(NN?) !TEEDashxDA 2010/04/25(Sun)15:46 No. 169990 ID: 3b6c92
File 127223556799.png - (18.32KB , 853x480 , 001.png )

... uorgh.

I hope it's still morning...

It is not. Get up, you lazy bum.

>>169990
Well only one way to find out. Get off your lazy ass and go outside to check.

>>169990
Just what are you? [other than a lazyass that is]

>>169990
Those coals up there look delicious. You should eat one.

Introduce yourself.

It's been awhile since you shit yourself. You should fix that. Shit the bed!

do you usually hear voices in your head in the morning?

NN, eh?
I dub thee Nimrod Ninnypants.
Arise.

>>169990

Oh hi! Who are you? What's your name? What's your species? What's it like in your world? Who's your family? Is that a real door or just plans to install one later?

You should hope more that there isn't an earthquake that'll knock those embers on your bare back.

I still believe that you should shit yourself, if only for the novelty of doing so.

[1/4] (NN?) !TEEDashxDA 2010/04/25(Sun)19:37 No. 170106 ID: 3b6c92
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Get off your lazy ass.

Right.

"Hrgn."

[2/4] (NN?) !TEEDashxDA 2010/04/25(Sun)19:38 No. 170108 ID: 3b6c92
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Huy. Overslept. Still sleepy.

...

I think someone was supposed to wake me up, actually.

Those coals up there...

Those aren't coals. That would be a really bad idea in a shack made out of wood. That's just fire oak.

[3/4] (NN?) !TEEDashxDA 2010/04/25(Sun)19:38 No. 170109 ID: 3b6c92
File 127224951883.png - (20.53KB , 853x480 , 004.png )

... why did I ask myself that? I put that there.

Introduce yourself. Who are you? What are you?

...

You sound like me...

[4/4] (NN?) !TEEDashxDA 2010/04/25(Sun)19:39 No. 170111 ID: 3b6c92
File 127224956961.png - (20.01KB , 853x480 , 005.png )

...but I don't think you're me.

So... who are you? And what are you, for that matter? Some sort of spirit? How are you talking in my head?

>>170111
Dunno. Check your inventory, maybe you picked up a magic item of some sort.

most likely.

>>170111
We're a being beyond your comprehension. An intelligent cloud of gas particles, communicating by telepathy. We have grown amused by you, and will follow you... for a time.

Maybe we're spirits, maybe the personification of your inner or outer self, or some alien entity talking to you. But you're probably just crazy. So, how ya feeling?

>>170111
No idea. Innt that brilliant?
We literally don't know who we are. Ha!
Oh we're a "we" too, by the way. More than one of us. A lot more, actually.

>>170111
We say words, then you hear them. Don't know any more than that, and don't need to.

Now, it's a new day! Go seize it! Charge out that door and into THE FUTURE!

>>170111

You know that toilet paper you bought cheap? It was a magic roll of toilet paper. You may call us Bogroll. We are the magic dingleberries on your ass, and we give advice and help from the great turd chute in the sky.

>>170128
This is totally what happened.

we are the strangest online matchmaker service ever invented in the face of existance.

now get out of the cabin, we have a world to save and bitches to lay.

Anyway, just call us Bogroll.

Now, tell us about yourself-- ah ah ah, say no more! I know the whole story!

You are Aaron Von Lidleburg the 3rd, youngest son of Count Von Lidleburg the regional ruler and defacto supreme ruler since the king he owes fealty to is so far removed from your sad backwater of a mesa that you're weeks of travel distant. No one bothers with teleportagrams since they cost an equal weight in gold for whatever you transport.

Am I right, Aaron?

>>170168
No don't call us bogroll, that's disgusting.

>>170170

But that's our name!

>>170167
This. there's no better way to explain us than that.

>>170172
No, it isn't. Stop making stuff up.

>>170167

E-Bogroll.com

>>169990
>>170106
>>170108
>>170109
>>170111

...

........

YOU'RE A KITTY!

...we are not a bogroll.

>>170210

He's a kitty, we're Bogroll.

we are not a bogroll. i like 'Legion' as a name.

>>170214

How is Legion, the name of a host of demons that were driven into a herd of pigs and ultimately driven into the sea, a better name than Bogroll? A bogroll is a roll of soft tissue for your butt. It's less offensive.

>>170217
We are not to be referred to as toilet paper for an indeterminate amount of time.

We're actually a tumor growing inside his brain

We are the Collective Being. We are singular, but with many voices. To comprehend our true nature invites madness. Dwell on it no more.

[1/3] (NN?) !TEEDashxDA 2010/04/25(Sun)22:56 No. 170236 ID: 3b6c92
File 127226138248.png - (20.87KB , 853x480 , 006.png )

Check your inventory. Maybe you picked up a magic item?

Uhh, I don't know if you can tell, but these don't have pockets. And unless someone's put a cloaked magic item in my room somewhere while I was sleeping, I don't have any new ones.

[2/3] (NN?) !TEEDashxDA 2010/04/25(Sun)22:57 No. 170238 ID: 3b6c92
File 127226147693.png - (20.84KB , 853x480 , 007.png )

We're a being beyond your comprehension. We're the strangest online matchmaker service ever invented. We don't know what we are.

"We?" Oh, that's great. I have not one spirit but rather many spirits in my head, and they don't even know what they are.

We give advice and help from the great turd chute in the sky. Call us Bogroll. You are Aaron Von Lidleburg the 3rd...

Oh, and apparently they're insane to boot. I'm not calling you Bogroll.

Gods, I don't want to deal with this today...

YOU'RE A KITTY!

Not helping.

 

>>170228

We are Bogroll. Not a Toomah.

