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Question Time
Sep 12, 2010



A

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Task Manager
Sep 5, 2008

A weird time in which we are alive. We can travel anywhere we want, even to other planets. And for what? To sit day after day, declining in morale and hope.
B!

One day we'll be made of sterner stuff. Not this day, though.

Mexican Deathgasm
Aug 17, 2010

Ramrod XTreme
E

TheCog
Jul 30, 2012

I AM ZEPA AND I CLAIM THESE LANDS BY RIGHT OF CONQUEST
"Are you?" you manage to ask, even as the Sejin holds you so tightly it almost takes your breath away. He nods, and after a second loosens his grip and puts you down, in the ruins of the tree you just smashed. You look at his arm. He doesn't *look* ok, from all the blood gushing out of it. In fact it may be the single most horrific thing you've seen this close. It makes you a little queasy. "Oh, that" the Sejin says, following your gaze. "Don't let it trouble you Sundar, I've had worse" he smiles at you, still clearly concerned. "I'm going to fix it now. It may be a little strange to look at, but I promise, I am fine." He pulls, from between the folds of his clothes a leather strap, and a small glass bottle. He pauses, hesitates for a second.

"It would be very helpful to me Sundar, if you held my hand for this next bit. I understand its not pleasant. I'm sorry." he says gesturing at the hand at the end of his rather mangled arm. It is soaked in blood, and rather unpleasant to look at

You (are on the honor system, read no further before you decide how you are going to vote)


A.) Hold his hand
B.) Ew. Don't.




Regardless of if you hold his cold limp fingers in your hand, the Sejin takes a long sniff from the bottle, and then utters a short incantation, drawing in the air, in faint red lines. He slides the leather strap between his teeth and bites down, hard. His left hand glows a faint, pulsing red, and in one decisive motion, he grabs hold of his mangled arm. You see him bite down harder into the leather as the wound seems to... bubble, in a disturbing way. You can see bone starting to retract back into the wound, muscles and flesh rippling aside to let the fragments sink deeper into the arm. They slowly, ever so slowly inch into position. You can see the Sejin's face, contorted in an expression of agony.

Then the ligaments and tendons. You can clearly see them. Slithering like snakes. Wrapping around bone. Snapping into place with harsh, clicking noises, as the cracks in the bone seem to meld together. You look away. You see the Sejin, his face screwed in a mix of concentration and agony.

Next comes the muscle, it shudders and stretches, curtains of flesh being drawn over frames of bone. It crawls, like a slow moving tide, or an army of ants, until it seems there is no more place for the muscle to crawl. Beads of sweat cover the Sejin's face. Your stomach feels queasy.

Finally, agonizingly, the skin. The quickest part. It grows, covering the muscle, blooming like flowers in spring, covering the red with the brownish tone you're used to seeing. The fingers, at the end of the Sejin's hand twitch, and if you're holding his hand, you can feel that the warmth has fully returned to them, as he flexes them.


"Sundar, I am sorry. I know that was not... the most pleasant thing you've ever seen." As he says this he does not stop moving, quickly sequestering the small bottle and the leather strap back in the folds of his clothes. "But there is no time. These are just sentries. There is a whole nest, just beyond. If I stop, if I give them time, they will hide their queen, strengthen their defenses, and then it will be very difficult to burn them out. If we just let them be, then they will devour their way out of this valley, until someone sends and army to stop them. I have to stop them." he pauses for breath, and seems to ponder for an instant. "What I am going to do is leave you here. With an" he pauses again, as if searching for an explanation "with a really old friend of mine. She'll watch over you. I can't bring you. Protecting you and killing the queen would overextend me. Is that ok Sundar?" he asks, looking at you with a stern sincerity. It seems he actually wants your opinion.

2.)

C.) Yes. Of course. Feel free to write in why you're ok with this.

D.) Yes. You're lying and intend to sneak off after him. You want to see him defeat the bugs.

E.) No. You want to go where he goes. Not stay here with some stranger. Where's he even getting his friend from anyway? Is he hiding her in his bag?

F.) No. You want to go to a town, and go sleep in a warm bed, and not have the Sejin go and risk dying.

G.) No. You want to come so you can help him kill bugs.

H.) Write in.

TheCog fucked around with this message at 06:29 on Dec 8, 2017

There Bias Two
Jan 13, 2009
I'm not a good person

AG

Kill ALLL the bugs!

