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Mare Internum: An Exalted Quest

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Crumplepunch said:
NAVIGATE: NORMAL
2 3
CHECK FAILED

You get turned around in the endless rows of tents and spend precious minutes trying to find your bearings before heading in the right direction.
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So, uh, anyone else getting the feeling that "heading in the right direction" may or may not be a blatant lie of some sort?

...In more positive news, can't wait for the introduction of new fan-favorite character Random Soldier Guy From The Random Tent!
 
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For A Better World 22
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    • ChangelingRain said:
    [X] Enter and announce yourself.
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    You sweep into the tent like you are gatecrashing a party and you want everyone to see what you are wearing.

    "Behold!"

    Brindle drops what he was holding on the folding desk and does an impressive combination of stumbling backwards with shock and turning to face you.

    BRINDLE: "Oh, uh, magistrate, how are, I was just..."

    As you anticipated, the young legionary is wearing his too-large uniform, sans helmet. His expression is pure panic.

    "Hey Brindle. What are you doing in Fincher's tent?"

    Momentary confusion flickers over his features.

    BRINDLE: "I was just... collecting some papers... for... talonlord Fincher?"

    You look to the desk behind him. Piles of papers covered in closely-regimented script. Maps, wax-sealed letters.

    AWARENESS: DIFFICULT
    3 3
    CHECK PASSED

    AWARENESS: No candleholder.

    Why does that matter?

    CRAFT: Wax seals. No flame to melt sealingwax.

    Maybe she took the candle with her.

    AWARENESS: Also pretty sure that giant sword is too big for Fincher.

    You look at the freestanding weapon mounting next to the rumpled pallet. It's a swordspear with a broad, cleaver-like blade. It's taller than you, maybe heavier as well.

    WAR: And the seals are for a dragonlord.

    Oh, right.

    "Wait a moment..."

    Brindle sweats visibly.

    [ ] I've got the wrong tent, see you later.
    [ ] What are you doing in Mei's tent?
    [ ] Did you find anything good?
    [ ] Okay, never mind that, where's Fincher?
     
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    • For A Better World 23
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    • glyph said:
    [X] What are you doing in Mei's tent?
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    "What are you doing in Mei's tent?"

    He swallows.

    BRINDLE: "I was just collecting some papers for talonlord Fincher."

    "Isn't Fincher in lockup?"

    Brindle nods.

    "Specifically in lockup for arguing with Mei?"

    Brindle shrugs and nods.

    "And what papers are you collecting for her?"

    BRINDLE: "Look, uh, can we talk about this somewhere else? If she finds us here I'm pretty sure we're both dead."

    [ ] You're right, let's get out of here.
    [ ] No, I am enjoying this fleeting feeling of control.
    [ ] No way, I'm going to look for stuff too.
     
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    • For A Better World 24
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    • ctulhuslp said:
    [X] You're right, let's get out of here.
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    "You're right, let's get out of here."

    You hold up the tentflap so Brindle can go ahead of you. You take one more wistful glance around before following him.

    Luckily there is nobody around.

    "Where are all the guards, anyway?"

    BRINDLE: "Can we walk and talk? I don't want to be standing around here either."

    "Fine, let's go get breakfast. Mess area is this way."

    BRINDLE: "It's this way."

    "That's what I said."

    You follow him as you pick through the rows of tents. The mud of yesterday's rainfall has hardened to a brittle, powdery grey dirt that leaves only very light footprints.

    "Why's it so quiet?"

    BRINDLE: "All the interior camp guard details have been reassigned to lockup."

    "All of them? How many is that?"

    BRINDLE: "I dunno, forty, fifty."

    "Is Fincher giving them that much trouble?"

    BRINDLE: "I dunno, nobody told me. Hey, uh, didn't you break your arm?"

    "Yeah?" you pat your sling. "Got it right here."

    BRINDLE: "Uh, doesn't that hurt, moving it around so soon?"

    You stop.

    Does it hurt? You hadn't thought about it. You felt some pain in your neck and back this morning. Your tongue is a little scalded from the hot tea. Your arm? Nothing.

    No, not nothing. Your arm hurts a lot. It's just not registering as something you should be thinking about.

    You stare at the arm. You feel the dislocated elbow, the spiral radial fracturing, the split corpus. You observe the pain, like an insect under glass. You feel it, but at the same time it causes none of the sympathetic or parasympathetic nervous responses that it should be causing. It's like a fire that doesn't burn. It feels like it's happening to someone else.

    BRINDLE: "Lady?"

    "Yeah, a little bit. Let's keep going. Tell me what you were up to."

    He looks around nervously before answering.

    BRINDLE: "I'm sorry, okay? I was just trying to help. We were all trying to figure out how to, you know, help the talonlord, and that navy lady she was with came by and said she might, you know, be able to help if she had some of the dragonlord's private papers. So I volunteered. I used to be a temple novice, so I know all my letters."

    "Navy lady? You mean Logris? Blue hair, eyeglasses?"

    BRINDLE: "Yeah, that'd be her."

    "I'm confused, why would that help anyone?"

    Brindle shrugs.

    BRINDLE: "Can't say, I figured she was planning some way to reason with the dragonlord."

    [ ] Where is she now?
    [ ] Point me to the lockup.
    [ ] Come on, I need that breakfast.
    [ ] I think we might be under attack soon.
     
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    • For A Better World 25
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    • Broken25 said:
    [X] I think we might be under attack soon.
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    "I think we m-"

    You double up as pain cramps your stomach. You immediately vomit up your ginseng tea into the dirt.

