>Well-what's my call here-do we go straight to the minotaur and defend, or try to hunt isolated devils down first, before they potentially group up on the target?
Both, kind of. Send Hillevi and Kronknar straight to the minotaur, where Hillevi can set up defences like ice walls or her crystal mines. Follow them at a reasonable distance until they’re there, to make sure they don’t get ambushed. Then you, Sake, and Shadowbro are going to have some fun with the devils. Head back out into the labyrinth, searching for the devils if you’re able to, or else just wandering. If you find one, feel free to try to take them out if they’re alone, but more importantly (a) delay them until Hillevi has set herself up and (b) goad them into attacking Hillevi’s now fortified location by giving them some of that good ol’ Kyrpa Peikko action (without the nudity). Remember to switch to the energy shunt orientation if either Sake or Shadowbro are getting low on power, but otherwise ply soul sensing and Sphere Labyrinth.

>Once we get back, is there any reason I wouldn't next address the Leprechaun's pot infestation first thing?
If it seems within your abilities, do so.

>Past that, what else is my plan for the day as minions buzz about their many missions?
Any or all of the following:
-Harvest Stacey for Silja again.
-Ask Satai to find price comparisons for the Doonongaes parts we have, as well as get an inventory of it, so we can decide how much to sell to H&H, and how much we'll sell it for. Call Arkvad, ask him to email a list of monster bits that are in high demand over there while you’re at it.
-Practice soul manipulation with Davgon. Try to form a soul in one of the Kodoku bugs - if Davgon starts to run low on soul-bits (or you’re just bored), see if you can substitute your soul-derived Winter energy for some.
-Ask SB if he found any einher yesterday.
-Put the golem in the van, take it to the newly warded storage. Bring Davgon and Gianni, and watch Placid work on setting up the eye-laser.
-Ask Sake for a flesh sample. If he agrees, take it then heal him. Eat the flesh sample to see if you can figure anything out about it.

>>445949
>>445957
>>446516
All post-maze duties for day logged for maze completion
If the Minotaur dies, that's that-so no matter what, I have to head for the minotaur Kronknar hired me to help him get to. With Hillevi, SB and Sake to back me up, two Artifacts to my name and the client himself… well, let's say I don't feel underarmed.
"Lead the way to the minotaur then-and if we can hit some Devils on the way…"
The smile Kronknar shoots me is as black as sin-and filled with camaraderie.
>[Kronknar]"Then follow."
The minotaur sets off-and there's really nothing much to do but follow his nose.

As Kronknar leads us, I briefly try the Allview, just on the off chance that it can see within the demiplane… no such luck. I'm forced to analyze the maze exclusively from a first hand perspective-and find it, frankly, top notch. The walls are utterly featureless and wholly uniform in appearance, and the pathways can actually be seen to shift-slowly, to be sure, but shift all the same. Given how gargantuan the maze looked from the outside, such insidiously slow shifts could lead one to be trapped indefinitely, if one were not careful. The ground was oddly soft and too-silent beneath my feet-

That is, until I stepped in something wet with a quiet splash. Looking down, I see the faintest outline of a puddle of nearly dried, mud-like blood.
>[SB]"No magical signature…"
Seeing the blood, Kronknar speeds up. The five of you round a final corner and find….

A minotaur, smaller, less coarsely furred and lighter toned is on the ground, bleeding and rasping.
Standing above it, pulling a strip of flesh from the fallen bull-man's chest with glee is a Devil crafted out of thorns and brambles, a mockery of the human form. The moment I see both they bloom to my soul senses-and I realize with a start that these walls utterly block my soul sensing from passing through. The Devil's head snaps about to glare at us-as SB probides me running sensory data on magical buildup in our first of six targets.
>[AAE Trait activated]
Not one to waste a perfect moment to test out what I read about the Mere, or the shadow-filled nature of the Maze…
>"Very well-"
[DISCONTINUITY]
I'm shadowported less than forty feet, right behind the Devil, ludicrously close to a no doubt physically overwhelming foe-but more specifically, I'm shadowported with mere in hand. And so, as limbs as felly potent as any that I've seen rush towards my form, I stab.
>[SOTG Trait activated]
And….

…And the body sags lifelessly against me the moment I slammed the blade into where the devil's heart should have been. Kronknar, who had been building up speed to charge across the small intervening space slowed, his shaggy eyebrows climbing as he turns his attention to the wounded Minotaur. Me? I'm busy dealing with a familiar mental presence that cropped up the moment I stabbed the Devil.
>[Whaitiri]"So, my cannibalistic catechumen, it would seem you have something rather tasty placed atop your gate… but your dear Soul Shadow mentioned something about you needing something from the body before I should feed?"
That's so-and thank you SB-I need to preserve the bones-Valkonen traditions, all of that.
>[Whaitiri]"I grasp why he stopped me now-it is good to respect tradition."
With that the Maori Cannibal Goddess recedes from my mind like a wave rolling out to sea-

And perfectly timed to her exodus, the bark-like skin, the sap-like blood and gnarled, root-like muscle of the devil I just slew with such ease simply flows into the Mere like water down a drain, leaving the curiously shaped, delicate-looking bones behind.
>[Hillevi]"Oh that's lovely looking!"
Kronknar looks askance at Hillevi's comment before a look of understanding passes over his face.
>[Kronknar]"…Didn't know you had a melee Artifact."
"I suppose I'm full of surprises."
>[Sake]""So lucky you stabbed him before he could get into the groove."
>[HB]"Victory by dint of overwhelming speed and properly plied power is just as honorable as a drawn out battle of whittling. The decisive nature of the conquest does add much to it's worth that it's lack of tension may take away."
"Knew I could count on you to phrase it right HB."

I shake off my internal dialogue and refocus on Kronknar.
>[Kronknar]"I need to take care of this guy-and there's still the other five. You want to take care of them? I'm sure I can keep this guy out of their hands myself."
"Hey-you're the client, no prob."
>[Hillevi]"Oh!"
She lets the skeleton drop back to the ground as she bounds over to participate in the conversation, her earlier intense scrutiny of the brambled bone utterly forgotten.
>[Hillevi]"We should make it a contest-first one to kill three more wins!"
I look at my brothers.
"That hardly seems fair-I've got a bit of a team here."
My feet promptly slip out from under me-before I can hit the ground, shadow flickers over my senses and I'm once more upright. I see Sake has abandoned my side, and now loops himself around Hillevi's bull-neck. With a paw-obscured snigger, he speaks.
>[Sake]"Hah, team Storm's gonna kick your butt, outnumbered or no!

At my hip, the revolver speaks to me alone.
>"Does that make us Team Armas, or team Soul?"
>[IT]"Is this…. a Team Death Match? …I do believe it is, by a less… standard definition. How delightful. I wonder who shall win?"

I draw Iron Trick in my off hand as I give Hillevi a lazy smile.
"You ready then?"
Her 'answer' is to immediately turn and dash off in pursuit of targets with a jubilant look on her face, Sake sniggering from her shoulders as she forms a protective ice shell around him. For my part, HB simply lands on my shoulder-and merges with my neck.
"Wait-"
>[HB]"No time for such prattle, giant: A challenge has been issued, and must be met. I shall swarm your body across this maze in search of targets!"
"What about my delicious guns and the mere?"
>[HB]"I shall carry them in a soul bubble-you have the power to do it."
"Okay fine, let's-"

I don't get to finish before the most intricate and intimate fleshcrafting I've ever experienced is unleashed the very instant I give my body-bound Hummingbird permission. My flesh doesn't shift or flow-there is no sinuous shifting, no wild warping. I simply disintegrate, my crumbling pieces slamming together into a vast cloud of tiny replicas of HB in the space of one second. In that one second, I experienced more wholly alien sensations than in my entire magical career up to this point-and I found myself immensely gratified that SB was there through it all, copying the memories for later review. Disoriented and so broken up that focus was difficult I began to adapt to my current status enough I could pay attention to external stimuli. So. What's… HB doing with my body here.

Okay. Swarm's mostly together, more or less around the Soul Bubble of my gear. Okay. I can work with that. The swarm's… not moving. Why am I not moving? …Ah, there are birds away from the swarm-well, little packs of birds-that are racing out through the maze. They're all me-so I'm getting all of their sensory data. Or I would be, if I could actually handle however many thousands of iterations of input this is. Realistically speaking, I'm just grasping at a few bird's perceptions like a man looking through binoculars in reverse, grossly limited from the whole picture.

HB though, is handling it like a champ. I can tell, instantly, which bird he is-it's the only one that I can't grasp snippets of perception from-and he's guiding the divided colony like a maestro, hunting devils without the slightest sloppiness or uncertainty, no matter the monumental strain he must no doubt feel. As HB sits atop the Soul Bubble in silence, I begin to lose myself into the wonder of exploring my manifold form, marvelling at what my spirit animal can transform me into-when my little buddies eyes snap open.
>[HB]"Team Storm is proximal to three of the remaining devils, while we are proximal to two. Shall I move to engage one of the devils nearest your ward to assure us victory?"

I wonder about that….




Ward-raising decision time: Do I go for victory over Hillevi, or do I let her have the win?
More importantly-this one job's gotten her more excited than anything else has for a while. Do I maybe have some advice for her at it's completion?

Go for the two that are close to you, if you manage to finish yours before she is done with her's then kill the third.

>Ward-raising decision time: Do I go for victory over Hillevi, or do I let her have the win?
Hillevi has been the most excited on this mission we have seen her in a awful lot of time. Moreover, she actually directed term of a challenge that puts her in advantages, as well as ran just after, not really waiting for an answer. Our girl is growing up, and it's every parental figure's role to take one for his little ones every so often. Just concentrate on the two in front of you, and only go to Hillevi once those are done.

>More importantly-this one job's gotten her more excited than anything else has for a while. Do I maybe have some advice for her at it's completion?
Congratulate her for her wording of the challenge, and take her out for a treat afterward-ice creams and cake!

It is a friendly competition, no need to interfere with eachother, especially not so early in the game.

We should definitely congratulate her on the wording of her challenge. She neatly deprived us of the advantage having already killed one devil would have provided us in a purely numerical contest and the number of devils total made the move easily excused as a measure to avoid any ties. Very clever, keep up the good work. Many is the contest that is won before it begins.

As for us, we should try to pay as much attention to the structure of the maze and how it shifts as possible. It should be incredibly helpful as a referance for our mental defence orienation.

Hillevi would hate it if we make it even slightly easy for her.
Go for the victory!

>>446850
Seconding this. It's a matter of honor; a victory is meaningless if you don't earn it after all.

Besides, it's not even interfering, kill stealing, or any other kind of cheap trick outside the spirit of the game. It's utilizing one of our information-gathering strengths.

Maybe re-enforcing the concept that information is one of a warriors greatest assets on the battlefield?

Yeah, go for the win. Take out the third one from Hillevi's side that's closest to you before going after the two on your side.

Fight to win.

Also bet to win with Trick.

>>446839
Yes, we (particularly HB) like a challenge, we like winning, and fighting cheaply would teach Hillevi a lesson abou the world. It's also the wrong choice; our stated goal is to teach Hillevi about the world. Our ACTUAL goal is to get her (and by extension, her family) to like us. So we play this clean, and yeah, we give her a small advantage (to combat the fact that we know where every devil IS thanks to HB).

We fight the two closest to us, and if Hillevi still hasn't cleaned up the three closest to her, THEN we go for the win. Preserve the sense of friendly competition. And it's not even like this means we're throwing the fight, just giving her a chance.

>>446976
I agree with this post. There is no advantage for us to win here. It would simply be a dick-move out of greed. It would most likely make Hillevi sad or at least not happy which is contrary to our goals. We should not let her win either but she needs a chance. We already have HB and SB helping us, killing that devil first would be bullying her and nothing else.

>>446976
I honestly don't see us approaching this tactically as being somehow dirty. Why should we give her an advantage when we can pull ahead with a simple choice of who to go after first? If she has any sense, she'll have decided the same way and it becomes a race, if she doesn't, she will learn a lesson in choosing targets. Just because we're fighting against our protege doesn't mean we have to fight STUPID or somehow handicap ourselves. The point here isn't if she wins or loses: it's how she plays the game. Regardless of the outcome, good performance should be rewarded and poor performance corrected.