[3/3] (NN?) !TEEDashxDA 2010/04/25(Sun)22:59 No. 170240 ID: 3b6c92
File 12722615397.png - (21.70KB , 853x480 , 008.png )

It's a new day! Go seize it!

I was going to put my jacket on first...

...didn't you have a whole bunch of questions for me just a second ago? Do I have forgetful, insane spirits who don't know what they are in my head?

>>170240
Naw, we just talk in bursts.

Just answer your questions whenever you're ready. Name, gender, species, race, location.

We're here to help, just ignore the more idiotic things we say. So what is your name, anyway? Better than calling you kitty.

>>170240

Aaron don't forget your hat and coat.

Love, Bogroll.

Bite your tail.

We are kind of empty on information here so fill us in.
I don't just mean about YOU, either. We pretty don't know anything at all.
For example: What are you?

Also: just uh... try to tune some of the more nonsensical voices out. We are kind of silly when nothing immediately dangerous or dramatic is happening.

Has anything particularly strange happened to or around you lately? How were you when you fell asleep?

>Do I have forgetful, insane spirits who don't know what they are in my head?
Yeah, pretty much.

Hey, hey Aaron. Aaron! Hay! HAAAY! Hey AARON! HEY! HEY! HEY!

LISTEN!

HEY!

HEY AARON!

AARON!?


Aaron I forgot what I wanted to ask you. Something about a princess I think.

>>170240
You seem to be taking this rather well. I assume spirit possession isn't that unusual where you're from then.

So what are your plans for the day? And while on that subject, what are you and could we please have brief summary of your world and it's history.

>>170908

Well either we're spirits from the great turd chute, or he's gone loco from too much catnip. Meeeyow!

>>170909
[this stopped being anything other than spam about five posts ago. cut it out.]

>>170238

>> YOU'RE A KITTY!

Sorry, it's kind of obligatory. ._.

>>170240

It's pretty impossible for us to forget. We may act like it though, or be too lazy to recall. All we can tell is apparantly you're about to start a quest that has something to do with vapor. Otherwise, no clue why you started hearing us. You might want to get your head checked out.

Attempting secret spirit communication: If we all speak with his voice we might be able to make him confused which thoughts are actually his. Fun times.

Perhaps you took a blow to the head in your sleep. We must be brain damage.

[1/3] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/05/01(Sat)19:37 No. 172660 ID: 3b6c92
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What's your name?

Ruzke. Or just Ruz. That is still a weird question to hear in your head, by the way.

What are you? We pretty don't know anything at all.

I'm... a... tolkavi...? You can't tell by just looking at me? Do you not know what a tolkavi is? What kind of spirits are you?

... come to think of it, can you even see me?

[2/3] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/05/01(Sat)19:37 No. 172661 ID: 3b6c92
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We're here to help, just try to tune some of the more nonsensical voices out.

Yeah, you seem like you'll be a great help, not knowing anything about anything. Gah.

Has anything particularly strange happened to or around you lately? How were you when you fell asleep?

Uh, that's kind of a weird question. I, uh, I don't think anything out of the ordinary has happened lately. Except for you suddenly being in my head.

[3/3] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/05/01(Sat)19:38 No. 172662 ID: 3b6c92
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I assume spirit possession isn't that unusual where you're from then.

You get spirits in your head sometimes if you're a mage. Although... usually they're just the recently dead checking up on relatives. Which, uh...

... are you sure you don't know what you are? You're kind of weirding me out, here.

Could we please have a brief summary of your world and its history?

... uh. Well, um. There's, uh, us, the tolkavi, and we've lived here since... forever, as far as I know, and there are the sauzers, who have lived here since the days of the First Empire, which, uh...

... could you be a little more specific? That's kind of really hard to answer.

The First Empire. Tolkavi as well? Tell us about them.

Hey, could you go outside? We can see you, and your surroundings, we wanna check up on how things look.

>>172662
You look cute with that face.

>>172662
...Not really. As you've figured out, we really don't know anything. I suppose the world's history isn't that important, though. Why don't you just start with yourself? Where do you live, what do you do, stuff like that.

>>172662
Specific...

What are the different kinds of people near you? What kind of civilization do you live in? Are you in a small town or village or something? What do you do for a living?

Right now we should just focus on what things pertain directly to your current location and situation.

>>172662
How about you just explain everything about whats happening as it happens? That should be easier.

So... where do you live? Seems like a pretty plain house... assuming this is the only room. Which I assumed.

>>172665

Seconding this. You don't have any reason to sit here answering questions for weird spirit voices anyway.

>>172662
Tell us about the Tolkavi, he Sauzers and the first empire.

Feel free to go about your day while doing so if you can multitask to such an extent.

We can also see your skeleton. There's signs of a vitamin D deficiency in your early childhood, but it's minor.

You must have X-Ray vision, I see no skeleton.
But I do see your aura. A shimmering silver, full of potential.

I shall mold you into the king of this world, my boy, for it is your destiny! But first, we need to go look around. Go outside.

>>173161

You should stop lying to him.

[1/4] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/06/07(Mon)20:46 No. 190209 ID: e973f4
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Tolkavi? Sauzers? First Empire? What about you?

Aagh! One at a time! And give me a second, all right? It's hard to explain this stuff to somebody who has no idea about even the basic stuff, you know.

You should get out of the house.

... You're right, actually. It looks like it's already kind of dark outside, which means I need to go yap at Nesk anyway for not waking me up.

I guess I can answer your questions while I'm walking down to the rest of the village?

