You dismounted from Scar with a little effort, turning to help the diminuitive maid who'd joined you down in turn. She probably could have gotten down on her own, but you'd be lying if you said your prior conversation hadn't left you more aware of her. There were too many implications for you to unpack right now, though... 'When you got time' was what you wanted to say, but the thought alone elicited a bitter chuckle.While you had Asche firmly in hand, you took the opportunity to question her earlier reluctance. "Asche, be honest with me. If you and Maran seriously come into conflict, will you be okay?"Silent guilt shadowed her carefully neutral features. Your grip on her shoulders tightened, firmly holding her in place. She was going to answer before either of you left this spot, and you'd stare the ashamed maid down until she did. "Mutual suppression is safe." She explained with a small voice. "To break her... Likely also mutual.""..." You sigh, flopping a hand over Asche's head to ruffle her hair, much to her distress. By the time you'd worked out your irritation with the little maid, it would take her several minutes to try and right it all again - A task she reluctantly set about trying to do immediately.While it felt heartless, you genuinely did not have the time to comfort Asche the way she probably needed; You couldn't even begin to guess at what had gotten so twisted up in her heart and mind over this past year as to leave her in the state she was in... For now, you resolved yourself to keep an eye on her. Having appropriately scolded her, you left the maid to make herself presentable and turned your attention towards the pair of Resuri guards who'd kept a watchful eye on you since you arrived atop Scar. You couldn't recall if they were ones you had met the night prior when dropping off the drugged mayor. Did it matter? Probably not. That was sometime ago, though, so shifts had to have changed by now..."Ser Valen." One guard nodded as you approached, his companion standing straighter at attention. "Welcome back. Please head inside, the meeting won't start for a little while longer.""Meeting?" You cut your eyes between the guards, a suspicious frown tugging at your lips. "What meeting?"The unknown meeting going on was curious, you'd even go so far as to call it suspicious considering they seemed to have expected you to attend, but despite this, what had immediately set you on edge was that they had just known who you were. You didn't have to introduce yourself, argue over your bloodline, or threaten people with consequences- They just saw you walk up and greeted you....And you hated that this was what made you suspicious.
"There's a meeting being held between the command ranks." The guard continued, "Shortly after you left the mayor here last night, the coordinators on duty assumed there'd be big business coming up soon and called an 'all hands' meeting to get everyone on the same page." "...Huh."The guard nodded, "We've been trying to spread a description of you and your mount as well so the rest of us know not to give you trouble." He chuckled, casting a wayward glance at Scar as the nightmare idly resented its surroundings. "With a steed like that it's hard to mistake you for anyone else, ser Valen.""What's my first name?""...Clara?"You sighed. "Irue.""...Oh." The guard looked between Scar and you with a distinct discomfort, shifting his weight awkwardly as he tried to find a way out of the hole he'd dug for himself. You, on the other hand, diligently refused to address the way your anxiety over the sudden cooperation had subsided. "I'm real sorry 'bout that-""No, it's fine." You shake your head, patting him on the shoulder as you passed. "Do you know if the mayor's awake?""I'd be surprised if he were." The guard said, gesturing towards the rising sun with squinted eyes. "Still a bit early for that. City's just waking up, after all."You follow his gaze, humming under your breath. You spare enough time for Asche to finish regrooming herself and join you before leaving the guards to their duties.
"Long blonde hair, red eyes, their right hand is covered in some form of serrated glove. No clue what it does, probably best not to ask." You hear a voice recanting authoritatively after entering the guard station. "Rides a Nightmare. If you don't know what that is, that's fine; They're native to East Heaven. Bottom line is under no circumstances do you show it your back or have less than two sets of eyes on it. Do not look it in the eyes, do not provoke it. They can taste your fear."A round of chuckles lead you to the meeting room where you see an older man casting a severe look across his gathered peers. "That's not a joke. Nightmares are a Manaborne beast specifically associated with Shade. Best we can tell, they actually might feed off of emotions somehow. If you're afraid of it, it will know. Any questions?""Why's a Valen here?""Good question." The man nodded, "Fuck if I know. Anyone else?"You waited at the entrance to the meeting room for any further questions. After exchanging a mutual glance with Asche however, you strode inside. "Is this everyone necessary to start organizing the guard?" faces turned towards you with clear-writ annoyance, only to blanche with a terrifying abruptness. No shortage of chairs screeched against the floor as the occupants scrambled to their feet to muster some form of formal acknowledgement in your direction. "Welcome, Ser Valen!" Your head tilted to one side, ignoring the chorused greeting. The older man who had been leading the meeting cleared his throat promptly. "We're ready to act! Just give us the word!"The corner of your lips twitched upward.
