tad unsporting to hit him with both barrels from the get-go, but you’re always in it to win it.

You don’t bother with a verbal challenge, instead summoning the Claw of Horus and beelining for your chosen dance partner.

The sudden burst of speed allows you to land a vicious uppercut before he can react. You dance back, narrowly dodging the reach of his glorified tree trunk of a club.

There’s a big grin on your face as you start launching probing attacks and picking holes in his defense.

Goddamn, this feels right.

It’s been a long while since you’ve had an opportunity to really cut loose and pulverize something or someone with the Claw of Horus.

Sure, you’ve had fights and all, but the big guns had to be kept in reserve.

But now, you’re free to wail on an opponent that won’t fold like paper if you give him something harsher than a love tap.

Never though you’d actually think fondly of the General, but at least he gave you a square fight.

In your books, there’s not much more you can ask of an enemy.

A furious flurry of blows to the midsection is enough to stagger him, giving you ample opportunity to get in close for something with a bit more kick.

As you go for a clinch, he abruptly swings his club in a deceptively fast arc that’d probably crack your skull like a frying pan meeting an egg.

Thankfully, you manage to duck and follow-through with your attack.

You give him a straight jab in the chops courtesy of a Clawed fist as a stinging reminder that wild swings carry an implicit price. While he’s still regaining his balance, he makes a tactical mistake by throwing another heavy blow your way.

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>>5518582

With the added strength and mobility afforded to you by the Claw, it’s a simple enough to turn his own momentum against him. Courtesy of some fancy footwork, you’re able to unbalance him, slip behind, wrap your arms around his chest, and suplex him facefirst into the dirt.

Haven’t nailed somebody with that move since you wiped with floor with some of Bane’s boys. Ah, the memories.

To his credit, he manages to maintain an unceasing grip on his club, despite the jarring impact of your bodyslam.

A tough customer. You can respect that, but it’s not gonna stop you from kicking seven shades of shit out of him.

You’ve still got the hold locked in, and he’s not going anywhere fast.

While your opponent is busy dealing with a likely conclusion, you take a moment to rubberneck and see how things are going for your pal.

As it stands, Pandion and the other twin are furiously grappling and attempting to wrestle the other to the ground. Looks like Pandion managed to knock the club out of opponent’s hands, at the cost of being disarmed himself.

You watch, a little surprised at seeing Pandion being steadily overwhelmed by the son of Hercules’ raw strength.

Part of you begins debating the merits of jumping to his aid; an idea that is swiftly quashed when the tide turns in Pandion’s favor.

His opponent stumbles just slightly as a result of the inherent rockiness of the terrain, a fatal mistake against a warrior of Pandion’s caliber. Your partner’s well-honed experience allows him to immediately notice the opportunity and capitalize on it; allowing him to break the stalemate and piledrive his opposition onto the rough ground.

From there, he begins raining down a hail of blows that show no signs of stopping anytime soon.

Well, it seems like Pandion has things well in hand.

As for your opponent, you decide to capitalize on your successes thus far by…

> Pivot into a chokehold and apply a copious amount of pressure to his neck. A pankration classic.

> Draw your KABAR with your off-hand and look for a chink in his armor. It’s dirty as hell, but that’s the name of the game.

> Wrestle his club away and bash him upside the head with it. He’s got an iron grip, but you can marshal the necessary leverage.

> Haul him back up and slam him bodily onto the edge of your knee. If you can land a backbreaker, he’ll be seriously feeling the pain.

> Hit him with a spell. (Designate the desired spell)

> Other?

>>5518585
> Pivot into a chokehold and apply a copious amount of pressure to his neck. A pankration classic.

Hooray its back

>>5518585
>> Pivot into a chokehold and apply a copious amount of pressure to his neck. A pankration classic.

>>5518585
> Pivot into a chokehold and apply a copious amount of pressure to his neck. A pankration classic

Rolled 78, 80 + 75 = 233 (2d100 + 75)

>>5518591
>>5518600
>>5518601

Looks like you're going for something a little more technical.

Go ahead and roll me some 1d100+70

(As a reminder, Luck Drain is still set to 7)

> DC to be determined.


>>5518591

Glad to be back, anon. Just needed a little break for the holidays.

Rolled 29 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

>>5518609

Rolled 58 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

>>5518609

Holiday break is always good

Rolled 35 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

>>5518609
Good to be back Axis

>>5518610
>>5518612
>>5518620

That's a failure; would you like to use Roll the Die for another attempt?

> Yes. (Specify if you want the anons to re-roll, or for me to re-roll.)

> No.

>>5518625
>> No.

Rolled 97, 41 + 70 = 208 (2d100 + 70)

>>5518628

Alright, looks like the nays have it.

Go ahead and give me another round of 1d100+70

> DC to be determined.

Rolled 32 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

>>5518640

Rolled 40 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

>>5518640

Big numbers

Rolled 67 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

>>5518640
Shit.

We need to win the next roll no or we may be out of this fight.

>>5518642
>>5518643
>>5518647

Some decent rolls, yet not quite enough.

That's a failure; would you like to use Roll the Die for another attempt?

> Yes. (Specify if you want the anons to re-roll, or for me to re-roll.)

> No.

>>5518651
>> No.

>>5518651
> No.

Rolled 61, 11 + 60 = 132 (2d100 + 60)

>>5518653
>>5518654

Fair enough, give me another set of 1d100+70

> DC to be determined.

Rolled 55 + 60 (1d100 + 60)

>>5518655

small numbers

>>5518651
>No
We gonna take it like a champ and try again

Rolled 5 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

>>5518655

Rolled 26 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

>>5518655
This is bad

By the skin of our teeth.>>5518656

Rolled 84, 82, 51, 6 = 223 (4d100)

>>5518656
>>5518658
>>5518662

That's a success, writing.

While I do so, just some quick rolls for how Pandion is handling things.

The first pair are for Pandion (+60), second pair are for his opponent (+75)

>>5518665
damn, he's showing off

He's making us look like a scrub. >>5518665

>>5518665
why do we keep him in the gauntlet again

>>5518666
>>5518668

That's just how these things go sometimes.

Nice trips by the way.

>>5518665

With a quick roll and some wrangling, you manage to force him into a picture-perfect Pankration chokehold.

Once your position is properly secured, you begin applying pressure.

Won’t take too long for him to lose consciousness, or suffocate if you’re feeling particularly vindictive.

But in the blink of an eye, you’re lying flat on your back with blood idly tricking from of your nose; utterly confused as to how you were dislodged.

As you try to stagger back to your feet, the answer hits you like a ton of bricks; his club.

He must’ve positioned it just right to twist and crack you right in the face once. A risky move, but it paid dividends for him.

Speaking of which…

Yep, your nose is definitely broken; the cocksucker.

You’ll make him pay for that.

While you try to regain your bearings after such a terrific blow, he nails you right in your already busted schnoz with an off-hand punch that probably would’ve put you in the hospital if you were a normal man.

As it stands, it just serves to rattle your cage a bit more.

Hurts like a motherfucker, but the pain just helps you focus.

Need to turn this shit around before he gets another clean hit with his weapon, otherwise you’ll be in serious trouble.