So, first, um. Tolkavi. We're pretty small, we come in a bunch of different colors but only pretty much one kind, we live in this big foresty area called Tolkau covering about half the continent (called Givom). We're supposed to be good at magic as a race, but, um, I don't know how true that actually is. When I say we've been here forever, I mean we were created as part of Tolkau. We were even here before the Shattering. Which, uh, long story short, a really long time ago, some of the gods got in a fight and broke the world, and then there were only three gods left. We live in pretty small villages that are sort of allied with each other, but we haven't had a major battle or anything like that in thousands of years. I live in a little village called Okhlou; I don't really know about many others except for Divobri where I did my training, and a couple of our neighbors.

[2/4] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/06/07(Mon)20:47 No. 190210 ID: e973f4
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And then sauzers. Sauzers are I think originally not from Givom, but instead from a land across the sea. I don't remember what it's called. They're about twice the size of tolkavi, and they're bad at magic and tend to be a little wary of it I think? And they don't come in as many colors, but more than one kind I think, and they have two countries on Givom but I don't know a whole lot about either of them. We only really see sauzers because there's an outpost within a few hours' walk of Okhlou.

[3/4] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/06/07(Mon)20:47 No. 190211 ID: e973f4
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And, the, uh, First Empire. Okay. So thousands of years ago, there was this group of people called the Locurrans. I don't know if they were some kind of sauzer or some other thing or what, but for some reason they decided they were going to take over the world. So they did.

I mean, really. Everything I've read about it, which isn't a whole lot but it's something, says they may as well not have been opposed.

And when they came to Givom they brought the sauzers with them. And they also invaded Tolkau, which no one else has ever done before or since. Tolkavi weren't historically in the habit of writing things down, but the stories I've heard about that era are really, really not happy to say the least.

Eventually I think the Locurrans tried to kill the gods or something along those lines, and got cursed for it. I don't even know if they still exist. The sauzers do, though.

[4/4] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/06/07(Mon)20:47 No. 190212 ID: e973f4
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As for me, I'm the local thaumaturgist, which means I heal people and don't have to worry about doing anything else. and as far as I can tell the only competent magician in the village. I don't know if we got a lousy draw on bloodlines when this place was founded, or what. Of course, I mean, pretty much every other adult in the village could take me in a fight, since I'm untrained and sort of small. But they're still all bad magicians.

...

Speaking of every other adult in the village...

Where is everybody? I've walked all the way to Kati's house, I should've seen someone by now.

Knock knock, see if Kati's home.

>>190212
No people? That's surprising. How many people live in Okhlou? Anywhere people usually go off to?

That's a very beautiful village you have, nestled right among the trees. Oh, and since you said we sound like you, from now on I'm going to pretend to be you so "you" can give yourself helpful suggestions!

Be nosy and peek into everyone's houses.

>>190212
Go and knock on some houses and see if anyone is in them.

>>190333

Ruz what do tolkavi eat?

>>/questdis/326923
Discussion thread. I'm fine with answering lots of random questions about the setting and stuff, but I don't want stuff unrelated to what's presently going on to bog down the quest, if that's alright. :V

[1/2] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/06/11(Fri)18:18 No. 192204 ID: e973f4
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About your village...

I'm starting to get a little worried. There are more than forty of us here in Okhlou; I can't think of anything that involves everyone in the village except me leaving. (I mean, not to brag, but when you're the only competent magic user in the village you tend to be necessary for most weird ritualistic stuff, since it's a lot easier to get the attention of the local spirits and things like that.)

And you think this place is beautiful? I mean, I like it here, and I don't think I could ever think of anywhere else as "home," but, um. Okhlou was kind of built in a hurry and without much planning, which is why all the buildings are above ground and made of wood.

[2/2] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/06/11(Fri)18:19 No. 192206 ID: e973f4
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Knock knock.

Right. Maybe everyone slept in... or... something...?

...

...

...

No answer. I'm not sure if I should just go in... I guess Kati probably wouldn't mind me coming into her house without warning, but...

>>192206
Get in there. She could be hurt.

Use your magic to open the door!

>>192210
Sure, make as big a show out of it as possible. Maybe you'll attract someone's attention.

>>192206

This is starting to worry me. I better check on her right away, and then the other villagers!

Go in.

>>192206
Go on in.

Suggestion 2010/06/12(Sat)00:57 No. 192521 ID: 732129
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OH MY GOD NOW THE KITTY IS MISSING TOO!

Burst in the door shouting "WESTERN TOLKAVI!" be sure to include lots of arm flailing.

Well? Whats the situation?

[1/1] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/07/11(Sun)22:49 No. 206683 ID: e973f4
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Open the door.

I guess I probably--

...with magic!

I, um. I can just push it open. I'm not really good with, uh, dynamancy or whatever it's called where you push stuff around.

"Hello?"

Kati's not in here.

There's no one in here.

...

There's nothing in here.

...

Alright I'm freaked out now.

SORRY ABOUT ANOTHER HUGE FUCKING DELAY RIGHT AFTER THE FIRST HUGE FUCKING DELAY

I HAVE NO REAL EXCUSE, IT'S NOT LIKE I WAS BUSY OR ANYTHING

I better get out of the village. Either everyone left for a reason, or something happened to them that I don't want to happen to me. Maybe if I look at the village from a distant vantage point, like say maybe up a tree, something will show itself. Might be able to see the others from up there...

>>206683
Check all the other houses. Then freak out.

Outside. Check all the houses and if they're empty wait outside.

>>206683
See if you can find anything odd in the house or any kind of notes. Something to indicate what might have happened.

[1/4] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/07/15(Thu)16:14 No. 208639 ID: e973f4
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Go outside. Something has happened to your village.

...

You're right. I should go back outside. ...

Gods. How, I mean... is everyone in the village really gone? I don't...

What am I supposed to do?

Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/07/15(Thu)16:15 No. 208640 ID: e973f4
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... just--

... what.

"What!!"

Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/07/15(Thu)16:15 No. 208641 ID: e973f4
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"Ghyfff---"

Ruzke? Ruzke?! RUUUUUUUUZKE!!!

