Well okay, let's go.
Say your goodbyes and stuff.

you mate needs you, you lazy fuck.

FIND STADT. KILL STADT.

Up you go, then. You've got another long day ahead of you, if I had to place a bet.

>>469938

ಠ_ರೃ

Stadt means city.

>>469993
Find Stadt. Kill Stadt.

>>470060
What a sensible suggestion.
Find Stadt. Kill Stadt.

You know, If the horrible pain Lief is in wasn't keeping tin awake, ti would probably be able to sleep as soundly and as comfortably as you, Gunter.

How nice for you.

FRACTAL 2012/11/09(Fri)13:20 No. 470115 ID: 8dbc01
File 135249600136.png - (166.23KB , 700x600 , whatyoushouldtakeawayfromthisislutziwearsmakeup.png )

You jerk up with a jolt of guilt. An hour lost is an hour that Lief is suffering. You hurriedly dress yourself in the outfit you purchased yesterday, even though Lutzi has already clad tirself in an elaborate outfit full of ruffles and shiny fabric.

"Our hosts are still asleep," ti drawled, tir mouth opening reflexively as ti applied oiled charcoal to tir eyelids. "I left them a note thanking them for their hospitality. I think it would be best if we didn't wake them."

Ti finishes tir makeup application just as you get your plait in order and turns to you, smirking in a way that walks the line between joking and provocative. "Hans wanted us to meet fir, didn't fi? We'd lose some time looking for fir, but at the same time, perhaps it would be best to have someone who actually knows how to use a weapon, with all these shifty Blaireaux around ... but! Your trip, your call."

It shouldn't take long, surely. His mental signature should be easy to pick out.

Gunter go see fir the roads are dangerous!

hans said something about crows, maybe fi's still there?

MORE PUNS ARE NECESSARY FOR THIS TRIP. GET HANS.

FRACTAL 2012/11/13(Tue)17:54 No. 471518 ID: 8dbc01
File 135285805889.png - (176.51KB , 700x600 , wellshit.png )

"I think we should go ask fir to come with us," you say. "The roads are dangerous, and besides, I kinda like fir."

Lutzi nods in agreement, and the two of you leave the cottage, being careful to close the door behind you quietly.

It doesn't take you long - you spot Hans just a few streets away, with a few dead hissing crows tied over fir shoulders. It's not all good news, though - fi appears to be embroiled in an argument with an enormous Blaireaux. They're yelling loud enough that you can hear them even halfway down the street.

"You can't do this! You can't just barge in here and tell these people to leave! This is Rekitzchen country!"
"We have our orders, mioche. This area is of interest to our oracles and must be cleared."
"I don't care about your oracles! People live here and you're not welcome!"

This doesn't look good. That Blaireaux could snap Hans' spine without exerting any effort at all, but Hans doesn't seem to even register the threat. Things could get violent very quickly if this argument continues....

Well this is going to get insane quickly. Walk up to Hans ask what's happening blah blah blah. This should delay the neck snapping because he would then have three necks to snap, which would take effort, cause a potential panic, and he'd be overrun with a mob of deer within the hour with who knows how many weird talents that could possibly even harm him. One person making trouble the Badger can handle, but three?
Or you could try projecting your fear into his brain. Or try to project sympathy into the badger, though I find that really dangerous.

Damn shame you didn't learn how to use your talent better, could have been really really really be useful in about all conflicts.

Politely ask what all the hoopla's about, maybe try projecting a general "calm-down" feeling if your talent works on badgers.

INTERVENE. PROJECT MELLOWNESS

FRACTAL 2012/12/17(Mon)08:45 No. 479406 ID: 6808dd
File 135576271496.png - (71.44KB , 700x600 , CHANGEDSTYLESAGAIN.png )

"Come on, we have to go do something!" You quickly trot down the street, with Lutzi following you. When you glance back, ti's grinning - it looks like ti is certainly getting the adventure and excitement ti's been craving.

You come to a halt, panting, beside Hans. The Blaireaux raises her head slightly to peer down at you, her beady eyes narrowing slightly. You swallow and try your best to project calm, pleasant vibes.

