Dragon Harem Quest - Or: Saying You Were Gay Wasn't The Conversation-Ender You Hoped For

[ ] Ask about djinn. How they're created, what the particulars of their longevity are, why they're bound to lamps, what their purpose is. With your chance meeting with the marid in the risen temple, you're especially curious.

This would be a good way to lead up to telling Makram about the corrupted marid, but that's the sort of conversation that will almost certainly be stressful all around.

[ ] Ask how things have been going with the others so far. Who does he like the most, who does he like the least? If it's going to be poly, whether or not the others actually like each other is more important than ever.

This option would help make it clear that Eldingar is serious about trying to support a genuine poly arrangement. Plus, gossip is always fun.

[X] Ask how you can best make him comfortable. While it's hardly an immediate priority for him like it was for Belial, both due to the lack of hypersensitivity and the fact that his body isn't strictly speaking 'real' anyway, he may at least appreciate the gesture. And hey, you never know.

Treating Makram as a fully realized person rather than a menial and plaything might keep him adorably confused, and thus pleasant. On the other hand, he might view it as silly and demeaning. On the gripping hand, it would be interesting to find out what he wants.

ZerbanDaGreat said:

A high-pressure jet of creamy, eggy condiment goes shooting onto your tongue. You hold it aloft until the stream stops, shaking out the last drops, before carefully setting it back down and rolling your tongue around in your mouth to appreciate the flavour. You're a disgusting garbage dragon and you love it. You relax deeper into your treasurepile with a happy sigh, idly scratching under one foreleg with a sound like someone gashing at a shield with a massive set of shears.

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E-Eldingar, Eldingar no- I've been there you're going to be so sick afterwards-

Voting...

[ ] Ask about the whole 'wishes' situation. How do they actually work? What can or can't he do in pursuit of granting them? How do they meaningfully differ from his own inherent powers he seems quite happy to use at the drop of a hat?

Whilst interesting, it ties directly into Makram's 'used and discarded' complex. Besides it's not like we particularly need them for anything right now. Point is this isn't a question about Makram per say.

[ ] Ask about djinn. How they're created, what the particulars of their longevity are, why they're bound to lamps, what their purpose is. With your chance meeting with the marid in the risen temple, you're especially curious.

This sounds a lot more interesting. Plus it gives Makram an excuse to boast so that's always fun.

[ ] Ask if he's had any previous partners he's willing to talk about, if he has anything to volunteer about said experiences that might be helpful to you.

Sssssomehow I suspect this would be a hot button topic.

[ ] Ask how things have been going with the others so far. Who does he like the most, who does he like the least? If it's going to be poly, whether or not the others actually like each other is more important than ever.

...Makram will probably have choice comments about this but I can see it working. Bigger question is how capable Makram is of judging his own social links. As Tenfolds said he's kind of AI shut-in, even if the shut-in part wasn't entirely willing.

[ ] Ask how you can best make him comfortable. While it's hardly an immediate priority for him like it was for Belial, both due to the lack of hypersensitivity and the fact that his body isn't strictly speaking 'real' anyway, he may at least appreciate the gesture. And hey, you never know.

Never know indeed; whilst we're still mid-renovation we may as well gather as many request / much feedback on changes as possible.

Toss-up between 'ask about djinn', 'as how things have been going' and about 'how to make him comfortable' for me :Sa

[X] Ask about the whole 'wishes' situation. How do they actually work? What can or can't he do in pursuit of granting them? How do they meaningfully differ from his own inherent powers he seems quite happy to use at the drop of a hat?

Makram seems to really want wishes to happen. Let's get some information on that, now that we're being honest instead of playing a weird dance.

ZerbanDaGreat said:

"Yes," he replies testily, in much the same tone one would use when caught eating stale bread when there was nothing else in the pantry anyway.

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This is so relatable it's downright damning.

[X] Ask how things have been going with the others so far. Who does he like the most, who does he like the least? If it's going to be poly, whether or not the others actually like each other is more important than ever.

When he's not being prickly and kinda difficult he's... not agreeable, maybe affable? He's not hard to get along with if he's in the mood for it, I think is what I'm saying, so let's find out who else among the boyfriend club gets him in the mood.

[X] Ask how you can best make him comfortable. While it's hardly an immediate priority for him like it was for Belial, both due to the lack of hypersensitivity and the fact that his body isn't strictly speaking 'real' anyway, he may at least appreciate the gesture. And hey, you never know.

I think we should ask this of everyone.

[X] Ask how you can best make him comfortable. While it's hardly an immediate priority for him like it was for Belial, both due to the lack of hypersensitivity and the fact that his body isn't strictly speaking 'real' anyway, he may at least appreciate the gesture. And hey, you never know.

