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>>6088666

Previous: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Moloch

The convoy slowly grinds its way down the mountains, stopping overnight at the squalid, nameless village before resuming its journey. While you stop to rest, you notice Jan carefully taking off Eleanora's gag and talking quietly with her. You consider stepping in to prevent it, but decide against it. She's behaved herself so far. If she starts to act up now that her gag is gone, you'll come down on her like a hammer.

Delayed by a stop for repairs, the convoy rolls into Portsmaw later than planned. With no trains departing for the capital until the morning, you're forced to find a room for the night. At first, this presents a problem – you shudder at the thought of trying to drag Eleanora into a fine hotel without making a scene – but then you remember Juno's squalid dockside hotel, a place that wouldn't ask any awkward questions.

Herding your captive into the dim, dismal upstairs room, you lock the door and dump your luggage onto one of the beds. Eleanora wanders across to the window and peers out, seemingly hypnotised by the raindrops striking against the glass – or, perhaps, considering the window's possibility as an escape route. She traces the falling raindrops with her fingers, long nails scraping against the glass.

“I can't do this,” Daniel announces, scowling at Eleanora, “I've got to get out of here.”

“We just got here,” Ariel groans, “Can't you just sit still for a few hours?”

“I've done nothing but sit still for the last few days,” the soldier complains, “We're finally back in civilisation, and I want to enjoy it. Good food, good drink...”

It's more than that, of course. After so long at the Iron Keep, isolated high up in the mountains, he desperately craves the warmth and life of a bustling city, and strong wine to blot out the memories of everything that transpired in the tunnels beneath the manor.

“Well I think it's an excellent idea!” Elle announces stubbornly, “I'll join you.”

“You, uh, you will?” Daniel looks around in surprise, “Miss Legrasse-”

“What's wrong? I'm allowed to have a little fun too, aren't I?” she asks, “I don't want to stay cooped up in here any more than you do.”

An awkward silence follows, broken only by the methodical screech of Eleanora's nails on the window. “I can stay here and keep an eye on her,” Ariel sighs eventually, “I napped on the ride down, so I can keep watch overnight.”

“That's settled then!” Daniel announces, “It's the perfect plan. Bard, are you in?”

>I don't think so. I'll stay here and keep watch with Ariel
>I'd rather not. I want to go out and have some time alone
>Count me in. I could certainly use the distraction
>Other

>>6088667
>I don't think so. I'll stay here and keep watch with Ariel
I have had a terrible premonition of this feral cannibal doing something unspeakable to our poor androgynous friend.

>>6088667
>Nah, I’ll stay and help keep watch
Elle supervising Jan flashbacks

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“I don't think so. I'll stay here and keep watch too,” you decide, shaking your head, “I'd rather not leave her here with just one person to stand guard. That's just asking for trouble.”

“I'm here too!” Jan points out, trying to look confident and offended at the same time.

“I know,” you answer bluntly, “And that's what worries me.”

As soon as the words have left your mouth, you regret them. With a wounded grimace, Jan's gaze drops down to the floor. Daniel looks between you for a moment, then forces a laugh. “Well, suit yourselves,” he remarks, “But I know a nice little club here in Portsmaw. You're really missing out!”

“Just go if you're going to go,” you tell him, flapping a hand at the door, “Just leave us in peace.”

Relative peace, that is, as Eleanora draws another shrill screech out of the window.

-

Even Eleanora grows tired of her nonsense eventually, lapsing into a merciful silence. Jan sits in a frayed armchair with a book, reading or pretending to read, as the minutes slowly creep by and turn to hours. Ariel never lets her gaze stray away from Eleanora, her small revolver drawn and resting in her lap for immediate use. As the time drags on, you start to wonder if you're really needed here. Either Eleanora has more patience than you thought, or she truly has accepted her fate.

“A question, if I may,” the semi-human noble says suddenly, as if sensing your thoughts.

“Ask, if you really must,” you tell her with a dismissive sneer, “I can't promise you an answer though.”

Eleanora looks back to the window, then gestures out across the little slice of the city visible through the dirty glass. “This place,” she asks, “Do you really live like this? Crowded together like rats in a nest, choking on the smog filling the sky, hiding from the rain in squalid little holes like this...”

“I chose this place specially for you,” you remark, looking at the peeling wallpaper and damp stains on the ceiling, “I thought it might remind you of home.”

“How dare you!” she hisses, “This place is nothing like the Iron Keep. It has no history, no legacy. This place is an empty vessel that won't ever be filled. You'll forget about it as soon as you've left, and you won't even notice when it's torn down. This place, this whole city, is the same – crude, disposable, meaningless fodder for the masses.”

Eleanora spits these words out, her pale blue eyes flashing angrily in the darkness. When she's finished, her chest heaves with the effort of her outburst.

“All done?” you ask mildly, “Good.”

“Nothing to say?” she snarls, “You're not going to defend your precious city?”

“I never promised you an answer, remember?”

[1]

>>6088686

Seething with petulant anger, Eleanora throws herself down on one of the hard, ugly beds. A short while later, unladylike snores start to rise up from the huddled lump of her form. Relief washes over you, and you allow yourself to lean back in your chair. Ariel yawns, checking her revolver over before returning it to its holster. As she does, she chews her lip as if struggling to put her thoughts into words.

“I mean, she's not completely wrong,” she admits eventually, “Portsmaw is an old city, sure, but there's barely a handful of buildings left from the original city. Everything else has been replaced by cheap shit like this. It's the same everywhere – even Siegfried House has been rebuilt and renovated so many times that it's basically a new building.”

Cheap shit like this dockside hotel, you think to yourself, or the luxury rooms for noble guests in the centre of the city. Both new, both bland and anonymous, just aimed at a different market.

“Not like the Pale Estate,” Ariel continues, a wistful smile creeping across her face, “Whenever I walk through the corridors there, I can FEEL the history. Not an oppressive weight like the Iron Keep, but something... uplifting.”

“I wish I could share your enthusiasm,” you sigh, “I don't have many good memories of that place.”

“Well, there's your problem,” she decides, slapping you on the shoulder, “You just need to make some good memories, and fast. You've got a lot of catching up to do.”

She's been spending too much time with Daniel – her cousin's cheerful behaviour is rubbing off on her. Though, it's an act that doesn't quite ring true coming from her – when the mood takes him, Daniel can be as bright and brilliant as the sun, whereas Ariel is more of a dark, enigmatic moon... like Gratia.

“What are you staring at?” Ariel asks, tilting her head to the side. Shaking your head, you look away from her.

“I'm going to try and catch a nap,” you mutter, “Wake me if anything happens.”

-

With a heavy hooded coat covering her unnatural complexion, Eleanora barely draws a passing glance as you bundle her onto the train. You're lucky that she doesn't seem in the mood to cause trouble, because you've got your hands full with keeping Elle upright. Pale and nauseous, she looks like a girl suffering from some terrible wasting disease. If you had to guess, you'd assume that this is her first attempt at some serious drinking. Probably her last attempt too.

“Ugh...” she groans, shuddering as the train lurches into motion, “Why do these things have to MOVE so much?”

“They tried selling a train that didn't move at all, but nobody bought it,” you remark, “I can't imagine why.”

Elle scowl at you, but can't quite summon up the strength for a witty retort.

[2/3]

>>6088705

A few hours of rest on the train help drive back the worst of Elle's sickness, and a strong cup of tea helps sustain her. With Eleanora in tow, you hasten straight to the palace. After enduring the security checks and discretely explaining your story to the pretty blonde secretary at the front desk, you're soon whisked through to the King's private office. One glimpse of Eleanora's face seems to do wonders for rearranging the monarch's schedule.

Elle freezes as you're ushered into the meeting room, her gaze immediately drawn to the sickly looking woman sitting alongside King Albrecht. While you're glad to see that the King is taking you seriously, you're far from happy to see the Choirmaster here. With a smouldering cigarette in her hand, Eve Moreau listlessly gestures for you to sit.

“Master Pale. Everyone,” King Albrecht begins, “...Miss Martense.”

Eleanora bares her teeth in a half-hearted attempt at a snarl. Despite her attempts at bravado, you can see fear in the way her eyes dance back and forth across the room.

“I had a suspicion that my father may have tried asking the Martense for access to any Lessons they may have held. My suspicion was incorrect, however we found something far worse at the Iron Keep,” you begin, “It started when we met their servant, Munroe...”

-

You talk for a long time, losing track of time as recount your time spent in the Iron Keep. King Albrecht listens without interruption, occasionally glancing aside to Eleanora as if reassuring himself that it's not all a wild fantasy. By the time you're finished, the room is thick with Moreau's cigarette smoke and your throat is raw. Albrecht is silent at first as he considers your words, letting his oracle get in the first words.

“Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Master Pale,” she says in her dry, hushed voice, “Your Majesty, I would recommend that the whole mountain be quarantined. Seal it off to all outsider, and allow my people to conduct a thorough investigation. I fear that there may be a deeper corruption at work, something that may not be fully wiped clean.”

“Unacceptable,” King Albrecht counters, “The Martense lands provide us with a critical supply of coal and iron ore, among other things. Sealing the mountains off could prove disastrous to our industry.”

“And allowing uneducated fools to wander across them at will could prove far worse,” Moreau insists, “Master Pale, I'm sure that, as a direct witness, you understand my logic.”

With a grimace, King Albrecht turns to you. With a faint reluctance, he nods for you to speak freely.

>The threat is over, Choirmaster. With a few precautions, normal business can resume
>There may yet be a threat. Miss Moreau is correct, the whole mountain should be sealed off
>This decision is far above my head. I can offer no opinion
>Other

>>6088686
Portsmaw - a place we will forget
The Iron Keep - a place we wish we could forget
I know which one I prefer

>>6088735
>The threat is over, Choirmaster. With a few precautions, normal business can resume.
We were fine and we did kill a lot of ghouls. Just send in a few experts to oversee.

>>6088735
>The threat is over, Choirmaster. With a few precautions, normal business can resume

“The threat is over, Choirmaster,” you answer, giving Moreau a cold, calm look, “We made sure of that, I can assure you. With just a few precautions, normal business can resume.”

Moreau is good, but not perfect. While her expression barely changes, you can see her jaw tighten with displeasure. If you had to guess, you'd say that she's not used to people disagreeing with her. With her bilious green eyes fixed on you, she takes a silver cigarette case out from her pocket and opens it with a flick of her wrist.

“Precautions,” King Albrecht repeats, gesturing across to one of his secretaries to start taking notes.

“I would recommend keeping some soldiers stationed at the Iron Keep, if you plan to keep using it,” you begin, “And perhaps some of your “experts”, Miss Moreau, if it would make you feel more comfortable.”

Moreau's eyes narrow as if trying to decide if you're mocking her or not. Just as she's bringing a lit match up to her new cigarette, Elle lets out a rasping cough and the Choirmaster hesitates. Taking the cigarette from her dry lips, she slips it back into the silver case instead. “You are, of course, the only direct witnesses to these events,” she says at last, “I will defer to your wise judgement.”

Now you're the one trying to figure out of you're being mocked. Probably, but you let it slide.

“By all rights, ownership of the Iron Keep and all associated responsibilities would pass to your family, Master Martense,” King Albrecht says slowly, “But I understand that your parents have not been involved with the mining business. Is that correct?”

“Yes sir,” Jan murmurs, his head low, “My parents are tailors, sir.”

“Mm. I'll have some of my own agents take over the administration of the mines on a temporary basis, while I reach out to them. Should your parents wish to take over the mines, I will ensure that they are suitably trained and prepared for all that it entails,” the King decides, “I have no desire to steal the family mines out from under you, Master Martense, but I have even less desire to see them fail. As I have said, they are a vital resource for the Kingdom.”

“Yes yes, of course. Do as you see fit. I just...” Jan hesitates, “Eleanora, I mean Miss Martense...”

King Albrecht holds up a hand to silence the young man. “I understand your concern,” he says carefully, “However, I have a responsibility to root out corruption wherever it can be found. Often, this can be a burden – a most unwelcome one at that. Miss Martense will be taken into my care, and I will pass the appropriate judgement upon her.”

“She will hang,” Moreau adds, relishing her words to an unseemly degree. You glance aside to Eleanora to judge her reaction, but she doesn't even seem to hear the words. Her eyes are closed, her lips drawn tight in a rictus smile of silent defiance.

[1]

>>6088771

Compared with the thick smog of cigarette smoke, the fresh air outside the palace tastes as sweet as honey. Savouring it like a fine wine, you let the clean air purge the last remnants of filth from your body. With Eleanora left in King Albrecht's capable care, you feel as if a weight has been lifted from your shoulders – as if you can finally start putting this all behind you.

“Right,” you announce, clapping your hands together, “Back to the estate, I suppose. I'm sure there's a horrendous pile of letters and problems waiting for me there, but that can't be helped. Does anyone know when the next train leaves?”

An awkward silence greets this question. “Actually...” Daniel begins, “I thought I should stay here with Jan for a bit. You know, I'm sure there's going to be a lot going on for him and-”

“No, of course,” you interrupt, “I've already taken up too much of your time as it is. I'm sure we'll have a chance to meet up again before too long.”

“I... need to stay in the capital for a little longer too,” Elle says awkwardly, nervously tugging at her long sleeves, “I think I've been... distracted lately, so much so that I can't concentrate on my job properly. I'm going to have to swallow my pride and turn to some of my old teachers for guidance. Hopefully, they can help me.”

You're surprised at how much this announcement stings. You're silent for a moment, uncommonly lost for words.

“I don't know how long it'll take,” Elle continues, her words coming faster and faster, “It may only be a few days, but it might be... more than that. Not too long, I hope! But if it is, um, I can always wire you a quick note just to explain what's going on. I'll stay in contact, I promise! I just-”

“Elle,” you interrupt, “Slow down. Remember to breathe.”

Elle's lips flap silently for a moment, then she swallows heavily. “I just don't know exactly how long I might be gone,” she says at last, carefully forming each word, “I know that King Albrecht wanted you to have an oracle, but I'm of no use to you like this.”

>I understand. Stay in touch, and we'll meet up when you're ready
>No, you need to stay. I still need you here with me
>I... (Write in)
>Other

>>6088788
>I suppose I can actually visit Juno. Whether or not I avail of her services as an oracle, the Calamity of the Martense might be a suitable piece of information to trade for something.
>For all the effort they put into bothering the Teilhards, they didn't lift a finger for the very definitely stagnant house.

We could also review the whole poison business as well, if the list bard's father was looking for matches what kalthos was peddling.

>>6088788
>I understand. Stay in touch, and we'll meet up when you're ready

>>6088805
Dang bro no need to say all that out loud

>>6088813
fair enough, lol

>>6088788
>I understand. Stay in touch, and we'll meet up when you're ready
>I hope I can count on you three too look after each other while in capitol

>>6088805
You stabbed Elle twisted it and then spat in her face LOL
>Oh you feel inadequate? Let me see that other hoe with similar skill set you are definitely won't be jealous over.

Elle is right about one thing, you are supposed to have an oracle accompanying you. However, while Elle was King Albrecht's selection for the job, there are other options available. While you're certain that Juno Tomoe would try to extract some kind of painful price for offering her assistance, you may be able to meet it. You're sure that they would be very interested to know about the Calamity seeping into the roots of House Martense...

“I understand. If you think this is important, I'll trust your judgement,” you tell Elle, setting your scheming aside for a moment, “Stay in touch, and we'll meet up when you're ready.”

A relieved smile breaks out on Elle's face. “Thank you for being so understanding, Isambard. I was so worried that... well, you know what I mean,” she says quickly, bowing her head, “I'll send word as soon as I'm finished, and I'll come straight to the estate. If... if anything happens, and you need to reach me in an emergency, just send a note to the palace. They'll be able to pass the word along.”

“I'll keep that in mind,” you assure her, looking aside to Ariel, “Is this the part where you abandon me too?”

“Me? No way,” she remarks with a snort of laughter, “Unlike these well-adjusted individuals, I really don't have anywhere better to be. Besides, you'll get up to all sorts of trouble if you're left on your own.”

“Exactly,” Daniel agrees with a laugh of his own, “You'll need a woman's touch in that estate of yours, Bard.”

“Um...” Ariel hesitates, “Do you have to make it sound so-”

“I'm kidding, I'm kidding!” he insists, slapping her on the shoulder. Ariel glares at him, although you can see hints of a smile fighting to show themselves at the side of her lips.

-

The train feels very empty without your companions alongside you. You've gotten used to having Daniel and Jan around, and now it feels as if you've left them behind. Which, you suppose, isn't wrong. They have their own lives, just as you have yours. Frankly, you've already been working together than far longer than you ever suspected.

“So,” Ariel says as the train rattles west towards Castaigne and the Pale lands, “Do we have a plan?”

“Not really,” you admit, shrugging slightly, “I'm sure Alex is back by now. He might have some more information, and a story to tell... though, I can't imagine that it'll be an especially cheerful one. After everything that we've been through, I'm not sure if I can stomach it right now.”

“Nonsense. A strong, brave gentleman like yourself isn't going to shy away from a few hard truths, is he?” Ariel remarks with a crooked smile, “Though, I certainly wouldn't mind a nice relaxing holiday instead.”

“You could've had a nice relaxing holiday,” you point out, “But you're here with me instead.”

[1]

>>6088828

This time, Ariel is the one who shrugs. “Okay, good point,” she concedes, “But that's enough about me and my frankly dismal social life. How about you answer me something. Are we really going ahead without an oracle? Only, when Elle told you about her plans, I'm sure I saw you scheming...”

“You're changing the subject.”

“And you're dodging the question,” Ariel shoots back, giving you a mischievous smile, “But that's fine. That's all the answer I needed.”

You scowl at Ariel, but she isn't deterred. With a sigh, you slump back in your seat as if admitting defeat. “If a situation should arise where an oracle is required, and Elle isn't able to return sufficiently quickly, then yes. I would consider approaching Juno Tomoe,” you tell her quietly, “Although I know full well that she may be spiteful enough to refuse any request on general principle.”

You could go on, but you suddenly realise how defensive you must sound. Ariel just shakes her head softly, waving away your excuses before turning to look out the train window. She's silent for a long while, the impish amusement slipping from her face to be replaced by a more wistful smile. “I wish I could be an oracle,” she says softly after a long silence, “It doesn't look very fun, but at least I'd be able to make myself useful.”

These words hang in the air, unanswered, for a long while.

-

“Master Pale, Miss Teilhard, welcome back! It's been some time!” Alex announces as he greets you in the entrance hall, “Just the two of you?”

“The others were detained elsewhere. Urgent business,” you explain vaguely, “But I'm sure it won't be for too long. Really though, Alex, you've got a lot of explaining to do – every time we came back here, you were away on some sort of business. It must've been something particularly important to keep you away for so long.”

Alex's smile falters slightly. “By my reckoning, you were gone for far longer than I was,” he points out, “But, yes, I was visiting an old friend of your father. Trying to visit him, rather. I had no end of obstacles and frustrations thrown in my path, and eventually I had to admit defeat.”

“I don't quite understand.”

“This friend, Master Teufel, is in the care of House Silvera,” Alex pauses, “A hospital of theirs. They have quite strict limits on who can see their... guests. Evidently, I didn't meet their standards. Well, that's a subject for another time – I'll just get irritated all over again if I start talking about it now.”

>If you have time, I'd like to talk about my father instead
>No, I'm curious now. What happened with this Master Teufel?
>We'll leave that for another time. Any other business I should attend to?
>Let's talk... (Write in)
>Other

>>6088835
>We'll leave that for another time. Any other business I should attend to?
We need a bit of a break before dealing with our next House of Horrors

“We'll leave that for another time, then,” you decide, with no small amount of relief. Anything that involves a friend of your father AND a hospital is likely to be a particularly grim piece of work. After everything you've been through, you'd prefer to leave that for another day. “Any other business I should attend to?” you ask as an afterthought, “I expected to have a lot of catching up to do.”

“Not as much as you might think,” Alex answers, gesturing for you to follow him inside, “There were a few messages sent to the estate. I'll just get them for you. Take a seat, make yourself at home.”

At Alex's urging, you settle into one of the many chairs around the long dining table and wait. It's hard to imagine an occasion where all the chairs would be required, a dinner party or such, but at least you've got your pick of the bunch. Alex returns a few moments later, dropping a pair of telegrams down before you. The first one is from Cato Silvera, a name that causes you to raise an eyebrow in surprise.

“I apologise for the unsolicited message,” Cato's note reads, “After our brief conversation in the cathedral, I thought to ask if you might consider meeting up again for a more informal discussion. I found you to be a most interesting person, and would enjoy an opportunity to talk some more. Should you wish to contact me, I can be reached at-”

“That guy,” Ariel mutters, reading over your shoulder, “Ugh, why does he have to sound so nice and polite?”

