Slate 2011/11/19(Sat)10:13 No. 366511 ID: 61fa90
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Marisa is jolted from her sleep by the sensation of losing her footing on a ledge.
She is not quite certain how long she has slept, and she cannot determine what time of day it is now; rain comes down still, in barrages against the walls and the window, thick enough with the clouds to blot out the sky. All Marisa can tell is that it is day. She ponders her next action.

for now get up and do some morning stretches. then go get some breakfast.

also make sure your fur is all smooth and clean

Engage morning routine. Discover what time of day it is and anything important.

Rest head against the wall and silently appreciate the fact that the rain is out there not in here.

Slate 2011/11/22(Tue)20:23 No. 367440 ID: e52a63
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Marisa engages in her daily stretches and exercises. She also takes some time to groom herself; she does not care much for extensive personal maintenance, but she certainly does not wish to come off as a complete slob.
Routine complete, Marisa peers out the window so that she may glean some information as to the time of day or some other information of use. It is somewhat of a challenge to ascertain the goings-on outside, as the rain falls with such an intensity as to obstruct vision, but Marisa believes that she sees a few cloaked figures moving about down on the road, perhaps townspeople running their errands and whatnot.
Marisa rests her head against the window and closes her eyes, feeling the heavy raindrops strike the glass. She does not feel much in danger despite the storm raging outside, but it would be another situation entirely were she on the other side of the window.
Marisa realizes that she is actually quite hungry.

Slate 2011/11/22(Tue)20:23 No. 367441 ID: e52a63
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Marisa dresses in her older, more comfortable clothing. She steps out into the hall, leaving her bag and other outfit in her room; should she have need of them, she may simply come back for them. Doors line the walls, presumably leading to other rooms in which other guests may be in residence, and the stairs lead down to the main floor at the end of the hall. Marisa can hear someone in one of the rooms, down the hall near the stairwell. Her stomach whines at her for sustenance.

Go downstairs and get your food. Unless it sounds like something violent, people deserve their privacy. When you get your meal from the woman (or whoever's on duty), you can ask if there's been any recent news or when there might be any expectation for the storm to let up.

investigate the commotion coming from that other door

Just press your ear up against the door. Don't enter or anything. If it's nothing to be concerned about, then go on and get some bacon or something.

Stop and listen carefully, but do not put your ear up to to the door or turn to face the door. That way you can listen in without seemsing suspicious if someone comes out. Once done listening, go downstairs and get some food. And chat with the avian. She seems like an intelligent person, we can respect a fellow book-lover.

That door is emitting a tiny tornado you must investigate!

No, just go downstairs.

Slate 2011/11/29(Tue)18:39 No. 368765 ID: e52a63
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Personal privacy is but an obstacle to the truth, at least when it's not Marisa's privacy. She decides that she must know what this stranger is doing behind a closed door, but she shall be respectful enough to go about eavesdropping in a manner that would allow her enough plausible deniability.
Marisa surreptitiously paces her way to the staircase, but halts mid-step just in front of the door. She focuses on the noise emanating from within.
Marisa recognizes Adrienne's voice speaking, presumably to himself. Marisa cannot quite distinguish his words, but she believes she hears frustrated mention of "badly-drawn maps and charts" among a shuffling of paper.

Slate 2011/11/29(Tue)18:40 No. 368766 ID: e52a63
File 132262080372.png - (49.27KB , 700x500 , 3-5.png )

Her interest in the goings-on behind the door satisfied, Marisa descends the stairs and finds herself on the main floor of the tavern. The place is occupied, but sparsely. Groups of patrons shout and whoop together in the back as the patrons sitting at the bar brood over their drinks, save for one who is pulling the two around her out of their brooding with her unwelcome attempts at conversation.
Marisa notices Zephyr behind the bar, so she takes a seat and makes her presence known. Zephyr walks over to stand before Marisa.
"I was wondering when you'd come down; it's already a little past noon. I suppose you didn't have too much trouble settling in, then?"
Marisa demands sustenance, an order to which Zephyr readily obliges, disappearing into the back and returning with a plate of food. Marisa inquires as to when the storm is expected to clear and any other recent developments.
"I'm not sure when the rain will stop, but we've had showers like this before, and they always cleared up after about a week, so I suppose that might be the case with this one… Um, in other news, Adrienne told me that he wouldn't be talking to you today because he has a lot of work to do, so he told me to tell you that you would be working today with Garland-- Oh, and here she is."
The patron who was annoying her neighbors at the bar has come over to stand behind Marisa. She speaks.
"Hey, hey, Zephie! This Addie's new friend?"
She has a peculiar accent, and it turns out that she does not seem to speak as much as she heartily shouts. She heartily shouts at Marisa.
"Hey, I guess that makes us friends then, you and me! What's your name, amli?
Marisa is not pleased to discover a sangsaloj perching its filthy hand on her shoulder.

Just stare coldly at her.

What exactly is a sangsaloj? Anyway, did it seem that she actually knew the other two at the bar and perhaps they too might be working with you? Hard exactly to say what kind of 'work' Adrienne intended you to do with this new person, or even if he has the authority if he can tell you what you're supposed to do. He's not your boss, after all. He's more of a partner. Still, this person seems more aligned towards being actually USEFUL than Adrienne does, but... might need a bit of... putting in her place.

>>368766

Don't just stare. Say, "Nice bow."

And leave it at that. That way she's not sure if you're being sarcastic or just taciturn.

This is no time to be racist. Just because she has deformed skin that produces two colors of fur and proud conelike ears that make your dinky little persian ones look like mouse ears doesn't make her any less of a wonderful person.

Put your hand on her hip and just gaze into her eyes with no words.

>>368766
Tell her not to touch you. In as polite a manner as you can manage.

And tell her your name.

Slate 2011/12/02(Fri)16:36 No. 369391 ID: e52a63
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Sangsaloj is a particularly venomous slur meaning "blood of dirt," reserved for such affronts to the senses as the one invading Marisa's personal space at the moment. The thing's deformed ears and unnatural multiple hair colors physically revolt Marisa, but she is able to keep from retching in polite company.
The other two the sangsaloj was accosting did not seem to know her; in fact, they seemed more like patrons who would have wanted nothing more at that moment for the filthy creature to leave them to their drinks. Or so it seemed to Marisa.
Marisa does not immediately reply to the sangsaloj with words; instead, she simply glares into the thing's eyes. Its eyes are likely deformed in some manner as well, though Marisa cannot presently determine how. She has resolved to do so later.
Marisa says, "Nice bow," and keeps glaring. She supposes that if she must work with the sangsaloj, she should at least attempt to not openly antagonize it. The thing stares back as it considers the unenthusiastic compliment.
"Hey, thanks!" it heartily shouts with a disgusting grin on its face.
Marisa tells it her name. It replies,
"I like it! Hey, I'm Garland, but you go call me whatever."
Through a mildly strained jaw, Marisa says to stop touching her. It responds by hugging an arm around Marisa and shouting into her ear.
"Hey, hey, Mary, you and me, we're diving together, standing back-to-back taking out monsters, bad guys! No reason we need be cold!"
Marisa finds her new nickname and the sangsaloj's disrespect for personal space intensely irritating.

>>369391
JEEZ SO RACIST

But she's being overly handsy regardless. Give her a shove to know you mean business on the no-touching front. Also tell her to stop shouting in your goddamn ear jesus christ.

Tell her that while you might be a little cold she is in fact being rude by not respecting your personal boundaries and if you're going to be working together she needs to chill out, if she doesn't take the hint use your fancy new freezing spell to give her the cold shoulder.

You're pretty well trained when it comes to marital arts, correct? Perhaps it'd be best to show your position on the totem pole by taking her arm and twisting it behind her back, to make sure she understands just where you stand.

OH GOD IT'S HUGGING YOU

yes call her out for being rude, and hurting her ears.

>>369432
>put the sangsaloj in her place
This sounds pretty in character.

>>369391
Well it's obvious she's one of those despicably bubbly personalities.

Swat her hand away with a glare, and tell her to deal with it.
She'll get over it, she's far too 'nice' to hold a grudge.

Slate 2011/12/08(Thu)20:11 No. 370810 ID: e52a63
File 132340388954.png - (46.23KB , 700x500 , 3-7b.png )

While Marisa considers a number of polite ways to tell the sangsaloj that it is overstepping certain personal boundaries, she is much more partial to the one that involves physical force.
Marisa decides to invoke her years of practicing martial arts and grappling when sh should have been in class. She grabs the arm draped over her, rises from her seat, and the sangsaloj yelps as Marisa twists its arm painfully behind its back. Marisa notes a couple of daggers strapped to its back with its harness. A couple of the patrons sitting at the bar glance over, but they don't seem alarmed, unlike Zephyr, who covers her face in surprise and babbles,
"Um, uh…"
Marisa evenly whispers that it is rude to disrespect personal boundaries and to shout directly into others' ears.
There is a pause.
"Hey, hey, okay, you could have just said!" the sangsaloj shouts.

Slate 2011/12/08(Thu)20:11 No. 370811 ID: e52a63
File 132340390298.png - (53.86KB , 700x500 , 3-8.png )

Marisa releases its arm and returns to sit down at the bar and grumpily returns her meal.
It rubs its wrist and attempts to conceal the shakiness in its voice as it shouts, at a noticeably lower volume,
"H-hey, you got a grip!"
Marisa ignores it and keeps chewing.
Zephyr looks at Marisa the way a mother may look upon her naughty child before turning to the sangsaloj and asking with notable concern, "Um, Garland, are you okay?"
It dismisses Zephyr with a wave as it takes a seat next to Marisa. She notices that it is keeping a healthy amount of space between them it and her.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I just stepped a line, Mary let me know. Nothing big! Now the boundaries I know."
Marisa's eye twitches almost imperceptibly upon the sangsaloj's mention of her nickname, and she finds herself further irritated as the sangsaloj interrupts her meal with an attempt at further conversation.
"Now," it says, turning to Marisa, its voice already back at its original annoyingly loud volume, as though it has already forgotten about the arm twisting, "Mary, I tell you are not for talk too much, so I'll set it out for you: Addie found a something like an old stronghold built into the mountainside in the desert just outside Lenid Grande, found it a few weeks ago. You and me, Mary, we'll be heading down there and figuring what's inside. It's not that far, and we'll probably by nightfall be back. You have questions?"

*shake your head once*
(unless anyone thinks of any questions)

question in your head the sangsaloj's slutty attire, I mean just look at those pants! one sharp tug and they'd fall! shameful!

anyways remind her of your real name,

is it still raining out? if so ask if anything else is known about these ruins, or if they are dangerous.

if it isn't raining might as well head out immediately and ask questions on the road.

>>370853

This but secretly remain envious of wanton sluts.

I guess ask if she has rope, torches etc. If not go shopping.
Also start calling her Gary.

punch her.

Slate 2011/12/11(Sun)21:31 No. 371567 ID: e52a63
File 132366790511.png - (53.63KB , 700x500 , 3-9.png )

Marisa already has in her room a length of rope, as well as a large kitchen knife and some other miscellaneous items, and her runic fire should serve as a sufficient light source in darkness. She would also rather not address the sangsaloj by any name if she can help it. When Marisa wants to address the thing, "Hey, you," will simply have to suffice.
Marisa can still hear the storm raging outside. A thunderclap sounds, but it goes ignored by the patrons, who continue unabated in their revelry. She grudgingly asks if there is anything else important to know about the ruins, like how they could be dangerous. Marisa does not enjoy having to rely on the sangsaloj for important information, much less having to interact with the thing at all.
"Well, I guess what would to know be important is this place looks like it was carved into the side of a mountain in the desert near Lenid Grande, so we're probably climbing a little; you have rope, Addie told me, so that makes climbing easier. He told me also you'll handle the lighting, so I won't need to bring torches. Anyway, probably it was a military Aviairan outpost for Lenid Grande before Chatze got to Lenid Grande, so it'll be empty probably. The Aviairans I think still run patrols that run sometimes through the route we're taking, but they probably won't be a problem, even if they notice us," it answers.
As it speaks, Marisa gives the sangsaloj's choice of dress a look over and is appalled by how loose-fitting the trousers seem. She finds yet another reason to resent the thing. Marisa manages to restrain herself from loudly exclaiming that the sangsaloj is a harlot, however; she is in polite company.
"Now, Mary--"
Marisa interrupts and in a hostile tone reminds the sangsaloj that her name is, in fact, Marisa, and not "Mary." The sangsaloj looks momentarily surprised by the interruption, but takes it into stride and returns to its sickeningly cheerful expression.
"Now, Marisa, you and me, we have everything figured I think, so I'm ready to be going when you are." It reclines on the counter and politely waits for an answer.
Marisa clenches her fist. Something about the sangsaloj's very existence instills in Marisa an urge to simply punch the thing, but she is able to resist.

>>371567
Let's get this over with, then!

Once we're in a place we can talk quietly be sure to tell her that you are not her friend, will never be her friend, and the only reason we're going along with her is we're getting paid for it. Also tell her we'll be calling the shots.

