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Mare Internum: An Exalted Quest

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For A Better World 28
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    • PurposefulZephyr said:
    [X] So I figure we have about a half hour, give or take half an hour...
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    "So I figure we have about a half hour, give or take half an hour..."

    An aide approaches Mei as she walks, she scribbles something on an offered slate with a stylus and waves him away.

    MEI: "Oh yeah? Why don't you go and deal with it, then? I see you found a sword."

    "Well, my arm's broken."

    MEI: "Whose fault is that?"

    "I don't know." you answer truthfully.

    MEI: "It's your fault."

    She pauses to sign off on another runner's note.

    INTEGRITY: She was going to continue there, but she stopped herself.

    "Yeah, uh, Cinnamon said I might have punched a tree?"

    MEI: "Punched a tree? You fucking demolished it. We found apples on the beach half a mile up the coast. I had a team of surgeons pulling splinters out of your stupid fucking body all night."

    [ ] How do you know it was me?
    [ ] Why don't I remember that?
    [ ] Why would I do that?
    [ ] I don't think I can punch that hard.
    [ ] That tree probably had it coming.
     
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    • For A Better World 29
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    • JustGazzer said:
    [X] That tree probably had it coming.
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    "That tree probably had it coming."

    MEI: "Yeah, thats how you go through life, isn't it? Whenever you fuck up, you meant it to happen. Runner!"

    A runner obediently answers her call. She pauses to write her dispatch.

    "Well, the tree was asking me inappropriate questions."

    MEI: "Just shut the fuck up for a minute, I'm trying to concentrate. There, go on. Make sure he knows it's top priority."

    The runner nods and withdraws.

    MEI: "Not everything is about you. There are hundreds of people in this camp and we still have a war to win with a fraction of our planned resources. If we want to keep up the original plan and capture Ashglass before reinforcements arrive, we can't be wasting time."

    "Why did you challenge me to a duel, then?"

    MEI: "Well, Fincher fucked that up. Can't even get away with a little relaxation on this job."

    [ ] How did Fincher fuck it up?
    [ ] Wait, relaxation?
    [ ] We can still fight later, if you like.
    [ ] Can we focus on the imminent monster attack?
     
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    • For A Better World 30
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    • TalonofAnathrax said:
    [X] Can we focus on the imminent monster attack?
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    "Can we focus on the imminent monster attack?"

    MEI: "I am focusing on many things. I've got runners going to the forward scout outposts in the forest. The sorcerer is sending up a demon, too."

    "Oh. So you're checking it out?"

    MEI: "I'm not an idiot. Something killed Fincher's scouts, and I didn't get to this age by ignoring the possibility of weird magical shit."

    "Well... thanks for trusting me."

    MEI: "Don't get me wrong, I think this is very likely a figment of your diseased imagination. If it is, a little more recon can't hurt. And if it isn't, I get to send you out to fight it, so it's a win-win."

    [ ] Oh yeah? Well... *Give her the finger.*
    [ ] Do I have to fight it?
    [ ] What's the demon for?
    [ ] So what are you going to be doing?
     
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    • For A Better World 31
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    • Broken25 said:
    [x] What's the demon for?
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    "What's the demon for?"

    MEI: "I asked for something useful for scouting. Gods only know what he's going to send. Hopefully a flying one that can give intelligible reports."

    "You don't know what his demons can do?"

    MEI: "I know fine, but I try to use them as little as possible, and delegate options to the sorcerers. There's a resason why legion doctrine recommends against overusing demons. They have some useful tricks, but they come with their own problems."

    "Like what?"

    MEI: "Siege of Marmor. Sixteenth Legion general set all of its sorcerers to summoning a shock unit of blood apes. Blood apes cracked the siege, but the legion got hemmed in by Zhao reinforcements. The demons ate all the cats in the city."

    WAR: She has a drill instructor's cadence. This is probably one she taught to her students as a guest lecturer.

    "Oh."

    Mei continues her story as you follow her through the camp, matching her brisk pace.

    MEI: "With no cats to keep down the vermin in siege conditions, there was a mass plague. When one of the sorcerers died in a food riot her blood apes tore open the trade gate to escape the city. They lost almost half the legion in the fighting and most of Marmor was dead or sacked. Don't rely on demons."

    SAGACITY: Bound demons follow the letter and spirit of a sorcerer's instruction, but they often have a lot of unpleasant foibles that require close supervision, like Erymanthoi and their hunger-hatred for cats.

    "Well, I suppose we should just be careful and... uh..."

    Mei has stopped. She is looking down at a puddle on the ground.

    It's a puddle of tea-vomit. It's your puddle of tea-vomit.

    Her baleful gaze slowly, ponderously, turns to her tent at the end of the row.

    Then it shifts back to you.

    [ ] Who would do something like that?
    [ ] Hey, this is where I was earlier!
    [ ] I thought we were in a hurry.
    [ ] I can explain. I was looking for Fincher.
     
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    • For A Better World 32
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    • Gazetteer said:
    [X] Who would do something like that?
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    "Who would do something like that?"

    MEI: "You would, obviously. You would do something like that."

    "Oh yeah."

    MEI: "What were you doing next to my tent? Tell the truth for once."

    [ ] I thought it was Fincher's tent. (True)
    [ ] I was looking for you. (False)
    [ ] I was looking for the outhouse. (False)
    [ ] I was just admiring the tent. (False)
     
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    • For A Better World 33
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    • CuttleFish2.0 said:
    [X] I thought it was Fincher's tent. (True)
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    "I thought it was Fincher's tent."

    MEI: "You thought it-"

    She pauses, scratches at her scar under her eyepatch, agitated.

    MEI: "Alright, first off, you're a fucking idiot."

    "Yeah, that's fair."

    MEI: "Second, Fincher is under heavy guard after last night, you're not getting to her. If you try, I'll burn you."

    "What? I don't understand. What did Fincher do?"

    Mei gives you a long, piercing look.

    MEI: "I can never tell when you are acting stupid or being stupid. Fuck this, we don't have time."

    She turns and walks towards her tent.

    INTEGRITY: I think she's... embarrassed? Maybe she realized she told you something she didn't want you to know.

    PRESENCE: Maybe you can still win her over!

    INTEGRITY: Presence, no.

    You follow her as she enters her tent.

    MEI: "Did I give you permission to come in here?"

    "Do you want me to wait outside?"

    MEI: "Fuck it, just wait there where I can see you."

    She picks up the huge swordspear from its mount as though it weighs no more than a wicker switch. She briefly examines its edge before kicking open a coffer at the foot of her bedroll and rumaging through it.

    [ ] Is this going to take long?
    [ ] So what's the plan?
    [ ] Did I hurt Fincher? I don't remember.
    [ ] (Remain quiet)
     
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