>Ward-raising decision time: Do I go for victory over Hillevi, or do I let her have the win?

First find out if Sake is using the information that the Hummingswarm discovered. It shouldn't be hard to verify. If he is, Team Storm will move toward the devil in their group of three which is closest to you.

While waiting to see what they do, go for one of the two near you.

If Team Storm isn't going for the 'right' devil, kill the other one near you. Then move toward whatever are left. She is probably just as fast as you are at killing them, but I really have to wonder at how fast she is at locating them. So in that case give her a sporting chance.

Sell it to Hummingbird as "Since she's my ward, it's part of my duty to give her chances to grow."

If Team Storm is going toward the 'right' devil, go for one of the other ones proximal to them. Turn it into a race where you are using Shadowports to skip large portions of maze geometry so that you're able to outpace her. Let this be a fair attempt.

>More importantly-this one job's gotten her more excited than anything else has for a while. Do I maybe have some advice for her at it's completion?

"Well, that was fun. You brought a bag for those bones, right?"

If Team Storm did appear to use your sensory data: "Was it your idea or Sake's to piggyback on my intelligence gathering trick? Either way, nicely done. If the intel is reliable there's no reason to not use it, right?"

If Team Storm says they did all the detecting work on their own, and in fact Hillevi did the brunt of it: "Very nicely done indeed, I'll have to tell your brother that you took his sensory lessons seriously. If you ever want to trade technique just let me know. I've got a really neat chakra orientation, you've probably seen me using it."

If they did not appear to use your sensory data: "Did Shadowbro lock you guys out of my intelligence gathering trick? Might be a good idea to work on your senses some more, I know your brother was working with you on that, and if you like I'd be willing to dedicate an hour or two a day to helping you with it."

If Team Storm did everything right and you still won because of the shadowports: "You did everything right, you know, it's just that I've got a mobility advantage in terrain like this thanks to Shadowbro. If the targets had been clumped up closer you probably would have won. Think about ways you would want to improve your own mobility and let me know. I'll help you work on what you come up with."

Attack the devils by flying the mere at them.

>>447178
SUST. Port and heartstab don't toss your weapon.

>>446976
Agreed.

Swarm and reform around targets, stab em and get the bones. Try not to lose too many bodyparts.

The urge to show her exactly how to play competitively properly-especially after she waited for me to make a kill AND went for a head start-is quite potent. Not to mention how much I love winning: Being able to scratch that itch and show her how to properly win a contest cheaply could be an excellent lesson-

>>446808
>>446824
>>446839
>>446976
>>446977

I also have to accept that objectively, it's the wrong lesson to prioritize as her guardian. No matter how many lessons I want to teach her about the world, I have to remember that the original reason I even accepted her as a ward was so I could get the Valkonens to like me, and establish strong ties to the family. And crushing her spirit like kicking a puppy, while potentially an excellent life lesson, is not the best answer-not for me, at least.
>"Ah, coming to the right answer for the wrong reasons-wonderful"
>[HB]"You… would not choose to dominate her?"[/i]"
Sure I COULD, but that only makes me feel good and teaches her a lesson. If I lose properly though, she still learns a lesson, it's easier to ensure that on returning her to her family that I get the strong bonds I'm looking for-and THAT knowledge also makes me feel good. It's two versus three, in terms of perks here.
My gaze continuing to flicker between the myriad of eyes I have to choose from, I note HB reluctantly coming around to my way of thinking.[
>[HB]"…It is a curious thing, for losing a contest to be the greater win."
But you see why that's so.
>[HB]"Aye. …Very well. We shall start with the most distant one-AVAUNT!"

Before I can tease the fiesty avian about his curious word choice, the swarm moves.

This is a wholly different 'newness' to my experiences every bit as alien and disorienting as… well, being some several thousand hummingbirds. The critical difference here is that all of the birds are in motion-none hover in place, none provide me a sensory reprieve from the data storm of the flock in motion.
>[SB]"Jarring, isn't it."
I don't even have the attention to spare for snark with my brother: I'm too busy not losing myself in the massed collective-

Or that's what I WAS doing, until I am, suddenly and gloriously, me again. Yes, I'm naked-but that's a small detail, compared to having my gun and mere in hand, and a devil before me. The particular devil in question is both similar and wildly different from those I've seen before. Once again, it holds a humanoid form. Once again, it's a mish-mash of bits and pieces that have no business being a moving body. In this case though, it's body seems to be comprised of shattered shards of aged records.

I realize the Devil is, in fact, quite aware of me when it rips my arm from my shoulder, it's free hand pulling back to stab me through the heart. I Dunter-step aside, analyzing the pain that could be crippling my mobility right now-

And drive my mere into the devil's side. I miss the heart-having one arm's throwing off my balance-but with a heave the blade cleaves through the devil's 'flesh' with ease, bisecting the heart on it's upward path-and as it does, I see the hellish fire of life in the creature's eyes fade. Once more, all but the bones of the beast are sucked into the blade-and I get a strange feeling as if someone smacked my lips for me.

Looking down at my missing arm I sigh, grab the limb and hold it to the stump and-
[HYBRID HEALING]
Aaaand good as new. I wrench the arm about experimentally, making sure I didn't miss anything before nodding in satisfaction. As I shake it off… my world becomes feathered, once again.

HB wastes no time in re-transitioning me into a one-man swarm of hummingbirds. I find myself moderately pleased that I manage to keep hold of a semblance of coherance as my mind is split a thousand ways. Granted, I only just adjust before I'm reverted to human form and we reach the second devil on our exodus-which is where things got a bit curious.

This devil, unlike the other two I'd found, was not merely wandering about. It stands amidst an array of runes carved into the obdurate floor underfoot, frowning as it studies small flickers of magic about it's person. Unlike it's brethren, this one's not truly humanoid-it's lower body is nothing more than a mass of hooked tentacles, it's arms a mad cross between a bat's wing and a monkey's tail, slender fingers writhing in the air.

As I try to adjust to once more being human (what a thought THAT is) I see the Devil….

Vanish within its ritual circle, not even leaving a puff of smoke in it's wake.

>[HB]"The coward would not face a warrior's death."
I can live with that. Hillevi?"
The bird says nothing as he shifts me back into a swarm that swiftly disperses under his will. As each clump heads off in different directions, I find my tenuous grasp of sensory data slip away. I drift on a sea of buzzing wings and blistering movement-before an aggravated sound blares through my head.
>[HB]"The last.. has fallen."
I try to see what HB's talking about-and finally find a sub-swarm of hummingbirds that isn't moving, currently fluttering above a frozen devil. My charge leans against it, looking pleased as punch as she giddily chats with Sake about the takedown. Less than a minute in, HB's remaining swarms rejoin with the one watching Team Storm, and out of the massive horde-I emerge.

Too bad I'm naked and can't stick the landing, but that's a detail.

I stand up with a back-popping stretch to find Hillevi already proudly thrusting her victory in my face.
>[Hillevi]"Heh-heh~, I totally beat you!"
"Seems you did-well done. Was Sake any help?"
>[Hillevi]"Only the BEST help! He trips them-"
>[Sake]"And she freezes them-I gotta say, like the combo."
"Excellent. Well, the devils seem to have been dealt with-shall we fetch Kronknar?"
Sake nods enthusiastically as Hillevi finally notices I am, in fact, naked. A most familiar blue sheen rises to her cheeks, something I ignore as I begin walking back to Kronknar. After all, that's where my clothes still are.

When we reach Kronknar though things are… sticky. Literally.

There is exactly one minotaur waiting for us, his hands and mouth covered in gore and blood. Mid-way through licking his hands clean, Kronknar waves at us, tilting his head questioningly.
>"Hm. Well, not like we didn't know he's a cannibal."
I answer the client's unasked question.
"Yeah, they're done. If you'd mind waiting while my Valkonen compatriot collects her bone totems, we can be on our way."
>[Kronknar]"Mm, I see."
Hillevi jogs off, looking somewhat perturbed at the fate of the one we 'saved'. In my ward's wake, Kronknar eyes me.
>[Kronknar]"You're one too, aren't you."
"I am many things-please be spe-"
>[Kronknar]"Cannibal."
"I see no reason to deny the truth: what of it?"
>[Kronknar]"You are rather lightly touched by the magic."
"Is that so? I choose to interpret that as a compliment. Was your meal worthwhile to you?"
The minotaur sucks a finger dry.
>[Kronknar]"Completely."
"Excellent. Perhaps we can do business on that front again."
>[Kronknar]"Mmph."
"Actually, I have a question about a different job while we're waiting on the Valkonen."
>[Kronknar]"Yeah?"
"What's the name of the were that pissed you off?"
>[Kronknar]"The runt. Name's Otto, of the Mubarek. Old werewolf clan. Bonzi's got a picture and address."
"Any preferences on the chastisement?"
>[Kronknar]"If you can make him rob other, bigger name vendors so his clan can't protect him, that'd be ideal: I don't require that though, only that he be outed as a thief and publically shamed."
I stroke my chine.
"I see."

Hillevi, a block of ice with bones tetris'd into its core, comes galloping around a corner with an easy smile, and Kronkner levers himself upright.
>[Kronknar]"Ready?"
>[Hillevi]"Yup!"
"I am."
The minotaur grunts-and tilts its head back to roar at the heavens.
>[Kronknar]"BONZI"

With a thunderous clap, a giant iron pot hovers in the air above us, the pot-bellied, stick-limbed Leprechaun in question hovering over them all.
>[Bonzi]"Oh FINALLY you wee beastie, you ate. Right then!"
The pot tips-and balloons up large enough to swallow the entire realm we inhabit in a sea of darkness.

[DISCONTINUITY]

We are back in the bar.

Based on ambient light levels, it's early evening-we were in the maze for… six hours?
>"Time dilation can work both ways."
Hm. Well, what's done is done.

The Leprechaun plucks a hammer that sings to my Item Sense of it's multidimensional ability from its pot and lobs the implement my way.
>[Bonzi]"Well, you finished up that job. You still got time to work on another job tonight?"
"The pot?"
>[Bonzi]"Yeah, the pot. From what I saw of you in the demiplane, it'd take you all evening and night to do-I'm betting some fifteen hours, all told. You want to do that now or later?"
"From that, I assume you can tolerate waiting."
>[Bonzi]"Sure, though I'd prefer to do it now."
I hum a bit in contemplation as I look at the puppy dog eyes Hillevi's shooting me-clearly, she wants to spend some time talking about how fun the mission was for her, but by the same token… getting the job done faster seems pretty important for my business reputation.




What's my final plan for the day:
Am I going to prioritize Hillevi's personal gratification and head back to the mansion, listen to her talk about the mission and most likely spar with her for the night?
Or
Do I try to show her how important professional work is and get another job for Bonzi done before leaving his shop?

>>447490
Well shit, if we're going for being close to her we might as well actually BE CLOSE TO HER, instead of just gimping ourselves deliberately to let her win a friendly contest against us which does nothing to that effect. Go to the mansion.

>>447528
Agreed. Should probably explain that you have a job pending for tonight at midnight; and that you can do this in the morning.

i say go for hillevi

>Do I try to show her how important professional work is and get another job for Bonzi done before leaving his shop?
No, because that's totally unprofessional- we have an appointment at midnight with Rocco, and another with Baki tomorrow at noon. It's evening, and working on the pot for 15 hours or so mean we would finish around noon tomorrow, and missing a meet plus making ourself exhausted for the next (if we even can make it) just in order to look good to bonzi is utterly unprofessional.

>Am I going to prioritize Hillevi's personal gratification and head back to the mansion, listen to her talk about the mission and most likely spar with her for the night?
Don't forget to buy ice cream on the way back, and to really congratulate her about how she both made sure that our first kill was discounted and that she went first. Then ask her if she also thought of tapping into our senses via Sake, or if she managed to find the Devils by herself. Congratulate her on how damn fast she killed three of them- it took her, what, half a minute for all three kills?

