To me, it sounds more like "ah, you're awake. We were commencing to think you were in coma for the long run"

Looks like you've been captured. Either the random teleporting did that or you made a mistake running from the frontlines.

Say you don't understand.

>>897406
Well, we probably don't want them thinking you're a Rezan. You want to adopt an accent and manner that will throw them off that line of thought.
I think we all know how to do that.
"Oi, 'm right bloody knackered ain't I?"

Baron 2018/08/19(Sun)11:33 No. 897978 ID: ca1cab
File 153470362292.png - (362.68KB , 1600x1200 , 88.png )

"Uh-um-Non boun extene?"

"Qi?"

"Qi?"

I don't think it worked. "Oi, 'm right bloody knackered? How does speaking with a northern low Rezan dialect help me? What's a 'knackered'?

"Etu tas Rezanti?"

"Non non...Wo commesse to atteyant palar Usparo."

"Ti deto da resonto atrocement."

"Ah...'allo? To-you understand me?"

"I guess?"

"Ah! Guun! Wo-we are having myself to be your translator. Did wo say that right?"

Ask them why they did not execute you in your sleep. Was it because
(A) They wish to trade you for an equally important VIP
(B) They need your help with something very important. Like where their commanding officer went after you ripped off her face
(C) They are scared ^&*(less of the guy who single-handedly sabotaged their entire army with archmagick

Well I hope it's C.

>I don't think it worked.
Actually it worked perfectly. It established you're coherent and trying to communicate, and that you do not know that language.

Your interpreter seems much better at this than me!

Usparo huh?

Anyway your interpreter's doing fine, mostly. "Yes, you are understandable. I take it "wo" is the plural pronoun? I was guessing, very badly, at what was being said earlier."

>>897991
Oh c'mon! These are civilized people, they don't murder their prisoners of war, and Sergei's obviously important based just on all the shit he pulled.

Baron 2018/08/25(Sat)19:53 No. 899070 ID: ca1cab
File 153525201227.png - (120.37KB , 1280x1024 , 89.png )

"Tell me what is going on. You landed a full invasion force. Last thing you should be doing is taking prisoners."

"Oh no. No invitation! We come as ze-qi isa vorla- occupation! Yes. Occupation. Your island is for ze trade of land your empire took and occupy from us."

"That doesn't explain why you kept me around. Is it because I was the one who last saw your commanding officer?"

"Qi? Ze Commondar iz right here. He has been speaking wis you zis 'ole time."

"Then who was that maniac you sent after me?"

"What are you talking about? Are you fully recovered?"

"No! Yes...I don't know. But what I want to know is why you care about me!"

"Well ze prisoners we 'ave captured speak of you as ze governor so we felt it would 'elp if you stayed around to 'elp us keep ze population under control until ze trade wis your empire is complete."

"So we're hostages..."

"Zat is such a rough word. Zink of zis as more of ze temporary change in of management"

Yeah that's not a problem. If I can make things easier for my citizens by helping out I will.

(not saying we are not going to get rid of the rest of them later if chance arises)

>>899070
If you want to back out of this governor gig, tell them you're a glorified police officer, now's the time. But I think you should honor your commitment to the people here. They're all folks you've lived among and grown up with. They're your neighbors and friends and family.

Because if the occupiers don't have a cooperative governor keeping people from rioting, they'll use martial law to impose order. And these people are your people.

"... Well, nobody @#$%ing told us. Anything. At all.

I must regretfully admit that this massacre of your army was due to lack of communication, a sabotage by cultists. The cultists want to do horrible things, and we've been fighting them vigorously. None of us realized that they simply killed all the secret messengers from the Emperor himself who would have told us to stand down and let you guys take over.

On the plus side, that occult weaponry is raaad. Did you see the explosions?"

>>899070
"... Wait, you actually think that will work?
No, just no. I can tell you how this is going to play out.
You hit the empire, they take it as a grave insult. They aren't going to negotiate, they're going to declare war.
They're not going to negotiate a trade, they're going to use this as an excuse to take more land from you.

You want me to keep the populace calm, in spite of knowing full well that their homes are going to be the battlefield for a bloody fight?
And you do know that if I help you it's treason and I'll be executed no matter how this turns out, don't you?

Why didn't you just buy your land back in the first place? It would have been so much cheaper."

Baron 2018/09/02(Sun)12:56 No. 900100 ID: ca1cab
File 153591820516.png - (177.41KB , 1280x1024 , 90.png )

"... Wait, you actually think that will work? No, just no. I can tell you how this is going to play out.

You hit the empire, they take it as a grave insult. They aren't going to negotiate, they're going to declare war."

"Silly boy, we are at war. We 'ave been at war for ze last forty years."

"Wait really? Th-that doesn't change things! They're not going to negotiate a trade, they're going to use this as an excuse to take more land from you."

"We are aware, which is why we took zis island. If zey want to keep zeir supply line to ze front, they will want zis island back."

"You are still saying I should keep the populace calm, in spite of the fact you are turning their homes into a bloody battlefield? They won't listen to me because of that!"


"Yes zey will. Everyone we process asks of you. It iz ze first zing zey ask. You are ze island's celebrity, zey will do whatever it takes to keep you 'appy."

"Wow seriously?"

How come I don't know this? Was Vivian involved in this?

"B-but you do know that if I help you it's treason; and I'll be executed no matter how th"

Baron 2018/09/02(Sun)12:57 No. 900101 ID: ca1cab
File 153591824036.png - (184.37KB , 1280x1024 , 91.png )

"-is?"

GUN!

Baron 2018/09/02(Sun)13:07 No. 900103 ID: ca1cab
File 153591885365.png - (172.47KB , 1280x1024 , 92.png )

"Wo make it clear. We 'ave zought of zis as well. If you do not accept we will replace you with ze double. Wis can do it. It just means more work for us, and you will be dead. You want to live, we want less work. Everybody is 'appy guun?"

"ah..."

"Nunette. Paroutti. Wis dourrons to vole."