TIME PARADOX

Attack the darkness with some kind of magical missile!

>>208642
Flail like a madman while spouting magical words and try to fight off the shadows! Go with light, any spells you know that summons strong light.

Cast ignite on a roll of toilet paper so you have some light!

[5/4] Typo !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/01(Sun)17:09 No. 214643 ID: e973f4
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Ruz wakes up on the floor. He feels strange.

>>214643
Check inventory. It's probably been looted.

Hey, Ruzke, wake up. How do you feel?

Check yourself for possession. Does your magic still work? What time is it? Doesn't it seem like you've been out for weeks?

>>214643

I knew you could do it!

Attack the corner! It might have more monster blob things in it!

>>214643
Stumble outside in a daze.

>>214643
Oh crap, you probably just got possessed by more spirits. Come on wake up, you need to tell us if you feel any stranger or something.

[1/2] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/02(Mon)17:48 No. 214915 ID: e973f4
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Ruz feels slightly off, but can't really clearly describe how. He is slightly comforted by the fact that he can still hear the voices in his head --- their continued presence is a pretty good indicator that nothing else is in there.

Ruz wasn't carrying anything before he was attacked; he isn't carrying anything now either.

He has no idea what attacked him, either. It seems to be gone now.

Ruz struggles to think of what is off, besides his missing friends, since it's naturally still bothering him... It seems like it's something obvious...

[2/2] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/02(Mon)17:49 No. 214916 ID: e973f4
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...

This place doesn't smell like anything.

... But that's impossible. Kati has been living in this house for more than five years, and it was used by one of the older females for some time before that! This place should smell very lived-in, and instead it smells of...

Nothing. How could that even happen?

Ruz can't believe he didn't notice it before. Perhaps it's just because he was still kind of sleepy and assumed it was there, or he was distracted by the voices in his head asking questions, but he really should have noticed the total absence of any sort of scent throughout the entire village.

He tries to think of how this could have happened, but can't think of anything that bodes well for the villagers. If someone was able to mask the scents this well, there was definitely a more powerful magician than Ruz involved. Quite possibly, this could have been the work of a spirit. Either way, Ruz believes his prospects for being able to do something about it are slim, assuming the other villagers are even still alive...

Ruz finds himself at a total loss for what to do next.

>>214916
...alternatively, your sense of smell has broken. Go cook some bacon.

Something's gotten weird. Before, it was like you were talking to us, but now it's like your thoughts and actions are being narrated to us in third person.

TIME PARADOX

...the obvious answer.

The question is if you travelled back through time to the founding of the village, why wouldn't you smell any of the builders who put the buildings together? Is it like these buildings just... appeared? Even the entire village population got retroactively continuitied out of existence, why would the buildings have been built at all?

Other possibilities: you slept for 600 years and for some reason the buildings are still standing. You were attacked by something that eats smells. Your nose isn't working right. You're dreaming right now WAKE UP. Somebody fashioned a faux village and teleported you into it, making sure to remove all traces of anybody's scent from the area just to creep you out.

You're dead, Ruz. This is merely a shadow version of your village in the afterlife - a pale, lifeless imitation.

Mneme!CRITTerXzI 2010/08/02(Mon)22:53 No. 215005 ID: c4c313
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Oh. Oh. I've got it. You almost had me going there "Ruzke".

Say something, Ruz!

Go outside and sniff damp earth!

>>214916
I suggest leaving. Get your shit and leave.

[1/3] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/03(Tue)16:03 No. 215288 ID: e973f4
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Ruz would love to be able to say this was just his sense of smell acting up (although that still wouldn't explain where everyone is) but he can clearly sense the wood used to build the house, smells leaking in from the forest outside, and of course his own scent.

Ruz has no idea why the spirits in his head think he's thinking in the third person. He's thinking the same way everyone else does.

Then again, he supposes the spirits seem more echoey and distant than before he was attacked. Hm.

[2/3] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/03(Tue)16:04 No. 215289 ID: e973f4
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Ruz heads outside.

... He doesn't feel particularly dead... but from what he's been told about how death feels, that's no indication of anything.

Ruz hopes he isn't dead, though.

He mulls over his options at this point. If he wants to fix this, he's going to need help from someone; he just wishes he had any idea

Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/03(Tue)16:05 No. 215292 ID: e973f4
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what was that

Ruz can hear someone (or something) approaching the village from the east. They're too far away to identify by scent, but who- or whatever it is, they're not small. Much larger than a tolkavi.

Well dammit. Now I can't pretend to be you anymore. Looks like we spirits took a blow that was meant for you.

You should still climb a tree and look around.

>>215292

Scratch that. Climb a tree and hide!

>>215292
Sneak over to see what it is. Possibly hide in a shrubbery next to the road they're using until you can confirm what it is coming down the road.

Climb up and hide ontop of Kati's roof.

Make like the kitty you are and scoot up a tree.

[1/2] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/05(Thu)19:48 No. 215858 ID: e973f4
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Normally Ruz wouldn't be too concerned about something approaching the village, but he is by himself, and he's already been attacked once this morning...

He's never been much of a climber; instead, he finds a bush further east, so he can look at the path leading into the village from that direction, and hides.

[2/2] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/05(Thu)19:50 No. 215860 ID: e973f4
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Ruz catches the scent first. Sauzer, female... sort of familiar? Ruz doesn't know any sauzers especially well, except--

"Eyo! Where are you guys?"

Oh, right. It's that one. What was her name...? Ah well, Ruz can probably just ask her.

She shouts again.

"Eyooo!"

It's been a while since he's last heard it, that is really rather a strange greeting, or whatever it's supposed to be. Ruz is pretty sure it's not standard Givonian.