On the way back home, take a minute to think about our recent improvement in regeneration. Even with a less efficient bind, it took us something like a full night to get most of our energy back, not all. However, we now can regenerate all of it in less than an hour. Ask SB if it's the effect of his shade leaking energy or some such. Ask SB if when we are at full, our regeneration leaking to him is efficient, or if he would profit more from Armas actively giving him that energy, be it via shunting chakra orientation or direct soul manipulation.

When we get back and spar with Hillevi or even better Matvey or Rosti as we aren't too used to fighting them. A free for all between us would be best (we should do a couple of experimentation: look at our soul while fighting and using soul manipulation (we haven't use our soul bubble for a while. Armas using as much of our usual skills like Gyaketsuote, our various mobility aids, Chakra reinforcement and soul-sensing as possible is also good.), and try to determine what in our soul is regenerating, and how it works. Then change our bind (still while fighting) to non-binding and try to determine what changes (make sure to keep some energy left though). There is the possibility that the binding-induced boost to winter energy regeneration hasn't increased, but that it is in fact our base regeneration that has increased (which would increase the result of the multiplier so much more). Maybe regenerating so fast for so long has 'unclogged' it, or taught ourself passively how to maximize it.

Talk to Hillevi a bit more- ask her if she would mind working as a sieve when we bind the mafia people tonight, as we might not wish to let our godling nature known, and it's possible that the binds would show up as divine-tainted magic. If she agrees and is capable, thank her. Furthermore, it's very important to check sooner than later if binds made with a sieve can be changed (we should do that with the world eye when no one is around the mook in question that could detect it, and quickly put it back to what it was after).

Then call up Dávgon (while Hillevi is still here), and tell them about how our regeneration of winter line has improved even after we got the binding (going from regenerating most of our pool in one night with binding to regeenrating all of it within an hour), tell them about the experiment we just did to try to determine why it was, and what we think we saw. Then ask them for their opinion, and if there is any other tests they can think of, especially with their supervision. Furthermore, ask Dávgon again if he wants us to change his binding to a similar one we have for regeneratin energy, and ask them both about the dangers of a bind like 'can only experience soul growth in “month”' or 'can only improve in soul manipulation in “month”'.

Once all of this is done and if we still have some time before Rocco's men arrive for soulbinding, we should ask Dávgon and HB about trying out to make offensive use with our Soul-manipulation. Maybe enhance our punches directly with soul in a way similar to the soul-bubble, or even create a weapon- like a Soul-spear?

>>448058
Upvotan all dis

Tell Bonzi with regret that we'll have to schedule for monday or tuesday. Cite previous job/engagement.

Then hang with Hillevi. It's no more than the truth (we have Rocco's job later tonight), but she ought to be pleased we seem to be deferring Bonzi's job in favor of her.

I think some modest feasting and boasting is appropriate here - allowing the victors to do the lion's share of both. Get the guys from the hobgoblin job to join in, if they're around. Best debriefing ever: around the dinner table.

Do a couple hours of sparring after dinner has settled. Switch teams up regularly; Armas/SB/HB and Sake/Hillevi, Armas/Sake/HB and Hillevi/SB, that sort of thing. We're looking for which combinations work the best and getting everyone used to working with each other.

If Matvey and Rosti are interested, sure, get them in on it. Three teams at once requires more strategy and thinking on a strategic level versus a tactical one.

Rocco's job: Has Rocco told them they're getting a soulbind? If not, probably best to do it on the downlow; this may be illegal, I forget how the law regarding soulbinding goes. Dress up Jagda-like; professorily (tweed with orange elbow patches, maybe?). Ask them some background questions, or tell them you're the Mafia's counselor (Psychology degree from the college of Why the Fuck Are You Asking), or hell, tell them you're checking them for STDs. Whatever.

Then try and soulbind them without them noticing - maybe we could make one inside another soulbind, so the outer 'bind (of something harmless) obscures the inner ('Do not betray the Mafia').

>>448058
Upvoting.

Several minor items:

Speak to Dàvgon about the kodoku improvements Satai mentioned, and do whatever he needs for that.

Recharge all our rechargeable items in the armory, which shouldn't take too long given our energy recovery rates... and while we're at it, look at the armory records and figure out just who's been doing what with our things. They've certainly seen a lot more use than our official missions can possibly account for, and we'd better remain informed about what our minions are doing.

Harvest the siren for Silja sometime today, before Sake's healing supply resets again at dawn tomorrow.

Talk with Lyubov about the differences between our childhood and the other Armas'; see if we can pick out anything interesting. Reference with Shadowbro as he shares our memories. Also, it's fucking bizarre that the one other life she's got, we appear in. They met here by what's basically a chain of freak coincidences- it should have taken millions upon millions of lives for the two of us to meet in another universe, let alone shack up there as well. Twisted probabilities like that almost always mean something.

SUSTing everything that has nothing to do with either Hillevi or Rocco's job. We need to focus here, dammit, and actually pay attention to Hillevi and strengthen the bond between us!

>>449112
Tasks not involving Rocco's job or bonding with Hillevi will take minutes. Lyubov is the only one who will take longer, because everything with Lyubov takes longer. That is logical, since she is Armas's girlfriend and they like to spend time with each other, so it is best if Armas plans ahead for spending time with her as well.

If it is 7 now, then Armas can spend 4 hours with Hillevi, a half hour with Davgon, and a half hour buffer for other things. He will talk to Lyubov so they can spend the rest of his free time after the binding job together.

Armas will also change clothes before the binding mission and will have Bagga dress as the fetish nurse again, to help with the bindings.

>>449322
Sust all of this- both the 'Lyubov is Armas' girlfriend' when the relation between Armas and Lyubov is verbally established as a friend with benefits one, and the 'Bagga fetish nurse' one because this is humilating a member of our company in order to... look stupid in front of our employers. Yeah, no.

Also, Armas should remember that he doesn't need to touch or talk or be near the mafia mooks while he binds them, and he might even want to pretend someone else is doing the binding, just for mindscrew.
>>448642
auto-upvote Ironybot's post. (and manually upvote especially the bits about the Kodoku talk with Dávgon and recharging the various items to recharge. Armas should be careful about not overcharging them, though. Baby steps.)

>>449520
>'Lyubov is Armas' girlfriend' when the relation between Armas and Lyubov is verbally established as a friend with benefits one
Whats the difference?

I think we should give Hillevi all our time. Although we shouldn't start neglecting contracts for it.

No reason to neglect scheduled contracts, but some time spent with Hillevi, boosting her ego, seems in order. It will keep her happy and inclined to our cause.

>>448642
I support this course of action but I suggest Armas buy a bouquet of roses for Lyubov. Buying flowers for everyone else may be verboten, but Armas can buy flowers for Lyubov. She is his girlfriend.

Got to have to agree with doing the pot mission later. Hillevi did a good job and deserves the gratification. The work will be there for a bit, but this is a good time to give Hillevi some proper one on one before pursuing anything else.

On the whole Lyubov issue, we SHOULD cut back at the moment. It's nice and all, but we should pay attention to more than just her when it comes to minions. This includes SUSTing any and all 'romantic' actions with her. I am fine with talking with her about 'other universe Armas' and professional knowledge, but NO flowers, lovers stuff, or the like. Keep her a friend with benefits.

Other than that, I agree with >>448642,>>448383, and >>448058 and SUST >>450520 and >>449322.

>>447528
>>447569
>>447849
>>449618
I find myself enjoying my deliberation over how to handle this.

I COULD let greed rule me-I could prioritize speedy mission completion over other activities in the name of professionalism. That said... I'd be lying to myself if I did so. If I'm here, working on Bonzi's pot, then I'm not going to be available for Rocco's call tonight, nor will I be available to do the Soul Binding he wants. It's not exactly altruism or kindness that guides me to it, but pragmatic or no, I find I have to value my Ward's time over trying to squeeze in more work.
>"I find the pragmatic justification superior to the emotional one."
Yes yes, you've made your disdain for emotion in general and emotionally motivated decisions in particular abundantly clear to me.
>[HB]"I hold a differing view-to follow one's heart without doubt or regret is a sublime thing, and the mark of a true warrior."
>Until they die from a stupid, hot-headed decision."
>[HB]"A warrior's death is not to be feared."

I tune out their resultant debate as I refocus my eyes on Bonzi with an easy smile and a friendly Soul Guise.
"I'll be back later for the pot-I've already got other work duties lined up for the rest of my time today."
The Leprechaun scratches his scraggly rust-red beard festooning his jutting chin before nodding reluctantly.
>[Bonzi]"Aye, I ken. When will ye be back ta finish?"
"Within the next couple days."
>[Bonzi]"So long as ye don't leave me waitin' for a week or summat, I can stomach it."
"Excellent. I'll see you soon."
>[Bonzi]"Aye."

Our business-for now-concluded, I take my new magic hammer, and start making my way back home only AFTER Hillevi's verified she can carry the bone and keep it obscured with her glamor. Our walk starts off, briefly, unexpectedly quiet. This doesn't last, as within the span of a block the teen titan's begun her bubbly diatribe.
[Hillevi][In Finnish]"Well that was fun!"
[In Finnish]"I hope you thought of it as more than fun."
She pouts at me for daring to not be as enthused as her.
[Hillevi]"You nearly sounded like dad there."
"I will attempt to avoid that where possible-so? I have to admit I'm curious why there was no leftover material from the devils you fought."
At this, Hillevi blushes-her glamored form unable to express the blue tint through the disguise-as she tries to explain.
[Hillevi]"Um. I may have gotten a bit too... excited?"
"I would appreciate a more thorough explanation than that."
She looks a bit frazzled as she tries to cast her mishap in the best light possible.
[Hillevi]"Weeellll... I was really looking forward to beating you-"
Her cheeks darken with the admission even as she continues-
[Hillevi]"And I kind of used the quicker, more... damaging.. ice."
"I see. And that prevented any harvesting outside of your own?"
[Hillevi]"Yeah-only bone does okay with that kind of Ice. ...Sorry."
"Don't apologize: You acted within the confines of the defined contest."
She smiles in relief at the easy forgiveness.
"That said, in the future do attempt to avoid using that kind of ice where possible if I'm on the job with you, okay?"
She nods vigorously.
[Hillevi]"Roger-Roger!"
I quirk an eyebrow at her chosen response format. Unsurprisingly, her easily triggered blush resurges.
[Hillevi]"Uuuummm... was that not right? I heard it during some viewings on the telo-vision box, and thought... sorry."
>[IT]"Oh, her awkwardness is quite delightful. You should tease her more."
I ignore my garulous gun.
"For future reference, the particular movies you watched-and I'm pretty sure they were movies-aren't exactly accurate by any means. If you want to reference it, just say Roger once, okay?"
She nods contemplatively, filing the factoid away-then smiles, throwing me a theatrical salute.
[Hillevi]"Roger!"

I can't help but smile at that.

>>448058
>>448064
>>448383
>>448629
On the way back, an idea occurs to me. And for once, SB's not giving me shit about it being stupid.
>"I begrudgingly admit the concept you ponder seems based on sound reasoning."
I suppress my mocking incredulity… partly… and do what seems like a good idea: I get Hillevi some ice cream. I admit, she surprises me a bit with her flavor choice.
[Hillevi]"So all of these are different flavors of ice cream, yes? "
"Yep. So what flavor do you want?"
[Hillevi]"All of them. "
"…You did see the size chart for how big a scoop is, right?"
[Hillevi]"Aw… are you doubting I can eat it?"
"…No, I suppose you CAN eat three liters of ice cream. ..Okay, one scoop of everything it is."
[Hillevi]"Yay! "
As she looks pleased with her post-victory treat selection, I decide to broach a subject while awaiting her confection's construction.
"So-did you use Sake when doing your tracking?"
[Hillevi]"Huh? No, I just layered the air with soul-frozen ice flakes, and just went where the flakes melted! They can't stand up to other souls besides my own, heheh!"
…She has a workaround to soul detection. Once again: Valkonens, you impress the crap out of me.
"I see-and why didn't you use Sake as well? He did, after all, have access to my own data through our bond."
[Hillevi]"Yeah… but I figured, since I already waited 'till you knocked one down, and it was just for fun, that I didn't need to try that hard… and I didn't know if maybe you wanted to teach me a lesson about aggressive cheating or something."
On my shoulder, the Hummingbird inclines his beak towards her in respect for her train of thought. She giggles at the gesture-which promptly causes the little fellow to fluff up at the indignity of it all. I try to ignore that as I move on with the conversation.
"You know, I have to say-I'm really proud of how you handled that bet-it was creative, done swiftly, and orchestrated with confidence."
Her giggles get strangled by her entire head turning blue beneath her glamor.
[Hillevi]"U-um… thank you! "
She busies herself eating the ice cream-and I let her have her moment-it's clear the praise flustered her a bit more than she wanted.

