Right so who were we delivering this to, again?

Fritzi's nephew has a package. So ask around to find out where they are.

Ask Lutzi if ti knows where the nephew is or who the nephew is. Lutzi is Fritzi's cousin so maybe ti is related to the nephew too.

Damn it, Traurig don't like their families.

Hopefulness! Lutzi is a weirdo with a VERY atypical personality.

We won't need to ask anyone - Fritzi gave us a letter with the cousin's address (and presumably name). Ask the cousin what fi/ti knows about the badgers when we find fin/tin.

Also, since this is Fritzi's cousin, does this mean that fi/ti's Lutzi's sibling, or is it fir cousin through her other parent?

FRACTAL 2012/08/24(Fri)09:44 No. 446980 ID: 8dbc01
File 134582669330.png - (142.53KB , 700x600 , splitup.png )

Hans gives you guys a quick wave. "I'm gonna go check on that crow problem. If I finish before nightfall, we should meet up again, 'kay?" Fi grins at you, then shoulders fir bow and trots away.

FRACTAL 2012/08/24(Fri)09:46 No. 446982 ID: 8dbc01
File 134582677018.png - (126.46KB , 700x600 , GUNTERCANTREAD.png )

"Okay, looks like it's time to deliver this for Fritzi." You pull out the package that Fritzi gave you. It does seem like fi has a letter with a name written on it, but unfortunately, you can't read!

You tap Lutzi's shoulder. "Lutzi, do you know who this is?" Ti takes the envelope from you and gives it a quick scan. "Yes. I've never actually met fir, but Mina is from my side of the family." Ti flags down a passing deer, and after a quick exchange, falls back into step beside you. "Fi lives just a few houses away from here, actually. This way."

FRACTAL 2012/08/24(Fri)09:46 No. 446983 ID: 8dbc01
File 134582681614.png - (87.72KB , 700x600 , cheerupemodeer.png )

You reach the cottage, but as you reach up to knock, the door is pulled open. A traurig stands in the doorway, peering bleakly down at you. "Hello, Gunter."

"I ... uhm ... hello?" You are pretty sure that you've never met this deerling before.

"You're here for Mina and you're nervous that we're all going to hate you for what you did to Fritzi."

You gape.

The traurig taps tir forehead. "No secrets. Don't worry, I don't hate you. With the things I know about people, it's hard for me to hate anyone." Ti pauses and glances up at Lutzi. "Lutzi, that's disgusting."

Lutzi tilts tir head coyly. "Don't knock it til you've tried it~"

"I'm not that flexible."

Lutzi continues to confuse me in this confusing world

So is Mina here, out, or in the middle of some bizarre, complex, and dramatic situation and is fi our forth party member?

>>446983
If ti can read our thoughts does that mean ti's constantly gonna respond to our statements before we say them?

>>447004
Good idea.

Also, ask where Mina is.

>>447004
FRACTAL has said that our posts are just a storytelling abstraction and don't exist in the quest world, even as thoughts.

>>447062
oh cool, if it was in here or dis thread I forgot.
I also forget that this isn't mina
whoopsie

Ask for tir name, and if you can come in. (If Mina doesn't hate you.) You're probably kinda tired from the trip so far, right?

FRACTAL 2012/08/24(Fri)21:13 No. 447237 ID: 8dbc01
File 134586798687.png - (179.62KB , 700x600 , blahblahblah.png )

"So, what's the deal, trauchen? Telepathy?" Lutzi drawls. You look over at tir, embarrassed.

"Don't be so forward ..."

"It's alright." The Traurig leans against the door. "My name is Verheim. My talent is that no one can keep a secret from me. If you want to call that a 'talent.'" Ti holds your gaze, tir expression completely flat. "It's horrible."

"I'm ... I'm sorry to hear that ..." You heft the package a bit in your hooves. "But, uh - if you can't read minds, how did you know that I have something for Mina? I wasn't really trying to hide that ..."

"Tangential information," ti replies dryly. "You were hiding the fact that you're scared that Mina, and the rest of our family, hates you. You were focusing on Mina's reaction, which meant you intended to speak to fir."

"Oh. Well, is fi here right now? I really just need to drop this off and leave ..."

"Your mate has a week. You have time to take a break, don't you?" Ti steps back, giving you room to come inside. "Mina is at school. Fi'll be home very soon, though. Just an hour or so. You could even stay the night, if you like. It'll be dark soon and you don't want to be wandering the roads with Blaireaux patrolling - even if they say they're here in peace."