“Possibly because he's nice and polite?”

“Makes my skin crawl,” she complains, “What's this other one?”

“That one only arrived a few days ago,” Alex says, a hint of distaste in his voice, “I've not read it, of course, but I did see who sent it.”

“I couldn't help but notice that you've not yet accepted my kind invitation,” the second message reads, “Given that you've recently found yourself without an oracle, or you're about to find yourself without an oracle, you should stop playing so hard to get. Besides, my family would simply love to meet you.”

Juno Tomoe.

You fiddle with the telegram for a moment, folding the flimsy slip of paper in your hands. “Nothing else?” you ask, glancing up at Alex.

“A few routine matters, all perfectly mundane. Invoices for groceries and such. I've taken care of those,” the older man answers, “If I'm being honest, it feels just like when your father was here. He'd forget all about things like that, and I'd have to go cleaning up after him. I almost feel glad to be falling back into the same old routines.”

“I suppose it'll keep you busy,” you muse, looking back at the messages and wondering if you should follow up on either of them.

>You'll leave them for now. You don't need any more distractions
>Maybe it's time to accept Juno's invitation and pay her a visit
>Cato's message is a curious one. You'll see what he's got to discuss
>Other

>>6088835
>No, I'm curious now. What happened with this Master Teufel?

>>6088869
>Maybe it's time to accept Juno's invitation and pay her a visit

>>6088869
>Maybe it's time to accept Juno's invitation and pay her a visit

>>6088869
>Maybe it's time to accept Juno's invitation and pay her a visit
She did demonstrate her own oracle skills with that letter, impressive.

Also Cato Silvera is just House Silvera, we might as well have listened to Alex on Teufel for that one.

>>6088705
>“They tried selling a train that didn't move at all, but nobody bought it,” you remark, “I can't imagine why.”
This might be one of Isambard's best jokes yet

>>6088771
>Just as she's bringing a lit match up to her new cigarette, Elle lets out a rasping cough and the Choirmaster hesitates. Taking the cigarette from her dry lips, she slips it back into the silver case instead.
I love this barest hint of care in this old bitch

>>6088869
>Maybe it's time to accept Juno's invitation and pay her a visit
Does she know her grandfather is in the Demesne?

Looking back down at Juno's message, you read it back and scowl. It's no great mystery as to how she knows about Elle's departure, but that doesn't make it any less intrusive. Not only that, but you can just imagine the mocking tone as if Juno was reading her words aloud. There's a part of you that wants to refuse her invitation again, just out of spite, and yet...

“I suppose we might as well see why she's so keen,” you sigh, holding up Juno's message, “I'll send her a message, see if that invitation is still open.”

Alex doesn't exactly approve of the decision, judging by the sour expression on his face, but you don't let that deter you. Moving through to the small office, you clumsily bash out a reply on the telegraphy station and fire it away. As you sit back to wait, Ariel slips into the seat opposite you with a wry smile on her face.

“I know, I know,” you mutter, “You don't need to say it.”

“Who, me?” she replies, raising an eyebrow, “I wasn't going to say anything. I certainly wasn't going to comment on how quickly you changed your tune.”

“It's a simple matter of politeness-” you begin, only to be interrupted by a chime as Juno's response arrives. Tearing the flimsy paper strip free, you read the short, short message. “Sending a carriage,” you read, “Don't go wandering off.”

“That was quick,” Ariel muses, looking over the brief message, “What, was she just sitting by the machine waiting for your reply?”

“I'm just that irresistible,” you remark, rising from your chair and moving back to the dining room. As you glance down at Cato's message a thought occurs to you. “Alex, doesn't this seem like a strange coincidence to you?” you ask, “You go asking House Silvera about this Teufel, and then a representative of House Silvera comes asking after me.”

Alex wanders through from the kitchen, a frown on his face. “It does seem a little odd, now that you mention it,” he admits, “But these things do happen. I'm not sure what connection this Master Cato might have with the hospital, besides the family link. House Silvera has a great many hospitals in their land, especially... specialist ones.”

Something about the way he says that strikes an ill note with you. “What... kind of hospital are we talking about?” you ask carefully.

“A very secure one,” Alex replies with equal caution, “One that cares for very specific nervous conditions.”

“Oh,” you pause, “An asylum.”

“Yes, Isambard. An asylum,” he says with a wince, “There aren't many places in Agoria with the means to care for men who are very sick in such a way, and I fear that Master Teufel is one of those men. What I don't know is how he came to be this way. That's what I had been hoping to find out. But as I said-”

“They wouldn't let you see him.”

“Exactly,” Alex sighs, “I tried everything that I could think of, but House Silvera regulations can be as unyielding as a fortress wall.”

[1]

>>6088935

“There is one thing we might try, however,” Alex muses, “The Teufel family are sworn to House Pale. Master Teufel was one of your father's vassals, which means – technically speaking – he's one of YOUR vassals. The wardens could turn away an old friend, but they might not have so much luck with a noble master such as yourself.”

“Hm,” you murmur, considering the idea. It feels an awful lot like throwing your weight around. You're not opposed to the idea, but it's rather uncouth.

“Tell you what,” Alex continues, “I can get back in touch with the hospital and see if you'd have permission to visit in my stead. No sense in running off up north if they're just going to turn you away too, right?”

You nod slowly. “And this Master Teufel...” you wonder, “Is there any special reason why House Silvera might want to keep him hidden away?”

“If so, they weren't particularly keen to tell me,” the older man points out, “But, I wouldn't think so. Anders... Master Teufel was a fighter, a soldier. If you'll excuse me for being blunt, there was never anything particularly special about him. He had a good sword arm, but a lot of people can claim that. That's nothing remarkable in this day and age.”

Still. Another one of your father's old contacts – like Master Dunblane. It's a lead worth following up on when you've got the chance, provided you can get access to him.

“See what the hospital says,” you order, nodding back towards the telegraphy station, “And keep an eye out for a carriage arriving. I'm going to take a bath.”

“Good idea,” Alex says, his voice carefully neutral, “I think that's a very good idea.”

>I'm going to pause here for today. I'll be continuing tomorrow, starting at the same approximate time
>Thank you for following along today!

>>6088945
Thank you for running, QM! Top tier quest, glad to see a Thread 2.

>>6088945
Thanks for running!

Woah, Monday too.

>>6088945
>“Good idea,” Alex says, his voice carefully neutral, “I think that's a very good idea.”
they smell like the grave, don't they?

>>6089343
At least it added to their testimony to the King, right?

>>6089343
Would you really want to strip off and lather up in the spooky mountain manor?

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The Tomoe carriage is painted black, because of course it is. There's something eerie about seeing the empty black carriage gliding up towards the estate, the door swinging open as if beckoning you inside. Juno, you must assume, was terribly busy elsewhere – too busy to come and meet you in person. Ariel walks out with you, eyeing up the carriage as if it might turn around and attack you.

“You, uh, you want me to stay here?” she asks, making a tiny nervous adjustment to her cap.

“Do you WANT to stay here?”

Ariel gives the question serious consideration, then shakes her head. “You know how we tried not to leave Jan alone with Eleanora?” she remarks after a moment.

“Of course, but what's that got to do with-” you pause, giving the silver-haired girl a glare, “Oh very funny. Just get in the damn carriage if you're coming.”

-

The Tomoe lands aren't especially far from your own territory, as the crow flies, but your carriage has to take a long detour around what were formerly the Phalaris lands. Now a vast swamp stretching out across the land like an open wound, the Mire of Phalaris is almost impassible to all but the most determined traveller. The skies darken as you approach the Tomoe lands, heavy clouds lit by the occasional flash of lightning. It's said that a land grows to resembles its masters. Comparing the stormy skies above to the violent, tempestuous Tomoe, you can well believe that.

Finally you see Yomi, the ancient Tomoe city, approaching on the horizon. A crooked hive of black spires, it's a city that Eleanora Martense would approve of – a city with HISTORY. Razed and ruined countless times over its long and bloody history, Yomi has been built back up time and time again. You've heard horror stories about the city, layer upon layer of ancient streets hidden beneath the surface. That's another thing that Eleanora might like.

Hopefully you won't need to find out if there's any truth to the rumours.

-

The carriage skirts around Yomi proper, leading up to a bizarre manor on the outermost edge of the city – a manor built like some heathen pyramid, squat and flat at the bottom but narrowing to stab up towards the sky. Climbing out of the carriage and gazing up at the open door, you look around for any guards or... anyone at all. You hadn't been expecting a massive welcoming party, but you were expecting SOMETHING.

“Should we just... go in?” Ariel wonders, looking around in confusion, “I know we were invited and all, but I still feel like a trespasser.”

“Well, technically I'm the one who was invited. You're still trespassing,” you tease, “But don't worry, I'll vouch for you.”

“Oh great, that's really reassuring,” she mutters, “I'm sure the lynch mob will really stop and listen to you when they come for me.”

“We don't have lynch mobs here,” Juno calls out, emerging from atop the front steps, “We just shoot intruders, like normal civilised people.”

[1/2]

>>6089492

“Welcome to Boleskine House, by the way,” Juno continues as she leads you inside, “And no, before you ask, I don't know what the name means either. It's old. Very old.”

“I'm sure,” you agree, looking around at the entrance hall. You hadn't really known what to expect, but the Tomoe manor is surprisingly luxurious – thick red carpets muffle the sound of your footsteps, while the ornate furnishings gleam with the oily black sheen of polished ebony. The front hall is quite the museum, although it takes you a moment to realise that the strange tools on display are obscure implements of torture.

“You'll forgive me for being suspicion, Miss Tomoe,” you continue, “But I have to ask your reasons for inviting me here. I'm sure this is more than just a social call.”

“Even if I said that you were wrong, and that I had no ulterior motive, you wouldn't believe me,” Juno counters, “So yes, I confess. Bring you here is key to everything, to the culmination of a grand prophecy generations in the making. It all begins now!”

With the words of her dire pronouncement echoing through the entrance hall, you give Juno a dubious look. “I don't actually believe that either,” you answer eventually, “So I have to assume that the answer is somewhere between the two.”

“I'd congratulate you on your perception, but I made that far too easy for you,” Juno remarks, “Hardly a challenge at all, in fact. I'd be more impressed if you somehow managed to reach the wrong conclusion.”

“You don't like to answer a straight question, do you?” Ariel snipes, scowling at Juno.

“Where would be the fun in that?” the redhead answers with a shrug, “But fine. I wanted to ask you about the Demesne. Simple enough for you?”

Ariel glances aside to you, an uneasy glint in her eyes. You don't reply immediately, waiting until Juno leads you into a smaller drawing room. “What do you want to know?” you ask as you sit on the plush couch, “I should warn you, I'm hardly the expert.”

“I just want to know what you've seen. What it's like inside,” Juno explains, hesitating for a moment before adding, “I'll see it myself one day, but I'd prefer not to go in blind.”

“What do you mean, you'll see it yourself?”

“The very first time I received guidance from the Emanations, they told me that I would see the Demesne with my own eyes. They didn't say why, or when, or anything else,” she recalls, “Honestly. People say that we Tomoe are fickle, but the Emanations are far worse.”

You smirk a little, wondering what Elle might say to that.

“Okay, I see how it is. Nothing comes for free,” Juno says when you don't immediately reply, “How about this? I'll answer one question for you. It can be anything, just don't make it something boring.”

>Ask about Kalthos, her mysterious ancestor
>Ask about her, the Triumph of the Tomoe
>Ask about yourself, what her real interest is
>Ask... (Write in)
>Other

>>6089493
>Ask about Kalthos, her mysterious ancestor
Would Eleanora really like Yomi if it’s been razed and rebuilt countless times, or would she complain that nothing of the original city is even left? She’d definitely like the ancient streets though, since they’re old and underground.

>>6089493
>Ask about your father, what was he searching for.

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“You'll answer one question,” you says slowly, “Will you actually answer it honestly though?”

“I will,” Juno confirms, giving you a coy smile, “And, as a show of good faith, I won't even count that as your one question. Just be more careful with your words next time, will you?”

You'll admit, you walked straight into that one. “I'd like to ask you about my father,” you decide after a moment, “Do you know what he was searching for?”

“Shouldn't I be the one asking you that question?” Juno raises an eyebrow, “Let me see... I believe he was trying to get to the bottom of the Demesne.”

“I know that already,” you point out, trying not to sigh, “What I want to know is why, what lies at the bottom of the Demesne?”

Juno spreads her hands wide in a helpless gesture. “How should I know?” she says with a laugh, “I was really hoping you'd be able to tell me that. I'll tell you what, though. You go ahead and march down to the bottom of the Demesne, then come back and tell me what you see. Deal?”

You just glare at Juno, holding your tongue until she relents with a sigh. “Okay, fine. Since I couldn't really answer that one, we'll strike it off as well,” she concedes, “It's only fair.”

“I didn't know you meant the meaning of the word,” Ariel mutters to herself.

“Well, maybe you'll be able to answer this one. It relates to the Demesne too, so I'm sure you'll find it interesting,” you begin, “I met an old man in the Demesne, a man who claimed to be a member of your family. He gave his name as Kalthos Tomoe, although that's not his real name. I was wondering if you might know anything about him.”

A curious light enters Juno's eyes. “I don't, but I think we might be able to find out. First of all, we need to get a name. A real name,” she explains, leaping to her feet, “Follow me.”

-

Through corridors that drip with dark luxury and nightmarish artwork, Juno leads you through to a large hallway lined with tall portraits. Haughty faces sneer down from countless oil paintings, their costumes growing more and more archaic as you pass backwards through the generations. There's a similar look about the men, with hawkish features and slick black hair, while the women all share an ethereal beauty. Then you spot a picture of a bearded sage, stopping dead in your tracks before it.

Though the Kalthos you know has degraded somewhat since this portrait was made, you recognise the evil glint in the eyes – a glint that the artist captured perfectly. “This is it,” you announce, “This is him.”

“Ymir Tomoe,” Juno reads, squinting at the brass plate screwed to the base of the portrait, “Wait. You said you met this man?”

“I said that, yes. I'm glad to see you were listening.”

“It can't be,” she murmurs, gesturing to the dates listed on the plate, “According to this, he'd be over one hundred and fifty years old.”

[1]

>>6089511

You stoop down to look at the plate. It lists the name and a date of birth, but no date of death – and, true enough, the date of birth matches Juno's claim. “Well,” you say carefully, “He's looking good for his age. I wonder what his secret is.”

“Good diet and clean living, obviously,” Juno sneers, “Come on. Now that we know who we're looking for, we can check the archives for more information. Damn you Bard, you've actually got me curious now.”

“Don't-” you begin, but she's already hurrying away.

-

“Ymir Tomoe. Famous thinking and philosopher,” Juno reads, scowling down at the weighty tome opened before you, “He can't be that famous if I've never heard of him. It says here that he mostly wrote essays on the nature of Calamity. Ugh.”

“Ugh?” you repeat.

“Why do we allow ourselves to become stereotypes? If a Teilhard writes, they write about war. If a Silvera writes, they write about faith,” the red-haired girl complains, “When did we become so predictable?”

“Save the complaints for later, what else can you tell me about Kalthos... Ymir?” you press, leaning closer to read over Juno's shoulder, “How come he's in the Demesne?”

Pushing you away with an irritated gesture, Juno reads through the book for a moment more. “Right. We need another book,” she announces, looking up and pointing at Ariel, “You, Teilhard, go and fetch it for me. We're looking for Annals of Tomoe, Volume Five. It should be over by the north wall, up on one of the high shelves.”

“The... high shelves,” Ariel repeats, frowning at Juno.

“Oh, I'm sure there's a ladder around here somewhere,” Juno says vaguely, “Now go!”

With one last dark look, Ariel turns and storms off deeper into the archives. You watch her go, then sit next to Juno with a weary sigh. “You just sent her looking for a non-existent book,” you mutter, “Didn't you?”

“No, it's a real book,” Juno replies with a cool smile, “But there are only four volumes.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you're a horrible person?”

“Once or twice,” she shrugs, “But what else was I supposed to do? She was following you about like a puppy dog. Anyway, it says here that Ymir – Kalthos, whatever – was once a rising star, destined to be the new head of the family, before he went into some kind of self-imposed exile. It doesn't say why, but I can make a guess. My family, for the most part, hasn't been concerned with the Demesne. There's no point, it's like picking a fight with the ocean. We've always focussed our attention on mortal affairs – kings, governments, whatever.”

“But Kalthos, presumably, had other ideas,” you agree, “And he chose exile in the Demesne to pursue a different path.”

“I would assume so,” Juno says, leaning back in her chair to study the high ceiling in thought, “And now my path is leading me to the Demesne too, as is yours...”

[2/3]

>>6089521

Juno seems on the verge of saying something else, but the stomping sound of muffled footsteps interrupts her. “Can't find your damn book,” Ariel announces, giving Juno a vile glare, “I hope it wasn't important.”

“We'll have to manage without it,” Juno replies, giving the pale girl a sweet smile, “Since you're on your feet, do you think you could go and check for another one? It's called “The Arrival of Calamity”. Little slim volume, it should be on the lower shelves this time.”

“I'm finally realise why you people get purged so often,” Ariel complains, turning and marching back into the archives.

“Don't worry, that's a real book this time,” Juno whispers to you, “It's one of the books that Ymir Tomoe wrote. His masterpiece, apparently, although I suspect that it's terribly tedious. I thought you might appreciate a loan of it. A little something to help you try and understand the old devil. It's just gathering dust around here anyway.”

After waiting a moment to check that she's being sincere, you give Juno a nod of thanks.

“Now,” she continues, giving you a teasing smile, “I believe we had a deal...”

“I know,” you reply, “I'm not going to go back on my word. I should warn you, though, I can only tell you so much. I've not seen much of the Demesne myself.”

Juno waves away your warnings with a dismissive gesture, sitting back and waiting.

>Give her the objective truth of what little you've seen
>Warn her about the dangers of the Demesne, based on what Cato has told yourselves
>Focus on the rumours about what may or may not lie at the bottom of the Demesne
>Other

>>6089527
>Give her the objective truth of what little you've seen
But bring up Cato's info too. If those "puppets" are commonplace in there, then such beasts as Cato alluded to must also exist. The tenet to enter without arms is either foolhardy or has merit, if being unarmed alters how the Demesne reacts to people inside it

>>6089527
>Warn her about the dangers of the Demesne, based on what Cato has told yourselves
It's one spooky place

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“It's a very strange place,” you begin, trying to think objectively about everything you've seen so far, “When you first enter, you don't immediately notice that anything has changed. It looks no different to the rest of the old palace. But that impression doesn't last. The longer you stay in the Demesne, the more you notice how strange it truly is. The corridors stretch on for what seems like an eternity, turning back on themselves in impossible ways. All the while, you're descending.”

“If the first layer of the Demesne is almost normal, the second layer is where I really felt as if I was... somewhere else,” you continue, “There are things living in the Demesne, if “living” is really a suitable term for it. Kalthos called them “Denizens” - inhuman puppets, mindless things imitating human behaviour. They didn't seem to notice me, but I never felt especially safe around them either.”

“Scared of a few little puppets?” Juno asks, her lips twisting in a mocking smirk.

“I'm more scared of what else might be there. I've spoken with another man, a man who has explored far more than I have. He spoke of a monster deep within the Demesne, a beast that blocked his passage,” you warn, “When I visited, they asked that I go unarmed. There's a taboo about spilling blood in there. I still don't know if I was wise or not to obey their ask. Perhaps the Denizens ignored me because I went unarmed, or perhaps not.”

As your voice fades out, Juno closes her eyes to savour to image forming in her mind. Her smile changes, softens, and seems to spread through her whole face. Finally, she opens her eyes. “Thank you, Isambard,” she murmurs, “When the day comes that I get to see the Demesne, I wonder if you'll be there to see it with me?”

“You're the oracle here, Miss Tomoe,” you counter, “You tell me.”

-

“Hey!” a shrill voice calls out from the entrance to the archives. A short moment later, Ariel appears with a strange looking girl with dark hair beside her. “I found this one sneaking about stealing books,” the dark haired girl remarks, “What do we do with her?”

“Leave her be, Jac. Actually, leave us all be,” Juno sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose, “I thought I told you that I didn't want to be disturbed today.”

“Yeah, but it's getting late. Father says that dinner is almost ready,” the girl explains, narrowing her eyes in suspicion, “He says that your “guest” is welcome too.”

Juno grimaces, waving away the girl with a curt gesture. She leaves, giggling softly to herself, and you turn to Juno with a questioning look. “Don't ask,” she mutters, “Just a cousin. A very irritating cousin who doesn't know how to mind her own business. Though, I'll admit, I hadn't realised how late it was getting. Are you hungry? I hate to subject you to a dinner with my awful family, but I'll never hear the end of it if you don't attend.”

