I'm torn. On one hand I'm glad we took nothing but bones from the Fleshweaver since that allowed us to get everything sold safely and get us a Masterwork Spiritbone Longbow with little issue, but on the other hand I would have loved to have some of that venom. It's a damn shame.
Also, while we meet the orphan girl to pick up our rumors, we should tentatively ask if she can hook us up with some brokers who deal in spirit parts. Noche was fine with bones, but he's going to put his foot down with other things. I want to keep selling spirit parts and get rich, though. So to the criminal underworld we go.
I'm torn. On one hand I'm glad we took nothing but bones from the Fleshweaver since that allowed us to get everything sold safely and get us a Masterwork Spiritbone Longbow with little issue, but on the other hand I would have loved to have some of that venom. It's a damn shame.
Also, while we meet the orphan girl to pick up our rumors, we should tentatively ask if she can hook us up with some brokers who deal in spirit parts. Noche was fine with bones, but he's going to put his foot down with other things. I want to keep selling spirit parts and get rich, though. So to the criminal underworld we go.
I wonder if our hunger has a secondary effect that's really only noticeable when we're heavily injured.
During the ritual our hp went incredibly low. However, after we regained our sanity our wounds had completely healed.
I'm thinking that's a holdover from the fleshweavers ability to incorporate living meat into its body.
I wonder if we could test this by giving ourselves a small cut on a finger, and then eating a chicken. We may be able to heal wounds by eating fresh meat.
I wonder if our hunger has a secondary effect that's really only noticeable when we're heavily injured.
During the ritual our hp went incredibly low. However, after we regained our sanity our wounds had completely healed.
I'm thinking that's a holdover from the fleshweavers ability to incorporate living meat into its body.
I wonder if we could test this by giving ourselves a small cut on a finger, and then eating a chicken. We may be able to heal wounds by eating fresh meat.
The damage you took was purely Fade damage, with goes to a different damage monitor. These wounds where not physical.
The Fleshweaver actually has the ability to patch up his physical wounds by smearing his own webbing into them, which is what he was trying to do in the end. Either kill you with the last attack or at the very least tank your perception, break off, heal, return to finish you.
Had you added the webbing gland to the ritual, that ability would have been one of the possible results.
Shall I add "15m long murder-snake" to your to-do list?
Anyway, vote closed. Finally have time to write.
Adhoc vote count started by Azel on Mar 3, 2018 at 3:26 AM, finished with 2703 posts and 8 votes.
[X] Basic Training Plan
-[X] Learn Reading - 30 days
-[X] Contact Matlal - "Ritual worked, healed. Dangerous valuable inside Fleshweaver lair, floating skull, ritual circle. Would like to meet. No rush."
-[X] Get Rumors/Market visit
--[X] Buy 20 Wound Dressings
-[X] Learn Archery - 5 days
-[X] Receive and get accustomed to new gear
-[X] When our Spider's Hunger either kicks in or gets very close, it should be handled as discreetly as possible.
[X] Plan Read and Write
-[X] 10 days Reading and Writing w/ Xochi if she's interested.
-[X] Contact Matlal
--[X] Performed ritual, healed. Prefer examination if safe, like to meet. Found ruin, valuable inside, help acquire.
-[X] Meet with Iciuhca/Go to the market
[X] Plan Reading & Alchemy
-[X] Training
--[X] Reading & Writing x5
-[X] Gather herbs for Alchemy
--[X] Jungles Scent
-[X] Perform Alchemy
--[X] Jungles Scent (on some auspicious date)
-[X] Contact Matlal
--[X] Am okay. Thanks. How dangerous is Silver Peccary? Can you say anything helpful about it?
-[X] Meet with Iciuhca/Go to the market
--[X] Buy 20 Wound Dressings
[X] Basic Training Plan
-[X] Learn Reading - 30 days
-[X] Contact Matlal - "Ritual worked, healed. Dangerous valuable inside Fleshweaver lair, floating skull, ritual circle. Would like to meet. No rush."