"Commondar, wo nuun retare ti. Soson intimidans."

Lets see if physical contact can let us get a look at her.

Go go mystery orb powers!

Accept their proposal. Less work for them, but higher chance that you may get to backstab them at some point.

Also, ask her if she's single.

Baron 2018/09/09(Sun)14:26 No. 901130 ID: ca1cab
File 153652838532.png - (179.67KB , 1280x1024 , 93.png )

I can't get any closer dammit! Work!

"Okay, okay, I get what you want. I'll agree. Just take your knife away."

"Guun. Zere iz the understanding between us now and it iz guun non?"

Single? What? Do you want me to seduce her? Okay...

"Yes it is good, it is very good. Uh...are you single?"

"Oh! Iz zat why your little friend iz up?"

"My litte-oh! No, no, that's not why I have a-"

"It iz nozing to be ashamed of. I didn't know zis was such a turn on for you."

"IT IS NOT!"

Fuck you guys, now I look like a perv...

Baron 2018/09/09(Sun)14:37 No. 901132 ID: ca1cab
File 153652902562.png - (180.08KB , 1280x1024 , 94.png )

"Look that isn't why I have this, it's because I need to use the bathroom."

"Of course it iz."

"I'm serious! It's something all guys have, I-"

"Oh put your clothez on silly boy."

"Nunette, qi di criese?"

"Rina Commondar, soson taquonn."

"Seis guun. Commesso of him? Will he be enough to keep the people cooperative?"

"I think that is possible Commander. He is a media darling right now. I can see why, I want to protect that cute smile too."

"Focus Nunette. I want you to oversee him for the forseeable future. And...get him presentable. I want him ready to address the masses by this evening. I need to see if we can capture the last holdouts in the mountains."

"Yes Commander."


Hey, why can I understand them? Is it because I'm close to you the glowy ball thing in my pocket?

Durrr you think?

Listen the ball is basically part of your body. We have no idea why but your unique heritage seems to have something to do with us? But our memory is shit lately so can not help you figure out what is going on.

You should just probably swallow us so you don't loose us. Keep pretending you don't know there language.

We need to see if we can get word to the mountain holdout troops.

Yay, our auto-translation AI finally kicked in! This happens to other clients sometimes, now you can listen in on Hegemony speak. I think it should also work for other languages; listen and let the AI learn how to translate a different language into Alltongue. Just don't speak in multiple languages while it's learning - ever heard of frenglish? Me neither, but it's apparently what the AI thinks they should translate nagaese into.

>>901130
You may complain that they think you're a pervert now, but think back on how much information Guildmaster Jenwin was able to get out of you the other day, just by pretending to be flustered and playing up the innuendo.

You're now positioned to be able to ask really pointed, even aggravating, questions and have them think you're just looking to goad them into threatening you so you can get off. If they're caught off guard and let things slip, they will not feel like they made a major mistake because they will believe you have false motives. Base motives to be sure, but that just makes it easier for them to believe the lie now.

Do not let on you understand them. When you need to speak make a conscious effort to use your native tongue.

>Fuck you guys, now I look like a perv...
If they underestimate you now, you might be able to exploit that later. Let them think you're distracted by being a perv.

>Hey, why can I understand them? Is it because I'm close to you the glowy ball thing in my pocket?
Just remember not to react to the stuff they don't think you can understand. It's to your advantage if they talk freely in front of you.

Hey! She never answered your question...

But this is fine. This works in our favor. They will definitely try to use this to their advantage, either to try to manipulate you or.. for certain other purposes. But because you know this, you should be able to make things go your way.

Baron 2018/09/15(Sat)18:18 No. 901879 ID: ca1cab
File 153706070163.png - (202.56KB , 1280x1024 , 95.png )

Yeah, like I can swallow something as big as you-don't say it, I got it the moment I finished...

"Stay close to him Nunette, no investigating our missing soldiers."

"But sir, they were slated to land in the spot near the Governor's palace, but they've been missing since the landing. If I could-"

"No Nunette, your job is now to keep the governor alive. For now at least. Get up close to him, make him think you're his friend. You're part Rezan, use that. Sleep with him if you have to I don't care, just make sure he's happy. And when the time comes, Protocol 27-88."

"I...yes commander."

Uh. Is Protocol 27-88 some military jargon, or is that some secret Hegemony plan?

>Protocol 27-88
Well, standard media tells us that military tends to hide their "kill kill kill war crime rape conspiracy cult ritual" orders behind protocol numbers. I mean, if you ever hear the words "Order 66", hide your mages. All of them.

So I guess the goal here is to convince Nunette to switch sides from "Loyal Hegemony Spy" to "Hegemony Defender Against Cultists"; you don't have to make her betray her country, just make her realize that the cult is more of a threat at the moment.

So, missing soldiers. Show some initiative for that before they get reconstructed into suicide bombers. Nunette might like it if you do things that her commanding officer forbids her from.

>>901879
If I had to guess, it means "kill you when you outlive your usefulness".

Again, just remember you probably weren't supposed to be able to understand that exchange.

>>901879
Do you feel clever often?

You know her plan to get you on her side; instead, flip the script and do it to her. She seems eager to look for soldiers MIA, if you lead & offer insight (That you gained from those teleport shenanigans) and she follows & listens, you'll get some latitude to do stuff and have her keep silent about it to her bosses.

Also you really should find Viv and your bovine battle-buddy.

Also also, don't look like a collaborator to any guerilla/resistance movements and avoid your 'brother'.

I've heard enough. Hand us over to the commander and then stand there like an idiot. Act like you're vacant in the head. We'll try to overwrite the commander's mind ourselves, make him an actual vegetable that's just taking orders from us. It's distasteful but I like you better than I like him.

If we fail, and it's rare but possible with some strong-willed individuals, he'll believe we did the same thing to you as long as you act like you're vacant in the head after you hand us over. If we succeed we'll have the commander's body countermand his recent set of orders and have you stick close to him from here on out. Then you can act like you're yourself again.