Once we're back en route to the mansion, I voice a question to SB, along with a hypothesis. …Oy, SB you listening or-
>"Why not just coalesce your idea rather than expecting me to read it out of your mind?""
FINE. So, my energy regeneration, even with the change to it only regenerating, per the edited binding, on 'Today', has increased-quite a bit. Is that some bleed over from your shade or something? I mean, your shade has gotten a bunch bigger, right?
>"I…. your perception of the change is accurate, but your reasoning for it's cause is wholly backwards. It's not that energy from the Dark, or from my Shade, or from me personally has made you more apt at regenerating. It's that… you've adjusted."
…To what, the increased energy flow?
>"Hardly: You adjusted to handling a workaround to Conceptual magic as being the founding force driving your soul binding boost. I imagine that, with your passive regeneration abilities, you didn't even notice the repeat brain damage-or, in fact, minor soul degradation-as you automatically regenerated the damage before it could build to perceivable levels. And yes, to save you time: I was wholly aware of it, but given it was clear the acclimatization process would not genuinely harm you, I saw no point to mention it. Now that you have unwittingly brute force learned how to handle it, you are now able to use the Conceptual Binding properly, and that is the reason your regeneration has grown."
No shit-so I can do Conceptual Magic now?
>"Let me preface this with the statement that, as of yet, I know relatively little about the overarching field of Conceptual Magic. That said, I think you would be more able to learn other Conceptual magic-but for now, I'm quite confident you can only use this one form of it."
Am I getting the feeling you're implying the binding, as is, is about the best regeneration I could hope for-that about right?
>"Insofar as I've concretely verified options, yes, that's correct."
Huh… shit, if I hadn't gotten HB double-bound-
>"His life would have for certain ended the moment you placed the binding of 'Today'-just your passive radiation is allowing Sake and I to… well, explore new options.""
>[HB]"I must confess, the sheer inexhaustible nature of what radiates from out bond-let alone what can be willingly drawn-is the reason I've finally gotten the swarm to work: I no longer need to overcome the energy issues that plagued the notion previously."
Well shucks-what can I say, I'm your battery.
From around Hillevi's neck, a snigger promising trouble precedes his own two bits.
>[Sake]"Oh man, this new trick I can do? Slow as all crap, but so fun. Bring me next time you need to put a hole in some fortifications, yeah?"
I'll do what I can.

[ARMAS NOW EFFECTIVELY HAS INFINITE MAGICAL REGEN FOR HIS SOUL AND THE WINTER BLOODLINE WITHIN RELATIVE TO IT'S ENERGY CAP, AND NEEDS TO PURSUE PURPOSEFULLY INEFFICIENT POWER CONSUMPTION TO EVEN BRIEFLY BE RENDERED WITHOUT POWER WHILE THE SOUL BINDING IS IN PLACE]

[ARMAS'S MAGICAL REGEN HAS ADVANCED SUFFICIENTLY IN ONE FIELD TO ALLOW ALL MAGICAL REGEN TO BE APPRECIABLY BOOSTED]

The rest of the walk back is filled with Hillevi animated enthusiasm over a properly fun job, and her giggling in glee as she tries-and frequently fails-to avoid being tripped by the fey Sake, as always eager to catch a few laughs. By the time we get back to the mansion, I'm no longer worried about having been very hands-off with Hillevi: The rapport she's built with my entire company is, frankly, heartening, and likely more important to her father than any attempt on my part to train her.
>"Such is your suspicion, at least. Though in fairness, it seems a logical conclusion given the mercurial attitude the Valkonens seem to take when gallivanting outside of their home."
Raising a teen amongst mercenaries, several of them cannibalistic, inhuman and/or psychotic seems to be more or less exactly what Markku wanted. ...Good thing, too.
>"You could call him and verify that your assertion is accurate."
...Naw, I'm pretty confident.
>"So long as she doesn't sleep with one of them I would venture your confidence is wholly acceptable."
...On that note, I recall how much attention Hillevi's been paying to Matvey-particularly after he picked up that sword and became, in her eyes, a 'proper' warrior.

I'll need to keep an eye on that.

While Hillevi promptly goes to bother Matvey and Satai about her outing, Sake and I meet up with Dávgon and Gianni… and we gather up Stacey. She's not resistive at all-and while she does look sad about what use she's being put to, the resignation in her face makes me wonder if she'd resist even without the binding. After today's harvesting and feeding, Silja's form begins, oddly, developing something not unlike a leathery eggshell around her form. The shell itself seems to take the bodies the same as the rifle-but oddly, Silja sounds, well, sleepy after being encapsulated: like it's slowly putting her to sleep. She doesn't seem concerned, neither does Dávgon, Gianni, Sake or SB, so I feel reasonably safe letting this happen. Maybe it's something like a metamorphic reincarnation? Well, all of Sake's heals for the day doesn't see Silja's resurrection finish-but progress, undoubtedly, is made.

After that, I briefly call in to Zosimus with the sun having set-and find he did indeed get confirmation the nosy reporter had an unfortunate, but wholly mundane looking accident.
BUSINESS FUNDS: +$40,000 $1,216,984.00

After taking care of business, I have an all-hands feast of a meal, and give Hillevi a chance to properly boast and brag about her recent mission. She gets a chance to talk more thoroughly with some of the more introverted minions-Iosef and Andrei alike unable to avoid being amused at the idea of her pulling a fast one on me-and surprisingly, she doesn't even mention our employer was a cannibal, leaving them all with a decidedly lighter-hearted impression of the mission. Though, her idly summoning Tartalo into the house to ferry her harvested bones back to the family estate for placement in the boneyard does impress more than a few-for one, I think Satai's soul did a riot in Accelerated Thought timeframes at the sighting-I don't doubt he hadn't been aware of this particular trick of hers. Honestly, she comports herself well, and I wonder if she might have surprised herself with how well she did-or if it's me that's surprised.

During the meal, I'm brought up to speed on the mission completions while I was out: For one, seems the Hob Gob mission was completed with great ease, in no small part due to the use of overwhelming force-excellent. There were no casualties, just some use of expendable magical munitions that Satai carefully documented in the Armory logbooks. I do find myself curious about something that was noted during the mission: There was a magically masked river of what appeared to be solidified shadow, that the Wyld Goblin fighters did not warn them about-nor was it's presence or nature explained. Curious. Still, the job pays well, so I choose to focus on what was gained, rather than stress over new questions.
+10 Rechargable Blade Charms (Svartelf Make)
+5 Rechargable Arrow Charms (Svartelf Make)
+2kg Uncut Garnet Gems

As the meal's winding down, I bring up what I hope will be the cherry to my day of tending to my ward:
"Hey Hillevi: How about a spar where you can hit me as hard as you want?"
The way her eyes just sparkle at that make me glad I waited until I didn't need to worry about dying in the slightest. Because during the feast, HB reminded me about the Swarm being comprised of my purposefully fragmented soul-and how HB himself, as a part of that swarm, perforce has had to take into his form a small sliver of my own soul as an anchor and control mechanism. Most importantly, this means that my soul sustains uninterrupted, non-ruptured existence even if I'm physically and spiritually slain, so long as HB is alive. So…. is Hillevi freezes my soul or some shit, it's fine, I can finish regenerating from HB, my goblin deals, amen ownership, eye possession, everything uninterrupted.

The fight's straightforward, and frankly watched by pretty much everyone after how I phrased the invitation: No weapons, she tries to put me down, I try to not be put down-and HB lends a hand. With a Soul Bubble formed around me and visible only to those with Soul Sensing, I square off with the girl a decade my junior-and our spar begins. With Reinforcement, Hummer's Momentum, Attention Sense and Dunter Step working in concert, I my feet and constant shifts in weight and directional momentum make me flutter like a leaf before the larger, faster foe, as her fists fly like cannons in nothing by near misses. Just when I think this will be easy, having gotten to her back, she shoulder checks me with an ice-plated flank…. to no real effect. HB, looking as proud as I've ever seen, puffs up without lifting a single feather, swelling with silent smugness alone as the Soul Bubble he crafted around me tanks Hillevi's full force impact.

So when the Soul bubble freezes over and shatters from the prolonged contact-which I realize was Hillevi's goal from the start, given she had to know I was registering spiritually well beyond the limits of my physical body-I have to suppress the urge to snicker at the schadenfreude of the look of startled loss-of-face on his beak. Thankfully, he has no problem restoring the bubble with my ever-gushing spiritual energy-and I keep fighting. As the battle progresses though, the differences in our talent start to show-my tricks, varied as they may be, unravel before the born and bred warrior, all the while ice building up around her body as she hits her stride. She no longer gets in the odd solid shot to the soul bubble-but regularly shatters it with her soul-chilling cold. She can't break them faster than I can restore them… but she's penetrating farther past the bubble with each success. Soon enough-

An ice covered fist shatters HB's soul bubble and rushes past to slam into my side, a genuinely serious Hillevi getting me dead to rights within half an hour. The blow is like a cluster of artillery shells vaporizing my side-and half of my torso is frozen solid and instantly shattered in the hit-my spine included.

My body sags dangerously to the side, the flap of muscle that's the sole remaining connection between my upper and lower bodies laughably inadequate to hold me upright…

Before I grab the bottom of the wound-
>[GGG Trait activated]
And hold myself upright, much to the varied exclamatory reaction of the crowd.
"Huh. Painful, but not QUITE as bad as I expected."
Hillevi grins nervously as she slowly pulls back her fist, a few frozen shards of my guts stuck to it.
[Hillevi]"Ehehe… that's, um… the soul damage. "
"Is it?"
With some focus, I ply my summer line to reject the bits of frozen biomatter still stuck to me-watching as Matvey's puppy happily eats the ice candy delights I've sewn across the ground-and then ply my best healing trick.
[HYBRID HEALING
I go from half a torso to a full torso in one second flat. The amount of envy I feel from Rostislav at my recuperation is delicious, and sets a cocky smile on my face as I get back into the fight.

Hillevi and I fight without much in the way of pause for some two hours, with her constantly punching holes in my body and soul alike as I… just keep repairing it, getting used to a higher class of melee damage. Even when I lose my entire head-with a jarring moment of existing within HB's body, I am still wholly able to regenerate and get back in the fight. Thankfully, she seems to eventually hit a cap in her adjustment to my style eventually-and, with the rules as they are, our battle effectively becomes… predictable. Both of us, after yet more time, simply stop, because the contest as it is… isn't really that exciting anymore.

Our audience might disagree.

After that, I WANT to talk with Hillevi-but Duke has other plans. What follows is roughly three hours of the Heavenly Spirit, Doubly Transcendant Black Whirlwind tearing me apart, bellowing with joy as he gets to cut loose. I become intimately familiar with the utterly unblockable nature of his axes and fists alike, and through the prolonged bout, I get exposed to enough of his attack patterns I get two back to back, in-depth and first hand looks at how super strength, melee-inclined warriors fight. I find it positively enlightening, and am far more quiet than usual as I process all the little details I took in. Thankfully, Duke is, as ever, Duke-and gets bored soon enough-and I'm freed from my surprise match.

