Topic: Our Salvation: It Is Written (Read 262435 times)

Harry Baldman · « **Reply #1095 on:** May 31, 2016, 10:51:17 am »

Quote from: penguinofhonor on May 30, 2016, 05:59:29 am

So the masons were less cooperative than I expected. Maybe there are some other potential volunteers around here. I ask anyone I see standing around outside if they'd be interested potentially leaving the castle via carpentry.

There's a young woman with a haunted expression running away from one of the castle towers. You stop her for a moment by pretending to be concerned for her health, hoping to segue into telling her all about this miraculous escape route you've found.

[The Last Escape: 4]

She rambles on about some kind of voice and compelling thoughts of suicide and possibly a demon walking amid the stoats. You dare say she is an excellent candidate. Would she like to escape, you ask. She purses her lips. Escape how? Why, the carpenter's got tunnels everywhere, didn't she know? She sort of knew, apparently. Is there one that leads out? Yes, you say! And all she needs to do is come with you to meet the carpenter's lovely assistant so that you can get all that sorted.

[Concern For Your Fellow Man: 6]

She goes still for a moment. Gears are turning. Thoughts are weighed. Very important decisions are made.

... no, she says. Not yet. She really needs to help Mr. Wilde first. He fell off the wall. She... thinks he's still alive. And out there. With that demon thing. Can you help?

Quote from: TopHat on May 30, 2016, 12:51:50 pm

"That depends on what you mean by 'here'. If you're referring to this dreamscape, it was revealed by a Word, although the mechanism remains unknown to me. Otherwise, the prevailing view is that I was created, by minders apparently, though I still have some doubts about that theory. But what about yourself - what are you doing here?"
Might as well turn back around and look at this thing, whilst trying to remain as calm as possible.

One was called, actually, and offered nearly fourteen tons of intriguing material. The request made was for one to cleanse the destiny of Benzerwald under the rule of the Speakers. A very productive arrangement. You feel many eyes upon you all at once as a pause sets in.

[Suspicious Origins: 1]

Hm. You seem vaguely affiliated with Benzerwald's destiny, one can't help but sense. Indecisively and remotely so. Much like oneself you command the power of Words. And your material seems vaguely familiar somehow. One hopes you will not mind being stored for a moment while one decides what to do with you.

[Encystment: 4 vs. 3]

The gray begins to close around you, the tear you opened spreading to engulf your sight entirely. Numbness starts to overtake your body.

Quote from: AoshimaMichio on May 30, 2016, 03:15:35 pm

Hmm, see if I can mind myself look alike Knight of One in this very avarage mind. Or whoever was that very authoratively guy I had a nice long chat with.

"I'm the one asking questions here, bro. Just focus on answering. So let's slow down and try again. What happened in Anglefork Town after your arrival? What was done to the humans who lived here?"

Encourage obedience.

[Freedom From Shapes: 3]

It takes a little more focus and clarity of mind than you currently possess to make you a spitting image, but you do get shorter limbs and a menacingly mismatched look to your clothing, which seems to fail to set the poor stoat's mind at any form of ease. You're starting to look like a soldier. A shapeshifting soldier. This is about as troubling a development as the common mind can easily imagine.

[Forceful Questioning: 5]

But you do get an important nugget of information - his arrival, to be exact, which generates massive confusion. His arrival? What? He was born here! Twenty six years ago, for the record. He's supposed to be here. Has been for all his life. Before he can elaborate more, you interrupt him with the next question - where've the humans gone? He glances about. More images of windows manifest in the half-formed wasteland of imagination. They're inside, he says. There's a curfew in place. That's, uh, what the notice board said, right? 'No humans allowed out of doors without supervision until the siege is over, to be enforced under pain of death'.

Feeling the darkness approach uncomfortably, you offer the stoat a reassuring smile of a great many teeth. That is correct! The stoat looks mildly relieved. Is this... some kind of citizen involvement test? You imply so, eliciting a slight amount of relief before he starts to get nervous once again, a shadow of another, slightly slack-jawed stoat girl (a distinction you understand intuitively rather than from any sort of visual cue, as these stoatmen seem to possess no characteristics to assist in making the distinction) manifesting behind him.