You are Irue Valen, Head of House Valen... Though often unknown or mistaken for your aunt. The title bestows upon you authority over those in your territory, and the responsibility in turn to see them protected and prosperous. These were your people. Though in truth, the number of individuals you would privately consider 'your people' were of a significantly smaller scale, and most all of them weren't even in this city at the moment. Some were enroute as you spoke - your Testament Ari, for instance - but what you needed handled in Resuri was a matter of expedience. To that end, you'd swiftly made efforts to secure the compliance and cooperation of the city-level government and guard roster as your personal task force for the coming days.Resuri was a city quietly approaching the brink. The wealth which moved this city could be personified in the various merchants who made their home here, and of them, the upper crust had recently found it in vogue to begin collecting and showing off their little assortment of mercenaries and sellswords. Individually it may have been an ill-mannered whim, but once those individuals had thrown their lot in with Artemis' schemes and closed ranks... Those small private armies became a different beast altogether. One which threatened the authority of Resuri's proper government simply by existing, and whose long-term stance, you suspected, would be pointing a spear in your direction.Not unlike the failed rebellion in Carona; Instigated by the same people, for the same purposes. Another fracture in the country, all in preparation for a civil war seeing the nobility and Crown pit against one another. A war your aunt had spent years trying in vain to postpone, and one your cousin would see kickstarted at the earliest possible convenience out of some sense of justice or ethical indignity.Speaking of Caylen, he and Alouette should be arriving soon. Better you identify and intercept them at the gate than let him waltz into Resuri and rejoin that wench Maran in whatever malcontent they had planned. With any luck, you might co-opt him into your plan to rescue the Tiers from the merchant's gala being hosted later... And in doing so, keep a leash on the idiot to prevent him from causing any more trouble than necessary....Maran was an entirely separate matter that you didn't know how to approach or where to begin with. An agent of Artemis attached to your cousin who claimed her loyalties were to Caylen over her home country and organization, though the truth was anyone's guess. On her own she was a woman you couldn't stand, but your last encounter with her had been.... Terrifying.
Fighting her was all but impossible. You had exercised every fibre of your developing affinity with the bracelet to bury that woman and wound up fleeing into the city as a result... No doubt she'd clawed her way out of the mud not long after you left as well; It was for small fortunes that she hadn't simply pursued you there after. She didn't have to though, and your teeth grit when you considered that she knew that. If you were to rip Artemis' influence from Resuri and put an end to the impending conflict here, you would have to walk right back to her on your own, no matter what path you took.Ì̶͉t̵̘̾ ̷̃͜ȋ̵̫n̵̖͝f̵̥́ư̸̠r̷͓̂í̴͙a̷̜͗t̶͖͋è̵̤d̴͖̕ ̶̩̿y̸̱͆o̴̼͆u̴̩̾.̷̚
A heavy breath slipped from your lips after the meeting with the town guard concluded. Running a hand through errant blonde strands to tuck them neatly behind your ear once more, you eyed one of the temptingly abandoned chairs as you weighed your desire to collapse. Thanks to your Shade Scar you felt fine... Physically. That wouldn't stop the exhaustion patiently miring your thoughts, though. Nor the anxiety.The guards were reorganized and distributed as best as you could manage. Information regarding the merchant's gala had been disseminated, and you'd already passed on the best measures you could provide to account for nightgaunts... You would have to hope they could handle the merchant's mercenary forces on their own, at least for a time. Long enough for you to resolve matters with the Tier family in the slavers auction, and whatever else Maran, Caylen and Artemis would put you through.You still needed to assign Isaac a bodyguard and Priat was still unaccounted for. Once Ari arrived you could entrust her with one or both of the Dryad siblings and assign her to either protecting Isaac or supporting the town guard against the mercenaries... Both options Lily and Aegis could have handled, but you'd feel much safer if Ari were there to keep them supervised. You still weren't sure where Aegis had gotten off to during the night, but with Lily still sleeping off your encounter with Maran, you felt a little less prepared than you would have liked. ...On the other hand, this was the most prepared and capable you'd been since this whole mess began nearly a year ago. You adjusted the bracelet on your wrist for the third or fourth time since the guard meeting ended, awkwardly noting Asche standing in silence out of the corner of your eye. You mutter, straightening the fatigue from your posture. Asche moved to your side with the ease of long practice, but the awareness you had of each other had changed too much for it to feel familiar any longer. Maran wasn't the only one you didn't know where to begin with... And focusing on the work at hand felt easier than finding the words for Asche. "Let's get to wor-""Ser Valen!" Another voice cut you off unknowingly, snapping your attention towards a guard who'd just thrown the door open in a panic. "We need you out here, someone's approaching your mount!""...Eh?"