“I suppose I'll have to endure it, then.”

[1]

>>6089527
>>Give her the objective truth of what little you've seen

>>6089546

You'll admit to feeling vaguely uneasy about the prospect of dinner, after your grim experiences at the Iron Keep, but the early signs are promising. Sitting in a random seat at the long, beautifully decorated dining table, you're soon confronted with a dish of delicate soup and a platter of thinly sliced fish. No sooner have you finished the starter then your plate is whisked away, and the main dish is brought out – a great hunk of roasted boar, glistening with sauce and laid out on a slab of silver.

“I hope you like boar,” Juno mutters to you, eyeing the meat with disdain, “We eat far too much of it.”

“Master Pale, Miss Teilhard!” a jovial voice cries out, “Welcome to Boleskine House, I hope that Juno has made you feel welcome. Ah, the meat looks delightful – I hunted it myself just this morning!”

“Master Janus Tomoe,” a servant calls, somewhat belatedly. The head of the Tomoe family isn't quite what you had been expecting. A slim, tall man with dark hair and a pointed beard, he looks like a modern gentleman – a little flamboyant, a little urbane. You had been expecting someone a little more... intense.

With a gesture from Master Tomoe, you take a slice of the roast boar and start eating. It's delicious, of course, and perfectly matched with a deep red wine. “I adore hunting boar,” Master Tomoe muses, “The thrill of it. Life or death. I use a spear, as our ancestors once did, and there's really nothing like it. Have you ever hunted boar, Master Pale?”

“I rarely find the time for hunting these days,” you reply with a grim smile. Beside you, Juno glares at her untouched meal. Is she... embarrassed?

“We really must make time for a hunt together,” the older man decides, “That's the best way to get the measure of a man. You know, I met your father that way.”

You look up from your plate, suddenly unsure if Master Tomoe is being sincere.

“Yes, it was... perhaps a few years after you must've been born. Roughly, of course, roughly. He was good. Fearless, but rather crude in his methods. I still remember it – he caught a boar with his spear and drove it to the ground, but it was just a glancing blow. Before the beast could rise, he set upon it with his sword and hacked the thing to pieces,” Master Tomoe pauses to take a sip of wine, “Glorious. Magnificent, really.”

“That does... sound like something he'd do,” you sigh, pushing the meat on your plate about with your fork. Suddenly, you've lost your appetite.

“Father,” Juno says sternly, a tone of warning in her voice.

“Oh hush!” Master Tomoe laughs, “I'm sure that our guest doesn't mind a little rough talk at dinner. I'm sure he has his own share of tales to tell.”

>Give him a boast of your own. He hunts boar, but you've hunted monsters
>Change the subject. It's not proper to talk of such things over dinner
>Press for more answers. Did he really know your father?
>Other

>>6089573
>Press for more answers. Did he really know your father?
We gotta save our monster hunting stories to exchange for Juno's oracle work, we can't give them away for free here.

>>6089583
+1. But also...

>>6089573
>I've hunted worse than boars... At the Iron Keep. And this is hardly the roughest dinner I've eatebm If you want to know more than that, though, I'd like to know everything you know about my late father.
This could work, too

>>6089583
>>6089588
+1 both

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“I may have a few stories to tell,” you say carefully, giving Master Tomoe a faint hint of a smile, “I've hunted things worse than any boar, and this talk won't turn my stomach. This is far from the roughest meal I've ever had. I could tell you, but... Well, Juno and I played a little game earlier today. She told me what I wanted to know, and I told her what she wanted to know.”

“An even trade,” Master Tomoe agrees, his eyes glinting with amusement, “I'll admit, Master Pale, that you've got my attention. Do go on.”

“Don't play his games,” Juno whispers angrily to you, kicking you lightly under the table.

“I'd like to know everything you know about my late father,” you press, ignoring Juno's warnings, “And in return, I'll share a tale of my own.”

Master Tomoe leans back in his chair and lights a long cigarette. “Your father... Your father was a man who stood at the edge of greatness, but couldn't commit. That was the impression I always got from him. He had seen things, done things, that no other man had. But he shied away from them, and that – I suspect – is what destroyed him,” he recalls, “Really, he should have been a Tomoe.”

“That's all very vague,” you point out, “You could be talking about anyone.”

“No. I could only be talking about one man,” Master Tomoe shakes his head, “Ultimately, your father was still a man who lived by society's rules and morals. He flirted with Calamity, but in the end he was afraid to fully embrace it. A shame, really. But I can see that you've started on the same path that he has. I wonder if you'll be bolder than he was.”

Slowly, you take a sip of wine. Master Tomoe's voice has grown louder, more exuberant with each word he speaks, until his face positively glows.

“Well, I'll consider you a work in progress for now,” Master Tomoe concludes, snuffing out his cigarette with a quick flick of his wrist, “Now, about your tale...”

Pushing your disquiet aside, you adopt a suitable ghoulish expression and begin your tale. “This story is about a certain remote manor in the mountains. In the spirit of gentlemanly behaviour, I shall leave it unnamed,” you start, “This manor belonged to a certain family...”

-

Master Tomoe listens to your story with a fascinated expression, one corner of his mouth curled up into a loveless smile. Juno feigns boredom, toying with her silver cutlery, but you can tell that she's listening intently. When you describe the battle beneath the Iron Keep, her hands clench white knuckle tight. By the time you're finished, her shoulders are tense.

“A most impressive tale,” Master Tomoe breathes, “Tell me one thing, Master Pale. These creatures that you hunted... does it bother you, to think that they were once men?”

“I didn't see them as men,” you answer, shaking your head, “I just saw them as beasts.”

Master Tomoe's smile deepens.

[1]

>>6089603
Oh no he's hot

>>6089603
You thought this was the Juno route, this is actually the Janus route!

>>6089603

“Come with me,” Master Tomoe announces, rising to his feet, “Excuse us, Miss Teilhard. There's something I'd like to discuss with Master Pale in private. Juno, could you keep our guest amused for a moment?”

Juno rolls her eyes, while Ariel tries her best to smile. It's strange, seeing her so silent, but you can well understand. Given her history with the Tomoe, Ariel might not have much to say that's suitable for polite company. “Go ahead,” she says to you eventually, “I'll be right here.”

Wiping his mouth with a napkin, Master Tomoe leads you from the dining room and down a narrow corridor. A silence descends over the older man as he leads you up a spiral staircase, pausing at a sealed door. “This is a very special place for our family, a very secret place,” he warns, “Very few people outside the family get to see inside.”

“I'll be discrete,” you promise, wondering just where he's going with this. Nowhere too strange, you hope.

Throwing open the door, Master Tomoe gestures towards an ornate shrine – a tarnished skull sitting upon a black velvet pillow at its centre. With an odd feeling of reverence, you approach and kneel down before the skull. It's old, so terribly old, and has an air of tragedy surrounding it. Idly, you wonder what an oracle might feel from being in this secret place.

“This is the skull of Lucianus of Silvera, the Summer King,” Master Tomoe murmurs, “The man who would lead Agoria into a thousand year golden age, until our blades cut him down. The greatest crime in the history of our great Kingdom, isn't that what they call it?”

“A golden age...” he continues, “I wonder. Would there be a place for men like us in such a thing?”

“We'll never know now, will we?” you remark, a hard edge in your hushed voice.

Master Tomoe smirks to himself, but says nothing for a moment. Reaching out, he gently strokes the skull. “If you truly intend to follow in your father's footsteps, then we may be able to help each other. You're looking for certain... items, yes?” he says quietly, “I have a certain piece in my collection, if you're willing to make a fair trade.”

An errand for a Tomoe – hardly the most appealing prospect.

“A certain agent of ours has gone missing. He was doing certain work – which, in the spirit of gentlemanly behaviour, I shall leave unnamed – in Teilhard territory,” Master Tomoe explains, “I would dearly like to find out what happened to him.”

“If the Teilhard family have got him, I doubt I'd be able to pull off a rescue,” you point out.

“I'm not asking you to,” the older man purrs, “If he's gotten himself caught, or killed, so be it. An issue of proficiency on his behalf. But I'd like to know for sure. Would you be willing to... investigate?”

>Yes, I think that could be arranged
>Unfortunately, I'm not currently looking for new errands
>Other

>>6089603
>“I didn't see them as men,” you answer, shaking your head, “I just saw them as beasts.”
They looked like monsters to you?
Are we in Silent Hill or Bloodborne? Make up your mind QM!

>>6089623
How hilariously can we play this up? Finally the one thing we know that the Tomoe do not. If we troll the patriarch with Hauberk's death, he could get even later on. But wouldn't it be worth it to see the look on his face? How's that for Calamity?

>>6089623
>Yes, I think that could be arranged

>>6089631
I don't think it's Hauberk, we already told Juno about him and she would have passed it on.

>>6089623
>Oh, Hauberk? I captured him and he bashed his own skull in to avoid questioning. Doubt it will make as good a trophy as Lucianus here.
>Now, about that trade...

Throw the man off with a blunt, direct answer. Caalamity Clan doesn't seem to be used to that, and Jun-Jun told us not to faff about playing games.

You hold your tongue for a long moment, wondering if Master Tomoe is trying to talk you into some kind of trap. You have to assume that he's talking about Hauberk, either that or he's shockingly poor at keeping track of his agents. Whether it's a trap or some kind of game, you're not just going to play along nicely. “It's not Hauberk, is it?” you ask boldly, “Because he's definitely not going to be coming back. As I recall, he bashed his own brains out against the wall of a Teilhard dungeon. I assume he didn't want them to get a nice little trophy like Lucianus here.”

Throwing his head back, Master Tomoe lets out a deep laugh. It feels utterly wrong to laugh so hard in a sacred place like this, but you suppose that's the point.

“No no, I'm aware of what happened to Hauberk – although I didn't know the exact details. Fascinating!” Master Tomoe says with real enthusiasm, real vigour, “You see, Master Pale, since you're already so familiar with our operations in the Teilhard lands, I thought that you'd be the best person for the job.”

That may be the strangest compliment you've ever received. “Very well then. This OTHER agent of yours,” you say carefully, “Does he have a name?”

“Armin Leigh,” Master Tomoe answers, “Another one of your victims, by chance?”

“I've not had the pleasure,” you reply, “Just to be absolutely clear, you're not asking me to free him, help him complete his mission, or do anything like that. Correct?”

“Correct. Absolutely correct,” the older man confirms, “I just want to know what happened to him.”

With a final thought, you shrug. “I can ask some questions, see if anything comes up,” you decide, “But I can't promise anything. You know how it is.”

“Of course, of course,” Master Tomoe gives you a grin, “I must say, you're a very reasonable young man. When I heard that my Juno was taken with you, I quite assumed the worst. But this meeting has been a most pleasant surprise.”

It's certainly not been the worst manor you've visited lately, but that's a very low bar to clear.

>I'm going to take a pause here for today. Current plan will be to resume on Saturday
>Thanks for playing today!

>>6089646
Thanks for running!

>When I heard that my Juno was taken with you
JUNO ROUTE CONFIRMED
Evil woman connoisseurs, our time has come.

>>6089648
Just because a woman wants you, doesn't mean you need to take her up on it. She's still third on my list, after Elle and (if I can ever figure out her age) Ariel.

>>6089646
Thanks for running!

>>6089751
>(if I can ever figure out her age)

I tend to leaves ages fairly vague, but I've imagined most fo the characters to be youngish - usually around early to mid twenties. I feel like Ariel might be on the younger side of that, maybe nineteen or twenty

>>6089974
Acceptable age to enter the competition for Prime Waifu.

>>6089977
The waifu wars are going to be such a mess. There's too many to choose.

explain the concept of cataclysm, what does it mean when people say it.

>>6090130
If you mean Calamity, it's a force/power that opposes the natural order - kind of a harmonious ideal of how to live. Depending on who you believe, Calamity is either an evil, corrupting force or a manifestation of freedom and human will.

If you meant something completely different, then I'm a fool and you might need to clarify.

>>6089648
>JUNO ROUTE CONFIRMED
Best route confirmed…?

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>>6090116
>>6091726
For your convenience, I have prepared a helpful infographic.
This may be the most cursed thing I have ever created.

>>6092504
Kek, based.

>>6092504
BAHAHAHA where's Eleanora route

>>6092504
Thank you, this is extremely helpful and will inform all my decisions going forward
>The disclaimer
Now you're just being redundant

>>6092504
kek
Ariel is best girl (possibly male)

>>6092504
>no harem path

Absolute filth

>>6092504
>no harem path
Absolutely based
>no Gratia on the waifu chart
You fucking nigger

>>6092504
I'm awaiting milf option.

>>6092541
Locked bc we're not cousins w/ her
>>6092504
This is based keep cooking

>>6092504
where twincest route

>>6092773
>>6092776
>>6092926

For reasons of sanity, I decided to only include major characters that we've met in-story. There's always room for a version 2.0 further down the line, of course

>>6093305
You WILL include Gratia after we finally meet her on-screen. The Pale family DEMANDS it

>>6093311
Yeah, but down that road leads cannibalistic molemen.

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Feeling slightly dazed from your discussion with Master Tomoe, you return to the dining room and slump down into one of the empty seats. Snatching up your unfinished wine, you empty the glass in a few gulps.

“I know that look. He showed you the skull, didn't he?” Juno groans, “He's so full of shit... you know, it's probably not even real.”

“I don't know,” you argue, “It looked pretty real to me.”

“Well, yes, it's a real skull,” she admits with an irritated scowl, “But I highly doubt that it belongs to the Summer King of whoever he's claiming now. It's probably just some pig farmer from a particularly grim hamlet somewhere.”

“You don't know whose skull it is,” you point out, grinning slightly to yourself, “So it could, potentially, be the Summer King's skull.”

“I can't believe you're taking HIS side,” Juno complains, looking across the table to Ariel, “Can YOU believe this?”

“Sorry, I'm obviously still playing catch up here,” Ariel says, looking between you and Juno, “Did you just say that he's got the Summer King's skull upstairs?”

“It's not-” Juno snarls, her hands clenched into fists, but your laugh downs out anything else she has to say.

-

With dinner over and done with, you withdraw back to the archives – to discuss Master Tomoe's proposal. You leave a few things out, mostly his last few words about Juno, but you cover all the important points. You know fully well that Ariel won't like it and she doesn't disappoint you.

“So let me get this straight,” Ariel says, grimacing softly to herself, “You're working for the Tomoe now?”

“I'm not working for him,” you explain, “I'm just carrying out a little bit of an investigation. In all likelihood, I'll just be bringing him some bad news. Not much work, but the reward could be well worth it. You know how important this is to me.”

“I know, I know,” the pale girl concedes, throwing her hands up in the air, “But sometimes, I look at myself and wonder what I'm doing with my life.”

“You know, Miss Teilhard” Juno purrs, “I sometimes get the feeling that you don't like my family very much.”

“That's funny,” Ariel counters, “Because I sometimes get the feeling that you don't like your family very much either.”

A sudden tension stiffens the air, silence descending as you wait for Juno's retort – either an outburst of laughter, you're guessing, or a frightful display of violence. But in the end, it's neither. Juno simply glances away and studies the rows of books with a cold aloofness. “This man that we're looking for,” she says, her voice hard, “What was his name again?”

“Armin Leigh,” you remind her. She knows his name perfectly well, of course, but the question gives her a nice neat way of bringing the conversation back towards matters of business.

[1/2]

>>6093498

With a nod, Juno takes a book down from the shelf and opens it to reveal a map of Agoria. “Armin Leigh,” she repeats, pointing to the map, “Assigned here, Albershot Lodge. If we're looking for him, I'd suggest starting there.”

“Do you know what sort of mischief he was supposed to be getting up to?” you ask, “Nothing too nefarious, I hope.”

“Infiltration. His job was to meet up with the locals and ingratiate himself. A fairly standard mission, which is another way of saying frightfully boring,” Juno waves the subject away with a callous gesture, “Even if we don't anything special planned, it's always useful to have a few embedded assets. Call it an investment.”

“This is all very interesting,” Ariel muses, “I'm sure King Albrecht would love to know about this.”

“By all means, tell him, although I'd be very surprised if he doesn't already know,” the red-haired girl replies, not rising to the bait, “Does it bother you, knowing how far our reach extends? Knowing that anyone you talk with, anyone you confide in, might be one of our people?”

Ariel's face doesn't waver, her mouth set in a tiny smile. Beneath the table, however, you can see her fists clenched so tight that her hands tremble. “I think you're bluffing,” she says eventually, “You'd love nothing more than to see us fall into paranoia and suspicion.”

“Also true,” Juno agrees, shrugging slightly, “Maybe I really was bluffing. Who knows? Who cares? It's all rather tiresome, if I'm honest. Perhaps we should stick to our mission?”

An awkward silence descends, broken only when you clear your throat. “Quite so,” you say, “Ariel. Do you think Siegfried House might know about our missing friend?”

“I don't know. Maybe,” Ariel tilts her head to the side as she thinks, “But I'm not really keen to go asking questions. They might ask why we're asking, or how we know about him, and then things just get messy. I'd prefer to tell as few lies as possible, especially to my own damn family.”

“I see your point,” you reply, “So you'd just go straight to Aldershot Lodge?”

“Sure, I guess,” she answers with a shrug, “Or just go away for a few days, then tell Master Tomoe we found his boy dead in a ditch somewhere. What's he going to do, go our and check for himself?”

You glance aside to Juno, who has a secretive little smile on her face. “While that does sound amusing, maybe you shouldn't say that right in front of Master Tomoe's daughter,” you point out, “Just a suggestion.”

“Oh don't worry, I'd back you up,” Juno remarks with a smirk, “As you say, it sounds rather funny. I wonder, though. Are you really that dishonest?”

Maybe, but you'd like to think that you have higher standards of behaviour than a Tomoe.

>We'll go straight to Aldershot Lodge, ask around there
>Let's go to Siegfried House first, check with the Teilhard family
>I like this “dead in a ditch” plan, actually
>Other

>>6093500
>Let's go to Siegfried House first, check with the Teilhard family
No need for lies... Well, not excatly. Tell them we're on a mission to find a Tomoe spy. If they ask, yes, we visted the Tomoe first, as part of a mission for the King. It is, most emphatically, not a mission in support of the Tomoe. However, just as that accursed house is allowed to exist, sometimes unfortunate circumstances require our working with them.

>>6093503
+1
It should be expected by now that Isambard Pale has a floating "WILL WORK FOR LESSONS" hanging over his head

File: NiceanProphecies.png (941 KB, 800x1200)

941 KB PNG

“I think we should go to Siegfried House first,” you decide, “Right now, we don't know much about this Albershot Lodge. I'd prefer to know what kind of place we're walking into at the very least.”

“I guess,” Ariel concedes, “I'll be honest, I've never even heard of it.”

“That's because it's where they carry out all their secret tortures and executions,” Juno replies, letting out a curt laugh, “I'm kidding. I don't actually know what it's like either, so I suppose it'll be a nice surprise.”

“I don't like surprises, nice or not,” you insist firmly, “And that's why we're going to do our research first.”

This isn't a debate.

-

A tense mood hangs over the carriage as it rattles towards your destination. Despite her laudable attempts to hide it, you can tell that Ariel is nervous. While that's understandable enough, you can sense a faint unease coming from Juno as well. Maybe it's just the awkward silence that's getting to her – it's certainly starting to grate on your nerves. In search of a way to pass the time, you take out the book Juno gave you and start to read.

You open the book carefully, holding it with all the caution of a man clutching a poisonous snake. As for the text itself, the writing is dense and difficult to read, often wandering from one subject to another or spinning off on strange diversions. A discourse on the nature of Calamity, Kalthos has collated a number of myths, legends and theories, grouping them into three general categories – the idea that Calamity originated from the Godhead itself, that Calamity originated within mankind before passing to the Godhead, and the suggesting that Calamity originated from outside somehow.

To this last point, he cites an old folk tail about a great white serpent god – the serpent came into the world and taught men how to do evil, and so Calamity was born. Kalthos is vague as to what the serpent might have been, his explanation wavering between an allegory for human will to the manifestation of some divine will.

“If the Godhead is capable of sending an avatar into our world,” Kalthos writes, citing the Nicean Prophecies, “Could the same not be true for other gods, gods that may be sympathetic to mankind?”

You go back to that passage time and time again, reading those terribly suggestive words until they're engraved onto your memory. It's exactly the kind of wild pagan delusion that the church has tried so hard to stamp out, so you shouldn't be surprised to find it in a book penned by a Tomoe. Yet, here you can sense something that goes beyond the petty rebellions so common to the Tomoe. Something else, something far older.

“Get your head out of that book,” Ariel whispers, leaning over and gently poking you on the arm, “We're almost there.”