Quote from: Toaster on May 30, 2016, 10:32:03 pm

((Sorry; busy weekend, what with moving))

"Ah, uh, perhaps we should check that out? It's what us guards do, ha ha!"

Go check it out.

The guardwoman looks at you, interrupted from what is seemingly a very interesting report about what's going on atop the walls. She thinks a moment, staring at you levelly. How about, and hear her out on this, how about you go check it out? Return right after and report what you've seen. No better way to initiate yourself into a guardsman's ways, she says genially.

Quote from: Xantalos on May 30, 2016, 11:16:58 pm

"...hmm. Gods of this shrine! Or singular god perhaps. This moment seems to be a rare instance of perfection in this imperfect world. Would you grant me a sliver of it, that I may pass on to someone else? Just a moment is all I require."

Is this how you ask gods for things? Imma do it anyway.

The Worm-knight looks vaguely offended as you wildly misunderstand the purpose of this shrine, and is about to offer objection before both your eyes are drawn to something. The altar, in fact. You peer at it for a moment, as does she, unable to quite put your finger on what's happened to it. It seems much the same as before, disorderly and defiled, and yet clearly divorced from its native state in some non-obvious fashion, its silhouette casting an incongruous sense of depth upon your mind as you keep looking at it.

[The Language of Ritual: 3]

You think it's safe to assume that it hungers. Empty and profane altars always do. You inconspicuously glance at the Worm-knight. She attempts to inconspicuously glance at you. Both of you thus notice each other likely having a similar thought.

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AoshimaMichio · « **Reply #1096 on:** May 31, 2016, 11:28:38 am »

Point behind him and keep shaping myself when he looks away. Sneakily pry additional information from his subconscious.

"Are you worried about her? Don't. This test is administrated individually and randomly. Consequences of failure are applied on tested person only. Now, to the next question my good man! Siege is ending within a day or two. What will happen to the people of this town after that happens?"

Xantalos · « **Reply #1097 on:** May 31, 2016, 01:49:12 pm »

"Hmm. Say Wormy, you feel like being sacrificed to your gods, or should we find some random other shmuck and both of us get divine favour? 'Cause I don't wanna fight you for who gets sacrificed or whatever, that's just too much effort."

Glance around quickly. Anyone in sight other than Wormy and I?

penguinofhonor · « **Reply #1098 on:** May 31, 2016, 02:36:49 pm »

Wait, what? That doesn't sound like my horrible monster. Let's check this out.

"Sure," I say to the girl, "just let me see what's going on first." I sneak up to the wall and peek over it.

TopHat · « **Reply #1099 on:** May 31, 2016, 03:51:04 pm »

"I would mind, thank you very much - though it's probably a bit late for that."

Try to escape - mentally, physically, whatever seems to work.

Toaster · « **Reply #1100 on:** May 31, 2016, 05:39:34 pm »

Thomas nodded vigorously, completely missing the implications here. "Yes! Seeking information! This is the kind of contract work I meant in the first place!"

Go forth and inquire. Seek information.

Harry Baldman · « **Reply #1101 on:** June 02, 2016, 12:05:48 pm »

Quote from: AoshimaMichio on May 31, 2016, 11:28:38 am

Point behind him and keep shaping myself when he looks away. Sneakily pry additional information from his subconscious.

"Are you worried about her? Don't. This test is administrated individually and randomly. Consequences of failure are applied on tested person only. Now, to the next question my good man! Siege is ending within a day or two. What will happen to the people of this town after that happens?"

He's not worried! Not worried at all! Nope. Not worried in any way, shape or form. Speaking of not being worried, could he go now?

No, you say. A buzzing noise rises around you, little arcs of electricity flying off your angular shape. There are still other questions. The siege, for instance. It's about to end. What happens then?

[Military Secrets: 2]

The stoatman looks confused in just about every way imaginable by this. The siege is ending? And... wait, what? The people of this town? Er. He supposes they'd be able to go outside then. And maybe participate in the mayoral election? Do they get votes? The administrator wasn't very clear on that.