You grit your teeth and take the next hit straight on, weaving under his guard at the last possible moment and putting your heart and soul into a slobberknocker of an uppercut that connects solidly with his chin; sending him tottering away.

Now that a bit of breathing room has been established, you snap your nose back into place as best as you can. It’s do for now, until you can dig in the medical kit for something that might help.

But now, it’s time to go back on the warpath. You nearly had him earlier; he’s not gonna slip away from you again.

To that end, you…

> Focus on getting that club out of his hands. Fucker’s nearly brained you a couple times already.

> Trigger Volcanic Rage and commit fully to cleaning his clock. It’s a mark of honor that he’s managed to push you this far.

> Draw your KABAR and throw it his way. At worst, you’ll distract him long enough to regain some momentum.

> Quickdraw your 1911 and put a few holes in him. If it works, it works.

> Cast a spell. (Designate the desired spell)

> Other?

>>5518694
> Draw your KABAR and throw it his way. At worst, you’ll distract him long enough to regain some momentum.

>>5518670

It's less of a choice and more of a requirement. He's pretty much confined in there perpetually, Set pulled a bit of hoodoo to give him a bit of time in the real world.

>>5518696

Fair enough, anyway to free him or does that fuck with the talon of horus

>>5518694
>> Draw your KABAR and throw it his way. At worst, you’ll distract him long enough to regain some momentum.

>>5518699

He's basically the power source; even if you could get him out, it'd basically depower the Claw.

Something that you can't really afford, seeing as it is one of the designated artifacts for Jack's banishment.

Afterwards may be another story.

>>5518694
>Focus on getting that club out of his hands. Fucker’s nearly brained you a couple times already.

Rolled 25, 99 + 45 = 169 (2d100 + 45)

>>5518695
>>5518700

Alright, time for some precision knifework; give me some 1d100+25

> DC to be determined

Rolled 62 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>5518711
god damn

Rolled 95 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>5518711
Fuck you demi-god. We cant beat that.

Rolled 38 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>5518711
small numbers

>5518716
God damn

>>5518714
>>5518716
>>5518717

A valiant attempt, but no such luck; that's a failure.

Would you like to use Roll the Die for another attempt?

(This isn't the end of your attack, you'll just be making the next roll with any extra bonuses.)

> Yes. (Specify if you want the anons to re-roll, or for me to re-roll.)

> No.

Does this get us anything?
>>5518716
>>5518711

>>5518718
>> No.

>>5518718
> Yes. (you re-roll.)

>>5518719
Unfortunately, even your Luck Drain bonus won't be enough to eke out a win in this instance.

What can I say, I'm rolling well tonight.

>>5518718
>Yes. (Qm re-roll.)
It's a 1 on a 100 for Axis to crit and go above his roll

I feel based on rolls we have the tougher fight. And I like to think the higher the rolls the better each side fights so even though we lose this round we push the enemy to fight even harder and reveal more tricks.

>>5518726

Oh, you meant in terms of narrative?

Sorry, I was assuming you were asking about stats / mechanics.

I generally try to give a nod to how well / poorly the rolls were conducted; like if you both roll high, it was a battle of skill that somebody lost by a slim margin.

Whereas if you both roll low, you both make mistakes, the victor just made a less important one.

Good question, anon.

Rolled 52, 89 + 5 = 146 (2d100 + 5)

>>5518721
>>5518725

Seems like I'm giving it another go with a hefty malus. Unless I roll a crit or something, your success is probably assured.

Here we go.

Rolled 45, 67 + 50 = 162 (2d100 + 50)

>>5518730

Alright, you've flipped it to a success.

Now, give me some 1d100+70 to engage him in close quarters.

> DC to be determined, he takes a hit and a penalty.

Rolled 70 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

>>5518732

Rolled 12 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

>>5518732

Rolled 38 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

>>5518732

>>5518733
>>5518735
>>5518736

That's a success, writing.

Rolled 61 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

Lets try that again. >>5518735

Rolled 66 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

Lets try that again. >>5518735

>>5518738
>>5518739
You okay bud?

captcha probably had a seizure. That or I pressed post to many times.>>5518740

>>5518737
>5518737

With one fluid motion, you unsheathe your KABAR and rotate it dexterously so that you’re carefully holding the blade. It’s not an easy maneuver with the Claw encompassing your dominant hand, but you’re nothing if not adaptable.

This may not be the most tactically sound idea, but it’s all you’ve got.

After all, the KABAR is a solid fighting and utility knife; not exactly built for aerodynamics.

Still, that doesn’t concern you overmuch.

Even if you miss or only manage a glancing blow, you’ll hopefully be able to manufacture a distraction that’ll enable you to get in close.

Your arm flicks, and the KABAR springs toward the demigod like an arrow loosed from its quiver. Must be the Claw’s influence giving you a little extra kick.

Your foe tries to sidestep, but you were anticipating something like that.

In the end, your aim is true, and the knife finds purchase solidly in a gap of his armor, striking home in the meat of his shoulder.

As soon as the knife left your hand, you began rushing towards him, intent on exploiting any gap in his defenses.

And the shock and pain of your knife digging in deeply gives you ample time to slip in close and…

> Headbutt him at full speed. Once he’s stunned, you’ll batter him with his own club.

> Nail him with an eye gouge before driving your knee directly into his crotch. Dirty fighting at its finest.

> Tackle him to the ground. If you can manhandle him into another hold, you’ll not let him loose again.

> Pull the KABAR from his wounded shoulder. From there, you’ll go for the throat or another vulnerable spot.

> Cast a spell. (Designate the desired spell)

> Other?

>>5518757
>> Headbutt him at full speed. Once he’s stunned, you’ll batter him with his own club.

>>5518757
>> Headbutt him at full speed. Once he’s stunned, you’ll batter him with his own club.

Rolled 79 + 55 (1d100 + 55)

>>5518763
>>5518767

Alright. Since you passed the previous roll, the headbutt goes off without a hitch.

Give me some 1d100+70 to swing for the fences.

Rolled 88 + 55 (1d100 + 55)

>>5518771
My bad, he's supposed to get another roll.

Rolled 89 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

>>5518773
>>5518771

Still need two more rolls in case of crits.

Rolled 33 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

>>5518771

Rolled 4 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

>>5518771

Rolled 21 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

>>5518771

>>5518774
>>5518785
>>5518790

That's a success.

I need to break and fix some dinner, so I'll go ahead and end our session for tonight.

We'll pick up from here on Friday at 5:00 PM EST, same as usual.

I'll still be hanging around for a bit to work on interlude stuff, shoot the shit, and answer questions.

As always, thanks for playing! Hope to see you all again next time.

>>5518795
Good stuff Axis
whats the next interlude gonna be about?

>>5518797

Still working on the JLA / Batman stuff. Between the Holiday Special and a bit of writer's block, I had to shelve them for a while.

Back in the saddle now though, so I'll hopefully get it done this thread.

>>5518800
Nice and Good luck.

>>5518795

You steamroll towards the demigod, quickly closing the gap and building up speed.

Charging like this is a bit reckless, but nobody ever won a tough fight by passing up opportunities to turn the tables.

With a combination of charge and leaping dive, you slam into him like a torpedo; bringing your full force to bear on the bridge of his nose.

