>>1095265
Ms. Roak you seem like a person who is constantly stressed out. Why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Fair's fair, lady, this isn't going to be exactly the most filtered feed you get, either. Have a little understanding when something random or uncomfortable comes through to you and we'll offer you the same courtesy, hey?

I hope Moria isn't pulling our leg about Rabas for a laugh.

>>1095268
What reason would she have to do so? Let’s not bad mouth Roak’s mistress and our ally.

Anyway, Roak this is a quick means of connecting us with you and your mistress but we will try not to be so intrusive. We can only read surface thoughts, nothing so deep as on the subconscious level.

>>1095265
By the way, before we go, how exactly are you using the orb shard right now?
Have you implanted it into yourself or, as another voice has postulated, has it been made into a device you're wearing?

>>1095270

Yes we won't hear a word, as long as you don't think about anything embarassing or compromising.

Fortunately, we're rather forgiving towards the occasional awkwardness or gaffe; after all, we're reading people's minds all day, it's not like we can expect perfect deference and protocol 24/7.

>>1095265
Stop staring at her chest roak!
Thats your Lady!
Have you no shame?

Roak: Stare at her obesity
Stare like your existence depends on it

Rev up those fryers and break out the accordian, time for pierogis and polka! Nothing better in the world. Im sure Rabas will love it, thanks for the tip.

Roak 2024/08/04(Sun)10:20 No. 1095299 ID: 46e818
File 172279200965.png - (15.10KB , 800x600 , 2250.png )

>"Master Rabas is a well-connected man, so I think your being on good terms with him would be quite beneficial to your cause. It's fortunate he's taken note of you.
>Best wishes, Little Prince.

>That's enough, Arna. Let him to his business."
"I'll-- yes, I think I can figure out how to do that."
This is so weird.

Muschio 2024/08/04(Sun)10:22 No. 1095300 ID: 46e818
File 172279217665.png - (18.91KB , 800x600 , 2251.png )

Ah, you're back. That was a bit of an experience. I wonder if the unusual transition is owed to the distance of our communication. I've certainly never had a shard-wearer so far away.

Well, all the same, I'm glad it was a successful connection and a fruitful conversation.
I've made morning preparations and our guest hasn't arrived yet, so there's still some time to catch up with the crew. Seems almost everyone wants my attention this morning.

While there's still time, who shall I check in on?

>>1095300
Dompag and Ashedel first to check our defenses, then Babrakus to ensure our guest facilities are in order for Rabas’s stay. Lastly, I assume Ona is going to be or cook for this, best make sure she has everything thing needs so we can coordinate that with Tislomer.

First order of business is to go for the kitchen and tell Ona to rein in Tislomer so she doesn't prepare four different shades of mint flavoured meals.
Then we can check on the weapon. Maybe check on Pendle as a courtesy but he doesn't seem the kind to need doting and is probably just as happy to simply enjoy his new freedom in and of itself.

>>1095300
Wait, you could tell what was going on?
Since when could you do that? Before, we've always had to relay info we gained while in others' minds.

Also, everything is still green looking. Is that residual from our link with Mondegreen and her servant or are they still somehow listening in right now? And how the hell did they hijack the orb focus like that? We usually have to willfully send it to others, but they just kind of took it from you.

>>1095304
this could be a benefit of someone else initiating the connection. Assuming the command was something broad like "connect my mind to Muschio's," it would make sense that it connected to both him and the Orb.

However, it may also mean that everyone with a shard got some insight into the conversation as well, something we should maybe test.

>>1095300
Locate Erisol and inquire if she would like to oversee Mock Fang's onboarding. Given his unusual nature, we want this process to go as smoothly as possible.

>>1095300
Erisol and mockfang induction sounds perfect.
They could do with a little supervising.

Then the food and halls where he will be entertained need checking.

I think you should ponder with finesse a selection of interesting and sociable inner circle members to greet and entertain our guest during his visit.
Have chambers been prepared in case he is considering requesting quarters for the visit?