Quote from: Xantalos on May 31, 2016, 01:49:12 pm

"Hmm. Say Wormy, you feel like being sacrificed to your gods, or should we find some random other shmuck and both of us get divine favour? 'Cause I don't wanna fight you for who gets sacrificed or whatever, that's just too much effort."

Glance around quickly. Anyone in sight other than Wormy and I?

[Temptation of the New God: 3]

No. No sacrifices, she says after a vaguely tempted glance in the direction of the altar. At least not unwilli- damn it, no sacrifices, she says. This is not a place of gods. This is a place of history, remembrance. And that, she sweeps her hand toward the altar, pointedly refusing to look at it, that is oblivion.

Your thought circles the altar as you consider the otherwise empty shrine, gravitating toward it in a stable orbit. It feels odd, so you look in its direction for a few moments.

Some minutes later you are slapped on the head by the knight's gauntlet, sending your thought leaping back into close proximity around your body. Hey, what the fuck, Wormy?

Don't look at it, she says. It is plainly some kind of sinister vortex. The shrine will need to be sealed.

Quote from: penguinofhonor on May 31, 2016, 02:36:49 pm

Wait, what? That doesn't sound like my horrible monster. Let's check this out.

"Sure," I say to the girl, "just let me see what's going on first." I sneak up to the wall and peek over it.

She nods and follows from a distance as you climb up a tower and get to the battlements, where you are briefly asked by a typically clueless Mr. Minstep about what's going on. Unsure about what to tell him, you elect to look through a crenel to see what's going on.

[Sneaky Business: 5 vs. 3]

Huh. Well, Mr. Wilde seems to be on his feet. And standing next to him is a gray, short-limbed silhouette of a stoatman, extremely clearly outlined to the point where it makes your eyes hurt a little to look at it for longer than a moment. Your horrible monster, meanwhile, is nowhere to be seen.

Quote from: TopHat on May 31, 2016, 03:51:04 pm

"I would mind, thank you very much - though it's probably a bit late for that."

Try to escape - mentally, physically, whatever seems to work.

[Polite Objection: 6]

The gray sea retreats, the dreamscape melting away quite rapidly as the figure steps away, seemingly having been right next to you before your escape attempt. It stands there for a moment, indistinct gray body impossibly crisply silhouetted before the field stretching behind it.

One must apologize. Strange flesh always brings out one's forward tendencies. Especially when there are productive things to be done instead. Perhaps you'd like to accompany one on one's way to the castle? You simply must, one thinks. You could tell one all about your unusual structure while permitting one to tend to one's obligations that way.

Quote from: Toaster on May 31, 2016, 05:39:34 pm

Thomas nodded vigorously, completely missing the implications here. "Yes! Seeking information! This is the kind of contract work I meant in the first place!"

Go forth and inquire. Seek information.

Ms. Minett seems to be going the same way, so you trail her and ask her if she knows what's going on here with the wall business. She does not quite appear to know, having come up to take a look herself, which she does shortly after you arrive.

She continues looking on for a few moments more, looking either intrigued or disturbed. You stand there for a moment, the crenel right next to hers tempting with its likely fine view of the happenings beyond the wall.

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Xantalos · « **Reply #1102 on:** June 02, 2016, 01:50:27 pm »

"Hmm. What if we sacrifice it to itself? At least two gods where I'm from did that and it turned out rather well for them."

Go pick up one of the Doomstones and carry it over to the shrine. Maybe mixing the magical mojo will do something?

AoshimaMichio · « **Reply #1103 on:** June 02, 2016, 02:18:35 pm »

"Excellent answer! It is clear as a day why you are here and not in army! Have a nice day."

One shouldn't dive too long. Let's surface back into my mind, by which I mean I get out and the stoat stays in his own dull mindscape.
Should I succesfully do so let Lee know what I learned from his mind: "This guy is exceptionally dull."

TopHat · « **Reply #1104 on:** June 02, 2016, 04:21:45 pm »

"Apology accepted, though I am afraid I actually know very little about my... structure, other than that which I've been told and the strange fact that I only really seem to bleed if I think about it. Make of that what you will.
.
Though could you clarify something for me? Namely, what you mean by 'cleansing Benzerwald's destiny'. "

Walk with the thing, relate what the minder showed me earlier, ask a question of my own.