This won't be enough to stop anything by itself, but it'll buy us a lot more room to play with and ability to undermine things directly.

>Missing soldiers
Officially we don't know about that, so no broaching the subject for now.

Baron 2018/09/23(Sun)14:24 No. 902933 ID: ca1cab
File 153773785533.png - (176.42KB , 1280x1024 , 96.png )

But your crazy mind altering powers don't seem to work a lot. Or do they? I dunno. Do you think they'll work now?



"Did you say something?"

"Pardon?"

"I thought you said 'no' to something."

"I said nozing to you silly. But you really have non ze time to dally. We must prepare you for ze speech you will give yes? Need to show your adoring crowd you still live~"

Huh...what was that then?

I think that was the voice of the powers that be saying you need to use your Au-naturale charms to woo her to your side.

... I think your subconscious is suffering from PSI Energy drain. Normally we're deaf, but we can tell from the shaking that was @#$%ing loud.

Play the gentleman, but remember that she's an agent. I'm 95% certain she's keeping her empathy in check, so any attempt to make friends could result in a VERY false positive. Still, if you can impress her indirectly, that should make an impression.

Baron 2018/09/30(Sun)14:49 No. 904254 ID: ca1cab
File 153834417219.png - (144.11KB , 1280x1024 , 97.png )

But...I don't got any charms. Only real time I got lucky was with Vivian, and I think she did most of the advancing. I just got drunk once and said some stupid stuff.

"Mousoi...Sergei was it? Are you feeling well? Do I need to summon ze medic again?

"No! No, I'm fine it's that I-uh. Hey are you Rezan?"

Dammit.

"One quarter on my fazher's side. My 'eritage, it bozhers you?"

"I was just curious, I-I mean you don't - I mean we -as in people in general- don't see a lot of Rezans in Heggie uniform."

"Ah. Well I suppose I am ze exception to zat rule."

"Yeah. So miss officer-"

"Call me Nunette."

"I ah..."

Come on help me out here, I'm drawing a blank!

You're hopeless Sergei Brown, completely hopeless!

You handled yourself much better in combat situations, maybe if you remember she's an enemy that's already threatened you with a knife and not a pretty girl you'll rise to the occasion again?

Ask what happens after the speech. Whatever she says, push to make a public appearance aiding recovery efforts- You know what she wants, make her think your alleged political power and knowledge of the island befitting the governor will help her get it if she would just let you. Besides you should really find Alicia.

Stall as much as you can before you're introduced to the speech, without raising suspicion; the less time you have with it the more excuse you have to go off script. If you catch hell for it anyway claim the written Rezan was so poorly written you couldn't have read off it aloud, but don't worry about that, only your target audience speaks the language.

Oh I just remembered, I think it's possible to knock splinters off of our spherical self, and if you implant them in somebody else it'll allow us to communicate with them like we do to you. Do that and we'll be able to coordinate a resistance network, or whatever outside help it is you need, without any evidence that will be traced back to you.

She's military. And she underestimates you. Discuss the fine points of her army and their current strategy. Expect a bulldozer of bull^&*(, but read her emotions and see where she forgot to sift out the truth.

And remember: she showed no indication of acknowledging her actual leader, your twisted sister made of tentacles and swearing. You need to find the moles and rubes the cult uses to control this army. The Hegemony shows little respect for a leader of the Rezan people; I bet they'll @#$%ing crucify any cultists you root out of their ranks.

Thank her for making this transition much more manageable and praise her for her hard work. Tell her that you're sorry you two couldn't meet under better circumstances and that, even tho it's unbecoming for someone as cute as her, you understand she was mandated to intimidate you back there. She's a soldier of her country/empire and that you respect that.

Tell her a little bit about yourself (don't mention anything crucial), how you used to work in law-enforcement before you became a governor and just wanted to live quietly, but how things got out of control and you inadvertently became the governor. Basically, various simple stuff about the hardships of your life that she could sympathize with.

To get closer to her, I'd want to tell her is that you'll protect her, but that would sound too fake haha. It would be better if we could demonstrate it through actions, for instance, by creating a dangerous situation and then jumping in front of her or something. Hmm. Perhaps when we're about to enter a room, [Overload] a random object and have it explode, and afterward claim that it was a bomb and act like a hero hehehe...

Suggestion 2018/10/07(Sun)14:21 No. 905603 ID: ca1cab
File 153894730660.png - (276.52KB , 1280x1024 , 98.png )

Oh so you can split yourself to communicate with others huh? That would have been nice to know a couple days ago, but I won't hold a grudge about that just losingAliciaandgettingstabbedand-nope. No grudge

"So what happens after this speech?"

"After zat? We continue calming ze populace. You travel ze island, make your speeches at all ze major citiez. 'Old out you arm. Proper gentleman for a lady. Guun."

"Ah-hah...s-so what's your plan for this city?"

"Rebuild of course. Our soldiers need a place to rest while we wait. So we will 'elp with zny construction efforts to ensure ze island can accomodate us and your people. Of course we have many, many soldiers. It will be a momentous effort. You can imagine zat will up ze price when negotiations start."

"And I'll be busy for most of that?"

"We 'ave a full schedule planned for you."

"Still the speech isn't right away though right?"

"Correct."

"That leaves a lot of time open for other things."

"...such as?"

"Well I am a governor, that means I should still have a lot of pull right? There must no doubt still be people missing. Maybe we could take this time to go looking for them? I mean, what does the hegemony have working on that?"

"Two full battalions are dedicated to recovery efforts around ze landings."

"Yes but that's recovery of the city, how much do you think is being put to looking for the people? I want to help as much as you do. I have...ways."

Suggestion 2018/10/07(Sun)14:22 No. 905604 ID: ca1cab
File 153894731930.png - (276.86KB , 1280x1024 , 99.png )

"Go on."