"I ... uh .... wh-what seems to be the problem?" You try your best to sound relaxed, but the badger is easily your your height and half again, and one of her paws is considerably larger than your face.

"Our oracles have -"

FRACTAL 2012/12/17(Mon)08:46 No. 479407 ID: 6808dd
File 135576276928.png - (72.69KB , 700x600 , hansyelling.png )

"Declared the area to be of interest, blah blah blah!" Hans bursts out furiously. Fi turns to you, gesturing agitatedly. It seems like fir own talent must be conflicting with yours, because fi doesn't seem any calmer at all. "Gunter, this Blaireaux is saying that everyone who lives here has to leave. But then they're saying that it's 'not an invasion, just an occupation.' This is total nonsense!"

The Blaireaux, who until that point seemed to have been relaxing slightly (albeit infinitesimally), tightened her grip on her shovel. "Your people need only to leave the area temporarily. Within a few weeks our business here will be done, and you will be allowed to return to your homes."

"Allowed? Allowed?! It's not up to you to allow these deer to do anything!" Hans' hoof moves for fir bow, and the Blaireaux settles into an aggressive stance.

FRACTAL 2012/12/17(Mon)08:46 No. 479408 ID: 6808dd
File 135576278906.png - (109.12KB , 700x600 , uhoh.png )

By now a small crowd has gathered. You step back to whisper to Lutzi.

"I'm trying my best to project calmness to try to get them to back off, but I think Hans is using fir talent to make firself brave ... it's cancelling me out! And with fir yelling, the Blaireaux is getting angry enough that my talent doesn't matter for them, either ..."

>>479408
Sigh
"Whatever it is you intend to do, you're not going to be able to do it if you force the town's people to leave. You try that and the army will come here to stop you. Even if that doesn't lead to war you can be assured that you'll fail your mission.
The easiest solution is to leave the townsfolk alone and do whatever it is you need to do without bothering them.
If you can't do that, then you'll need to negotiate with the townsfolk for a fair price to rent the town while you need it."

solution: have L-diddy here politely get Hans to shut the fuck up.

ask the badger who in the deerling government gave her (how do you even know it's a she?) jurisdiction to do this? because if nobody did, it's an invasion by definition.

man, I wish I could remember our inventory or not be too lazy to look it up, just in case we do have to fight.

>>479407
Okay, where's the badger diplomat? Is he it or is he just a soldier or what? They're gonna have to file the proper paperwork with the government or whatever deerling's have.
They are not only under threat by the deers, but the deer gods as well. Have they also asked their permission? Because if everything is totally legal and backed up with paperwork, there's nothing we can do.

Or the badgers could just like, give something to the deers in exchange for this occupation, they pretty much have to. What have they offered?

Oh yeah, gets Lutzi to get fir to back off. You can handle this. Your an empath, a natural diplomat! You just got major hugs last night from a total stranger!

>>479408
Why not projecting fear into them?
I mean right now your pretty afraid and they are outnumbered.

FRACTAL 2012/12/18(Tue)20:12 No. 479758 ID: 6808dd
File 135589035418.png - (61.06KB , 700x600 , eyelashes!.png )

You know she's a girl because she has eyelashes. Everyone knows that non-Rekitzchen with eyelashes are the ones called girls.

FRACTAL 2012/12/18(Tue)20:13 No. 479759 ID: 6808dd
File 135589038727.png - (128.87KB , 700x600 , werkwerkwerk.png )

"Lutzi, do you think you can get Hans to calm down?"

Ti nods with a confident smirk and sidles over to stand behind Hans. "Hans, dear?" Ti runs tir hooves down Hans' back, leaning down to push tir cheek against the frolich's. "I'm getting an awful headache from all this shouting ..."

"I - o-oh. Oh. I'm sorry, I - I didn't realize - I'm just gonna - oh."