It fractures irreparably on impact, causing a savage sense of satisfaction to well up inside you. Hey, turnabout is the fairest play there is.

That pain, coupled with the knife jammed into his shoulder gives you an opening for your next gambit.

While he’s reeling backwards, you manage to wrestle his club away, intent on taking a few practice swings of your own.

It’s heavy and cumbersome, even after you’ve been strengthened by the Claw; requiring a few precious moments to adjust and properly moderate its movement.

He tries to backpedal away out of danger, but you manage to snag one of his legs on the backswing, forcing him down onto one knee.

Sweat rolls down your face from exertion as you line up a shot that’s liable to crack his skull.

This is it; if you’re going to win this fight, it has to be now.

> Roll me some 1d100 + 70 to finish him off.

(DC to be determined)

Rolled 24 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

>>5521281
Let's get rolling!

Rolled 24 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

>>5521281

Rolled 15 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

>>5521281

Rolled 94, 93 + 45 = 232 (2d100 + 45)

>>5521281

An auspicious start, messing up my pair of rolls.

Let's try this again.

>>5521289
>>5521290
>>5521294
Going to be one of those sessions eh?

Rolled 34, 15 + 55 = 104 (2d100 + 55)

>>5521289
>>5521290
>>5521294

Seems that there's still quite a bit of fight in your opposition; that's a failure.

Go ahead and give me some 1d100+65

Apparently we cant handle this club.

Rolled 44 + 65 (1d100 + 65)

>>5521300

Rolled 50 + 65 (1d100 + 65)

>>5521300
Actual demigod rolls from Axis, goddamn

Rolled 26 + 65 (1d100 + 65)

>>5521300

Rolled 59, 42, 44, 75 = 220 (4d100)

>>5521304
>>5521308
>>5521310

That's a success, writing.

As I do so, let's see if Pandion is able to finish off his opponent.

First pair of rolls are for Pandion (+60), second pair are for his opponent (+70)

Rolled 69, 8 + 55 = 132 (2d100 + 55)

>>5521311

Looks like Pandion is having a slight bit of trouble closing the deal; give me some 1d100+70 to give him a little aid.

> DC to be determined, opponent suffers a penalty from being double-teamed.

Rolled 21 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

>>5521311
>>5521314

Rolled 93 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

>>5521314

Still need one more roll in case of crits.

Rolled 29 + 70 (1d100 + 70)

>>5521314

>>5521320
>>5521323
>>5521332

Looks like you're able to help Pandion finish his opponent; a success.

Feel free to posit ideas for a cooperative takedown, otherwise I'll just go with one of my own.

>>5521335
Pandion or we suplex him, then one of us stomps his head in.

>>5521335
We go for the legs, Padion make him see stars

>>5521335

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzBEpdfCRqw

You put the full strength into a wide swing that crashes into the back of the demigod’s head, making a visceral crunching noise as you do so.

To your astonishment, that noise isn’t his skull buckling under from the traumatic impact; it came from the club fracturing on impact!

Your hastily purloined weapon snaps and splinters into pieces after your strike rings home, leaving you momentarily stunned.

Worse, it appears that your opponent has mustered some kind of second-wind and managed to weather the damage you just exacted upon him.

From his kneeling position, he springs forward with murder in his eyes; a hail-mary attempt to defeat you. As he does so, your reflexes and mind kick into overdrive, desperately attempting to deduce his idea so that you can better pre-empt it. Time seems to slow down as you examine and disregard possibilities in the blink of an eye.

Judging from the way he’s angling himself and his previous posture, he must be trying to take your legs out from under you. If he can get you pinned or worse, you’ll be neck deep in trouble.

Still, now that you have a fair idea of what he’s planning, you can prepare your response accordingly.

Plus, his previous wounds allow you to mobilize a counterstrike that’ll put him down for a count.

As he attempts to deliver a bonecrushing tackle to your center of mass, you end his last-ditch assault by driving your knee into his face; utterly crushing his hopes of an equalizer.

Before he can think of mounting another attack, you wind up and nail him directly in his now-exposed throat with a vicious haymaker from your Clawed fist.

And so he falls like a mighty redwood onto the uncaring terrain, out like a light but probably still breathing.

There’s a lesson in here somewhere about the importance of taking all opponents seriously, no matter how strong you think that you may be. If he had been more prepared, you never would’ve gotten the early hits that contributed significantly to your ability to win later.

The sounds of struggle remind you that Pandion is still engaged in martial combat of his own, and you shelve the AAR navelgazing for later.

While his opponent has definitely been bruised and bloodied, he’s managed to get back on his feet and is in the process of forcing Pandion into some kind of hold.

Before he can lock it in, you force him to relinquish his grip by stomping on the back of his calf. When he wheels around to face you, Pandion ensnares him from behind.

He gives you the nod and you rapidly reposition yourself for what’s about to happen.

Pandion flips the demigod over his head and drives him with a rolling suplex that lands directly in your path.

As soon as he hits the dirt, you start giving him a taste of your boot with a vicious series of stomps and kicks.

Pandion joins in on the fun until you’re both satisfied that your foe isn't getting up anytime soon.

> Give me some 1d100; DC:85

Rolled 31 (1d100)

>>5521365

Rolled 40 (1d100)

>>5521365

Rolled 38 (1d100)

>>5521365

>>5521366
>>5521367
>>5521370

Gotcha, thanks for the rolls.

Writing.

File: Olympus Sky.jpg (2.55 MB, 2000x1500)

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>>5521373

Before you can figure out what to do with the newly vanquished demigods, you’re suddenly blinded by an intense crack of lightning that leaves you rubbing at your eyes for a few minutes until the spots clear.

When your vision fully returns, you discover that both of your foes have abruptly vanished without a trace. No tracks, no blood trail, no nothing.

If there wasn't a bit of debris left from the fight, it’d be impossible to guess that anyone was ever here.

Pandion is willing to chalk it up to divine interference, but you’re a little worried by the potential implications of that.

Here’s hoping Zeus doesn’t hold a grudge for beating his grandkids like they owed you money.

Still, what’s done is done.

Both you and Pandion are exhausted after the exertions of the day, and agree to set up camp after patching your wounds. Aside from a few scrapes and bruises, he’s perfectly fine.

You had to use a makeshift splint to ensure that your nose sets properly, but it should be fine soon. To speed your recovery, you gather a bit of kindling, start a small fire, and use your Fire nature to absorb a bit of its flame to jumpstart the process.

Then, after a meal of trail rations, you call it a night; quickly falling asleep as you enjoy the cool mountain air and watch the stars dance on distant horizons.

Rolled 12 (1d12)

>>5521387

(Pay no attention to this roll)

>>5521388

Alright, give me some 1d100+40 to see if you notice anything out of the ordinary.

DC: 90

Rolled 13 + 40 (1d100 + 40)

>>5521394

Rolled 43 + 40 (1d100 + 40)

>>5521394
Sure

Rolled 51 (1d100)

>>5521394

Rolled 78 + 40 (1d100 + 40)

>>5521388
you say that but im pretty sure the first time you rolled a d12 all of our squad got killed
>>5521394
dice please

Rolled 52 + 40 (1d100 + 40)

>>5521394

With luck drain that counts as a pass. >>5521394
>>5521397

>>5521396
>>5521397
>>5521399

That's a success, narrow as it may be; writing.

