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Swedish Thaumocracy
Jul 11, 2006

Strength of >800 Men
Honor of 0
Grimey Drawer
Slice of Life: Looking Back

Now that you are months of slimedriven riverboattravel away, and more importantly out of the hustle of the city, you grab a lull moment by its ankles and appreciate how large the Rim Wall actually is. Really, your rather unique circumstances makes you the perfect candidate for such contemplation, considering that you have in fact not always seen it from the moment of your birth til that of your death, as most others, and thus take it slightly less for granted.

For indeed, you were born underground, only venturing forth from the safety of Tukatt Hold when forced by your exile, though you had of course already been informed of its presence during your state mandated education.

The Region of Daalig, one of the two sources of the lonely river and home to your home, so to speak, is doubly blessed by housing one section of the wall within its borders. So massive is this edifice, this wall, that for three days as one travels on horseback without rest, all lands from its base fall under its shadow. Nothing much lives in the badlands beneath the wall, save those monsters most fit to the darkness and a scant few imperial outposts of hard and serious labour. To live in Daalig is to have that constant reminder that at least from one direction you are truly safe, but we're an inhabitant to crane their neck to try to absorb the walls enormity, they would just as well to lay flat on the ground, such is their relative proximity.



Here, half a half a world away, your view is clearer. The word enormous does not do it justice. The wall still fills all horizons, and the feeling is one of full enclosure rather than the sheer impassable sight stopping prowess of the view from your place of birth. It would be doing it a grave disservice to say it reaches the skies; it goes well past it. The Sea of Clouds so far above, a puddle at its stony feet. The mightiest of Dragons would not in its greatest effort reach the top, for the air around its wings would give out before the many miles of stoneworks. Yet there is a top, up there somewhere, for all to see as they gaze towards the sky. The Rim of the World.



Had you not been informed from an early age, you would probably find it ridiculous. You still find it odd, but comforting.

The God's, when pressed, corroborate the official story. However much it privately displeases some of them that is was not wrought by their hands; they all share the same tale, that the first Emperor, Rim, raised the wall within a year, around the entire world.

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super sweet best pal
Nov 18, 2009

Still wondering why he needed to wall off the world when there's nothing beyond. Is there much tourism from people wanting to take a closer look at the wall?

Swedish Thaumocracy
Jul 11, 2006

Strength of >800 Men
Honor of 0
Grimey Drawer

super sweet best pal posted:

Still wondering why he needed to wall off the world when there's nothing beyond. Is there much tourism from people wanting to take a closer look at the wall?

Whatever his reasoning, considering the state of the world? It was probably a good idea!

And yes, there is tourism, and pilgrimage to 'walk the Emperor's path' though the latter is discouraged.

Here are some Rimian equivalent of yelp! reviews.

"It's a big wall. That's pretty much it. Good coffee though. 2/5 stars."
- Mr. Lesswig, dwarven offalcarter.

"Came for the marvellous stonework, stayed because monsters ate my guide. It's cold here, and dark. If anyone finds this message, tell Tiffany I buried the silver under the still. 3/5 stars."
- Miss Eudicė, apprentice human stonemason.

"Such is the land 'neath shadows birth that all are as gnats in the dim, though through mine hubris this one still finds himself at wits end for decent board and service! 1/5 stars."
- Ser 'The Ripple of Woollen Fibres on Turquoise Cloth As It Dries On The Laundry Line of the Widows Son In The Summer Night'. Nobledrow.

"As far as testaments to man's triumph over nature go, I've seen better. Not bigger, mind, just... I don't know, ah, fancier? 2/5 stars. "
- Bengt Rosenbranch, human farmer.

"This is the worst family trip dad has ever taken us on. You can't even climb the stupid wall! 1/5 stars."
- Master Tully, human nobleperson.

"I don't know what I was expecting honestly, it's a very overwhelming wall experience in person, but also kind of meh? It's pretty featureless unless you go near the river part, but the sound there is deafening. They should do something about that in my opinion. 2/5 stars."
- Mrs. Andersdottir, Co-chairduckwoman of the Wall Fanciers Society.

Slaan
Mar 16, 2009



ASHERAH DEMANDS I FEAST, I VOTE FOR A FEAST OF FLESH
Tough customers

CourValant
Feb 25, 2016

Do You Remember Love?