Toaster · « **Reply #1105 on:** June 03, 2016, 12:56:55 am »

"Uhhh... right then."

Take a peek.

penguinofhonor · « **Reply #1106 on:** June 03, 2016, 01:53:06 am »

So the stoats have magic too. Hm.

I sneak back down to the girl and tell her that Mr. Wilde seems to be standing next to the demon unharmed, so he's probably not in danger. If she seems satisfied with that, I bring up carpentry again.

AoshimaMichio · « **Reply #1107 on:** June 03, 2016, 02:02:51 am »

Quote from: penguinofhonor on June 03, 2016, 01:53:06 am

...standing next to the demon...

((Somehow I feel that's not very reassuring to hear.))

Harry Baldman · « **Reply #1108 on:** June 03, 2016, 03:32:59 am »

Quote from: Xantalos on June 02, 2016, 01:50:27 pm

"Hmm. What if we sacrifice it to itself? At least two gods where I'm from did that and it turned out rather well for them."

Go pick up one of the Doomstones and carry it over to the shrine. Maybe mixing the magical mojo will do something?

You pop out to grab one of the stones of the nearby circle and return right back, not terribly interested in whatever objections the Worm-knight inevitably offers.

[Architectural Considerations: 6]

Fortunately, the shrine doorway is perfectly amenable to being widened, even if the structure does start to lean a little unfavorably in the process. You take the menhir over to the altar and place it there, anticipating a great and powerful mixing of eldritch power.

[Forbidden Insights: 6]

You poke the stone a little after things steadfastly refuse to happen. This produces no effect. You invoke some choice guttural syllables you'd imagine dread powers would enjoy. Then you call on the distant powers from beyond to bless you in return for this excellent piece of ritual paraphernalia you nicked from next door. You do a whole lot of things, in fact, stopping short of actual sacrifice, before it occurs to you that maybe...

... huh, maybe. Maybe. You kind of forget where you were going with that, truth be told. Or why you thought any god would be interested in a fucking rock of all things. That last bit seems conspicuously present at the forefront of your mind even as the rest of your evil ministrations to make this work start to fade as if in a dream. You suspect the dread powers may be trying to send you a message.

Quote from: AoshimaMichio on June 02, 2016, 02:18:35 pm

"Excellent answer! It is clear as a day why you are here and not in army! Have a nice day."

One shouldn't dive too long. Let's surface back into my mind, by which I mean I get out and the stoat stays in his own dull mindscape.
Should I succesfully do so let Lee know what I learned from his mind: "This guy is exceptionally dull."

You dive out!

Well, you try to dive out. Nothing really seems to happen when you do, aside from the stoatman regarding you awkwardly. Curious wide eyes bud in the sky, staring at you, quietly hoping you'd leave like you said you would.

You get the sneaking sensation that something's gone wrong here.

Quote from: TopHat on June 02, 2016, 04:21:45 pm

"Apology accepted, though I am afraid I actually know very little about my... structure, other than that which I've been told and the strange fact that I only really seem to bleed if I think about it. Make of that what you will.
.
Though could you clarify something for me? Namely, what you mean by 'cleansing Benzerwald's destiny'. "

Walk with the thing, relate what the minder showed me earlier, ask a question of my own.

Indeed, one has to say. You appear to be constructed of manipulated flesh forced into a shape and function determined by, well, your own self, a strangely arbitrary sapient informational construct. One can't help but be intrigued by this arrangement as a student of earthly material.

That's really quite interesting, you say, but what's this business about cleansing destiny and whatnot? One is compelled to shrug in response - to cleanse the destiny of Benzerwald, all opposition must presumably be cleared. One's reputation as a reliable contractor hinges upon it, in fact. One presumes the simplest way to do this would be to eviscerate and then assimilate the populace of this castle, so as to make sure that no opposition slips out. One imagines the Speakers would be rather put out if it did, and be more hesitant in offering material in the future.

