Emils 2018/04/13(Fri)22:31 No. 878659 ID: ea36cf
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I put on my shirt and pants before activating [Thermoregulation].
"I would like to take you up on your offer, an escort would be appreciated."

I wipe off the dampness on me and hand the now heated fabric back to the male.

"I, uh..." he holds the fabric in his hands, somewhat surprised "Thanks?" He wraps the fabric around himself as we walk out of the tunnel.

"Where would you like to go?" the female asks.
"I would like to head home now. But would you like some Ice cream first?"
The female looks at me, "Ice cream is kinda expensive, Milk isn't an easy thing to come by with."
The male looks at her, "But sis, it's ice cream!"
"I know, but we can't afford it." She directs her attention to me, "I'm sorry, but we can't really take you up on that offer."
I shrug, and then point to Jogert, "Jogert here is fully capable of learning anything you may teach it. It might not be able to talk back to you, but if you teach it your language, or some simple commands, it would be able to understand you better."
She glares at me, "I understand Jelly just fine." she then holds Jogert up to her, "Isn't that right Jelly?"

"I tried," I tell Jogert.
I wrap an arm around the male, pulling him closer. "So what's the story between you two."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, so far people I've met like to tell me some stories about themselves. It sounds like an easy way to make friends."
The male shifts a bit under my grip, but is unable to pull away.

"Well, we're siblings. I'm Shane and she's Daisy. We started off adventuring just to earn some extra money, or learn something for our future, but I guess we kinda enjoy exploring instead."
"What's not to like about exploring?" the female continues, "The vast unknown outside the city walls, Nature all around. There's so many things to see out there."
"Like the great Averns desert, or the underwater kingdom of Palus."
"Oh, what about the frozen Drac Kingdom. I heard that the nights there are so cold, Mana freezes."
"Or that your pee turns to ice the moment it leaves your b-"
The male is hit in the head by the female.

>>878659
How would they plan on visiting Palus? You have your ways for surviving underwater, but what about them?

Also ask why she hit him. (you probably don't realize why)

Ask what provoked a violent response.

>>878659
"I can do water breathing and thermoregulation, obviously, but I can't cast it on others.
If you intend to visit an underwater kingdom or frozen land, you should learn both. Cool water will sap your body heat just as fast as a blizzard."

>>878659
>The male is hit in the head by the female.
“I’m confused. I thought a family was supposed to love each other, so why did you hit him?”

>>878659
Just thought of a way to prove that you can actually talk to jogert if it can understand them but they can’t it. Get them to tell jogert something while you can’t hear them, then get jogert to tell it to you it, then tell them what jogert tells you.

Since you are keeping a firm grip on Shane make sure your thermoregulation won't burn him. Stay a bit warmer than a normal rabold body temperature but not warm enough to hurt.

Let's hear something about the places they visited. The descriptions of nearby places of interest could be useful in the future and they should enjoy talking about things they like.

After that ask why did Shane waited for you in that damp place? Why did they felt the need of following you in the first place? If possible ask that in a way that insinuate more that you believe they were preoccupied with your safety than suspect they wanted to see what you were doing.

>ice
Tell him that if he's ever cold, he can always visit you and you'll make him warm!

>The vast unknown
Tell them you thought it was all explored already.

>Averns, Palus, Drac
Ask them to tell you more about the kingdoms around

Mana freezing. Sounds interesting. Have you ever seen frozen mana before?

>no ice cream
awww...

Seems like they get around alot, ask them if they know about areas that show those degradation symptoms [LUST] told you about.
If you want to be a magical girl, you have to save the world, Emils.

Is violence necessary?

>>878687
Yeah, what's frozen Mana like? That sounds interesting.

Exploration would be interesting too, but hearing about the origin and nearing death of the world kinda puts a damper on it.

Inform them that exploration is unwise while large sections of the world maintain insufficient mana to sustain life.