While Hillevi gets showered with praise for beating the hell out of me-no matter how unharmed I am currently-and Duke gets a proper showing of respect, my phone ends up ringing… ah, Rocco, the confirmation call. Yeah-guess it is time. Man, how long were we even sparring-or, beforehand, feasting? I ate… a whole mess… ah, whatever.
>[Rocco]"You still on?"
"Count on it-how many?"
>[Rocco]"Eighty nine."
"Not a problem."
>[Rocco]"Excellent. They'll be there at the arranged time."
*CLICK*
With that, I turn to Hillevi-
"Hey-you willing to be a soul-channel for binding others?"
[Hillevi]"If… Dávgon's on hand to moderate, then yup! "
"Perfect."

I look away from Hillevi with an expectant smile as a bevy of souls approach me: Matvey, with his sword audibly grumping at him, Rostislav with his now passively magical body that feels more golem now than man, and the now positively titanic Vlad who has to be near eight feet and seven hundred pounds. All three of them are armed-Matvey even sporting his BioArmor.
"…Well, this should work for an excellent first-hand look at how all three of you have changed, won't it?"
>[Rosti]"I wouldn't mind the chance to see how you take what I now think of as a proper beating."
>[Vlad]"Da: I wish to see if my hugeness can compete with the ice princess there."
>[Matvey]"You did accept my offer to spar with you sir."
"So I did. One moment though-"
I retrieve my mere, letting it sit lazily in my hand, fitting perfectly.
"Got to have something for the sword, after all. Now-"
HB reforms the soul bubble around me that Hillevi and Duke alike made short work of time and again.
"Shall we?"

My hour-long fight with the three Russians lets me learn exactly why the others have been acting like these three are physically the strongest right now. Rostislav and Vlad are both hitting with enough force that, were it not for the Soul Bubble, they would easily be breaking my still more or less humanly durable body like it was wet cardboard. However, lacking magic like Hillevi's to go the extra mile, they can't get around the ablating Soul Bubble. Still, the durability they show against the few experimental punches, elbows, knees and kicks I throw their way suggests I could think of them as being legitimate magical bruisers now. Good to know.

Matvey on the other hand, is something different. Maybe it's because dealing with the other two keeps me boxed in a bit more than I'd like, but whereas I can dance around the other, slower Russians, Matvey matches me step for step-literally, as it happens. I realize rather swiftly he's plying his own rendition of Dunter Footwork with Ricky's fingerprints all over it-and his sword's able to cut through the soul bubble with laughable ease. What it does NOT cut through, however, is the mere. I can feel the respect-frayed as it is-within Matvey being reinforced as I turn his opening blow aside with a single handed swing. Gyaketsuote-which Hillevi was able to somehow freeze and shatter, while Duke was able to throw something not unlike Drunk Goggles back at me isn't able to reach Matvey in his suit-but it can reach Rostislav and Vlad alike-and after I start properly confusing them with magical feints, I get enough breathing room to go fully mobile. It's at that point that I finally, concretely get to see that Matvey's… wholly able to keep up with me, even when I'm not constrained.
>"Not that he could keep up with shadowporting."
>[HB]"Though his suit's ability to amplify is impressive if it lets him neutralize your weight control."
Yeah, I'm impressed with the guy-a damned fine bit of improvement.

Eventually though, there is a knock at the door-and, hastily dressed in a new leisure suit, I let just shy of a hundred people into the house. Using Hillevi as a filter and Dávgon buffering the transfer, I push external Soul Binds into eighty nine souls, each bearing the same structure, word for word: 'I shall be loyal to the Mafia'. Simple and crude, but I have to assume it's functionally effective.

Half an hour past midnight, we're done-and I just finished making the company a chunk of change.
BUSINESS FUNDS: +$178,000 $1,394,984.00

>>448642
I try to ask Dávgon about the Kudoku improvements-but it seems that ensuring Hillevi's safety through all those binds really took it out of the guy, and he asks that I hold off until tomorrow with the questions. I have no issue complying.

After that little event, I spend a few minutes going through the armory, and recharging every renewable charm and magic item we've got. Really, this amounts to little more than topping off the shield charms-but hey, can't hurt. After that, I spend the last dregs of the already late night talking with Lyubov, and comparing my own childhood recollections with the ones the Armas her other self knows. We… don't really get very far tonight, but it's a start-and I have the feeling there has to be something here. …Ah, if only I hadn't lost the original physical brain I was born with the first time I was made a swarm of hummingbirds, I'd feel more certain I'm not missing any more memories than I already know about. In short order we call it quits-and retire.

We get to sleep a couple hours after.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27th, 2011
PERSONAL FUNDS: $2,864,660.00
BUSINESS FUNDS: $1,394,984.00
CASH: $6,120.00
SHADOW PATIENCE: 90%
WINTER ENERGY: 160
SUMMER ENERGY: 50/50
I wake up, as usual, rather energetic. I snicker at Lyubov's rather exhausted state with such comparatively little sleep as I indulge in some Brain Coffee. Now……








What should I do today?
What jobs should I do today?
Don’t I have some meeting to go to?
REMINDER: Minion orders for the week are submitted today. If you are unsure how the new format works, please ask in discussion thread or on IRC, on #golemquest on rizon

>What should I do today?
First thing to do today is to switch our soulbind to “Can only use spiritual senses on 'Today'” (or 'February' if not possible). If we could make such a binding conceptual too it would be highly useful. Make sure Armas switch his Chakra Orientation to soul sensing, likewise. Then, Armas should think a bit about his spars the previous day:
While reinforcement with chakra is really useful, and Armas should definitely follow the general training tips to learn how to amplify it and then use flexibility to move it to only a single body part for attack/defense, there arise the problem that Armas still hasn't truly tried to be able to use inner fleshcrafting as well as chakra that enhances the body in a way that doesn't explode him, and Fleshcrafting is definitely very good at making one stronger, faster, more agile and so on.
Given his recent durability boost, Armas should try to learn how to use both inner-fleshcrafting and reinforcement or other body-chakra abilities. Learning “how much” energy is needed for there to be a conflict and then an explosion could be a first test. Obviously, Armas/SB/Sake would observe what's happening there with with their differing magical senses and try to brainstorm a way to correct the problem. for example:

+Variance a: 1°) flushing the body of chakra and winter energy, 2°) use under-powered reinforcement, 3°) use some inner fleshcrafting on a finger or something slight to check how big the damage is. Test this until we can pinpoint how much energy is needed for the conflict to make an explosion, as well as determine how it happens.
+Variance b: do the same but with a single Armas-hummingbird while in swarm hummingbird mode. This could actually be 'safer', as well as be a way for Armas to fight offensively against some pretty potent enemies. We could also test this to see how big the explosion is with different amount of power.
+Variance ab: In either Variance a or b, try to reinforce one part while fleshcrafting another (in variance a, while the body was previously flushed of winter energy, reinforce arms while fleshcrafting legs (for example); in variance b, do it on two different hummingbird).
Don't hesitate to switch back the bind to the magical regeneration one if we are running almost empty.

Because every hummingbird is basically a tiny bit of our body, if we can Reinforce one hummingbird and fleshcraft another without a problem, then we should be able to reinforce any 1/5500th of our body while fleshcrafting another 1/5500th and not have problems. [M7]

Regardless, Armas should now practice his inner-fleshcrafting more advanced abilities as much as possible (mostly when he is using soul-sensing orientation and with his body flushed of winter energy, obviously) so that until he can use both body-chakra/soul-manip and inner-fleshcrafting at once, he will at least be able to switch his combat style to inner-fleshcrafting +soul bubble + various other boosts ('okay step' could even be used and improved!).

Speaking of mobility boosts, it's known that hummingbird spirit animals have a secondary ability where the spirit shaman can, at the price of constant body damage during use, move 'at the speed of hummingbird thought'. We should talk about it to HB, as Matvey having equal or better mobility than us just won't do for our ego. Hillevi is one thing, our minion another.

Otherwise, follow 'General Training tips' as >>445642 when it comes to training.

Now that we have switched our binding to a “spiritual sensing” enhancing one, our magical regeneration should have plummeted. It should still be worthwhile to check if it's not higher than it used to be, though. Likewise, we should have a talk with SB- ask him if he will need us to spend acouple hours a day, when we switch back our binding to the magical regeneration one (hopefully after the spirit sensing one has turned conceptual), shunting energy off to him. Maybe he has over-extended himself with all that extra energy and we should make sure he doesn't appear to run dry. Likewise, we should ask him what he thinks of proposing to Whaitiri to feed her energy through the mere in exchange for boons. A last question to SB should be about Doony flashcrafting: if we were to give him more energy soon, would he be willing to use more of his effort toward getting that info/package?

After this, Armas should go and talk to Dávgon about the Kodoku bug method he hinted at. Also talk to him about bindings. The dangers of using bindings for things like “can only have soul growth 'this month'”, “Can only learn “x” 'month x'”, and so on. Also ask about conceptual bindings. Another important question would be that, Since we now have stupidly high energy regeneration, I wonder if it's possible for us to stretch out magical actions over time. For example, instead of throwing all our energy at a soul bind and then regenerating, could we place a many-thousand-point soul bind by laying it onto his target over the course of many seconds?

Look at the armory records and figure out just who's been doing what with our things.They've certainly seen a lot more use than our official missions can possibly account for, and we'd better remain informed about what our minions are doing.

>Don’t I have some meeting to go to?
We have a meeting with Baki at noon, no telling when it will end. This should be a simple greet and meet, and but we should still make sure to be adequately prepared. Make sure:
+To first speak to Sake about the Yakuza, as he is our resident japanese expert. Likewise, check with SB, he might have learned things in his own ways.
+To have our soul-guise hiding the fact that we have a soulbind as well as hiding we are a godling and a cannibal and have a imperial winter bloodline.
+that we can switch our soulbind without disturbing our soulguise
+Our soul-guise should be of a dual-bloodliner of middling power, of a “mercenary”, a eccentric but truly honest one.
It could be a decent idea to switch our soul-bind to “Can only manipulate people on 'Today'” (or 'February' if not possible) once we have looked over their souls thoroughly. A variant could be “Can only talk to people on” too.

>What jobs should I do today?
Once we have talked to Baki, we should call Bonzi and ask him if he is free for us to take care of his pot infestation problem. With our spirit-sensing bind and orientation, we should be able to do that work in a much more delicate manner than usual.

>>451597
SUST using more than one binding on Armas.
SUST bothering Oggmum before her meeting with her. One thing at her time with her, baby step.

Its amazing how strong our minions have been getting. But why are you always the last to know? Its kinda obvious they avoid talking to you, despite you being the boss. So, in order to get them back for not telling you stuff they really should, lets ruin all their plans for the next week by having a mandatory company wide vacation!

>>452038
Upvote!

Vlad:
-Clear all prior orders.
-Keep working with Tidus Atmor the gunsmith. Attempt to develop system of nonverbal communication if such seems feasible.
-Continue widening range of resistance.
--Query Hillevi for assistance with cold exposure, express gratitude with kind words and assorted vodka if assistance is rendered.
--Find source of acid for corrosive exposure.
--Get repeatedly electrocuted in some fashion for energy exposure. Ask Titus about getting tasered.
--Seek means of exposure to being blown up. Ask Sake if wind attacks could be focused enough to mimic concussive shocks from explosions, so as to avoid large amounts of collateral damage/deplete the armory's stock/not annoy the neighbors.
--Attempt to increase resistance to pain. Recruit Grisha and Amen for this. Have "Fun™" and try not to rupture larynx.
--PRIORITY: Ensure a means of healing is available before commencing exposure due to interest in not dying if things go wrong.
-Continue developing new forms of vodka infusions. Attempt to secure small amount of magic blood and shave bits off a regenerator heart for use in new experimental healing vodka idea.
-Acquire a second giant mug and have Sake's name etched into the side, leave it out for the weasel as a present with a fresh bottle of meat vodka.

First of all, SUST to all the boring experimentation above me and upvote all the experimentation that is involved in creating a flock of soul-exploding hummingbirds, because that is the best idea Armas has ever had.

Other morning plans
*Have another Silja-feeding session, but only use half of Sake’s heals.
*Practice soul manipulation with Davgon. Try to form a soul in one of the Kodoku bugs and see if you can substitute your soul-derived Winter energy for some. This might make a nice gift for someone, if you can do it.