Wait, the river flows down from the top of the wall? Is this the first time we've seen this illustration?

Also, did I ask the question of where the water flows out to/from? Where is the water outflow from Rim? I'm assuming there's no breach in the wall on the other side?

I'm assuming no one has the knowledge, experience, or curiosity to ask the hydrology/hydrodynamics question of what pumps the water up the wall on the other side?

Or, the other option, Rim is actually a big 'pit' dug down from a 'world above'?

Swedish Thaumocracy posted:

Here are some Rimian equivalent of yelp! reviews.

You bring us the best heresies. :ocelot: :)

Swedish Thaumocracy
Jul 11, 2006

Strength of >800 Men
Honor of 0
Grimey Drawer

CourValant posted:

Wait, the river flows down from the top of the wall? Is this the first time we've seen this illustration?

Also, did I ask the question of where the water flows out to/from? Where is the water outflow from Rim? I'm assuming there's no breach in the wall on the other side?

I'm assuming no one has the knowledge, experience, or curiosity to ask the hydrology/hydrodynamics question of what pumps the water up the wall on the other side?

Or, the other option, Rim is actually a big 'pit' dug down from a 'world above'?


You bring us the best heresies. :ocelot: :)

This was a new illustration that I wanted to do to give people an idea of the size of the wall! The previous world map was a bit... unwieldly, and some errors in scale had crept in along the way. So it goes with Kobolds doing all the math!


click for HUGE

But yes, the water is flowing from the top, or close enough to it. You can't really be sure, since there is water and mist in the way.
The River has two sources, each on opposite sides of the world. The current goes down, both ways, and meet up in the very centre. Hence going to Rim (the city) is pretty expedient, but going from Rim is anything but. As for your other questions; you havn't really spent any time studying geography, so you don't actually know the answer. You suspect the water flows into the ocean? As it does here in Whale, though the River does keep going. Rim is supposed to be a port city, so maybe it has an ocean as well, or this ocean is the same as that one? Who knows! (I do.)

Swedish Thaumocracy fucked around with this message at 21:55 on Dec 19, 2018

Outrail
Jan 4, 2009

www.sapphicrobotica.com
:roboluv: :love: :roboluv:
What's the pH, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen content (% and ppm), temperature, total suspended solid loading, colour and transparency of the waterfall? Any life forms of objects come down with it?

CourValant
Feb 25, 2016

Do You Remember Love?

Swedish Thaumocracy posted:

The River has two sources, each on opposite sides of the world. The current goes down, both ways, and meet up in the very centre.

Oh bloody hell.

We've been in a multi-dimensional ARR-PEE-GEE all this time!!!

This is like, Sigil, v.09; we're in Sigil, pre and or post donut.

Outrail
Jan 4, 2009

www.sapphicrobotica.com
:roboluv: :love: :roboluv:
Wait. The wall goes all the way around. The river comes in on both sides. Is there a giant whirlpool in the middle of the ocean or are we all doomed to drown?

Basscop
Jun 4, 2010

Lightnin? HA! Thats a good 'un!
Now why dontcha
come o'er here and
GET

IN

MY

BELLY!!!
I dont get what all the fuss is about. This is p much fantasy earth just with a wall around it.

Dr Subterfuge
Aug 31, 2005

TIME TO ROC N' ROLL

Basscop posted:

I dont get what all the fuss is about. This is p much fantasy earth just with a wall around it.

Sort of. The source of the river over the wall is weird and so is the thing that stops the area within the wall from flooding. It's pretty much, "eh, magic" but dammit, WHAT KIND OF MAGIC?!

Swedish Thaumocracy
Jul 11, 2006

Strength of >800 Men
Honor of 0
Grimey Drawer

Basscop posted:

I dont get what all the fuss is about. This is p much fantasy earth just with a wall around it.

It's a very big wall!

Dr Subterfuge posted:

WHAT KIND OF MAGIC?!

What is magic? If you mean Cupcake strangeness of even xaotics.. well, at the least the official claim is that it was built by hand. By one man. In a single year.
Maybe the old Emperor was just really good at building stuff?