[Navigating A Surface: 1]

It looks up at the wall for a moment. Hm. There's more of you? Strange.

In any case, it would presumably be quite impressive if one were to scale it, but perhaps an easier method of access would be the gate. It starts to pace around the castle in search of such a thing, and you follow politely. The great gate seems to be relatively nearby, fortunately, just beyond the ancient minder tower. One can't help but be very pleased at discovering this.

Quote from: Toaster on June 03, 2016, 12:56:55 am

"Uhhh... right then."

Take a peek.

[A Harmless Peek: 5 vs. 5]

You look out from a crenel and almost immediately meet the gaze of a gray, extraordinarily clearly outlined silhouette of a stoatman. How you manage to do this despite it having no eyes that you can see is something you can't readily explain. It stares at you for a moment, then silently turns to the adjacent Mr. Wilde. They begin to proceed along the side of the wall toward the gate.

Perhaps not as much information as you would like, of course, but you suppose that worked out well enough, all things considered.

Quote from: penguinofhonor on June 03, 2016, 01:53:06 am

So the stoats have magic too. Hm.

I sneak back down to the girl and tell her that Mr. Wilde seems to be standing next to the demon unharmed, so he's probably not in danger. If she seems satisfied with that, I bring up carpentry again.

[Good News, Folks: 5]

She would disagree with your assessment. However, she also seems less than convinced about her ability to do anything to help, as she has certain doubts about plummeting off the wall and surviving like Mr. Wilde apparently has. Much less battle a demon over the sanctity of his soul, as decent a thing as that would be to attempt.

Does that mean she'll consider your offer, you ask. What offer, she replies. The escape route, you clarify. In the carpenter's workshop. Oh, she says. Is there an escape route, though? An actual escape route? Not just a hole you drop people into, mind. You get the sense that there is perhaps a reason why Claire had trouble getting anyone to take her up on that offer of hers.

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Xantalos · « **Reply #1109 on:** June 03, 2016, 03:49:33 am »

"Hmm. Well I thought maybe you'd be interested in getting rid of your competition or whatever. Far be it from me to try to serve your presumable self-interest, right?
...
Say, would you be interested in a rat sacrifice? I still have an alive one from way back when, and I could go get a random person, but this'd be quicker."

Jack quickly turns to his more devoted knight companion before she gets upset again.

"Worm-Knight, I know you said no sacrifices, but you know us demon people or whatever we are are attuned to mystical bullshit, right? Well my mystical bullshit sense says that the entities calling themselves gods inhabiting this shrine want sacrifices. Maybe we'll get good shit in return!

Actually hold up."

He turns back to the shrine and puts his hands on his hips.

"You gods will compensate me in return for sacrifices, won't you? Without fair trade there's no use in the exercise, after all."

Make sure my new god-clients will actually give me rewards for sacrificing stuff to them. If they will, and are willing to accept it, sacrifice that one live rat I still have in my hammerspace inventory to them. If they want human meat, go outside the shrine and look for someone gullible-looking and nonformidable.

Of course if they're just demanding sacrifices without any reward expected, get petulant and crush their shrine with the 'fucking rock' they refused.

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Author Topic: Our Salvation: It Is Written (Read 262435 times)

Harry Baldman

Re: Our Salvation: A Screaming Death

AoshimaMichio

Re: Our Salvation: A Screaming Death

Xantalos

Re: Our Salvation: A Screaming Death

penguinofhonor

Re: Our Salvation: A Screaming Death

TopHat

Re: Our Salvation: A Screaming Death

Toaster

Re: Our Salvation: A Screaming Death

Harry Baldman

Re: Our Salvation: A Screaming Death

Xantalos

Re: Our Salvation: A Screaming Death

AoshimaMichio

Re: Our Salvation: A Screaming Death

TopHat

Re: Our Salvation: A Screaming Death

Toaster

Re: Our Salvation: A Screaming Death

penguinofhonor

Re: Our Salvation: A Screaming Death

AoshimaMichio

Re: Our Salvation: A Screaming Death

Harry Baldman

Re: Our Salvation: A Screaming Death

Xantalos

Re: Our Salvation: A Screaming Death