>>371567

"I think you should bring a couple of torches anyway. Just in case. I'd hate to leave you two in the dark if I were caught on the wrong side of a collapse."

secretly resent the sangsaloj for having a splendid tail, while you remain tailess

Oh man that is one beautiful tail look how it sways back and forth...

Aren't we forgetting an incredibly important appointment? This venture could very well lead to missing it.

>>371596
Do humans resent monkeys?
>>371567
Lets get this show on the road.
>>371580
Also remember to make it VERY clear to Adrienne that if he pulls a stunt like this again you'll find out how many ways there are to skin a cat.

Important: work out any money matters beforehand. That didn't go so well last time.

Sounds like fun

>>371723
This. Also the torches thing.

>>371567
Ask what she can do (other than shoot things with her STUPID BOW and LOOK UGLY).

>>371721

Who doesn't resent monkeys?

Slate 2011/12/19(Mon)15:29 No. 373590 ID: e52a63
File 132433737793.png - (53.69KB , 700x500 , 3-10.png )

>>371596
>>371597
Woe betide those who would utter such things to Marisa's face.
Marisa inquires as to what skills her new companion possesses.
"Well, I'm with the bow pretty good, and I'm as an acrobat pretty good, and I'm with the knives pretty good, but don't tell anyone about those because I have only the license for the bow. It's for…"
The sangsaloj gives Marisa a conspiratory look and a grin.
"Hunting."
Marisa suggests that it may be prudent to bring some torches should there be a cave collapse that causes a separation. The sangsaloj looks at Marisa blankly for a moment before its face lights up in agreement.
"Hey, that's a good idea! I'll go get some from Addie."
Marisa follows the sangsaloj up the stairs and to the rooms, saying that she shall retrieve her equipment for the journey and to meet her just outside the tavern.
Marisa leaves the thing to bother Adrienne and she goes into her own room. Marisa packs the bag with a length of rope, a large kitchen knife, a sturdy hunk of wood, and the little bag of worthless Rothian pennies. She wraps the loaned cloak around herself and picks up her bag and exits the room.
Before heading out, Marisa decides to make a quick detour to see Adrienne just before she leaves. Fortunately, the sangsaloj seems to have gotten its torches already, so Marisa will be able to speak with Adrienne in private. Marisa raps on the door and waits a few moments. She hears footsteps from behind the door grow closer.
"Garland, is that you again? What do you need?" the door swings open, revealing Adrienne looking mildly bedraggled.
It takes Adrienne a second to realize that Marisa is standing before him, and by the time he does, a finger has been waved threateningly in his face. Marisa gravely warns Adrienne not to pull a stunt like this again. He stares at her in confusion.
"Stunt? W-what stunt?"

Slate 2011/12/19(Mon)15:29 No. 373591 ID: e52a63
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Marisa stomps off, leaving Adrienne to stand in the doorframe looking dumbly after her. Marisa calls out a quick farewell to Zephyr as she passes by the bar on her way outside. Zephyr fumbles to respond, but Marisa is out the door before she can.
The sangsaloj has, to Marisa's mild relief, been waiting patiently for here with two torches strapped to its torso, and the thing seems to have procured a rain cloak since she last saw it. The sangsaloj has hidden its bow and other equipment under the cloak. Marisa supposes that this ordeal might not turn out to be so terrible if the filthy thing can follow orders. Just to make sure that everything will go alright, though, Marisa steps forward out into the rain with her back to the sangsaloj for dramatic effect as she concisely states that there is no friendship here, there will be no friend-making anywhere, the sole reason for this partnership is that Marisa is being paid to be a part of it, Marisa shall be assuming the primary leadership role, and Marisa shall be fair in making the final decision as to how the profits will be divided.
The sangsaloj stares at Marisa with a blank look, in contemplation over what she has just said. Marisa contemplates how much she loathes the filthy creature.
"Hey, sure! Following I'm okay with! Easier for me to not worry that big stuff coming with leadership. Anyway, we're going?"
The sangaloj's voice's natural volume is loud enough to make it easily heard above the rain crashing against the ground. It is ironic, Marisa muses humorlessly to herself, that even all this rain would not be enough to cleanse the filthy, filthy creature.

Onward to the ruin.

>>373591
Hey, she didn't mention the pay split. Hmm. We'll have to bring that up again before it becomes an issue. Perhaps once we get out of the rain?

Why so much obsessing over a sangsaloj Marisa? For shame!

yes it is time to stop dwelling on the creature.

you are her better, as long as she understands her place you might as well learn to accept her existance.

Slate 2011/12/28(Wed)12:30 No. 375761 ID: e52a63
File 132510420338.png - (69.97KB , 700x500 , 3-12.png )

Marisa trudges forth with the dirty sangsaloj following behind by a couple of meters, thankfully giving Marisa enough space to not have to worry about the thing unexpectedly sullying her with its touch. As she absentmindedly navigates through the rain-soaked streets and out of the town proper, Marisa's thoughts are occupied by just how utterly she despises the sangsaloj. Marisa is unable to contain the wry expression on her face as she imagines the sensation of a million microscopic insects crawling under skin that must come with having the grotesque mutation that the sangsaloj possesses.
Marisa dwells upon the many ways in which the creature offends every one of her senses in some capacity by simple virtue of its very existence up for about an hour until she stumbles and almost trips on a sudden fracture in the dirt road. It is at this moment that Marisa decides that she has obsessed over the sangsaloj for too much for far too long. She reminds herself that she is the filthy creature's better and that, as long as it understands its place, Marisa may as well accept the sangsaloj's existence, no matter how thoroughly it revolts her.
Marisa clears her head of thoughts of the sangsaloj and turns her attention elsewhere. For the first time since leaving the town with the sangsaloj in tow, Marisa becomes away of her surroundings. The town is nowhere to be seen. Instead, sandy hills roll off in just about every direction. In the direction that Marisa is facing, a grand mountain range streaks across the horizon, surrounding an even greater mountain upon the side of which rests a large settlement. Marisa sees the entrance to the abandoned outpost built into a nearby mountain face. Before Marisa there flows a field of sand dotted with massive rocks and boulders buried halfway in the ground under pounds of windblown dust. The occasional parched shrub, with crisp and gangly leaves of a sickly brown, pokes out from under the sand. This is a place that does not seem to see rainfall too often, which makes the sight of it being drenched by the thundering storm a touch novel.

Slate 2011/12/28(Wed)12:30 No. 375762 ID: e52a63
File 132510421614.png - (63.07KB , 700x500 , 3-13.png )

The storm. Lightening flashes, and for just a fraction of a second all is bathed in white, and long, piercing shadows are cast across the landscape before the colors of the sand and stone are once again washed out by the rain. The rain. When the rain started yesterday, Marisa could handle it. The rain started lighter than it rains now, and she didn't have to suffer under it for an hour straight. And with her mind no longer preoccupied with the disgusting existence of the sangsaloj, it is only just now Marisa realizes that she is being showered with torrents of water that threaten to gather into a deep pool that rises so painfully slowly yet eventually to a height higher than she can stand on the tips of her toes so that she must start to tread water until her arms and legs ache so sorely that she can no longer keep herself afloat and so sinks under the surface she cannot see and cannot breathe yet must breathe for if she does not her lungs shall burst and so she opens her mouth and inhales deeply yet all she inhales is water which floods her throat and lungs and her vision fades to black as the last sensation is slime against skin
"Hey, Marisa, you okay? Why'd you stop? You were taking us in the right way, even though I'm not sure if you know the way actually, so I didn't say anything because
Marisa stops listening. She she is too focused on how her raincloak seems dangerously close to being completely soaked through.

>>375762
She's not bothered by the water. Look at her, smiling with her hood down. How can you possibly let yourself be beaten by something like that?

Quickly avoid drowning in the raging storm waters by unthinkingly climbing aboard the shoulders of the nearest person (Garland).

run towards the nearest cover, you must escape the falling water.

Calm down; you are surrounded by mountains, even the worst possible flood will never reach their tops, you will not drown.
Still you don't want to sleep on a mountain top. The sooner you get the job done the sooner you can be inside a warm dry building.

No time to think. Get to high ground!

Slate 2012/02/09(Thu)16:20 No. 385469 ID: e52a63
File 132883320836.png - (58.02KB , 700x500 , 3-14.png )

>>375852

An impossible maneuver; the sangsaloj is not a person. Regardless, Marisa must find relief from the storm and refuge from drowning. Quite luckily, she spots a rock jutting from the sand a fair distance ahead that seems like it may provide some measure of shelter from the storm. The sangsaloj shouts after Marisa as Marisa steps off the path and makes for the rock, but she ignores it; she is too focused on reaching shelter.
The rain-soaked sand deforms like a sloppy paste underfoot, and it causes Marisa to inwardly cringe as she trudges through it. The ordeal is short-lived, thankfully, and she is under the rock and away from the rain in a matter of moments. The sand under the rock is shielded from the rain and slightly raised in relation to the sand around it so that no water pools under the rock, perhaps making this particular bit of shelter the driest place in the relative area. Marisa leans against the rock and now, being out of the rain and on slightly higher ground, she can relax her fears of being submerged, at least for now, and take some time to think. Unfortunately, though, Marisa is unable to as the sangsaloj apparently sees fit to bother her by shouting with its infuriating voice.
"Hey, you see them? Those guys sound angry really!"

Slate 2012/02/09(Thu)16:20 No. 385470 ID: e52a63
File 132883322659.png - (53.92KB , 700x500 , 3-15.png )

Marisa, from under the safety of the rain-shielding rock, spots a team of uniformed individuals approaching her position. She must have been too distressed to notice them until now. The one at the front, an avian, shouts out to her, but Marisa cannot make out his words over the rainfall.
"I should handle this, or you?" the sangsaloj whispers.

let her handle it, as handling it yourself would probably require you to leave the safe cover of your rock

>>385470
Expendable meat shields always go first.

Also, this discrimination shit is really getting on my nerves, cut it out.

Be ready to back her up with your magic. From a distance. You can do that, right? You don't *have to* punch people to use your magic, right?

>>385531
>You don't *have to* punch people to use your magic, right?
Rune puncher.
Rune puncher.

>>385551

You don't have to punch people.

>>385551
Well she has magic that is not directly punching related, but it is still focused on close-range.

Do you recognize the uniforms? In either case, you'd be better equipped to handle them than the non person, especially as arrow don't fly so well in the rain. Have her sit back and yourself reason with them or whatever on the verge of your cave.

Let Garland handle the diplomacy because you are a rune puncher not a diplomancer, when/if they attack kill them and use their coats to keep dry.
>>385488
>Also, this discrimination shit is really getting on my nerves, cut it out.
I feel you bro but you might as well tell her to get over her fear of rain.

Slate 2012/02/19(Sun)21:29 No. 387831 ID: e52a63
File 132971576881.gif - (45.67KB , 700x500 , 3-16.gif )

Marisa does not recognize the uniforms, but she would assume them to be of the Lenid Grande militia forces, considering a certain non-person's prior mention of Aviairan patrols running through the area. Marisa asks the sangsaloj, and it confirms that this does, in fact, seem to be a patrol team from Lenid Grande. Marisa tells the sangsaloj to go first and handle them while she stays back, poised to intervene should the encounter turn sour; Marisa's skills are most effective in a melee, but she is still competent enough at minor range. The sangsaloj nods at Marisa with a sickening wink and grin before going up to meet the ill-tempered looking avian at the head of the patrol. Marisa is sending the thing up first so that she herself will be in a more tactically advantageous position should an altercation break out, but she is expecting the sangsaloj to act more as an expendable meat shield than anything else.
The sangsaloj meets the avian at the head of the patrol team, the apparent leader of the group, just a few meters out from under the cover of the rock protruding from the sand. The sangsaloj adopts a nonchalant attitude as it addresses the avian.
"What seems to be the problem, occifer?"
Marisa begins to regret sending the sangsaloj to handle negotiations.