>>5521406

In the morning, you and Pandion set out for another leg of your trek after “enjoying” a “hearty” breakfast of survival rations.

Thankfully, you busted nose isn’t smarting too badly anymore, and you’re optimistic that it’ll set properly.

The hike goes just as planned, with you and Pandion spending the entirety of the morning getting farther up the mountain.

But about noon, you notice something odd just off in the distance; a dull gleam of brown metal that catches the noon sun.

You call for a quick break and head towards it, digging it out after a couple minutes of effort.

Turns out it’s some kind of small bronze box. Whatever’s inside can’t be too heavy, since the box barely weighs a thing.

And it doesn’t look like there’s any kind of keyhole or external way to open it, which immediately arouses your suspicions.

A cursory examination with Magesight reveals that there’s definitely some kind of magic inside, but it’s somehow being obscured by the container.

You try examining it for any messages in Greek or similar languages, but there’s none to be found. It looks like there were pictographs of some sort etched on the side, but the elements have worn them away over centuries.

Pandion isn’t able to identify it either, but agrees with your assessment of its magical nature.

In the end, you decide to…

> Force it open and see what it contains. Not the most elegant approach, but it’ll get the job done.

> Leave the container alone. You’re not overeager for another magical misfire, especially the ancient variety.

> Cast a spell. (Designate the desired spell)

> Other?

>>5521451
> Force it open and see what it contains. Not the most elegant approach, but it’ll get the job done.

>Use enhanced perception. (Its a thing we have in the paste bin). It allows us to see greater details.>>5521451

>>5521451
>>5521458
Support

>>5521458

I generally factor that in automatically for perception rolls, but I'm willing to let you examine it even further if you'd like.

Like taking chalk to a piece of paper over a gravestone, we will know what is in this box. For all, we know this box belonged to Pandora.>>5521451

>>5521464

Sure, I'm willing to use that as an option.

Thanks, Axis.>>5521470

>>5521458
>support
if we still don't see anything then
>>5521464
for the chalk or charcoal

>>5521451
>> Force it open and see what it contains. Not the most elegant approach, but it’ll get the job done.

>>5521459
>>5521464
>>5521475

Alright, looks like you'll be giving it a more thorough once over / doing some tracing.

> Roll me some 1d100+40; DC: 100

Rolled 80 + 40 (1d100 + 40)

>>5521486
big numbers

Rolled 67 (1d100)

>>5521486

Rolled 85 + 40 (1d100 + 40)

>>5521486
Fun. Dice don't fail me now!

>>5521487
>>5521488
>>5521489

That's a success, writing.

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63 KB JPG

>>5521491

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpLN2cGBrQU

Part of you just wants to try and bust the damned thing wide open, but you’ve plundered enough magical artifacts to know that it’s a risky proposition.

Knowing your luck, it could even be Pandora’s Box or something.

No, the wiser course of action would be to examine it a bit more strictly and establish its provenance. Might even give you some clues as to opening it.

A deeper investigation of the box's casing doesn’t reveal much, but it does confirm that there are no mechanical triggers or similar mechanisms securing it. By all accounts, there isn’t anything keeping this container sealed, and yet it has remained unopened for uncounted decades.

Suddenly, you have a flash of inspiration and being fishing in your pack for a wooden pencil and a notebook.

After ripping out a few pages from the notebook, you festoon them to the various edges of the box and start attempting to make a tracing.

You did the same thing when you were younger with leaves and gravestones, the principle is probably still the same.

Once your scribblings are complete, you examine each of the papers. Most of them are jumbled randomness, but you manage to get a clear imprint of some bonafide symbology; some kind of fire over a bowl.

You’ve got no clue what it stands for, but Pandion comes in clutch; identifying it as a symbol of power for Hestia.

You rack your brains for what you know about Hestia.
- Goddess of the hearth, home, family, and state.
- No husband or children.
- There’s a bit of dissension about whether or not she’s part of the major Olympian pantheon, but finding a symbol of hers up here is probably a point in her favor.

As far the box itself, it still taunts you with its maddening mysteries; you decide to…

> Force it open via brute force. Not the most elegant approach, but it’ll get the job done.

> Tuck it away for later. You can have Thoth poke at it once you’re back in Athens.

> Cast a spell. (Designate the desired spell)

> Other?

>>5521513
>> Cast a spell. (Fireball)

>>5521513
> Cast a spell. (Fireball)

>>5521518
>>5521521

Go ahead and give me some 1d100 to channel fire magic into the box.

> DC: 70

Rolled 100 (1d100)

>>5521526

>>5521527

That tracks, it really does.

>>5521527
WHOA, this is like the only quest I get crits in

Rolled 55 (1d100)

>>5521526

>>5521527
WELL SHIT

Rolled 87 (1d100)

>>5521526

Rolled 86 (1d100)

>>5521526

>>5521527
>We crit

Hello mommy. Sorry, mommy. Sorry, mommy. Sorry! Hestia

>>5521527
>>5521537
>>5521542

That's a critical success!

I'm going to need some time to figure out a proper reward and need to break for dinner anyhow, so I’m going to call it for tonight.

We’ll pick up from here on Monday at 5:00 PM EST. As always, I hope to see you all there. Have a good weekend, anons!

(Gotta tell ya, there was a lot of things that had to line up just right for such a sequence of events to play out. There was the initial perception roll to find the box, the idea of doing a tracing to identify additional clues, and the crit itself. I always enjoy seeing things work out like so. I swear, you guys have extreme hot or cold luck when it comes to anything arcane.)

Oh damn. First, we crit on the Claw. Then we almost crit and unlock fire magic. Now we crit a fire artifact. It's almost like our rage fuels our fire magic and attunes us to fire artifacts.>>5521527
>>5521557

>>5521527
Of course the War Vet Anti Hero that wants to make a home would be patronized by the Lady of the Hearth. Based news.

No I will tell you what is based. Check out the DC wiki. Hestia is the Patreon deity of virgins, helped create the amazons, and created the first city of the amazons Themyscira. She could totally help us with our base and our journey to become a wizard.

>>5521527
BEHOLD, MAN CREATES FIRE!

>>5521583
One step closer to our own version of SHAZAM.

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>>5521527
Lord of Fire and Lighting here we go!

At this point after dabbling with The Claw, The Spectre, some important Demon Lord, and Egyptian and Greek Gods, shit like Task Force X, The Justice League and such are just below our League.

>>5521527
Remember how Wonder Girl dismissed the possibility of Gunsmoke having backing from Olympus?
Look at her, look at her and LAUGH

>>5521958
>Remember how Wonder Girl dismissed the possibility of Gunsmoke having backing from Olympus?
>Look at her, look at her and LAUGH

How mad would be her if we act all Awkward but Gentle Stepdad with her?

>"Hi there, little grasshopper. Can we have a chaty-chaty? Hestia was worried about you fighting all around- We don't judge you for that, and we will always support you, but how about you get some rest? Sleep is important to grow strong and smart, after all"
>"So why don't we play, I even get one of these new toys for you!"
> Give her a cowgirl Barbie doll, with her lasso tied around it.