Hurrying outside brought you face to face with an incredibly docile Nightmare. Docile in so much as it had sat down and seemingly refused to budge, as if the pale hand laid on its mane was a gallow's noose. That hand's owner turned to face you when you emerged, long, curly red hair shifting in the morning light as sets of literal amber marked your arrival.No, not hair. Spider Lilies. Aegis' head shifted to one side, her amber eyes drifting meekly to one side before returning to yours.>Scold Aegis for being gone so long.>Acknowledge Aegis' return, no need to draw it out.>Welcome Aegis back with some affection.There is a small amount of down time available before Ari/Caylen arrive!>Use it to spend time with Aegis.>Use it to call Rinnier.>Use it to talk to Asche.>Use it for something else (what?)>Move immediately to an arrival! (when this comes up it'll be a 1d100 from everyone to see who gets here first)
Previous Threads: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Valen+Quest Where things are said: https://twitter.com/Riz_QMWhere things are asked: http://ask.fm/RizQMAssorted Supplemental:Irue Things (up to 74) - https://pastebin.com/PchcdWpwA List of Forgotten Things (up to 74) - http://pastebin.com/kPEscJ3hIrue's Memoirs (Scares the QM to update) - http://pastebin.com/sWnicrK7Arc I - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DMjxLjSbvr-xcxqX9M_ysKaBV1zkUmu5/view?usp=sharingArc II - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cXL1fIYb22IqQ51wWUp3-IMZa2nV5TY8/view?usp=sharing"Really I'd say anybody catching up should read threads instead of this because of what goes on in them, so this is more for looking back I'd say." - Ebook anonWrite-ups:Kara's Day Out - http://pastebin.com/8ZbiSKLsAdventures with Asche - http://pastebin.com/RNviCBJuThe Reclaimed Doll - http://pastebin.com/n6miP1qTIn Your Shadow - http://pastebin.com/EfeeHFAEFriends Forever - http://pastebin.com/Yn0QaTVBThe Woman Beneath Steel - http://pastebin.com/pMGgiHC3Paper Flowers - https://pastebin.com/Pk0W7rEmMerciless Compass - https://pastebin.com/8Hy0krxvBetter Strangers - https://pastebin.com/mvShXpCtMisc notes:I got groceries like three days before the hurricane, then basically all of it spoiled. I have been eating nothing but dried beans for a month.Memo:1. Work through dying before it causes issues with the Shade scar.2. Return and investigate the Dryad Shrine3. Investigate the Valen catacombsItinerary:1. Discern knights with an affinity for Mana worth polishing.2. Contact the Crown3. Track down Asche, who left to find the descendant of the Ice Queen's bloodline.4. Track down the Tier siblings, currently located in Resuri.5. Expedition for resources to the north.6. Unfinished business at the Ruined Shrine. 7. Meditate to Shade today with bracelet removed to try and deal with the clawsCurrent Goal: Intercept your cousin, save the Tiers, find Priat, rip Artemis out of Resuri.What's On Your Mind: Asche and Maran.
OH FUCK OH FUCK OH FUCK OH SHIT
>>6133191>Welcome Aegis back with some affection.>Use it to call Rinnier.ring ring rinnier!
I made this shit a month ago
>>6133317Heh. This is cute! Going to wait until tomorrow night to see if anyone else straggles in before starting an update. Between how long it was since last thread, and the mass twitter exodus, I wouldn't be surprised if we're just dead in the water now.
>24 hours since thread creation>literally 1 voteDire
yo why are you not voting mother fuckersAm I the last man standing?
>>6133191>>Welcome Aegis back with some affection.>Use it to call Rinnier.
>>6133735Good luck Riz! I'm cheering for you!
Wish we had this kind of activity back in the day. when I got outvoted to leave rinnier in carona and stay with kara. You bitches. I will carry the banner of "Valen When" till the end of time
>>6133191>Welcome Aegis back with some affection.The suptg archives are down so I can't check, (it's had a lot of problems lately) but are the spider lilies a new development?It's probably best to keep it away from the horse, I get the feeling, last I checked those things were just wood and sap but Nightmares are more mana than we are. Though in any case as long as it loves us......Well that's probably not any better but at least it won't hurt as much.>Use it to talk to Asche.Seems we have more to work through.Especially considering that she's probably the only person we can get proper help dealing with Maran with. Or at least an idea of how to not eat shit.
>>6133278>>6133822>>6134060Affection!>>6133278>>6133822One last check in with Rinnier?>>6134060Need to talk to Asche for a bit.Alright, I'll get started on an update!--->>6134060>are the spider lilies a new development?short answer: No, she's always had them for hair!longer answer: The Aegis you have with you is a refined, mostly humanoid extension of its primary form - Which was the massive flesh plant that consumed the Behemoth which Ari is bringing with her to Resuri. This iteration was formed with a long veil of spider lilies for 'hair', similar to how Lily's 'hair' is primarily ivy.Scar isn't in any particular danger, but he recognizes Aegis as something to not anger at all costs. Partially because of what Aegis is (Dryad Aspiration of notable strength), but also... Scar has repeatedly lost its struggles against Lily. Aegis, as the elder sibling, must be far worse in its mind.--->>6133810>>6133820>>6133864It's been a long time since this quest started, and my inability to run threads as often as I'd like surely isn't doing any favors. I don't think Valen has ever been a particularly popular quest, but it's inspired some very dedicated readers - Even still, we're approaching ten years since the first thread. I wouldn't be surprised if many of the anons who started with me have already left, and even of those who remain, I imagine at least some don't even visit 4chan anymore as they've grown and their life has carried them along.I have previously promised that in the event Valen is put to rest without a proper ending that I'd basically do a QA thread to provide closure and answer questions to whoever was still around at that time. It's the least i can do for the people who've all shared their time and hearts all this time....Granted, we're nearing the end anyway. I'd rather a proper ending be reached, but I won't be surprised if i make a thread one day and even our stubborn little crowd are absent.