Slate 2012/02/19(Sun)21:29 No. 387832 ID: e52a63
File 132971578228.gif - (49.03KB , 700x500 , 3-17.gif )

"The problem is that you are trespassing on territory under the jurisdiction of the city of Lenid Grande!" The leader seems an irascible young man; his feathers are all out of place and his voice carries a tone of irritability that could be easily provoked into passionate outrage. "Was stripping us of our rights and independence not enough for you cats?"
The sangsaloj keeps cool in its response.
"No harm was what we meant. Let me introduce us; Garland is my name, and," it gestures behind itself to Marisa, "Mary is my friend." Marisa winces at the latter statement. She will need to take some time later to remind the sangsaloj of its place.
"I'd rather see you lick your own asshole than know your name, cat!" the avian snaps in response. Marisa finds herself liking him a lot less now, though that is not to say that she liked him in the first place.
"Hey, hey, you go stick that beak up your own!" the sangsaloj shouts back.
Marisa is now seriously regretting sending it to handle negotiations. She is about to go in and salvage the situation when the avian continues.
"Shut up, cat! You--"
"Tyfon, don't be a child," a member of the group, standing to the side, calmly interjects. The avian wears a fastened cloak. The supposed leader turns away from the fuming sangsaloj to face his insubordinate subordinate.
"Did you hear what the runt said to me?!"
"You slung the first insult, I believe," the avian under the hood replies.
"Shut up, Bries! The fact stands that they are two suspicious Chatze trespassing on Lenid Grande territory!"
"Hey, a Chatzen is not who I am!" the sangsaloj interrupts. The supposed leader, growing ever more perturbed by the moment, swivels back around to shout at her.
"Shut up! I don't care if you are Chatze or Rothe or even Lieuthe! You--"
"Tyfon, I was not aware we had come to a consensus as to whether these two were trespassing or not," the hooded avian interjects yet again.
"Shut up, Bries! You will address me as 'captain'! What are you talking about?!"
"Captain, I'm surprised that you of all people would not know this. If I'm not mistaken, the laws provides us with the authority to turn away all suspicious-looking persons, and I can't say that I find two hikers heading for the mountains too suspicious."
"Well, I find them suspicious," a third avian says. She is the only one of the avians who keeps her hood down.
"So do I. Temp!" The leader turns to the aquatic staring silently out over the dunes. "What do you think?"
The aquatic glances over Marisa and the sangsaloj before returning his gaze to the distant dunes. His rippling muscles gleam wet in the rain.
"They are okay, I think. To go ahead, I mean."
"It would seem that we are at an impasse," the hooded avian says thoughtfully, though the leader, giving her a look borne of seething irritation, seems to take it as a slight against him or his leadership skills.
"Shut up, Briese!"
"So, what do we do about them?" the third avian says, gesturing to Marisa and the sangsaloj.
"We could hear them out," the hooded avian says. She turns to the sangsaloj, "Dear, what are you and your friend doing out here?"
"Shut up, Bries! I'm in charge, so I'll ask the questions!" the leader snaps. He turns his attention to the sangsaloj.
"What's your excuse!?" he demands of the sangsaloj.
Considering how the sangsaloj has handled this encounter so far, Marisa is thinking that allowing it to answer would not be the wisest choice.

Step forward confidently to handle the situation. Clearly this calls for a superior touch that such a mongrel could never handle without resorting to violence. As soon as you open your mouth, realize you spent so much time hating on Garland that you didn't actually pay attention to why you were coming out here in the first place.

>>387844
Also fail to realize how similar in spirit you are to the cat-hating bird.

"Garland, peace. Captain Tyfon, I dislike the rain. We were seeking the only shelter we knew of near here, an old ruin. We hoped to be able to get out of the weather, and then return home. I see by your cloak that you dislike the weather as much as I do. Such a constant annoyance can turn a body's mood ugly. Can't we forget the insults traded and continue on our respective ways? I am unhappy being rained on."

>>387832
Go off that previous comment about hikers heading towards the mountain. Encourage that misconception without being ENTIRELY untruthful. Don't mention the ruins... um, maybe there's a landmark in that direction that you can claim to be going to?

Slate 2012/03/13(Tue)19:39 No. 392590 ID: e52a63
File 133169275158.gif - (34.90KB , 700x500 , 3-18.gif )

Marisa confidently steps forward, directing toward the mongrel an order to step down, as this situation clearly calls for a superior diplomatic touch. As soon as she opens her mouth, Marisa knows exactly what she is going to say.
Though her thoughts have recently been occupied primarily with how much she despises the sangsaloj, Marisa has not been so terribly distracted that she has forgotten the reason why she made this journey, in the pouring rain, all the way out to the desert and mountains just outside of Lenid Grande, that reason of course being to delve into the ruins of the Lenid Grande military outpost that Adrienne discovered. Considering the captain's disdain toward Chatzen, which seems to arise from how Chatze crippled his city's military, Marisa realizes that it may not be prudent to tell the captain that she is out here to loot one of his city's forcibly decommissioned military outposts.
Instead, Marisa decides to obfuscate her true intentions. She plays off of one of the soldier's previous comments on hikers, addressing the captain by his name as she untruthfully confirms that she was simply on her way to go hiking, and so as to seem sincere, mentions that was drawn to this particular part of the mountains by the city of Lenid Grande, the only nearby landmark aside from the outpost ruins that she knows of.
"Do you see there, Tyfon? They are not foreign saboteurs here to infiltrate our lands, but instead hikers on their way to take the wonderful sights and sounds of our countryside."
The captain scoffs.
"In a rainstorm? I find that quite suspicious."
"For the sake of the One, Tyfon! Must everyone passing through here be up to something?" the hooded avian cries out, exasperated.
The third avian speaks up.
"I agree with Briese. Tyfon, perhaps we should let them be? I think they seem harmless enough."
Feeling the momentum of the conversation flowing now in her favor, Marisa tries to make an appeal to the captain, telling him that it would perhaps be best to drop the issue as she is certain everyone would be eager to get out of the rain anyway.
"You might get out of the rain when you would like, but not us! No, we must continue our patrol even after the sands will be so waterlogged as to swallow us whole!"
The captain pauses for a moment, glaring at Marisa, before continuing grudgingly.
"Very well, you can go. But, know that I do not trust you! Get out of here before I change my mind!"
Marisa believes that she can see, out of the corner of her eye, the hooded avian looking smugly pleased with herself.

Slate 2012/03/13(Tue)19:39 No. 392591 ID: e52a63
File 133169276778.gif - (35.65KB , 700x500 , 3-19.gif )

The captain marches off, ordering his team to follow. Marisa could swear that the hooded avian, as she turned to leave, winked knowingly at Marisa.
As the soldiers disappear into the distance to continue their patrol, the notion that Marisa and the captain are not so dissimilar in spirit creeps into her mind, but she quickly dismisses it; the avian captain's mistrust of Chatzen is obviously borne of irrational prejudice, while Marisa's hatred for the disgusting sangsaloj is obviously entirely rational and justified.
Marisa is pained to recall the sangsaloj's presence directly behind her when it pouts and says,
"Hey, I said I would handle them!"

>>392591
State that it looked like she was merely getting them worked up, and we should just get going.

>>392590

State that you do not care what it said. Then return to your impromptu rain shelter.

Tell her that this is not a game or a contest, you got past the watchmen and thats what matters.
If she still persists tell her the next time she decides to make a fool of herself you will be sure to stay on the sidelines.
Also lets get going.

Punch her in the shoulder and inform her that her wishes are insignificant. Then leave.

Slate 2012/03/23(Fri)18:38 No. 395300 ID: e52a63
File 133255312549.gif - (37.40KB , 700x500 , 3-20.gif )

"Hey, I said I would handle them!"
At almost the very moment the phrase has escaped the sangsaloj's lips, Marisa has already prepared a scathing retort; she snaps back, saying that she does not care, that this is no game nor contest, that all that matters is that they bypassed the sentries, and that if this childish attitude should persist, Marisa shall not be so generous as to intervene in the next altercation.
Marisa is about to further say that that they should be going now, but she notices the sangsaloj staring back at her with a perplexed look, its mouth absentmindedly left open. It is now when Marisa realizes that the sangsaloj may not have actually finished speaking, and that Marisa may have been slightly too hasty in snapping at it. The sangsaloj's mild shock vanishes, however, and it immediately returns to its usual sickeningly cheerful mood.
"Hey, I didn't mean it serious, Mary! I was joking! I'm glad you stepped in, actually. That guy I thought was going to eat me whole, he was so mad!"
The sangsaloj turns and starts trudging toward the entrance to the abandoned outpost carved into the mountain.
"Hey, come on! Let's get where we're going!" the sangsaloj calls back to Marisa.

Slate 2012/03/23(Fri)18:39 No. 395301 ID: e52a63
File 133255314997.gif - (32.99KB , 700x500 , 3-21.gif )

Marisa is loathe to be a follower when the leader is an impure mongrel, and quickly outpaces the sangsaloj. The wet sand trying to suck down her feet with every step she takes disgusts Marisa almost as much as the sangsaloj's hideous mutation.
After a grueling trek across a vast slurry of water-bloated sand, the two arrive before the outpost. Many remnants of what would seem to have been a large stone staircase carved out of the mountain lay scattered, half-buried, in the sand. Bending back to look up at what she would assume to be the entrance to the outpost, it becomes apparent to Marisa that it may not be wise or even possible to make an attempt to climb up the sheer mountain face, slick from the rain.
"Okay, let's do this!"
The sangsaloj, with a running start, leaps up against the mountain wall and manages to catch a foothold. Its hands, however, cannot quite find purchase on a shallow crevice. It slowly tilts backward, repeatedly swiping at the crevice all the while, before plummeting face-up into the sand. It grins bashfully back up at Marisa
"Okay, maybe it's a little we need to think about this."
Marisa answers with a sneer.

Slate 2012/03/23(Fri)18:39 No. 395302 ID: e52a63
File 133255316330.gif - (31.28KB , 700x500 , 3-21b.gif )

Included in Marisa's current inventory are:
a sturdy branch,
a large kitchen knife,
and a length of rope, among other miscellaneous things.

This is EXACTLY why you carry rope.
I don't think the knife or branch would be sturdy enough to hold us, though. If we can find something strong enough, we can coat the bottom of our feet with sand, as horrible as it would be, to get some traction.

You may be able to attach one of those miscellaneous things of sufficient weight onto the length of rope and toss it over/around a suitable looking outcropping.

I too second the 'sand on the feet/hands plan for better gripping in this rain.

Or we could just form a lasso with the rope and see if we can throw it up to hook on something.

Slate 2012/03/25(Sun)23:11 No. 396116 ID: e52a63
File 133274229422.gif - (21.21KB , 700x500 , 3-22.gif )

>>395312
>>395881
If at all possible, Marisa would like to keep her hands and feet unsoiled, especially if sloppy, wet sand is to be the implement of soiling.

>>395905
A simpler and much more agreeable solution that does not (yet) involve coating oneself with sand. Marisa ties a loop into the rope and swings it up; it catches on something at the top of a shattered block of stone steps. She gives the rope two sharp tugs, and it holds.
"Ooh! Hey! I can go first?" the sangsaloj shouts, excited.

>>396116
Let her. It lets you test the strength of the connection.

Yeah, if it breaks, you won't be the one getting hurt.

Slate 2012/03/27(Tue)16:38 No. 396412 ID: e52a63
File 133289150182.gif - (19.02KB , 700x500 , 3-23.gif )

Marisa says yes. The mongrel yips joyfully and jumps up onto the rope with a running leap. The rope creaks and groans, but it holds, and the sangsaloj latches on and swings about as it scrambles up the length, the rope creaking and groaning all the while.
The sangsaloj pulls itself up to the top of a chunk of steps.
"All clear!" it calls back down to Marisa before turning around and presumably occupying itself with the conundrum of how to further scale the mountain wall.
Marisa supposes that the rope has proved safe enough so far. She grasps the rope, ensures that she has a solid grip on it, and proceeds to pull herself up.

Slate 2012/03/27(Tue)16:38 No. 396413 ID: e52a63
File 133289151847.gif - (7.45KB , 700x500 , 3-23b.gif )

Halfway up the rope, it seems that this particular dungeon dive will commence without too much incident--

GRAB THE WALL!

>>396413
Stop. Get a handhold or something. Call out to the other girl to ask her to pull you up.

Damn girl that ain't all fur, is it.

If you're low enough to the ground; drop and get out of the way, then have Garland either hold the rope herself, or secure it to something less currently crumbling, as she's already up there, and could more easily find a secure point.

Slate 2012/03/28(Wed)16:11 No. 396702 ID: e52a63
File 133297626545.gif - (25.07KB , 700x500 , 3-24.gif )

Marisa feels the rope slipping after it suddenly jolts downward. She calls to the sangsaloj for help as she tries to catch a foothold on the sheer mountain wall, but the rope hangs too far away for her to do any more than skim her toes against the slick rock. The sangsaloj twists around and, upon seeing Marisa's predicament, dives for the slipping rope. While it does manage to snatch the rope, the mongrel's heroic dive also has the effect of completely breaking off the section of stone the rope was anchored to, leaving the sangsaloj the only obstacle between Marisa and a sandy plummet. The sangsaloj tries pulling her up.
Could it be now when Marisa, rescued by one of the very "freaks" that she has hated and despised all her life, will see the error she has made in harboring her immense prejudices--

Slate 2012/03/28(Wed)16:11 No. 396703 ID: e52a63
File 133297627636.gif - (17.53KB , 700x500 , 3-24b.gif )

"Oop! Sorry! You were too heavy! The stone looked weak, but break wasn't what I thought it would do! Sorry, sorry!"

Look at the mongrel.
"Did you just call me fat?"

When it is done sputtering its pathetic excuse, throw the rope at it and demand that it re-tie it somewhere less likely to result in a plummet to your death.

growl at it.

Throw the rope up to Garland and have her attach it somewhere more firmly. Then climb the broken staircase, not the sheer cliff wall. If most of your weight is on the mountain then the rope can't slip off or break.

Also I forgot how heavy wet fur is. Obviously you're not fat at all.

>>396703
Maybe we should just like, use the stairwell as stepping stones via acrobatics.