Outrail
Jan 4, 2009

www.sapphicrobotica.com
:roboluv: :love: :roboluv:
That's a nice story but there's a disturbing lack of foof in it. Have we found a gnome yet? Shake him by the ankles until the foof comes out.

super sweet best pal
Nov 18, 2009

Finding a new alchemist should definitely be a high priority after we're done with the wasps. Maybe someone who can turn our star into something more than a light source.

Swedish Thaumocracy
Jul 11, 2006

Strength of >800 Men
Honor of 0
Grimey Drawer
Trouble on the Rim, Book 2, Chapter 5
A Bounty of Vespids

Huddik hills, The Krills, east of the City of Whale
The Fifth of December, 347 A.R.
Part 2: To Whom it May Concern.


Dear Brother! Tonight oi learned there's things far more 'orrible than wasps, and them is Vespids. Size of a goat they is, though lucky fer us they ain't half as clever. Got a nasty stinger and such, but you can dodge them if yer lucky or wily.

Now, 'eres the thing, bossman at me new gig had a fresh bounty fer us, to waltz inta one of them Vespid hives an nick us their queen all sneaky like. Right there you got me thinking, u wot? This business is mad! Though the pay's likewise so who am I to complain?

We got there round mid-dark, takin' all kinds of zig zaggy paths and what not to 'void both the beasties and the gangers, 'least that's what the client told us. Got an Alchemist with a bag of tricks and suchlike, all very hush hush because of course it is, an' as they tell it we just need ta get 'im in and he'll do the rest.

Get him in? A right laugh I tell you that, what with him wearin' all kinds of stuffy cloths and a big ol' divers helmet like it ain't no thing walking down mainstreet - a Vespid lay an eye on 'im an' we're all toast - so the others start makin' plans an' suchlike an' I try to listen in but what with me only bein' on the job fer a day an' all, ain't much I can do to contribute aside from 'let's not get ganked' an' pointin' out me own size in relation to the waspies, just in case they needed a rat where a cow couldn't fit, innit?

Right, so they chatter for a bit an' decide to stage an ambush one of them patrolin' bee-things, whole sky is full of them judgin' by the noise of their flipflappy membranes, thinkin' if they can down one maybe it's innards will make breakin' in less of a skinflayin' gauntlet - which is fine by me.

Oh right, supposed to tell you 'bout who im workin' with. First there's bossman and he's right weird, got some sort of curse urgin' him rimward. You could tell even if he didn't say it first thing, caus his feet always pointin' there as if they mean ta leave without him an' he moans whenever he looks another way. Says he's workin on some way around it, an i hope that works out 'caus a curse ain't anyway to live, ye ken? That aisdes, he's some dwarrow from the mountains up by rivers source, some region by the base of the wall if I heard it right. Though why he'd come all the way down here is some fifty degrees of complicated an' i have enough on my mind fer that. Has a head fer numbers when it ain't achin' for Rim and is even weirder than that alchemist besides - if he wasn't carryin' that axe around you'd swear he was a gnome an even still I ain't more then half convinced he ain't.

Side from bossman there's Khami from the desert. That's about all I could tell you caus he don't say much unless prompted, and when he does it's all flowery nonsense. Suppose he thinks he's drow? At least the third one has 'er species down pat, that being the archer frogwoman name of some sort of croak I couldn't quiet figure of how to spell - seems nice enough - pretty eyes if that's yer thing, and soggy skin besides. Wildwise to my streetwise, so a good catch there fer bossman, gettin' his bases covered and all. Way I sees it, pretty much all our lives depend on her doin' her job right as the company's somewhat lackin' in other archers at the moment an' all the beasts can fly. Wonder how much the ol' Quackeen would need ta barter that of them fer a day.

Right, we're headin' out again, Ill come visit soon an, if I don't, well at least I got some geld your way.
Luv, Gwendolyn.

Swedish Thaumocracy fucked around with this message at 16:36 on Jan 20, 2019

Dr Subterfuge
Aug 31, 2005

TIME TO ROC N' ROLL

:allears:

Oh that was marvelous. I'm still baffled we chose the street urchin, but at least she's a sassy street urchin.

CourValant
Feb 25, 2016

Do You Remember Love?

Now I feel bad about dragging Gwen into this mess.

I want to put her in a good school and have her study Accountancy.