>>447237
"If nobody can keep secrets from you, then would you maybe possibly consider helping me save Lief? People are keeping what they know about people who have this condition secret, and I need to know what's wrong in order to save tir.

>>447237
It being dark soon is a good reason for us to stay the night. We should probably leave early though. Like, at the crack of dawn.

Lief having a week means that we have three days to get there, one day to find out what we can do, and three days to get back.

Optimally we want to be there in two days and take two days coming back. We know Lief has a week at most. The less time we take on this mission the better.

>>447237
I agree in asking ti for help in your quest. Though if ti'd much rather stay because of her depressed demeanor, you'd understand. But Lutzi didn't like staying cooped up in the town and really wanted to travel, it might help boost her mood!
If the offer isn't offensive to ti at all, of course. if so, sorry.
OR maybe she could see through to the secret all the way now if she tries hard enough. Maybe there's like, secret pathways that travels DISTANCES. But that's too hopeful, isn't it?
If she doesn't go for either, maybe she could go and see Lief herself, figure out what exactly he isn't telling? I can't help but feel he's hiding something about this.

Gratefully accept. Try not to impose too much, though!

"even if they say they're here in peace."
Guess this means that Verheim hasn't been close enough to the badgers to see what their true purpose here is. Couldn't hurt to ask though.

>>447353
I think it's more that rekitzchen inherently distrust the scary badgers. Be Polite and accept the offer graciously. Lets not try to recruit tin just yet. Besides, it sounds like ti would probably decline.

Does seem pretty morose though. How about projecting some Good Vibes? No ulterior motives, just spreading the joy?

FRACTAL 2012/09/05(Wed)18:27 No. 452055 ID: 8dbc01
File 134689486302.png - (186.91KB , 700x600 , ughfinally.png )

"Thank you so much, we'd really appreciate that." You follow Verheim into tir cottage. It's small and clean, with simple, well-crafted furniture and a few weavings and photographs hanging on the walls. As you and Lutzi sit down, a Frohlich pokes fir head out from the kitchen.

"Oh, hello there. Lutzi, dear, it's been forever." Fi glances over at you as well. "And a friend?"

Lutzi sprawls back in the chair. "Indeed. I'm actually here because of fir. A quick errand - something for Mina."

Fi sits down at the table with you, giving the two of you a warm smile. "And your traurer, Lutzi, how is ti?"

Lutzi shrugs breezily. "I exhanged a letter with tir about a cycle and a half ago. Ti and my frohrer were planning on trying the ritual again, but they probably haven't done so yet - ti mentioned they were going to take some time to work out some of the things that have changed, re-evalute their relationship, that kind of thing. I'm sure my frohrer will send me a letter when they do, regardless of the outcome."

"All the best of luck to them." Fi turns to you and tilts fir head. "And you, dear? What exactly brings you here with a package for Mina?"

>>452055
We're going to the city to try to get help for Lief's illness, and this place was on the way, so.

Fritzi asked us to because on was on the way.

>>452070
This.

Also, BADGERS.

Ask for information about the route you'll have to take. They might have heard something which did not yet reach our tiny village.

FRACTAL 2012/09/11(Tue)15:41 No. 453659 ID: 8dbc01
File 134740329914.png - (146.47KB , 700x600 )

"Lutzi and I are going to Geweihburg to try to find a cure for my mate's illness ... Fritzi is watching over my mate while I'm gone, so since this place is on the way, I'm dropping this off for fir."

"Well, that's awfully nice of you."

"By the way, do you know of another way to cross the river? We probably don't want to try to pass the Blaireaux down by the main bridge..."

"No, I don't think you should try that." Fi pauses for a moment, thinking. "Well, there is another bridge further up the river, but toll is pretty steep. It might actually be a little less expensive to rent a boat across, but then that requires that you know how to sail."

You glance over at Lutzi, and ti shrugs. You yourself have absolutely no idea how to work a boat. "Well, thanks! We'll figure something out."

FRACTAL 2012/09/11(Tue)15:41 No. 453660 ID: 8dbc01
File 134740331840.png - (100.72KB , 700x600 , mina.png )

A moment later, the door swings open. "Tag, Frohrer! You won't believe what Gretel said to me today, ti was like 'I bet you're not even a Rekitzchen, you're some kind of freaky hybrid,' - well, okay, that's not EXACTLY what ti said but that's BASICALLY what ti said - and I didn't tell the teacher because like I didn't want to start anything and only deerlets tattle but I got so mad, because like it's not my fault that -"

The young deerling suddenly breaks off when fi notices the guests in fir sitting room. "Oh. Hi. Are you relatives?"