Make sure you have something with fire nearby to heal yourself when she explodes in anger, like a conveniently placed bonfire behind us.

>I missed the Sessions
Damn! Also, seems like we've crit with another divine being. Sean takes the cake for luckiest man alive. Did you guys know that Hestia empowers the Lasso of Truth?

Something to think about, especially since we'll probably meet Wonder Woman.

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Religion isn't free. The gods do not deserve worship for they are static and flawed things. Gods are for competing with, making pacts with, and for fucking with. People don't need gods, gods need people. Prayers are not for free and faith is for yourself. Praise capitalism.

>>5522283
All I'm saying is we might find Aurelian up here since he was deified and the guy was so fucking based even the gods would have to admit he was totally badass. Maybe he's chilling with Helios.

>>5522283
You are right /1/, and so I ask you to remember how is Sean's relationship with gods. Set acts more like the class clown you befriended in highschool and now he's a millionaire adrenaline junkie than our patron deity.

Which leads me to think that we could include Hestia in our vacation if we play our cards right. From what I know, she doesn't have a stick up her ass like Hera, and probably doesn't enjoy the endless talks on Olympus that much.

We really were very lucky that was her, can you imagine if it had been Aphrodite? Or Artemis?

One would get the Bane treatment and the other have no affect on us because we are clearly a veteran gay wizard virgin larping as a historian (aka a Jojo Bizarre Adventure character). >>5522309

>>5522322
>the Bane treatment
Don't know what you mean. You talk about Artemis?

We lift her up, break her over our knee, then toss her aside like trash. >>5522326

I think this can be very beneficial for our mental health.

Also, after GhostDad leaves to visit St. Peter's, we'll need someone we can trust with the little "The devil wants to take me to hell" thing while we deal with the more mundane stuff.

Set is a great friend, but he doesn't have much power, and Thoth is a hermit.

Howdy, anons.

Unfortunately, I've got to push back our session tonight to Wednesday at 5:00 PM EST.

It's taking me a bit longer than I had hoped to get the update in a state I'm happy with, and I'd prefer to spend another day or polishing it up.

Your patience is greatly appreciated.

>>5525084
Hi Axie

>>5525084
Sup Axis, do your thing m8

>>5522267
>Sean gets lasso'd
"This statement is false."
>lasso explodes

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>>5527364
>Wonder Woman join the fight too
>"Tell me the truth!"
>Sean pic relate

>>5527364
>>5527377
>Sean is once again lassoed
"I'm Batman."
>After he escapes, Batman incapacitates himself as a security risk, and later attempts to interrogate himself to no avail

>>5527422
I can't fucking wait to see what the event that blows all our covers, like, if we are in front of the library talking up Barbra for whatever reason and we try to protect her from something going wrong.

>>5527447
Personally I can't wait for Sean vs. Young Justice, purely so we can school Superboy. It's pretty much guaranteed he'll try to 1v1 us without the rest of his team to back him up
The fact that Superboy will never be allowed a round two in most circumstances will be icing on the cake.

>>5527447
If someone tries to fuck around with Jack's ritual they're going to find out in the worst possible way.

>>5527469
I just wanna see a fight between Sean and Hawkman... And I just hope there's a moment like

>Sean and Hawkman fight scene
>They trash everything in the place
>Sean get angry and invoke the glove
>Hawkman looks in disbelief and ask "Where the fuck you got that?"
>Sean behind the apokalipse armor mask says "Who?"
>Hawkman: "The gauntlet!!"
>Sean: "Cares" and give Hawkman the biggest haymaker in this incarnation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IUS4xWr6ik

A thought enters your mind.

If Hestia holds dominion over the hearth and its flames, perhaps an application of your own Fire magic would hold the key to unlocking the box?

It’d certainly be a far more elegant solution than just trying to crack it open with raw force or explosives.

You reach deep inside, grabbing hold of a veritable maelstrom of bitter rage.

With practiced ease, you begin to gently crack open the floodgates holding your emotions back, channelling them into primal might of a raging inferno.

While still holding the bronze box, you subject it to a punishing barrage of fire bolts, attempting to exact your will over whatever ancient protection dares deny you of your spoils.

Just as you begin to lose patience, something miraculous happens.

The flames generated by your Fire Bolts gently lap at the enigmatic puzzle-box and inexplicably merge with the latent energies defending it from intrusion, fusing into something entirely new.

You watch, utterly transfixed by the complex interplay of this unknown magic and your own, and how it seems to strip decades of wear away from the box with each second that passes. The sensation is akin to witnessing the birth of a new color, and you commit every second of it to memory.

The long-faded etchings that so stymied you earlier are returned to full prominence, and you eagerly take the opportunity to glean further insight.

Spellbound, you begin inspecting the protective messages expertly etched into the ancient copper of the box.

Your Greek is good enough to interpret the majority of it with a little elbow grease, but you defer to Pandion’s expertise when he offers the occasional alternative translation.

The first, proudly emblazoned on the front, is accompanied with a small pictograph of a young man kneeling before some kind of shrine. A translation of the text reads as follows:

The ancestral oath of the ephebes.

I shall not disgrace the sacred weapons, nor shall I desert the man beside me, wherever I stand in the line.

I shall defend the sacred and the divinely sanctioned.

I shall not leave the fatherland diminished, but greater and better, as far as I am able.

I shall obey those in authority at any time mindfully and the laws established and those established in future mindfully. If anyone seeks to destroy them, I shall not permit him as far as I am able.

I will honour the ancestral sacred things.

I swear this oath before the gods Aglauros, Hestia, Enyo, Enyalios, Ares, Athena Areia,, Zeus, Thallo, Auxo, Hegemone, Herakles, and the boundaries of my fatherland

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>>5527567

On the other side of the box is a similar pledge next to a pictograph of an army marching to war. A rough-and-tumble translation reads as follows:

The oath of the Athenian warrior.

I shall fight while I live, and I shall not reckon living of more account than being free.

I shall not desert the taxiarch nor the enomotarch, whether living or dead, and I shall not retreat unless the commanders lead the way.

I shall do whatever the generals order, and shall bury the dead of those who were allies on the spot, and shall leave no-one unburied.

Having been victorious fighting the barbarians, I shall tithe the city of the Thebans, and I shall not destroy Athens or Sparta or Plataia or any of the other cities that were allied.

I shall not overlook those who are oppressed by hunger, nor shall I bar them from running water, whether they are friends or enemies.

If I adhere to what has been written in the oath may my city be free from disease, if not, diseased.

May my city be unsacked, but if not, may it be sacked.

May my land be fruitful, but if not, may it be barren.

May the women bear children like their parents, but if not, monsters.

May the animals bear young like the animals, but if not, monsters.

They swore these oaths, covered the sacrificial victims with their shields, and at the sound of the trumpet they made a curse: if they transgressed anything that they had sworn and did not adhere to what was written in the oath, those who had sworn would be accursed.

Some heavy stuff.

If you know anything about the Greek mythos, they weren’t the biggest fan of oathbreakers and cowards; a sentiment that you can heartily endorse.

The moment you finish reading these ancient words of duty, the top of the box abruptly loosens, as if approvingly granting you entry.