>>6133820Use your phone to samefag. That way QM will think he has 2 voters, and not writing for just one nerd
>>6134409waiting for Valen has become a constant in my life
'What took you so long?' 'Where have you been?''What have you been doing all night?'"This woman suddenly crossed the street and started approaching the Nightmare, ser." The guard that ran to retrieve you reported. "At first we tried to keep her away but she wouldn't listen, and her presence seemed to agitate the Nightmare before... Well..." They trailed off.A line of frustrations came to mind seeing the Dryad Aspiration finally deign to show up. Your pace slowed as you approached, coming to a stop in front of the pale-skinned replica of you as it raised its face to regard you. Round, wide eyes peered at you with the same, wordless silence they always had.Could last night have gone better if Aegis had been there? You didn't know. Maybe Maran would have just put Aegis to sleep as well. Or maybe, being an Aspiration, Aegis wouldn't have been so inclined to cooperate.The small frown itching at the corner of your lips thinned."Welcome back, Aegis." You left your complaints unsaid, feeling them fleck apart when Aegis' eyes seemed to glimmer in response to the name. It didn't smile- Couldn't smile- but a subtle shiver ran through the stems of its 'hair', near mistakable for the whispering rustle of a breeze.Aegis released the Nightmare's mane and turned away awkwardly, one arm crossing her midrift to brush against the other.Were it Lily you would have reached out to pet her or something, but the younger Dryad apparition was far more demanding of physical contact. Shyly turned away as Aegis was, you decided not to push any further... Your history with Aegis was one of mistakes and regrets in the first place. Looking at the Aspiration like this though, maybe it wasn't as bad as you worried it was?
Leaving that aside, you turned Scar over to Asche before the troublesome bastard could take the opportunity to cause more trouble. After reassuring the Resuri guards that Aegis wasn't a problem, and thanking them for their work, you ushered your small assembly of assistant, aspiration and asshole away from Resuri's slowly waking public eye... A feat that was increasingly becoming more difficult as the streets and alleys filled. Resuri's guards were on the lookout now both for Caylen and Alouette's arrival, as well as Ari's via the river... Though you weren't sure if that was the route she'd end up taking. Rinnier had warned you the frailer Testament had planned to try and retrace your route, so you could only imagine she'd attempt to come in through the river or... Over the wall. Your eyes flickered towards the northern wall, just barely visible over the rooftops of the city. Without a Nightmare, breaching the city walls wasn't a realistic option. It was a silly thought... But, as your lips parted as if to say 'nah', you supposed it didn't necessarily... need to be a Nightmare. There were plenty of other Manaborne mounts which could theoretically breach the walls with varying levels of stealth. None of that mattered because Ari didn't have a mount like that. Even as a fledgling Dryad adept, it wasn't as if she was going to grow a vine rope up the wall in the middle of the night to scale it; Even if she could manage to flex her affinity for Dryad successfully, Ari herself lacked the physical ability to do something like that. She had less stamina than you did back before the Rite started.You shook your head and turned to address the other two. "We have some spare time before..." Asche tilted her head as you trailed off mid-sentence, turning to follow your gaze. The two of you stared at Aegis wordlessly, and the Dryad Aspiration stared back curiously.