Lutzi smirks at fir. "I am, fi's not. I'm Lutzi, I'm your Traurer's cousin."

"Uhm..." You wave nervously. You sense only curiosity from fir, but you still feel ... sort of like you don't belong here. "I, uh, I know one of your Eltern's siblings..."

"Which one?"

"Fritzi, from Ahornblatt."

"Oh, NEAT!" Fi suddenly bounds forward, prancing around your chair. "Did fi send anything?"

"Mina, don't be rude," fir Frohrer cautions quietly - but despite fir words, fi has an indulgent smile on fir face. "At least sit down first."

Try not to over-react to this COMPLETELY BLANK DEERLING OH GODS IS FI SICK I mean uh give present to deerling!

...blank? No markings? How on earth is that possible? Surely fi has some sort of ability, even without the markings? I'm sure fi is of some interest to the academic community.

Oh, and we forgot to add that we're being paid for the errand too.

Mina just hasn't found fi special talent yet. So... Delayed puberty I guess? Uncommon but not entirely unheard of I would think.

Promptly present PRESENT to blank flank deer.

>>453716
From questdis:
>Deerlets are fed soft food until their teeth grow in (this usually occurs at their first demicycle, aka half a year). By this time their markings have begun to darken and become more defined.
>These markings are usually completely sharp and visible by the time they are one solar cycle old, and this is when most deerlets first begin noticibly exhibiting signs of their talent. Talents are actually made possible by these naturally-occurring markings. (Similarly, magicka tattoos emulate these markings in order to give deerlings the ability to use artificial talents or boost the ones they already have.)

This deerlet is obviously old enough to have markings. She just mentioned how someone at school was saying that she probably wasn't even a real deerling, which would be one explanation for why she has no markings.

I have one important question. Does the white deer god have markings? Perhaps fi is an incarnation...?

>>453736
Maybe it's a small glitch in the ritual the gods designed
Maybe he's the progenitor race from my theory reborn(the one the deer gods I think copied and make deerling scientists come to a conclusion they actually evolved despite the physical presence of the gods)!
The missing link! The gods fucked up in this one's creation and has shown us the truth! Everyone is a clone and the ritual is a spell-based cloning ritual! And this clone's DNA is so close to the original race that it's almost a perfect recreation!

Did Lief ever tell you why ti and ti's university peers thought deerlings were changed over time despite the fact that the gods clearly exist and interact with your kind?

FRACTAL 2012/09/25(Tue)12:41 No. 457882 ID: 8dbc01
File 134860209884.png - (181.23KB , 700x600 , drawstones.png )

Sometimes, some deerling take longer than others to get markings, but ... well, this one is old enough to be going to school. And you've never seen a deerling this old without developed antlers. You realize that maybe fi is sick - like, really, REALLY sick - and feel a pang of sympathy.

Lutzi doesn't seem surprised at all, but you have to hide your unease. It would be rude to stare. You pull out the package Fritzi wanted you to deliver and hand it to the young Rekitzchen, who begins tearing it open with gusto.

"Oh, Mina, please," fir Frohrer sighs. "Try to be a little polite."

"Oh, come on, this is the first package I've gotten from Fritzi since last harvest season!" Fi pulls out a small fabric pouch, which fi shakes open to reveal a pile of smooth draw stones. They cling together in clusters when fi lifts them. "Oh, cool! Look, Frohrer, fi sent draw stones! They stick together all by themselves, see? What else ..."

FRACTAL 2012/09/25(Tue)12:41 No. 457883 ID: 8dbc01
File 134860211349.png - (128.35KB , 700x600 , oberinbook.png )

A little more digging reveals a white fabric-bound book. You can't read the title, but it has a picture of Oberin on the front. "Oh. Uhm. I guess it's ... stories about Oberin," Mina mumbles. Fi seems relatively less enthused about this gift. "That's ... cool, I guess."

FRACTAL 2012/09/25(Tue)12:42 No. 457884 ID: 8dbc01
File 134860213128.png - (114.16KB , 700x600 , ohshit.png )

The final gift is a small, soft black pencil with a note attached. Mina reads it in a halting mumble, and you can't help but overhear. "Darling Mina, I sent along this cosmetic pencil for your fur. You can ask your parents to take you to the university or ask a teacher at your school to find you a book about markings and use ... this pencil to ... draw on ..."