[1]

>>6093533

There's something pleasant about coming back to Siegfried House, with its carefully maintained balance between luxury and martial pride. It has all the comforts that a young gentleman might want, without being uncouth about them. You can only imagine that your own family estate was like this once, back in the heights of your family's fortunes. Now those golden years are lost, while the Teilhard family are still enjoying their peak.

To your surprise, that thought sends a thrill of anger cutting through you. Shaking off the feeling, you hastily put Kalthos' book away as the carriage grinds to a halt.

“Well then,” Juno says lightly, “Shall I stay here? Maybe hide out of sight while you go about your righteous duty?”

Just as you're about to answer that, a pair of guards open the carriage doors and move to help you dismount. When they see Juno, though, they freeze in place.

“I think it's a little late for that,” you sigh.

-

Davidian Teilhard paces the length of his office, his brow furrowed with deep thought. Eventually, he stops and turns to face you. “I respect you, Master Pale, and for that I'm willing to hear you out,” he says sharply, “Why, exactly, have you come to my home with a whore of the Tomoe?”

You wonder what Juno would say to that, if she wasn't safely locked away in another room. Probably nothing suitable for polite company.

“Thanks to that Tomoe, ahem, woman, I've learned of another one of their agents operating in your territory,” you explain, “Miss Tomoe approached us on behalf of her family, with a request for our assistance in recovering this agent. I accepted their proposal, only because it would allow us to find this man. I have no intention of bringing him back to his masters.”

“And why would they approach you, in particular, for this?” Master Teilhard asks, although you can already see signs of him lowering his guard.

“Their own agents are in disarray after the Hauberk affair, but they know that we are on good terms,” you continue, the excuses coming easily to your tongue, “They assumed that I would be able to secure your assistance and recover their agent.”

Master Teilhard considers this. “I wonder,” he muses, “Bringing the Tomoe girl here-”

“That wasn't part of their plan,” you confirm, offering him a humourless smile, “I don't think they'll be asking for my help any time in the future.”

With a final nod, Master Teilhard sits down behind his desk and lets out a sigh. “I haven't heard any reports of trouble from Albershot Lodge, certainly nothing to indicate that they've apprehended a suspicious person,” he says, “Albershot is a very low priority outpost – they only send a message if something unusual has occurred. I've not had any messages, so I presume that all is well.”

Or they were wiped out.

[2/3]

>>6093552

“What kind of place is Albershot Lodge?” Ariel asks, “I've never heard of it.”

“It's a hunting camp, primarily, set deep in a stretch of woods known for excellent game. We occasionally visit there with guests on special occasions – I spent a week there just before my wedding, as I recall. It's something of a luxury, and one that we rarely get to enjoy,” Master Teilhard explains, a faint note of regret creeping into his voice, “It's far back from the border, and quite isolated, so it only has a small caretaker staff.”

“I know what you're going to say,” he continues, holding up a hand to silence you, “But this is nothing like Fort Venger. These men are not old soldiers hungry for glory. They're more like... hermit monks.”

“I don't understand.”

“Master Reinhold is an old soldier, yes. He fought hard during the last Lliogor migration, and has little taste for further fighting. Watching over Albershot Lodge allows him to serve a purpose, whilst still pursuing the Solitude that he seeks. The rest of his men are the same,” Master Teilhard says quietly, “The Tomoe would have little chance of inciting such men to revolt.”

The mention of Solitude causes your stomach to lurch uneasily, but you don't get the chance to say anything before a knock at the door rings out. At Master Teilhard's hail, a uniformed soldier enters. “We've spoken with the prisoner,” he announces, “She claims to have recruited Master Pale in an attempt to recover a missing agent of theirs. She assumed he would be sympathetic to their cause, and hoped he would be able to learn the agent's location from you.”

Beside you, Ariel's shoulders slump slightly as a wave of relief washes over her.

“I see. You're dismissed,” Master Teilhard orders, giving you a faint smile, “Either you've done an excellent job at getting your stories straight, or you're telling the truth. In this case, I choose to believe the latter. Go to Albershot Lodge if you wish, Master Pale, but I would ask that you deliver this agent, should you find him, into my care.”

“Naturally,” you agree, “So we're free to go?”

“With my blessing,” the older man says, “You can even take the Tomoe girl with you. Not much of a blessing, however. Was there anything else?”

>Nothing else. We'll be on our way
>Is there anything else at Albershot that the Tomoe might be interested in?
>Are there any other sites nearby that this agent may have been seeking?
>I have some other questions... (Write in)
>Other

>>6093560
>I've got a rousing tale of heroism to tell, but I'll leave that to Daniel when next he returns. It doesn't involve a Tomoe, for once.

>>6093560
>Is there anything else at Albershot that the Tomoe might be interested in?

>>6093572
>>6093577
+1 both in that order
Keep him hooked so he's eager to hear the cool story (which Daniel helped with)

>>6093552
>You can only imagine that your own family estate was like this once, back in the heights of your family's fortunes. Now those golden years are lost, while the Teilhard family are still enjoying their peak.
>To your surprise, that thought sends a thrill of anger cutting through you.
But he forgets that now he's the sole Pale heir to the estate and the noble house itself, he can work to MAKE new golden years of his own. They might not be able to come close to what his ancestors once had, but who says they have to be?

>>6093560
OP I find it very funny that Isambard is quickly becoming very used to all these "find this missing person" or "get me this X thing back" sidequest-esque ventures all these noble families are making him do. Eventually he's going to be so good at this that all the noble families will know him well for it and go to him with any weird or mysterious tasks, and soon they will all have no choice but to be indebted to him.

“There is something, although it's better saved for another time,” you mention, thinking back to your dalliances at the Iron Keep, “A rousing tale of heroism, if such things interest you. The next we're all together, and Daniel is here to tell his side of the story, I'll be sure to tell you. It doesn't involve the Tomoe, which might sweeten the deal.”

Master Teilhard laughs. “Is this your humble attempt at boasting, Master Pale? I dare say that you must be quite proud of yourself if you want us all to hear your tale,” he says, looking aside to your companion, “Ariel, be honest with me now. Is your friend exaggerating?”

“I'm not sure if I'd call it a “rousing tale of heroism”, but it's certainly a story,” Ariel remarks, giving you a wry smile, “I don't know how much of it you'll believe, but I can confirm that it's true – at least, the bits that make me look good are true.”

“Very well. Consider me interested,” the old soldier decides, leaning back in his chair in a smirk, “But I feel as if that wasn't your only point to make.”


“Naturally, there's no fooling you,” you remark, “I wondered if there was anything else we should be aware of. Anything else at Albershot, aside from the people, that the Tomoe would be interested in?”

“The deer, perhaps?” Master Teilhard answers with a humourless laugh, “I hear that Master Tomoe is quite the hunter himself.”

“I'm not sure if deer are really his sport of choice.”

Master Teilhard waves away your retort with a wave of his hand. “I won't pretend to understand how the Tomoe think, or why they do the things they do,” he states curtly, “However, I understand that Albershot is old – the current lodge was built atop a previous site, something far older. There's hardly anything left of it now, but perhaps even that might be of some interest to them.”

“Perhaps so,” you agree with a thoughtful nod, “Thank you, Master Teilhard.”

“Oh, Ariel,” Master Teilhard asks as you're about to leave, “That rifle. May I?”

Ariel hesitates for a moment, then hands across the rifle. Master Teilhard takes it, weighing it in his hands before raising it to his shoulder and peering through the telescopic sight. With a soft grunt, he lowers the rifle again to take a closer look. “Handmade, hand fitted,” he remarks, lightly tapping the sight, “I can get you something factory made that'll be more precise.”

“Thank you, sir, but there's no need for that,” Ariel answers, her voice soft, “I prefer this one.”

Master Teilhard raises an eyebrow at this. “Suit yourself,” he says as he passes the rifle back, before giving you a hint of a smirk, “Just don't stand too close to anything she's trying to shoot, Master Pale.”

A master of strategy, as expected of House Teilhard.

[1]

>>6093597
He might be the patriarch and needs to keep a hardass grim exterior and all, but he's still a Teilhard and he's still Dan's dad. The bro gene still flows strong in him no matter how hard he tries to suppress it in his daily life now. Surely the old man will get only cooler as time goes on and he knows Bard better.

>>6093597

Escorted back out to your waiting carriage, you climb in and set off towards Albershot. Juno says little as the carriage rattles away from Siegfried House, content to peer out the window with hard, cold eyes. There's nothing to suggest that the Teilhards were anything other than courteous with her, but the diversion seems to have left her irritated.

“Maybe I missed something,” Ariel says lightly, “But when did we take the time to get our stories straight?”

“We didn't,” you answer.

“We didn't,” Juno says at the exact same moment.

“You mean you were just...” Ariel hesitates, her hands flapping in the air as she tries to gesture where words fail her, “Just making it up as you went along? Both of you?”

“Essentially, yes.”

“And it WORKED?”

“Apparently so,” Juno says with a yawn, “You see, men like Davidian Teilhard are particularly easy to fool because they believe what they want to believe. They happily swallow lies that confirm their biases and prejudices, and ignore anything that contradicts with those biases. Davidian Teilhard has tasted treachery, which, paradoxically, makes him more eager to believe those he sees as trustworthy.”

“That's an awful lot of words just to say that you think he's an idiot,” Ariel points out, scowling at Juno, “I'd appreciate it if you didn't insult my family straight to my face, thanks.”

“I'm not saying he's stupid,” the red-haired girl stresses, “It's perfectly normal human behaviour. Whether you consider that stupid or not is your business.”

“I'm not optimistic enough to ask you to stop arguing,” you interrupt, “But can we at least save the arguments for later?”

-

With the treeline rising up before you like a fortress wall, you disembark the carriage and look around for a trail. Eventually you spot the faded remnants of a dirt path cutting into the forest, although it looks like it hasn't been used in years. You'll have to proceed on foot from here, but the idea doesn't sit easily with you. A long walk is no particular hardship, but these woods look especially dense and foreboding.

“No use complaining about it,” you tell yourself with a sigh, “The sooner we get started, the sooner we'll be finished.”

“Did they teach you that platitude at Coral House?” Juno teases, accepting your hand down from the carriage with an air of mocking gratitude.

“No, Coral House taught me how to hand insolent women over to House Teilhard,” you reply with a frown, “Now are you going to keep insulting me, or are we going to continue with this mission?”

Sighing and rolling her eyes, Juno makes a tiny adjustment to the short sword at her hip and marches off into the forest. You follow and, within a few minutes of walking, the outside world seems to have vanished completely – but for a few glimpses of the setting sun through the canopy above, you might have fully left the world behind.

[2/3]

>>6093618

You're walking for about an hour before the path widens out to reveal the lodge itself. There's not much to look at – a few storage sheds surrounding a larger building like an oversized log cabin. You don't see any sign of the older site that Master Teilhard mentioned, but you suppose that must be long buried now. What bothers you is how silent, how still, the whole place is.

“Remind you of anything?” Ariel whispers to you, slowly popping open the holster and touching her revolver.

“No,” you murmur, “The Iron Keep had been left abandoned – mostly abandoned – for a long, long time. This feels different. This feels new.”

Gesturing for her to keep silent after this, and listening carefully, you approach the ajar front door and lightly push it open. The inside of the lodge is dark, but even through the gloom you can see that nobody has been here for a few days. There's a hearth, but only cold ashes lie within. A few plates are left scattered on the table, some still bearing the dried remains of a meal. “Hello?” you call out at last, when your nerves can no longer bear the silence.

A long silence greets you, and then a dull thud. Then another, and another – a slow, rhythmic beat. Drawing your own revolver, you creep through the lodge and follow the source of the sound. You pass a few empty bedrooms, reminding yourself to search through them later, before you open a perfectly normal door to find a staircase of white stone leading down into the darkness.

With your pocket lantern lighting the way, you descend the white stairs into a short corridor, a mixture of ancient white stone and newer masonry. A metal door has been placed in one empty doorway, and it is this door that someone, some THING, is beating against. Approaching, you draw back a metal cover and move to peer through the viewing window before a pale, sweaty face slams against the other side of the door.

“Please...” the young man rasped, the words ripped painfully from his parched throat, “Please, let me out.”

“In a minute,” you tell him, “Are you Armin Leigh?”

For a moment, the man looks as if he wants to nod and shake his head at the same time. He just hesitates, frozen in place as he tries to figure out which answer will give him his freedom.

-

Later, as the young man gulps water from a tin cup, you study him with Juno and Ariel. He looks thin and hungry, and you have to assume that he's been locked up without food and water for quite some time. Now that he's had a chance to wet his throat, though, there's a sly light in his eyes that you don't much like.

“I'll let you handle this one,” Juno whispers, “If he sees me, the poor boy might die of fright.”

You remember Hauberk's violent suicide all too well. How, then, to handle the young man?

>Keep as silent as possible, let him speak
>Try and win his trust. He probably appreciates a friendly face
>Push him hard. If he doesn't help you, he can go back in his cell
>Other

>>6093643
>Push him hard
Finally got past captcha, it’s been killing me today

“Leave him to me,” you murmur, “I'll see what he knows.”

“Try to leave him alive and relatively intact,” Juno urges coyly, “For now, at least.”

Giving her a sarcastic scowl, you approach the young man and sit down opposite him. He freezes, peering at you from across the rim of his cup. He looks younger than you first thought, with a look in his eyes that reminds you of a startled animal – the look of a beast calculating the danger, weighing up fight and flight.

“Armin Leigh,” you begin, “You ARE Armin Leigh, aren't you?”

“I'm hungry,” he replies, a faltering little laugh escaping him, “That's what I am.”

“Well, Master Hungry, you're not being very cooperative. If you're not willing to help us out, then we've got no further use for you,” you counter, fixing the young man with a cold stare, “We could just put you back in that cell and go about our business. I'm sure there was a very good reason why you were in there, and so-”

“W-wait!” he yelps, fumbling with the empty cup and nearly dropping it, “How do you know... I mean, what does it matter who I am?”

“Because I'm looking for Master Leigh. If you're not him, then I have no use for you,” you answer, “And, again, I'd have no reason not to lock you back up again.”

Fidgeting in his seat, the young man hangs his head low. “Yes. I'm Leigh,” he whispers, “Happy now? Can I have something to eat now?”

“Maybe. That depends on how cooperative you are. We're making progress, but there's still a long way to go,” you lean back in your chair, eager to be away from the almost feral look in his eyes, “Now, Master Leigh, I was led to believe that this lodge had a small garrison of soldiers. Yet, you're the only person I found here. Care to explain?”

“I don't know what happened to them,” he whines, his dirty hair flying as he shakes his head, “I was locked up, remember? They brought me food and water for a few days, and then... nothing.”

“There's a lot that you're not telling us,” you points out, gesturing for Ariel to come and lend a helping hand in the kitchen, “I understand. It must be hard to talk on an empty stomach.”

With pathetic eagerness, Leigh nods.

-

With the smell of slightly burnt food filling the lodge, you turn away from the frankly gruesome sight of Leigh devouring the meal. You realise that he was locked up without food for a few days, of course, but does he really have to be so unmannered?

When the plate is empty, Leigh lets out a low whimper. “There was a woman,” he says at last, his voice soft, “Not long after they caught me. I never saw her, but I overheard some of the men talking about her.”

“A woman,” you repeat.

“Yes, a woman,” Leigh shivers, hugging himself, “I don't know, I think... I think she was hurt. I heard one of the soldiers talking about sending for a doctor. But I don't think they ever did. Or if they did, the doctor never arrived.”

[1]

>>6093668

“Let's take a step back,” you continue, “Why were you, Armin Leigh, caught in the first place? What were you doing here?”

“I... I was just paid to look around, okay?” Leigh answers nervously, “Scout out the woods a little, get the lay of the land. I didn't think I was doing anything wrong, but then I walked into this clearing here and all of a sudden this old man was pointing a gun at me! They marched me down into that basement, put me in that cell and...”

“And that's when the woman showed up,” you murmur, “Did you see her at all while you were, ah, scouting out the woods?”

Leigh shakes his head. “I never saw anyone. But, I mean, this forest is dense, right? If she wanted to hide...” he shudders, “After she showed up, things got weird. The other men, the soldiers, were scared. I mean, even locked up in that cell I could tell they were scared. I think... I think they forgot I was here after a while, because they'd come down into the basement whenever they wanted to have a private conversation.”

“Some of the men, they wanted to leave with the woman – bring her back to town, get her to a doctor. Others, they said they couldn't leave their post. Those ones, I don't think they trusted her. And then one of the men, I think... I think he wanted to keep the woman here,” Leigh hesitates, covering his mouth as if the food he just ate was sickening him, “I don't think his intentions were... honourable.”

“And the one day, they were all just... gone,” you muse, “Excuse me, Master Leigh. I just need to discuss this with my colleagues.”

With a weak nod, Leigh slumps back in his chair as a wave of fatigue strikes him. Retreating into the darkened hallway, you glance between Juno and Ariel. “Well?” you whisper, “What do we think?”

“I think we've got our man, we should leave as soon as possible,” Juno replies sharply, “Whatever happened here, it's been and gone. We shouldn't allow it to delay us.”

“If we leave now, we'll be trekking through that damn forest all night,” Ariel warns, “Even with a lantern, I'm not convinced we can follow the trail. If we get lost...”

“Stay the night, then?” Juno snaps, her lips twisting with irritation, “Well, why not? We can make a holiday out of it, maybe try and do a little bit of hunting while we're here!”

“Enough, both of you,” you interrupt, “Knock it off.”

>Ariel is right. We can't risk getting lost in the forest. Tomorrow morning, we leave
>Juno is right. I don't want to stay here a second longer than necessary. We leave immediately
>You're both wrong. I'm not leaving until I've figured out what happened here
>Let me ask Leigh some questions... (Write in)
>Other

>>6093691
>Ariel is right. We can't risk getting lost in the forest. Tomorrow morning, we leave
We can make a little holiday of it
Good idea, Juno

>>6093724
+1 but we stay on our guard and never leave alone. That's how they get you

There should be arms around too. Getting Leigh armed to help us out could be of benefit. I doubt he'll betray us after we tell him that this is Juno Tomoe right here and that we're here to recover him alive. We're his ticket out of here

“That's a good idea, actually. We SHOULD make a holiday out of it!” you tell Juno, a corrosive sarcasm dripping from your words, “It's been so long since I had some time off, and now we've got this whole place to ourselves!”

Juno waits with her arms folded, scowling at you. “Are you done?” she asks at last, “Quite finished?”

“No, I've still got some more left in me, but I'll keep that for later,” you answer, “Look, Ariel is right. If we hurry out now and end up lost in the woods, it's not going to help anyone. In fact, it'll be the exact opposite of helpful. Leigh has been here all alone for days, and he's okay. He's... alive, at least. We're spending one night here, one single night, and then we're leaving in the morning.”

“Can you say that again?” Ariel asks, “That first part. I didn't quite hear it.”

“Which part?”

“The part where you said “Ariel is right”. I think you should say that more often,” the pale girl explains, giving Juno a pointed look, “Because it's true.”

Juno looks between you and Ariel, then throws her hands up in a dramatic shrug. “Suit yourselves!” she snaps, “I rather suspect that it won't be as easy as you say, but I'm obviously outvoted here. But just so you know, I'm an early riser and I'll be sure to wake you both up too. I hope you're prepared for that.”

With that last announcement, Juno turns and marches off into the lodge. Ariel watches her leave, a wry smirk forming on one corner of her mouth. “She's cute when she's angry,” she whispers, “But I bet you're the one who'll have to deal with her temper.”

“I'll survive, somehow,” you sigh, “I wonder why she's getting so upset about this.”

“Shit, how should I know?” Ariel shrugs, “Two people agreed on something, so she felt a familial duty to disagree. But I don't know, she's the oracle here – maybe she's got a bad feeling about all this.”

Considering the strange, abandoned nature of the lodge, it would be stranger if she wasn't getting a bad feeling about it. “Maybe we should take some precautions,” you suggest carefully, “Stay armed, for a start, and nobody goes off alone.”

“Is this your cunning way of trying to share a bedroom?” Ariel shakes her head, “Sorry Isambard, but there are rules against that sort of thing. Even in the face of unknown danger, social norms still have to be upheld.”

“You could still share a room with Juno-”

“I think I'd rather risk the midnight stroll home.”

>It's getting a little late, so I'm going to pause here for today. I'll be continuing this tomorrow
>Thanks for playing along today!

>>6093749
Thanks for running! Make sure Ariel is between us and Juno so she gets woken first.

>>6093589
Good long-game.Supporting the notion.

>>6093745
+1 to this, too. Just don't specify who we're taking him alive TO.

>>6093749
We should ask Juno about her oracle-senses,a and how tingly they may or may not be. Or maybe she recognizes what is happening here from family lore? Either way, she's antsy to GTFO.

Thanks for running, QM!