You carefully remove the cover and peer inside, on guard for any potential trickery.

The inside of the box is initially more underwhelming than you had anticipated. Regardless, you handle the examination with a level of grace and care that would make a veteran archaeologist proud of your technique.

The style is of simple, spartan decoration; but something about it sets you profoundly at ease, like you were going through your childhood possessions and discovered a long-lost favorite toy.

Instead of the fabulous riches or forbidden knowledge that you were secretly anticipating, the contents are but a simple dagger and some kind of wax tablet.

The dagger (which Pandion helpfully identifies as a ‘parazonium’) draws your attention first. Despite the advanced age of its container, it lacks a single speck of rust or grime anywhere along its blade.

If you didn’t know better, you would swear that it had just been freshly polished and sharpened with extreme care.

>>5527570

A cursory glance with Magesight confirms that it is absolutely stuffed to the gills with magic.

The wax tablet is home to an ancient message scrawled in an unsteady but experienced hand, likely some flavor of elder scribe. The handwriting is difficult to make out, but you muddle through it.

“Hail, chosen of Hestia!

If you are reading my final message, then you have been judged and found worthy of her eternal blessings.

Stay true to your path and always remember those for whom you fight.

For there is a patriotism in peace just as there is a heroism in war.

Merely place your hand upon the Blade of Flame to embrace your destiny.

And may the battles to come grant you peace.”

Upon reading the scribe’s message, you steel yourself to make a decision.

You will…

> Reach into the box and pick up the dagger. Fortune favors the bold.

> Seal the box back up for now. You’ll figure out what to do with it at a later time.

> Other?

>>5527571
> Reach into the box and pick up the dagger. Fortune favors the bold
Let's fucking GOOOOO!

>>5527571
>> Reach into the box and pick up the dagger. Fortune favors the bold.
gimme

>>5527571
>Reach in and place your elbow on the dagger, just to be a witty little shit.

>>5527571
>> Reach into the box and pick up the dagger. Fortune favors the bold.

>"Tomboy Goddness are the best, fuck the hoes!"
This is like a greek myt, if you dont make one god mad you aren't doing right.

>>5527575
>>5527582
>>5527584
>>5527593

I figured as much, writing.

>>5527571
Lets do this>>5527584
We are Shean, convenient is never allowed near our name.

>>5527571
> Reach into the box and pick up the dagger. Fortune favors the bold.
Is this gonna burn our hand like kratos blades of chaos?
Still worth

>>5527597
>Is this gonna burn our hand like kratos blades of chaos?
>Still worth

We gonna run out space in our arm with all the marks, pacts and magic shit we put there

>>5527601
>Sean in the future, revealing his massive collection of powerfwul artifacts strapped to his arm:
>"Forefathers, one and all... BEAR WITNESS!"

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>>5527606
>"Demonshit again? Fuck..."
>"Now were I left the Seal of Solomon?"
>"No, that is the budda part, I remember that it was close to the celtic simbols."

>>5527601
There is still the other parts of the body as well anon. Don't worry there is still much more canvas for us to get more.

>>5527613
>We have to fight Satan with our dick because we dont have space in our arms or legs for the Holy Smite bleesing.
>"This hurt me more to me that you, motherfucker!"

>>5527595
QM we are already chosen by set how will this play out with Hestia as well, unlike the other anons I'm not favoring this as the box opened when we read the words out loud to it so should we accept the dagger we are now beholden to them and by proxy now serve Olympus as our masters along with now having to fallow every thing on the box at the bare minimum to keep whatever new power we would get unlike with set once he gave us his blessing our power is our own to wield not at the commands and dictates of another as set himself only ever asked us to bring chaos and that's it, never forcing a decision on us, though that may be from our silver tongue but I with the legendary pompous and egotistical nature of any Olympian god as history has given evidence of they may not take our silver tongue very well should we not want to do something they commanded us to do as they will with there again egotistical nature

though cant say no now as the anons where to power hunger to see the fed flags all over this
hopefully we only have to ever deal with Hestia as from my quick history search she seems "chile" compared to the other Olympians

>>5527619
>The Aphrodite's Blessing is just one of those womb tattoos Succubus have in erotic mangas

>>5527622
holy shit this prose, breathe anon. Look, we've had ties to both Set and Horus, fucking lifelong enemies, since the first thread. What the gods don't know won't hurt them.

>>5527595
nice

>>5527622

All these rules are more or less what we decide that Sean wanted to be, the noble soldier who care about his brothers. Minus the greek citys part everything is there.

>though cant say no now as the anons where to power hunger to see the fed flags all over this

That is why you have to speak and vote before the choice is set stone, that is your fault.

>>5527619
Would screaming "YAWEH GUIDE MY COCK!" count as blasphemy?
>>5527625
IMAGINE the sheer amount of SHIT Set would have to give Sean over that, holy shit

>>5527628
>>5527622
This is the Dragonborn situation all over again
>Sean dies
>cannot pass on because the various gods and supernatural beings with a claim on him cannot agree on who Sean's soul goes to
>TFW we'll have to follow Jack's footsteps and repeat his ritual to gain peace

>>5527622
I do not see anything wrong with the decision to accept the dagger.

Horus hasnt come down to smite us for fuckin around with set so I doubt the olympians will bother with us except maybe Ares but that might not be to bad for Sean.

>>5527628
Hasn't Horus tried to kill us like three times now?

>>5527628
anon we don't have the blessing of Horus and Pandion is the one who initiated and willing the gantlets bond, Horus has nothing to do with it and when we had that suicide squad mission to be body guards at black Adam party Horus's followers tried to get us along with a golem of sort's to single

>>5527625
>>The Aphrodite's Blessing is just one of those womb tattoos Succubus have in erotic mangas

Now that I think about it she is one of these gods that must got a isekai tier power up in the modern world, like Hermes.

>>5527645
lots of people try to kill us anon and only his followers not the man himself

>>5527638
just got home from work and showered before getting on the computer so couldn't have known
and not complaining about it as even with the red flags I would've voted to take it after talking to two gods about it

>>5527642
Horus has repeatedly sent an avenger after us because of our terrible greek(and also our inadvertant insults), yet not when we have done stuff with set.

I really do not think he cares about what we do with set, so long as he doesn't have to hear about it, so i think we should be good to go around and fuck around with other gods.

>>5527652
fair enough

>>5527650
>just got home from work and showered before getting on the computer so couldn't have known and not complaining about it as even with the red flags I would've voted to take it after talking to two gods about it.

That sound like your problem.
Also...

>and not complaining about it as even with the red flags I would've voted to take it
>I would've voted to take it

>>5527622
QM we are already chosen by set how will this play out with Hestia as well, unlike the other anons I'm not favoring this
>unlike the other anons I'm not favoring this

>>5527652
I'm only worried because we are dealing with Olympian's have a notoriously bad reputation that is well deserved for what history shows us what they have done at the smallest of slits to there name
hoping we only have to deal with Hestia as again she seems to be the only Chile one besides Hephaestus who is cool and would like to interact with him should the opportunity arise

>>5527659
Funnily enough Nemesis is also pretty chill and only acts when people behave like asshols, so we could probably have fun being with her.