"...And that's why we're stationed on Resuri's northern wall at the moment." You finished filling Rinnier in via the 'Echo'."Ari doesn't strike me as the kind of person who would make a commotion like that." Rinnier's dubious response whispered through a faint breeze. "Is Aegis even big enough for that?""...Probably." You weren't sure how large Aegis actually was now, but if you had to guess you'd confidently estimate it to be around the size of a behemoth. Minimum. "It felt better to be safe about this than to have to deal with the potential fallout later. And it's quieter up here than in the city anyway.""Mm... I'm glad you called, I found something after our chat last time." Rinnier switched topics idly, "Teranford tried to keep a track on known Relics and their probable owners when they moved through our country, so I asked Clara if she'd done anything similar and she helped me find the records she kept on Relics and their owners in Valen territory. Turns out your slave trader probably has one. I'm assuming that was the contact you mentioned?""Their assistant was the one with the Relic at the time, but good to have confirmation." You thought back to the woman you'd met at Isaac's... Or more accurately, the blur in your memories that seemingly consumed her. You thought you could remember aspects of her voice, or that it had only obscured pieces of her features, but trying to remember now... "It's unusual for people to delegate their Relics, but not unheard of." Rinnier mused, "According to the information gathered, it's suspected to be Undine or Luna aspected in origin, and its capabilities revolve around muddling identity... Bluntly, a lot of this information doesn't even feel useable. It's like the people reporting it could barely remember who they were talking about in the first place.""Makes sense." You'd experienced that first hand already, and relayed as much to Rinnier to update the log - For whatever good that would do. "It should be Undine aspected based on what I'd heard from Isaac.""What is it with Undine and identity, anyway?" Rinnier muttered exasperatedly as you assumed she was scribbling something down. "First that crystal book, now this... If Lupre was telling the truth then I'll update this to reflect that the slavemaster himself isn't necessarily the owner of the Relic." A brief silence ensued before Rinnier's voice returned. "So, anything else on your end?"You glanced at Asche briefly, meeting her sea-green stare for a split second... And decided to relay what you learned about Maran. And for now, just Maran.
"...So you're outnumbered, in enemy territory, working with an untrustworthy ally utilizing a mind-altering Relic, against someone who has a Relic beyond our current understanding?" She recited with a carefully neutral tone."I'm not outnumbered... By much. I recruited the Resuri guard." You correct, "The rest of that... Is basically correct. Though I can confidently at least neutralize Maran with my bracelet." You look to Asche and receive a confident nod before moving on. "Once Ari arrives, Lily and Aegis can make up for the rest.""Right..." Rinnier's terse agreement grumbled through the wind. Her voice cleared, something unidentifiable twining her words. "Irue, are you alright?""...?" You blinked, gazing out across the fields between Resuri and the woods. "A little tired. Kind of anxious. Nothing unusual though, why?""I don't know." Rinnier admitted softly. "It might be nothing."She wouldn't ask you if it were nothing. So whatever it was, either she didn't know how to articulate it, or she was reluctant to. Problem is... Neither of those options sounded like Rinnier. "That's not like you.""I'm still researching." She defended vaguely. "I'm hesitant to involve your aunt in this, but she might be the best reference I've got."A shift in your posture followed somberly. Unless it was urgent, Rinnier was unlikely to include Clara in anything due to her wariness of the older woman. "What are you researching?" And what does it have to do with you?"Your family history." Of any answer she could have given you, that caught you offguard. "Specifically around the time Mint was queen of East Heaven.""...Why?" You had to ask. "If it's that far back, there's probably not even much to find..." Your long unused history lessons struggled to dust themselves off, crumbling in the process. You're pretty sure your tutors taught you this.... Years and years ago. One of those boring, useless pieces of trivia that was supposed to be brought up in formal spaces for prestige purposes. What was it? Your house predated La'Fiel... Granted the merchants land... became the crown... "Asche, do you remember any of my lineage's history around the time Mint was alive?"Asche stared back at you, her lips parting in subdued shock. A single, owlish blink her only response. You shrugged, turning your attention back to Rinnier. "That'd be pre-La'Fiel era at least, if that helps narrow it down any.""It might." Rinnier sighed heavily, "I'll probably have to get that woman involved... Forget I said anything about it for now. Just focus on what you're doing... Wait, did you say 'Asche' just now? Did you find her in Resuri?""Ah, yeah. We ran into each other last night? Or this morning, I guess. Oh!" You snap your fingers suddenly, "Right, around that era would probably be when Dryad was sealed too. You'd probably be looking into the Founder, or whoever their direct descendants might have been."
"...Founder. Dryad. Right." Rinnier murmured slowly. "That might actually be helpful, thanks Irue. I need to look into this, I'll contact you later. Or... Call me if anything happens in Resuri, alright?""Sure- Hey, wait!""Yeah?">Something short to talk to Rinnier about before she leaves?ELSE>Something to talk to Asche about while you have time.You only have time for one.
>>6135161>Something short to talk to Rinnier about before she leaves?Ask if she knows any more about the activities of the Shrine's investigative detachment that was sent to Carona?They would almost certainly want to talk to at least one of the Valens, right?Assuming it wasn't a murder squad in disguise.
>>6135161>Something to talk to Asche about while you have time.Does she have advice for us on how to use the control the bracelet more effectively?
>>6135200Seconding this, warn her that the luna guys will be out asking questions, also tell Rinnier she doesn't need to worry about the Behemoth anymore but we'll tell her the details after the investigation is over. Might not be able to post for a few days, welcome back Riz, hope you're not suffering much more than supply line issues.Anyone else being made to wait 10m before posting? It's asking me to make a 4chan account.