Slate 2012/03/30(Fri)20:38 No. 397262 ID: e52a63
File 133316513417.gif - (18.53KB , 700x500 , 3-25.gif )

It takes a moment for Marisa to register that she is lying face-up in the sand. It takes a raindrop landing in her eye for Marisa to register that her face is completely exposed to the rain, and the subsequent sensation of drowning immediately sends her scrambling back to her feet. Marisa furiously curses the sangsaloj under her breath and tries to wipe the water from her face and scrape off all the wet sand sticking to the back of her cloak.
Marisa grabs the rope out of the sand and tosses it up at the sangsaloj as she would a stone. It flops pathetically to the ground. Marisa gathers herself for a moment. Though it was brief, her moment of exposure to the rain has greatly agitated her.
Marisa shouts to the mongrel to catch the rope and tie it around something that won't completely break off of the mountain, and proceeds to swing the rope over her head and cast it up to the sangsaloj.
As the sangsaloj fumbles incompetently with the rope, Marisa heaves herself onto a low section of the broken staircase; though she is wary of the weak stone giving way, she sees little other choice. The next section of stairs is too far for her to jump to unassisted.
As she does this, Marisa finds herself musing about how she does not understand why there would be a stigma toward being stout or heavyset. Being raised in Chatze, Marisa was under the impression that having a slightly above-average weight meant that one was healthy and well-fed.
These thoughts lead Marisa to realize that the sangsaloj actually seems quite thin, and Marisa subsequently discovers another reason to despise it; one off what shall undoubtedly be many, many more. The sangsaloj.

Slate 2012/03/30(Fri)20:51 No. 397272 ID: e52a63
File 133316587821.gif - (39.91KB , 700x500 , 3-25b.gif )

>"That sangsaloj. Sang-sah-loy. 'Tainted blood.'
>You hate her?"

Slate 2012/03/30(Fri)20:51 No. 397273 ID: e52a63
File 133316590567.gif - (20.90KB , 700x500 , 3-25c.gif )

…
Marisa heard someone whispering behind her.

>>397273
Say "Who's there?"

But realize it came from your pouch, and look in it.

Okay, don't freak out or anything. Get to a safe spot where your well-being isn't dependent on the mongrel, and then figure out who is talking to you.

Maybe you can say "Yes, I hate it" in your head while you climb, see if you get a reaction.

>>397273
Looks like it was a ghost... or specter... or sending of some manner. Possibly from certain items you are carrying in your satchel.

I wouldn't be too hasty to agree with it just yet, such things are renown for twisting circumstances to their dark favor in exchange for 'helping' you.

You should remind the voice that you still need the mongrel.

Speaking of glowing things, do we have any spells that can interact with stone?

Realize Marisa that while you have a lovely figure both healthy and well fed that would turn the heads of any man you wished, and Garland is skinny as a rail, probably going to perish of exposure out here on the spot, Garland is probably that way because she cannot get enough to eat, being inferior, and your large buxom form with dense punching muscles is perhaps not ideal for all situations such as climbing a crumbling rock wall.

Slate 2012/04/03(Tue)15:22 No. 398490 ID: e52a63
File 133349174029.gif - (72.81KB , 700x500 , 3-26a.gif )

>>397450
Marisa could carve runes that she knows into stone if she had the necessary tools, but her runic proficiency is not yet such that she can cast earth-based spells.

Marisa thinks to herself, "Who's there?" in case the apparent phantom communicates through thought; no one appears. She realizes that the artifact in her pouch may be responsible in some way for this odd happening and peeks inside her bag, but there seems nothing out of the ordinary with the artifact.
Marisa's education at the academy instilled in her a critical mind, and so while she doubts in the existence of ghosts, living in a world in which there exists magical artifacts and an ancient language that holds supernatural power makes the possibility seem not too remote.
Marisa wonders if the voice she heard is not just her mind playing tricks, and repeats, this time out loud, 'Who's there?' There is no answer, at first.

>HAHAHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHAHA!

Slate 2012/04/03(Tue)15:22 No. 398491 ID: e52a63
File 133349176880.gif - (41.71KB , 700x500 , 3-26b.gif )

Marisa jumps at the sudden, chilling laughter and whips around to discover an avian, milk-white wisps of wind swirling all about it. It humorlessly chuckles between words, which arrive at Marisa's ears as though on a breeze.

>You, you, literally, really, already forgot? Hah!
>Of course you would.

>Mur-der-rer.

Slate 2012/04/03(Tue)15:23 No. 398492 ID: e52a63
File 133349178017.gif - (32.41KB , 700x500 , 3-26c.gif )

"Hey, catch!"
The sangsaloj tosses the re-secured rope to Marisa, which catches her directly in her face.

wait a sec, did that ghost just puch it so it hit you? aww fuck, what if all these bad things we were blaming the sangsaloj for was actually the ghost fucking things up?

>>398492
Take the rope, and mutter that you're not a murderer. Everything just went wrong.

Then go on and use the rope as planned.

hey guys! Xavier is back as a vengeful spirit! yaaaay. I missed him.

Mutter that you can't help birds being so damned fun to catch. At least he got to be a present on your supervisor's welcome mat.

Climbing up steep cliff faces should probably wait until we have established whether Xavier here is going to try to kill us.

You should probably apologize for the whole electrocution thing, because he did go out of his way to help you with the bald guy.

What were you suppose to do? Wait till he was killed and risk the psycho jumping out of the water? Jump in yourself and drown?
You even met his mother to inform her that he died, you didn't have to do that.
Now admittedly you were being a stupid bitch when you ignored his warnings and gave the human a chance to betray you so you should apologize for that.

Slate 2012/05/13(Sun)12:54 No. 411277 ID: e52a63
File 133693886929.gif - (23.89KB , 700x500 , 3-27TXT.gif )

Really realy sorry for the heavily delayed update So I'm changing how i'll update; writing up the written part of an update is usually easy enoguh but then i run into trouble with the drawn portion so this is how ill do update naow: everytime theres a new room or a significant event etc. ill draw a frame for it but otherwise ill just do writing for it. basically if i can get away with not drawing something without detracting from the quest then ill just post a text update. tell me what you think and if you all don't like it i can go back to doing pictures for every update

Marisa cannot see Xavier anywhere, but regardless she whispers to him that, while she is deeply sorry for what happened to him and she admits that she should have listened to him about the human, there was little else she could do than electrocute the water, lest the man emerge from the water or lest she jump in herself and drown. She also reminds him that she even went to inform his mother of his untimely death.
The whole time, the sangsaloj is confused as to why Marisa is simply standing with the rope limp in one hand. It shouts down to her.
"Hey! You are coming up?"
Marisa pauses, but there is no answer from Xavier. It is as though he dissolved into the air. Following one last glance about herself, Marisa grabs hold of the rope with both hands and tugs it four times (and much harder than she did when the rope first came down to her). Just barely satisfied that the rope will not give way when she is halfway up it, Marisa begins to climb.
"Hey, finally made the long journey! Are you okay? The rope, I hit you in the face with it, didn't I."
Marisa tries to ignore the sangsaloj's jeer disguised by a surprisingly genuine-seeming expression of concern as she pulls herself over onto the platform. She stands, and is sure to keep as safe a distance from the sangsaloj as she can in the limited space. The two are but a few more isolated chunks of stairway away from the mountainside entrance to the abandoned outpost.

>>411277
I'm pretty sure the ugly thing is so stupidly optimistic she thinks you are her friend. That's genuine concern, but I suppose we can just disregard it.

Nothing to do but try to climb some more. Any handholds or outcroppings to throw the rope on would be optimal... unless the next stable platform is within jumping distance this time?

Slate 2012/06/14(Thu)20:31 No. 422261 ID: 3f33d0
File 133973110343.gif - (24.02KB , 700x500 , 3-28TXT.gif )

Indeed. Drastic measures more severe than even those of the passive-aggressive and cold shoulder varieties might soon be necessary. May the One shed some manner of mercy in ensuring it not come to that.
Marisa elects to continue the ascent to the entrance to the ruins posthaste. The rope proves safe each time Marisa allows the sangsaloj to unwittingly test its stability for her before she climbs it herself, and after a short while of scaling the remaining chunks of stairway and the mongrel's irritating, optimistic chattering, the two arrive on the highest platform jutting from the mountain. Xavier has remained silent throughout the whole rest of this ordeal, despite Marisa's keeping an ear out for him, just in the case that he should say something.
The platform Marisa and the sangsaloj stand upon protrudes out to approximately a yard from the cave entrance to the outpost ruins, and upon each end of the platform stands a cracked pillar at the top of which sits what seems a dragon's head carved of stone. Of the only half remains attached to the sheer mountain wall, the other half presumably lying far below, buried 'neath the sand.

Slate 2012/06/14(Thu)20:31 No. 422263 ID: 3f33d0
File 133973111683.gif - (18.09KB , 700x500 , 3-29.gif )

They enter. Marisa lowers her hood and breathes in deep a sigh of relief as she steps out from under the weight of the rain.

The mongrel goes first, in case of traps.

Slate 2012/06/16(Sat)19:46 No. 423269 ID: 3f33d0
File 133990120749.gif - (11.02KB , 700x500 , 3-30a.gif )

Marisa, turns to the sangsaloj and gestures lightly with her head toward the interior of the room. The sangsaloj returns a quizzical look. Marisa frowns and gestures again. The sangsaloj stares at her, still clueless. Marisa, frustrated, says to go in first.
"Oh, no! You can go in first!"

"No, please, I insist."

That box-looking thing to your left should be the first thing checked out, no matter which one of you go first. A list of exits from the room would be nice, too.

Slate 2012/06/18(Mon)21:02 No. 423972 ID: 3f33d0
File 134007857724.gif - (15.35KB , 700x500 , 3-31.gif )

Marisa insists that the sangsaloj go first.
"Okay, if you are insisting!"
The sangsaloj gleefully walks right in and stands on the carpet in the center of the room. Marisa finds its passive-aggressive act almost convincing as genuine amiability and enthusiasm.
Seeing as how the sangsaloj has not been speared by a hidden spike trap, Marisa assumes the room safe and turns to investigate the object against the wall to her left.
It is a wooden desk, rotting from years of water damage in the dank cave.
"Hey, hey, Mary, Adrienne said you could handle the light thing?" the sangsaloj asks as it pulls out one of its torches.
There are fours exits from the room, one leading back out to the mountain face, the other three each leading directly in to darkness.

Go exploring! Try one of the exits into darkness, but be careful about it. Use breadcrumbs or a long strand of thread.

Search the desk.

Then, handle the light thing. The sangsaloj goes first down the tunnel directly across from the front door.

The answer is to go left with a torch lit.

Slate 2012/07/03(Tue)19:43 No. 428838 ID: 85509a
File 134136981056.gif - (17.61KB , 700x500 , 3-32a.gif )

There is nothing on top of the desk, so Marisa leans over it to search through its drawers. She discovers naught worth use; what are most likely some old records abandoned when the soldiers abdicated the outpost, the text triply illegible due to the decay of the paper it was written upon, the fading of the ink it was written with, and the writing of it in a foreign language.
Marisa drops the papers on the floor and goes over to the sangsaloj.
"Okay, so how this will work? You have a tinderbox, something like that?"
Marisa grasps the top of the sangasloj's outstretched torch. Her hand explodes, sending enchanted licks of flame in all which ways, and startling the sangsaloj.
"Whoa, whoa! This I wasn't expecting!"

Slate 2012/07/03(Tue)19:43 No. 428839 ID: 85509a
File 134136982395.gif - (17.41KB , 700x500 , 3-32b.gif )

"Wow, Adrienne didn't tell me you had fiery magic-hands!"

Slate 2012/07/03(Tue)19:43 No. 428840 ID: 85509a
File 134136983942.gif - (17.49KB , 700x500 , 3-32c.gif )

Marisa orders the sangsaloj to go first down the tunnel directly across from the front door.
"Hey, you sure you shouldn't go first? The one with magic fire-hands is you!"

Yes, we should probably do our job as bodyguard instead of trying to get her killed.

It occurs to Marissa just then that the job she may have agreed to without paying attention is to be the bodyguard of this Garnet lady here.

She would probably wander into a trap or something if you weren't watching, and if she does Adrienne will probably use it as an excuse to pay you less.

Slate 2012/08/03(Fri)17:10 No. 438993 ID: 85509a
File 134403901643.gif - (10.70KB , 300x250 , 3-33aTXT.gif )

Marisa realizes that she is being paid to do something and accordingly resolves to be more responsible. She orders the sangsaloj behind her as she forges ahead into the next room. She privately refuses to acknowledge that she derived this decision from the sangsaloj's suggestion.

Slate 2012/08/03(Fri)17:10 No. 438994 ID: 85509a
File 134403902839.gif - (16.94KB , 700x500 , 3-33.gif )

The sangsaloj's torch crackles, their footsteps echo lightly against the cave walls, and the rain falls outside. The air is damp, and for some reason Marisa feels a phantom pressure.

Are those corpses or statues? If they are skeletons you should remove the heads and place them beside the bodies, because these ruins are full of magic and the animating-skeleton-trap is one of the oldest tricks in the book.

It looks like... a hospital waiting room?

The does the pressure increase at all when moving in any dirrection?

Also, those, bodies, people, statues, suits of armor?