File: Armin Leigh.jpg (302 KB, 1024x1024)

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Night falls slowly, the last traces of the sun gradually fading from the sky as you go about the lodge lighting as many lanterns as possible. Even as you're lighting them, you recognise that there's something foolish, something childish, about your insistence on having so much light. You couldn't even really say why you're doing it, but nobody stops you or complains about it, so you carry on regardless.

As you're lighting the lanterns, you take a look through the rest of the lodge for any sign of what happened to the garrison. Though the lodge itself is decorated with a certain understated luxury, the individual bedrooms are remarkably austere – there's not much to search through. A few rifles, borderline antiques, are left in a rack near Leigh's cell, but there's no indication that any of the weapons are missing or were fired in anger.

There's only one room that really draws your gaze – a heavier door on the upper floor with a serious lock on it. A brass plaque screwed into the door carries the name “Reinhold”, which you recall from Master Teilhard's briefing. The leader – former leader – of this place, you assume. Aside from Leigh's cell, it's the only room you've seen so far with a proper lock on it. Studying it, you wonder just how much grovelling it'll take for Juno to try and work her magic on the lock.

However much it is, it'll be too much.

-

You're not sure what wakes you, the opening and closing of a door or the creak of a floorboard. Whatever it is, you're awake in an instant. Sitting up in bed, you feel a sudden disquiet that drives you to hastily don your boots and coat. Grabbing a lantern, you creep out into the hallway and glance about. One of the bedroom doors, Leigh's room, is slightly ajar, and when you peer inside you see the empty, unmade bed.

Hoping that Leigh has simply gotten up for a midnight snack, you head downstairs and look around the lodge. It's only when you look out the window that you see any sign of life, a faint lantern glow shining from within the dense forest outside. Muttering a curse, you leave the lodge and hurry towards the treeline. There, you pause, frozen at the threshold.

Shaking off your fear, you plunge into the trees and make your way towards the faint light. Thick bushes claw at your clothes as you duck under low branches and stumble over fallen logs. Somewhere far off in the distance, a chorus of night owls shriek out their terrible cries as you press deeper and deeper into the forest until, finally, you find the fallen lantern. A few paces away, slumped at the base of a great tree, Leigh stares into empty space with wide, fearful eyes.

“I heard her. I HEARD her,” Leigh whispers, his voice trembling, “She was... singing.”

[1/2]

>>6094402

“We have to go back. We have to find her...” Leigh mumbles as you drag him back towards the lodge, “She's still out there somewhere...”

“We're not doing anything until morning,” you grunt, pausing as the young man tries to struggle free from your grasp, “And even then, we're heading straight home. There are a lot of people looking for you, Master Leigh. I'd hate to disappoint them.”

Leigh lets out a low moan of dismay, but soon abandons his feeble attempts at wriggling free. Emerging from the treeline, you see that you're not the only one who's awake – framed against the lights burning within the lodge is a tall figure standing in the doorway. Juno watches you with a faint amusement as you drag Leigh up to the lodge, not even offering to lend a hand. When Leigh raises his sagging head and sees her, his eyes are first muddled with confusion before widening with fear.

“Well well,” she begins, “Taking the dog for a walk?”

“Go and get some rest. We've got a lot of walking to do in the morning,” you tell Leigh, tactfully ignoring Juno's jibe, “I know you said that you were an early riser, Miss Tomoe, but this is a little much.”

Rolling her eyes, Juno gestures towards a pair of seats. “Okay, fine. Let's talk,” you continue, sitting down opposite her, “You know something about what's going on here, don't you? That's why you're so keen to get out of here.”

“You seem to have a lot of faith in my powers of prediction,” Juno sneers, “But I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. I don't know what's going on here. I know that SOMETHING is going on here, but I'd say that's fairly obvious – even to you.”

“We... like to think that we live in a rational, logical world,” she continues, after a moment of silence, “A world which follows certain rules. But it's not like that. Look beneath the surface, look to the isolated, forgotten parts of the world, and you see something else. Something far older than the “rules” we so desperately cling to, something that exists outside the natural order. We can push them far to the periphery, but we can never be truly rid of them.”

You think of the ancient white stone beneath the lodge, the remnants of some long distant survival. “And that's what we're dealing with here?” you wonder aloud, “Some... thing from outside?”

“We're not “dealing” with it,” Juno says sharply, “Because we're leaving here at first light.”

>Of course. That's what I said, wasn't it?
>In the morning. Until then, there's a door I'd like your help with
>Things must be serious if you're this scared
>This “woman” Leigh keeps talking about. What do you think?
>I think... (Write in)
>Other

>>6094404
>Things must be serious if you're this scared
>This “woman” Leigh keeps talking about. What do you think?
I suspect this mystery woman's some sort of entity who's lured the men into the woods one by one and eaten them. I suggest we say this casually and gauge Juno's reaction.

>>6094416
+1
But even so that speculation doesn't really hold up. If she killed all the men one by one, then that means there would have to be a few with their wits about them who tried to escape. They might have died in the wilderness or on the way to the main road... but we found no bodies or evidence.

“I understand,” you reply, giving Juno a humourless smirk, “Things must be serious if you're this scared.”

“I'm not scared!” Juno snaps, “I'm-”

Silence, then, as she cuts her words short.

“I'm all too aware of how dangerous these things can be,” she continues after a moment, her voice low and cold, “Not dangerous like a sword or a bullet, or even like a wild beast. These things, these outsiders, are insidious – they fascinate, as much as they repulse. They draw men in with the promise of great things, only to destroy them. Men like your father. Maybe men like yourself.”

The mention of your father causes your blood to run cold, although your face remains an impassive mask. “You should be a writer,” you jeer, “You certainly have a fine turn of phrase.”

“Oh yes, of course. Dismiss my perfectly sensible advice. By all means, go ahead.” Juno spits, “You ass.”

With a slight tilt of your head, you offer her a faint gesture of concession. “So is that what happened here, do you think?” you ask, “This “woman” that Leigh mentioned. You think she was drawing these men in and... what, devouring them?”

“I wouldn't go quite that far,” the red-haired girl says slowly, as if she can't decide if you're being serious or not, “At least, not in a literal sense. But from what Leigh said, this woman had a very pronounced effect on these men. They took her in, cared for her... and obsessed over her. She would have had a great deal of power over them.”

“So, if you're asking me for advice, I'll tell you this,” Juno concludes, “If you happen to see a mysterious woman out in the woods, please resist your urges to do anything foolish. I know it's hard, but do try. For me?”

“I'll try my best,” you answer.

“Thank you. And I'll do the same.”

-

When morning comes, you wake with a pounding headache. It's hardly surprising, given your restless night, but that doesn't make it any easier. A dull pressure builds behind your eyes, while your heartbeat pulses in your ears. It's so loud that it takes you a moment to realise that there's someone knocking at your door. Hauling yourself upright and making a cursory effort at dressing yourself, you open the door a crack and find yourself confronted with Juno's reddened, bloodshot eyes.

“Finally,” she mutters, “I thought you were going to sleep all day.”

You glance around with an exasperated sigh, gesturing at the first signs of sunrise peeking through the window. If this is what she considers a late start, you have to wonder if she slept at all last night. Not much, by the look of her. Gathering up the last of your things, you move to the next door over and knock heavily. Eventually, Leigh opens the door and shuffles out like a man walking to the gallows.

“I don't want to go,” he mumbles.

“That's too bad,” Juno tells him, “Because we're leaving.”

[1]

>>6094429

Leigh is still muttering to himself as you wake Ariel, who actually looks as if she's had a decent night's sleep. “Wow,” she remarks, looking between you and Juno, “You both look awful. If I was a more suspicious person, I might start wondering a few things.”

“You mean, did we spend the whole night rutting like wild beasts?” Juno asks, giving Ariel a mocking glare, “Unfortunately not. This dismal little lodge is hardly the sort of place to put either of us in the mood.”

“Uh...” Ariel pauses, a slight blush creeping through her cheeks, “I'm sorry I said anything.”

“So you should be,” Juno snarls, brushing past the shorter girl and heading for the stairs.

-

The forest is deathly silent as you set out along the path towards your waiting carriage. The silence here reminds you of the dusty lands surrounding the old palace, with their unbroken stillness. It's nothing at all like how a healthy forest should sound, alive with birdsong and the hum of insects. Your progress is slower than when you first arrived, both because of Leigh slowing you down and a general caution.

You're all armed with rifles taken from the lodge, save for Ariel who brought her own, but you're not sure if you'd trust Leigh to shoot straight. At the very least, he might raise the alarm by getting a shot off before being horribly murdered.

Your headache grows worse as you walk, an atonal hum echoing through your ears. Too much time shooting, you think to yourself, especially in close quarters like the tunnels beneath the Iron Keep. Your bitter thoughts are abruptly interrupted as Juno stumbles in front of you, nearly falling before you manage to catch her. “What's wrong?” you ask sharply as you help her back up.

“Nothing's wrong,” she replies, one hand clumsily feeling for her face, “I just caught my foot on something. That's all.” You glance back at the trail behind you, but you don't see anything that might have tripped her. “Let's just keep moving,” Juno continues, her voice muffled by the droning sound pulsing through your ears, “We should be close. We've been walking for long enough.”

Nodding a reply, you stay close by as Juno forges off ahead. Then the forest trail widens up before you, and you come to a sudden halt. Before you stands Albershot Lodge, looming impossibly before you.

“This is...” you whisper, “This isn't possible. We never strayed from the path, never lost our way. It's almost a straight path out of the forest! So how-”

A faltering giggle interrupts you. “Can't you hear it?” Leigh laughs, then sobs, “She's singing to us.”

With a sudden furious motion, Juno grabs Leigh's collar and slams him back into a nearby tree. “You bastard!” she spits, drawing back a hand to strike him, “What did you do?”

>Help Juno. Leigh must be responsible for this
>Sop Juno. She's got the wrong man
>Do nothing. Let things play out
>Other

>>6094438
>Seems it's too late with the suspicious woman thing. I suppose this is why you're not too fond of your father?
>Hey Ariel, how do you feel about burning the whole forest down?
>Don't stop Juno, but ask her if she'd prefer to get the door and see if the sanest person in the lodge kept a journal.

>>6094420
Unless she has some sort of hypnotic hold, as Juno posits and as Leigh seemed to demonstrate.

>>6094438
...Which makes this droning sound worry me. I don't think it's tinnitus.
>Stop Juno. She's got the wrong man.
>Panic a little
The droning is her song! Did Juno hear it, too? Did Ariel? Everyone, back to back, guns out!

>>6094446
+1

>>6094438
>Stop Juno. She's got the wrong man
>Investigate Reinhold's room
Might be better to at least knock him out for now but I doubt he'd know anything and killing him would probably be a waste. And I think we basically did already search the place except for that room since it was locked.

>>6094450
Can we do the Reinhold room check too? We can still be back to back in the main lodge

You stare, frozen in place as Juno slaps Leigh across the face. When she readies her next blow, though, a clenched fist aimed directly for his stomach, you lurch into motion and catch her arm before she can throw the punch. Juno turns savagely, and for a moment you feel her strength warring against your own. Then her eyes clear, at least somewhat, and the strength seeps from her arm.

“That's enough,” you tell her quietly, even as your heart pounds in your chest, “You've got the wrong man.”

“Very likely,” she concedes, “Although we wouldn't be here if not for him, which makes him equally guilty in my eyes. I'm not saying he deserves death, but a little beating should-”

“Look, just... forget Leigh for a moment,” you interrupt, “I think you were right, before. This woman, if it's really a woman that we're dealing with, is the one behind this. Tell me. What do you hear?”

“I hear a lot of annoying noise,” Juno says, her eyes fixing on yours, “But aside from that, a... a sound. Like countless conversations being held just at the very edge of my senses.”

You pause, focusing on the drone. Now that you're paying attention to it, it does remind you, in a way, of conversation. It has a very faint rise and fall to it, so gentle that it blends together into a monotone hum if you don't focus on it. If you concentrated hard enough, you think, you might be able to make out some of the words. They sound like-

“Isambard!” Ariel snaps, punching you on the arm. The slight pain is enough to bring you back to your senses, looking round to the pale girl. “This isn't the time for daydreaming,” she scolds, nodding to Juno, “Didn't you hear her question?”

“Of course I heard it,” you lie, “Just... give me a reminder?”

“I was asking what your point was,” Juno says tersely, “You seem to think that this noise, this hum, obviously means something. What?”

Swallowing heavily, you look around to Leigh. He sits slumped at the base of the tree, listening with a mingled expression of terror and awe.

“It's her song,” you murmur, “I think it's her song.”

-

With a sudden burst of energy, you retreat back into the lodge. Once everyone is inside, even through Juno needed to drag Leigh along with her, you slam the door shut and lock it. You're even less sure of what you're defending against, but you're not willing to take any chances. “Juno, there's a locked door upstairs,” you announce, flapping a hand at the stairs, “Master Reinhold's private chambers, I think. I want that door open. He might have kept a journal, or... or something.”

“I'll take a look,” she replies firmly, turning and marching up the stairs. Her immediate agreement gives you pause, and the argument you had been preparing for dies on your lips.

“Right. What next?” you mutter to yourself, sitting down at the main table with Ariel, “A plan. We need to come up with a plan.”

[1]

>>6094461

“Ariel,” you begin, “I need to check. What do you hear?”

Ariel closes her eyes and concentrates for a moment, then shakes her head. “Not much,” she answers, “A very slight buzz, like there's an insect circling me. It's annoying, but it's not a big deal.”

“And back there, when we were leaving the forest. What do you remember?”

“We were walking along like normal. We'd been walking for about an hour, I guess, when I felt a little dizzy. I mean, I'm not really the hiking type, you know?” she gives you a weary shrug, “Then Miss Tomoe took her stumble, and you helped her up. The next thing I know, we walked out into the clearing and saw the lodge again.”

Leaning back, you ponder these words for a moment. “How do you feel about arson?” you ask carefully, “Specifically, burning down a troublesome forest?”

“I'm... not sure if that's a good idea,” Ariel answers, her mouth twisting into a grimace, “Fire has a nasty habit of spreading, you know.”

“Don't worry, that's just a last resort option,” you assure her, glancing aside to where Leigh lies sprawled out on the floor, “Keep an eye on him, will you? I'm going to check on Juno.”

Ariel nods silently, placing her revolver on the table for easy access. Climbing the stairs, you see Juno crouched down motionless before Reinhold's door. Even when the floorboards creak underfoot as you approach her, she doesn't turn around. When you're finally close enough to touch, you gently place a hand on her shoulder. She tenses up suddenly, looking around with a flash of guilt in her eyes.

“Don't sneak up on me like that,” she hisses, “I was concentrating. Planning my attack. This is a tricky lock.”

“I see,” you reply, glancing aside at her untouched set of tools. With a scowl, Juno selects a tool at random and angrily stabs at the lock. “I think I understand something now,” you continue, sitting down and leaning back against the wall, “That talk about outsiders drawing men in and destroying them... you're worried that you're father might be one of those men too, right?”

“You're projecting,” Juno mutters, swapping to another tool, “...But he was interested in this place for a reason, and I don't think it's the hunting. Now just... hush up for a minute. I think I've-”

With a solid, satisfying clunk, the lock opens.

-

The first thing that you see when you open the door is the tall portrait. It depicts a man in military uniform, one sleeve hanging empty. His face is worn and solemn, painted with a rueful look in his eye. Quite impressive skill. “I'm assuming this is Master Reinhold,” you muse, “Now I see why he had to give up fighting.”

“It was just a minor wound, until the infection took hold,” Juno whispers, “They took his sword arm to save his life. The choice was more of an agony than the surgery.”

Oracle tricks again.

[2/3]

File: Journal.png (1.03 MB, 800x1200)

1.03 MB PNG

>>6094502

Master Reinhold's quarters are only slightly less austere than the rest of the bedrooms. The large portrait is an obvious luxury, but aside from that everything else is just slightly... nicer than everything else you've seen. The writing desk in the corner seems well-used, and you immediately start searching through the drawers. After a moment, you find a slim journal and quickly flick through the pages.

The first entry you read describes Leigh's arrival and immediate capture. But Leigh is soon forgotten when the woman enters the scene. Reinhold mentions putting her in a room, but you searched each one – there were no signs of blood, no soiled sheets or stained bandages. It doesn't make sense.

“What's this about a great tree?” Juno wonders, reading over your shoulder. Moving back, she starts to search through the other drawers until she comes up with a simple, hand-drawn map. It's hardly a precise instrument, but it gives a few landmarks – such as they are – scattered throughout the forest, a particularly large tree amongst them.

“So this woman was leading the men to this great tree, to fulfil some kind of “promise”, whatever that means,” you muse, “The tree is clearly important, but... are you listening?”

“What? Yes!” Juno insists, her gaze snapping back into focus, “We'd better check on Leigh, don't you think?”

-

When you return downstairs, you find Ariel holding Leigh at gunpoint. The young man sits opposite her, sweat beading on his forehead as he tries not to move. “He kept pacing around,” Ariel explains, noticing your dubious look, “It was annoying. So I sat him in that chair and told him that I'd blow his brains out if he moved a muscle.”

“Listen...” Leigh whispers, “She's talking to us...”

“And he keeps saying that,” Ariel adds with a scowl, “I hope you've got a plan, or at least some good news.”

>There's a great tree at the centre of all this. We need to go there
>We need to get out of here. We'll try the path again and again until it works
>Give me a minute alone. Maybe I can learn something from this song
>I've got a plan... (Write in)
>Other

>>6094525
>There isn't a mortar here or anything is there? I would so love to shoot this great tree from a distance.
>Do we have anything that can plug up our ears? Maybe if we can't hear anything we won't be affected by whatever is keeping us here.
>I'm not entirely joking on the arson. We could set ONE tree on fire and try to move away from the burning smell.

>>6094525
Bleeding wound, hm? The pic in >>6093533 seems relevant.

>We need to get out of here. We'll try the path again and again until it works

>>6094525
First order of business
>Tie up Leigh
>>6094534
Having canon would be based as fuck.
>Do we have anything that can plug up our ears
Soma bandages and candle wax should do it something they should have.
>I'm not entirely joking on the arson.

I mean just have Leigh lead us to the tree shoot the women and burn down the tree.

>>6094534
>>6094544
+1

What is going on with Juno? She's been weird this entire time
>“Stay the night, then?” Juno snaps, her lips twisting with irritation
>Juno waits with her arms folded, scowling at you.
>“We're not “dealing” with it,” Juno says sharply
>“I'm not scared!” Juno snaps
>Juno spits, “You ass.”
>find yourself confronted with Juno's reddened, bloodshot eyes.
>Juno asks, giving Ariel a mocking glare
>Your bitter thoughts are abruptly interrupted as Juno stumbles in front of you, nearly falling
>one hand clumsily feeling for her face, “I just caught my foot on something. That's all.”
>Juno slaps Leigh across the face. When she readies her next blow, though, a clenched fist aimed directly for his stomach
>you feel her strength warring against your own. Then her eyes clear
>tenses up suddenly, looking around with a flash of guilt in her eyes.
>glancing aside at her untouched set of tools. With a scowl, Juno selects a tool at random and angrily stabs at the lock
>“What? Yes!” Juno insists, her gaze snapping back into focus
Extremely out of character and too aggressive even for her. She's clearly being affected by whatever is causing this mindfuck effect in the entire area. I'm curious why Ariel seems the one person completely null to this effect. Even Isambard is feeling what's happening, but not her

>>6094551
>Extremely out of character and too aggressive even for her. She's clearly being affected by whatever is causing this mindfuck effect in the entire area.

Or she is on her period.

>>6094525
>Give me a minute alone, maybe I can learn something from the song

>>6094525
>>6094534
>>6094544
+1

>>6094551
The real plot twist is that Ariel really is a girl all along which is why she's barely affected by the siren's song while Juno on the other hand...
The part where she randomly trips does seem to be when the looping or whatever keeps us trapped occurs though.

“We need to get out of here,” you state firmly, jabbing a finger at the table, “As soon as possible.”

“We tried that already,” Ariel points out, “It didn't work out so well.”

“Then we'll try it again and again, as many times as it takes, until it finally works,” you snarl, “There has to be a way. We'll stop our ears to block out the song, and light a tree on fire to use it as a signal. This... monster in woman's skin is trying to draw us to the great tree, but I'm not going to play along with her game. Short of blasting the damn thing with a cannon, I don't want to go anywhere near that tree.”

“The tree?” Leigh murmurs, “I've seen a tree, seen it in my dreams. She takes my hands and leads me to the tree. Beneath the spreading branches, we join our bodies and-”

“That's quite enough from you,” Ariel interrupts mildly, “Nobody's interested in your intimate fantasies.”