Swedish Thaumocracy
Jul 11, 2006

Strength of >800 Men
Honor of 0
Grimey Drawer
Trouble on the Rim, Book 2, Chapter 5
A Bounty of Vespids

Huddik hills, The Krills, east of the City of Whale
The Fifth of December, 347 A.R.
Part 3: A Vespid Hive of Slime and Chivalry.


Seldom does one get the opportunity to excel through failure, but in this one instance that might well be what distinguishes your Company from the swollen corpses of would be rivals. That you, unladen by the burdens of proper equipment or personnel, enter the zone of combat with but a frog, a man, an alchemist and more inexplicably, a homeless child to which you promised an education and tons of money to follow you into certain death against the Will of God.
Yes, so obscure and niched is your adventure that the opposition you face (giant insects, in this case) can with the confidence and hubris of superiority, ignore you.

Make no mistake; had a burlier team been sent, they would assuredly spelled their own doom, no matter how many bugs they could take with them.
This is your unbiased conclusion after an hour or two in enemy territory, primal fear waging all out war against The Geas you are burdened with and the task at hand.
You are not in a happy place, but for the moment, you are alive. One might even say it is going well.

-

Skvababt, your huntress, is a superior shot. An expert marksfrogwoman even in the gloom of night. She has single handedly taken out two Vespid patrols so far, adding their carcasses to the heavy pack you must bring with you until you find deep enough shelter to begin processing the bodies. To your great relief, the drones that she slew went down without a fuss, or a buzz for that matter, instead falling silent into the foliage below as Skvababts arrows pierced their central nerve clusters. It appears the wound you have caused the hive - so far - is not enough to warrant much further attention, and you have wisely decided not to push your luck.



Under the cover of Cedrelinga trees, you strip the exoskeletal shell from your quarry, revealing a revolting sea of goop. Really there is no better word for the undulating soupy mixture of primordial honey and hydraulic fluid that churns in the belly of these beasts. You cannot even begin to differentiate one soggy mass from another, much less identify anything that would pass for an organ in any sensible creature. At least the outside bits make sense, tough mandibles with which to pierce or cut, thin membranes attached to hollow, bonelike protrudences supported by what at first glance appear to be muscles, but when cut open reveal more goop.



You begin slathering yourselves in the semiliquid remains to enable your disguise as you continue with your inquisitory biopsy, noting with some concern the rigidity and sharpness of the stinger. You break one of and add it to your belt for a makeshift emergency knife, and Skvababt likewise occupies herself with salvage, fetching one of her arrows from her quiver, obviously considering how best to attach one to the other.

+ 2 Patroller-Drone Stinger get!

Fully gooped, you continue to sneak closer and closer to the beige superstructure, ceasing movement at the smallest sound or flicker of moonlight. For even covered as you are you deem it safest to avoid confrontation.
Something which eventually sees you through a groundish level opening to the inside.

To say the hive is majestic would be a misscharacterisation. It is certainly massive, opulent even if you count the value of your coins in sugar content instead of gold or silver, but it lacks that oppressive, self aggrandizing overture that so distinguishes the royal from the merely bourgeois. No, the hive is far too utilitarian for such frivolity. There are passages. There are what you suspect to be ventilation shafts and there are halls where transactions of various sorts might occur. Mostly fluidbased, judging by the looks of it. Here and there are slimes of all sorts, doing slimy things to idle organic matter, acting as moist housemaids for the greater Vespid community.



Oh, and there are drones.



Hundreds of them.

Flying every which way, some crawling, others climbing. Filling every available space with bodies. So far not a single one has paid you any mind, the chemical compounds wafting of your sticky forms fooling whatever senses the drones use to identify one another. So far, so good. You slowly push your way inward, passing several large and inexplicable chambers. Some contain nothing but large organic vats of fluid, others wiggle alarmingly, but most are beautiful and complex arrangements of hexagons in various shades of orange. Most chambers contain drones of many different sizes all working diligently to some unknown end, silent and perfectly in sync.
After a few more minutes of wandering (and what feels like hours wondering when your disguise will be bypassed) you come upon, surprisingly your first real hurdle of the mission.