>>6135161Oh shit, I almost missed the thread. I'm glad I decided to check the catalog.>Something to talk to Asche about while you have time.Talk about Asche's (and by extention Maran's) history. Where does she come from, who created her (if anyone) and why, and what did she mean by "breaking"
>>6135339>>6135784I don't have particularly good ideas right now but I think more Asche is good.Though I doubt she'll give a clear answer on certain things, it might be best to stay objective instead of dwelling on purpose.>>6135372>Anyone else being made to wait 10m before posting?It's a new anti-spam measure. I guess it works, but it's also incredibly annoying to deal with.
>>6135200 (That investigation unit sent to interrogate Mim, how did that go?)Rinnier!>>6135339 (Bracelet advice?)>>6135784 (Asche's history?)Asche!Aight, will get to work!
Update's about done but some stuff came up! Thankfully nothing to worry about, so it'll be posted either tonight or tomorrow.
No fucking way, Valen is back
"There's been an investigative unit sent from the Shrine to look into Carona. Have you heard anything about it?""...No. Though the Shrine aren't required to report their movements or internal affairs to us, so I'm not surprised. How did you find out about it?"Heard it directly from Mim? Explaining you got insider information from the Luna Representative seemed like it would just raise more questions. "I caught wind of it while cooperating with the Shrine over some problems in Carona. I was just curious to see if anything notable came of the dispatch.""Hm." Rinnier's musing hum carried thoughtfully along the wind. "It would be inconvenient if our current relationship with the Shrine in Carona broke down... But directly inquiring at the wrong time might cause them problems too. I'll look into it discretely and get back to you.""Thanks." You let the 'Echo' fall silent, releasing your connection to Rinnier for the time being. Giving the distant forest line another cursory glance, you turned back to Asche. "So."Asche's sea-green eyes inclined to meet yours, still somewhat unsettled from the question moments ago. "So?" She repeated softly."Any more advice on how I can use this effectively?" You shake your wrist slightly, jostling the bracelet comfortably against your skin. Asche stared at you for several moments, brows subtly knitting together. "You said you'd teach me how to use it, back then. After I'd had time to heal."She nodded slowly, but as the seconds crawled on... Said nothing. She seemed deep in thought, or maybe just troubled. It was an expression you'd come to recognize on your maid's face when faced with a new task she'd no prior experience in. Typically it preceded experiment, which in turn usually implied failures of varying degrees as she worked to figure out an acceptable outcome. Asche was loyal. Dedicated. Iterative. When she began learning to cook, at first she served you raw meat. Then learned to cook it, only to serve you charcoal. Sometime later that charcoal became seasoned. Eventually it was cooked to an edible standard, but it would take months before the seasonings made sense, and over a year before it finally narrowed down into something you enjoyed.All of this to say, the sinking feeling you got from the thoughts transparently traveling behind her troubled, determined eyes told you that she was learning to cook. "Asche..." Your braceleted wrist sagged, "You... Do know how to teach me to use this, don't you?"Her expression evened out into resolve as she nodded confidently. "No."
You glanced sidelong towards the dual-ringed bracelet adorning your wrist, and then back at Asche. "You said you were part of this Relic though, right? Or, an extension of it?" She nodded simply, prompting you to continue. "You don't know how you work?"Asche's eyes darkened, the corner of her lips curving downward. "Please do not say that.""...That you don't know?" You wondered, somewhere between an apology and an awkward request for clarification. The maid shook her head, her gaze shifting dejectedly from you, to the bracelet, and then to the floor. Heavy tension coiled in her shoulders. A thought flashed across her face- Some kind of realization, or perhaps a revelation. One she didn't like. Asche shifted uncomfortably under your patient watch, seemingly growing further and further crestfallen as she came to her conclusion. Raising her face to meet yours, she stepped closer and held out her slender hand in askance. "Hand?"A question. A command. A request. You weren't sure if the trembling in her voice meant to implore or beg, but you wasted little time lacing your fingers through hers, holding onto her palm even as her cool skin slipped softly against yours. You'd spent countless nights in your childhood clinging to one another to ward away the nightmares and hurt; There was nothing to this gesture beyond that simple comfort. You held her hand in silence hoping she would continue... But realized she had no intention to. Rather, her eyes had closed from the moment your fingers had entwined- As if focusing deeply on something else. You-
You are Asche. You had no name, no need for one. There were terms used to describe you, poetic epitaphs which refer to you, but all of them were deemed too complicated. You were content to forget them, they held no meaning to you, but- "Everyone needs a name. It'd be too sad if no one knew who you were."-Ariel had insisted.Memories of those days smelled warm. Felt sweet. Tasted old. They shimmered across your skin with shifting colors, painting a reverie across your very body. A mural of the grass beneath your toes, and the way the sky had felt with darkening clouds, stubbornly refusing to drop their rain. Petrichor stained your tongue, promising a dirty future in the mud and moist.A distraction. You breathed it in, inclining your head as another stray thought streaked the colors of memory. You saw Irue there; Muddled, corrupted and blurred through the ripples of idle thought.You had a body now. Some days you thought of it with wonder. When had your mental image begun to change? That you even had a head to incline at all was strange. But you liked it. You think. Maybe you could have more than a head. What about eyes? A mouth?You wondered how much of yourself Irue could understand. How helpful it would actually be."You said you were part of this Relic though, right? Or, an extension of it?"You watched your heart beat calmly against its keeper's wrist and wanted little more than to cast the thing into the ocean. With great care you pulled every string necessary to nod your head, belatedly trying to adjust some facsimile of expression across your features for the keeper's benefit. Expressions were vital, they put the keeper at ease, and were easier than having to manipulate your throat and mouth constantly. Sometimes expressions would even come through by accident, without your intervention. You were proud of those. They felt like proof your body was part of you. That the existence called 'Asche' was real."You don't know how you work?" ...But it was still complicated. Even years later, you would occasionally forget to continue breathing. You didn't need to breathe, and it was distracting, but people noticed. Your heart's keeper would notice. And they'd worry. You liked it when they worried over you. You hated it when they worried. You wanted them to worry about you without being worried.That thought felt right. It felt right now, at least. In the past the contradictory premise felt as if a nail had broken, but not quite. Like a tooth had chipped. Like a piece of a chandelier had broken and fallen to the floor but somewhere far across an empty ballroom and you were facing away from it.