-[X] Get Rumors/Market visit
--[X] Buy 20 Wound Dressings
-[X] Learn Archery - 5 days
-[X] Receive and get accustomed to new gear
-[X] When our Spider's Hunger either kicks in or gets very close, it should be handled as discreetly as possible.
1.6.17.10.10.11 - 11th of the White Storm
You have to concede that Xochi has a point with this 'resting' thing. For all your life, you've slept outdoors in tents or simply on mats on the ground, but the straw-filled bed here in Noche's house is a good deal more comfortable than that. Some things you can't really fully appreciate until you don't have them anymore. Furthermore, the house doesn't reek of decaying meat like your last camp. The smell of ash and coal is nearly everywhere, especially in the converted storage room you inhabit, but it's a much less noxious odor that seems almost cleanly in comparison.
Idly you twist your right wrist this way and that while being sprawled out on the bedding. Ixtli has moved on to teach you the usage of a quill and your hand is only slowly getting used to the long hours of careful movement. A bit ironic, given your other skills, yet you don't usually spend hours digging into someone's wounds with a knife either. Though you do take some pride in the apparent quality of writing your produce, until your wrist locks up that is, and your young teacher seems rather pleased with your efforts.
The two men you live with are currently away, Noche to meet some friends of his and Ixtli on some errand. With your lessons picking up again, he is away most evenings now and seems to go around to dig up some lore to make sense of the murals you showed him. That you wouldn't let him have a look at the codex annoyed him a bit, but he was mollified by your excuses and the implication that he could read it later. With nobody here to overhear you and the charm having regained its strange powers, you decide that it is time to let Matlal know that you are still alive.
After mulling it over a bit, you lift the charm to your mouth. No point in speaking in quite such clipped tones today, since there is no life on the line if whatever fuels it runs out before you are done. "The ritual worked and I was healed." Not quite a lie and explaining that particular thing would be a bit much by this means. "I found a ruin bordering the lair, containing a library and a ritual circle. A skull floating above a diagram with glowing stones on it. I would like to meet with you and investigate this. No hurry though, I'm safe in Tlamaca."
This time, you don't have to wait that long for an answer. Probably because you did this right after dusk and not in the middle of the night. You clasp your hands tightly around the pearls as they start their dance. "I'm glad you are healthy." This time you notice that his voice has an odd timbre when coming from this talisman, his weathered tone somehow sounding like dry wood scratching against itself. "There is something you could for me. A few codices were stolen from the Wise Men and are somewhere in the slums of Tlamaca. Go to Xihuitl, a merchant living near the artisans, for details. Sadly I cannot spare the time so soon. I will make time next..."
You sigh and stare in annoyance at the little charm. At least you got the important parts, though you wonder when Matlal will have the time. As far as work for him is concerned, this doesn't sound so bad. There was the niggling fear that he would ask you to go against the Wise Men in a rather direct fashion, but traipsing around the slums sounds not that bad. And codices? That was a prize you would gladly work for.
What will you do now?
[] Find Xihuitl tomorrow.
[] Wait for your meeting with Iciuhca, to get some information from her first.
AN: Thought about skipping this choice and directly going to Iciuhca, but making it a vote in case you guys would prefer to get the full mission briefing beforehand.
Let's get the whole mission briefing first guys. That way once we know what's up we can go to our contact about where to find things. There's no use pumping a contact for info if we don't know what questions to ask.
While she is hopefully a good source of rumors, I don't really trust Iciucha all that much. If she sells us information she may sell information to others, too, so I don't want to ask her about sensitive matters like the codices.
[X] Wait for your meeting with Iciuhca, to get some information from her first.