>>905604
"Well, since I'm sure 'It's extremely classified to avoid a panic' means nothing to you...
I'm the product of a cult's mostly-failed breeding program that attempt to birth a vessel for eldritch horrors to inhabit so they could enter and consume this world.
The program succeeded in that it proved that the elder gods exist and that reality does indeed crumble from their presence.
The program failed because the cult met with enough success to rend the fabric of reality and let lesser horrors lose on the world, with the ones directly involved not surviving their efforts.
As far as what resources I have, I can tell you that the details would do you no good. Suffice it to say that I have... family who may be amused enough to help.

I ask that you keep this from the populace. Knowing that our antmound of a planet could be crushed at any time by the errant movement of a being who would never even notice it, and knowing that we are utterly powerless to do anything about it? It's better that people not know; it's cruelty to have them worry about things that cannot be changed."

>>905673
Yeah, too much Cassandra, not enough Caesar. If you act crazy now, they'll consider you a volatile asset and just use the double instead.

Start out by asking about her commanding officer, the one you described earlier as your little sister. She basically acted like she was in charge, what with her standing RIGHT BEHIND NUNETTE and streaming their assault charge to your phone, just to rub it into your face.

Continue onward by explaining that the main reason you were so fervent in resisting was because you assumed They were leading the Hegemony forces into action. For clarification, 'They' refers to an organization burrowed within the Rezan Empire and Hegemony and all the other superpowers, who seek to topple the empires and take over the world, blah blah blah yadda yadda standard evil plot crap. Though honestly, you don't actually know how powerful they really are or what their true goals are. They are using these bat^&*( insane cultists to do their dirty; they won't stop yapping about their employers but it's all in mad scripture. After you were done with the cultists, up comes this giant army of Hegemony soldiers, and one of them wears standard Hegemony Colonel fatigues and goes straight for you. And has your face but girlier. You overreacted.

And here, instead of suggesting you're the chosen one and the cult needs your body to house a god, which sounds made up, just say that you know how all those messed up explosions managed to sneak their way into key positions in the army, and They want the associated intel. Bad. Real bad. They have spies in their army, and they won't stop until they get the only thing worth a damn to them on this island. And you're here because you'll protect the people They plan on stomping on.

Speaking of which, [Are you a spy for Them?]

We can't split ourselves, someone needs to do it for us without cracking us in two. Preferably. And by 'preferably' I mean 'you better fucking not, sunshine'.

Tell her you may be new to the office but you still have some political pull. Besides, you know this town, right? Maybe you can seek out some of the more unknown places and maybe find your bodyguard Alicia or Viv?

Also, you may want to ask what happened while you were out. Were there spatial disturbances at the top of the mountain? Also, did they send a supersoldier after you? Because if the thing that calls you brother isn't with them, they're going to have to worry about that going forward.

As >>905684 said, that's saying too much.
Simply mention the guardian had a way to seek people, so if there's still enough left of it (dubious), it could be useful.

Something tells me that she's just trying to milk you for information. And she seems to be doing a good job. First we need some sort of guarantee from her that anyone found will be safe from harm. Ask her if you can see how the people are being "accommodated". Explain that your ability to help depends on this.

Suggestion 2018/10/14(Sun)17:05 No. 906913 ID: ca1cab
File 153956190972.png - (175.57KB , 1280x1024 , 100.png )

>>[Are you a spy for Them?]
"I have no idea what you are talking about."

Suggestion 2018/10/14(Sun)17:06 No. 906914 ID: ca1cab
File 153956201567.png - (164.33KB , 1280x1024 , 101.png )

"I didn't say anything yet?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Ah...anyway, I have some political pull. I know I'm not much right now, but I'm still governor. I have access to a lot of the island's resources, including something that might help us find the missing soldiers."

"Well zat is all well for me. What is it exactly you want?"

"I don't know if you know, but there is someone else. Some group I think. They've been destabilizing this island, and I'm certain they have agents in your own forces."

"Zat is silly. Every member on zis operation was thoroughly screened."


"I met one last night that tried to kill me-"

"More likely one of yours stealing an officer's uniform. I do not believe we could have what sounds like an internal Rezan power struggle. You 'ave zat all ze time non?"

"Hey! Well, yeah we have internal disputes that turn violent, but this isn't one of them!"

"Sounds like it zough. Trying to kill you, ze governnor, and disguised as one of our soldiers to hide ze trail."


"Y-yours? But you're Rezan! You are one of us!"

"I was born and raised in Giseuroux. Far from ze empire, I am not."


"But you are one. How do you not be a...how? Look, that's not all I want. I also want to see how my people are being treated before I do my speech. My ability to help depends on this."


"Zat would be difficult, but at least doable. I might be able to pull a favor or two. Not like your silly Rezan politicz. I cannot 'elp wiz zat."


"It's not-"

Of course she doesn't believe me. The universe loves to make things hard for me. I got no proof, no evidence. But if she refuses to believe this cult exists, then I'll have even less help in rooting them out! Hells I still don't get how she doesn't see this for what it is. She's fucking Rezan! How does she-I-how does?!

>"I have no idea what you are talking about."
Neato. [What is Protocol 27-88?]
You don't need her to consciously ascent to help you, you only need to get her to do what you need to meet your own ends- for any reason that'll make her take action. I'm not sure what has you confused man, she's an enemy occupier, fuzzy ears or no. It's not like she's some collaborator with nationalist sentiments you can tug on, she said she was born and raised elsewhere.

Tell her it's her job to help with it, lest you end up dead. Won't be your problem then.

Wanna do the stupid risky thing and hand her the orb? We can be very convincing, if you know how I mean.

>>906913
I love having Sudo commands on tap. That said, we should limit our usage or someone will notice.

>>906914
A nation's citizens choose to stay its citizens. Those that believe they have no such choice are its slaves.

>>906924
>Give her the orb
Risky, but plausible. It would mean giving her a line on our communications channel, though. Are you SURE you can form an alliance with the Hegemony?

>What do
Find Vivi. She's the only one you can trust with enough political experience to fix this mess for you.