---

There is a threeway branching in the main thoroughthrough.
Because of course there is. One path goes higher and sees very little drone traffic. The middle one continues roughly in the same direction you have gone so far, with traffic about even to what you have seen, and the third sees only the largest of drones pass through, disappearing from view to your right. From the limited view you have of your surroundings, you are pretty sure you spot a patrolling drone or two on the middle path as well. The first you would have encountered inside, if so. Theoretically you are of the same rank, as far as the hive is concerned, but you wonder how sure you can be of the social etiquette of this frankly alien society when all of your lives depend upon it. Either way, they have yet to notice you.

x2

To complete your mission you must find the Queen, somewhere deep inside. Which path do you choose and why, and if or when you encounter any patrolling drones, how do you wish to deal with them?

You are inside a giant Vespid hive. Nothing appear to be hostile at the moment.
You have some time to look around if you wish, or talk to your companions, though keep in mind that the only noise in the hive beyond the buzzing of wings is the slow digestion of organic matter and the trickling drip drop of honey from every crack and seam of the walls.

---

[ISTEC Battle-Ready Inventory]
The nigh indestructible right and left Waspable Gauntlets
A custom-built, heirloom, Masterwork Waraxe.
A set of medium quality light leather armour.
A box of delectable Ethereal RimRose Cupcakes that do not appear to spoil. There are [04] left.
A priceless, if blank, parchment, in actual fact a mysterious Artifact that makes people think you have a valid ID. Don't lose it.
An ITEC Business-card.
Dream Star of the River Ennui. Portable light source.
Bottle of Liquid Fire. One use. It's liquid fire. Trivial Upkeep cost.
Ghast-Head-Smoke-Machine. Creates a Medium sized smoke cloud at the item location. Re-Loadable. Trivial Upkeep cost.
The clothes on your body.

Your equipment is Lacking, incurring minor penalties to any battle.
Your miscellaneous gear is Lacking, incurring minor penalties to any adventure. Actually a boon here, as you have less stuff to carry around and so makes less sound! Who would have thought?

[ISTEC Pre-Battle Status]
Skvababt is Unhurt. She is Very Well Fed and Well Rested. Morale is Shaky.
Khami is Unhurt. He is Very Well Fed and Well Rested. Morale is Shaky.
Gwendolyn is Unhurt. She is Very Well Well Fed and Well Rested. Morale is Decent.

Party Thoughts:
Skvababt: "Mhm, would you like to dance?"
Khami: "The runner catches the arrow just as swiftly."
Gwendolyn: "I can probably sneak by the patrol if you want to know what's up ahead. Probably."

Cornuto
Jun 26, 2012

For the pack!

quote:

One path goes higher and sees very little drone traffic.
This one.
I'm assuming most drones are doing storage, foraging, and hive maintenance. So the more busy areas are the 'working' part of the hive. Queen is probably in the less-busy part, but that's just a guess.


quote:

At the center of the hive is also where you might find the Queen, a large and continuously fertile bug, as well as royal drones and occasionally a princess. There vespids show a slightly higher degree of self (ie, any at all) and are often larger than the work and guard drones you will find around the perimeter, but are in all other regards the same.

quote:

The third sees only the largest of drones pass through, disappearing from view to your right.
Oh I guess it's probably this one?

.. ask our guide's opinion on which way to go, quietly.

Cornuto fucked around with this message at 16:06 on Jan 29, 2019

Slaan
Mar 16, 2009



ASHERAH DEMANDS I FEAST, I VOTE FOR A FEAST OF FLESH
Go on the Main Path- The largest drones are probably for taking care of the food supply and young, as their social stomachs can hold more food for the others to eat from. The main path probably leads to the egg chambers and the Queen, as it is the most traveled. She is the center of the hive, after all. Going Up probably leads to the military wing or another less used place.

Nettle Soup
Jan 30, 2010

Oh, and Jones was there too.

Third path sounds good to me.

But yeah, ask the guide.

Captainicus
Feb 22, 2013



Third Path sounds like the way to go.

CourValant
Feb 25, 2016

Do You Remember Love?

Swedish Thaumocracy posted:

Make no mistake; had a burlier team been sent, they would assuredly spelled their own doom, no matter how many bugs they could take with them.

:toot: Yay! Failing our way to the top as usual! :toot:

Swedish Thaumocracy posted:

To complete your mission you must find the Queen, somewhere deep inside. Which path do you choose and why, and if or when you encounter any patrolling drones, how do you wish to deal with them?