He supposes it's safe to get out from behind the bush at this point.

>>215860

Are you far away or are Sauzers just huge?

Anyway stick your head out of the bushes and give her a :< face.

>never been much of a climber
And you call yourself a feline.

Give a tentative greeting to the freaky dog chick in the mu-mu.

>>215874

No no, he calls himself a Tolkavi. And that's not a freaky dog chick in a mumu it's a freaky Sauzer chick in a mumu.

(also about twice the size of tolkavi so it's both size and distance; I'm just inattentive.)

>>215860
Seems like it's safe to come out and say hello to her. Maybe she can help.

>>215880
Distance is not a factor here. Ruz just happens to be on the small size for his race.

Also possibly bad at math it's really closer to 2.5 not 2. >_>;

>>215950
actually I drew her a bit too tall in that image. should be fixed in future images.

>>215860
I'm pretty sure you're obligated to greet her with "I wish I knew."

So, which one was she? Was there something unusual about her?

[1/3] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/07(Sat)21:14 No. 216248 ID: e973f4
File 128124089292.png - (49.12KB , 853x480 , 031.png )

Ruz steps out from behind the bush, feeling a little silly for hiding from... this sauzer, of all people. (What is her name?) She's... important (somehow) in the nearby town, and comes out here every week or so.

She notices him immediately.

"Oh <gods> you were right there don't do that!" Thrown into her speech is a mild oath in her native tongue.

[2/3] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/07(Sat)21:15 No. 216249 ID: e973f4
File 128124095070.png - (47.67KB , 854x480 , 032.png )

She catches her breath, and then looks down at Ruz.

"Hey, you're, um...!"

"... Ruzke." Even knowing she's entirely friendly, Ruz has always felt that sauzers are fairly intimidating in person, as opposed to in a book. He speaks a bit awkwardly; she doesn't seem to notice.

"Ruz, that's it. The healer guy. I don't see you much when I come out here!" As she continues to speak, Ruz can't help but notice the oddities in her pronunciation. Especially the vowels. Gyuh. Some people were clearly not intended to speak Tolkavic.

"... Yeah."

"I'm Neai. I figure if I don't know your name there's no way you know mine." She grins at him.

"... Thanks."

[3/3] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/07(Sat)21:16 No. 216250 ID: e973f4
File 128124099642.png - (47.50KB , 854x480 , 033.png )

"So, hey, Ruz, where is everyone else? I told everyone I was going to come today when I came last time, so you'd think they'd be expecting me, you know?" As Neai says this, she looks around again.

Ruz doesn't really understand this whole disappearing-village-thing himself. How should he try to explain it to her? Should he just say "everyone's gone?"

He thinks...

Tell her everyone's vanished. Including their scents, and their furniture...

Idly climb on her shoulder while you tell her this!

Tell her you have absolutely no idea, you went to find your friend and found the entire area completely barren. Mention about the total lack of smells.

...Might want to wait on telling her about the shadowy thing.

>>216250
Tell her everyone is missing and that you need her help in finding them.

Also, ask her if you can ride around on her shoulders.

>>216250
Freak out and tell her everyone is missing and you can't even tell when they vanished because there are no things or smells or traces of them and then there was a thing in a house and then you passed out and also there are voices in your head and now a sauzer is here and you have no idea what to do!

After breakdown is over, ask to climb on her head to get a better look around for anything odd. Also because it would be adorable.

Tell her everyone was gone when you woke up and you are looking for them too. But don't mention being attacked by a shadow (yet), let's not freak her out unnecessarily.

[1/4] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/10(Tue)21:40 No. 217221 ID: e973f4
File 128150162787.png - (19.70KB , 851x480 , 034.png )

Ruz does not really want to have a nervous breakdown right now! It seems like it would only make his situation worse.

And he's certainly not going to ask to climb on Neai's shoulder! He doesn't really know her that well.

... A-and that would be awkward even if he did know her that well!

Ruz decides to tell her straightforwardly, and not to mention the shadow thing. He's not even convinced that part actually happened.

"... They're gone."

"What?"

"Everyone is just... gone. The other villagers, the things in the houses, even the scents are gone. I woke up to a completely empty village."

"... Jyan! That's... that's awful! I... Gods, if they're really all gone..."

[2/4] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/10(Tue)21:41 No. 217224 ID: e973f4
File 128150170449.png - (48.46KB , 854x480 , 035.png )

Neai sighs, and then there's a pause. She seems to be trying to think of what to say next.

Ruz lets his own mind wander.

Everyone's gone.

Kati's gone. Nesk is gone. Dukh is gone. Slosou is gone. Brud is gone. Nizru is gone. Kraro is gone. His father is gone. The others are gone. The children are gone. There are no more village feasts. There are no more people calling him in to tend to injuries after a hunt. There are no more days spent lazing about telling Kati of some ancient story he'd read the other day. There are no more cold nights when he and his friends all sleep in one house to keep warm. There's no more trading insults with Nesk or Dukh, no more trying to help Kraro build a ridiculous and extremely un-tolkavi failure of a contraption. No more Kati greeting him by spontaneously hugging him. None of it. All gone.

Ruz feels very alone.

...

Better not to think of them as gone.

[3/4] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/10(Tue)21:42 No. 217225 ID: e973f4
File 128150173746.png - (43.47KB , 851x480 , 036.png )

"But... I wonder why you're the only one left. Do you have any idea what happened?" Apparently, though, he didn't let his thoughts show.

"I don't. I don't know why whatever did this left me alone; the only thing I can think of is that it might be related to my magic. And I really don't know how it did this."

"... Well, at least you seem to be handling it okay..."

"What would it accomplish to get broken up about it? I might feel a little better, but that won't make everyone come back. I'm frightened, but I know I have to do something, since no one else can."