>Hells I still don't get how she doesn't see this for what it is. She's fucking Rezan! How does she-I-how does?!
Milk over blood, my friend. Milk over blood.

>>906914
"First, allow me to clarify: Rezan is both a nationality and a race. You have racially Rezan ancestors. Unless I'm mistaken, that also confers a right to Rezan citizenship by blood.

I am telling you this because that fact could make this all a lot easier or a lot harder depending on how public you, personally, are in this whole debacle, and what you decide to do.

Second, taking this island over doesn't mean the "Rezan politics" go away. It means you have made these problems your problems. Last week, an assassin dressed up in a hegemony uniform would have been a Rezan problem.
Do you know how many people were witnesses to the attack? I don't.
Do you know what the public will do if there's a rumor of Hegemony assassins? Panic, fear, and possible riots.
Couple that with the disappearances that have been going on lately, and the people are going to be thinking you've been killing people - including civilians - in the lead up to the invasion.
That will have them fearing for themselves, but more than that it would have them afraid for their families. That's how you get insurrection and skulduggery.

I can give you advice on how to keep the peace, but if you want that to happen it'll still take effort.
Now, do you want to know what kind of hole you put your foot in, or would you rather be surprised when the wasps and honey badgers start to bite?"

She didn't mention the disappearances in Rezan, and you showed no understanding of their language.
Mentioning that you've got an ongoing problem with disappearances is going to put her on edge, and doubly so considering that is what she wants to focus on.

[What is Protocol 27-88?]

I don't think that giving her the orb is a good idea. It's too early to be sharing something that important with her.
I also think that she would need a damn good reason to turn on their own. So trying to convince her with only words is just pissing in the wind.
She was ordered to get close to us, but her willingness to do favors for us still depends on her underlying affection. So I'd be a bit more careful in regard to how many annoying questions and demands we prod her with.

I think we learned enough for now and we should simply see where she takes us.

Baron 2018/10/21(Sun)19:53 No. 907851 ID: ca1cab
File 154017683419.png - (184.43KB , 959x773 , 102.png )

>[What is Protocol 27-88?]
"I am afraid zat iz classified."

Are you doing something weird to her head? Could you...not do it too much? I think she may be one of the only reasons I'm not in a cell, and I'd like her brain to stay unbroken

"First, allow me to clarify: Rezan is both a nationality and a race. You have racially Rezan ancestors. Unless I'm mistaken, that also confers a right to Rezan citizenship by blood.

I am telling you this because that fact could make this all a lot easier or a lot harder depending on how public you, personally, are in this whole debacle, and what you decide to do."

"Pardon, but I am still learning Rezanti, I only understood 'alf of what you said."

"Oh...okay. Well I mean that because you are part Rezan, that makes you a Rezan citizen. Even if you don't think so, everyone else will think you are. What you think are 'Rezan politics' will drag you into it because you are one of us, even if you say you aren't."

"Well if you say it like zat..."

"Do you know how many people were witnesses to the attack? I don't.

Do you know what the public will do if there's a rumor of Hegemony assassins? Panic, fear, and possible riots. Couple that with the disappearances that have been going on lately, and the people are going to be thinking you've been killing people - including civilians - in the lead up to the invasion.

That will have them fearing for themselves, but more than that it would have them afraid for their families. That's how you get insurrection and...criminals. "

I don't know what a skooldahgri is.

"Alright, I understand. What do you want?"

>>907851
"You're going to have to take control of the situation. Post guards, enforce laws, and make it clear that if you want someone dead you'd do it in plain sight - although I would strongly caution against killing anyone to make the point, as that would make them a martyr for people to hero-worship.
My role should be liaison between you and the people - I listen to the people's complaints and concerns, handle what I can, and pass anything that needs your attention off to you.
If you can clean up some of the corruption, or solve some of the problems that are afflicting the common person then they may even start to respect you more than the Rezan empire, if you feel like using this as a chance to embarrass the Rezan empire. My loyalty is to my people first; if you do right by them then I don't care what flag is flying.

Personally, I'd like to be kept as far away from you and your plans as possible. I don't want to know any secrets, I don't want to learn anything of value, and I don't want to have any role in anything your command structure is plotting. Nothing good can come of that, so if it's all the same to you I'd like to keep to just being the civil servant and figurehead I've been since I was forced into this job."

I wouldn't speak about loyalty and our people all that much. It's not like they've done us a lot of favors during our time and we've pretty much had to fend for ourselves. Even our job as a governor was basically done by someone else so I'm skeptical about our ability to suddenly correctly acting as one.

Ask her what she herself personally wants.

Baron 2018/10/28(Sun)17:19 No. 908641 ID: ca1cab
File 154077238954.png - (213.88KB , 1400x1050 , 103.png )

Personally, I'd like to be kept as far away from you and your plans as possible. I don't want to know any secrets, I don't want to learn anything of value, and I don't want to have any role in anything your command structure is plotting. Nothing good can come of that, so if it's all the same to you I'd like to keep to just being the civil servant and figurehead I've been since I was forced into this job."

"Ze first request is impossible. I am assigned to you, and I must stay by your side Mousoi Sergei, until zis occupation iz complete. Ze second, I am already doing. Zis cannot be what you want. You were so adamant before. Why waste so much time trying to sway me into doing what iz already my job?"

"Uh...I-well what do you personally want?"

"My wants are ze wants of my people. Do ze mission, get 'ome alive and well. Zat is somezing everyone would want guun?"

"Guun-I mean yes I-"

"You seem to 'ave lost whatever you were zinking of. Let me 'elp. It is true. I do not want panic or riots. It will mean more fighting, more dying. So, 'ere is what will 'appen:

You tell us ze laws, we enforce. You tell us what is missing, we will try to accommodate. If a riot or unrest 'appens, we will let you try to fix ze problem before we apply force to ze problem. I will accomodate your needs and take you where you want to go or need to go. In return, if I need you to do somezing, you do it. Do not ask why you must do it. Do it. Fair trade guun?"