Vote:

Third path: The largest of drones.

Have Gwen scout slightly ahead (just up to the next twist or corner in the path) to warn us if there might be a patrol coming.

Otherwise, act ‘normal’ and trust in the ‘disguise’.


Also, rally the team for a quick chat, “Okay Team, how are we feeling? Things seem to be going well so far, anything to report before we go deeper?”

Swedish Thaumocracy
Jul 11, 2006

Strength of >800 Men
Honor of 0
Grimey Drawer

Cornuto posted:

... ask our guide's opinion on which way to go, quietly.

Nettle Soup posted:

But yeah, ask the guide.


"Mhfh mhhhm mhhrhrbhh mhmmng"
> The Alchemist doesn't know the way around a Giant Vespid Hive any better than you do.
Also, he is completely covered in a beekeepers outfit and also goop. From his gesticulation, you get the feeling he will just defer to you on this.

CourValant posted:

Also, rally the team for a quick chat, “Okay Team, how are we feeling? Things seem to be going well so far, anything to report before we go deeper?”

"Mhmm, these corridors are ever so intimate, don't you agree Mr. Ironscript? Not ideal for ranged combat of course, but they have a very pleasing orange sheen none the less."
"Where bees go; bees follow."
"If you ask me, oi reckon the middle 'un will lead to youngins, what with that much traffic an all'. I could creep in an' make sure if ye wish, Bossman."

CourValant
Feb 25, 2016

Do You Remember Love?

"Okay Team, let's get this job done and go home, maybe try some of this goop in a cup of hot tea."

"Gwen, you're an awfully brave girl; we're taking the third path, with the largest drones. Scout slightly ahead of us, just up to the next twist or corner in the path, and don't put yourself in any danger."

"Otherwise, everyone act ‘normal’ and trust in the ‘disguise’."



This image is eff'ing killing me; how am I even remotely going to think about sending her into any sort of fight?

Outrail
Jan 4, 2009

www.sapphicrobotica.com
:roboluv: :love: :roboluv:
Third tunnel.

Also can we refer to her as 'Urchin 01'. No good reason to get attached.

super sweet best pal
Nov 18, 2009

Outrail posted:

Third tunnel.

Also can we refer to her as 'Urchin 01'. No good reason to get attached.

Agreed. One of the main points of hiring abandoned street rats is they're expendable. Just don't openly betray them and leave them for dead and you're golden.

Outrail
Jan 4, 2009

www.sapphicrobotica.com
:roboluv: :love: :roboluv:
From now on I'm picturing a literal urchin rolling around and whining about how hard life is in the reef.

Cornuto
Jun 26, 2012

For the pack!

Outrail posted:

Third tunnel.

Also can we refer to her as 'Urchin 01'. No good reason to get attached.

Our own lovable street starfish.

CourValant
Feb 25, 2016

Do You Remember Love?

Cornuto posted:

Our own lovable street starfish.

Think we found Gwen her 'War Name'; imagine if she manages to survive and grow up to become a hardcore forest fighting combat medic named 'Starfish'.

Swedish Thaumocracy
Jul 11, 2006

Strength of >800 Men
Honor of 0
Grimey Drawer
Trouble on the Rim, Book 2, Chapter 5
A Bounty of Vespids

Huddik hills, The Krills, east of the City of Whale
The Fifth of December, 347 A.R.
Part 4: Agent Starfish and the Chamber of Honey




You urgchin Gwendalyn ahead and she swiftly disappears into the rightmost tunnel behind one of the larger drones, taking care not to be 'seen' or 'sensed' by the Combat-Drones paroling the main path.



You buzz around for a few minutes, doing your best to look busy without actually going anywhere. The drones pay you no mind. After a while, you begin to wonder if they even could.
Their movements are deliberate and efficient, like the Golems working in the factory temples of Toil, and like those same Golems, show no indication of ever straying from their paths.



Each Drone instilled with unknown purpose, you begin to notice a pattern in their movement. A rhythm to the flow, as if the whole hive was nothing but a pulsating heart.
Workers delivering nutrition down the central pathway, Soldiers overseeing their tireless work, with the largest of the workers diverging from the main group down that same path Gwendolyn went down.