Whatever they are don't assume they're safe, those are side passages or nooks right? On the left and right hand side? Perhaps we should check them first before walking between the ominous figures.

Slate 2012/09/30(Sun)14:38 No. 459026 ID: cea452
File 134904112260.gif - (16.51KB , 700x500 , 3-34.gif )

Life-sized inanimate figures line the perimeter of the chamber. Some stand on their own while others are positioned to lean against the wall to keep from falling. Marisa approaches them carefully, wary should the statues reveal themselves to be under a malicious arcane influence. She stops in her tracks to peer into the pitch black passages on either side of the chamber, checking them to ensure they are not hiding any elaborate traps.
Marisa comes close enough to inspect one of the figures; it appears to be of a young man, standing stony-faced with his arm outstretched, as though reaching out to touch something. Another figure is of a young woman set to lean against the wall, crouching as though shrinking away from something, her face frozen in a silent shriek, twisted in terror, just as her arm is twisted forward to grasp at air.
Marisa glances at all of the figures as a whole and finds that in fact almost every one is reaching out as though touching something. Each figure's expression is either hysterical, showing distress, or somewhere in between. Each figure is is made entirely of stone, but dressed in real clothing.
"Weird."
Marisa jumps slightly, not expecting the sangsaloj to break the silence with its loud voice.

There's something in here that petrifies people if they touch it. Count on it. Warn the idiot, then start down the left passage.

Not only that, it seems that people are compelled to touch it, even against their will.

Book it out of there you are not prepared. Get some rope, tie it around your waist, and explore the place with gloves on. If anything goes wrong, Garnet hauls you out by the rope before you can touch anything. Anything moves, fire punch it.

Slate 2012/10/06(Sat)18:06 No. 460783 ID: cea452
File 134957196845.gif - (10.81KB , 300x250 , 3-35aTXT.gif )

>>459105
While it would be a good idea to avoid being turned to stone, many aspects of this particular idea do not make much sense.
Marisa turns to go and, not even looking at it, orders the sangsaloj to be careful of touching things with bare hands, for the statues appear to actually be people who were petrified after being compelled into touching an object. Marisa leaves the unnerving statues behind and leads herself and the sangsaloj into the left chamber.
"Whaaaat?" the sangsaloj croons as it follows.

Slate 2012/10/06(Sat)18:06 No. 460784 ID: cea452
File 134957198493.gif - (18.43KB , 700x500 , 3-35b.gif )

"People turning to stone? Come on, that's just plain re-donk-ulous," the sangsaloj says as Marisa holds out her arm, burning with a magical fire that does not burn her, to light up the chamber. There are a number of shelves, each one three people tall and made of wood, rotting most likely from the damp cave air. Some shelves that still stand hold rotting open-topped crates. Most of the crates seem empty, though there are a few stray gloves, boots and other pieces of clothing strewn about.

>>460784

Leave the inferior being to its petty superstitions. What would be redonkulus is if someone dressed up nude statues in clothing. Your theory is clearly far more sound.

Anyway, look in the crates. Some kind of store room for food? This doesn't look very important. Still, try not to break anything.

Aye, doesn't look too unusual in here, personally I would suspect a storehouse for loot, perhaps from the statues? Removing the clothes may be nigh impossible without breaking the statues, but whoever has organized this place may have still lifted various trinkets from them.

Slate 2012/10/18(Thu)22:26 No. 464431 ID: cea452
File 135062439592.gif - (14.26KB , 700x500 , 3-36.gif )

Marisa ignores the sangsaloj and starts examining crates in further detail, theorizing that whoever arranged the petrified people in the other room could have also lifted trinkets and belongings from them and stored them here. She is careful not to handle the crates or the shelves too roughly, as they each look so rotted that it would not be surprising if they all spontaneously collapsed (in fact several heaps of rotted wood imply that some already have).
Marisa finds mostly frayed gloves, boots and other old pieces of clothing, though in one crate she discovers what is apparently a complete military uniform, not unlike the ones worn by the patrol that stopped her on the way to the mountain fifteen minutes ago, though this one has been eaten away by insects.
Marisa's attention is eventually drawn to the crates at the top of the shelves standing against the farthest wall. It appears that the sangsaloj's attention has been similarly drawn, and it stands in front of the shelves, looking up at the out-of-reach crates, which are overflowing with trinkets and other objects.
"How we gonna get at that stuff?" it asks. Marisa is not certain if the question is directed at her.

...There are gloves here. The stuff in this room looks like it was taken off the statues, which would mean that gloves didn't protect them.
Before dealing with the shelf, can you step back to the other room for a bit to confirm this by checking for statues missing boots and such?

After that, search the room for a ladder or a box that is solid enough to stand on.

Stand on her shoulders?

Slate 2012/10/26(Fri)16:41 No. 466524 ID: cea452
File 135129486035.gif - (16.79KB , 700x500 , 3-37.gif )

Marisa orders the sangsaloj to wait in the storage room as she briefly returns to the statue chamber.
"Okay! I'll stay right here and figure out a way to get at that stuff."
In the statue room, Marisa examines them in closer detail, looking for missing boots, gloves and trinkets. She finds that some are missing footwear, and she does find that some are missing gloves, but only on their outstretched hands; some statues each have one glove on one hand, and no glove on their outstretched hand.
Marisa returns to the storage room to see the sangsaloj, standing on its toes on a couple of overturned crates. It reaches up for the top of the shelf, but succeeds only in waving its arms about rather impotently.
Marisa wonders if she could stand on the sangsaloj's shoulders to reach the top shelf, but considering the sangsaloj's small frame, she would probably just crush it. The sangsaloj moves to step off the crate and addresses Marisa.
"Hey, hey, stand up here! You're taller than me, maybe you can reach the stuff!"

Alright, why not.

No sorry, not her shoulders. Your shoulders!

...just pick her up so she can reach it.

>>466559
Yeah lift her up so she can reach, since she's lighter and all.

Slate 2012/10/29(Mon)00:59 No. 466996 ID: cea452
File 135149758809.gif - (13.53KB , 700x500 , 3-38a.gif )

>>466541
>Alright, why not.
Marisa supposes that using the crates to make a reach for the top shelf herself can do no harm. She drops her bag to the ground and steps up to the crates and places one foot on top of them. She pulls her other foot up from the ground, transferring all of her weight to the crates, causing them to collapse. Surprised, Marisa stumbles after she drops suddenly a short distance, but manages to keep herself standing upright in the middle of the pile of splintered wood.

Slate 2012/10/29(Mon)01:00 No. 466997 ID: cea452
File 135149760102.gif - (11.06KB , 700x500 , 3-38b.gif )

After a moment in silence Marisa decides that she may need to try to lift the sangsaloj herself, loathe as she is to have to touch it. She takes off her cloak and bag, as they would only interfere, but when she turns to the sangsaloj she is perplexed by the peculiar expression on its face.

Inform her kindly that muscle is denser than fat, and you are far stronger than her. Demonstrate by lifting her up so she can get at the stuff.

Kneel down and have her sit on your shoulders, then stand up so she can get the stuff on the top shelf.

After she has the stuff pretend to trip over to give her a small scare.

Slate 2012/11/03(Sat)22:13 No. 468447 ID: cea452
File 135200600235.gif - (9.70KB , 700x500 , 3-39a.gif )

Marisa kindly informs the sangsaloj (in a rather unkind voice) that muscle is denser than fat, and that she is by far the strongest being in the room. To prove her point she kneels and says to come over to be lifted up.
"Whatever you say," the sangsaloj says as it sets its cloak and torch on the floor, walks over and climbs onto Marisa's shoulders.
"… fatty!" it whispers, snickering loudly, which Marisa is surprised to find more comical than she feels she should. In fact, as she stands there awkwardly, with someone climbing all over her reaching for a high up crate, Marisa does not feel as ridiculous as she feels she should be.
"Kay, I got one!"
Marisa is suddenly possessed to play a joke, pretending to trip and giving a small scare.
"Eep!"

Slate 2012/11/03(Sat)22:13 No. 468448 ID: cea452
File 135200601330.gif - (6.60KB , 700x500 , 3-39b.gif )

An odd feeling overcomes Marisa as the laughter and giggling fills her ears.
"There's still one more crate full of stuff up there, could you give me another boost? And make sure you keep your balance this time!" The second sentence is delivered with a playful wink, as though she recognized the prank.

Slate 2012/11/03(Sat)22:13 No. 468449 ID: cea452
File 135200603276.gif - (8.72KB , 700x500 , 3-39c.gif )

...
Marisa orders the sangsaloj to climb onto her back again, loathe as she is to have to touch it.

Slate 2012/11/03(Sat)22:14 No. 468450 ID: cea452
File 135200604307.gif - (11.90KB , 700x500 , 3-39d.gif )

Soon enough, the contents of the top shelf have been scattered across the ground for sorting through. Every object is noticeably newer or simply in better condition than everything else in the room. Even the crates that carried these better objects are less water-damaged than the others.

Check the contents of that smaller box.

>>468450
Sweet gauntlets. Check if they fit you.

Anything else noteworthy in the cave? Any signs of whoever stashed all this stuff from the statues in here?

Slate 2012/11/08(Thu)16:03 No. 469773 ID: cea452
File 135241943966.gif - (14.42KB , 700x500 , 3-40.gif )

>Check the contents of that smaller box.
An impossible task at the moment; the metal box is secured with a thick padlock. Marisa would certainly not be able to open it with her bare hands. She stuffs the box into her bag.

>Sweet Gauntlets. Check if they fit you.
The gauntlets all have bits of metal attached to them on the backs of the fingers and hands and on the knuckles. The gauntlets would provide additional protection to the hands, and a punch with one of these would be probably be more painful than a punch without.
Marisa is pleasantly surprised to find that the gauntlets fit about as well as her regular gloves. She would have thought the metal pieces would make the gauntlets difficult to wear or use, but each feels like it was fabricated by a master craftsman.

>Anything else noteworthy in the cave? Any signs of whoever stashed all this stuff from the statues in here?
Of the other objects retrieved from the top shelf are many metal-toed boots, many long scarfs, and many military-style uniforms. Marisa recognizes the scarves as being like the scarves worn by the guards in the town, and she recognizes the uniforms as being similar to the uniforms worn by the patrol of avians that stopped her on the way here.
Marisa would guess that whoever owns these armored gloves and boots and these military-style uniforms is the one who stole from the statues.
Also of note, Marisa recalls that in the statue chamber, the statues appeared to have been arranged around a grand door with a large indentation in it.

Marisa's and the sangsaloj's ears perk up as they both hear unknown noises faintly echo in from elsewhere within the caverns.

Take the locked box, than wait by the side of the door for a bit to listen if the noises are coming closer.

Are there any other ways out of this storage cave?

Also tell the sangsaloj to keep quiet.

Slate 2012/11/10(Sat)15:07 No. 470466 ID: cea452
File 135258885144.gif - (7.83KB , 700x500 , 3-41a.gif )

Marisa stuffs the box into her bag and she and the sangsaloj quickly but quietly go over and wait on either side of the entrance to the statue chamber. Marisa signals to the sangsaloj to keep quiet, as she surveys the room for other entrances and sees one other, located in the south wall.

Slate 2012/11/10(Sat)15:07 No. 470467 ID: cea452
File 135258886377.gif - (16.38KB , 700x500 , 3-41b.gif )

>AAAAAAaaaaaAAAAAAAaaaAA!

Slate 2012/11/10(Sat)15:07 No. 470468 ID: cea452
File 135258887894.gif - (18.25KB , 700x500 , 3-41c.gif )

Marisa whips her head around and glares at the sangsaloj with the most silent fury she can muster. She had quite literally just said to stay quiet, but she supposes it is her own fault for expecting the the mongrel to act rationally and follow explicit orders. It responds by sputtering "A-buh-buh-but I," but Marisa has not the time to listen. She was not the only one to hear the shout, it seems, as the sounds of someone else in the cave are growing quicker and closer; if Marisa were to guess, she would say that someone will be entering the storage cave through the south entrance in just a few moments.

Get over there and be ready to wrestle them down to incapacitate them. Try not to actually hurt them in case they aren't dangerous.

We should retreat back to the entrance chamber and wait for it there. We will want to see what it is but being next to the exit would make it easier to escape if we need to.

Retreating is for lesser beings, charge the south cave and motion for the sangsaloj to follow and hope that it doesn't run away.

>>470468
Just to point out, it wasn't her, something invisible or possibly teleporting.

Looks sorta birdlike, standing between you and her. Might try and tackle or strike it?

Slate 2012/11/14(Wed)13:53 No. 471724 ID: cea452
File 135293000539.gif - (12.20KB , 700x500 , 3-42a.gif )

Marisa comes up with a plan to retreat back to the entrance of the caves and wait for the unknown individual there, so that an easy escape, if necessary, will be possible. She orders the sangsaloj--
"Well, our cover's blown. CHARGE!"
The sangsaloj proceeds to charge the south passage. Marisa tells herself that she is not too surprised; she should have expected such a rash and foolish action from the degenerate mongrel. As she charges after it, Marisa can only hope that the lesser being does not flee in cowardice once the fight actually begins.