"What you want, or what the Hegemony wants."

"Does it matter?"

"I ah...."

"Feel free to zink on it. Now, I believe you said you wanted to be somewhere..."


I get the feeling she just turned this around on me.

Baron 2018/10/28(Sun)17:20 No. 908642 ID: ca1cab
File 154077242969.png - (226.38KB , 1400x1050 , 104.png )

"Oh gods. Oh gods. We've stopped. Thank every god above and below."

"Are you alright back zere?"

"Yes but whatever was in my stomach is now three miles behind us."

"I hear zat an awful lot. You said you wanted to find somezing in ze ruins. Anyzing specific? Somezing I can 'elp with?"

"If it looks culty, I want to be the first to know."

>I get the feeling she just turned this around on me.
That's because you're a chump, and that's exactly what just happened. Is she really so hot that she's got you stammering over every word? Viv is going to be mad jealous, and she might do a hell of a lot worse than fiddle with your new best friends' brain you know.

Thank her for the ride; if she wants to search herself, she will. You've already shown your negotiating position is poor, don't get further in her debt by asking more from her.

>take you where you want to go
"What if I wanted to go on a date with you?"

She seems like a fun driver. Or at least reliable if we need to escape quickly... I'd make a rollercoaster analogy but I'm not sure if theme parks exist.

Tell her that you're looking for people and high tech equipment.

Baron 2018/11/04(Sun)16:30 No. 909621 ID: ca1cab
File 154137785775.png - (218.46KB , 1400x1050 , 105.png )

"Well I'm looking for a number of things. If it looks culty, or a complicated piece of machinery. Or..."

Actually I was hoping more clues to where I could find Viv. Or even Alicia. Fuck I'm missing Alicia.

Also no, I'm not tongue tied around her! I just don't like all this negotiating stuff! I'm used to writing reports where I know everything and I'm just explaining stuff! It's not like I find her adorable or how she would look perfect holding that gun in the centerfold of Bawdyboy's Swimsuit issue!

Baron 2018/11/04(Sun)16:31 No. 909622 ID: ca1cab
File 154137787234.png - (824.47KB , 1400x1050 , 106.png )

But I am now...thanks a lot. I'm blaming you for this.

"Or what? What else are you looking for? What is zis 'culty' zing you say? Why are you looking at me like zat?"

You're hopeless Sergei Brown, completely hopeless.

When we find Vivian, we're telling her threatening you with knives will get you infatuated with her.

>Why are you looking at me like zat?
Don't blame it on us, you're the one bringing up centerfolds, you wolf you. You'd be more believable if you had trouble talking to that ginger general as well.
Tell Nunette you can't believe you just let her drive you to an isolated location in that armed technical she's now fondling after she already threatened to slice your throat.
>Actually I was hoping more clues to where I could find Viv. Or even Alicia. Fuck I'm missing Alicia.
Is that information on a need to know basis with her? Don't drop a name that might be on "her peoples" most wanted list, then she'll never let you find her. Now get to searching, loverboy.

That's sexy, but we've seen sexier. Like, seriously, you'd throw up in disgust of the sheer mind-blowing sexiness of what we watch. Won't stop us from staring at your imagination though!

She probably realizes you're undressing her with your mind. Just act like you care, and keep asking about the soldiers missing on both sides.

Culty as in, it's got strange symbols on it. So we're looking for stuff with symbols and for any swimsuits. Survivors in swimsuits. Surviving witnesses.

Imagine yourself in place of that gun~

Baron 2018/11/11(Sun)16:09 No. 910335 ID: ca1cab
File 154198135351.png - (175.05KB , 1024x768 , 107.png )

Oh godsDAMMIT! That's not the reason why I- look haven't you ever had to go piss like real bad when you wake up with a stiffy?! I wasn't aroused out of being terrified! I was close to pissing myself, not getting off! And don't tell me what depraved stuff you've seen, I don't need any tents in my trousers!

"You know, I'm surprised. I can't believe you just drive me to an isolated location in that armed technical."

"Oh I know it is dangerous. It iz why I am taking ze gun."

"...isn't that a heavy class machine gun?"

"Correct."

"And you're just carrying it around like a rifle?"

"Iz zat a problem?"

"N-no."

Okay THAT is attractive.

"Anyway, this is the place where a lot of crazy stuff went down. Just look for anything that has creepy symbols or writing on it."

"What about zat sign we passed? Iz zat culty?"

"...no that was just telling us the elevation."

"I am sorry. But your rezanti writing looks-'ow you say- creepy enough to me?"

Okay that was a dry hole, and I don't need you putting naughty thoughts in my head thank you!

"Well anyway, we're looking for stuff with symbols and for any swimsuits. Survivorsinswimsuits! Surviving witnesses!"

Stop that!

"Your rezanti. It was too fast for me. What did you say?"

"Look! For surviving witnesses! Or...or symbols that look creepier than Rezanti script."

"I don't zink anyzing is like zat..."

>And you're just carrying it around like a rifle?
We've seen this before with Daoine, they can grab a slab of pig iron and the laws of gravity just die. It's lighter in their hands but the weight stays the same, while durability is preserved as the weapon chops through solid dragon flesh.

>"I am sorry. But your rezanti writing looks-'ow you say- creepy enough to me?"
It's made from obsessively copying a dead language with shaky precision and minimal understanding of the context, to preserve the function when applied to buried mechs. So yes.

Onward.

>Okay THAT is attractive.
...I'd agree with you, but it also gives me the impression she has more in common with the thing that calls you 'brother' than she let on; she did shut down that line of inquiry really quickly, it makes me think she knows more about Rezan-looking super-soldiers she's telling.

Time to return to the scene of the crime.

Anything that doesn't look like rezanti writing then.

Let's begin searching. Try not to venture too far away from her.