Did Ruz just say that? That came out a lot more confident than how he's feeling right now. This situation is a lot to take in at once. He's not sure how he's even supposed to feel.

"That's awfully stoic of you." Neai smiles at him again.

"I just don't know what it is I can do."

"Hmm..."

[4/4] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/10(Tue)21:42 No. 217226 ID: e973f4
File 128150175773.png - (46.89KB , 543x480 , 037.png )

There's again a pause; presumably Neai is trying to think of something.

Ruz considers his own options. He could try to appeal to one of the other tolkavi villages for aid, assuming they're still there, or for that matter try his luck in Odalabon to the east. He could also try to get in contact with a spirit somehow, and see if they know something; he's not completely sure how to do that, but he knows for a fact that there are a myriad of spirits in Tolkau. It can't be that hard.

Or he could ask Neai for advice. Ruz has his doubts, but he knows for a fact that the sauzer religious structure involves communing with spirits. It's a stretch, but it could be worth a try.

You can't sit there craning your neck all day. You should ask Neai if she wants to give you a shoulder ride! We're gonna make you the best climber in all the forest.

Now is the time to mention the shadow thing. You were in Kati's house looking around, something from the shadows, something that looked very much like a shadow, attacked, engulfed, and left you disoriented.

>>217226
Bring Neai along with you to the spirits. There is gonna be some communing going on.

>>217316
I'm in favor of this plan. Do we have the proper supplies for the trip?

I say go see the sauzers. You can always try for one of the others, but for the tolkavi it would probably be best to get a better picture of what happened before asking them, and communing with spirits without friends to look for you if something goes wrong seems risky.

The best idea is to go to the nearest Tolkavi village. You know the Sauzer village is probably ok if whats-her-face just came from there, so you need to see if more of your people are affected. I'd say the northmost one is probably the best bet.

Get help from Neai, definitely. Hopefully this help will include shoulder-rides. If she personally has experience with communing with spirits try that. If not, heading for the other villages is probably a better idea. I just don't know whether Neai should come with you. You could always ask her to ask around Odalabon if anyone knows what could make a village disappear if you think it would be a bad idea going to another village with a sauzer.

Go to the middle village (Moninou, I think it says). But make sure Neai is willing to come with you. I don't think we should be caught on our own again.

[1/5] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/12(Thu)22:49 No. 217936 ID: e973f4
File 128167854650.png - (19.41KB , 505x480 , 038.png )

Ruz is not going to ask to climb on Neai's shoulder! He's only doing that if they get to kn---

He means, he's not doing that. It will not happen. Out of the question.

[2/5] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/12(Thu)22:49 No. 217937 ID: e973f4
File 12816785722.png - (41.06KB , 854x480 , 039.png )

He is still reluctant to tell Neai about the shadow.

As far as what he was trying to concentrate on goes, Ruz considers that all three of the options he can think of probably have potential, and he may as well try all of them if he can't get any leads. He has no idea if he can get in contact with a spirit or not, and there's no telling whether or not anyone in Odalabon will know better than he does.

And he doesn't want to think about it, but... he has to consider that the other villages might not be there if he walks out there.

He and Neai try to speak at once.

"So I think I should---"

"If you want me to---"

It happens a second time.

"I mean, if you---"

"I just feel like---"

They look away from each other awkwardly for a moment.

"You go first."

[3/5] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/12(Thu)22:50 No. 217938 ID: e973f4
File 128167860565.png - (52.60KB , 860x480 , 040.png )

"Alright. I thought about it, and I think at this point I can try to get help from one of the tolkavi villages, or Odalabon, or I can try to find a spot out in the forest where I would be able to talk directly to a more powerful spirit. But I think no matter what I do, I'm going to need help from someone else."

Neai waits, a bit longer than Ruz was expecting, and then replies, rather tentatively.

"Well, um... I guess... what I want to say..."

[4/5] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/12(Thu)22:50 No. 217939 ID: e973f4
File 128167864580.png - (20.43KB , 851x480 , 041.png )

She shakes her head from side to side and tries again.

"First, um, I feel like... like I should help you. I mean, I spent a lot of my free time out here with you guys, and it's not like there's anyone in Odalabon besides my father and our servant I really feel connected to. No offense to them, but I mean, no one lives out there. So I guess, what I'm trying to say is that wherever you decide to go, I'll go with you. I don't think you really want to go talk to a spirit by yourself, even a friendly one. I mean... you're, well..."

She trails off. Ruz knows what she wants to say, though.

"Small."

"Is it okay for me to point that out? I feel kind of bad pointing that out like that. I mean, I don't want to offend you or anything, and a lot of you tolkavi are a little sensitive it."

"It's fine." As long as she doesn't start toting Ruz around like a doll or something.

"Anyway, I want to help you. I don't think you can do this by yourself, and I don't want you to have to try."

"... Thanks."

[5/5] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/12(Thu)22:51 No. 217940 ID: e973f4
File 128167868258.png - (17.25KB , 857x480 , 042.png )

"Oh! One other thing. If you want to get in contact with a spirit, I think I might know someone who can help you with that!"

"Really?"

"Well, I mean, she's not exactly... dependable, and she might not be available when we get to Odalabon, but she is a priestess who communes with spirits on a regular basis."

"That... sounds very useful."

"Well, like I said, if she's available. She kind of... isn't the most clear-headed person."

"Uh huh."

The conversation trails off again. Neai seems to be stopping to let Ruz mull over things from time to time.

Ruz mentally goes over what he's determined he needs to do, so far.

At this point, he could ask for more details, or he could decide to go somewhere (which is sounding like it will be one of his own kind's villages). In the latter case, he would probably need to think of what he could try to use as "adventuring equipment," although most of the stuff for that purpose (like, say, rope, or packs) was shared by the village, and has consequently probably vanished. Ruz's trunk mostly contains four sauzer-size manuscripts, which are probably not going to be very useful to carry around, especially given their fragility.