FRACTAL 2012/12/18(Tue)20:14 No. 479761 ID: 6808dd
File 135589049694.png - (23.45KB , 700x600 , confrontation.png )

With Hans melting all over Lutzi's chest, you have a chance to step up and try to speak rationally with the Blaireaux. "Do you have a diplomat who's in contact with our government? Or any paperwork or communication with our country? Because if not, you are invading." I swallow thickly. The badger looms intimidatingly over you, but you project some of the fear you're feeling, and you watch her flinch slightly as the emotion hits her. "And .... and then, uh, you'll have not only the townspeople and the country military to deal with, but also .... uhm. Also the .... the wrath of the deer gods!"

The Blaireaux narrows her eyes at you, then straightens up, using her shovel to bear her weight. "We do not fear your capricious gods."

"R-Really?" You swallow thickly, hugging your arms to your chest but trying your best to keep projecting a wall of fear. "If that's true, why haven't you ever come here before now? Why have you stayed away for - for years and years, if you aren't scared?"

She growls softly, and you start inching your hoof towards your enchanted satchel, in case you have to grab the staff you bought - but before you can, she speaks gruffly.

"How would one gain audience with a religious leader to ask your gods for permission to pursue the prophecies fortold of this place by our oracles?"

>>479761
We will help them do that. She seems truly and honestly here on behalf of their oracles, not to invade. We can do this properly, with no conflict, and give the people here either more time to prepare for their temporary relocation, or arrange some sort of mutual inhabitation.

>>479766
Yes I misunderstand the need to evacuate the people that live here, mutual habitation seems very possible unless the oracles explicitly need everyone out of the way, which I do not see to be very probable actually. However, I digress, this is something for the gods and government to discuss with the badgers, not us.
Just lead them to the closest, most important government representative and they should be able to take care of the rest. Simply ask the gathering crowd for a little help in locating them, because we know you do not know much about this town.

we're on a quest! unless this has a chance to inch us closer to a cure we should give her direction to someone who's job is to take care of things like that, an official or something, then LEAVE.

would the badgerfolk know anything?

"Threat of military invasion and occupation usually gets you audience with diplomats. Send a message stating your intent and asking to discuss if there is a possible solution without displacing these townsfolk. War is still an option but it should be the last option."

not a fucking clue. ask your friends. or just say what you know.

FRACTAL 2012/12/19(Wed)19:38 No. 479936 ID: 6808dd
File 135597470755.png - (129.08KB , 700x600 , hraaargh.png )

You .... honestly aren't sure what to do. You glance back at Lutzi, who looks up long enough from teasing Hans to offer tir input.

"There are convents of the devout in Geweihburg - one to Oberin, one to Gönner. If the badger visits each I'm sure the leader of each convent will be able to speak to the gods on their behalf."

FRACTAL 2012/12/19(Wed)19:38 No. 479937 ID: 6808dd
File 135597472692.png - (70.38KB , 700x600 , uhm.png )

The Blaireaux considers this for a moment, then suddenly points her shovel at your chest. "I am going to relay this information to my superior officer and tell her to withdraw our soldiers from the town until we recieve and answer from your gods. You," she rumbles, "are taking me to Geweihburg."

Okay! We were on our way there anyway. Welcome her to our traveling party.

Agree, but make sure she knows you have your own business in the city, so you can't be there for the whole process.

>>479937
Why us? We already have business at a university and little time to act on it, a member of your family's life is at stake with a serious disease, you merely intervened to make sure your friend wasn't smashed into paste.

I'm afraid that if she wishes for you to travel with her, you would have to save Lief's life first, if not, than your afraid you cannot take her there all the way to where she wants and then wherever after. You will take her there and then will split paths as we do our own business. Their business is none of ours and we should not intervene with each other's business for each own's selfish sake. That is the deal.
We split once we reach the city's gates, no exceptions, we will split and that will be it.

we can manipulate her the same way we can manipulate the others, so why not! I'm sure a fuck-you-shovel-wielding full-body-armored badger-person could be useful to us somehow.

>>479939
this and hug the shovel. it takes a pair to hug a shovel.

she got a name?