Emils 2018/04/21(Sat)22:07 No. 879926 ID: ea36cf
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"If you wish to roam the world, I suggest you do so before it ends."

"Hey," the female speaks up, "Growing up may take a long time, but it's not going to take forever."

"No," I release the male and he retreats, "I mean that the Drac Kingdom tower has fallen."

"Wait, What?" "What do you mean?" they retorted.

"It's not really meant to be a secret, but the tower at Drac Kingdom seems to have fallen. It won't be long before proper news to spread to nearby areas. At the rate of how things are now, who knows when the other towers will fall."

The two look somewhat pale at this information.
I shrug, "But as you said, Growing up will take time. Who knows when the next tower will fall. It might be when you're old, or even when you are long dead that the next tower will fall."

They had stopped walking now, but I recognize the area and could make it to Red Eye's house, the shrine, or the guild from here.
"Well, thank you for escorting me thus far, you two. It seems I can make my way ba-"
"Wait!" the female scowls at me, "You're joking right?!"
"I have not told a single lie in my life."
"Who else knows about this? I mean, How do you know?"
"I have been requested to keep my source secret, but besides myself, I am aware that the ones you call "Mana Beasts" knows of this, and Victor is aware that the tower at Drac Kingdom has fallen."
She seems to deflate at this news. "I... I see. Thank you, I think..."
"This is... heavy news." the male speaks up, and I leave the three behind.

>Go to: ??? Home Shrine Guild

>I have not told a single lie in my life.
Laying it on too thick, Emils.

Go to ??? because reasons.

Visit the triple question marks.

>>879926
Go Home. Victoria might be worried.

I would like to tell Victoria about Lust. Where would she be? Home?

>>879926
Home it is.

>>879926
Have we been to the Shrine yet? If not let's go check it out.

Home

>>879926
Home

The natives do seem to lie frequently, but often claim truth as important.
Attempt to formulate some untruths on the way, but avoid actually employing any.

What, no goodbye hugs?

Did we do all that we could at the guild? I'm assuming we did since that's where we came from. In that case, I think we can return Home.


>>879928 >>879930
Radial says the ??? option is "Input option".

>>879938
The Shrine is the school.

>>879949
I mean, it's a guild, there's always more to do, but enough has probably happened in one day.

We can see if Nick contacted the guild about those thugs by now. It'd give us something to do while we plan our next step.

>>879926
Let's go home

Emils 2018/05/04(Fri)12:21 No. 882515 ID: ea36cf
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As the house comes into view, I notice Red eyes talking to another Avaros.
"... And you are sure that she has no family?"
"There are no records of her exi-"

They stop talking as they notice me.
"Oh. You're back. Emils, this is Chancellor Strix. Say hello."
I give a nod, "Good afternoon Sir-"
"That is Chancellor, child." I feel him stare hard at me.
I correct myself, "Good afternoon Chancellor Strix"
I stand next to Red eyes, "The Chancellor is... an old friend, and had decided to check up on us."
"...Yes. That." His eyes narrows at me, "Have you been wading around in the sewers child? You stink terribly."

>>882515
Explain that yes, you were indeed exploring the sewers. It's part of your adventurer training. You saw a slime.

Yes.

Use Solid Material Perception to sense if anyone else is near.

Tell them that swimming underground was necessary as you were meeting with Moderator Lust.

>>882515
"Yes. I followed a slime to its colony and met its mother. It was through some deep stagnant mostly-water.
Are you an evil Chancellor? In the stories Chancellors and Viziers are always evil, and you're dressed just like them."

You killed a giant slime in the sewers.

Yeah. It's like wading around in politics, only I can wash the stink off afterwards.

>>882518
Also, ask what kind of an occupation a Chancellor is. Does he get to travel a lot and fight monsters?

>"Have you been wading around in the sewers child? You stink terribly."
Not wading, no, I was fully submerged.

>>882525
Also this.