Hexenritter
May 20, 2001


A without hesitation then :barf: then E

Task Manager
Sep 5, 2008

A weird time in which we are alive. We can travel anywhere we want, even to other planets. And for what? To sit day after day, declining in morale and hope.
AD

Magnusth
Sep 25, 2014

Hello, Creature! Do You Despise Goat Hating Fascists? So Do We! Join Us at Paradise Lost!


AC

That was dangerous and scary and i trust the Sejin.

Slaan
Mar 16, 2009



ASHERAH DEMANDS I FEAST, I VOTE FOR A FEAST OF FLESH
B ew ew ew gross no no no no!!!!


H. "I guess that is ok. But I want to know who this person is first. Why can't they go help you fight them instead? I will be fine!"

Dr Subterfuge
Aug 31, 2005

TIME TO ROC N' ROLL
AC

I don't want to endanger the Sejin, even though I'm scared.

100 HOGS AGREE
Oct 13, 2007
Grimey Drawer
AE

Crazycryodude
Aug 15, 2015

Lets get our X tons of Duranium back!

....Is that still a valid thing to jingoistically blow out of proportion?


Magnusth posted:

AC

That was dangerous and scary and i trust the Sejin.

Volmarias
Dec 31, 2002

EMAIL... THE INTERNET... SEARCH ENGINES...
AC

I mean, it's obviously not and it's clear that we're lying, but we're going to say it is, then cry, a lot, once he's out of sight. We just saw some serious stuff happen here, and now he's going to leave us? No way a kid, no matter how brave, is going to be cool here.

Jackard
Oct 28, 2007

We Have A Bow And We Wish To Use It
AC

Still kind of freaking out over here

Helical Nightmares
Apr 30, 2009

Magnusth posted:

AC

That was dangerous and scary and i trust the Sejin.

Lux Anima
Apr 17, 2016


Dinosaur Gum
AC

Only agree if Sejin promises to return in one piece, and to answer any questions you might have about his line of work.

He's not getting away so easy, not now that the cat's out of the proverbial bag.

the_steve
Nov 9, 2005

We're always hiring!

AC - Because I trust him and because I know he's going to come back to teach us how to do cool things.

Blasphemaster
Jul 10, 2008

AC But kind of just squeak it out cause we're a kid and very nearly freaking the gently caress out probably.

Can your friend help me hide somewhere so I can watch you squish the nasty bugs if I'm too scared?

Patrick Spens
Jul 21, 2006

"Every quarterback says they've got guts, But how many have actually seen 'em?"
Pillbug

Volmarias posted:

AC

I mean, it's obviously not and it's clear that we're lying, but we're going to say it is, then cry, a lot, once he's out of sight. We just saw some serious stuff happen here, and now he's going to leave us? No way a kid, no matter how brave, is going to be cool here.

This

Question Time
Sep 12, 2010



AC

Eryxias
Feb 17, 2011

Stay low.
AC
I trust him, plus we've just been through a crazy ordeal, we probably don't have a coherent thought process to disobey. Plus, maybe if he sees we can be trusted he will train us more and have us come along sometimes.

Chatrapati
Nov 6, 2012
AE
He's the only significant person in our lives and we're scared. Don't leave us with some stranger! We need to make sure that he'll be okay, even if we're useless.

Slightly Lions
Apr 13, 2009

Look what I can do!
AE, mostly because I, as a player, want to see Sejin do some more high-octane wiz-biz.

Hot Dog Day 80
Jun 23, 2003
AC

TheCog
Jul 30, 2012

I AM ZEPA AND I CLAIM THESE LANDS BY RIGHT OF CONQUEST
Your emotions are a conflicted swirl. On one hand you trust the Sejin, and know he'll come back. On the other, you are scared, and he's going to go away and leave you with a stranger instead of bringing you along. Oh and you're trying very hard not to cry. You manage to sneak out a question: "Can... can we hide somewhere where we can watch you squash the bugs?" you ask. The Sejin shakes his head "I'm afraid not Sundar, my friend is powerful but I don't want you anywhere you could get hurt." You just manage to nod. Ok. You'll wait here.

The Sejin reaches in his bag and rummages around, pulling out a pendant, made entirely of a strange green stone you've never seen before. It looks like a snake, wrapped into a cross shape, biting its own tail. The Sejin touches it, and it begins to glow, brightly. He puts it around your neck.