>>479996
>>479950
indeed. then again, its awfully comforting to know you have a giant trained warrior more than ten times your body mass ready to defend the group. hug shovel, shake badger's hand, bow. introduce her to your companions.

FRACTAL 2013/01/10(Thu)18:43 No. 484279 ID: 6808dd
File 135787222516.png - (140.75KB , 700x600 , isweartheartwillimprovesoon.png )

Well, it's not as if you can say no.

"We can do that! But, uh, I have pretty urgent work in the city too, so as soon as I get you there we have to part ways..."

She says nothing, but she grunts in a way that sort of sounds like an affirmation. You clear your throat and extend a hoof. "I'm Gunter Edelweiss. My traveling companions are Lutzi Geliebte and Hans Schutzen."

She doesn't take your hoof, which is probably for the best because you're fairly certain she could liquify it in her palm. Instead, she merely grunts, "Staff Sergeant Brielle Guerin."

A few minutes later you find yourself walking with the badger, after waiting for her to report to the others in her unit. The walk is silent and awkward. Hans has gone back to fuming, obviously displeased with being forced to share the company of the Blaireaux; Lutzi is bored and surly; you can feel waves of contempt rolling off Brielle; and you're just plain uncomfortable, with all of their emotions washing over you at once.

project the emotion of disco.

you're done in this town, right? continue towards the city.

Ask sergeant Brielle about badger people medicine. Who knows they might have some way of fighting against Lief disease.

>>484458

Good idea. For that matter, ask Brielle about anything! Her home, her family (if she has any), her hobbies/interests, other bits of badger culture you don't know about, etc. Finding out more about her might help to relieve some of the tension and boredom, and give Hans something to focus on besides how rude she was during their first meeting.

If she continues to be rude and unresponsive, well, at least you'll have tried.

>>484458
that is, of course, assuming the badgers and the deer have comparable anatomy and biological tricks and processes.

FRACTAL 2013/01/11(Fri)12:04 No. 484489 ID: 6808dd
File 135793468457.png - (83.66KB , 700x600 , laststylechangeipromise.png )

Better break the ice, you figure, or the walk to Geweihburg will be excrutiating.

"Uhm, Brielle?"

"Sergeant Brielle."

"Right, Sergeant, sorry ... uh, I was just wondering - well, the reason I'm going to Geweihburg is that my mate is sick, and we can't figure out what's wrong. I was wondering if maybe Blaireaux had ever heard of a disease where you get weak and frail and just sort of ... waste away? It came out of nowhere and got worse over a few weeks, and now my mate can barely sit up by tirself ..."

She hefts her shovel up to sit more comfortably on her shoulder. "Sickly weaklings in the badgerlands die. If you are no use to your country, you are no use to anyone."

"O-Oh." You swallow thickly. Looks like badgers don't do much in the way of medicine. "Uhm ... what are the badgerlands like? I-I've never been there, of course -"

"Of course, because if you set foot on our lands we would kill you."

"Uhm, yeah, because of ... that. But I guess I'm just sort of curious! We're going to be travelling together, after all, so shouldn't we know a little about each other?"

She's silent for a moment, and for a second you think she's going to ignore you. But then she starts speaking.

"I'm the oldest of six cubs - two sisters and three brothers. All the female cubs and the eldest male cub of each family are expected to enlist in the army. One of my sisters is in the until that came with me, the other is currently in training, and the eldest boy is too young to beginning training. My last two brothers are still babies, but they won't be considered fit for military duty."

You're stunned. That is an insane amount of children. Then again, badger reproduction is far more straightforward than the ritual (though it is, to be frank, completely repulsive).

"They'll probably go into civic jobs or some sort of agriculture - though it's a cruel job to attempt to claw sustenance from the cursed land we've been forced onto."

>>484489
Why are males considered unfit for military duty? Biological reasons? Cultural?
The two deer races aren't very different beyond the positive and negativity of the talents on a general basis, so both are fit for military service here equally.

>>484493
Wouldnt some talents make for better/worse soldiers though?
Im sure Gunter wouldnt be fit for the military, too many emotions flying about.