>>882515
I don’t want to tell Chancellor Strix anything about what happened with Lust in the sewers. I don’t trust him.

I’d rather tell Red Eyes what happened when we’re alone with her, while obviously leaving out any details that would reveal that we’re a slime.

>>882550
This.

Ask him about Chancellors, but avoid anything about Lust or slimes.

>>882550
That's... a fair point. Red Eyes hesitated to call the avian a friend, and that information might be dangerous in the wrong hands.

Let's discreetly avoid any mention of mana beast communication for now. This information may be valuable to Victoria, so let's give her the opportunity to decide how to use it to her advantage instead of revealing everything to someone who may be a political adversary of her.

Yeah you were in the sewers. You killed a slime.

>>882515

Frown and sniff yourself.

"I slipped and fell in a pool of something vile earlier. I'd hoped most of it had dried off, my apologies. I'll go wash up."

Bow and try to take your leave to take a bath and clean your clothes. If they let you leave, enhance your hearing so you can hear what they're discussing.

"Yes."

>>882570
Clever. I will support eavesdropping.

"Yes. If you're friends, why aren't you friendly?"

Emils 2018/05/05(Sat)03:11 No. 882651 ID: ea36cf
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"I have had been submerged in stagnant water." I reply, sniffing myself, "If you would please excuse myself, I will go clean up."

Black beak nods, whipping out a cloth and pressing it against his nose, "Yes. Please do." He focuses back to Red eyes, "Victor, I do not wish to pry, but it is very unbecoming for a child to be playing in such a hazardous place."
"I... Yes."
He almost looms over her, "I do wish you would pay closer attention to the child, least I need to bring what you consider... childcare, the proper authorities."
Red eyes seems to shrink at his pressure, "Of course sir."
"I would hate to think something would... happen to a child as young as her."

I close the door behind me.

>Choose who to follow

Strix

The cop-eating slime.

Jogert.

Strix

"Victor"

That boy we traumatised earlier

>>882654
Ooh. I remember that...

Let's follow Shane (that's the boy's name, I think.).

I'd like to see how Nick is doing.
The brother of the rabbold Emils took the form of.

Victoria. I wanna see how she takes the news when Emils explain we killed Lust.

>>882651
Victoria

Sure, let's go with Victoria again.

>>882654
Seconded.

Victoria. We need more Red Eyes

Bag!

Wild Hungry Slime

>>882664
Alright I'll change to Victoria. I got distracted by the new NPC and forgot what we had planned.

I look to Strix, “What the hell was that?!”
He looks back to me with a smirk, “I must say, Victor, you’ve picked up a rather special little girl.”
“...And?”
He sighs, “I’m sure you’ve heard me mutter under my breath. I’ve developed a bit of a habit of correcting people in Avarian.”
I shake my head, “That doesn’t sound like Avarian.”
“Ancient Avarian. My family goes back that far. Your little girl can speak a dead language perfectly.”
“That... doesn’t mean much.”
“The pronunciations can only be produced by Avaros throats.”

“Also, there’s something wrong with her eyes.” Strix says as he crosses his arms and taps a finger against his beak. “There’s no life in them.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve seen people who have given up in life. Those who have accepted their lot in life, and wouldn’t refuse if death comes their way. She has the same look in her eyes. She might put up a mask of emotions, but there’s still something deep in her that she’s blocking out.”
“I’ve tried asking her, but she does not remember anything beyond a few days before my people found her.”
“Well,” he starts, straightening out his clothes, “I am not child psychologist, but perhaps she refuses to remember what happened. A mental barrier to stop herself from facing what happened to her... or her family.” He frowns. “I’ll check the census of nearby villages and towns to see if there has been any incidents or missing people.”
“Alright, thank you.”
“Ah yes, I would also like to invite you and Emils to my sons birthday.”
“What? Why?”
“My son has a rather... unique temperament. Frankly, I’m rather worried about him making friends, and perhaps Emils stoic nature might help.” He holds out an invite. “What say you?”