Baron 2018/11/18(Sun)14:46 No. 911116 ID: ca1cab
File 154258121209.png - (390.75KB , 1024x720 , 108.png )

Oh please don't even imply that. I'm going to rely on her, last thing I want to hink about is her growing claws and tentacles and trying to gut me Why is it suddenly so smoggy? I mean I get that the burning could be a reason for some of this, but it is suddenly really really smoggy.

"Anything that doesn't look like rezanti writing then."

"Oh, zen iz zis not Rezanti?"

"What isn't?"

Baron 2018/11/18(Sun)14:47 No. 911117 ID: ca1cab
File 154258123954.png - (428.00KB , 1024x720 , 109.png )

"Ooooooh. Yeah that is not Rezanti..."

>last thing I want to think about is her growing claws and tentacles and trying to gut me
I could poke fun at what you'd undoubtedly rather think about her doing, but I'll instead point out she didn't need claws and tentacles to try and cut you before. You probably ought not rely on her, Serg.

[analyze runes]
Is that a shadow or swirling supernatural darkness? What's it drawn on?

Looks like a dial. Try spinning both rings.

Tell her to check if she can find out where the smoke is coming from while you play with this thing.

Spin the middle circle to the right by 90 degrees.

>>911117
"Yeah, this was cultists. Their runic magic system is quite distinct.
I don't recognize most of this specifically, but the primary sigil of each circle is the Ashton Elder Sign. Recursed inside another with the yellow sign flanking it, with one inverted no less.
Looks like it's warding against Hastur and Ithaqua, or perhaps invoking them?
The gutteral stop at the top means it reads counterclockwise from the top-left. The mark at the bottom is a joining, and I think the mark means it's conducting energy from the outer circle to the inner circle.
I believe the right side is a name. I have an idea on who, but I'm not familiar enough with it to read it.

As far as the inner circle, these don't seem to be functional sigils. They seem to be descriptive - nouns or verbs, or both.

The mark itself was done by a practiced hand - no splatters or stray marks, no signs of correction. They free-handed it perfectly the first time.

We'll need to call in an expert to confirm, but this could be a major break in the case.

Could you have somebody contact the governor's mansion and have them send up one of our occult specialists to look this over, record it, and properly destroy this? Quickly, please."

Baron 2018/11/25(Sun)16:19 No. 911782 ID: ca1cab
File 154319155595.png - (505.39KB , 1024x720 , 110.png )

"And now zat we 'ave found it, what now?"

"Now we-uh..."

Okay yeah, it's not a dial. It's a circle. And touching it made it glow

"What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything, I just poked it!"

"Zen you did do somezing!"

Baron 2018/11/25(Sun)16:24 No. 911783 ID: ca1cab
File 154319187720.png - (499.60KB , 1024x720 , 111.png )

"That's not the point! Just-I don't know- shoot it, blow it up I don't care! Destroy this thing before"

"A lovely parting gift isn't it?"

"Oh gods not again..."

"Sanze Videccio! What in the hell!?"

>>911783
This is why I didn't say to touch it.

Ok, emergency response time.
Do you see the tree branch in the outer circle?
Scratch that out. You just need to break the lines and it'll foul the magic.

"I did mention that we have a problem with cults, right? I'll answer questions if you survive."

Meanwhile, we can attempt to [Consume the spell's power]

touch it again touch it again

Okay, the first thing that comes to mind is breaking the runes, but I think Vidian planned for that. Stab her in the head, then have Nunette barrage the &!+(#!

Ask her if she remembers what happened the last time and tell her that the same thing's going to happen if she tries anything funny. You aren't going anywhere. Ask her what she wants.

>>911800
Supporting

>>911800
Clarification: This elder sign is used to make something unnoticed or ignored. If that is broken it will draw attention, and since this isn't nearly enough to allow an Old One into this world their attention would be drawn to the other parts of the link.
This may result in minor warping of reality and a small number of lesser horrors from beyond the stars leaking into your world, but those would be far easier to handle than your brother. Meanwhile, your brother would have to contend with a pair of Great Old Ones who would be rather annoyed at his disturbance. It's a risk of routing your summoning through the outside.
It's a risk, yes, but a calculated one.

If we can drain the spell of power then it will just snap shut. He'd be cleaved in twain, so that's a bonus.

Oh, also, reality warping and lesser horrors could drive your handler mad with their presence. You'll be fine; you've got Eldritch heritage so it wouldn't affect you, and you've seen far worse without any trouble.

Baron 2018/12/02(Sun)22:33 No. 912826 ID: ca1cab
File 154381880601.png - (205.17KB , 1280x1024 , 112.png )

Right head bashing I-

"Where's my club? My club was in my pocket! Where's my club?!"

"All weapons were removed when you were found!"

"Why did you do that?!"

"You were a potential enemy!"

"Alright fuck it then! Shoot it! Shoot the circle! Just shoot everything in that direction!"

"Yes! Shoot it, shoot it, shoot it! But what will happen?"

Baron 2018/12/02(Sun)22:35 No. 912827 ID: ca1cab
File 154381895157.png - (309.63KB , 1280x1024 , 113.png )

"Oh Sergei, you little tease! A third woman? And she is such a delicious little thing isn't she? Where were you hiding all this time? Had I known you were on the ship, I would have had so much fun with you~"

"Let her go!"

"Or what, you'll yell me to death little shit? Don't worry, you damaged this body too much brother, I can't bring you back to father in this."

Baron 2018/12/02(Sun)22:38 No. 912828 ID: ca1cab
File 154381911709.png - (347.39KB , 1280x1024 , 114.png )

"Don't worry though brother. I will be back. And I'll bring your women along as well~"

"Uuuuugh!"

"Oh...so I guess we now know what happened to those missing soldiers..."

"Alright...alright. So let us say I believe you zat zere is more to zis situation zan ze occupation. What was zat, and how do we kill it?"

"Holy help me, I think this was private Danielsi"

"That was one of my father's spawn. He's a cult creep who selects women to breed for their genetic markers, gets into long term relationships (possibly in parallel), and then steals the babies so he can perform sick experiments and indoctrination on them in service to his eldritch god. My mother managed to catch on and saved me from his influence.