What's wrong with the badger lands? Does it have something to do with that prophecy?

>>484550
I never meant on an individual basis, of course some talents aren't suited for military uses, but neither deer types as a whole make more superior soldiers, but for the badgers, females are sought for military use generally speaking, while males only one is drafted per generation. If deer were a militant culture, probably both types of deer would be drafted equally, or on an individual talent basis.

FRACTAL 2013/01/13(Sun)07:49 No. 484955 ID: 6808dd
File 135809216043.png - (112.90KB , 700x600 , blahblahblah.png )

You wince a bit because she's obviously a little bitter. The badgerlands are a set of islands far, far north, and badgers are confined there because ... well, to be frank, because deerling are everywhere else. It's cold, rocky, and nearly infertile, but a serious attempt to invade deerling countries for better land would inevitably result in a smiting from the deer gods.

"Uhm ... why aren't males drafted as much for the army?" you ask. You're still not really sure you understand the difference between males and females beyond the eyelash thing.

"War is woman's work. Men are to make armor and weapons, teach the young, grow crops ... but the blood and pain of battle are akin to the blood and pain of childbirth and men know nothing of that. Women are far more suited to fight and kill." She pauses for a moment before snorting dismissively. "Not that you would know anything of that. There are no men or women among Rekitzchen."

Tell her that is true, but the personality differences between the two types of deerlings often make them suited for different jobs... despite the differences not including gender.

Hey, deer people know plenty about pain and blood, even if technically you wouldn't call the process "birth".

>>484955
No, but the Traurig must die to give birth. I suppose you could call them the female counterpart, in a way. You're the only race on this planet that needs love to procreate, the other's just do their repulsive mixing of fluids. What defines what is a man and a woman anyway? The Dryad's could just call their men and women something else and then they wouldn't have men and women either.
Wait, it's not taboo to reveal that, right? Please tell me Lutzi can't hear you from here, out first conversation about this with tir went bad and I don't want to bring up bad shit.

I think you might end up in a battle of wits with the badger soon. Hopefully she'll be entertained than annoyed, and you can make a friendship out of being jerks with each other about each other's flaws, personal and of each other races. Just a whole bunch of banter.

>>484955
Tell her that, yes, you don't, but you find it so interesting and would like her to continue talking about it. Also find opportunities to talk about your own people.

The two types could be considered genders. They are distinct and both types are required for reproduction.

true, but Deerlings kill and die to to have kids, so as far as pain is concerned, both their genders know plenty.

FRACTAL 2013/03/04(Mon)10:08 No. 497738 ID: 8dbc01
File 136242052513.png - (122.18KB , 700x600 , whoooooo.png )

"Oh, but -" She's started to walk faster, so you break into a trot to catch up. "We - we sort of have the same thing! With frölich and traurig - we're different, and there's blood and pain when we make children, too ..."

Brielle glances down at you, her head cocked in what could be interpreted as interest, then glances briefly back at Lutzi. "Blood and pain for the dark ones."

"It hurts us too," you mumble. But considering how your debate on the subject with Lutzi went earlier, you decide to quiet down. You're not sure ti would react well to overhearing you rehash the points again. "But, uh - I know we're different, but I'm interested in hearing about your culture! I, uhm - I've never met a Blaireaux in real life before, so ..."

She doesn't speak for a while, merely lumbering forward in silence with ponderous steps, and you wonder if you've said something wrong. Finally, though, she shifts her shovel on her shoulder and replies, "What would you like to know, mioche?"

What is badger music like? Their big bodies look well suited for Opera.

On the same note what is Rekitzchen music like?

>>497738
mioche?
why is she carrying a shovel around?
do they have schools?
what do they value other than war?
what is her favorite food? what do they even eat?
are they a monarchy? a republic? who is their ruler?
do they keep pets?
does she miss home?

>>497801
They're French. Mioche is child/brat, iirc.

>>497738
How is your beer? Speaking of which, how is deer beer as well? OR deer wine, whiskey, etc.?