>>5527658
ahh
when I said that I meant being forced to change or make a choice about who to work with should've made it more separated as that and the talk about the gods are different lines of dialog
my fault for not explaining myself on that part but thought I wrote enough

>>5527665

You’ve done too much damned work on this box to just let this opportunity slip through your fingers.

It’s not like this’ll be the first time you’ve fiddled around with arcane objects of great power; it’s practically one of your hobbies at this point.

And besides, just because there are a bunch of oaths stenciled on the side of the box doesn’t mean that you’re tacitly accepting any of them, right?

You’ll go with that.

Pandion watches silently, offering no opinion as you reach into the box and firmly grasp your new weapon. He’s made his opinion of the gods clear in the past, but clearly respects you enough to let you make your own choices.

When your bare skin makes contact with the hilt of the Blade, you’re immediately aware of the potent magic flowing through every square inch of the dagger.

Its blade comes alight with a patterning of runes and characters that flow too fast for you to make sense of, before the magic of the Blade finally realizes your presence.

That magic, trapped for centuries, yearns for a conduit; immediately flooding you with all the power you can stand plus some extra.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u8oAMhl8Vc

Its general aura is scarily similar to your own perception of Fire magic, but with a strange twist. While your own fire burns red-hot from hate and anger, this fire is borne of a quiet sense of dutiful humility and sacrifice.

And yet, it somehow carries a greater intensity than your own.

The molten core that keeps your furnace of rage is carefully coaxed to a slow simmer as you frantically jot down mental notes of every sensation. This experience could be invaluable fodder to fuel further mastery of the arcane arts and the nature of your emotional connection to it.

When the absorption is complete, you can tell that your Fire nature has been tangibly impacted by the experience.

Tamed, but not shackled.

Balanced, but not reduced.

It is not an unwelcome feeling, just not one that you’re overly accustomed to.

The best analogy you can make is that it has evolved from an unstoppable forest fire, into a controlled burn.

As it stands, the sensation quickly subsides as your body gradually comes to term with the bonding.

You give yourself a quick once-over, but it doesn’t look like there were any major physical changes. There might be some subtle byplay you’re missing, but you’re not really getting the vibe.

However, there is something curious that you’ve noticed. Whenever you hold the Blade of Flame, it fits comfortably in your hand; like it was forged for you and that you were born to carry it.

>>5527666

In fact, you share some kind of invisible connection; something that you share with only one other item.

On a hunch, you walk to a nearby tree and hide the Blade snugly within its hollow. You then turn on your heel and stride several paces away, before coming to a complete stop.

Now that your little experiment is ready, you close your eyes and attempt to summon it; just like you would with the Claw. Sure enough, you can feel a familiar weight settle into your hand seconds after crafting the mental command.

Well, that’ll certainly come in handy if you’re ever in the clink or need a holdout to cut your way free.

Especially if you’re handcuffed and stuck in a room with that asshole interrogator from Belle Reve again. It’s not something that can really be found during your average frisk.

Christ, this whole experience is starting to give you a mild headache.

Every time you feel that you have a better idea of how magic is structured and organized, something comes up that throws you for an unexplainable loop.

Perhaps trying to examine such things through an analytical lens is simply doomed to failure? Regardless, you can’t wait to see how this new knowledge can be folded into your existing theories.

> Skill Improved! Magical Theory: Knowledge is power: +45 to rolls when attempting to read magical texts, +40 when rolling to unlock new spells.

> Soulbound Weapon Acquired! Blade of Flame: Divine dagger that carries the blessings of Hestia. Bound eternally to its wielder and can be returned at will.

You’ll have to put the Blade through its paces at some point, but that’s an experiment for another day.

After all, how you can properly form assault plans and battle tactics if you aren’t 110% certain of every trick in your sleeve?

On the bright side, you can tell that the sudden influx of magic has definitely strengthened your ability to manipulate Fire Bolt.

How would you like to leverage this opportunity?

> Improve the strength of Fire Bolt, giving it the ability to burn through conventional armor and solid fortifications.

> Improve the precision of Fire Bolt, giving it an increased chance to strike its target. (+15)

> Improve the focus of Fire Bolt, giving it the ability to sluggishly weave around obstacles.

>>5527671
> Improve the strength of Fire Bolt, giving it the ability to burn through conventional armor and solid fortifications.

big damage

>>5527671
>> Improve the strength of Fire Bolt, giving it the ability to burn through conventional armor and solid fortifications.

>>5527671
> Improve the precision of Fire Bolt, giving it an increased chance to strike its target. (+15)

if you can't hit it, then you have already missed it

>>5527671
> Improve the strength of Fire Bolt, giving it the ability to burn through conventional armor and solid fortifications
Next Soviet piece of junk Sean runs into is going to get clapped by magic HEAT

>>5527671
> Improve the strength of Fire Bolt, giving it the ability to burn through conventional armor and solid fortifications.
CAST FIRE BALL, NOTHING BUT FIRE BALL, IF YOU STILL HAVE A PROBLEM USE MORE FIREBALL

>>5527671
> Improve the precision of Fire Bolt, giving it an increased chance to strike its target. (+15)

Fun fact: Besides a couple grammatical changes, both of those oath are translations from actual military oaths from ancient Athens.

Couldn't have asked for a better coincidence, eh?

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>>5527671
>> Improve the strength of Fire Bolt, giving it the ability to burn through conventional armor and solid fortifications.
Big Hot

>>5527639
>Would screaming "YAWEH GUIDE MY COCK!" count as blasphemy?

If it brings reinforcements in the form of angels to hell, is blasphemy a viable strategy?

>Bind together tablets of the Ten Commandments to create a giant hammer like picrel.
>ALL heaven and god himself obliterate layer after layer of hell trying to stop Sean from use it.

>>5527681
*wink*

>>5527671
>Improve the strength of Fire Bolt, giving it the ability to burn through conventional armor and solid fortifications.

>>5527671
> Improve the strength of Fire Bolt, giving it the ability to burn through conventional armor and solid fortifications.

>>5527681
that's pretty neat

>>5527683
blasphemy is always an option to bring a nuke on us if we call the gladiator gatekeeper open fast enough.

>>5527672
>>5527673
>>5527677
>>5527679
>>5527683
>>5527684
>>5527685

The strength bonus wins, writing.

I for one can't wait for Horus' goons to show up to throw down just for some hot spectral hoplite backup from Hestia to warp in and tell them to fuck off.

>>5527696

With the matter of your new abilities settled, you and Pandion continue your sojourn into the mountains.

As the afternoon progresses, the plummeting temperatures, thinning air, and stronger gusts of wind make it abundantly clear that you’ve reached the highlands proper. Shouldn’t be too far until you reach the nominal summit, guess it really was a wise decision to take the road less traveled.

The terrain grows steadily rockier as well, turning the experience from nature walk to something a little more strenuous. Not that you mind overmuch. At least you’re not lugging a rucksack and keeping your head on a swivel so that some goatherder with a grudge doesn’t blow you away with his Cold War issue hardware.

Plus, you’re enjoying the exercise and the fresh air. It’s always nice to experience a breeze that isn’t flavored with gunpowder, sulfur, ash, or any of the myriad smells you’ve had the joy of experiencing during your misadventures.