Or he could ask Neai where he should go first.

>>217940
You've got nothing to lose from just asking. Ask more about the priestess, and also whether she thinks talking to spirits is a good idea at all. If she lives in Odalabon, though it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to visit. You could at least ask around the rest of the town even if she isn't available or willing to help.

>>217940
Go with the lead in Odalbon. And you can probably pick up some more adventuring gear there. Neai's family sounds rich so you can probably get funds from her.

>>217940
So what are these manuscripts?

Odalabon is sounding like a better choice now that we have reasons to go there.

Eh, you really need to know more about what's happening before you know what to ask. I say check out the closest tolkavi village first so we can get a vector on what direction the force is coming from, if the other villages are fine, if it's specific to a region, etc. etc. etc. The more we know, the better questions we can ask the spirit when we commune with it.

I mean, all you really need is food and a sturdy stick if there's not much else in the village. source of fire would also be nice.

A sturdy stick is important. You can use it to poke any feet that come close to stepping on you.

Since you insist on walking around way down there on the ground.

[1/2] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/14(Sat)21:57 No. 218505 ID: e973f4
File 128184821971.png - (132.51KB , 853x480 , 043.png )

Ruz decides to investigate the lead in Odalabon first. He still has every intention of checking out the tolkavi villages, but the priestess in the sauzer town seems more pressing.

"So, could you tell me more about this priestess?"

Neai takes a deep breath.

"Um, sure! See, you know, there's this thing where you have to have a temple in order for the town to 'really' be a town, and if you're not 'really' a town then you don't usually get trained guards, so when they set up Odalabon they got this kind of kooky girl, uh, Lani is her name, from somewhere way east of here to come run the temple. And, um, I mean, I think she's supposed to tell the rest of us about the spirits and the gods and stuff, and talk with the local spirits to make sure that the town is safe. And, I mean, she kind of does that, but mostly she begs the farmers, and the guards, and my father, and really anyone, for drinks. She says they help her 'trance' or whatever, which I guess is a thing you have to do to commune with spirits, but I don't really know. Anyway, when I go in and watch what she's doing like she lets me do sometimes, she does seem to be talking with spirits. And, I mean, if she's not around for whatever reason, because sometimes she does things like sleep for two or three days, she does have an acolyte, Nymytan or something like that, who I don't think is nearly as good at the spirit-talking thing, but she could at least try, or maybe talk Lani into doing something if she's not in the mood. Am I rambling?"

"... Yes, but it's okay. ... So. I guess we'll head there for now. I want to check out the villages to the north and south of here before we actually talk to a spirit, but the way you describe it, that would be something we would need to set up in advance anyway."

"Probably!"

Ruz starts leading Neai into the village.

[2/2] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/14(Sat)21:57 No. 218507 ID: e973f4
File 128184826951.png - (43.81KB , 855x480 , 044.png )

Momentarily...

Neai leans over to peer into the door of Ruz's hut, which she has no hope of entering, while he goes through his things (the storage huts having predictably proved completely devoid of anything other than hut interior).

"So this is where you live? I mean, I could use this as a bench or something!"

"Please don't! I don't know if it can support your weight."

"I wasn't going to try it..."

"But yes, this is where I live. Or, maybe, where I lived; I feel like I might have to leave it behind for a while if I want to get the village back."

"Hmm."

There's a pause, before Neai changes the topic.

"Sooooo, what are you looking for?"

"Supplies! Since I'm probably going to be gone for a while. The problem is, we usually kept supplies in one of those empty huts I showed you a moment ago, so I probably don't have much of anything useful in here."

"I mean, I don't think you'll really need all that much stuff if we're just walking to Odalabon, but okay!"

While he explains himself to Neai, Ruz looks through his things. He never really had a lot of things that were personally his; the only things in the trunk are the four aforementioned manuscripts (three about Givonian history, one about the pre-Shattering world, and all in an obscure old dialect of Givonian that makes reading through them a time-consuming affair), a set of mostly-empty jars that have at various points in time contained different herbal ingredients (he needs to refill those at some point, but that's really low priority right now), some clothing, and...

...an amulet Kati had the smith make for him. How long has this been buried in the bottom of his trunk? Ruz takes it. Should he take anything else?

Take a weapon, a map, whatever you use as money and some preserved food, preverable pickled fish.
No special reason for that, I just like pickled fish.

>>218510
He doesn't have any of that.

Take a spare set of clothes. That's all you're going to need from this stuff. I presume you've read the manuscripts already, so no point in bringing them. Bring any you haven't read, otherwise.

>>218507
Bring along the jars and the extra clothing.

And you know she might not see the trip as that far. She's alot taller after all and has much longer legs and a longer stride. If you ride on her shoulders then you could probably be there alot quicker.

Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/16(Mon)22:11 No. 218982 ID: e973f4
File 128202189462.png - (158.28KB , 914x480 , 045.png )

Ruz agrees that weapons, maps, currency and preserved food would all be quite useful, but he doesn't have any of those things!

First off, he puts the amulet on. It's kind of a trinket, but it's still a nice memento from his friend, and (in theory) the design somehow makes his magic a little more effective. (Ruz has always had his doubts, but there's the claim.) He would also love to bring the manuscripts, but they're quite a bit larger than he can comfortably carry, and Neai doesn't appear to have brought a pack with her, which would make them liable to come apart when transported. He decides to go with the clothes and the jars. He wraps the jars up with the clothes, and then... just... sticks them... somewhere... ?

"Um, do you want me to carry that for you?"

"Yes, that would probably be better."