Vidian, not so much. She's been plaguing me ever since you arrived. She even streamed me a video of you rallying your army at the beaches, I guess she didn't care to remember your face. And because of her my fiancee might be dead. So yeah, let's deprogram her if we can, and utterly incinerate her real body if we can't.

Also, if the cult gets their hands on me, they'll rip me open. Apparently my genetic code is what they need for their master plan, though they think I'm a sack of wasted potential."

See, you heard him, he said he was on the ship! "private Danielsi" is one of yours!

We need to find my old bodyguards, it looks like they're as in much danger as... well, I guess now either of us.

>>912828
She looks semi-transparent. Is she slipping the bonds of reality?
Better grab her to make sure she doesn't get pulled into the realm beyond without you.

"Well, I guess that explains where all the bodies have been going, but it's gonna be a pain to come up with a way to explain this to the public without breaking classification or causing a panic. I really don't want to have both sides of this mundane war having to bomb this island back into the ocean just to maintain the facade of containment.

Ok, so, short version?
Cultists are attempting to breed eldritch beings so they can give elder gods a way into mundus.
That's my brother. He's got a lot more control over our powers than I do, but he's both stupid and insane.
I've killed him three times, but this is the first time the remains were intact enough to figure out how he was coming back.

OFFICIALLY, I'm the governor. In reality, I'm just a puppet head of government and other people handle all the decisions. They even have somebody who impersonates me when politicking is required.

In reality? I have that title so in an emergency people will do what I tell to do without question, because my job is to deal with these sorts of problems.
If it seems like I don't know much of anything about politics, or who's at war with who, or things of that nature, it's because that's not my job.
Incidentally, that's also why I wanted as much isolation as possible and for you to just let me do my job. I really don't care whose in charge as long as they let me do my job, because my job is preventing the end of the world. I hope you see the value in my work.

Also, I would have told you, but you wouldn't have believed me.
Anyway, since you're now aware of the problem feel free to read our written records on it."

Well might as well let her know that things like this happen from time to time so if they’re planning on sticking around they should get use to it. Also no one will believe you if you say anything about unless they see it themselves and even then they might denial

Tell her it was someone you had killed before so... it's something you're wondering yourself.

Check out the circle if it's still operational.

Wait. So is our doppelganger a guy or a girl? I can't tell.

>>912985
That is literally the least important thing to be concerned about.
However, to answer your question, I believe it is outside our concept of sex, and simply takes on the characteristics of the corpse it infests.

Baron 2018/12/09(Sun)21:13 No. 913578 ID: 314c51
File 154441883227.png - (431.41KB , 1280x1024 , 115.png )

She's not disappearing the fog's coming back. Or smog. I don't care. Barely awake for two hours and already I'm exhausted.

"Okay so the long and short of it? That's my brother. Or maybe my sister. I can't tell. It was one of my father's spawn. He's a cult creep who selects women to breed for their genetic markers, gets into long term relationships, and then steals the babies so he can perform sick experiments and indoctrination on them for his god. I don't have solid proof of this, but clues are pointing in that direction. My mother managed to catch on and saved me from this.

But Vidian here? She-"

"Zat's her name?"

No, but they call her-nevermind. She's been plaguing me ever since you arrived. And because of her my fiancee might be dead."

"Oh...oh dear I'm sorry. You were to be wed?"

"Um...sort of yes. I-ah. I don't exactly have it ironed out how the family will be though..."

"Ah yes, you Rezans and your many spousal family units. 'Ow do you get zose ordered?"

"It isn't that hard once you know how-off topic! I want to try and deprogram her if we can, and utterly incinerate her real body if we can't.

Incidentally, all this is also why I wanted as much isolation as possible and for you to just let me do my job. I really don't care whose in charge as long as they let me do my job, because my job is preventing the end of the world. I hope you see the value in my work.

Also, if the cult gets their hands on me, they'll rip me open for my parts, because apparently they need it for their master plan."

"Zat sounds...what iz word-far-fetched. Yet here is Danielsi. I might believe some of your story, but ze whole world? Zat is still 'ard to swallow."

"Well it's a start."

The circle seems inert. It's not glowing anymore, and I don't feel any heat off it. So whatever was in that is gone now.

"All zis only answers one of my questions. What do we do now?"

We have the ritual circle stored in our logs. We can show you later so you can transcribe this stuff.

For now, get Private Danielsi in a coffin and ready for autopsy and burial. Then we look for signs of further tampering in this area - there might be a hack to hijack this portal rune but I doubt the cult would spend the resources just for your sister to troll in and say hello. This implies that she or one of the other cult agents drew / altered the rune, and did other things nearby. Find those other things.

>>913578
Search the site for any other anomalies.
Then make arrangements for the Private's funeral.

Keep searching the area. Still need to find out what's up with the smog.

Baron 2018/12/16(Sun)16:05 No. 914253 ID: ca1cab
File 154500511969.png - (203.08KB , 1280x1024 , 116.png )

The smog's just from the city. There's still fires burning down there. No more circles, none that we could find on our own. Nunette says we can't spend anymore time here without her command getting suspicious. She promises to help me out but...I don't know. The more I know, the less I know about what's going on, and the less control I have over my life.

Baron 2018/12/16(Sun)16:05 No. 914254 ID: ca1cab
File 154500514312.png - (141.39KB , 1280x1024 , end.png )

I hope mom's alright.

Baron 2018/12/16(Sun)16:09 No. 914255 ID: ca1cab
File 154500538589.png - (211.35KB , 697x873 , propagantastic.png )

Achievement: There Goes the Neighborhood

Bonus: Imperial Propaganda. Translation: This is your Leader. Protect his smile! Enlist today!

Going to do a shorter quest where I'm going to experiment with my character designs. Most prominently giving everyone a nose! Whether it's canon or not I leave to you

>>914255
And ready...
>>914273