Slate 2012/11/14(Wed)13:54 No. 471727 ID: cea452
File 135293006302.gif - (16.45KB , 700x500 , 3-42c.gif )

Marisa is about to shout to the sangsaloj to keep from harming the stranger without confirming if he or she really is dangerous, but she is quickly silenced when the stranger catches the sangsaloj's weapon-hand in mid-swing.

Slate 2012/11/14(Wed)13:54 No. 471728 ID: cea452
File 135293007861.gif - (12.61KB , 700x500 , 3-42d.gif )

"H-hey, hey, I-- Oof!"
The stranger is apparently quite skilled in hand-to-hand combat, as he or she very promptly disarms the sangsaloj, forces it face down in the dirt and starts binding its arms and legs behind its back with some short rope.
Marisa believes the stranger has not yet noticed her; the sangsaloj is certainly providing enough of a distraction. She has some time to consider her next course of action. Marisa is herself skilled in hand-to-hand combat, but having seen the stranger in action, she is not certain a hand-to-hand confrontation would be to her advantage. Marisa does however have mastery over a couple of basic elemental runic spells that she could use.

(Since it has been a while since we last fought someone, can we get a quick list of what runes we have to work with?)

Take off your cloak and throw it on the stranger, then kick him in the chest to push him away from the sangsaloj. After that lets try talking to the stranger, maybe we can solve this without violence.

We should hide the fact that we can control elemental runes for now, could be that he can do it too. Or knows how to counter them.

>>362195
This is either Adela the Blue, or another member of that cult.
The person is restraining garland instead of using violence, so it's unlikely you're in for a fight.
Ask if they are a follower of the Truth or something.

"I apologise for my... associate. She's.. excitable.".

Tell him THANK YOU. But also to stay back or you'll fry his ass. Ready some lightning.

Slate 2012/12/02(Sun)05:24 No. 476054 ID: cea452
File 135445465555.gif - (13.40KB , 700x500 , 3-43a.gif )

A number of plans toward violent confrontation flash through Marisa's mind, but the familiarity of the stranger's clothes halt her. Speaking in Runic,
>"I apologise for my... associate. She's.. excitable."
she apologizes for the sangsaloj's attack and
>Ask if they are a follower of the Truth
she asks the stranger if they are a follower of Truth. The stranger looks up in surprise.

Slate 2012/12/02(Sun)05:24 No. 476055 ID: cea452
File 135445466819.gif - (14.78KB , 700x500 , 3-43b.gif )

"Ah, 'tis you, my friend," Adela the Blue replies in Runic. "You need apologize not; I realize I carried myself quite threateningly, enough to provoke such an attack."

First lets explain to Garland that this is Adela the Blue a bit eccentric cultist, but we know her and she means us no harm. Then ask for Adela to release our associate.
Also ask Adela is there anything interesting in the direction she came from or just an exit.

>>476055
First, ask what's up with this place and the statues. You thought it was an abandoned ruin with a petrification trap, then suddenly other people showed up!

Slate 2012/12/10(Mon)20:40 No. 477762 ID: cea452
File 135520084531.gif - (15.67KB , 700x500 , 3-44.gif )

>ask what's up with this place and the statues. You thought it was an abandoned ruin with a petrification trap, then suddenly other people showed up!

"I apologize deeply, for I am not very knowledgable of the goings-on in this cave. Quite honestly, I am here only seeking shelter. To borrow a relatively inelegant expression, 'your guess is as good… as mine,' regarding the mysteries of this cave system. Please pardon the inelegant expression," Adela the Blue says.

>explain to Garland that this is Adela the Blue a bit eccentric cultist, but we know her and she means us no harm.

Marisa quickly explains who Adela the Blue is and how she knows her. The explanation is very awkward, however, as Marisa seems to be speaking to the air. It is as though she is refusing to directly address someone for some reason.

>Then ask for Adela to release our associate.

The sangsaloj speaks up.
"Hey, hey, I think it's nice that you met your friend again but I would like to be let go now!"
Adela the Blue realizes that she is still pinning down the sangsaloj when it starts squirming under her grip again.
"Oh my. I apologize," Adela the Blue says as she unties the sangsaloj and then helps it back up onto its feet. Adela turns to Marisa and says, "Might I ask of you a grand favor? Please, express to this girl how deeply sorry I am for my physical aggression toward her. Very unfortunately, I am unable to speak your native tongue."
Marisa gruffly states to the air that Adela the Blue is sorry.

>ask Adela is there anything interesting in the direction she came from or just an exit.

Marisa asks Adela the Blue if there is anything interesting in the direction she just came from.
"I know nothing about these caves, and had only just scaled the broken steps built into the side of the mountain when I was lured to this chamber by your shout. However, I suppose one might call the reason why I chose to seek shelter here 'interesting'… and in fact I believe it is of utmost importance that I speak with you quite immediately regarding the interesting reason for why I chose to climb up to and take shelter in these caves. This interesting reason, of course, being--"
"Hey, hey, it's great to meet you, Addy! My name is Garland, I'm also Mary's friend! And now we're friends, 'cuz any friend of Mary's is a friend of mine, and the other way 'round!" the sangsaloj interrupts.
Adela the Blue pauses for a moment before addressing Marisa while looking at the sangsaloj.
"Marisa, my friend, I know I ask much of you when I ask you to pardon me for my rudeness in imploring you to please inform your friend (Garland, was it?) that she may address me not by my name but by my alias, Temper. I only revealed to you my name in gratitude for rescuing me in those ruins; I would duly appreciate for you to introduce me as Temper in the future."
"Hey, Mary, what'd Addy say? Oh, tell her she smells nice!"

At least act like you still rummaging around the room or are looking for hidden trapdoors when you are speaking to the The sangsaloj so it looks like you have a reason not to address her directly.

Say that Addy here would like it if we called her Temper in the future.
Then we should lead Temper to the stone statues to see if she can use her powers to determine are they still alive.

Also does Temper smell nice?

Also ask her to please continue about her reason for coming here.

Slate 2013/01/08(Tue)03:57 No. 483500 ID: 054c51
File 135764627762.gif - (7.44KB , 700x500 , 3-45a.gif )

>At least act like you still rummaging around the room or are looking for hidden trapdoors when you are speaking to the The sangsaloj so it looks like you have a reason not to address her directly.

Marisa believes that not necessary; the sangsaloj has so far seemed to be completely oblivious of Marisa's dismissive attitude toward it. Marisa is quite unsurprised by the inferior being's ignorance as such.

>Also does Temper smell nice?

Marisa did not actually notice at first, but she believes that ever since Adela the Blue appeared, she has been able to detect a faint smell of peaches. She wonders if there is a connection.

>Say that Addy here would like it if we called her Temper in the future. Then we should lead Temper to the stone statues to see if she can use her powers to determine are they still alive.

Marisa states that Adela the Blue would prefer to be called Temper in the future.
"Aww, why? I think Addy is a nice name for her! Oh well, maybe… Tempy? No, that's not good. Alright, Temper I'll call you!"
Marisa asks Temper to follow her to the other chamber to determine if the stone statues there are still alive.
"Please, you may address me by my name and title together; you have earned that privilege, though your friend has not. And of course, I shall follow you, but I really must inform you of…" Temper begins to reply. "Wait… you speak of living statues? Is an arcane artifact involved?"
Marisa leads the way into the statue chamber. Adela the Blue walks up closer to one of the statues and stops in front of it. She looks around the room at all the other statues as well. She closes her eyes and raises her head slightly, as though taking in the ambiance of the room. Marisa wonders why, as the ambiance of the room does not seem particularly pleasant.
After a long pause, Adela the Blue finally speaks.
"Was it an artifact that did this? Truly, it is remarkably terrible, the power of the artifacts that litter this land. But I cannot determine whether it is more terrible that there exist individuals who would make a business of the dissemination of these terrible things. Do you know I met a man in a nearby town smuggling many dangerous artifacts? He gave me this armor and told me to bring him more of his trinkets, but of course I won't… Oh, I apologize. Allow me not to burden you with thoughts on such matters."
Adela reaches an arm out and gently touches the face of the statue she is standing in front of. She stays like this for a time, also with her eyes closed and her head tilted back, looking quite serene and thoughtful.
"I believe I feel it. The essence of a life, a soul. Yes, I feel it. I feel all of them, I am surrounded by them. They are faint, oh so faint, but if I strain myself, I feel them. But something is not quite right. These essences, they are as though…"

Slate 2013/01/08(Tue)03:58 No. 483501 ID: 054c51
File 135764629333.gif - (20.72KB , 700x500 , 3-45b.gif )

"Trapped. And it… it…"

Slate 2013/01/08(Tue)03:58 No. 483502 ID: 054c51
File 135764631653.gif - (13.00KB , 700x500 , 3-45c.gif )

>Also ask her to please continue about her reason for coming here.

Adela the Blue is not responding to Marisa. She does not seem to have turned ill or be otherwise unable to respond, so it seems more that she is purposefully ignoring Marisa.
"I have no idea a single thing she's been saying. She's saying wha?" the sangsaloj asks.
Marisa and the sangsaloj are startled by noise coming from the entrance chamber.
"The stranger will regret running," says a voice in the other room. Marisa recognizes it as the voice of the leader of the patrol of Aviairans that she met en route to the mountain.
"That voice was the leader of the Aviairan patrol we met!," the sangsaloj whispers shrilly into Marisa's ear.
"Tyfon, you sound very ominous today," a second voice says.
"Shut up, Bries! He will regret running for there is nowhere to run now!"
Marisa must do something. In her bag she has, among other things, a length of rope, a large kitchen knife (though she prefers fighting unarmed), worthless pennies produced by the now defunct Rothan Mint, and of course her rune book and various magical runes.

Carry Adela into the next room if you can. The sight of all the statues will hopefully give the patrol some pause.

Send the sangsaloj Garland to the left chamber and lets quickly make our way to the right chamber so we have them surrounded.
Then we can see how they react to Adela and the statues while still having the possibility of surprise attack.

>>483502
Why don't we just address them directly? Our story is that we're hikers. You can just say that you found this ruin and you thought you'd check it out for curiosity's sake. We happened to meet an old friend coincidentally, and we also ran into some other bird, who screamed and ran away? You can point out the direction they went.

Slate 2013/01/11(Fri)08:52 No. 484444 ID: 054c51
File 135792314287.gif - (10.83KB , 700x500 , 3-46a.gif )

Marisa orders Garland back to the storage chamber so that they can surround the patrol.
"Hey, hey, ambush preparing, good idea!"

Slate 2013/01/11(Fri)08:52 No. 484445 ID: 054c51
File 135792316347.gif - (8.47KB , 700x500 , 3-46b.gif )

As Gar-the filthy mongrel tiptoes out of the statue chamber to wait in the storage room, Marisa moves quickly to pull Adela with her into the as-of-yet unexplored right-hand chamber. Marisa grabs Adela's wrist but Adela, with a single calculated twist of her arm, immediately breaks Marisa's grip. She remains still and with her eyes closed as she addresses Marisa.
"Please. I must somehow sooth these distressed spirits, so unnaturally confined and so unfairly kept from their One True Purpose. I predict it may require a great deal of meditation before I am in such a state of mind as to commune with and sooth these distressed spirits."
Marisa decides to just leave Adela where she is and sneaks into the other chamber.

Slate 2013/01/11(Fri)08:53 No. 484446 ID: 054c51
File 135792318333.gif - (14.63KB , 700x500 , 3-46c.gif )

Once in the other chamber Marisa stands still and strains to listen. She can only hear into adjacent rooms, which are at the moment just the the statues room and the room adjacent to the entrance, and so far she hears nothing. She waits for about as long as she thinks it would take for the patrol to go into the statue chamber and react to what's inside…
But she hears nothing.

Oh great. They must be posting people at the entrances and doing a methodical search to ensure nobody escapes the net, and the moving segment of their party went left first instead of to the statue room. They're going to run into your excitable partner first.

To verify this, go south into the unknown room then west to meet their sentry at that doorway.

Could the spirits or ghosts of this place be causing the noise?

Better sneak south towards the entrance chamber and make sure the patrol is actually there.

Slate 2013/01/13(Sun)23:11 No. 485103 ID: cea452
File 135814750574.gif - (14.45KB , 700x500 , 3-47a.gif )

>Could the spirits or ghosts of this place be causing the noise?
Marisa is quite confident that the noise was not spirits or ghosts for multiple reasons. The first reason being that she recognized the voices as belonging to the patrol from before. The second is that the sangsaloj said that it could hear the voices as well, and it is common knowledge that ghosts, specters, spirits and other otherworldly beings cannot be perceived by multiple people, instead only being heard or seen by a single person that the spirit chooses.

Marisa deduces that the patrol's plan is to have one of their own guard the entrance while the rest conduct a search of the caverns to capture Marisa and her fellows. Marisa decides to turn around and look for the patrol while they are busy looking for her.

But first, Marisa looks around the chamber she is currently in. This chamber looks to have been used for bathing, judging from the presence of rusty basins and tattered old washcloths. The wooden benches, and the wood partitions that separate bathing stalls are rotten or collapsed from water damage, much like the wooden shelves and boxes in the storage chamber.
Marisa goes to the southern chamber.