However, that cheer doesn’t stop you from swearing under your breath when you reach the next major obstacle in your path; a jagged cliff face with no obvious winding paths around.

Unfortunately, the only around this particular issue is up; and here you are without a climbing harness.

In the end, your solution is to…

> Summon the Claw and use it forcibly make your own handholds in the stone. Might risk a bit of ecological damage, but you can live with that.

> Call it quits and turn back. You like a good trek as much as the next guy, but scaling a cliff without a harness isn’t worth the risk.

> Carefully examine the cliff face for the most efficient route. The shorter and easier the path, the better your odds.

> Rely on your natural agility. This can’t be too different from climbing a building.

> Cast a spell. (Designate the desired spell.)

> Other?

>>5527709
> Carefully examine the cliff face for the most efficient route. The shorter and easier the path, the better your odds.

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>>5527709

(Forgot my pic)

>>5527709
> Rely on your natural agility. This can’t be too different from climbing a building

>>5527709
>> Cast a spell. (Designate the desired spell.)
Can't we use that shadow wall spell thing to just make some stairs?

>>5527709
>> Cast a spell. (Abyssal Shield)

>>5527709
>> Carefully examine the cliff face for the most efficient route. The shorter and easier the path, the better your odds.

>>5527709
>Cast Spell (Abyssal Shield)
We can use this to get a decent ways up, no?

>>5527709
>Cast Abyssal Shield

The time honored tradition of using this as anything but a shield

>>5527709
>Carefully examine the cliff face for the most efficient route. The shorter and easier the path, the better your odds.
>> Cast a spell. (Abyssal Shield)

>>5527719
>>5527720
>>5527724
>>5527728
>>5527729

Well spotted, anons.

Go ahead and roll me some 1d100

DC: 70

Rolled 2 (1d100)

>>5527734

Rolled 83 (1d100)

>>5527734

Rolled 86 (1d100)

>>5527734

>>5527737
whew, my luck just rubberbanded

Rolled 19, 93 + 65 = 177 (2d100 + 65)

>>5527737
>>5527738
>>5527739

That's a success.

Go ahead and give me some 1d100+40.

> DC to be determined.

Rolled 60 + 40 (1d100 + 40)

>>5527741

Rolled 29 + 40 (1d100 + 40)

>>5527741
oh for fuck sake

Rolled 33 + 40 (1d100 + 40)

>>5527741
Fuck you, wind.

>>5527740
Is a 2. At least it is a guarantee that you will get everything but 1 in your next roll

>>5527742
>>5527744
>>5527745

That's a failure, writing.

Rolled 13 + 40 (1d100 + 40)

Testing luck. Thats no wind this is to more god bullshit. >>5527741

Rolled 2 (1d100)

>>5527749

Rolled 47 (1d100)

>>5527746
>>5527767
>>5527749
Oh the shame. You played yourself.

Rolled 21 (1d100)

>>5527770
>Still sub50

Rolled 11 (1d100)

>>5527774

You as well.

Rolled 97 (1d100)

Watch and learn nerds

Rolled 40, 21, 15, 35, 80, 61, 42, 84, 92, 64 = 534 (10d100)

>>5527775

Wow. I guess we are burning all the bad rolls out.

Rolled 31 (1d100)

>>5527775
We are doomed

Rolled 30 (1d100)

>>5527778
It keeps happening.

>>5527777
5 and 5, that's seems fair

Also nice trip, damn

Rolled 34 (1d100)

>>5527776
You are our only hope.

ALL HAIL xdAUIfRq!

Rolled 54 (1d100)

>>5527780
This is getting spooky now. What is this now a roll under quest?

Rolled 79 (1d100)

I will roll until I get one not shit roll.

Rolled 28 (1d100)

>>5527784
Nice

>Axie come back
>What the fuck

File: The Summit.jpg (31 KB, 400x298)

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>>5527747

Instead of trying to scale the mountain normally, you have an ingenious idea.

By carefully positioning and arranging a series of Abyssal Shields, you’re able to craft a makeshift staircase that leads to the apex of the cliff.

No muss, no fuss, no death-defying feats of athletics required.

Just a bit of creativity and a casual disregard for the laws of nature.

After traversing the cliff, you and Pandion make quick time up the mountain and eventually reach the snow-capped plateau that signals the summit of Mount Olympus.

It almost feels anticlimactic in a way. You were expecting to feel some grand rush of accomplishment, but all you feel is the cold wind biting into your face and an abstract appreciation for the view.

Still, sometimes it’s more about the journey than the destination. You got to skirmish with demigods, discover an ancient artifact, and enjoy the beauty of nature.

Overall, this has been a great time. You just wish that..

>>5527792

Your idyllic musings are abruptly interrupted when you catch a flash of movement on the periphery of your vision, managing a half-step towards Pandion before he drives his fist deeply into your gut.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTDQmbkKGZ0

The blow takes you totally by surprise, and you go ass over teakettle when he shoves you away.

> “What the fuck do you think you’re doing!?” You yell, the fury in your voice echoing out over the picturesque mountain range.

“Have you forgotten that you owe me a Pankration spar? Now seems as good a time as any to collect. Now, get up.”

> “A little warning would’ve been nice!” You spit, steadily regaining your breath.

“Pankration is the domain of warriors and kings, of ancient battle and spilled blood. If you are not prepared for any situation, then you are preparing for defeat. Now. Get. Up.”

Pandion smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.

The realization hits home that he’s genuinely serious about this.

> “You really want to do this now!?”

“Of course! What better arena can there be than the home of the Gods themselves!?” He sounds genuinely excited about the prospect of putting on a show.

You climb back to your feet, a little sore, but ready to exact some payback.

It’s a tad hypocritical, but you’ve never taken cheap shots well. Rankles your pride.

> “Any other rules I should know of?”

“Only one. Melee combat only, else the spar is pointless. Unless of course, you feel that you would be better served by relying on your borrowed strength?”

You know that he’s just trying to rile you up, but it irritates the fuck out of you regardless.

> “Fine. I’m gonna kick your goddamn teeth in, and then you can apologize once you regain consciousness.”

“Perhaps. I’m hearing plenty of whining, but very little fighting.”

Alright, that does it. He wants a no-holds barred Pankration match?

You’ll put his ass in a sling.

To that end, you…

> Go on the offensive and lock him into a clinch. The classic opener for a Pankration match.

> Keep him at arms length and start throwing jabs. If you can outpace his ability to block, he’ll be black and blue in no time.

> Kick some dust in his eyes and go for a haymaker. If he wants to play dirty, you’ll play dirtier.

> Come up with something nasty, a statement that’s sure to make him lose his cool. You know enough about his life to craft a real zinger (Include insult / subject)

> Bring out the Claw. Pandion probably won’t like that you’re bending the odds in your favor, but he’s the one who opened with a cheap shot.

> Cast a spell. (Designate the desired spell.)

> Other?

>>5527795
>> Go on the offensive and lock him into a clinch. The classic opener for a Pankration match.

>>5527795
> Kick some dust in his eyes and go for a haymaker. If he wants to play dirty, you’ll play dirtier
Pocket sand!