"Alright!"

"... We should go, then."

They set out for Odalabon.

The walk will probably take two and a half hours. If Ruz wanted to ask Neai anything, or wanted to tell her anything, or if the knowledge-lacking set of spirits in his head wanted to know something, this would be a pretty good opportunity.

(Certainly he could walk the whole way in mental and physical silence, but that would be rather dull.)

Tell Neai that when you were searching through your village you were attacked by a translucent monster that appeared from an empty corner. It wrapped around you and you couldn't talk, you couldn't breathe. You didn't even have time to think. When you came to, there was no trace of it. It attacked you, then vanished as mysteriously as it came.

Too bad you can't tell her about this over a roaring campfire with your features lit from underneath. But she ought to know to watch out for corners when it so happens that everyone disappears!

>>218982
Ask her about Odalabon. Her family and why she hangs out with Tolkavi.

Does she know you can do magic?

What kind of magic can you do anyway?

How frequently do Tolkavi come to Odalabon? Are the inhabitants used to them or will we stand out?

[1/1] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/19(Thu)22:08 No. 220039 ID: d677cc
File 128228091359.png - (53.65KB , 853x480 , 046.png )

To avoid enormous updates, I'm just gonna do one 'topic' at a time.

Ruz decides to ask about their destination first.

"So, as long as we're going to be walking, could you tell me more about Odalabon?"

Neai seems a bit intimidated by the question.

"Um, like, what?"

"... Just start off with the 'basics.'"

"Okay, uh, so, Odalabon is a little town out in the middle of nowhere (I mean, no offense). Most of the people there are farmers. Outside of that you've got my father, who's a trader, his apprentice, the guy who's in charge of the tavern on the ground floor (who works for him), me, and our servant; the priestess and her, uh, acolyte or whatever you call her; and the two guards who are stationed out there. And that's pretty much it! I mean, when you're in town proper there are only three buildings there. I think Odalabon was supposed to be part of a 'set' of towns, or whatever, but it kind of fell through so now there's just the one town that's almost a day's walk from anywhere else in Givone."

"And will it be... weird, for me to be there?"

"Well, I mean... kind of... yeah, pretty much. You tolkavi sort of don't really leave the forest. At all. Ever. I mean, the only way my dad has been able to get you guys to trade stuff is by sending me out there."

"That's why you came out to Okhlou?"

"Well, it's not the whole reason, but, I mean, it is a reason? I guess?"

Ruz isn't sure what to think of that.

>>220039

Means she's probably also been bored by life here. Your village represented a really cool diversion for her. What could she and your fellow tolkavi have been talking about during trade talk?

Huh, you don't ever leave the forest? How'd you get those manuscripts then? Curious...

>>220039
The trade stuff is probably something that's better to talk to her dad about.

Ask her what she meant earlier when she said that the priestess was odd.

ask her what other reasons she has for going out there wink wink nudge nudge

[1/1] Ruzke !TEEDashxDA 2010/08/21(Sat)20:24 No. 220845 ID: d677cc
File 12824474963.png - (160.91KB , 853x480 , 047.png )

Ruz's manuscripts were gifts; the Legendarium he got as a parting gift from one of the mages he trained with, and the set detailing history was something Kati got for him... probably by trading with Neai, come to think of it. But Ruz himself has only been outside of the forest once, and he didn't go nearly as far as Odalabon.

Ruz continues the conversation.

"So, there were other reasons you came out here?"

"Well, I mean. I'm going to be honest."

She pauses.

"Odalabon can be really boring. None of the farmers are that interesting to talk to unless you want to talk about farming, and I mean, I don't; neither of the guards will talk to me (I think they hate people); Lani is kind of interesting to talk to but she's usually unconscious, and her apprentice or acolyte or whatever she's called is afraid of me because I'm tall; my father keeps leaving on trips back to Givone, and his apprentice Payedon hates me for some reason, and then there's our servant Syl but I think he's afraid of saying something 'wrong' to me so he tends to be a bit hesitant to really let out his feelings or whatever, and the guy who runs the tavern isn't really a talker either and I think he thinks I'm annoying, and my mother enlisted when I was six and since her mother is pretty high up in the military, like a general or something, she got a pretty important position and she doesn't ever come home anymore. So most of the time I don't really have anyone to talk to about, like, spiritual stuff."

She stops to breathe. Ruz suspects that the things she says are probably shorter in her head.

"And so when my father said he'd like me to try going out to one of the tolkavi villages, since you guys had shown some interest in trading for things but you didn't really seem to want to come to Odalabon to do it, I mean, I couldn't help but say yes. The first few times I came out there it seemed like I made you guys really uncomfortable, but after a while, a few of you in particular, like Kati and Kraro, were totally willing to just talk about pretty much whatever. And, I mean, it's cool to talk to you guys about stuff! You have a totally different history from us, for the most part, and some of your legends are the same but some of them are way different, and your society is, I mean, no offense, but it's weird to think about everything being built around the villages instead of just like families for me, since that's not the way we do it and all. You guys even taught me your language! When I started there's no way I would've thought that would happen, but it did! But basically it's just nice to be able to talk to people without them getting annoyed and asking you to go do something else or else being really reluctant to say anything!"

Well, that seems honest enough. And it certainly sounds better to Ruz than the... improbable... idea that the spirits seem to be suggesting to him.

>>220845

She came because she luuuuuves you. :3

Ask if she has any spiritual stuff she'd like to talk about.

>>220845
Ask about some of that nerdy stuff you like, like history or something. It's got to be interesting to have a chance at an outsider's perspective, right? Plus filling us in on things that should be common knowledge is always good.

Ask about her servant. What did he have to FEAR, exactly? Is her family like super-important or something? Also inquire more about the villages-families thing, that seems interesting.