Slate 2013/01/13(Sun)23:11 No. 485104 ID: cea452
File 135814751986.gif - (12.87KB , 700x500 , 3-47b.gif )

In this chamber many beds have been set up; one could only assume this to have been a communal bedroom. The wooden bed frames and wooden chests at the foot of some beds are rotted from water damage, and the old mattresses and blankets are tattered and full of holes. Marisa enters the passageway linking this room and the entrance room…

Slate 2013/01/13(Sun)23:12 No. 485105 ID: cea452
File 135814753702.gif - (14.70KB , 700x500 , 3-47c.gif )

Sidling up against the wall, Marisa listens…
She hears the occasional grunt, cough, and sound of scratching. Marisa takes a chance and peeks around the corner and can confirm the presence of a single large aquatic covering the entrance. He was inattentive and did not seem to notice her.

Punch him in the nose to establish unconsciousness.

>water damage errywhere
Oh great, so the cave floods, and you're in the middle of a rainstorm. Wonderful.

This guy seemed pretty chill earlier but we better take him down. Can you cast lightning rune magic on the worthless coins?
Like charge them with electricity then throw them at the aquatic so he gets shocked and you can rush him and slug him in the face.

Or we could try luring him to the bedroom by making some noise that he hopefully will come investigate alone.

>>485166
If you lure him you could whack him with a broken bit of furniture once he steps through the doorway, perhaps wrap him tightly in some of those blankets just to be sure.

Slate 2013/01/20(Sun)19:21 No. 486583 ID: cea452
File 135873849364.gif - (22.52KB , 700x500 , 3-48a.gif )

>>485166
>Or we could try luring him to the bedroom by making some noise that he hopefully will come investigate alone.

Slate 2013/01/20(Sun)19:21 No. 486585 ID: cea452
File 135873850868.gif - (21.17KB , 700x500 , 3-48b.gif )

>>485166
>Can you cast lightning rune magic on the worthless coins? Like charge them with electricity then throw them at the aquatic so he gets shocked
If Marisa wanted to enchant an object, she would need to directly engrave the runes into the object. So if she wanted to enchant the coins to conduct electricity, she would need tools with which she could engrave the appropriate runes into the coins, but she does not have such tools.
Unless "casting lightning rune magic on the coins" actually means directly shocking the coins to charge them with electricity. Marisa could try that, though she is not certain if shocking the coins and then throwing them at the aquatic would be anywhere near as effective or preferable as…

Slate 2013/01/20(Sun)19:22 No. 486586 ID: cea452
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… zapping the aquatic himself.

Slate 2013/01/20(Sun)19:22 No. 486587 ID: cea452
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The aquatic is quite shocked by Marisa's sudden appearance. The runic electric attack sapped his strength and causes him to spasm uncontrollably. As Marisa approaches him, the aquatic only has enough control over his own body to raise a single twitching arm in defense. Marisa brushes the aquatic's weakened arm aside with her right hand and in the same motion, with her left fist decks him square in the face.

Make sure he is unconscious, then listen for anyone else coming and peek into the room north of here.

For some reason i thought that since we were a runepucher all our 'spells' would be touch based, this opens up a lot of cool possibilities.

Make sure no one is coming, then tie up and gag the aquatic before sneaking to the east.

Slate 2013/01/28(Mon)16:06 No. 488455 ID: cea452
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>>486682
While Marisa is not restricted to touch magic, she is still not as proficient in Runic magic as she could be, having spent much of her time at the Academy when she should have been attending classes and studying Runes instead doing calisthenics and participating in illegal boxing matches in the city.
Marisa ensures her assault had the result she was intending. The aquatic groans softly and occasionally shifts his head from side to side, but he seems otherwise incapacitated. Marisa waits and listens intently for anyone who may have overheard the action. She thought she incapacitated the aquatic as quietly as one could when using magic lightning and iron gauntlets to punch someone out, but it would not hurt to be cautious.
Marisa hears nothing except for the rain outside. She supposes she is undetected still. She gets the rope from her bag and uses it to tie up the aquatic to the best of her ability.
Marisa is not particularly proficient in tying people up, but what she's done here will simply have to do. She is actually not certain if this will even hold the aquatic, but it seems like the trauma from the assault will keep him incapacitated for a while on its own. Marisa does not have anything on hand that looks like it would make a particularly effective gag, so she must leave the aquatic un-gagged for now. She quickly drags him behind the waterlogged desk in the corner of the room, where he is hidden quite surprising well from view.
Marisa goes to peek into the statue room to the north when she steps in a puddle, causing a small splash, and Marisa recoils. The rain is flowing in and pooling on the cave floor. There is not much water in here yet, but that may change if the rain continues to fall as fiercely as it is falling now.

Slate 2013/01/28(Mon)16:06 No. 488456 ID: cea452
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Marisa gathers up her bag and cloak and peeks into the statue room, keeping out of sight by staying in the passage tunnel. Adela the Blue is still here and has not moved, but perhaps more pressing is the commotion that Marisa hears emanating from the storage chamber to the west. There are a few panicked shouts and a series of loud crashes. Two avians run into the statue room from the west, breathing heavily. One of them, the captain of the patrol, shouts in frustration.
"What. Was. That! And what is this!" The captain notices first Adela the Blue, who is standing almost as still as the statutes lining the chamber that he notices after her. "The stranger!"
"What are these statues, Tyfon?" the other patroller says.
"I don't know! Stranger, you, tell me what is this! How did you bring these things here! What was that back there!?" he shouts at Adela the Blue, pointing back into the storage chamber.
Adela is ignoring the two avians. Whether she is ignoring them on purpose or because she is in a trance, Marisa cannot quite tell.

>>488456
Jump 'em! Since apparently that's what we're doing.

I don't think we should ambush them yet, because the that means less people behind the petrifier and us. If they try to harm Adela we should definitely intervene though.

We need to come up with some long-term plan on how to deal with the patrol. I would rather not go as far as killing them, but it is going to be tough to keep them from pursuing some sort of legal action against us if they see us and leave here alive. Maybe we can tell some story about coming here to attempt to convince our eccentric friend (Adela) to leave before she gets herself killed?

Marisa is an adventurer thus by definition she is bad at long-term planning, live in the now! Worry about the future later.

Sneak up on the patrol captain and get him in a chokehold or an wristlock and tell the other avian to stay back. Then shout and ask Garland if she is alright in the west chamber.

As far as the patrol knows, we've just walked in from outside. Even better, we can just blame the Sansaloj for running inside and having to follow it in.

Slate 2013/02/03(Sun)23:33 No. 490172 ID: cea452
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Marisa slips off her cloak and bag. She takes her rune book from her bag and chains it back onto her hip in preparation for confrontation, but she stays back in the tunnel. A small part of her hopes to avoid violent conflict with the patrol, but then she remembers that she has literally just shocked and punched out the aquatic in the entrance room, and immediately all her thoughts turn back to observing the patrollers for the optimal time to strike at them.
"You! Answer me, or I'll beat it out of you!" the captain shouts, losing his temper, as he takes a step toward Adela the Blue.
The other patroller disengages her focus from the statues and turns back to the captain.
"Tyfon, we need to worry about the cat, what if it catches Briese? Wagh!"
The patroller's cry causes the captain to turn to look at what she sees, which is Marisa, who has snuck halfway toward the captain. At this point Marisa aborts her attempt at a silent takedown and launches herself at the captain, to close the difference between them before he is able to put up a defense.
Marisa uses her superior body mass to bowl the captain over. He lands on his back, with her on top of him. The captain tries to speak, but with a paralyzed diaphragm he is only able to stare, silently, up at Marisa, surprise washing over his face in waves upon realizing he has been attacked and then upon finding himself on his back and then upon recognizing his attacker.
Marisa uses one hand to keep the captain pinned to the ground as he struggles for breath, and waves her other hand, shrouded in runic fire, at the other patroller, yelling at her to stay back.

Slate 2013/02/03(Sun)23:33 No. 490173 ID: cea452
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"Kra! Sangsaaaaaaaa!"
Quite suddenly the screeching sangsaloj bursts into the chamber from the western passage, brandishing a bow in one hand and in the other a blade.
The sangsaloj rushes at the patroller, who rather uselessly puts up her wings in defense. The patroller tries to run, but the sangsaloj slashes her wing.

Slate 2013/02/03(Sun)23:33 No. 490174 ID: cea452
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The patroller cries out in pain, trips and crashes to the ground. The sangsaloj stands over her and laughs. It is a haunting, shrill laugh born of an insatiable bloodlust. Its facial expression is completely neutral throughout. Then the sansaloj hungrily licks the the flat of the blade, soaked in blood, up from the hilt and stopping just before the tip upon noticing Marisa in the corner of her vision.

It's gone mad!

>>490174
Either that is her true fighting style- she's a Berserker- or she's been possessed somehow.

Be ready with a blinding spell. Luckily you have metal gauntlets so you can block her blade. Don't make any moves unless she does.

Ask her if she has gone mad.

Is this the reason sangsaloji are infamous, or some unrelated condition? Whatever it is this is worryingly different from whatever makes the statues, which would therefore be unaccounted for.

Prepare to cast some lightning if she starts coming towards you.

Oh, and I would like to caution against disregarding the captain as a threat right now. He could try something while you're distracted.

I think our main priority would be trying to keep anyone from dying. You, her, Adela, the patrolmen.

The patrol captain is avian and thus pretty light right? Throw him at the sangsaloj then rush in there and zap or kick her into submission. Keeping yourself safe is the priority here.

Don't go punching the Sansaloj straight off the bat; she may or may not be in complete control of her actions.

Slate 2013/02/18(Mon)02:06 No. 494109 ID: cea452
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Marisa recognizes now that the sangsaloj is a Berserker, a member of the Bloodlust tribes.
information on the Bloodlust: >>67624

Marisa remains calm. She secures her grip on the captain; she will not allow him to exploit any openings due to confusion in this situation. She also tucks her hand behind her back and charges a blinding spell.

>Ask her if she has gone mad.
The sangsaloj turns to face Marisa. Its whole body trembles, and it grins impossibly wide.

"Ssssssaa! WHAT NO, I'm alive! It's my FIRST fubia. AhaHaHaHAHA ha!"The sangsaloj laughs quietly as it breaths in and out.
"Sssangsa! MARY, we got 'em! Hey, hey aren't you going to beat him up?" The sangsaloj gestures with its sword at the captain pinned under Marisa and shouts with a trembling voice, "We were FIGHTING I THOUGHT!"

>our main priority would be trying to keep anyone from dying. You, her, Adela, the patrolmen.
"AWWWWWW! This is not enough BLOOD for fubia!" The sangsaloj laughs under its breath for a moment. "WAIT one more, is there! SHE'S maybe still IN here! HEY I can go look for--"

The patrollwoman attacked by the sangsaloj stirs. The sangsaloj turns back around and bends down to shove its face in her face.
"Sssangsa! Seu AVIARA!" it exclaims, voice trembling, laugh-breathing heavily into the patroller's face. The patroller stares back into the sangsaloj's eyes and opens her beak, but only a quiet, strangled cry escapes her throat. A tear rolls down her face. The sangsaloj looks back at Marisa. It has an expression on its face as though it has just witnessed a puppy trip and fall.
"Aaaawww!" it exclaims, its voice trembling.

Slate 2013/02/18(Mon)02:15 No. 494113 ID: cea452
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The sangsaloj whips its whole body back around and takes a step toward Marisa. The bow in its left hand slips from its fingers.
"Hey, hey can I have his BLOOD?" it asks, and sucks up a bit of saliva that was dribbling down the corner of its mouth.
The captain thrashes under Marisa, but she keeps him pinned. The blinding spell swells with energy behind her back.
"What the FUCK!" he shouts. He does not even try to keep the panic from his voice. He grabs Marisa's arms. Marisa first believes he is trying ineffectually to remove her, but a glance down at his face reveals the pleading in his eyes. All traces of his earlier aggressiveness and irritability have vanished.
"Keep the sangsaloj AWAY from me!"
The sangsaloj's ears prick up at the utterance of the word.

It is now that Marisa realizes that while she has referred to the sangsaloj as a sangsaloj repeatedly in her own thoughts, she has never actually uttered the slur out loud for the sangsaloj to hear.

Use the blinding spell on yourself. Nobody should have to see what's going to happen in the next few minutes.

>>494113
Punch his face in. Tell Marisa to calm the fuck down, nobody needs to die today. The fighting is over. Maybe punch him a couple more times while you speak, to satisfy her. Also point out that she hasn't cleaned her sword quite yet. There's more blood on it. And herself.

If she makes any aggressive moves towards you, blind her then tackle her and make your best effort to knock her out or at least get that sword away from her. See if you can catch her AND your captive with the flash, in fact.

Slap that avian in the face and tell it that we wont tolerate him badmouthing our friend. Or if friend is a little too much say teammate or Garland.

Then tell Garland to calm her tits, no one needs to be murdered today. Hopefully we wont need to resort to blinding and tackling the sangsaloj Garland.