Now, we have a meeting with Baki at noon today, so we should prepare beforehand just in case they pull something funny, or to pre-empt it if possible. A list of preparations:
>Research Japan and it’s magical culture before you go. Seriously, your brother is from there and he can communicate with you near-instantly. This is a no-brainer (perfect for Armas, ZING).
*On a similar topic, go over Baki Yamada’s file again.
>Consider leaving “non-godling” out of the soul guise. It’s already out of the bag anyway - that dragon knew it, SM knows it, and anyone who saw our soul before we finished our bloodline knows that we at least have a connection to a god, so being a godling isn’t that much of a leap from there. This is beneficial due to how much power divine beings have in Japan, which may instil some inherent respect for us within the Yakuza.
*Wear something professional. No crazy eye-bleach-needing fluorescent orange kimono, no suit made of live hummingbirds (even if I do want to try that one day), no going naked with a “I’m not naked” soul guise. Just a suit. If something eccentric is required, wear that suit that had ‘orange’ embroidered all over it.
>Be polite and bring a gift (a pair would be better) for Baki. Make sure to follow correct Japanese gift-giving procedures - wrapped in modest colours, given in private, hold it out with two hands, “tsumarani mon”, let him refuse at least once but continue offering, etc. Remember to make the gift appropriate, such as not giving the vegan Baki a pile of magic meat.
*Leave at least one hummingbird behind, preferably with Svetlana, who can’t magically interact with it - just hand it to her and say, “Look after this for me, will you?” then wander off. Expressly deny Lyubov permission to use her divine domination powers on it, even if it is a tempting target.
>Don’t bring any armaments other than IT and the mere. We can get away with those because they’re Artifacts and we can’t have anyone else getting their hands on them. In fact, hiding the mere inside our stomach might be even better.

After the meeting, take Hillevi, Dávgon, Gianni, and a bunch of the minions to Bonzi’s magic bar. Let them hang out there, eating, drinking, and being merry, while we go fix Bonzi’s problem. Tell them not to wait for us.

>>452038
>experimenting
Don't do it in your own body and no need to go full swarm mode if he can just make one bird for the test. All that would do is make him have to look through a billion different eyes and try to make sense of shit.

>Swarm mode
Mentioning that, you should ask SB how that affects him, with him having all these new 'anchors'. With his evidenced mobility, shade and super power battery(in the form of armas) it may hardly matter to him anymore, but with hummingswarm(tm) he may be able to get 'start points' anywhere, effectively moving battle stations.

We shouldn't abuse this skill, save it for special times.

>Wat do today
You have a meeting with the yakuza in the evening. Prepare suitable flashy gear. Something orange and eastern. Bring Sake and Lyubov with you. They should both be useful for knowledge of the culture of the people you are to meet and respect points for divine beings.
Lets hope these guy's still keep to the old ways, and as magic aware types, it's likely they do.

In the morning however, it wouldn't hurt to find out why the hell everyone is so different now. Go hit up Matvey to get a report of their abilities. You need to have this properly documented so you can have them work on new teamwork styles as the older ones, based on humans with guns, are likely now obsolete, unable to fully utilize their new abilities.

-----
>Zhenya
-Wonder how so much happened to you in the past week
-Enjoy new, yet unnamed, magic pistol and other gear
-Spend more time with Matvey
-Acclimatize to Ogre strength use so that you can operate at normal levels even with it on.
-Move out.
-Keep training in general.
-Go to the Arena with Matvey.

>Lev
-Go to the Arena with matvey
-Talk to Matvey again about killing your father
-Work on ways to find mother
-Practice with knives
-Try and find interesting women and magical things in Italy.
-Have fun.

Ivan
*Have a one-sided conversation with Lyubov about souls after she catches a glimpse of herself in a memory of an internal noir monologue.
*Unsure of what to do with all the free time in the morning, try some meditation, using Hawk the rifle as a mental focus. Lay down in a sniping position and still your body. Try to alter your level of Reinforcement and feel not just its effects on your body, but how your soul reacts to it as well. Try to notice ‘movement’ in your chakras and your soul. Stoically stick with it all morning, just to fill up the empty hours.
*On the way to Ito’s on Monday morning, buy a pair of polarised sunglasses [-$50] to reduce the impact of ultraviolet vision in the sunlight. Begin wearing them everywhere. Notice that this makes people-watching habits much harder for others to notice.
*Ask Ito if he needs some more help with Camella gone for a month.
*When Armas isn't around to notice it, take the family's Mosin-Nagant out, unwrap it, and give it a good clean. Try and fail to get some of the stains out of the stock. After thinking about the rifle and the family back in Russia, write a letter to older brother Abram: let him know that the news, of death and treason, they’ve received is false.
*Notice the company's ammunition facilities sitting unused after Vlad has left for Italy and decide to waste some time making some custom ammo. Figure that silver bullets are used often enough in folklore to be useful, and buy some silver bullion to try melting down into bullets [-$3000 for a 100oz bar]. Read up on bullet-making techniques and try out the machinery with the newly-bought silver.
*On Thursday, head to Dávgon and ask for a soul quirk.

Feodor
*Hand out gifts and receive gratitude from all except Sake who, through a series of unfortunate coincidences, repeatedly misses out on his gift.
*Spend Sunday night working on Ivanovich while the mannequin-man sings. After a strenuous weekend without Sake-healing, be put to sleep by such a lullaby. Hear from Lyubov later that Ivanovich was seen, singing and with a belly full of surgical tools, carrying a certain sleepy medic back to bed.
*Attend the psych appointment, let everything out to the man who can't reveal it: everything from the accidental cannibalism and the reaction to it from self and others to guilt over still not having found anything out about Alexei, not speaking to Mother for three years, and having let so many people die over the years. Schedule another appointment afterwards, then head to Rostislav's fight.
*On Wednesday morning, head into Mohammed's Discount pet shit and buy a Vampire Squid and a pressurised transport container for it for $14,000. Take it back to the mansion and gather Dávgon and Gianni, and spend the next few minutes taking part in a strange ritual that involves eating the squid alive, while it's wriggling and flopping tentacles all over the place. Use up most of the rest of the day having Gianni pull a fully formed and annoyed squid out until how to manifest the familiar clicks. Afterwards, make a deal with Gianni where he gets the use of Ivanovich for a project in return for teaching magical anatomy.
*During free time, practice a little with the squid's conferred abilities, especially the regeneration. Cut self and time the wounds healing, etc. When Sake-healing time arrives and Sake demands a piece of liver for his trouble, get curious. Climb on the operating table and cut a piece out for him while he watches. Have a strange time sensing people's blood, and wonder how odd sensing Elder magic is going to be.
*Having spent the week finishing off M.A.P. cross-referencing, be prepared to use chakra at Finnigan's to lower the surgical workload a little. See how he reacts. Remember to take notes on patients and procedures, still.

Rostislav
*Head to the Zosimus mansion with Titus for a guard mission, meeting the head Zosimus vamp; the charge, a teenaged girl; and the other two guards on the job: a German juggler in a Nazi uniform by the name of Armin and what looks like a tattooed zombie, that turns out to be a man named Radu Hagi. Chat with Titus and the others for the evening, stab Radu repeatedly with a memory-thief knife (receiving the wounds, and the memory loss that goes with them), and set up a shift rotation for the mostly silent girl.
*Using the first night off from the guard job, fight Adib at the late night Fight Club. Take a lot of damage during the fight, but win by stabbing the black guy in the eye with a chewed off finger. Learn after the fight, while Gianni's healing the two barely-conscious combatants, that Adib is a two thousand year old flesh golem. Spend the rest of the night drinking.
*After spending a shift and a half being cursed by Radu for fun, get bored and try reading an old journal from the guard room bookcase. Fail to see parallels between self and the magical-blooded golem-man hunted by vamps from the journal. Get bored and, tempting fate, ask Radu if anything's going to happen. What do you know, Radu replies with, “Well, there IS the gentleman mind-locking the vampires in the house while Zosimus and his fellow elders are out.” Follow Radu's lead, opening the door for the intruder, up to the point where Radu, slack-jawed and blank-eyed, is mind-locked himself. Try fighting the obviously dangerous intruder, and be thrown about, have limbs dislocated and arms flayed for the trouble. Eventually rage so hard that skinless arms tear themselves apart, becoming flailing bone-filled tentacles, whereupon the red-caped intruder remarks that a shoggoth is too much trouble and leaves. Spend the next ten minutes trying and failing to get a drink with extraordinarily damaging tentacle arms before passing out as Radu wakes up. Come to in time to give a report to the vampire elder, while Armin's Masterful Hands put tentacles back in place, and receive a pair of sizeable black diamonds as a bonus payment. Spend the rest of the shift talking to Radu about rituals and make a deal with Titus to buy some of his divine lightning gems [-$50k] to pay for curse ritual training.
*Wednesday night, for the off-shift, head to the mansion for a nice calming magic beer. Upon arriving, encounter an irregularly irate Big Crazy clutching an almost rabid wolverine. Become instantly gleeful. When BC demands more money for what was an obviously more difficult than he expected mission, offer him an extra $100,000 and swap him an armful of magic beer bottles [-8L magic beer, -$150k] for the wolverine. Note his immediately calmer disposition on drinking the beer. Race to Davgon to have him bind the wolverine, where he remarks that the beast requires an additional binding beforehand as it's essentially a Hate Fragment.
*Trade a promise to Titus for his surplus lightning gems, then trade the gems to Radu Hagi for teaching. Spend the rest of the week's uneventful hours eating, drinking, and learning curse rituals from Radu. Remember to keep the blood production and blood iron charms on to speed the process of making the blood iron knife.

Titus:
-Do the guard job for the next two weeks. Hang out with Rosti and the other two guards, try not to get dead from either enemies or employer.
-Spend free time building the mk.IV taser glove. Use the opalised wood for backing on the backs of the hands and knuckles. Opals for capacitor banks and the Lightning Ridge opal and twice-struck flash stone for primary supercapacitors. Raiju hide (2/4 remaining) outputs a constant charge to charge the capacitors and electrify the opalised wood. The usual nomex-P155-kevlar mix for the glove, possibly supplemented with the dryad-blood rubber if Titus doesn't need it for the wiring (it seems Tesla coils can be used for wireless electrical transmission; since Titus is sorta pals with Tesla's Witch Saint, it seems almost polite to use his technology). There'll be energy bleed-off, but with the rubber protecting Titus and the hefty (and free) energy output from the pelt, he ought to be all right.

Armas:
We should go into the Yakuza meeting with a clear idea of what we want. Mostly, that's information, for me. We don't know which yakuza group we're dealing with, here, for one. Yamaguchi or Sumiyoshi, or some smaller family? Or something without a real-world analogue, like... Iunno, a Family of kamitachi yakuza. The Golden Death Gods and the Oni clan I would rate above the local Mafia's forces and the Triad (when not counting Lammy and Lo Fang) but below the Nazis- but that could change if the heads are anywhere close to Lo Fang's insane level of skill. We have NO info on these guys besides Baki. That could be a problem, so a meet n' greet like with the vamp sire dynasties is going to be very good.

Unless this is all a ruse to get us to a certain meeting spot on time for an ambush. But hey, no plan is perfect.

I don't particularly want to work for these guys, but an amicable arrangement wouldn't be a bad thing- live and let live, that sort of thing. Feel them out on if they plan to withdraw their forces now that they recognize their former friends were playing them.

We can fleshcraft and soulguise ourselves into literally anything. We could walk into the meeting with a soul shaped as a yakuza crest, or a Hello Kitty. I kind of want to get one of those giant yakuza back/arm tattoos, of a hummingbird coring through a dragon, or a kamaitachi battling an ice giant. I bet we could hit Gianni up for installing chromatophores in us- then not only could we do the chameleon thing, we could have tattoos of WHATEVER we want, WHENEVER we want.

A few other things: they don't actually call themselves yakuza, they use 'ninkyou dantai' (chivalrous groups). So they at least consider themselves to be respectable and honorable men. Just a thought. And if it turns south, remember that $10k a head bounty.