>>497812
oh. oooohhhhh. German/french. of course. why not.

just everyday life. and things she remembers the most fondly of her time spent home.

FRACTAL 2013/03/06(Wed)15:29 No. 498356 ID: 8dbc01
File 136261254971.png - (46.19KB , 700x600 , storytime.png )

"Oh, well ..." You're surprised that she's actually being receptive, and it takes you a few seconds to get all your thoughts in order. There are so many things that you're curious about, and they're all rushing around your brain at once. "E ... Everything, I guess! I don't know anything about how you live, just like ... daily life and things, I suppose ..."

Hans has sidled up beside you, and you're surprised to see that fi actually seems interested, as well. Brielle glances down at fir, snorts dismissively, then starts to speak. "That is a lot to talk about. Perhaps I'll just tell you about how I grew up."

FRACTAL 2013/03/06(Wed)15:29 No. 498357 ID: 8dbc01
File 136261256107.png - (104.60KB , 700x600 , br1.png )

[i]THE FOURTH STORY: BRIELLE IN THE BADGERLANDS

My father was a nurse in the army, as he was the eldest of his brothers; my mother was high-ranking and well-respected. As the eldest daughter much was expected of me, even from birth. I began strength training when I was two cycles old, and weapon training at four. It was all required to glorify the gods of war and to serve my country and our grand general. Every Blaireaux must do her duty.

FRACTAL 2013/03/06(Wed)15:29 No. 498358 ID: 8dbc01
File 136261257315.png - (71.58KB , 700x600 , br2.png )

But when I was young I was weak and pitiful. My heart bled for the mountain beasts we killed and I shrank from the idea of war. Violence was loathesome to me and my weak disposition affected my training.

FRACTAL 2013/03/06(Wed)15:29 No. 498359 ID: 8dbc01
File 136261258275.png - (79.64KB , 700x600 , br3.png )

My mother quickly beat this weakness out of me.

FRACTAL 2013/03/06(Wed)15:29 No. 498360 ID: 8dbc01
File 136261259359.png - (76.81KB , 700x600 , br4.png )

While my younger brothers learned the men's arts - song, dance, weaving, architecture, smithing, and farming - my sisters and my eldest brother were sent to the closest military academy as soon as we were old enough. The military was, as it still is, our lives. We trained, we ate, we slept, and the next morning we rose before the sun to train again. We were allowed to visit our families once each solar cycle.

FRACTAL 2013/03/06(Wed)15:30 No. 498361 ID: 8dbc01
File 136261260473.png - (106.66KB , 700x600 , br5.png )

Only a season ago, I was told I would be given my first real assignment beyond the badgerlands. It has taken us a season to get here and now this is my first field mission. I do not miss my home - I know this is where I should be, serving the general and the will of the gods.[/i]

FRACTAL 2013/03/06(Wed)15:30 No. 498362 ID: 8dbc01
File 136261262025.png - (69.39KB , 700x600 , bribribri.png )

She stops talking. Hans' eyes are wide. After a moment she speaks again, with an edge of ... what? Bitterness? You hear it in your voice, but you can't feel the emotion emanating from her at all.

"There is not much else to tell. We follow the orders given to us by our superiors, who are in turn commanded by their own superiors, and so on until the orders originate from the mouth of the grand general herself, advised by her oracles, who are in turn advised by the gods. It is a chain of obedience and discipline and a weak link ruins everything, and therefore weakness is unacceptable. The lives of badgers are simple."

Share your childhood now? Your expectations, etc. I doubt she wants to hear tales of weakness or inability, more about the expectations you did meet and might have been proud of.

>>498362
Ask her about her gods. What are they like? Don't imply that they are less real than your gods.

tell her about compassion and how it is not a weakness.

...don't push it too much though, because bigass shovel.

>>498364
No. Don't take her story as a cue to share your own. You only do that when she asks; otherwise, it's as if you asked only so you could have an excuse to talk about yourself.

>>498499
No, not yet. Hold on for one damn second. This is her life. We'll get there later.

>>498370
Yes. Do this.