“It's not like that!” Leigh insists, rising from his chair, “Don't make such vile-”

But his words are cut off sharply as Juno grabs him by the throat and throws him back down into the chair so hard that he knocks it sprawling and lands hard. Leaping to his feet with a sudden desperate anger burning in his eyes, Leigh lunges for Ariel's revolver. Just as his hand closes around the gun's grip, you seize his wrist and floor him with a punch. For the second time in as many seconds, Leigh is sent tumbling to the ground. This time, though, he doesn't rise.

“Find some rope, something we can use to tie his wrists... and gag him,” you order, kneeling down beside the groaning man, “I think it's time he went back in his cell.”

-

Leigh struggles a little as you carry him back down to the cell, but he's too weak to do anything more than irritate you. Dumping him down on the bed and closing the cell door behind you, you lean back against the wall and close your eyes for a moment. With the other girls upstairs, you finally have a rare moment of peace and quiet. A sense of calm, of contentment, washes over you. Out in the embrace of the forest, away from the world of men, you could find a true form of acceptance. You need only-

“Isambard!” Ariel snaps, her voice jolting you from your delusions, “Knock it off!”

“You knock it off,” you snarl back, “I was just resting my eyes for a second. I've barely slept a wink!”

“A second? I was calling you for almost ten minutes,” she says, fear flashing through her eyes, “Isambard, please, we need to go. Now. Before this gets any worse. I found some candle wax we can use to stop up our ears. Hopefully that'll be enough, but we need to GO.”

“I know that, I know,” you mutter, rubbing your aching temples, “I just...”

“Don't,” Ariel interrupts, “It doesn't matter. No more talking, just get moving.”

[1]

>>6094566

Even with the thick clots of wax filling your ears, you can still FEEL the song tugging at you. You might not be able to hear the hum, but your bones ache with it. Swallowing down a wave of nausea, you give Ariel a firm nod and set out from the lodge. Picking a relatively isolated tree, something that shouldn't spread too easily to the rest of the forest, you set it aflame and wait until a column of black smoke rises into the sky. Even through the dense canopy of leaves and branches, you should be able to guide your way with it.

“Maybe this isn't such a good idea,” Juno says suddenly, glancing back at the lodge. At least, that's what you think she says – with your ears plugged, you're reduced to reading her lips.

Simply shaking your head, you grab her hand and pull her forwards a few paces. That snaps her back to reality. Snatching her hand away from you, she angrily marches off ahead. Together, keeping up that furious pace, you plunge into the forest and – you hope – to safety.

Only pausing very occasionally, and then just to glance back for the telltale sign of black smoke, you press forwards. But it's not long before the plan starts to go awry. Each time you look back, the trees around you seem to have grown larger and larger, more crooked as if they're trying to block out the sky. When you look back, you find that the path has vanished beneath your feet.

“Just go!” Ariel shouts, mouthing the words and tugging at your sleeve. You nod, grabbing Juno by the arm and dragging her onwards. Your march descends into a chaotic rout as you flee blindly through the forest, a curse forming on your lips as you burst from the treeline once more only to find yourself staring up at the lodge.

“Again!” you snap, wheeling around and charging into the forest. You run this time, keeping your gaze fixed straight ahead. Even then, you see strange things in the peripherals of your vision – flashes of white flesh, almost luminous in the eerie lighting. Even with your ears stopped, you can hear a whispering voice and the terrible offers it proposes to you. “Ignore them,” you pant, “Ignore them, ignore them, ignore-”

“Brother?”

The word stops you in your tracks, cutting through any logic or reason. You freeze, casting a wild eye into the forest before your will returns. Grimacing, casting aside all sentiment, you set off running once more – and once more, you find yourself returning to the lodge. Anger boils up within you as you stare up at the cursed building, the whole damn cursed forest. Beside you, Juno stares in defeated dismay while Ariel gasps for breath. She looks to be on the verge of collapse, her frail body pushed to the limits.

“Again!”

[2/3]

>>6094576

Time loses all meaning, all sense and reason. Your world becomes a mindless whirlwind of running, of trees flashing past and tall columns of black smoke. This time the smoke is everywhere, impossible pillars of black smoke rising up around you, ahead of you, so close that you think you might run into a blazing tree at any minute. Yet, you never do – just as you never seem to get any closer to finding an exit.

At one point, you don't know exactly when, you claw the wax from your ears. It doesn't seem to matter – the song is already inside you like a poison, gnawing your bones and choking your veins. With your ears unblocked, you hear a thin cry from behind you as Ariel collapses down to her knees.

“Ariel!” you call, stopping dead in your tracks. Retreating back to her, you drop low. “Ariel, are you okay?” you ask in a rush, taking the slender girl's hands and squeezing them. She shudders, her whole body trembling from the exertion, and shakes her head. Too fatigued for words, all she can do is shake her head over and over again.

“We were never going to get out of here,” Juno says slowly, her voice low and exhausted, “We're lost.”

“Shut up. Knock it off,” you snap, giving her a glare, “I never thought you'd be the type to give up.”

But Juno doesn't reply to this, simply turning on her feel and sluggishly walking back the way you came. In a matter of seconds, the forest has swallowed her up. Yet, as she leaves – as she surrenders herself to the forest – you hear a change. The song fades, loosening its grip on you even as it tightens around Juno.

“Isambard...” Ariel whispers, clinging tightly to you, “I think... I think we have a chance.”

But at what cost?

>Juno has given you this chance. You're not going to waste it
>You can't leave Juno behind. You've got to go after her
>Other

>>6094577
>>Other
>Allow yourself and Ariel some time to rest then go after Juno.

Going there without least affected person would be retarded.

>>6094551
>>6094561
Is Ariel unaffected? She pulled a gun on a man for pacing. Granted, he's a Tomoe spy, but even so...

>>6094583
+1

>>6094577
>You can’t leave Juno behind, go after her

>>6094577
>You can't leave Juno behind. You've got to go after her
>>6094583
If we wait at all she's lost.

You stare into the trees for what seems like an eternity, as if Juno might emerge with a happy smile on her face at any moment. Slumping down beside Ariel, you feel a wave of dismay, of hopelessness, creeping through you. Maybe the game was rigged from the start. Maybe you were doomed from the moment you set foot in this forest. It's just like Juno said – something old and terrible has revealed itself here, and you're all just so many flies for it to destroy.

“Isambard?” Ariel whispers, her voice more level now, “Can you... stand? Can you walk?”

“I think so,” you reply, the words seeming to come from somewhere very far off. Slowly, painfully, you rise to your feet and offer Ariel your hand. She takes it gratefully, heaving herself upright. As she stands, she pauses and tilts her head to the side as if listening. “Hey now, hey,” you whisper, taking her gently by the chin and turning her face back towards yours, “Don't listen. I need you to focus.”

That's right. She may have a striking resistance to whatever this... song truly is, but she's not immune. What it can't achieve by insidious means, it could achieve through brute strength – battering down her will until there's nothing left of her to resist it.

“I have to go now,” you tell her, looking back into the trees, “I have to go.”

“Yes, we need to... wait. Hold on, wait!” Ariel yelps, “You mean go AFTER her?”

With a numb, unfeeling nod, you set off after Juno's trail. Ariel hesitates for a moment before hurrying after you, cursing and complaining under her breath.

-

You only seem to be walking for a few minutes before you see a particularly large tree rising up above the rest of the canopy. The tree sits atop a slight rise in the ground, the soil swelling up like a pregnant body, while a few chunks of white stone protrude from the ground. You barely notice your body move as you circle the tree, spotting Juno standing in a daze by a broken stone column.

“You came,” the red-haired girl says slowly, her voice hushed, “I didn't think you would.”

“I'm here now,” you murmur, “What now?”

Juno doesn't answer this straight away, running her hands across the strange letters carved into the white stone column. “This pillar has been erected on account of the marriage seen beneath the shade,” she translates, before pointing to a dark, dank opening in the tree's branches, “We have to go now. There's a promise that we have to fulfil.”

You stare into the black abyss beneath the tree, the scent of rot and decay seeping out from within.

>There's no way that I'm going in there. You're insane
>You go in if you want, but I'm not setting one foot in that place
>Let's go back to the lodge and talk this over. None of this makes sense

It's some boring "come get yourself killed and become one with the flesh pile like an idiot so the stupid tree can use you as nutrient" plot isn't it?

>>6094610
Do we have ways to make a fire on us?

>>6094610
>Purge it with fire!

>>6094631
>>6094633
Why would you want to do that? That seems like a very extreme reaction.
We do have our pocket lantern and oil which could potentially allow us to start a fire

File: The Siren.jpg (282 KB, 1024x1024)

282 KB JPG

“We have to go now,” you agree, nodding at the beautiful logic of her words, “There's a promise that we have to fulfil.”

“What?” Ariel yelps, grabbing your arm, “Isambard, please-”

Gently, you take her hand and push it away from your arm. Then, gesturing for Juno to lead the way, you crouch low and crawl into the dark opening. The scent of soil assaults you, but you ignore it. For what awaits you below, a few bad smells and a bit of discomfort are a small price to pay. Roots and loose rocks tug at your clothing, and Juno's boots occasionally catch your blind, groping hands, but you persist nonetheless.

Eventually, the passage widens up enough that you can first raise your head, then stand completely. The tunnel has opened up into an impossible cavern, a great yawning hollow beneath the surface. Leaning against a row of rocky spikes, you peer down into the pool of water below you. Though you can't see the source, a pale blue light glows from the water with the occasional passing shadow to darken it.

Smiling softly, Juno takes your hand and leads you down to the pool below. Your world contracts until the surface of the water is all you know. Like Lake Hali back at the Pale estate, the water seems bottomless – an abyss that reaches out forever. A ripple spreads out across the surface of the water, and then SHE emerges.

Long silver hair, heavy with water, first, and then a pair of piercing silver eyes. Delicate features and soft curves are revealed as the woman slowly emerges from the pool. You haven't seen that face for ten years, yet it's so immediately familiar that it strikes a dagger through your heart. She reaches out a hand, gently brushing her fingers against your cheek. Her touch is cold and somehow rough, but you cherish it nonetheless.

“You...” Juno murmurs, and just for a moment you see a strange double image – a mess of gold curls clashing with the straight silver hair. Then the fake image is gone, and HER face returns. HER lips part to form the words to a terrible promise, and she leans closer, closer still, until.

The gunshot is violently loud in the narrow confines of the cavern, knocking the woman back into the pool with a crash of water. A cry escapes your lips as you reach for her, but then you freeze. The impossibility of this whole situation finally cuts through the haze – how could Gratia be HERE?

“Isambard, look out!” a tense shouts, the words echoing down to you. Looking up and around, you see Ariel braced against the high rocks by the tunnel entrance, her rifle raised to her shoulder. “Look out!” she repeats, gesturing frantically for you to move. A stench of wet decay washes over you as you turn back, just in time to see the woman once more.

Only this time, she's not a woman.

[1/2]

>>6094670

There's something terribly unfinished about the creature rising up from its pool of stagnant water – perhaps the mismatched arms, two on one side of its body, a single arm on the other, or perhaps the ragged ribbons of flesh streaming from the back of its head. Even the flesh seems crudely sculpted, pallid and pulsating like a giant maggot.

Ariel fires again, her bullet punching into the monstrosity's torso with no noticeable impact. A thin stream of pale blood seeps from the wound for a moment before the flesh closes up once more. Her second shot hits higher, catching the monster in the head and causing its rise to falter. That buys you enough time to pull Juno to her feet and back away from the pool's edge.

“Go!” you shout, dragging Juno back up the rocky slope. Ariel's rifle sings again and again as you retreat, each shot stalling the monster a little less than the one before. When you reach the top, you slap Ariel on the arm and point to the tunnel entrance. Hastily slinging her rifle, she scrambles into the passage and starts crawling. Juno follows, while you fumble with your pocket lantern. Fire, you think desperately, fire kills everything.

A wet crash rings out from below, and you look back to see the monster dragging itself from the pool. It's lower half is ill-suited to such movement, but a primal rage drives it onwards regardless.

You don't stick around long enough to see how far it can crawl. Clawing blindly at the damp soil, you pull yourself up through the tunnel. Inch by agonising inch, you drag your way towards the hazy sunlight above. As the exit approaches, strong arms reach down to take your hand and pull you free. Shaking off Juno's grip, you immediately turn and start emptying your supply of lantern oil onto the great tree. Ariel realises your plan and starts adding her own oil.

One lit match, and the whole tree is ablaze. Even when you stop up your ears, the monster screams inside your head for a very, very long time.

>I'm going to pause here. Next time I'll be able to run is Saturday and Sunday this week. I'll probably aim to get some extra days in the following week, but that needs confirmation
>Thanks for playing along today!

>>6094673
Thanks for running!
Did you just give up trying to generate a more anatomically normal siren, or did you see three arms and immediately think "this is it"?

>>6094673
It all came together in the end. Thanks for the run.

>>6094670
>“You...” Juno murmurs, and just for a moment you see a strange double image – a mess of gold curls clashing with the straight silver hair
Who has gold curly hair that Juno cares about?

Ariel MVP of this mission. Whatever she (he?) is and whatever the sexual preferences are, it was enough to give resistance to that siren's song. What could be that "the marriage seen beneath the shade"? And why is a flesh siren creature suddenly out and killing people here? For how long was that hole in a great tree there alongside the weird cavern with an abyss lake? How did the group stationed here at the Lodge not know about this place? What could have caused the siren to start pulling and killing people like this when they weren't doing so far earlier and this is clearly a recent happening?

>>6094673
Thanks for running!
Fire confirmed super based

>>6094769
Maybe she doesn’t have a super close loved one for the creature to impersonate

>>6094673
Holy shit. Good writing!

>>6094753
Nobody we know yet, I don't think.

>>6094769
Good point re: preferences. maybe that blonde girl was Juno's lover? She's been acting like she's into our boy, bard, but she may be bi. She's been sort of aggressively/threateningly flirty at Elle before, as I recall.

>>6094769
>why is a flesh siren creature suddenly out and killing people here?

I think we’ve been too dismissive of Leigh here

The creature only stirred after he arrived…and he came from the woods.

I wouldn’t put it past him to have woken the creature deliberately, but been foiled in his escape plan by its influence

>>6094952
Or he really is some random schmuck, and the Tomoe triggered the incident by getting anyone to be close enough to the creature to get its notice.

>>6094687
My original idea was a mermaid with elements of some weird deep sea fish, the really gross predatory ones. Most of the other images I rolled were too inhuman, but that one hit different

>>6094673
Teilhardchads saving us yet again.
Thanks for the run.

There's no way Janus sent us on this task without having some idea of the dangers, assuming that he didn't intentionally send Leigh in to make the siren active. At this point an irritating old man that gives us poison manages to be better company than the rest of his family solely because he doesn't send us on fetch quests or to death traps with no info.

>>6095155
We should tell him that when we see him again. Being thanked a second time and for that reason might make him laugh to death

>>6095176
Kalthos was prepared for many dangers to his life, but comedy was not one of them.

>>6095155
We owe Ariel at least a fancy dinner.

>>6095332
Imagine if the entire Tomoe family she hatrs thanks her at dinner for heroically saving Juno's life while she's baffled the entire time.
But realistically the dinner will be at the main Teilhard residence. Old man Davy's gonna freak when he finds out about the assimilating ancient flesh siren in an abyss pool under a great tree, who just randomly awoke and decided to mindfuck lure and consume the entire garrison of Albershot Lodge.

>>6095332
She can have a coupon for one (1) deep-dicking.

File: Isambard Pale.jpg (333 KB, 1024x1024)

333 KB JPG

The tree burns with a violence far in excess of the paltry amount of oil that you poured on it, as if the ancient wood had been yearning for a chance to blaze away. Heedless of the terrible waves of heat rolling off it, you sit just a short distance away from the burning tree and stare into the raging flames. Were the monster to emerge from the conflagration and attack, you would have no defence against it – you're too tired to fight, too tired to even move a muscle.

It's only when the trees collapses in on itself, burnt away to nothing but an empty shell, that you start to feel a faint strength creeping back into your limbs. The silence that descends is crushing, almost as oppressive as the monster's constant, insidious song.

“...How embarrassing,” Juno says eventually, her lips curling with contempt, “All my grand talk about how dangerous, how destructive, these THINGS are, and I'm the first one who falls victim to it.”

“Don't... blame yourself,” Ariel replies slowly, her voice low and weary, “You're an oracle. You're probably more sensitive to these things, or something like that.”

You never expected to hear HER trying to cheer up a Tomoe, but a lot of strange things have been happening to you lately.

“Oh yes, that would be convenient, wouldn't it?” Juno sneers, “A nice convenient excuse that waves away any suggestion of personal responsibility. Shall we say that it was all part of the natural order, too?”

“Save the self-pity for later,” you chide, painfully heaving yourself to your feet, “We're going back to the lodge.”

“The lodge?” Ariel groans, “Why?”

“Because it has a bed, that's why,” you snap, giving her a sharp glare.

“Leigh too,” Juno murmurs to herself.

“I'm not sure if I'd consider that a point in favour, but yes, Leigh too,” you sigh, “I think we all need a chance to rest and recover. The danger has passed, so one more day won't change anything. If you have any objections, you're welcome to walk home by yourself.”

Ariel gives the matter some serious consideration, or at least pretends to, before tilting her head. “Perhaps not,” she decides.

-

“How are we even going to explain this to Master Teilhard?” Ariel muses as you finally arrive back at the silent lodge, “I don't even know how to explain it to myself. That woman-”

“There never was a woman,” you interrupt, “It was that thing, that creature. It was just showing those men what they wanted to see. These men were all deeply faithful, and they saw a wounded woman – a figure from the Nicean Prophecies. And I saw... I saw Gratia.”

“Hm,” Ariel murmurs, nodding to herself before turning to Juno, “And you?”

“That's none of your business, actually,” Juno answers sharply.

“But... a woman?” the pale girl presses, undeterred by Juno's vicious glare, “I mean, I'm not-”

“Yes,” Juno says curtly, “A woman.”

[1/2]

>>6099244

Leaving the two girls to seethe, you descend down to the basement to check on Leigh. The young man is lying so still in his cell when you arrive that you almost wonder if he's dead. It's only when you roll him over to look at his face that you see a tremor run through him. His eyes flutter open, rolling around in drunken, unfocused circles before finally settling on your face.

“What happened?” he murmurs as you remove his gag, “It's so... quiet.”

“No more singing, Leigh,” you answer grimly, “We saw to that.”

Leigh's eyes go wide, his mouth opening in a silent gasp of shock.

“Now let's be honest with each other,” you continue in a low tone, gently closing the cell door behind you, “What did you REALLY do here?”

In the silence that follows, Leigh's lips flap as he tries to find the words. “I just... moved a few rocks,” he says at last, his voice choked and strangled, “That's all I did, I... how could I have known-”

Before he can finish that sentence, you rise abruptly to your feet and stalk out of his cell, slamming the heavy door behind you. Had you stayed in that cell for a moment longer, you're not sure what you would have done.

-

When you wake up early that next morning, Juno is gone. Stumbling out of the lodge, you find one of the supply sheds, a rickety little hut filled with spare tools, open and ajar. Even before you've closed the door, you know where she's gone. Delaying just long enough for Ariel to drag herself out of bed, you set off for the remains of the great tree. There, you find Juno digging at the charred ground.

“Juno!” you shout, lunging forwards to grab her arm, “What are you doing?”

“There's something still down there,” she replies, giving you a determined scowl, “I won't leave the job half-finished.”

As Juno shakes off your grip and goes back to digging, you look at the arduous task before her. The whole mound seems to have collapsed with the death of the tree, as if its deep roots were the only thing holding it together. Beneath the top layer of soil and ashes, you can see jagged lumps of rock forming a craggy barrier.

“Something down there,” you repeat slowly, “Something alive?”

“That all depends on how you define “alive”, doesn't it?” Juno shoots back, “I'm not willing to leave it to chance.”

“Come on, this is too much work for one person. For two, even,” you argue, “Master Teilhard can send some of his men to help us.”

“He can't know about this!” the red-haired girl snarls, “Nobody can. We have to wipe out the last traces of that thing, then bury it. Bury it for good this time.”

>You're not being rational. We need help to clear this debris, like it or not
>If you're that certain, then fine. Just let me help you
>It's already buried, Juno. Let it stay that way
>Other

>>6099245
>It’s already buried, let it stay that way
At least until your dad sends another guy to move some rocks. It’ll be someone else’s problem then.

>>6099245
"Do we even have the tools to be able to kill it? Ariel shot the thing I don't know how many times, and it still tried to pursue us. We can't kill it alone because the moment we open the path to it the entire area will be bathed in that 'song' again. Then we're back to how we were before. Any ideas how to get out that situation once more, o esteemed oracle?"