Fi suddenly stops reading and drops the pencil on the table, fir mouth twitching defiantly as fi reaches up to rub angrily at her watering eyes. You can feel shame and hurt stabbing out from fir. "These presents suck."

"Mina!" Verheim's mate jumps up, prepared to scold fir deerlet, but Mina has already dashed around the corner. You hear a door slam.

"Oh, my goodness. They're just terrible at this age." Fi sighs deeply and sits back down. "I'm very sorry you had to see fir throw a tantrum like that. Fi's usually very well behaved."

It's cool, those were pretty terrible gifts for a kid to get anyway. A little insensitive if you ask me, even if it was given with helpful intentions.
I mean, hey, adult figure, this is a wonderful message to send to children, hide your true self with a lie! Yes! It's not like fi isn't wonderfully exotic and unique to find in nature, no. Let's hide that adorable blank face and make fi like every other Frohlich. You do that, fi's going to have confidence issues! Gunter, you don't want other deerlings to suffer through your confidence issues now don't you?
You'd tantrum too, wouldn't you?

>>457884
...that was a very insensitive thing to send fir. I'm not sure we should make a fuss about it as Fritzi isn't even here to scowl at, but we should at least mention that Mina was very hurt, and seems sensitive about her lack of markings. It's not our place to attempt to comfort Mina but we should at least tell fir frohrer what's going on.

It sounds like fi HAS a talent, fi just doesn't have markings for it, so Fritzi thought that fi should draw the correct ones. Fir body is developing slower than normal, it seems, but otherwise fi's normal.

Fi meant well...but poor kid. At least Fritzi wasn't here to see how fir gift was received.

It's fine, you don't mind. Send Mina feel-better vibes through the door?

>>457884
Shake your head.
"No, I understand. The other kids treat fir like a freak; fi wants fir family to accept fir like fi is.
I'll go talk with fir."
Get up and follow the poor kid; she needs somebody sympathetic, and nobody's more sympathetic than an empath.

FRACTAL 2012/10/04(Thu)18:14 No. 460369 ID: 8dbc01
File 134939969578.png - (213.84KB , 700x600 , minadoor.png )

You sigh uncomfortably. "No, it's okay. I understand. I think ... uhm, to be honest I think maybe it wasn't the best thing to send fir." You glance over at the hallway Mina disappeared into, then speak up slightly. "Do you think it would be okay if I went to talk to fir? I'm, uh, an empath, so maybe I could help ..."

"Oh, certainly. That's very sweet of you."

You get up and make your way down the hall until you find a door that's decorated in a way indicating the tastes of a young deerling. You can't read the sign, but the marks look similar to the label that was on the package. Your hunch is confirmed when you hear sniffling behind the door. You knock gently.

"Mina? Do you wanna talk?"

"Not really." There's a wet, sniffly pause. "Well ... I change my mind. Yeah."

FRACTAL 2012/10/04(Thu)18:15 No. 460370 ID: 8dbc01
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The door clicks and swings open. Mina's eyes are red-rimmed and fir hoofs are wet from wiping at fir face. "You can come in."

You sit on the bed with fir. The younger deerling takes a deep, shuddering breath. "Fritzi ... Fritzi sent me something that I think is kinda mean." Fi sniffles again and raises fir head, as if trying to keep the tears pooled in fir eyes rather than letting them spill over. "I know Fritzi isn't mean and I know fi thought it would be a good present, but like ... I liked getting stuff from fir because fi never talked about my ... you know, how I look different. And getting that pencil thing just sort of reminded me that even though I thought we were friends, fi still, like ... thinks I have to be fixed or something. Like, I thought it didn't matter to fi but then it turns out it totally does. You know? Like it's ... like it's like wrong that I'm like this and I should feel embarrassed or something." Fi suddenly trails off and gives a lopsided shrug. "Sorry, I'm talking a whole bunch. It just made me kind of upset."

>>460370
I think it's because Fritzi thought Mina wanted to fix it. To fit in better? What did Mina say in her last letter to Fritzi?

It really sounds like Mina has a talent even without markings. I think that's interesting! It means the markings aren't tied to it at all.