>>498525
listen to this guy

FRACTAL 2014/04/14(Mon)18:53 No. 570728 ID: 8dbc01
File 139752683178.png - (188.46KB , 700x600 , idontevenhaveafolderforthisquestanymore.png )

"Oh, uhm..." You realize that, for all you've been told about badgers, precious few of it seems to have ever been comprised of facts. "Well ... your gods, the gods of war you mentioned - what are they like?"

The path is broad and even and the air is warming up slightly - as is Brielle, though her chill remains noticeably sharper than the weather's. "There are three. The god of victory, who we pray to be at our backs; the god of defeat, whom we will upon our enemies; and the god of death, who will always be there, no matter which of her sisters visits us on the battlefield that day. They are all equally important, and they all will visit each of us no matter what we do."

You notice that even Lutzi is listening attentively by now. "Badgers have no spirit world, no Odlands or Letzefelds." All three of you find your ears perking in surprise that she knows the names of deerling religious concepts, but she doesn't seem to register your reaction, continuing to speak even as you glance at Hans and Lutzi to confirm your surprise. "There are only those who fight and will continue to fight, and those who can no longer - and the gods recognize only two kinds of blaireaux - the courageous and the cowardly. But heroes sometimes lose, and cravens and wretches find victory, and all meet death in the end."

She pauses for a moment, adjusting her shovel with one enormous paws. "Things are simpler for us, I think."

Maybe... simpler is better, in this case.

So, fight any good wars lately?

That's probably fair. Progress assessment, how far have we put behind us?

I like the simplicity- must be a lot more comfortable to be a blaireaux than a rekitz, emotionally speaking. though it must be tiring to focus all your life on literal wars.

Whats the significance behind the shovel?
It seems like an unorthodox weapon at the best of times, so I'm guessing its somehow relevant to culture.
Don't badgers live in holes in the ground?

Actually, come to think of it, isn't digging a more laborious task for the males?

FRACTAL 2014/06/22(Sun)16:35 No. 580086 ID: c3ad33
File 140348010417.png - (101.49KB , 700x600 , map.png )

Your party falls silent for a while after that; you take advantage of the lull to check the map. You've made good time - thanks to Brielle, you were able to cross the river in the most direct way since you could be waved over the bridge. Now trees are beginning to thicken around you.

FRACTAL 2014/06/22(Sun)16:35 No. 580087 ID: c3ad33
File 140348011531.png - (115.85KB , 700x600 , 1.png )

It's late afternoon; there are probably three or four hours til the sun begins to set. The further you walk, the closer you get to the dense copse of trees ahead. It's very, very quiet.

Hans seems excited; Lutzi less so. "I bet there are all kinds of cool beasts in there!" Hans chirps. "I could catch us some dinner no problem. And I'm good at forests - won't take long for us to get through with me at the helm!"

"So you say," Lutzi mutters. "The forest is small, but it's thick. There's a very real chance that we may still be trying to make our way through when night falls."

"So what?" Hans retorts. "We can make camp in there! No big deal!" Fi turns to you, beaming. "Come on, Gunter. You wanna get to Geweihburg as quickly as possible, right? Let's not lose the rest of a day over this!"

"We'll lose much more than that if we go in there like fools without any preparation," Lutzi snaps back.

Brielle is silent. She is clearly disinterested in engaging in a deerling argument.

It's already the second day of your trip. You have five days left to reach Geweihburg, find out what you can, and return. You also have never been to this forest before.

When Brielle finally speaks, it's to you. "A leader makes decisions."

you have a beasthunter and a badger with you, might as well cut down on time by going into the forest. lutzi can suck it up

agreed, the woods are thick but small, they're the quickest path and you've got a good team.

We should go through, but emphasize to Hans that our purpose is [i]passing through[i], and he shouldn't try to hunt to much if it would slow us down.

>>580087
If they're thick, it might be hard to see. Does anyone have a lantern?