Oh, you're probably just surprised someone finally managed to rebuff you. Nothing's impossible with magic. Our ward is a perfectly normal albino forest rabbold. Perfectly normal.
Decline the offer - Emils is the center of a swirling vortex of chaos and he wouldn't want his son sucked into it.

>>884715
"I'm not sure Emils would be a good influence on your son, but we can attend."

(So the whole talk about the stink was done in ancient Avarian? Hah.)

First, reply with a small burn,
"It's unfortunate to hear that your son's childcare has been problematic as well. As you can see, childcare is not a simple thing."
And then accept his request,
"As you wish. But do remember that, as her guardian, I will have to watch carefully that she's not getting any sort of.. negative influence"
Also, ask him if his son speaks only ancient Avarian or something.

Of course. It would probably be good for Emils as well.

>>884715
Kind of worrying that evidence seems to imply she's gone through trauma.
Anyway in regards to the party, maybe it would be good for both of them.

Emil's has a knack for languages. And there's currently no problems with attending the party, though who knows what the future holds.

Especially considering certain recent events that really need to be discussed with someone.

>>884715
Alright. Emils could use the social activity as well.

Note to self: ask Emils how many languages she can speak. Research possible explanations for this ability.

>“What say you?”
"Well, alright. I make no promises Emils won't eat him alive, though."

>>884753
It's one of her starting skills that she's gifted with languages. Dunno if there's a hard cap, or if there's even a cap.

>>884819
I meant Victoria should do that.

>>884825
Oh okay.

She may look serious but she did messed with her colleagues. Don't be so sure your son will have a stoic to serve as a role model, he may end up as a victim of an uncommon prankster.

"I'll accept the invite." I said, taking it from him.
He grins in that annoying way that politions have when they get their way.
"I'm glad. And please find something nice for Emils to wear. I would hate to see her develop your tastes in fashion."
"Pardon?" I glare at him, I just know he insulted me somehow.
"I said I will look forward to your visit." He bows before leaving.
I said my goodbyes and he waves without turning around.

As I return into the house, Emils walks out of the bathroom.
"Emils."
"Victoria."
"Where are your clothes?"
"They stink."
"That's not what I... I mean why aren't you wearing clothes?"
"They stink."
"Your clean clothes."
"They're in my room."

I press my hand over my forehead. I'm too tired for this.
"Emils, We've been invited to a birthday party. I need to get you some party dresses."
"Oh."
She tilts her head, "What's a birthday?"

A grim reminder of our mortality. Also they serve cake.

Hey, Vic, you should have Emils around more often when you have to talk to that guy. You'll get insulted less if he's understood by her.

"You know how you're supposed to wear clothes, right Emils? Try bringing clean clothes into the bathroom before you shower next time.

And of course you don't know birthdays... It's an annual, uh, celebration for the day someone was born, by family and friends. Really they're mostly for kids. Just a way to keep track of how old you are."

>>885403
Make sure you ask Emils why she was in the sewers.

>>885407
Oh right, that too.

>>884864
A yearly celebration of our birth. Sometimes punctuated with gifts and pastry Foods.

>>885403
Hmm this brings up an interesting point. When will Emils celebrate her birthday? Ask her when she considers her birth-date to be.

Also ask how many languages she knows.

>What's a birthday
An annual celebration on the date someone was born.

>>885403
"Annual celebration of your first day of life.
In cases like yours we tend to celebrate the closest approximation, so it would be when you were found."

>>885403
A celebration of someone's life, held every year on the day they were born.

>>885404

>>885404
This is pretty much the best one.

"Birthdays are a grim reminder of how close we are to death. With cake."
I guide Emils to her room, to pick out something for her to wear. There's only one place I can get a proper dress tailored in such short notice. Cheaply.