1.6.17.10.10.14 - 14th of the White Storm
As the sun slowly creeps ever closer to the horizon, you contently make another pass around the market. Initially you came here so late was since you wanted to avoid the glut of people always found here at noon, but it had other benefits to be around when most traders were already packing their things back in. Like the cheap cui you where currently chewing on. Apparently it was some kind of delicacy from the southern mountains, but the trader was quite content to hand out the leftovers for a bean each, being all too eager to join the steady trickle of people going for the taverns at this hour. He also sold the little critters alive, though they seemed to be more fluff than meat when comparing the size of the living article to the roasted meat on a stick in your hand. Apart from that, even those trying to sell less perishable goods seemed quite ready to cut a deal at this hour, probably hoping for a few last earnings before night fell, making your purchases a bit less pricey then anticipated.
Gained 20 Wound Dressings
Lost 90 beans
The other reason for your presence today is still elusive, however. Next time you'd better set a proper time for such a meeting, though the date seemed enough last month. Somehow you just expected Iciuhca to just show up at exactly the right time, but even though you keep passing by the alley where you intended to meet her, there is no sign of the little sneak. Neither was anyone out and about to cheat his patrons like her, which is a bit surprising, given her implication that that this was a pretty normal and regular thing here. Neither can you spot any of the beggars you saw last time. What you can see, though, in both larger groups and more frequently, are guards. The bronze-tipped spears and bronze-reinforced shields making them stick out like a sore thumb.
You kind of expected more watchful eyes in the city after seeing how high-strung the gate guards were, though it's still surprising how short-tempered they behave. The groups have swollen to three from two watchmen and they tend to rudely order around everyone who so much stands nearby when they want to pass somewhere. The distance they enforce around themselves looks more then a little awkward, especially in the far more cramped side roads, since they seem to be all the more on the edge whenever there is less than an arm's length between a guard and a passerby. Given how they act and how someone like the Wise Men might decide to prevent the price of copper from rising any further, you think this is connected to the lack of beggars today.
As you spin that thread of insight further, your mood slowly curdles. Maybe waiting for Iciuhca was pointless, since she already sat in Xoxo and pried green stones from unyielding rock. Given her activities, this was hardly out of the realm of possibility, especially with how the guards acted. Though these worries are for naught, as at long last, a familiar voice calls you to an alley. "Yaxkin, over here."
After glancing around you, making sure that nobody else paid enough attention to hear that call, you follow suit. Iciuhca leads you a bit deeper into the small path between the houses, already cast in deep shadows as the sun which stands barely over the horizon can't reach the cobblestones here anymore. "Why the dark alley? You weren't so afraid to talk to me right next to a large street last month." Furthermore, it kind of feels wrong to have this talk here where nobody can see the two of you.
"Well, a lot of things happened since then." As your eyes get used to the lack of light, you see the mischievous grin of the street urchin before you. "Gonna cost you twenty beans to hear all about them."
"A deal is a deal." It doesn't surprise you that she wants the rest of her promised pay before going any further, and you came prepared for just that. A small pouch you drop into her outstretched hand and after a short moment of counting, you lean against the wall. "Then tell me what went on here in my absence. The city seems a bit tense."
Lost 20 beans
"You haven't seen the slums. People are pretty nervous there since the guards have started to patrol there lately. They never showed up before, but now you see them move here and there and arresting people. Seems Xoxo needs new workers badly."
"I just thought the same, what with there being no beggars around."
"Yeah, doing that near the bigger roads is chancy these days. They also got a lot of people in the slums riled up, since many beans there depend on nobody enforcing the laws. A lot of trouble is brewing there, especially since the old borders between the gangs are softening up. With the patrols, nobody can act that openly, so some started to muscle in on their rivals territory and some others got weaker when they threw their people to Xoxo. The guards are also recruiting left and right, mostly from caravan guards and tribals. Word is that even one of the Wise Men was killed by the bandits and that they stocked up the patrols to the south and north, but others claim that it's spirits work."
"Spirits? Why should they try to kill the Wise Men?"