Maybe try to determine if there's a bit thinner part of the forest- somewhere both safer to cross and also faster. But if the forest is the quickest way to go, it seems as though it's the most logical route to go- what is going to mess with a party so large and fierce? Address Lutzi's concerns, though, and at least explain your decision- wanting to avoid unfamiliar forest is wise, and his thoughts justified, but you're running low on time.

with yr current party, you should be able to make yr way through the woods in safety, even if you've never been there before, especially if you stay on that path in front of you.
announcing yr confidence in the skills of yr party could boost morale and keep lutzi from being too upset.

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You straighten your spine and give a sharp little exhale through your nose. "We have ... a really good group of people, here!" you say firmly, turning to face your travelling companions. "I'm confident that we can get through this forest just fine!"

Lutzi still doesn't look impressed. You do your best to project confidence and touch the jasper magicka earring you bought earlier. "Look - even if it gets dark, I have this! I can make fire so we'll be able to see, or setting up camp, if we have to, will be easy ..."

"I have a torch too!" Hans pipes up.

Lutzi finally gives an irritated huff. "FINE! Fine. I've been outvoted. I don't care in the slightest. Let's just do this efficiently and safely, shall we?" With that, the group starts up again down the path, though Lutzi is still mumbling to tirself. "Imagine, ME, tramping through the filthy woods .... Honestly ..."

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The woods are dark and cool, and you don't see any signs of other life besides occasional birdsong from overhead. The path narrows, to a point where it would only be comfortable to walk two abreast. You find yourself forced to shuffle in position - you can either fall into single file, or choose one of your companions to walk beside.

walk beside brielle, probably the safest one to stick around right now. she seems to have warmed up to you, so she probably won't be a threat.

>>587073
Good idea, Hans is in front so he can look ahead.

Go stand next to Lutzi. You might as well try to cheer tir up since you made tir all huffy.

go stand with lutzi, ti's probably still all huffy.

FRACTAL 2014/08/06(Wed)16:02 No. 588414 ID: 88625f
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You feel a little bad about overriding Lutzi, so you shuffle up to stand by tir. Ti's at the front of the caravan, walking with quick, purposeful strides that are almost a bit difficult for you to keep up with.

"Oh. Good. Let me into the bag so I can have that knife you bought," Lutzi commands briskly. You oblige, and after a moment's thought take out your staff, as well. There's no further comments from the traurig, and you find yourself straining to pick up any particular emotions from tir - ti might be purposefully suppressing them to stop you from getting a read.

A keening call echoes through the trees, breaking the relative silence and making you jump. Another follows from the other side. Hans perks up slightly, walking a few paces behind you and Lutzi.

"Probably just dryads," fi remarks. "We should be fine, but ... I don't know about the blaireaux..."

It's true - dryads are typically non-hostile and even sometimes enthusiastically helpful to rekitzchen, but vicious to all other species. They even cannibalize their own at times.

"I don't know enough about dryads to really know what those calls mean, either," Hans cautions you. "It could be normal stuff, it could be hostile. It's hard to tell."

"Oh, perfect," spits Lutzi. "Not even ten minutes in ..."

Maybe everyone should stand around the blaireaux, just in case, and maybe they'll realize she's a friend. Can you get a emotional read on them?

Dryad's aren't smart right? Maybe you can make a little antler trinket for Bri and trick 'em that way? If Bri doesn't think it a dishonor, of course. There's gotta be branches around, and strings holding together sandwiches to help keep 'em fresh? You can use a variety of materials to make pseudo-antlers, and you lived on crafting small knick-knacks most of your life, right?

>It could be normal stuff, it could be hostile
Well, uh, realistically, if it is hostile stuff, there's not a whole lot we can do about it. I mean, they'll either attack or they won't, right?

I mean, you have to hope they'll treat the blaireaux as a friendly by association, or that you can talk them into that, if there's a chance.

hmm, i agree that there's not a lot we can do! with any luck they'll just go along cannibalizing each other and leaf us alone- with that in mind, caution everyone to be respectful of the forest! We're not looking for a fight.

we dont want anything to go bad, but just in case i think everyone should have a defense weapon on their person.