Well, in terms of outfit for the meeting, we have several options. Orange leather coat with a styled humming bird and weasel fighting, maybe dress ourselves like a Bancho(and have our hair done up in a pompadour.). After all, got to go with the theme of the day. Other than that, I agree with >>452270 other than the clothes, and >>452312. Everyone is growing rather fast after all. Maybe some time poking around the others might be a good idea. Of course, taking them to Bonzi while Armas does his job is also a good idea.

>Bagga
>Considering the missions he has been on so far, it's obvious Bagga has much to learn. Try looking for a super natural boxing club to hone and test his boxing skills.
>Talk to Gianni about the body mods and enhancements. Look into some additional lessons about the body as well. He does seem to know a lot about it.
>Go shopping for gear! Some enhancements for the gauntlets would be good,along with some basic, multi purpose gear..
>With the gain of Igne(his pet cactus) ponder the thought of running a company herb garden that can focus on various healing and boosting plants. Probably will have to talk to the higher ups about this.
>Continue with the Ito lessons per usual and check up on his fellow orphan vamps. Just because he's working doesn't mean he should forget about them.
>Continue the vampire lessons. Try to learn some advanced techniques and find out a bit about the vampire scene. Can't skip on that.
>Prep for the Arena with Matvey, Zhenya, and the others.
>Finish ALL his missions!

LYUBOV WEEKLY GOALS
L*~Tesla’s jobs, whatever they are, take priority.
L*~Daily Lessons in divine magic fundamentals with Sake as long as he is willing.
L*~Make sure Svetlana is settling in well (drag her into interacting with people if required).
L*~As many lessons with Armas as time permits and as he is willing to give (divine-based flesh and soul magic demonstrations, essentially).
L*~Finish the Mk I Plasma Wing and work on a wearable MkII Plasma Wing ready for Sake.
L*~Visit the magic electronics shop, ask after local magic electronics clubs/associations, and buy parts required for the Mk II Plasma Wing (magic superconducting wire if available and affordable, magic rectifiers, quartz crystals, batteries, resistors, and other parts).
L*~Visit Placid at least three times during the course of the week, either alone or with Sake and/or Armas. Deliver his textbooks and talk to him about whatever strikes his fancy. It’s always intellectually engaging and fun talking with him. Show him the Mk I Plasma Wing!
L*~Talk to Hyougo at least three times this week. Be sure to hit topics like “how do you feel about witch saints? There's a new one in my city,” and “I’ve been working on a new project, look at this cool Plasma Wing thing!” and “I really pissed off my friend, what do you suggest I do to apologize?”
L*~Apologize to Zhenya and Matvey for video recording their unfortunate incident with the gift to Duke. Turn the original video discs in to Matvey, have a good cry with Zhenya after explaining what a witch saint actually is in greater depth. Still not over the death memories thing…
L*~Talk to Andrei and Hillevi in depth about being a witch saint, ask what she’s heard of them, explain most of what is known in general, omitting only the details of the deal with Tesla. Agree to help Andrei with getting in contact with mortal hacker contacts who know magic hacking of mundane systems (in exchange for him owing her or Tesla a favor). Make it clear to Andrei that he’ll be expected to pay these people for his education, and suggest he ask Armas for a budget for it. Make the call to Tesla about it.
L*~Go out to the Leprechaun bar with Dávgon, Hillevi, Armas, possibly others for a few drinks, broach the idea of a betting parlor with Bonzi (simulcast video of arena fights, a secure interface with mortal banking systems, betting booths, first access and direct input in what would be a pilot program).
L*~If Bonzi likes the idea, and there are no issues that would scupper it, research companies that do electronic gambling (Quixant looks good, relatively low cost solutions with established secure protocols...). Plan on requesting a meeting with the Hobgoblin arena owners.
L*~Read up on wireless cave communication systems.
L*~Remind Armas that Dávgon needs a research budget for monster anatomy and divine magic.
L*~After the unfortunate incident with Sake, have a talk with Kuvey and resolve to be more mature and less meddlesome (except when the situation actually merits meddling, which really amounts a resolution to get more information before meddling).
L*~Look into a charm for Sake which will prevent the Punning issue from being catastrophic for him again.
L*~Get some Ferret Tubes for Sake. Those things are awesome to play in. ($200)
L*~Borrow Matvey’s bracer and really analyze it, figure out what is failing and what could be repaired. Make this a joint project with Armas. Practice possible solutions in the plasma container.
L*~Talk to Hillevi about spin ice monopoles and superconductors, with an eye toward using the everice spell matrix to make both of those products practical. Contact Furukawa Electric about their high temperature superconductors, and buy dysprosium titanate from a chemical supplier (500 grams for $1,400) for the spin ice project.
L*~In either case if Hillevi is reluctant, point out that a complete manufacturing process would probably be of value to her clan, if nothing else as a process that they can license to other ice manipulators who are interested in manufacturing products that will be in demand. Though what they do with it ultimately would be up to the clan head, he could probably be convinced it is valuable.
L*~Continue the research into Armas’s past as time permits.

>>452312
I like Falcon's post here and generally endorse it.

Additionally, I think we should use most of the suggestions in >>452270 with the exception of letting the Godling part of the guise down. If we simply must do so though, we should make a show of removing something mundane (like a pair of sunglasses or something) once we're in the parlor and matching dropping the Godling part of the guise to that action. The obvious conclusion is that the sunglasses were a charm to hide the Godling aspect of our soul.

>>452127
I wish we could just up and duck out on our obligations but we really can't. It would have been funny though.

>>450607
If time permits today look into what is left of the Doononges' corpse, namely how much meat and organs we have. Before the mere broke we wanted to sacrifice it's meat to Whaitiri to earn a boon from her, well now it's fixed and we have that opportunity again, checking on how much we have left after our other ventures using it is a good first step. Ask Gianni how much we need to set aside for future golem building and confer with Shadowbro on if we have enough to please Whaitiri. We can handle the specifics and all the tradition involved with feeding a venerated god on a less busy day, but doing inventory is a good first step.

A bit of a check up on its organs would be worthwhile too, everything we've taken so far (brain, heart, poison glands) has been very useful to us in some respect or another. There could be hidden treasures in say what remains of say it's eyes, liver, or kidney's we've yet to tap.

Oh and set aside the Doononges' jawbone so you can make it into a kantele latter, Hillevi will love it.

>>452038
Upvote
>>452127
There's a bit too much going on today, SUST for now, maybe later.
>>452270
Upvoting except for the suggestions to no proceed with the boring experimentation and altering our default guise to no longer hide that Armas is a godling.
>>452413
Upvote.

Matvey Orders
/\/\-Hand Armas the report he asked for with full details on the trip, relevant news you've picked up, reports on other's ability gains, and compensation to the tune of 25% of your winnings ($386,125) for using several of the disposable charms and a promise to keep him personally informed of future arena ventures and your or other's use of company gear so that he can get a proper cut.
/\/\-Undergo concentration training to prepare your mind for using Conceptual magic at least once per day, finding a soundproof room or secluded spot away from prying eyes when possible.
/\/\-At some point accede to Zhenya's request to go out for dinner and dancing, have a good time and get to know her.
/\/\-Witness Armas' hummingbird instructing Ohotnik in 'how to be a proper warrior' at breakfast, request that he allow you to watch and assist as you are Ohotnik's master and trainer. Suddenly be taken to a very odd void with only wind, the hummingbird, Ohotnik, the Nothern Night Soldier bioarmor, and yourself as occupants and participate in a bizarre exercise where the hummingbird educates Ohotnik with an obviously hummingbird inclined, but correct worldview, assisting and elaborating yourself when possible. Come out from subjective hours of training with breakfast still in progress.
/\/\-Meet a nice couple at the dog park who breed Kangals who inquire about Ohotnik (having been recently trained to disguise himself as one for ease of movement through cities). Have a pleasant chat with them and receive contact information and the offer to come and socialize Ohotnik with their young dogs.
/\/\-On the way back from the park see a very curious sight, a dog barking at Ohotnik in a way that somehow cowed him. After following the strange dog see it disappear into a tree. The bioarmor revealing after the fact it was likely a hound of the Erking and the tree was acting as a divine portal.
/\/\-At night classes find two strange men, both transcendents of different stripes than yourself challenging you to face them in the arenas because you defeated a woman they both wanted to face in your last match at SugarSkull's arena. They both offer the same challenge with the same stakes-Shuhadaku Zayin against their swords and one of their arms. Choose to face the transcendent body known as Samson Aegis in one month.
/\/\-Stay after that night, until even the other Russians and students who join in drinking after classes leave, and talk to Ito about a very disturbing thing you learned through Shuhadaku Zayin about his past in the military and things he was made to do in his service. Talk to him and ask his advice on how to stay sane and free in this life. Stumble back home in a drunken haze after one too many drinks are shared over the subject.
/\/\-Pass a note on to Armas regarding the Erking hound you spotted, a proposal for what to do with Iskander's rather unique aerial abilities, and a brief description of the challenge you accepted.
/\/\-Get Hillevi to carefully freeze the Northern Night Soldier bioarmor so that it gains greater defenses to cold and have Titus shock it with his latest iteration of glove for greater resistances to each respective attack type next molting
/\/\-Clear some time for a brief venture to SugarSkull's arena to acquire the additional funds needed hopefully for a house outside the city proper.
/\/\-Train in Dunter Footwork under Ricky and Lucy as they are available.
/\/\-Take a visit to Das Bones', the magical diner owned by a powerful golem that Bagga invited everyone to to celebrate your return home. Ask Das Bones for assistance and learn about the nature of conceptual cutting while washing dishes. Acquire permission to return and help around the kitchen for more pointers on conceptual cutting.
/\/\-Enter the armory and have Satai print off a couple orientations one for adhering to surfaces and one that repels you from them.
/\/\-Watch Rostislav's bout at the fight club, a very brutal affair. Assist in helping Rostislav and the other Russians get out of the aftermath okay and join in celebratory drinks with everyone afterwards.
/\/\-When the opportunities arise throughout the week go to Das Bones' at the usual lull periods for advice while assisting him with basic kitchen chores.
/\/\-Go with Zhenya to offer Duke a gift she purchased for him with her winnings only to have to suffer through an incident you would rather not mention to anyone. Ever.
/\/\-Spend more time with Zhenya afterwards and eventually ask her if she would like to come with you to live outside of the mansion and find she accepts. Tease her about the specifics of the house you've been spotting out for days after.
/\/\-Find Lyubov knocking on your door after the incident, offering up the tapes of it she and Andrei took. Be appreciative Lyubov decided not to do terrible things with the discs like she seemed so inclined and after she leaves feel less aggravated with her in general.
/\/\-Talk with Davgon likewise after the incident and fall into some much needed good cheer when he convinces you to laugh at yourself a little. Fall asleep that night knowing you have a good friend.
/\/\-Be visited by a Valkyrie late in the night with an offer to become an Einher, refuse and be surprised when a second, much different offer is made in a voice unmistakeably belonging to Odin himself for a future task he will give to you should you acquire Body Transcendance. The voice offering a token of advice for the future as it cut out and the Valkyrie disappeared.
/\/\-Talk to Armas in the morning, asking if he is willing to allow you to live outside of the mansion and have some vacation time in the next few days. Fight the uphill battle that is that of an officer trying to live off-site, offering $350,00 if he allows you to do so and gives you the vacation time. Regardless pay for the damages Ohotnik has recently caused to the house playing with Ohotnik that cost blood to repair ($19,000).
/\/\-If plans for moving out and a vacation go through give Armas the address of your new residence and provide contact information if it were already known to anyone who may need you. Provide select friends the address so that they may visit.
/\/\-Enjoy quality time with Zhenya and Ohotnik at the new place.