>>1095300
Seems all we need to worry atn, is to procure fine meals and wine and been gracious hosts.
Maybe we could set a little play for our guest.

Muschio 2024/08/06(Tue)11:25 No. 1095387 ID: 46e818
File 172296872875.png - (16.62KB , 800x600 , 2252.png )

Very well, let's check on the chef.

"Ona, will everything be prepared in time for lunch? Our guest--
...that smell is divine."
>"Oh! Thanks! Yeah, everything's fine here, Tizzy's a big helping hand in the kitchen. Hope you're bringing an appetite!"

This smell brings me back to my days as a child. The meals prepared for royalty.
I knew her meals were good but she's clearly showing off the true extent of her culinary expertise today. Ms. Openda's talents are truly broad.

Muschio 2024/08/06(Tue)11:26 No. 1095388 ID: 46e818
File 172296878740.png - (15.34KB , 800x600 , 2253.png )

Not wanting to linger, I take a moment to stop by the forge.

"Mr. Fumo. I was told you have something for me."
>"Ah, y-y-y-yy-yes, p-please. Here, Emmy and I w-worked hard on this, come in."

Muschio 2024/08/06(Tue)11:33 No. 1095389 ID: 46e818
File 172296921143.png - (12.31KB , 800x600 , 2254.png )

>"This is some of my b-best work. Finesse told m-mm-me y-you were looking for a wweapon more suited to your exp-p-pertise.
>A rapier fit for a m-mm-master ffencer. I m-made it j-jj-ju-just a b-bit longer than I might otherwise. Full tang. Swept cup hilt. Engraved monogram. With F-f-fff-Finnie's help I e-even inset a bit of peregast crystal into the hilt.
>Let 'em know where you c-come from, right?"

>>1095389
Can you make a katana?

>>1095389
Absolutely beautiful work, Wes. And the addition of pereghast...

Boss, I've got an idea. Try and use your fire knack while holding your new blade.

>>1095389
Call Wes "cutie snooty"

>>1095389
Well Boss you'll obviously have to test the feel of it, indulge in a flourish or two, but otherwise that seems splendid.

(also look how excited they are to present it, can't imagine it'll be anything less than masterful work)

Oh my word, it's gorgeous. Thankyou, Wes.

>>1095389
Brilliant work, Wes. We could not have asked for a finer blade. Do we have a training ground where we can practice our forms with it?

>>1095390
A good cutting and slicing weapon but the question is who here has the capacity to use it to maximize its effectiveness.

>>1095403
Now you're asking the real questions!

Jesus, I should hope it's full tang! Still, splendid work, thank you.

Let's give it a little flourish. Nice touch with the personalizing details.

>>1095392
We already reserved that IP for Ash

>>1095389
Let's make guns.
For now, though, can you make some fine-tuned springs and gears?

>>1095478

Guns and even cannon would require a tremendous amount of chemical and metallurgic integrity, as well as help from Finesse, and likely leave our people exposed in the even of a siege.

It might be smarter to fortify our base and produce better arms for our people, while using the peregast to amplify the effects of any protective magics they can employ.

Draw a Z in the air with the blade. Imagine flamenco music and you wearing a broad black hat, mask, and cape while doing so.

Can you dual wield?

Muschio 2024/08/07(Wed)14:21 No. 1095504 ID: 46e818
File 172306567955.png - (9.58KB , 800x600 , 2255.png )

I step to the empty side of the room to test the new sword.

Muschio 2024/08/07(Wed)14:21 No. 1095506 ID: 46e818
File 172306569233.gif - (85.02KB , 800x600 , 2256.gif )

[ANIMATED]

>>1095506
Sexy. You know, you got some real dramatic hair, boss.

An elegant weapon for a civilized age.

Not one to pierce armor or deflect a two-hander, but it certainly emphasizes your noble status.

So? How's it feel? Because it certainly looks like it's got some sort of magic going on.

Can you dual wield?

>>1095506
Feels good I assume?

>>1095506
Oh.
That suits you.