You were broken. Your heart was broken, so it made sense your body was broken, and so it never seemed surprising your mind was broken as well. Every so often a new thought would occur, a new concept would try to find a home, and a little more would break. Shattered and disconnecting, twisting your pieces to childishly form an ugly, miserable little nest out of the misshapen remnants of something beautiful and perfect. Until the ruins were indistinguishable from the greater purpose they once served. 'Asche' made her home in that broken nest. It was cozy.'Asche' and 'someone else'. But they were 'Asche' now too. ...Years she'd spent trying to piece together something to call herself from this crumbling mess. "Please do not say that." YEARS, IRUE. Years of constant, unending effort to be more than that ruined piece of a Relic. Years to try and be more than the imprint of tempestuous emotions and stubborn, contradictory desires left graffiti'd across across crumbling architecture and Clarity....Irue's presence sharpened. Perhaps they'd sensed something in the flash of red that bled through your eyes. There was no way of knowing how your heart's keeper was perceiving this. Maybe they'd even caught a glimpse into the depths of those scarlet pools. Maybe the recognition was mutual.You quashed that sundered imprint ruthlessly, and with it your emotions receded to a manageable level. The only thing that hadn't changed was a possessive feeling... Because it was as much yours as hers. A twisted ring with neither front nor back, which you wrapped with tender care around Irue's neck to keep your heart's keeper from straying beyond your reach."Hand?"Your fingers twined together, your eyes closed, your senses sharpened... And the beat of your heart resonated with your heartless body. You are 'Asche'. You are 'Irue'. You have bound them tightly to you to prevent them from going where they should not. You couldn't teach them what they wanted to know any more than they could teach you what you wanted to know, but their mistrust and curiosity was something conversation couldn't sate. Not least of which because you couldn't speak with the ease necessary to explain in any reasonable time frame.
Irue's presence squirmed within the twisted ring, uncomfortably inquiring. Were you alright? Were you angry?You turned away and the colors that painted your skin ate voraciously at the dissipating haze composing your heart's keeper. Whatever made them think that?Never mind. >Learn to use the bracelet more naturally. (Anything specific you have in mind?)>Glimpse the bracelet's history and origin. (What are you most curious about?)>Explore Asche's existence. (Is there an aspect of her that you need answers for?)Only one path can be chosen. Roll 1d100 with your selection; Our first path is Best of 3, as it is the most likely to succeed. You will potentially be given an option to learn more by going deeper into a topic, or to shift your attention to another route, but each subsequent step will be more difficult (Raising a DC, or in severe cases, changing to Average of 3 or Worst of 3)>Share something of your own. (What?)This is ALWAYS an option and can be chosen in addition to one of the above three. Think of it as trying to maintain an emotional discourse with Asche; It also requires a 1d100 roll, but depending on what you share, success here can make attempts at exploring other routes, or taking additional steps, easier or harder. Eventually this state will fail and collapse. You're in no danger should that happen, it just means the 'conversation' is over.