    You straighten up again.

    "I think we might under attack soon."

    BRINDLE: "Are you okay?"

    Hey Integrity, are we okay?

    INTEGRITY: No.

    Why not?

    PHYSIQUE: Everything hurts. Our body is attempting to counteract multiple simultaneous withdrawal effects.

    You quickly examine how you are feeling and conclude that your entire body feels like it is being hit with rubber mallets, some of which are inside your stomach.

    "Yeah, I'm fine."

    INTEGRITY: Please take something, we really need it.

    "No problems here."

    SAGACITY: Depending on what you were on, relapsing would temporarily make you feel a lot better. Physically, I mean.

    "Yeah, please just ignore that and focus on the thing I said about an imminent attack."

    BRINDLE: "Uh, right, okay. You mean the Raigi?"

    "Maybe, but mostly a burning cloud monster with fiery footprints."

    BRINDLE: "Oh, you heard about that?"

    "Heard about what?"

    BRINDLE: "Nost and Collier. I mean... when they got killed, there were burning footprints, right?"

    It clicks into place.

    Was there a trail?

    What? Yeah, a pretty obvious one, apparently.

    "Brindle, listen. The thing that killed Nost and Collier, it's coming to kill me, now. It will be here in about half an hour. I need your help."

    The teenage boy hesitates only for a second.

    BRINDLE: "What can I do?"

    [ ] I need to find Logris, she'll know what to do.
    [ ] I need to bust Fincher out, she'll want a piece of this.
    [ ] I need to try to convince Mei, she's the only one that can help.
    [ ] I need Fincher's talon to back me up, do you think they'll be up for it?
     
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    • Damn I really wanted to make him come fight it with us. I want to see more sidereal stuff!

    I am actually upset about missing this one god damnit.
     
    For A Better World 26
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    • Elero said:
    [X] I need to try to convince Mei, she's the only one that can help.
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    "I need to try to convince Mei, she's the only one that can help."

    Brindle winces.

    BRINDLE: "Well... alright, if you think you can get her to help..."

    "Do you know where she is?"

    BRINDLE: "The navy lady, Logris, you said? She said Mei was inspecting the progress on the Sulco. She should be coming back into camp soon. Maybe you can meet her by the cargo pull."

    "Alright, that's... this way."

    BRINDLE: "That way."

    "Right."

    BRINDLE: "Do you want me to come with you, lady?"

    "Yes please."

    It's a short trip to the western edge of the camp, where the sheer cliff face has been converted into the cargo hauling lift that you declined yesterday. As you approach, the water-powered treadwheel is slowly drawing up the platform. A number of engineers see you approaching and scatter. You spot Feathers among them.

    "What's going on?"

    BRINDLE: "I think maybe they... uh..."

    He trails off as the lift reaches the top. Mei stands upon it, flanked by a pair of her mortal subordinates, one of whom is writing on a slate.

    It's the first time you have seen her not overflowing with anger. She looks worried, contemplative.

    She hasn't spotted you yet. You are filled with a wave of nausea.

    [ ] Make small talk.
    [ ] Demand Fincher's release.
    [ ] Tell Mei about the imminent attack.
    [ ] Apologise for missing the duel.
    [ ] Run away.
     
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    • For A Better World 27
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    • Omicron said:
    [X] Tell Mei about the imminent attack.
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    "Mei! We have to-" you double up and vomit again.

    MEI: "Oh, for fuck's sake."

    You clear your throat, spit out the last of the bile, then stand back up to continue.

    "The camp is about to be attacked, I need your help!"

    MEI: "Oh yeah? Why are you telling me this, and not my scout parties?"

    "I have advanced knowledge."

    MEI: "Was it a dream?"

    "No, but it did happen when I was asleep."

    Mei rolls her eye.

    MEI: "When you were asleep and shot full of enough drugs to down a bull."

    "Yeah. I mean, maybe?"

    MEI: "Alright, get her out of here."

    BRINDLE: "Wait, uh, dragonlord, permission to speak!"

    Mei's guards still at the interruption. Her withering gaze falls on Brindle, who stands his ground.

    MEI: "I don't recognize you."

    The boy salutes over his heart.

    BRINDLE: "Brindle, third talon, fifth fang!"

    MEI: "Your talon is meant to be confined to rank, legionary."

    BRINDLE: "U-under the circumstances, dragonlord, I thought it would be, uh, irresponsible to let the lady walk around camp without an escort."

    Mei considers that for a moment.

    MEI: "Fine. Speak, then get back to rank."

    BRINDLE: "The attacker the lady described seemed to match whatever it was killed our scouts out by Ashglass, dragonlord. I think that gives her a bit of credit."

    MEI: "Alright. On you go now."

    Brindle glances at you briefly before withdrawing. Mei waits for him to go before stepping off the cargo lift and walking past you.

    MEI: "Walk and talk. You'd better make this good."

    You follow after her. Her guards follow after you.

    [ ] What were you saying about drugs?
    [ ] So I figure we have about a half hour, give or take half an hour...
    [ ] This thing is after me specifically, I could use some backup...
    [ ] I'm still a little bit confused about what's going on.
    [ ] Hey, why did you lock up Fincher?
    [ ] Why would Logris want to read your papers?
     
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    • [X] So I figure we have about a half hour, give or take half an hour...

    Better not inform someone who hates us that we are the reason the thing is after us.
     
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