"This is a magical charm" he explains, "if it stops glowing for a long time, take my friend, and head south. Don't stop at the first village you run into, press on until you get to Andorhall, and show this pendant to the Headsman there. Tell him what happened. He'll know what to do."

He then takes a bag of gold coins out, and places it next to you. "Not that I expect the pendant will stop glowing, but if it does, this should help you make it south.". At this point, you're confused. It seems like the Sejin is delaying just so he doesn't have to leave you behind? Or maybe he's afraid of introducing you to his friend? You don't know, but its making you nervous.

The Sejin pulls another strange object from his bag.



It looks like a small glass... obelisk? You've seen an obelisk before, on the edge of the Ossuary. The one you saw was near twenty feet tall and made of black stone, not the size of your clenched fist and made of glass. You can see what looks like water, rippling and swirling inside. The Sejin, in a practiced motion, draws his dagger, and nicks himself on the thumb, letting a drop of blood fall on the glass obelisk.

It shimmers, and ripples, and the Sejin sets it down next to the tree. A translucent shape forms around the top of the obelisk. It looks like a woman, composed wholey of mist. She speaks, in soft tones, that remind you of the gurgling of a stream.

"Why hello Amir, how nice of you to come calling", she says, with a playful smile. The Sejin replies, but not in a language you know. It sounds like... ice cracking, and water burbling, and its very strange. They go back and forth in the strange tongue, for what seems like a small eternity, but in reality is only a minute, maybe two. Then, the Sejin, with a grim expression, slowly drips seven more drops into the Obelisk, which turns faintly red... and then clear again, as the woman made of mist seems to solidify, bit by bit, until she's standing in front of the obelisk, a woman, made entirely of water



The Sejin looks over at you, and as if this were not a weird event out of a fairy tale, makes introductions, "This is my friend, Sundar, her name is Nomia, and we have traveled together for a long time." he pauses, and continues. "Nomia, this is Clarissa my..." he pauses, "my ward, I'm watching over her. You would do me a great favor by protecting her while I go deal with this inconvenience. Please, wait here for me." The Sejin punctuates his sentence with a small bow. He makes sure you're ok one more time, hugs you, and then he's off, bounding up the hill at full speed.



Nomia is friendly, and happy to answer your questions. When you're not asking her questions, she offers to tell you a story, to help pass the time. Do you want Nomia to tell you a story?


1.)
G.) Yes, a story about the Sejin
H.) Yes, a story about Nomia
I.) Yes, a story from Nomia's people
J.) No, I want her to do something else (fill in)
K.) No, I'm brooding


Time passes. What feels like a lot. Occasionally, the light in the pendant flickers, but at no point does it go out. Still, its been what feels like hours and hours. The sun has even set. You:


2.)
A.) Go look for the Sejin! Bring Nomia along!

B.) Sneak away to look for the Sejin!

C.) Demand Nomia take you to the Sejin!

D.) Tell Nomia you're going to go look for the Sejin. She can come if she wants.

E.) Wait here. Patiently. The Sejin will be back shortly, surely.

F.) Something else. Write in.


Question time with Nomia is open

Prince of Space posted:

Question: What would you give me in return for a drop of my blood?

"A drop of blood isn't really a drop of blood. It represents... an energy within. For you, young as you are? It would rob you of a year of life or more. It wouldn't buy you much, but I could perhaps, heal those scars of yours. It would be difficult, but it would be doable. Or maybe you're after something a bit more... practical? A charm to bring you luck? A talisman to allow you to breathe water for a time?" she pauses... "but the Sejin, he would be furious, so if we do this, it must be our secret, yes?"

Vote:

L.) I'd like to trade a drop of blood, a year of my life for a good luck charm
M.) For a talisman of water breathing
N.) For a weapon of some kind
O.) For my scars being healed
P.) For... something else, suggest what and I'll let you know if its possible
Q.) No thanks.

TheCog fucked around with this message at 23:14 on Dec 9, 2017

TheCog
Jul 30, 2012

I AM ZEPA AND I CLAIM THESE LANDS BY RIGHT OF CONQUEST
Modified some of the voting options. Sorry about that!

B.B. Rodriguez
Aug 8, 2005

Bender: "I was God once." God: "Yes, I saw. You were doing well until everyone died."

So our name is Clarissa?