>>460370
Comfort and entertain the little deerling with a story that your little village is full of kinda dumb people or at least a villiage that has a lot of flawed people. You have a salesmen who sells bulk more expensive per item, your dumb and inconfident with people despite being an empath and a bit of a bad salesperson yourself, and Fritzi's got fir own flaws too, you suppose. Fi's not the type of person who can understand the big picture. Your mate's kinda stubborn jerk. You think Lutzi's the only sane person around, really. Most importantly, tell fi that it really doesn't matter to Fritzi, probably. I mean, look, fi hasn't physically seen Mina in forever if at all. If Fritzi's been in communication with any of the deers in this household, they've probably told fi about Mina's concern she's probably physically projected when it becomes a subject at home.
Tell fi that this isn't something that should be fixed. Being different is good! It's how the world changes for the better! And everyone's marking's are different and unique anyway! What if this is fi's unique markings? Try and project whatever confidence you can muster up. If you need help getting those emotions, remember that you're a tall attractive Frolich out on fi's own, solving fi's problems like a true boss.
Take it in stride little deering. Be proud of your lack of markings. They're pretty bitchin'. Just don't use that language around the parents.

No, you don't have to be embarrassed or apologize--we understand, we do.

Do you have a clean handkerchief or is there one nearby you can offer fir?

Try not to project any emotions since fi might not take it well if fi thinks you are trying to manipulate fir.

Fritzi is also stigmatized, so fi might have been thinking of how it hurt to stand out when fi sent that present. I still think it was a bad idea, but >>460380 has a point that Mina might have accidentally given Fritzi the impression that fi wanted to fix it, or hide it, or something

Sometimes people hurt the people they love, and at the very least we know Fritzi did it with the best of intentions, even if fi misunderstood what Mina wanted

>>460370
"Mina, fir talent is to take away pain, but fi can't fix problems. That's the way fi thinks.
So... I'm gonna guess you complained about getting picked on in your letters. Right?"

If so: "Seems like fi wanted to stop the bullying. Fi loves you for who you are, but fi can't fix the bullies, and fi doesn't understand what you're feeling."

Yeah, ask if maybe she might have given Fritzi the wrong idea and explain that Fritzi just misunderstood. If Mina is still upset after that, distract her by asking about the guy in the posters! Who's this hottie?

i think Fritzi thought that it was embarrassing for mina and that it mattered to Mina so fi tried to help fir. i don't think she was trying to be mean, she just misstepped.

FRACTAL 2012/10/21(Sun)21:30 No. 465101 ID: 8dbc01
File 135088021199.png - (145.81KB , 700x600 , cutedeersnuggling.png )

"You know, Mina, I think ... maybe you might've given Fritzi the wrong impression?" you offer tentatively. "Maybe fi thought that you wish you had markings. Can you think of anything you might have told fir that would have given fir that idea?"

Mina considers this. "I mean ... I tell fir about the other deer at school and stuff, and sometimes they say stuff about my face ... I didn't think I made it sound like it bothers me, though, 'cause it like totally doesn't ..."

"I think maybe Fritzi made a mistake and thought that it did bother you. It wasn't about fir wanting you to change, it was about fir thinking you wanted to. See?"

"Yeah ... yeah, that makes sense." You're startled when Mina suddenly wraps fir arms around your shoulders, squeezes tightly, and then lets go, clearly embarrassed. "Thanks, Gunter. You're pretty okay."

"Uh, well - I should probably get back to Lutzi and see if we can get ourselves settled for the night."

"Oh, I forgot. You're staying over, right?" Mina hopped off the bed, stepping forward to open the door and lead you out of fir bedroom. "Where are you going again?"

"To the city, tomorrow." You pause in the doorway, reaching up to scratch absently at your ear. "I've got ... some really important stuff to do. So I'm probably going to leave really early."

"Oh man ... you're cool." Mina frowns slightly. "It would've been cool to hang out a little."

FRACTAL 2012/10/21(Sun)21:30 No. 465102 ID: 8dbc01
File 135088024302.png - (163.89KB , 700x600 , endofchapter.png )

You assure fir that you'll see fir on your way home, then meet fir eltern back in the front room. They've set up an area for you and Lutzi to sleep. It seems your traveling companion has already made tirself at home.

"Thanks for setting this up," ti calls offhandedly to your hosts. Ti turns to you as you settle into your bedroll, propping tir face up on tir hoof. "We should get some rest. It's later than I thought it would be, and we have to get up very early tomorrow."

You nod and nuzzle further into your blankets. As Lutzi rolls over and quietly drawls out a "good night," however, you know you're not going to get a wink. Not now, and not until you find a cure for Lief.

- e n d e d e s k a p i t e l s -

*Wild applause!*

We should travel over here with Fritzi and Lief once we get a cure, these deerlings are pretty coo.