"Back home, We'd celebrate at the end of the year. Everyone is given a gift by someone older. Giving a gift to someone older is typically between close family or friends. A celebration for them surviving another year."
I dry off Emils's fur as I remind her to wear underwear.
"In here, children are given birthdays when they reach the age of five, ten, and fifteen, and a final celebration when they reach 16, when they're an adult."

"So since I am 10, does that mean I am deserved 10 gifts? or two?"
I frown, "A gift is something close to the heart," I say, patting her chest, "It's something they need. Or if you can't think of something, at best it's something they want."
I help her put on her clothes, "A gift of needs means your thoughts are to their well being. It can be food, clothes, or training. It depends from person to person. There's little need for a child to have a weapon, but teaching them self discipline can aid them deeply. Likewise, a child living away from the city, closer to the wilderness, could benefit deeply from a weapon, either to hunt or just for self dense."

Emils seems to think about it before asking, "So whose birthday will I be attending? And will I need to provide a gift?"
I grab a bag before heading out, "We will be attending the 10th birthday of Silvia Strix Saron. He's the son of the Avaros you just saw. You needn't worry about a gift, since you two are not that familiar. I'll just grab something neutral you can pass off as a present."
"What's he like?"
"Ah... Mind you, I've only heard rumors. I am not sure if any of it is true. He's a rather eccentric boy. He was kind of a normal noble child, up to two years ago. Upright with a sense of noble justice or something like that. He was visiting the girl he was betrothed to, but there was... an accident."
"What kind of accident?"
"Hm. An explosion, if I remember right. He made it out okay, but his fiance had lost an arm and both her parents, while he lost his mother. Strix and his son changed a lot since then. Silvia became more recluse, pushing people away. I think Strix is trying to reintegrate his son to society with this party as an excuse."
I shake my head, "I'm not sure what he's like now, I'm not really a close part of the grand nobility here."

Emils nods, "I see. Perhaps I could talk to him before hand in order to pick of an appropriate gift?"
"That's nice of you, but unfortunately, he buried himself in his projects. Hardly anyone, even his own father, has seen him lately. He has a small laboratory somewhere in the city, if you want to look for him."
"Laboratory?"
"Yeah. He picked up a hobby of item enchanting a few years ago. Same profession has his mother. Since the accident two years ago, he's been focusing hard on his enchanting. Ah, we're here."
The Theater, I grimace.

>Fiance lost an arm
Alice?
I bet he's researching a way to give her a functional arm.

>theater
Oh boy time to visit your favorite person in the whole world. Maybe you can use Emils as a distraction if it comes to it. They haven't seen eachother in a while.

>His mother > explosion > enchantment
This cannot possible go wrong.

It would be rude to visit the neighborhood without meeting a certain someone.

>Enchantment
My guess is that he's trying to make a working prosthetic arm for Alice.

Who knows? Maybe you'll get lucky and this will be painless!

>>887424
Try not to make your disgust visible!

>his fiance had lost an arm
>"I see. Perhaps I could talk to him before hand in order to pick of an appropriate gift?"
Well, assuming Alice is his fiance (how many one armed Avaros girls could there be nearby?), maybe Emils could talk to her to find out about him.

>The Theater, I grimace.
Maybe you can use Emils' powers of magical social awkwardness as a shield against your obnoxious ex?

>>887424
"I think it would be best to speak with his fiancee for more information, assuming the engagement has not been called off.
Alice blames herself, and if my guess is correct he does as well - would he, by any chance, be attempting to create an enchanted prosthetic arm?"

>>887424
You forgot to ask Emils why she was in the sewers!

Relevant: >>/questarch/782321

Remind Emils to why we've decided to visit the theater now whereas the last time you told her it was off-limits.

Btw, why did you break up with your ex?

>>889838
Pretty sure it was stated that said ex borrowed Vic's clothing.

>>889856
Yes but that may not necessarily be the reason they broke up.