When she returns she has much to report.


"'Tis like a temple down there, 'cept replacin' all the gold an glitter with honey an with drones instead of people. Smells delish, I'll tell you wot. Didn't see no fancypants royals though, just them big workers dissapearin' up into the ceilin' holes where'as I could not follow em, on account of me legs not being wings. Cheeky bugs thinkin' they can get the better of me. Maybe if I had a spearhead or some spikes...

Anyway, wot I find was mostly cold an empty, ceptin' for these huge golden 'hexa-vats'. What passes for barrels I reckon?



Loads of em in a chamber like a warehouse an' nothin' else cept the wind to keep me company once the drones 'ad left. Checked 'em out of course, the barrels, though couldn't reach inta most of them. Don't matter none on account of there bein' one I could get me mits inta.



'S crumblier than wot the walls are made off, stickier too. I tried chewin' some but I don't think it's fer eatin unless yer a grub perhaps, what do you think?"

--

1: Looks like the third path was a dud, and time is ticking. Where too next?

A: Up and to the left, where few drones go.

B: Follow the Main Path.
You will probably be spotted, but your disguise should hold up unless Royal Guards are present? Maybe?

C: Actually, let's all go down the third path and take a closer look at those vats, or those ceiling holes.
Maybe you could have Gwendolyn climb the walls with the stingers you salvaged earlier?

D: Something else?
Write-in.

Outrail
Jan 4, 2009

www.sapphicrobotica.com
:roboluv: :love: :roboluv:
Wait, what are we here for again? Is there any alternative item the client wants if we can't get option 1?

Slaan
Mar 16, 2009



ASHERAH DEMANDS I FEAST, I VOTE FOR A FEAST OF FLESH
B- The main path should take us to another place that can give us better options

Swedish Thaumocracy
Jul 11, 2006

Strength of >800 Men
Honor of 0
Grimey Drawer

Outrail posted:

Wait, what are we here for again? Is there any alternative item the client wants if we can't get option 1?

You are here for the Queen. The Alchemist carries a package which will hopefully knock her out and make her safe for transport.

On Salvage posted:

The stingers [of Vespids] are said to make for decent arrows, able to paralyze small prey if the impalement doesn't outright kill them, and their wings find some uses in alchemy. The Big Prize however is found at the core of their hive, where a specialized Vespid 'chef' bug converts raw materials into Vespid Honey for which there are many functions.

super sweet best pal
Nov 18, 2009

A

Outrail
Jan 4, 2009

www.sapphicrobotica.com
:roboluv: :love: :roboluv:
I think trying to steal their queen is folly. She's gonna be huge and impossible to move and guarded by a butt load of guard vespids. Is that what we want? A buttload of wasps in our butts?

Swedish Thaumocracy
Jul 11, 2006

Strength of >800 Men
Honor of 0
Grimey Drawer

Outrail posted:

I think trying to steal their queen is folly. She's gonna be huge and impossible to move and guarded by a butt load of guard vespids. Is that what we want? A buttload of wasps in our butts?

Would Six Wealth and a pair of Vespid Bracers change your mind?
If not, why did you take the bounty?

Besides, you have a wagon! A wagon! Really the only problem here is finding her...

Outrail
Jan 4, 2009

www.sapphicrobotica.com
:roboluv: :love: :roboluv:
I'm not saying we won't do it. I'm just saying it's a really dumb idea.

Anyway send the Urchin down the next hole.

CourValant
Feb 25, 2016

Do You Remember Love?
A: Up and to the left, where few drones go.

Swedish Thaumocracy posted:

Would Six Wealth and a pair of Vespid Bracers change your mind?
If not, why did you take the bounty?

Don't we already have a pair of indestructible bracers? Can we somehow combine these with the Vespid Bracers? Or, have someone else wear them?

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Swedish Thaumocracy
Jul 11, 2006

Strength of >800 Men
Honor of 0
Grimey Drawer

CourValant posted:

A: Up and to the left, where few drones go.


Don't we already have a pair of indestructible bracers? Can we somehow combine these with the Vespid Bracers? Or, have someone else wear them?

Indestructible is debatable, though they have survived without a dent so far! And yes, you do, but you also have other party members that might need an armour upgrade.

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