[X] Ask how things have been going with the others so far. Who does he like the most, who does he like the least? If it's going to be poly, whether or not the others actually like each other is more important than ever.

[X] Ask how things have been going with the others so far. Who does he like the most, who does he like the least? If it's going to be poly, whether or not the others actually like each other is more important than ever.

[X] Ask how you can best make him comfortable. While it's hardly an immediate priority for him like it was for Belial, both due to the lack of hypersensitivity and the fact that his body isn't strictly speaking 'real' anyway, he may at least appreciate the gesture. And hey, you never know.

[X] Ask how things have been going with the others so far. Who does he like the most, who does he like the least? If it's going to be poly, whether or not the others actually like each other is more important than ever.

[X] Ask about djinn. How they're created, what the particulars of their longevity are, why they're bound to lamps, what their purpose is. With your chance meeting with the marid in the risen temple, you're especially curious.

"How is baby djinn formed anyways"

Is it weird if I was more weirded out by the mayonaisse eating scene than the sex scene? I never understood the appeal of that condiment...

[X] Ask how things have been going with the others so far. Who does he like the most, who does he like the least? If it's going to be poly, whether or not the others actually like each other is more important than ever.
Computer, initiate Thieving Cat Threat Assessment Protocols!

But Omegahugger, this is going to be a polyamorous relationship where everyone gets along with everyone. There are no threats here.

After Takara, I take no chances!

[x] Ask how you can best make him comfortable. While it's hardly an immediate priority for him like it was for Belial, both due to the lack of hypersensitivity and the fact that his body isn't strictly speaking 'real' anyway, he may at least appreciate the gesture. And hey, you never know.

Get everyone comfortable, we're renovating anyway.

[X] Ask how things have been going with the others so far. Who does he like the most, who does he like the least? If it's going to be poly, whether or not the others actually like each other is more important than ever.

I am not sure if Maky would need any changes to his room as he seems to easily be able to do it himself I guess.

[X] Ask how things have been going with the others so far. Who does he like the most, who does he like the least? If it's going to be poly, whether or not the others actually like each other is more important than ever.

veekie said:

"How is baby djinn formed anyways"

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When a wizard and the seventh dimension meet at that fun, drunken night at the party...

[X] Ask how you can best make him comfortable. While it's hardly an immediate priority for him like it was for Belial, both due to the lack of hypersensitivity and the fact that his body isn't strictly speaking 'real' anyway, he may at least appreciate the gesture. And hey, you never know.

TenfoldShields said:

Plus I am legitimately curious as to who's getting along with him best so far. Considering how, uh, prickly he can be.

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My bet is on either Jun-ho or Abzu.
Come to think of it, Issachar probably is too enlightened to be annoyed either, huh. And Belial is sorta vulnerable and too submissive (like Jun-ho, but in a different way), so he probably was not too hostile to Makram either.

Now, when Lyrros and sharks arrive, there probably will be some sparkles.

[X] Ask how things have been going with the others so far. Who does he like the most, who does he like the least? If it's going to be poly, whether or not the others actually like each other is more important than ever.

[X] Ask how things have been going with the others so far. Who does he like the most, who does he like the least? If it's going to be poly, whether or not the others actually like each other is more important than ever.

ZerbanDaGreat said:

"... Mayonnaise," you say.

The jar rumbles ominously.

You roll over onto your side, keeping your injured wing out of the way, carefully pinch the jug between two talontips, and hold it high above your open maw. Gently gently, working at the stopper with another talon- there!

A high-pressure jet of creamy, eggy condiment goes shooting onto your tongue. You hold it aloft until the stream stops, shaking out the last drops, before carefully setting it back down and rolling your tongue around in your mouth to appreciate the flavour. You're a disgusting garbage dragon and you love it.

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*shudder*

I guess after all this humanization and relatability, Zerban had to remind us that Eldingar truly is a monster.

Aaaaaaaanyway, as others have said, let's ask everyone we can about accommodations while the renovation is in progress. We'll keep interacting with Makram in the future, so there should be time to get delicious lore-dumps later, and while group relationships are important to monitor I think we can afford to put that one off for the moment.

[X] Ask how you can best make him comfortable. While it's hardly an immediate priority for him like it was for Belial, both due to the lack of hypersensitivity and the fact that his body isn't strictly speaking 'real' anyway, he may at least appreciate the gesture. And hey, you never know.

ZerbanDaGreat said:

First order of business - where the fuck is he? Answer: potentially anywhere, given his willingness to teleport at the drop of a hat. But what he also has is a body that's only being magically projected by his lamp, albeit at the kind of breathtaking power and fidelity to be expected of a precursor artefact, and you know where the lamp is. Glad to find something is actually easy for once, you head back upstairs to the main cavern - Jun-ho seeming to have gone out while you were speaking with Belial - and head to your treasurepile to retrieve the lamp.