Good work that smith.
Congratulate him.
Mr fumo has impressive talent.

>>1095504
>empty side of the room
That is rather odd that a room that should be so busy with arming our troops is so empty. Maybe at one point we should get Wes some racks, tables, bins and other assorted workshop adornments for the forge.

>>1095389
Excellent, Good show. So nice to see our people gearing for the betterment of the cause.

Absolutely gorgeous.

Next up, build a mini-cannon for Muschio's arm-stump. I'd recommend a grappling hook, those are in fashion.

actually yeah who is specialized for what weapon? we need to make sure that someone who is actually good with a certain weapon actually has it before anything serious happens. But it also depends on the complexity and how hard it is for Wes and emmy to work on.

Muschio 2024/08/08(Thu)13:20 No. 1095563 ID: 46e818
File 172314843233.png - (14.19KB , 800x600 , 2256.png )

"This is a truly fine weapon. The balance and heft are almost without compare."
>"I'm g-glad you approve.
>H-here. I know you dd--d-didn't request it, but we m-made an ac--c-acc-accompanying ppiece.
>A parrying dagger to go wwith your style. F-Finesse and I have been t-trying to find a way to equip it c-comfortably t-t-tt-- for your off-hand."

That can be our hidden blade

>>1095563
Is there an attachment as in we have to replace the whole hand or is the current false hand capable of gripping on to it?

>>1095511 >>1095503
Actual dual wielding is usually done with a smaller weapon, usually used for parrying or opportunistic strikes.
This dagger will serve us perfectly.

Wes went above and beyond duty. Even if he just enjoys making stuff, loyalty like that must be rewarded.

Ask if he would like something as a sign of gratitude. Well, perhaps after the current batch of equipment for our troops is finished.

>>1095563
It looks as sharp as the minds that envisaged it.
Theyll find a way, no doubt.

Big M.
Sudden inspiration.
The monster gate can create life from the unliving.
Would it be possible to use it to create some kind of... hand golem?

A thing that could hold onto your wrist and grasp objects on your behalf?
Perhaps with a shard within it the thing could be attuned to your mind to the point it could react to your instincts?
Worth considering, but would certainly need a better name than just calling it a thing.

>>1095569
Given LeoPendle and Ona's descriptions when we were cobbling together Mock Fang, it would require an object with some form of energy attachment on whatever object we stuck through, psychic or magical or somesuch. So we'd have to make something and then enchant it.
What's more, the forms that come out of the portal have never been under our control. We'd have to get very lucky to somehow make a personalized hand golem for our own use.

I do like the idea of making our own mannikins, though, regardless of how they turn out. It's something to keep on the backburner, for sure.

>>1095569
Groovy.

>>1095563
Boss, a buckler can be modelled for your missing hand. And the parrying dagger can be hidden inside the it.

>>1095601

upgrades people upgrades

>>1095563
Stick the hilt to your stump. Knifehand. Unbeatable.

>>1095569
A hand-golem directly controlled via shards of the Orb of Infinite Psyche is one of the funniest things I've heard all day. Let's go for it.

>>1095747
we could give rude gestures! Point at things! tap out tunes! So many uses.

Considering you need to draw your rapier to fight anyway, a simple mechanism to unsheathe the dagger would be fine, as your good hand will be near your missing one at the time.

Alternatively, we can do something fancy. Maybe an enchantment linked to your scabbard to automatically unsheathe the dagger when you draw your sword?

Muschio 2024/08/13(Tue)08:56 No. 1095773 ID: 46e818
File 172356461466.png - (16.64KB , 800x600 , 2257.png )

"Excellent. I wish for you and Finesse to find a way to attach it to my false hand with a trigger action. Something I can pull with my right hand, perhaps."
>"We'll try to f-f-figure something out. I think it s-should be ffeasible."
"Excellent work."

Well, this is a lovely development. It feels invigorating to finally have a weapon honed to my specific abilities. Too long I was burdened with broadswords and salvaged weapons, but this is a fine implement.