"Why not? Heard from some hunters that the spirits are getting restless and they wouldn't care if the guy they murder is a Wise Man or not. Some think that the Blight and the Creeping Night are spitting out spirits left and right, thus the tribals raiding the caravans for weapons against them. However, all just hearsay, since I'm not going out to check for 30 beans."
You allow yourself a short sigh. Even though you have a small role in this whole mess, it's dubious that your actions near Xoxo had any impact on the course of events, but you still feel far too involved in all of this. "Anything else interesting?"
"One more thing. Some guy is going around and asking for good fighters who can keep their mouths shut. You didn't hear this from me, since I only know it from eavesdropping, though he seems to plan some kind of raid on a special caravan. Something coming from Ticehuactepetl to the east and moving to Zacatl. No idea what he's after, but he told the guy he wanted to hire that he could have a fist full of Tlaltepoztli, so it must be something pretty expensive."
"Never heard about Ticehuactepetl before. Another city?"
"Probably. Heard the name on the market before, but can't tell you more about it either."
Given your recent windfall, you have a rough idea of something that might be worth that much, though you doubt that the Wise Men would allow a caravan full of spirit parts to pass their city. Maybe it was silver they transported? Though that would leave the question of why they did so, since from what Noche told you, silver is mostly used as money. Which would mean something very expensive being traded for it. The timing for this probably could not be better. Just another bandit attack near Tlamaca, easily chalked up to random chance. Something to maybe mull over later, since Iciuhca looks a bit impatient at you.
"So? Worth your beans? Don't quite know what else might interest you, so ask away."
Do you have any further questions for Iciuhca?
[] Yes
-[] Ask if she heard something about a trader named Xihuitl.
-[] Ask if she heard something about stolen codizes.
-[] Write-In
[] No
AN: A little glimpse at what is going on away from the artisan district in the city. You can ask her about pretty much anything you might be interested in, but she might not have informations about everything.
@Azel, could you put a price on the various questions we could ask? And also whatever info Iciuhca would like to sell but won't speak of until we fork over the cash?
1. Ask if she heard something about a trader named Xihuitl.
2. Ask if she heard something about stolen codizes.
3. Ask if she can give you contacts where you can sell spirit parts on the black market.
@Duesal, there are no further prices for regular questions. Back when you made the deal, you offered 30 beans, but only gave her 10 in advance. Thus her asking for the remaining 20 before telling you anything.
The third question would be different, since she would have to go out and find such contacts for you, though she would be unwilling to do that right now. Both because the request is a bit outlandish and due to the increased guard activity. She isn't willing to risk her neck that much for you right now.
@Duesal, there are no further prices for regular questions. Back when you made the deal, you offered 30 beans, but only gave her 10 in advance. Thus her asking for the remaining 20 before telling you anything.
The third question would be different, since she would have to go out and find such contacts for you, though she would be unwilling to do that right now. Both because the request is a bit outlandish and due to the increased guard activity. She isn't willing to risk her neck that much for you right now.
So aside from asking for contacts we can sell spirit parts to, we can ask pretty much anything? And we don't have to pay extra? Sweet.
[X] Yes
-[X] Ask if she heard something about a trader named Xihuitl.
-[X] Ask if she heard something about stolen codizes.
-[X] Has she heard any rumors about particular spirits? Like that Silver Peccary?
-[X] What news in specific on the Blight and the Creeping Night?
-[X] What mercenary groups does she know have joined the Wise Men's call for guards?
-[X] What are the various underground criminal factions in the city? Which ones have the upper hand right now and which ones have been subsumed? Who commands each?
[X] Yes
-[X] Ask if she heard something about a trader named Xihuitl.
-[X] Ask if she heard something about stolen codizes.
-[X] Has she heard any rumors about particular spirits? Like that Silver Peccary?
-[X] What news in specific on the Blight and the Creeping Night?
-[X] What mercenary groups does she know have joined the Wise Men's call for guards?
-[X] What are the various underground criminal factions in the city? Which ones have the upper hand right now and which ones have been subsumed? Who commands each?