That is, you reach the treasurepile and the temptation grows too strong. So you bellyflop on top of it instead, expanding to your true quadrupedal form mid-jump, and squirm into a you-shaped divot with a happy little sigh, all five limbs splayed out limp over the shaped golden surface. You deserve this. You've earned this.

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Yes you have~

ZerbanDaGreat said:

A high-pressure jet of creamy, eggy condiment goes shooting onto your tongue. You hold it aloft until the stream stops, shaking out the last drops, before carefully setting it back down and rolling your tongue around in your mouth to appreciate the flavour. You're a disgusting garbage dragon and you love it.

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Yes, yes you are. It's okay Eldingar, we love you too.

ZerbanDaGreat said:

Makram takes his hand away from his face. He leaves it hovering, halfway to resting on the cloud, supporting himself on his elbow as he stares at you. The silence lingers and stretches on, unbroken. His molten-gold 'tattoos' seem to pulse gently, their inner light waxing and waning. You awkwardly shift your weight from foot to foot, in no hurry to speak first and jeopardise it all. At last, at long last, Makram moves again. He straightens up properly, the golden dust shifting and supporting him as he instead sits cross-legged in mid-air, hands resting on his knees.

"Very well then," he says. "If that is to be the case, then I suppose I can permit this... unpleasantness between us to be swept aside. If you have questions then you may ask them, and I may even answer them should the mood take me."

Spending time with Makram is like a cornucopia of bizarre and bewildering powerplay, but you figure you've already pushed your luck enough and decide to leave that alone for now. Instead you rack your brain for things to inquire about - what is it that's most important to ask Makram in this rare moment of (relative) civility?

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Huh, Eldingar actually managed to flummox him for a bit. You go big blue!

[ ] Ask about the whole 'wishes' situation. How do they actually work? What can or can't he do in pursuit of granting them? How do they meaningfully differ from his own inherent powers he seems quite happy to use at the drop of a hat?

ahahaha no. Bad idea. The topic of wishes is to be avoided until and unless we can talk about what they mean to us relative to him, that is, not very much.

[ ] Ask about djinn. How they're created, what the particulars of their longevity are, why they're bound to lamps, what their purpose is. With your chance meeting with the marid in the risen temple, you're especially curious.

Mmm, seems like a good tack to make Makram comfortable. He was eager enough to talk about himself in Abzu's tower, and buttering him up a bit right after asking for a clean slate might be a good move.

[ ] Ask if he's had any previous partners he's willing to talk about, if he has anything to volunteer about said experiences that might be helpful to you.

ahaha no

[ ] Ask how things have been going with the others so far. Who does he like the most, who does he like the least? If it's going to be poly, whether or not the others actually like each other is more important than ever.

Obvious follow-up from talking about polyamory. Still kind of enquiring about his comfort. Seems like a safe option, and it gives us insight into the relationships outside our own. A strong contender.

[ ] Ask how you can best make him comfortable. While it's hardly an immediate priority for him like it was for Belial, both due to the lack of hypersensitivity and the fact that his body isn't strictly speaking 'real' anyway, he may at least appreciate the gesture. And hey, you never know.

It's a good topic in general, and I'm always in favour of more renovations, but I think there's a risk here in throwing Makram too many curveballs. If we want to make him question everything he thinks he knows about this situation, asking this now is the right option, but I'm noooot sure? That we do.

[X] Ask how things have been going with the others so far. Who does he like the most, who does he like the least? If it's going to be poly, whether or not the others actually like each other is more important than ever.

[X] Ask how you can best make him comfortable. While it's hardly an immediate priority for him like it was for Belial, both due to the lack of hypersensitivity and the fact that his body isn't strictly speaking 'real' anyway, he may at least appreciate the gesture. And hey, you never know.

[X] Ask how you can best make him comfortable. While it's hardly an immediate priority for him like it was for Belial, both due to the lack of hypersensitivity and the fact that his body isn't strictly speaking 'real' anyway, he may at least appreciate the gesture. And hey, you never know.

[X] Ask how things have been going with the others so far. Who does he like the most, who does he like the least? If it's going to be poly, whether or not the others actually like each other is more important than ever.

[X] Ask about djinn. How they're created, what the particulars of their longevity are, why they're bound to lamps, what their purpose is. With your chance meeting with the marid in the risen temple, you're especially curious.

Remember that Belial said that we need to be assertive as well as thoughtful. And in this case we let make boast and get useful information, possibly relevant to the last side quest.