Iosef Orders
>Complete any missions asked of you.
>Go find things to do with your newly found muscles.
>Ask Ito if he has anything you could do now that Camella is gone and you have free time again, see if you can't test out your new muscles at rival gyms.
>Ask Satai if you can get some copies of pages from the chakra book for orientations that help with the weird ritual things you do at Johan's shop.
>Continue making visits to mister Johan's shop to help him clear out his backlog of rituals so he'll teach you things.
>Invite Karma over to the mansion to hang out, not having paid attention to the time Camella mentioned the rules about guests, but also not know Karma was cleared the potential problem solves itself all without being thought about.
>Ask Karma about all that demon name, ritual magic, runing stuff mister Johan mentioned he accepted as payment.
>Call that one waitress from the ambulance mission.
>Now that Boris is gone all the delicious food is too, find this unacceptable and look for places you can eat out. Look for places that offer free food and glory for eating large meals, grin at what a deal you're getting every time and at your growing collection of awesome souvenir shirts.

Svetlana:
-Track down Armas and ask him how much he will be paying her. Also ask him to please not read her soul memories, as it makes her uncomfortable.
-Ask about the risks and consequences of recieving language grafts. Ask for a graft of Turkish so she can do her job properly.
-Work with Satai on comic book job.
-Handle purchasing legal, nonmagical, nonweapon goods for Satai.
-Attempt to fulfill the requests of her superiors quickly and efficiently. This takes priority over everything else, she needs to make a good impression after all.
-Make company letterhead that meets with Armas's approval.
-Start gathering company records and copying them for the archive she will be maintaining. Roughly split the archive into financial, administrative, and field sections to start with. Ask superiors how they want access to the archive to be handled. Free access to company members, graduated access levels depending on position in the company, no access below officer level, or some other way?
-Set up and run a message centre for company use. Members of the company can leave messages with her for others and she'll make sure they get to them.
-Be available to take calls and messages for anyone who wants her to.
-Spend some time during the week with Cookie Lady, who Lyubov introduced her to before church on Sunday. Enjoy the company of someone normal. Make a mental note to get her name again, it isn't like her to forget.
-Lend a hand in the kitchen since Boris is in Italy. Avoid eating any magical food herself.
-Be open to suggestions on what other members of the company want her to do. They have a better idea of the needs of the company.
-Try to get to know her new coworkers and socialize.

Igor:
-Be happy that he's good enough at chakra to not have to worry about metabolizing magic anymore. Camella went to Italy so everyone is OBVIOUSLY in the clear, right?
-Be very excited about having a magical hammer to work with, but worry he isn't good enough to do it justice.
-Experiment with the hammer's effects to ensure future projects are as good as they can be.
-Work on any projects SB gives him to do with the hammer, in exchange for help and advice on other projects he uses the hammer for and information on shadows in general.
-Work on making smithing tools using the hammer. Hopefully tools that can interact with shadow/soul will afford him finer control over the final form of things he shapes with the hammer.
-Offer to make something for Ito, as way of thanks for the training he's provided. Mention he's got a magic hammer now but warn he's not very good yet.... (Someone in IRC suggested a bumper for Ito's Car)
-Tell Armas he's finished the golem's pair of gauntlets and he'll upgrade them with the hammer once he gets the hang of it. Offer to start working on armouring the rest of it, if Armas wants to pay him for it. Bluntly mention he wishes he had a way to see the soul/shadow planes for smithing with the new hammer. And more money. And metal, or he can't make the armour.
-Begin smithing armour for himself. A set of Almain rivet, to be exact. Supposed to be relatively simple to construct. Perfect for a first attempt.
-If asked to do projects warn that he has somewhat busy with the projects he's working on already. If what they want done is for company use, tell them to go through Satai. If they want personal work done, tell them it isn't his magic hammer so they'll need company permission if they want magic gear.
-Get back to tinkering with his watches now that he has the time. It's been a while.

>Bindings
If i understand it right. armas binding himself to "only regenerate on X" has caused him to subconsciously learn via experimentation a specific form of conceptual magic to do so. The process of which caused a bunch of brain and soul damage which was being healed as fast as it happened by our passive healing powers (lucky thing we have Romanov and the soul graft or such an attempt would have permanently crippled us!)
From that I take:
A. don't use such a bind on someone else! unless they have a passive soul and body regen that is of sufficient power they could be ruined.
B. could armas not use the same method to learn more conceptual magic by binding himself?
Such as to learn how to make mind maze chakra orientation conceptual or consciously perform our current conceptual magic so that it does not "use up" our existing bind to do.

>Experiment, what is conceptual?
A point of contention, there has been some argument on whether the binding forced armas to subconsciously use conceptual magic in of itself, conceptual self soul sculpting powers from winter bloodline, or if the bindings themselves have been rendered conceptual bindings.
Poll the conclave... furthermore, turn on sensing array and look at own soul carefully examining bind and soul as well as having conclave looking; and actually, any competent sensor in the house. While doing that alter bind to do nothing and then back to what they are right now and observe changes. Include flushing energy and repeat if necessary.

>Unnoticed ongoing damage
Make a habit of spending 10 minutes every night before going to sleep of examining your soul and brain for anomalies to the best of your abilities.

>Chakra
Take chakra training to the next level by using your massive energy regen and try to achieve 24/7 duel orientation. Whenever duel orientation collapses immediately reenter it. Go around with sensor + mind-shield on simultaneously at all times.
Make a note to find someone to teach you more specialized sensor orientations so you could attempt rapid cycling between different sensor orientations.
Make a note to find someone to teach you combat speed boosting orientations for even more speed hax.

>Silja
Its a new day, don't forget to get today's work on silja. But wait until Gia and Davgon wake up on their own.

>Sleep?
Ask gia and davgon if there are flesh/soul craft abilities that eliminate or reduce the need to sleep without causing mental degradation or other such issues. The fact they bother sleeping could indicate there isn't, but could also be because its prohibitively expensive in terms of energy which is unlikely to be a problem (and if it is... well its excellent practice).
Rami healing seems to do the trick so maybe it can be replicated via soul and flesh manip.

>Lyubov
Let lyubov know she is broadcasting her words magically.

>Placid
Visit him.

>Hummingbro
Offer him the heart of a phoenix to study.

>Boris
When he returns to mansion after mafia town job, look in 7777 book for for sleep reduction / replacement chakra orientations.

On mafia town:
1. Get as much chakra training as possible under Camella while there.
2. Ask Camella about this whole "natural ascension" thing.
3. Ask around with locals (in pub?) about "interesting" local things (ancient ruins, haunted caves, etc). Investigate with fellows.
4. Feel somewhat left behind, small an insignificant, at how fast some of his fellows are growing in power.
5. Bake lots of delicious cookies, share with co-workers.

>>452038
upvote

SUST on intentionally revealing armas is a godling, owner and some dragons know. but imperfectly kept secret is better then making it public to all.
SUST on revealing our ability to mask our soul by wearing an obvious guise like a hello kitty or yakuza crest shaped soul.

Andrei:
-Work towards developing remote control armored stationary turrets that can fit motors and mounts strong enough for miniguns. Install cameras, both regular and IR.
-Program tracking and facial recognition software for turrets for autonomy. Buy and cannibalize kinects for help and inspiration with sensors and body and facial recognition, look through other already available solutions as well.
-After these are done, work towards getting turrets mobile with some treads.
-Build three redundant IFF systems for company to avoid friendly fire with automated targeting: Buy cheap phones, alter them so that they query -> answer through bluetooth automatically, ask to spray paint a glyph on mission suits in IR reflective see-through shellack, and hook up an IR leds on suits on a separate system, set to light at query. Hand these out.
-Decide you want to magic up your speciality. Find Lyubov. Ask if Tesla would be willing to help him along the way of finding a teacher. Be told she'll ask.
-Decide to go after other venues for now. Go to The FUTURE Shop. Inquire after someone who could teach the magical side of hacking. Get told the name of a rather expensive group that can teach him personally, lessons to some measure of functional confidence would cost ~250k. For instructional material, he can get a collection of DVDs for 40k, or an actual book for 85k, and if he's looking for examples of magical hacking code to purchase and pick apart, each instance usually runs 5-15k.
-Go ahead and buy the book.
-Start learning magical hacking from book.
-Start making 3D map of Istanbul that would let him translate where the company is on the map and send data on enemy and friendly positions to helmet HUDs. Hook up a GPS, a transmitter and three 3D surface imagers on a large RC car, on pointing straight ahead, two pointing to the sides.
-Try to find Dmitrii to ask after a stealth charm for said RC car.
-Drive around in car when bored of reading and coding and no urgent tasks, always make sure to roll it back in the house. Shamelessly rip off Google Maps for pictures, driving around with a camera rig occasionally to see that it's accurate.
-Talk to Armas about compensation for editing work. Also ask whether he has ideas for venues of selling finished videos.
-Go to the psychiatrist once per week. Complain how living in murderous house and being surrounded by constant magical radiation makes him a dick and gives him cancer.

Summary of Guns for Hire Corporate Acquisitions and Expenditures
Since February 11, 2011
Including Both In-Thread and IRC Information

+ 46 demonic anti-tank grenades
+ 18 demonic flashbangs
+ 6 lightning devil crossbows
+ 80 cubic yards of high-quality enchantable leather
+ 80 giant japanese hornet queens
+ 245 kodoku
+ 25 kodoku meat jars
+ 1 kodoku spirit jar
+ 1 100-kodoku jar excretion amplifying matrix
+ 1 satellite phone
+ 1 Spirit-Shadow Forge Hammer
+ 2 stasis charms (auto-activate immediately prior to brain failure)
+ 41 blade charms
+ 1 light aspected aura charm
+ 1 flawed lesser wrath fragment
+ 10 Rechargable Blade Charms (Svartelf Make)
+ 5 Rechargable Arrow Charms (Svartelf Make)
+ 1 mere artifact (repaired)
+ 1 Ensouled anti-tank rifle (returned from Astrid)
+ 1 Adelat contract
+ 50 cattle
+ 1 7777 chakra alignments book
+ 2kg Uncut Garnet Gems
+ 200 pounds mid-tier wrath demon flesh/week
+ 50 pounds mid-tier pride demon flesh/week
+ 50 pounds mid-tier envy demon flesh/week
+ 50 pounds mid-tier gluttony demon flesh/week
+ 20 liters of magical spring-aligned blood/week

- 1,000 12 gauge slug rounds
- 5,100 .50 BMG rounds
- 15,300 7.62x51 NATO rounds
- 1 40x46mm Grenade
- 6 flashbangs
- 1 smoke grenade
- 11 arrow charms
- 1 hellfire 105mm thermobaric rocket
- 1 demonic 105mm thermobaric rocket
- $1,368,300
- $43,900/week ($87,800 thus far, included above)
- $3,000/month ($1,500 thus far, included above)


Satai Orders
$ - Complete assigned company jobs
$ - Murder a certain gargoyle in retribution
$ - Focus relentlessly on improving control and understanding of mindscape
$ - Attempt to learn to separate, recognize, and manipulate mental inputs
$ - Work on building useful mental constructs
$ - Discuss mind manipulation with potentially well-informed parties
$ - Examine others' minds if and when possible
$ - Seek additional sources of information on magic, particularly mind magic and rituals
$ - Read through all available written resources on magic-related topics
$ - Keep sniping; attempt more rapid target acquisition and precise shots
$ - Keep training with Hillevi, using new perceptions to improve chakra skill
$ - Seize opportunities for personal profit which present themselves
$ - Continue looking after Stacey
$ - Go out with Verusha and/or friends to magical night spots when possible; build contacts and enjoy self
$ - Take careful, measured steps toward resuming habitual magically-oriented promiscuity


Grisha Orders
G - Go to the Arena with Lev, and have fun!
G - Have some Fun™ with Vlad and Amen before leaving for Italy, since he asks so nicely~ Invite Anguisher.
G - Introduce Anguisher to Amen, get opinion.
G - Go to Italy, bringing Anguisher and some motorcycles for planned biking adventures with Lev.
G - Study under Anguisher in the arts of pain and villainy!
G - Study on top of Lev in the arts of fun and Fun™!
G - Keep the town in line and take frequent day trips to really enjoy Italian life. Bring Sake when possible!
G - Don't neglect martial arts training- see if Camella will help since there's no more dojo to use.

Link to Sixth thread:
http://tgchan.org/kusaba/quest/res/453740.html