>>6099245
>“That's all I did, I... how could I have known-”
lmao never trust a Calamity

>Unless you have a pack of mining explosives, I don't think our guns will be able to bury those rocks for good.

“And how, exactly, are you proposing to kill that thing?” you ask, gesturing down to the pile of earth and broken rocks, “Because I'd say we've tried just about everything already. Ariel put countless shots into it, and they barely slowed it down. We burned it, then crushed it under all this weight. If that wasn't enough, I'm struggling to see else we can do.”

“I'm willing to try anything,” Juno insists stubbornly, “I'm a very creative person, you know.”

“I'm sure you are. Only, once that creature is loose and starts singing its song once more, how much fight are you going to have left in you then?” you press, reaching out and taking hold of the shovel. Juno's grip tightens on it, but you can see her will wavering. “I hate to labour the point, oracle,” you add with a sharp edge to your tone, “But surely you must've seen that problem already?”

Juno's lips twist into a sneer, but you can see that the hot flush of anger is passing. A new realisation dawns, both of the possible consequences and of the magnitude of the task. Slowly, she loosens her grip on the shovel and allows you to take it from her hands.

“It's already buried,” you tell her gently, softening your tone now that the battle is won, “Let it stay that way.”

With a final sigh, Juno lets her shoulders sag as the wave of fatigue crashes over her. For a moment, it seems as if she might faint completely but, after taking a second to gather her strength, Juno straightens back up again. “I suppose it would be a lot of hard work for very little gain,” she decides in a haughty tone, “Someone else can do it, if they so desperately want to. We'll leave the damn thing buried.”

“What a good idea,” you remark, fighting the urge to roll your eyes, “Why didn't I think of that?”

-

Leigh says little as you lead him back to the carriage, his fearful eyes occasionally flicking across to Juno. She doesn't even deign to look at him, her gaze fixed straight ahead as you follow the path through the woods. Even though the creature's song has long since fallen silent, and there's no sign of anything else out of the ordinary, you don't quite allow yourself to relax until the carriage is close enough to touch.

“Where... are we going?” Leigh asks, breaking his long silence.

“Siegfried House,” Juno answers, before you can say anything, “I rather imagine that Master Teilhard will be very happy to have you as his guest.”

A low moan escapes the young man as he looks around him, searching about for any chance of an escape. But, with no miracle sweeping down to save him, he meekly accepts his fate.

“Good man,” you tell him, pushing him up into the carriage, “Nobody wants to make this any more difficult than it needs to be. I've already had more than enough hard work to last me a lifetime.”

“Weren't we supposed to be making a holiday of this?” Ariel asks ruefully.

[1]

>>6099261
>“Weren't we supposed to be making a holiday of this?” Ariel asks ruefully.
We can take a break from running odd jobs later, we're not even halfway through the Lessons yet. The Martense not having any in the Iron Keep was a huge letdown but we did find out a lot from it

>>6099244
>“But... a woman?” the pale girl presses, undeterred by Juno's vicious glare, “I mean, I'm not-”
>“Yes,” Juno says curtly, “A woman.”
Nice writing here. It doubles both as confirmation Juno is a raging lesbian for that mystery blonde girl with the curls, and also that Ariel is a guy and not a girl

>>6099261

“We're going to have to get our stories straight,” Juno says softly as the carriage rumbles over the unpaved road, “I rather suspect that Master Teilhard will want us questioned separately when we return, and this time I'd rather not leave it to improvisation. It's not that I don't trust you, of course.”

“Really?” you remark, not even trying to hide your doubt.

“Well, not really,” she concedes, “But don't take it personally. It's hard to change the habit of a lifetime. But we're getting distracted now, aren't we?”

“We were supposed to be getting our stories straight,” you remind her, “I assume that you'd prefer not to tell Master Teilhard about that... creature. You're worried that if he knows about it, he might be tempted to try and dig it up too.”

Ariel shakes her head. “He wouldn't do something so foolish,” she insists, “If we explain how dangerous it is, he can make sure that it's properly sealed away – even if it means building a castle on top of it.”

“A particularly charming display of optimism,” Juno sneers, “Unfortunately, I suspect that you're the only one who believes that.”

“The problem is, if we try and pretend that this never happened, we need some way of explaining away the missing garrison,” you point out, “If we can't give Master Teilhard a convincing answer, he'll definitely feel the need to come here and start digging around. You're creating the exact same problem that you're trying to solve.”

“Just do what everyone else does and blame it on the Tomoe,” the red-haired girl suggests with a mocking shrug, “Agents of House Tomoe descended upon the lodge and kidnapped the men for some nefarious purpose. We can even say that HE led them there.”

Leigh pales as Juno points an accusing finger at him, excuses and pleas spluttering from his lips until you silence him with a gesture.

“That's a pretty weak excuse,” you tell her, frowning in disapproval.

“But he'll believe it nonetheless,” she replies cynically, “Because it fits perfectly into his view of the world. Trust me, I know his kind all too well.”

You'd say that you trust her, but it's hard to change the habit of a lifetime.

>I know it's hard for you to believe, but sometime honesty IS the best policy
>If you're sure that this excuse of yours will work, then we'll go with it
>I've got an idea of what to tell Master Teilhard... (Write in)
>Other

>>6099276
>I know it's hard for you to believe, but sometime honesty IS the best policy
It's not that I want to lessen my guy Isambard's edge. It's more of an "After my experiences at the Iron Keep, I have less faith in building castles on top of ancient evils and expecting them not to be unearthed some vague time into the future." excuse. Yeah let's go with that

>>6099276
>I've got an idea of what to tell Master Teilhard... (Write in)
>We tell them about the woman and the tree as they are. There's too much evidence to refute, and the journal is plenty credibility to the statement.
>But we had the brilliant idea to set fire to the tree as soon as we saw it. Judging from Sir Leigh's testimony, it might not have been enough, so planting some explosives is strongly advised to get rid of anything hiding in the roots.
>They don't have to know about the creature per se, but knowing that there's some hallucinations in play will at least make sure that if anyone dies, they know from what.

>>6099278
I don't like covering up ancient evils with luxurious opulence or forbidding architecture. One of them almost bodyjacked one of my close associates and tried to force him into ravishing his deranged cousin with me in the room with them. That's not something I would be able to live down, especially seeing as I would not have much longer to live afterward.

>>6099280
Why not tell him about the ancient flesh siren that pulled and absorbed the entire lodge population?
Should we bring up how the heroic Ariel Teilhard resisted the illusions enough to fire at the beast to free us and help us escape?

>>6099283
One, because it's a really hard thing to believe.

Two, because it will delay the final solution of "blow this thing up so we can go home and sleep in peace at night"

>>6099276
>Tell the truth

>>6099286
>really hard thing to believe
Can we simply
>take Teilhard dad to tree
>remove rock
>song plays
>put rock back
>"do you believe us now?"

>>6099292
This is the second ancient horror Isambard has had to content with. Ariel has been there for both and she can vouch for us.

>>6099292
I mean we can, but half the cast would say "this is totally not gonna end well"

and I'm not sure if Isambard can be assed to bother for that.

>>6099276
>I know it's hard for you to believe, but sometime honesty IS the best policy
If we do lie, it should be easy to stop him from investigating considering this is the second time he lost contact with someone and still didn't think much of it to investigate. But in the end, it's not our problem.

“I know it's hard for you to believe, Miss Tomoe, but sometimes honesty IS the best policy,” you decide, “If nothing else, there's too much evidence to refute it. Master Reinhold's journal alone would be enough to get anyone's suspicions up – and no, before you suggest it, we're not burning the book just to satisfy your desire for secrecy.”

“Why not?” Juno replies with a smirk, “Suddenly you have a problem with solving all your problems with fire?”

“I'm very specific about which of my problems can be set on fire, thank you very much,” you point out, giving her a scowl, “A fact which you should probably be thankful for.”

“What does he mean?” Leigh whispers to Ariel.

“Don't worry about it,” Ariel whispers back, “The adults are fighting, just leave them to it.”

Juno leans back in her seat and shrugs. “It doesn't really matter what I think,” she says casually, “I could tell Master Teilhard one thing, you could tell him another thing, and he'd believe you regardless. The privileges of being from a respectable family, I suppose.”

The idea of the Pales being a respectable family brings a bitter smile to your face. “As for your suggestion,” you continue, turning to Ariel, “I don't think there's a need to go that far. I'm not keen on the idea of hiding some ancient evil beneath an opulent castle, after everything that happened with the Iron Keep.”

“Well, I don't actually think he'd go that far,” Ariel replies with a weary smile, “But our family does own this land, so I'm sure we can come up with some way of keeping anyone else from stumbling across this place. It's already remote enough, that alone should be a big help in that regard. If these things want to fester in the forgotten corners of the world, let them – just so long as they STAY there.”

-

You arrive back at Siegfried House under a heavy cloud. Even the guards that greet you seem sullen and quiet, guiding you inside the sprawling estate with barely a handful of words. To your surprise, they make no attempt at separating Juno from the rest of you, and you're allowed to enter Master Teilhard's office as a group.

Master Teilhard gestures to a number of seats, giving Leigh a firm scowl. “It's bad news, then,” he begins, skipping any of the usual formalities.

“...Yes. Unfortunately so,” you reply, thrown off by the direct question, “The garrison has been lost. The lodge itself may no longer be safe.”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Master Teilhard's fingers move to stroke the long scar on his cheek as he weighs your words. After what feels like a very long silence, he gestures for you to continue.

“Much of what I have to say may be hard to believe,” you warn, “But it's the truth – Ariel can confirm it, as the most reliable witness among us.”

“It's true,” Juno adds, her words causing you to glance around in surprise, “Not only that, but Miss Teilhard may very well have saved our lives.”

[1]

>>6099310

“When we arrived at Albershot Lodge, it was deserted, abandoned,” you begin, “The garrison was nowhere to be seen. The only person we found was Master Leigh, who had been apprehended earlier and locked up in the basement. Leigh claimed, at the time, that a woman had also been brought to the lodge. In Master Reinhold's quarters, I found a journal which confirmed this. The journal also showed that the “woman” was having a disturbing influence on the men of the garrison.”

“There was something buried near the lodge, something very strange and ancient,” you continue, “This “woman” was nothing more than a projection of this creature, bait that it used to lure the garrison to their deaths. It almost did the same to us, if not for Ariel resisting the creature's influence. As it is, we managed to escape – we burned the creature, and buried it beneath a layer of rock. It's contained, but it may not be entirely deceased.”

When you put it like that, you really do sound insane. Master Teilhard considers your words for a long while, his eyes closed tight. He looks like a man suffering from a terrible headache. “This creature, this dangerous creature, has been under our feet for generations,” he says at last, “Yet NONE of our oracles knew anything of it. How could this be?”

“It was... is... a kind of being that exists outside of the natural order,” Juno answers, “And so, the Emanations can have no knowledge of it.”

“Perhaps, perhaps...” the old soldier murmurs, “I shall have to consult them about this, of course. For now, Master Pale, you said that the lodge is no longer safe.”

“Yes. Though the creature is buried deep, its influence may be able to spread if anyone disturbs the burial site,” you answer, “It may be best to seal the entire region off, prevent anyone from wandering in.”

Having said your piece, you fall silent and wait for Master Teilhard's answer. He says nothing for a moment, his finger rhythmically tapping against the desk. “Master Pale, Ariel,” he says at last, “Please excuse us for a moment.”

You hesitate, glancing aside at Juno and Leigh, then hastily nod and follow Ariel out of the office. She points to a low couch opposite the office door, and you both sit. “What do you think?” you murmur, “Going well so far?”

“Not bad,” Ariel replies, stifling a yawn, “Could use more about how great I was, though.”

“I'll be sure to emphasise that point,” you promise. Ariel nods, taking off her cap and running a hand through her wavy hair. Silence descends as you wait, the minutes stretching out as Ariel's breathes grow slower and deeper. Her body grows limp as sleep reaches out to claim her, her head dipping to rest lightly on your shoulder.

With a low sigh, you sit back to wait for Master Teilhard to finish his interrogation. You only hope that Juno isn't telling him anything too... inconvenient.

[2/3]

>>6099320

Ariel jolts awake as the office door opens, flinching back away from you as she realises how she had been sleeping. Frantically brushing her hair back into place, she shoves her cap on just as Juno peers out from the office. She looks between the two of you, her face betraying exactly nothing. “You can come back now,” she says, although a hint of a smile flashes through her eyes as she adds, “Sorry for interrupting your nap.”

“Sorry,” Ariel whispers to you as you enter the office. You shake your head slightly, waving away her apology.

“Master Pale. I apologise for keeping you waiting for so long – I had many questions that I wanted to ask Master Leigh,” the old soldier begins, nodding to Leigh. The young man stares directly ahead, seemingly oblivious to the fact that his name was mentioned. “First order of business,” Master Teilhard continues, “I can't promise that I believe your story in its entirety, but I can see no reason why you would fabricate such a claim either.”

“I wouldn't do a thing like that,” you assure him, “Frankly, Master Teilhard, I'm not that imaginative.”

“I will send a party to investigate the lodge itself, for confirmation, but they will be under strict orders to disturb nothing,” he adds, “Assuming that everything matches your account, I will presume that you are truthful.”

“That's fair,” you reply, although the idea still leaves a hint of unease, “And if your party doesn't return at all, I hope that you'll also presume that I was telling the truth.”

Master Teilhard lets out a hard, humourless laugh. “Very well, but it shouldn't come to that,” he remarks, “Second of all is Master Leigh himself. I have decided to be merciful – I believe that he is as much of a victim as anyone else in this sorry state of affairs. As House Tomoe may wish repercussions upon him, I intend to take him under my protection. I'm sure we can find some use for him. What do you say?”

>It's your place to decide, Master Teilhard. Not mine
>I fear that you may be too willing to trust him. He is still a Tomoe agent
>It's an excellent idea. One day, he may need to testify against his former masters
>Other

>>6099328
>An excellent idea. We may need his testimony someday

>>6099328
>Frankly sir, the less you tell me about that the better. Master Tomoe will no doubt try to needle his fate out of me.

“Keeping him around is a good idea. We may need him to testify against his former masters one day,” you decide, “Although the less you tell me, the better. There may come a day when Master Tomoe tries to wring the truth out of me. I can't tell him what I don't know.”

“That is true,” Master Teilhard concedes, “I had been considering sending Leigh to work under one of my associates, a man who shall now remain unnamed. He will be hard to find, I assure you.”

“Excellent,” you reply, slapping Leigh on the shoulder, “Hopefully they won't work you too hard. And no digging, perhaps.”

As Leigh lets out a nervous little laugh, you turn to leave. “Oh, Ariel?” Master Teilhard adds, “I realise that your parents may not have the chance, or the inclination, to tell you this, but... you've done the Teilhard family proud. You've done ME proud.”

“Y-yes sir!” Ariel yelps, her eyes widening with surprise. Lost for words, she turns and scurries from the office. Giving Master Teilhard a nod of thanks, you follow her out.


-

“You backed us up,” you tell Juno, as you walk out to the carriage with her, “I didn't think you would.”

“Well, as I said, it really would've been pointless to try and change Master Teilhard's mind,” she replies, waving your words away with a dismissive gesture, “I rarely enjoy wasting my time on a lost cause. I thought that if I agreed with you instead, it might sow some doubt in his mind. Alas, he wasn't to be swayed. You can't blame a girl for trying, though.”

“I can, actually,” you sigh, “Does it ever get tiring?”

“What?”

“Having to be so contrary all the time.”

Juno considers this for a moment. “Yes, actually,” she admits, “But I have a reputation to consider. Imagine if you were happy and cheerful all the time – people would look at you as if you had committed some great crime against your own history. It would be like... like a Teilhard that was skinny and weak. No offence, Miss Teilhard.”

“Some taken,” Ariel retorts, although there's a hint of a smile on her face. After Master Teilhard's words, it would take something truly horrendous to put her in a bad mood. “So, we're going back to your place now, I assume,” she adds, nodding to Juno, “I believe we're owed a reward... assuming your father holds up his end of the bargain.”

“He will,” she promises, “You may not believe it, but my father places great value in sticking to his word. It's just that he doesn't give his word very often.”

“I'm not sure if he actually gave me his word here,” you admit, “We certainly didn't sign a contract – not that I'd easily sign anything he put in front of me.”

“Clever,” Juno remarks, “I would say the exact same thing in your position.”

[1]

>>6099367

It's late when the carriage finally arrives at Yomi, far too late for any kind of formal meeting with Master Tomoe. The ancient city looks particularly sinister by night, with the leering towers framed against a vast full moon. The moon looks different here, compared with at the Pale Estate – the colour is different, as if the Tomoe's corruption had even managed to stain the moon itself.

Rooms are arranged for the night, and Ariel quickly retires for some sleep. You linger a little longer in the hall, held in rapture by the moonlight. You don't hear Juno creeping up behind you, only glancing around when she taps you on the arm. “What do you think of our city?” she asks softly, looking out the window, “The moonlight changes it.”

“It's a secret that hides many secrets,” you muse, “So many that even the moonlight can't reveal them all.”

Juno laughs, delighted by your words. “I hated it so much as a child,” she admits, “I felt as if I was living within some vast decaying corpse. I thought that anywhere else in the world would be better than this... and then I left home. Then I realised that wherever I went, it was all just more of the same – just better at hiding the truth.”

“At times, I felt very much the same.”

“Ah, but it wasn't all bad,” Juno murmurs, “Because you weren't alone. However grim, however dire, life seemed, it was tolerable because you weren't alone.”

She's right, of course. The outside world never mattered when you were young – you had your own private world, a world shared with Gratia alone. The stories you told each other, the secrets you kept!

Juno had her secrets, you're sure, but did she have anyone to share them with?

“Get some rest,” Juno tells you, sensing the question before you have a chance to answer it, “You'll want to be up bright and early tomorrow, of course, and then go on your way.”

>It's a little early, but I'm going to pause here for today. I'll be continuing this tomorrow, maybe a short session again, but I've got time booked for a four day run next week
>Thank you for playing along today!

>>6099385
Thanks for running!

Juno had some mysterious gold haired girl, didn't she?

>>6099385
Good session. I wonder which noble family is next on the list. The Silvera in pursuit of the contact in the asylum?

>>6099385
Thanks for running!

>>6099275
>also that Ariel is a guy and not a girl
Not so sure of that. It could easily have been "I mean, I'm not implying anything," or "I'm not judging," or even "I'm just saying, I wasn't affected, and it seems like everyone else who was affected was a man." I think Ariel's resistance proves, if anything, that she isn't into chicks.

File: Strange Artwork of Bolesk(...).jpg (327 KB, 1024x1024)

327 KB JPG

Contrary to your expectations, the guest rooms at Boleskine House are surprisingly plain and modest. There are no signs of the macabre art or ghoulish decorations that seem so common to the rest of the manor, just a comfortable bed and austere furnishings. Frankly, you're surprised that there were any guest rooms at all – you can't imagine that they get used very often.

Despite the thunder rumbling outside your window you sleep well, and without dreams. Washing and dressing, you brush back the slate grey curtain and peer out across the city. By the first light of day, you really understand how Juno could have come to hate her home city. Darkened by a shower of overnight rain, the buildings have an oily sheen that highlights every ugliness and deformity. Features that seemed mysterious and suggestive by moonlight are now stark and unlovely, while a malodorous air greets you when you open the window.

A knock at the door jolts you from your thoughts. Hastily closing the window, you open the door and wave Juno inside. She glances outside the window and gives you a sarcastic smile, as if sensing your thoughts. “We're going to have to get our stories straight,” she begins.

“Hang on,” you interrupt, “We've had this conversation already, haven't we?”

“We did things your way with Master Teilhard,” Juno explains, “But this time, we're doing things my way.”

You pause, studying her expression for any clue as to her intentions. She reveals nothing, save for a knowing smile. “That really depends on what “your way” involves, doesn't it?” you answer carefully, “I'm not going to just give you a blank cheque to say whatever you wish.”

“Father sent us to find out what happened to Leigh. I'm going to tell him that the Teilhard family have him, and will probably have him hanged,” she explains with a shrug, “That's it.”

“You don't think he might be curious about... everything else?”

“I'm sure he will,” Juno smirks, “Which is why I won't tell him a thing. As far as he needs to know, it was a perfectly normal forest with perfectly normal soldiers doing perfectly normal duties.”

“He won't believe that,” you point out, even though the thought brings a faint smile to your lips.

“Of course not. But he can't do anything about it,” the red-haired girl agrees smugly, “If your Teilhard friend secures the forest like he's supposed to, father won't be able to send any more people in to go digging around. He'll just have to write this off as a lost cause and move on to the next heinous scheme for you to foil.”

You don't think you'll ever understand this family. If anything, they seem to make your own family drama seem quaint and trivial by comparison.

You're not sure how to feel about that.