TheCog
Jul 30, 2012

I AM ZEPA AND I CLAIM THESE LANDS BY RIGHT OF CONQUEST

B.B. Rodriguez posted:

So our name is Clarissa?

TheCog posted:

You are Clarissa, and you were 9 when your village burned down.

Slaan
Mar 16, 2009



ASHERAH DEMANDS I FEAST, I VOTE FOR A FEAST OF FLESH
I, E: I'm sure she has more than enough to tell us to keep us busy while mage-daddy is off fighting. He'll be back in no time!

Crazycryodude
Aug 15, 2015

Lets get our X tons of Duranium back!

....Is that still a valid thing to jingoistically blow out of proportion?


IA

What are you?
Where are you from?
Do you live in that obelisk? How do you fit in there?
Are you magical?
How did you meet the Sejin? How long have you known him?
What language were you speaking? Can you teach me to speak it?
Can you teach me how to do any magic?
What's the Seijin fighting right now? Is he going to be ok?
What does the word "Sejin" mean? What does your name mean?

Faerunner
Dec 31, 2007
I E

Nomia, tell me a story about your family.

TheCog
Jul 30, 2012

I AM ZEPA AND I CLAIM THESE LANDS BY RIGHT OF CONQUEST

Crazycryodude posted:

What are you?
"I'm a Naiad. A river spirit."

Crazycryodude posted:

Where are you from?
"A river very very far from here. Across the Ocean, near Sylthous, but not quite there. It was an idyllic little place." she lets out a small giggle that reminds you the pittering of raindrops


Crazycryodude posted:

Do you live in that obelisk? How do you fit in there?

"I do. The obelisk is not as small on the inside as it is on the outside. Its very nice in there, actually. Cozy. Although, I will admit, a tad boring. I spend a lot of my time sleeping. Or singing"


Crazycryodude posted:

"Are you magical?"
"Can I do magic? Yes. Am I made of magic? No. Although I suppose if you wanted a definitive answer you would have to ask a wizard, or a Sejin"

Crazycryodude posted:

How did you meet the Sejin? How long have you known him?
"I'm not sure that's a story for right now. It might frighten you. I wasn't always this nice" she lets out another gurgling giggle, like she's just said something *terribly* amusing.


Crazycryodude posted:

What language were you speaking? Can you teach me to speak it?
"Revma, rivertongue, waterspeak, it goes by a few names. Its the language of flowing water. I'm not sure I could, I was born just... speaking it, and I don't know how the Sejin learned it."


Crazycryodude posted:

Can you teach me how to do any magic?

"I could try! I've never taught a mortal magic, I'm not sure how you humans draw mana, but I could try to show you the feelings I guess?" she seems a little puzzled by the thought, as if its something she'd never really given thought to.

Crazycryodude posted:

What's the Seijin fighting right now? Is he going to be ok?
"You know, I'm not actually sure what those things are." she says, curling her face in disgust at the bisected scarab. "The Sejin will be fine though, he's a pesky little survivor, and I don't think there's a monster on this world that could put him down before he's good and ready" she smiles at you, as she says this, her voice mirthful and full of confidence.


Crazycryodude posted:

What does the word "Sejin" mean? What does your name mean?
"Sejin means.... Sejin, I don't think it has a translation. Its what the Sejin is, traveler, troublemaker, wizard, warrior, scholar." she titters. Again.

"My name is just the name of the river where I was born. Or rather, the original name of the river, not what the mortals who came after named it."

Faerunner posted:

Nomia, tell me a story about your family.

"Family is a... strange concept to me, Naiad's don't really have parents, and I didn't get any siblings when I was born. So I guess I don't really have one, unless all the water spirits count as my big weird family?"

B.B. Rodriguez
Aug 8, 2005

Bender: "I was God once." God: "Yes, I saw. You were doing well until everyone died."


You're not the boss of me! I have great reading skills! :colbert:

Chatrapati
Nov 6, 2012
JD
She should teach us something useful, like a magic spell so that we can help.

Why do you keep laughing? This is scary!
Are you and the Sejin friends?
Why did he bow to you?
Why did he cut himself? Did you want his blood?
Are you bad?
Why have I never met you before?
Were you hiding in the little obelisk?

Dr Subterfuge
Aug 31, 2005

TIME TO ROC N' ROLL
IE

Ask:
What would you do if something tried to attack us?
How long have you been traveling with the Sejin?
Why did the Sejin drop his blood into the obelisk?
What does it look like inside the obelisk?
Can I touch you?