Well, our guest still seems yet to arrive, so who shall I visit next? Seems half the Vault is hoping for my attention.

Let's try to find Erisol.
It's a bit worrying her exact location is unknown. Mock fang has caught her attention and we don't know how loyal he is yet, so let's not risk another spider incident and find her soon.

We should probably check how Mock Fang is doing.

>>1095773
Let's check in with Mock Fang.

I'm gonna second checking in on Eri, just because I don't like not having at least a general idea of where she is.
I mean, I'm sure she's fine, but. Y'know.

We can also double up and check in with Mock at the same time. She seemed pretty enamored with the poor guy, I'm sure it'd be a great opportunity to see them properly introduced to one another.

>>1095784

I agree with your suggestion

Oh this is perfect. The Boss can fight someone with his newly made weapon to entertain the guest. A mock battle would help take off the rust. Only problem is who would be the opponent?

Muschio 2024/08/14(Wed)18:00 No. 1095847 ID: 46e818
File 172368362650.png - (11.63KB , 800x600 , 2258.png )

Very well. I'll continue to familiarize myself with the weapon while you go find Erisol and check in with her.

Princess Erisol N'poa 2024/08/14(Wed)18:03 No. 1095849 ID: 46e818
File 172368379981.png - (16.05KB , 800x600 , 2260.png )

"Oh! Hello!"
>"Hello."
"I'm just relaxing up here! There's a cool ledge up here outside the mountain that has a GREAT view!"
>"...I'm sorry, are you speaking to me?"
"Oh, no, I'm talking to the boss's voice!"
>"Ah. Of course."

"This place is great! Can you believe he got all the way up here even with a missing foot? He only needed me to help him a few times! That's incredible!"
>"Thank you."
"Oh, I was talking to the boss."
>"I know. But thank you, all the same."
"Oh! You're welcome!!"

Hello, so what do you do?

>>1095849
Glad to see you are settling in well, and that Pendle’s recovery is going well. So what are you two doing up here anyway?

Hi, Eri! Finnie said she didn't know where you were, so we were like, "We should probably check on her."
Nice to see you're just hanging out with Pendle.

... wow, this is a nice view.

>>1095850
She mostly blasts stuff with magic. Also she's fun.

>>1095849
The mountain has a ledge like this up here?
Very nice, this could be a great place to expand the base. Dragon guest aerie here we come!

Oh right, back to the check in: how are things going with you? Looks like you've got a great view of the barracks from here; anything going on down there that's caught your eye?

>>1095849
What are you looking at? Can you SEE us? I didn't think we had anything to see; I thought we just had an arbitrary viewpoint.

>>1095849
You look like youve found an excellent spot to take a break.
I hope you are both doing well.

>>1095849

Erisol you precious goober ...

That is a great view!

>>1095849
Indeed what a great view.
Also any news in the western front, oh dear princess?

how’s mock-fang doing, you two?
(also, i wonder if we could possibly connect to multiple people’s brains at once? it would be pretty helpful to see things from both pendle and eri’s perspectives here, to make sure we aren’t missing anything)

Princess Erisol N'poa 2024/08/16(Fri)09:03 No. 1095905 ID: 46e818
File 172382421048.png - (13.68KB , 800x600 , 22661.png )

"Oh I can see a lot from up here! It's mostly plains, so I can see people coming from a long way away.
The goblins and kobolds from the forest got here and they've been working all morning. The human guards we got here are keeping their distance.
And I can see a small caravan of two wagons approaching in the distance, might be our guest!"

Princess Erisol N'poa 2024/08/16(Fri)09:05 No. 1095906 ID: 46e818
File 172382434645.png - (12.95KB , 800x600 , 2262.png )

"Me and Pendle have just been up here talking about magic and gods and stuff! He's got this theory about a magical-theological bridge that's really complicated and I don't understand it!"
>"Ah, I was just thinking out loud.
>I'm not really confident in anything enough yet to speak on it. I hope you'll be patient, Prince.
>Incidentally, while you're here, I'd like to request a new pair of pince-nez. It's a bit slow going in these old texts without my corrective lenses."