[1/2]

>>6099892

“Master Tomoe will be with you in just a moment,” the black-garbed servant announces, “Please excuse the delay.”

“You guys go on ahead,” Ariel whispers as the servant withdraws, “I'll, uh, wait here. That guy creeps me out.”

“Understandable,” Juno replies smoothly, falling silent as the office door swings open. Taking that as your cue to enter, you cautiously proceed inside and take a seat.

Master Tomoe sits behind his desk, casually leaning back in his chair and giving you a lazy wave of greeting. Your gaze is immediately drawn to the sheet covering his desk, the objects hidden beneath reminding you of how this all began – with the last few dregs of your inheritance laid out before you. Swallowing back your sudden unease, you meet Master Tomoe's gaze and speak. “We have some information regarding Master Leigh,” you begin, “We believe that he was apprehended by House Teilhard and held on suspicion of being a Tomoe spy.”

“Which, as you know, typically leads to a swift execution,” Juno adds, her tone perfectly cold, “You really ought to remember that before sending so many hapless agents into their territory.”

“Ah, how I pity the Teilhard family hangman,” Master Tomoe sighs, “He must be the busiest man in all the kingdom. Well, no matter. Master Pale, you've held up your side of the bargain – it's time for me to do the same. I've picked a few objects from my collection. Please, take a look.”

Drawing back the sheet, Master Tomoe reveals a pair of small wooden boxes. Opening the first, he reveals a small ivory badge. “This belonged to a rather dogmatic fellow who paid us an unannounced visit. I believe he was trying to kill me, actually,” he remarks, smiling as if fond of the memory, “Fortunately Juno was home at the time, so I didn't have to get my own hands dirty.”

You glance aside at Juno, but she says nothing. Her mouth is tight, lips set in a hard line of disapproval.

“And this,” Master Tomoe continues, opening the second box to reveal a long dagger, “I got this from a band of rogue Galseans who had been harassing travellers around Yomi. Such a shame that we couldn't settle matters peacefully, but... well, you know how it is.”

“As I recall, you didn't make any attempt at settling matters peacefully,” Juno points out, “You hunted them down like wild beasts.”

“Only because I knew such men would never surrender,” he counters, “But what use if there in bringing up the past now? Have a look, Master Pale. See what appeals to you.”

>Serpent Hunter Badge [+1 Purity, +1 Prowess]
>Black Athame [+1 Prowess, +1 Calamity]
>Keep them. I'd rather have you owe me the favour
>Other

>>6099893
>Black Athame
Calamitymaxxing

>>6099893
>Black Athame [+1 Prowess, +1 Calamity]
The Galseans might see us as legit if they see us with this. Following Father's cred

File: BlackAthame.png (504 KB, 1000x500)

504 KB PNG

Examining both treasures carefully, you reach out towards the dagger before pausing, glancing up at Master Tomoe. He nods, offering the blade out to you with a courteous gesture. Picking it up and turning it over in your hands, you wonder just how old the blade might be – and, perhaps more importantly, how much bloodshed it might have seen.

“It suits you,” Master Tomoe remarks, “Unfortunately, I don't have a sword to match. But, that blade you have already seems to suit you well enough. Rushing water is a symbol of purification, you know. I wonder why your father chose to have THAT engraved on the blade.”

“I won't get the chance to ask him, will I?” you reply, placing the dagger back in its case, “Yes, this will suit me fine.”

“A pleasure doing business with you, Master Pale,” the older man murmurs, sliding the box towards you, “Oh, and one other thing. By chance, did you learn anything... else while searching for poor Master Leigh?”

You look up at Master Tomoe, at the dark gleam of his eyes. “No, nothing else,” you answer simply, “Was there something else we were supposed to find?”

There's no hiding the flash of irritation that passes through Master Tomoe's eyes, but it vanishes as soon as it arrives. “No, of course not,” he lies, “If there had been something else, I would have mentioned it wouldn't I?”

“Naturally,” Juno says, her words dripping with venom.

-

Juno is silent as you leave her father's office, allowing a deep scowl to creep into the blank mask of her face. “So,” you ask quietly, “Was that true?”

“Highly doubtful,” she replies with a sneer, “Was WHAT true?”

“That someone tried to assassinate your father,” you clarify, “That you stopped them.”

“Oh,” Juno grimaces, “Yes, actually. That part IS true. Here, look.” Pausing here, she glances down the corridor to see if there are any servants wandering by. Satisfied that the coast is clear, she moves aside the neck of her gown to reveal the top of her breast. The sight of her bare flesh causes the breath to catch in your throat, but your eyes are drawn to the long scar across her collarbone instead.

“This was a good few years back. I was just a girl really, recently returned from the Choir. And this man, this virtuous paladin, didn't hesitate to try and cut me down,” she murmurs, “He was a fool. He should have stopped to make sure that I was dead.”

These words hang in the air as you hear soft footsteps approaching from around the corner. Juno hastily puts her gown back in order before Ariel rounds the corning, giving you both a funny look. “Why do you two look so...” she pauses, thinking to herself, “So suspicious?”

“Well, it's only natural for ME to look suspicious,” Juno explains, “And I'm afraid that I must be rubbing off on poor Master Pale. I think they call that “guilt by association”, these days.”

[1]

>>6099912

Together, the three of you take a slow wander through Boleskine House. You've got no particular direction in mind, and you doubt that Juno does either, but you follow her nonetheless. You pass through the portrait hall where you once saw the painting of Kalthos, or Ymir as he is known here. Looking at the poised, aristocratic faces gazing out at you from the picture frames, it's hard to imagine them wallowing in sin and corruption as much as the stories would claim. Quite naturally, the Tomoe have chosen to portray themselves as noble warriors, a courageous resistance against... what, exactly? The same society that has allowed them to exist?

“What do you plan on doing now?” Juno asks as you're leaving the portrait hall.

“I suppose we'll return to the estate before we do anything else. Even if my responsibilities are limited to checking the mail every now and then, I still need to do them. I'm still the head of the family, after all,” you explain with a sigh, “After that, it really depends. Follow up on some leads for the investigation, perhaps. Maybe check the Demesne again – I think I should be able to pass into the next layer now. Of course, I'll have to see if my oracle is back in action.”

“You won't have long to wait,” Juno says, her eyes losing their focus as the Emanations whisper into her mind, “No, not long at all. But I don't think there's any need to rush back either.”

“That's good, then,” Ariel remarks, “I wonder how Elle got on. Whatever she was doing, I can't imagine it was very fun. I imagine oracle training is very boring.”

“Absolutely so,” the red-haired girl recalls, “You have to spend a very long time alone with your thoughts. Most people can't handle that, and the people who find it easy tend not to have very many thoughts at all. You can't listen to the Emanations until you know yourself – I wonder if that's little Elspeth's problem.”

That makes sense. Introspection has always been deeply rooted in the Insight, and your family was once known for their oracles. Perhaps one day, you'll be known as such again.

“Well, either way,” Juno concludes with a dismissive gesture, “I suppose you'll be heading off soon. There isn't really anything else keeping you here, now is there?”

>It seems that way. Thank you for your help, Miss Tomoe, and farewell
>I'd like to see a little more of Yomi while we're here. Perhaps you could be our guide?
>There was something else... (Write in)
>Other

>>6099921
I’d like to see a little more of Yomi before we leave. Perhaps you could be our guide?
How do the Tomoe live

>>6099921
Here's the moment. If anyone wants to make a move on Juno, ya gotta shoot your shot.

>Would it be possible to visit your armory? Considering the amount of trouble you may or may not get into, I find it curious you don't carry more....esoteric arms. Or just bigger guns.
What kinda dakka do the Tomoe have

>>6099921
>>I'd like to see a little more of Yomi while we're here. Perhaps you could be our guide?

>>6099933
+1

>>6099921

“I'd like to see a little more of Yomi while we're here,” you remark, “Perhaps you could be our guide?”

“See more of Yomi?” Juno raises a mocking eyebrow, feigning surprise, “Why would you want to do that?”

“I'm curious to see more of how the Tomoe live,” you explain, giving her a shrug, “Is that really so hard to understand?”

Juno laughs softly. “Yes, actually,” she replies, “But if you insist, I think I can find a little time in my exceedingly busy schedule. Where would you like to start?”

“You guys can go on without me,” Ariel says, “I'll, uh, I'll go back to the library or something. You don't keep any cursed books in there, right?”

“I expect they keep those locked away,” you tell the pale girl quietly, looking back to Juno, “Why don't we start with the rest of the manor? Do you have an armoury here? I'm curious about what kind of weapons your family uses.”

“On second thoughts, I might join you for a bit,” Ariel adds, speaking up before Juno even has a chance to answer.

-

The private arsenal of House Tomoe is divided up into two distinct sections. The first section is for the common folk, simple weapons to be passed out when the need arises – although you shudder to think what that need might be. Simple spears and military rifles, all older models, are lined up in great racks that cover both walls. You recognise the work of House Phalaris machines, but without the lost family's mark.

“We acquired some tooling from House Phalaris before the fall,” Juno explains, “The original tools have long since worn out, of course, but we were able to replicate the mechanism well enough. Not a perfect copy, but sufficient for our needs.”

Ariel takes out one of the rifles and aims down the sights. “This one shoots low,” she points out, “I wager most of the others are off in some way.”

“They're only handed out to peasants. So long as they can hit the broad side of a barn, they'll be good enough,” Juno remarks, taking the rifle from Ariel and putting it back on the racks, “These are boring. Shall we see something more interesting?”

By “more interesting”, Juno means the weapons of the aristocracy. A wild mix of swords and spears, all handmade with curious designs, each weapon seems to tell a story. You spot a number of heavy hunting spears, no doubt used by Master Tomoe himself, as well as Juno's golden spear sealed away within a glass case.

“I don't recognise the style,” Ariel remarks, peering through the glass, “Is it old?”

“Very,” Juno answers with a solemn nod, “Our family has held this spear for generations. One day, it will taste the blood of a god.”

A silence descends, broken only by Ariel's nervous attempt at a laugh.

“Or that's what the prophecies say,” Juno adds with a dismissive gesture, “But who listens to those silly old things anyway?”

[1]

>>6099951

Leaving Ariel to study the arsenal for some more – which seems remarkably trusting, you will admit – you leave Boleskine House and set off for the city of Yomi itself. Before leaving, Juno dons a heavy black cloak and pulls the hood low over her face. Safely anonymous within the pool of black shadow, she seems to relax slightly – there's more of a lightness in her step, an effortless sense of life and motion.

“I should warn you, there's really not much to see here,” she says as you walk into the squalid streets, carefully avoiding the worst of the puddles, “But maybe it's not about the city, hmm?”

“I have no ulterior motives,” you state calmly, “None whatsoever.”

“Hm,” Juno murmurs, “Well, if you say that then I have no choice but to believe you.”

Even though she falls silent after this, you can tell that she's smiling. Not a smirk or a sneer, but a genuine smile. The smile lingers as you pause outside a slightly more conventional looking building, spotting familiar statues inside. “Is this a church?” you ask, peering through the ajar door, “It is! A real church to the Godhead!”

“You sound surprised,” Juno teases, pushing the door open and guiding you inside. You spot all the usual statues – the blank monolith representing the Godhead, and all the haughty figures representing the Emanations – as well as a new addition. The new statue shows a scheming, conniving figure, their gender ambiguous. A representation of Calamity, you assume, placed in the company of their fellow Emanations.

“I am surprised,” you admit after a moment, “I thought that if you had any churches at all, they'd be-”

“Pagan monstrosities where we sacrifice infants?” she suggests, “That's downstairs. We don't want to scare the tourists, now do we?”

She's joking, of course. You think.

-

Leading you upstairs, Juno takes you to a large open window looking out across the city. There's a good view of the sky here, the dark clouds flashing and flickering with lightning. “I came here a lot as a girl,” Juno muses, her gaze fixed on the sky, “We see omens in the lightning, just as your family sees them in the movement of the stars. There was an older woman who taught me to read them. I called her grandmother, though she wasn't really. I looked up my family tree later, when I got a little older, and she wasn't on it.”

“Family can be more than just blood,” you offer cautiously.

“Maybe,” Juno hesitates for a moment, “I still wonder what happened to her. One day, she just... stopped showing up. I tried asking father, but he claimed not to know anything about her. Though... I'm fairly sure that he was lying. He had no reason to have her killed, aside from petty spite. Perhaps that was all the reason he needed.”

[2/3]

>>6099971
>“I have no ulterior motives,” you state calmly, “None whatsoever.”
I don't know about the anonymous hive-mind, bit I don't. I do think these two, Bard and Juno, make really good friends, but she isn't my waifu pick. Not even top three.

>>6099971

“Sorry,” Juno says a moment later, sounding unusually nervous, “I don't... have a lot of people that I can talk to like this. Anyone, really.”

“Nobody?”

“Nobody,” she repeats with a nod, “I mentioned that I spent some time at the Choir, didn't I? It wasn't a very long time – not even a year, I'd guess. I entered under false pretences, but it wasn't long before they found me out. Actually, I think they knew from day one. They were just curious to see why I was there.”

“And... why were you there?” you ask, “It's hard to imagine your father sending you there with honest intentions.”

“I don't know. Sometimes he just... does these things. Maybe it was some tiny part of a vast scheme he was playing, is still playing to this day. Maybe he was just curious too,” Juno shrugs, “I hated it, of course. The lessons bored me, and the other girls avoided me like the plague – all except one. To my surprise, I found that we both had something in common. Her family expected great things from her, as did mine. It wasn't much, but it was enough.”

Clearly, this story isn't going to end in a long and fruitful friendship.

“When my true identity came to light – or rather, when they couldn't hide it any longer – I was thrown out of the Choir. Sent home in disgrace. I understand that the other girl left not long after. Forced out, really. Because of me,” she sneers, “Guilt by association, remember?”

Slowly, you nod. “And this girl-”

“Who shall remain nameless,” Juno interrupts.

“And this girl, who shall remain nameless,” you continue, “She was the one you saw at Albershot?”

“I hope you're not suggesting that there was anything scandalous going on,” Juno says carefully, her eyes narrowed to suspicious slits, “We were friends, yes, but that's all.”

That, in itself, is an answer of sorts. Perhaps Juno reads something in your expression, because she turns away with a sigh. “Whatever. I can't imagine you came out here just to listen to me complain about old times,” she mutters, “Did you?”

>You're putting a lot on my shoulders, Miss Tomoe. We barely know each other
>If you need someone to talk to, a friend, I'm willing to step up
>I want to get to know you better. I want a place in your life
>I... (Write in)
>Other

>>6099988
>I owe you one. Whatever your motives, you've been a lot more helpful than you give yourself credit for. I can't say I trust you fully, as I'm sure you don't trust me, but if you ever need any help... Or if you need someone to vent about family drama, send me a message.

Essentially,
>If you need someone to talk to, a friend, I'm willing to step up
but more in-line with the sort of guarded, jaded, broody tsundere vibe Bard's been displaying with his other friends.

>>6099988
>It wasn't my initial intention, but I don't mind how things turned out

>>6099988
>>I want to get to know you better. I want a place in your life

>>6099983
I agree with you

>>6099988
backing >>6099994

“Well, it certainly wasn't my original intention, but I shan't complain about how it turned out,” you answer, leaning against the windowsill beside Juno, “Listen, I owe you one. Whatever your motives may be, you've been a lot more helpful than you give yourself credit for.”

“Oh yes, I've been very helpful,” Juno remarks, with a token attempt at scorn, “Nearly getting us all killed at Albershot was a great contribution to the team.”

“It got me one step closer to my father, my sister,” you point out, touching the dagger sheathed at your hip, “Whatever the cost might have been, I'd say it was worth it.”

For a moment it seems like Juno might try to argue the point some more, but then she falls silent and gives you a crooked nod of acceptance.

“My point is, while we may not fully trust one another – on a professional level – I still think we can work together,” you continue, “That means that if you need help, or you just need to unpack your family drama with someone, I'm just a message away. Don't feel the need to do everything by yourself.”

Juno says nothing for a while, her eyes fixed on your face for a long time – so long that you start to feel uncomfortable.

“Everyone else does the same,” you add with a sudden flippant gesture, “For some reason I'm expected to fix everyone's problems, so this is hardly any different. Really.”

“Oh, of course!” Juno agrees, a gleeful smirk creeping across her face, “You work so hard for the good of the kingdom, Master Pale. However would we survive without you?”

“I ask myself the same thing every day,” you remark, feeling the sombre mood lift. With a laugh, Juno pushes back from the window and starts off towards the stairs.

“We really ought to be getting back to the manor,” she decides, “Or else Ariel might start getting all sorts of wild ideas about what we've been getting up to. Even a Teilhard girl can only stare at rifles for so long before losing interest. Shall we go?”

-

Juno takes the scenic route, leading you back to Boleskine House through winding streets and across bustling markets. If it wasn't for the foreboding architecture surrounding you, you could barely tell the difference between Yomi and a city like Castaigne in your own lands. The people look normal, if a little sullen, and they lead normal, uneventful lives. If they notice that you're an outsider here, they don't show it at all. You even stop to do a little shopping, buying a bottle of ink-black wine to take home with you.

“It's been a long time since I just wandered the city streets like this,” Juno remarks as you're approaching Boleskine House, “It's rather less revolting than I remember, actually. I hope you appreciate all the effort that I went to, bringing you out here.”

“Oh, of course,” you reply, matching her insincere politeness, “Thank you for suffering through it. It must've been very tough for you.”

[1]

QM says
>Moloch !!fqcSo3h+it7 (ID: nRXApNvO) 07/06/24(Sat)12:37:24 No.6052851
>Remember: don't trust redheads, don't trust women, and do NOT trust redheaded women
And what do we players do?
>tells the redhead family sucks and that we're there for her
I don't wanna waifu Juno either, but man she's got it rough as it is

>For some reason I'm expected to fix everyone's problems, so this is hardly any different.
The quest protagonist curse/syndrome at work...

>>6100021

Ariel is dozing in the library when you return to Boleskine House. You sit with her for a while, waiting to see if she'll wake up by herself before you leave. If the worst came to the worst, you could just carry her out to the carriage – the waifish girl is hardly a burden. As you sit and wait, you find yourself thinking about Juno. About your relationship, whatever that may be.

A relationship formed from a mutual insincerity, a shared pain. What kind of relationship is that, really? You think about the moment she bared her breast to you, but that just sends your memory reaching even further back, back to... that unspeakable moment.

A low groan escapes from your lips, the noise causing Ariel to stir and raise her head. “That noise...” she murmurs, “Was that your stomach rumbling?”

“It must've been,” you reply quickly, pushing your memories back into the black, bottomless pit within your heart, “I suppose we should get some food for the road.”

“Good idea,” Ariel says with a yawn, “Maybe we can ask Master Tomoe to hunt a boar for us. I'm sure he'd be thrilled.”

“Let's... not.”

>It's early, but that feels like a good place to pause for today. I'll be doing some planning for this week, then back to writing on Friday
>Thanks for playing along today!

>>6100036
Wait, what memory is that...? Hm.

Thanks for running, QM!

>>6100036
Thanks for running!
I’m simping so hard for Juno that Professor Xavier is gonna let me into the X Men

>>6100036
So more than a little suspicious that Juno's friend was Gratia

>>6100049
My guess is something that happened when they were breastfed by mom that is related to the whole twin thing.

Otherwise, the usual secret forbidden incest whatever.

>>6100058
>Juno's friend was Gratia
Gratia isn't blonde, though. When we saw Gratia, she saw someone else.

>My guess is something that happened when they were breastfed by mom that is related to the whole twin thing. Otherwise, the usual secret forbidden incest whatever.
Twincest (or suspicions of such) could explain why dad separated us so aggressively. What IS mom's deal, though...?

>>6100036
Thanks for running.
Arielchads have been eating good recently.
>Her body grows limp as sleep reaches out to claim her, her head dipping to rest lightly on your shoulder.
Even if she doesn't win the Isambardbowl, there'll always be this scene.
It's also satisfying to have pissed Janus off.

>>6100049
With how Bard is, it's probably a memory with Gratia.

>>6100060
where did she say blonde again?

>>6100412
She didn't say it, but we saw a flash of gold hair against THE CREATURE

>>6094670
>“You...” Juno murmurs, and just for a moment you see a strange double image – a mess of gold curls clashing with the straight silver hair.

>>6100412

>>6094670
>“You...” Juno murmurs, and just for a moment you see a strange double image – a mess of gold curls clashing with the straight silver hair. Then the fake image is gone, and HER face returns. HER lips part to form the words to a terrible promise, and she leans closer, closer still, until.

>>6100419
>>6100420
Oh, woops, didn't refresh after I found it.

>>6100419
>>6100420
Interesting. Maybe Juno's mom? Or something related to the golden spear?