TheCog
Jul 30, 2012

I AM ZEPA AND I CLAIM THESE LANDS BY RIGHT OF CONQUEST

Chatrapati posted:

Why do you keep laughing? This is scary!
"I'm sorry child, but that is simply who I am. I'm not scared, and you shouldn't be either." she gives you a small smile... stifling a giggle?

Chatrapati posted:

Are you and the Sejin friends?
"We are. Or I like to think so at least. We've gone through a lot of things together"

Chatrapati posted:

Why did he bow to you?
"Why do people do anything?" she giggle again. "I assume as a sign of respect and or gratitude. He's very polite when he wants to be."

Chatrapati posted:

Why did he cut himself? Did you want his blood?
"Essence transference." she pauses, as if puzzling out something. "The obelisk, my house, doesn't require much energy to keep things in, it takes some energy to let me out, with that drop of blood the Sejin was letting enough of me out to talk. The rest of the drops were my price. Being away from a river takes a lot out of me, so the Sejin generously gave me enough to be out, and a little more." she pauses, and adds "with a little convincing, of course" and she giggles again.

Chatrapati posted:

Are you bad?
"It depends on how you define bad" she says with a sly wink.

Chatrapati posted:

Why have I never met you before?
"You have actually. You probably don't remember, you were pretty feverish and burnt at the time. The Sejin is, at best, mediocre at biokinesis. I'm a much better healer. Not to brag. So I helped him out. You're welcome by the way. "

Chatrapati posted:

Were you hiding in the little obelisk?

"Not hiding as much as living. Being away from a river is exhausting, so I need my little obelisk most of the time."


Dr Subterfuge posted:

What would you do if something tried to attack us?
"I would call the rush of water, and the killing frost. Summon the currents and weave the song of destruction" she says, in a sing songy voice, as if she isn't taking the question very seriously.

Dr Subterfuge posted:

How long have you been traveling with the Sejin?
"Since before he had that silly beard, when he was still young and less dour" she giggles. Again.


Dr Subterfuge posted:

Why did the Sejin drop his blood into the obelisk?
Answered above

Dr Subterfuge posted:

What does it look like inside the obelisk?
"Its very different from here. Its like being deep in a warm river, being gently swayed by a current."

Dr Subterfuge posted:

Can I touch you?
"Sure" she giggles as you touch her hand, she feels warm to the touch, warmer than human skin, but its also kind of wet, but firm enough that its not like submerging your hand in a lake.

Lux Anima
Apr 17, 2016


Dinosaur Gum

TheCog posted:

"I would call the rush of water, and the killing frost. Summon the currents and weave the song of destruction" she says, in a sing songy voice, as if she isn't taking the question very seriously.

Well in that case, we'll be safe! Let's go find the Sejin. G

While we travel, tell me a story about you and the Sejin. A

Question: What would happen if the obelisk were to break - would you return to your birthplace?

Question: What would you give me in return for a drop of my blood?

the_steve
Nov 9, 2005

We're always hiring!

HE

Also thank her for helping us before and now.

Helical Nightmares
Apr 30, 2009
G, E

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TheCog
Jul 30, 2012

I AM ZEPA AND I CLAIM THESE LANDS BY RIGHT OF CONQUEST

Prince of Space posted:

Question: What would happen if the obelisk were to break - would you return to your birthplace?

Question: What would you give me in return for a drop of my blood?

"I would die" she says this matter of factly. "Well, unless you broke it in a river, in which case I'd be fine, but the Geas upon me would break, so I'm not sure I'd be the same as I am now."

Prince of Space posted:

Question: What would you give me in return for a drop of my blood?

"A drop of blood isn't really a drop of blood. It represents... an energy within. For you, young as you are? It would rob you of a year of life or more. It wouldn't buy you much, but I could perhaps, heal those scars of yours. It would be difficult, but it would be doable. Or maybe you're after something a bit more... practical? A charm to bring you luck? A talisman to allow you to breathe water for a time?" she pauses... "but the Sejin, he would be furious, so if we do this, it must be our secret, yes?"

Vote:

L.) I'd like to trade a drop of blood, a year of my life for a good luck charm
M.) For a talisman of water breathing
N.) For a weapon of some kind
O.) For my scars being healed
P.) For... something else, suggest what and I'll let you know if its possible
Q.) No thanks.

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