Are there other gods that would be willing to speak to us, help us or give us something? That is a topic worth looking more into.

>>1095906

So long as the old ones weren't shattered, it shouldn't be too hard to recreate the lenses, since Emmy would be a great help in getting the glass mixtures to a proper clarity.

>>1095906
What happened to his old glasses?
Looking back, he seemed to have lost them even before the demon revealed themselves.

>>1095906
Hell yes mister pendle.
Least we can do.
Any other lenses that might be of use?
Couple of hand held magnifiers.
Maybe even a multi lensed one on an armature for especially fragile documents or artifacts?

Say, erisol...
You seen mock fang lately?
Hows he doin?

>>1095906
I’m sure we can make that happen, do you know where we can get some?

I suppose we should switch back to Muschio if our guest's arrival is imminent.

Princess Erisol N'poa 2024/08/18(Sun)17:44 No. 1096019 ID: 46e818
File 172402829032.png - (17.97KB , 800x600 , 2263.png )

"Oh! Yeah! Mock Fang! He's uh...
Yeah he's really something huh? I mean woo. Tall dark and handsome, right? Pour some of that in a glass for me, right? Right.
Hey this is fine right? I mean you guys seem pretty okay with like, yknow, this sorta thing. Just I'm new here so I wanted to make sure I wasn't violating any sorta rule."

>"Goodness."

"Anyway, uh, how about you? What's going on this morning?
My brain feels a little different. There was like a mint flavor or something going on. Hard to describe. Was that you?"

Has your head been feeling different lately? If you do feel different in any way report it to others do not ignore it. We had experience dealing with demon possession and we probably killed the demon but you can never be sure with them. I mean you are standing next to a person who was the target of that possession. So ask him more about it, the symptoms of demonic presence if he can remember it.

>>1096019
Yeh. Mondegreen, that orc lady we met in the other mountain, kind of forced a shard connection to us... somehow... and that's where the "flavor" came from.
Extra weird that you'd be experiencing that from a shard convo you weren't involved in. That exchange continues to be increasingly odd.

Also, sure, go shoot your shot with mock. Nothing against romances around here so long as you're not pushing poisoned bottles of wine on anyone or the like. No creepy stalker shit.

Rabbits can have mint-flavored thoughts? Interesting.

...Wait a minute.
>Red One is also the god of candy
Fudge. I think he ice creamed his victims' brains into edibles.

It is absolutely fine, Eri. No need to worry. Just as long as everyone treats each other with the respect they deserve. Love can bloom even on the battlefield.
Anyway, I'm rooting for you. Get some, girl.

>>1096019
That was us establishing a new connection over a long distance. It was a little different than usual, probably just because of the distance.

I don't know of any rules forbidding co-workers from... mingling. Go for it. I've got no idea how romance works for summoned monsters though.

you know im curious, is there any personal effects in erisol's clothing? i wonder if there's a name written on there or something or such. makes a man wonder who she was before being a sprite, or if she has always been one

>>1096019
Better Mint than Licorice, I'm I right?

Anyway, have you been able to tune up with the magical minerals in the mountain? ´cause we're looking forward to the great feats of magic you could be able to accomplish.

I have a better idea Pwndle! Magic surgery. We'll make it so you don't need glasses. And if that fails and melts your eyeballs? We'll make magic replacement eyes out of gems or something! And if that fails, we'll invent braille. It's fool proof. Trust us.

>>1096019
The mint might be Tislomer. She likes it. A lot.

>>1096055
Fighting words.

>>1096019
No rules that i know of.
You be nice to him.
Hes kinda new to, uh.
Existence.

oh yeah.
Guy talking to us. Long distance.
May have something to fo with point of origin.
Maybe some way he does it.
Maybe he really, really wanted a breathmint.
For all i know his psychic brainwaves flew through a humbug factory chimney.
Kinda weird but interesting.
Good to know youre alert to it.
Keep being awesome princess.