And where is the fourth member of the patrol?

>>494116
Fuck, I mean, tell Garland to calm down. What's wrong with me, forgetting names so fast.

get Garland to calm down, also start calling her by name in your head, lest you accidentally say the slur out load and she rips out your spine

Slate 2013/02/24(Sun)11:39 No. 495711 ID: cea452
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Marisa lifts her hand from his chest for a moment to deliver a swift slap the avian's face and tells him not to speak to her-- she pauses for just a moment, having to make herself say the word-- friend, in such a way. She then asks Garland to calm down, hoping that her scolding of the avian had appeased the savage sang-- appeased her by some amount.

The sang-- Garland's every muscle tenses and its-- her face is painfully twisted with rage and fresh scars. The sa-- Garland's voice wavers and trembles as she shrieks:

"I-I-I-I-I'm AN-- i'm A-- AM an SA-sa-SA-SA--!"

The-- Garland is not calming down. She looks as though she is on the brink of bursting into a shower of insane rage. Marisa reckons now to be the moment to strike. She whips her casting hand out from behind her back, the blinding spell nearly bursting itself, charged with so much energy; Marisa takes less than a second to aim--

Slate 2013/02/24(Sun)11:39 No. 495712 ID: cea452
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"i-i-i-i-i-
i'm grooooooossssss."

Marisa refrains from discharging the spell.

"Yeah, you're a filthy sangsaloj! Wriggle back to the mud pit you were born in!"
The captain has regained his bad temper, though Marisa still has him securely pinned.
"Now you get off of me, bitch-- I-I just mean, get off!"

Dislocate a joint then ask him what he's doing here.

punch birdy again in the face, keep doing it until he apologises

promise garland that you'll get her cleaned up once you get to a safe place

Do you have anymore rope to tie up the patrol captain? And gag him.

We cant really leave anyone in this room unsupervised, and there still is one avian patrol member on the loose.

Call out that if the last patrol member wants his friends to stay in one piece he better get over here unarmed.

>>495712
Discharge your spell in his face instead. Either that or discharge it against a wall. It's about to explode by itself, don't get blinded by your own spell!

That's... a really effective insult. What the hell is wrong with sangsalojs anyway?

Slate 2013/03/16(Sat)22:57 No. 500568 ID: 39b7b6
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>That's... a really effective insult. What the hell is wrong with sangsalojs anyway?

Everything. Absolutely everything is wrong with sangsaloji. They are filthy, duplicitous, mangy, untrustworthy, underhanded, impure abominations, among many other things. Marisa recalls from her childhood, an incident, growing up in her home in the southern mountains of Chatze. There was one man, intelligent and well-read, who was well-respected and beloved by the people of the village for managing to negotiate repeatedly advantageous deals for the village for aid from the local Governor Lord. Once, at a public celebration where this beloved negotiator was hosted as a special guest, one of his coverings was caught on a table edge and pulled off, revealing a patch of grey on his torso; the party ended prematurely, a fact Marisa remembers that as a child upset her at the time. Marisa does not recall seeing the negotiator again; she never heard words spoken of him again, in fact. Though she does remember whispers between adults of how recent deals with the Governor Lord were unnecessary and wasteful.
Though that story is a digression. Marisa redirects her attention back to the here and the now.

>Do you have anymore rope to tie up the patrol captain? And gag him.

Marisa already used all the rope she had to bind up the aquatic in the entrance chamber. She does not have anything to gag anyone with, either. Though, she has another method of disabling people.

>Discharge your spell in his face

"AAAAAAAAMY EYES!"
Marisa releases the blinding spell directly into the patrol captain's face, and he clutches at his face and cries out appropriately. Marisa unpins him and goes over to console the s-- Garland.

>promise garland that you'll get her cleaned up once you get to a safe place

The s-- Garland is non-responsive for a moment. She sniffles and whispers, "okay," and stares ahead, looking very sad.
The patrol captain shouts about his eyes and shifts himself onto his knees.

>Dislocate a joint then ask him what he's doing here.

Marisa goes back over the the captain, grabs his wing, and twists it.
"AAAAAH! What the OW!"
She asks what he's doing here.
"What do you think!?"
She twists it a little further.
"Following you!"
She asks why.
"Why else, because I saw you sneaking in here! And you said you were just 'hikers,' yeah, I can't believe I let Bries--!"
Marisa lets go of the captain's arm and stops listening to him; she is not too interested in what he is saying. She does not think that it will be too necessary to physically bind his arms and legs. The blinding spell Marisa used works by amplifying the target's eyes' sensitivity to light, and judging by how much of her energy she charged into the blinding spell, she suspects the captain will be dealing not just with blindness but also with a substantial headache for a while, which should keep him from being dangerous. As if to prove Marisa's supposition, the captain tries grasping around himself blindly before quickly sitting down cross-legged, grasping his head and staying very still, while shouting quite irritably about his headache.
"Captain Tyfon, I'm here…" The patroller that Garland assaulted in her rage has dragged herself with her good wing over to the captain, while staring at the sang-- Garland confusedly. She looks up at Marisa; by her expression, she looks very lost.
"Are, are we prisoners?"

Slate 2013/03/16(Sat)22:57 No. 500569 ID: 39b7b6
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>Call out that if the last patrol member wants his friends to stay in one piece he better get over here unarmed.

Marisa ignores her and takes a deep breath, preparing to shout a threat to the remaining member of the patrol hiding somewhere in the caverns. But Marisa is halted when she notices the injured patrol lady looking at something behind Marisa; she glances behind herself to see the last patrol member standing in the mouth of the southern tunnel. She appears to have gone through Marisa's things without her noticing.
"Hey, you want to make a deal?"

Wait for this one to keep talking. Take up a position that will let you keep an eye on the wounded patrol member and the newcomer.

There's nothing wrong with being filthy, duplicitous, mangy, untrustworthy, underhanded, impure or abominable. Lord knows you fit at least three of those examples right now! Unsatisfied with what a brief encounter with a sangsaloji you find yourself remembering the true horrors sangsaloji commit, and just what the hell a fubia is.

>>500569
What's the deal?

Tell her that it better be a pretty amazing deal because there is nothing stopping us from beating her up like we did to her friends.

Slate 2013/03/21(Thu)00:26 No. 501496 ID: cea452
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>Unsatisfied with what a brief encounter with a sangsaloji you find yourself remembering the true horrors sangsaloji commit, and just what the hell a fubia is.

Marisa finds herself recalling specific examples of the horrors that sangsaloji commit.
…
Marisa has never actually herself played witness to a sangsaloj mongrel committing a horrific act of depravity until just now. Though in the past she has heard extensively of sangsaloji being depraved; Marisa recalls once, when she attended the Academy, she overheard two students discussing a rumor about a sangsaloji student. The rumor was that the sangsaloj had cheated on a calligraphy exam, something Marisa was quite justly mortified at the time to learn.
Marisa also wonders what a fubia is. She believes that she has already heard of fubia, which to her knowledge is a word used by Bloodlust Berserkers to mean 'a berserk rage.' Apparently the Bloodlust have their own language; of course, it is most certainly a very primitive language, being as it is that the Bloodlust are a bunch of filthy sangsaloji mongrels.

>There's nothing wrong with being filthy, duplicitous, mangy, untrustworthy, underhanded, impure or abominable.

This is a clearly false statement; there is everything wrong with being those things. An argument proving the statement's falsity:
One: Filthiness, duplicity, manginess, untrustworthiness, underhandedness, impurity and the quality of being abominable are all morally negative and reprehensible qualities.
Two: Because they are reprehensible qualities, filthiness, duplicity, manginess, etc. are all bad things to be.
Three: It is wrong to be bad.
Four: Consequently, there would be much, perhaps even everything, wrong with being one of those bad things or possessing one of those qualities. So it has been demonstrated!

Marisa 2013/03/21(Thu)00:26 No. 501497 ID: cea452
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>Lord knows you fit at least three of those examples right now!

False, that is false. No. I do not. I am none of those things. Of those qualities, there are none which apply to me; I exemplify exactly zero of those qualities. Are you saying that I'm filthy? I am not. I bathe quite regularly. And you will find, if you thoroughly examine the surface area of my entire body, that it is purely snow-colored, and that not one fraction of a square inch is colored differently. I am not impure; I am pure. Allow me to repeat that statement, as unnecessary as such a repetition should be: I am pure.

Slate 2013/03/21(Thu)00:26 No. 501498 ID: cea452
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Marisa realizes that she has been standing silently staring at the patroller and thinking to herself for approximately thirty seconds, perhaps longer. It seems, though, that the patroller thinks Marisa was just taking a while to carefully formulate her response; Marisa is still in the clear as far as she is concerned with not seeming extremely odd and awkward. Marisa repositions herself so both of the incapacitated patrollers remain in her sightline as she speaks to the newcomer.

>Tell her that it better be a pretty amazing deal because there is nothing stopping us from beating her up like we did to her friends.

The patroller smiles like she's suppressing a chuckle.
"I… really doubt you could beat me but I think it's a pretty amazing deal. We'll see if you're smart enough to appreciate it. You see this crest thing here? I found it in this lockbox, which I found in your bag. Oh yeah, I went through your stuff, hope you don't mind. Anyway, you see this crest, right?" the patroller points at the crest in the open lockbox in her arms, "And you see the door behind you?" the patroller points toward something behind Marisa, who doesn't turn to look but can guess that the patroller is pointing to the big door in the center of the wall behind Marisa. The avian continues.
"No? Well, if you look back there you'll see that the door has a a specifically shaped indentation in it. This is a specifically shaped crest. Valuable things are usually behind elaborately lock doors. You're smart enough to see where I'm leading you, right?"
"Bries, what are you talking about, rescue us!" the captain snaps. Bries does not appear to even notice him and remains staring condescendingly at Marisa.

The fact that it is a key is rather obvious. What is in question is what exactly you propose as your side this deal.

I think she's implying she's holding the key hostage, and that we have to agree to split the loot or something.

Ask her why she doesn't just take the key and unlock the door on her own. Why's she making a deal with us? What IS the deal, anyway?

Remember what happened the last time we trusted a stranger in a dungeon, and this chick seems sleazy since she doesn't care about her allies.

Also "I really doubt you could beat me" sounds like a challenge to me!
Start advancing towards her and tell her that if she is so confident she can beat us, why did she bother with negotiating with us at all? Why not just take us out and use the key yourself?

Use an obvious magical item in a room full of people turned into living statues? That doesn't seem like a good deal at all.

>>501535

Don't point this out, make her operate the door while we watch her die horribly from a distance. Make sure to get Garland on her feet before doing this.

Well, it never helps to argue with a neurosis. Yes, you're pure as driven snow! You can't imagine why you ever considered differently!

Slate 2013/03/25(Mon)22:05 No. 502363 ID: cea452
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>Yes, you're pure as driven snow! You can't imagine why you ever considered differently!

Yes, Marisa is quite pure. (And as the driven snow? How poetic that sounds!) As the driven snow, even; it is utterly, wholly and so entirely baffling to wonder how any one reasonable sentient being could think otherwise.

>The fact that it is a key is rather obvious. What is in question is what exactly you propose as your side this deal.

>What IS the deal, anyway?

"Well isn't what I'm proposing pretty obvious? So obvious, in fact, that I shouldn't even have to say it? We open up the vault, swipe what's inside and pawn it off, splitting the spoils! … If you weren't smart enough to figure that out on your own, I'm not too sure I want to make this deal with you," the patroller says with what Marisa can perceive to be the traces of a humored smile.

>Start advancing towards her and tell her that if she is so confident she can beat us, why did she bother with negotiating with us at all? Why not just take us out and use the key yourself?

Marisa takes a step toward the patroller, who stops leaning against the wall, perhaps in reaction.
"Well I was hoping to avoid conflict… but if you want to get embarrassed, you can fight me? Or you could cooperate with me and end up with a lot more money than not!" The patroller outstretches her wing with which she is holding the lockbox with the crest in it and shakes it. She arches an eyebrow. "Well? I'm motioning for you to come take it, in case you're not smart enough to figure that out, either?"
"Bries, for your sake I hope this is just an elaborate ruse to rescue us!" the captain shouts with his head thrown back as he clutches it. He sounds exceedingly irritated. Bries does not take her eyes off of Marisa, except to cooly glance to Garland occasionally, who remains sitting off to the side staring ahead of herself.

>Use an obvious magical item in a room full of people turned into living statues? That doesn't seem like a good deal at all.

>Don't point this out, make her operate the door while we watch her die horribly from a distance. Make sure to get Garland on her feet before doing this.

Marisa wishes to answer the treacherous patroller in a way that would convince her to go and operate the door herself, but must first formulate such a response.

Say that the captain has a point, and you have no guarantee that the lot of them won't attack you once you turn your back on them to open the door. Propose that she goes over to fetch her share of the loot while you stay to the side where you can keep an eye on them.

Walk over next to Garland and gesture at the door.
Tell her that since she is sure she can beat us we aren't turning our back on her.

I wonder if she is just bluffing, or maybe she also knows magic.
Also is there some chatze language you can use to talk to Garland without them understanding you two?