Rolled 91, 84 = 175 (2d100)>>6138200>Learn to use the bracelet more naturally.>Share something of your ownThe meaning of "Asche" to us, as our best friend and a pillar of our life, and the desire to understand her better in order to be better to her
Rolled 83, 27 = 110 (2d100)>>6138200>Learn to use the bracelet more naturally. (Anything specific you have in mind?)How to best hurt Maran, or otherwise mitigate her interference. Failing that, elevate our understanding of how to interface with Dryad and understand her Aspects in greater detail.If When our attempts to convince Caylen fail, force of arms will literally be our only option considering what we are likely to need to overcome, so we need to find a way.>Share something of your own. (What?)The Life and Death of Doppel-rue from "her" / our perspective She gave up. We have yet to, neither has Asche. Why? What still drives us.It's not upholding the good name of House Valen at this point. Byrn has well fucked that up and Clara hasn't made things as simple as they should have been.Revenge? Those directly involved in the Murder of the "Main branch" are probably never going to be found, not going to stop us from "trying" to get even.Avoid waking Dryad? We're literally playing a waiting game at this point to see on whos' terms it occurs, and considering the forces arrayed against us, it's unlikely to end in our favor considering just how stacked the deck actually is against us. Not going to stop Us.At this point, what will?
Rolled 51, 7 = 58 (2d100)>>6138209Votan for this,maybe learn to manage the power that results from using it, wouldnt want to level carona again on accident (we want to do it on purpose)
>>6138209>>6138209>>6138235 (Specifically how to better interface with Dryad)Natural braceleting!>>6138209>>6138257Share: What we think of Asche? Oh dear...>>6138235Share: Our thoughts on Dopplerue! Those memories are never far from mind, are they?---Bo3 for Bracelet: 91Bo3 for Sharing: 84Will get to work!
Interest in the broken Relic remained strong even now. How best to use it? How to use it more naturally? Aimless, idle curiosities accompanied by fleeting impressions of past attempts at figuring it out on their own. Most of those early attempts had ended catastrophically, either for your heart's keeper or everything around them. Two particular instances stood out among even those: The Mistral's Child and the doppleganger.The latter of which was never far from Irue's thoughts. There were times you wondered if terminating the doppleganger had been the correct choice... But the longer it existed, the more of 'irue' it consumed. Such was the nature of their kind; If left to its own devices, if it didn't replace Irue in totality, then your heart's keeper would have eventually destroyed it themselves.Whether it was correct or not, it was an act you wouldn't take back. And one you wouldn't- Couldn't- speak to your heart's keeper about.You noticed the colors of memory darken as thoughts of the existentially suffering thing inevitably resonated with Irue's own, prompting the beginnings of a reverie you had no intention of entertaining. Their experience with the doppleganger was a deeply personal one. An encounter which had left them scarred for life, and one which had given them an unusually consistent font of inner-strength to draw from since. It was the culmination of everything Shade so fervently wished for in its adherents! ...Precisely because of that, it was a matter you could neither understand nor diminish. You wanted no part in it.Hm? You favored Irue's disconcerted haze as they paused. Apology, irritation, anger and embarrassed sulking - Yes, sulking. No, denying the sulking wouldn't change it. More irritation. Your own frustrations with your heart's keeper stemmed, subsiding beneath your skin like a distant simmer.
For all that the Doppleganger had done to, and for, Irue - For all that it had come to mean - It meant nothing to you. Given the circumstances again, you would have terminated it without a second thought as many times as you were put in a position to do so. For one, you considered allowing the thing the choice to return to Clarity a mercy; the mana were never meant to stray into the meaningless existence of humanity in the first place. Asking them to do so was cruel. Even were that not true however, your priority is, and always would be, your heart's keeper.Whether Irue grew strong and overcame hardship.Whether Irue abandoned their responsibilities and fled.Whether Irue compromised their ideals and joined with their opposition.Whether Irue forgot themselves in totality and awoke once more as a fully blank slate.>Whether... (Wo3)You would be there, unerringly. You desired nothing more than to keep your place at their side.Irue's hazy presence withdrew awkwardly under the unrelenting deluge of certainty. Even their discomfort at your prior dismissal of the Doppleganger had been briefly stunned into remission. You took the opportunity to turn their attention towards a fundamental misunderstanding they'd had regarding Dryad. A welcome change of topic, and one your heart's keeper could be easily directed towards in lieu of pursuing your previous sentimental exchange.Use of the broken Relic was a complicated thing with no acceptable answers. Why? Because it was broken, Irue. It has no use, its intended purpose is lost to ruin. That's what the whole epitaph was about->Epitaph (Ao3)Your presence stalled suddenly. An abrupt, jarring flicker as you banished the thought entirely.The point being, there was no 'correct' way to utilize the bracelet. It was a depressive, useless, broken existence. Every end and side a jagged surface. If there were any answer as to how best to wield such a thing then it would be 'don't'... Yet failing that, 'very carefully' is the only other alternative. The 'safest' method was to simply use it for communication, and in that regard, your heart's keeper had already cautiously been probing its capabilities....'To speak' was a concept resembling its unbroken purpose. If it weren't a worthless artifact of broken promise, such menial tasks as meditating would have been unnecessary, and yet...>Unbroken Purpose (Bo3)You scattered the depreciative thoughts even as your heart's keeper peered into their passing depths. Like a three dimensional shape which appeared small on the surface, but contained deceptively laborious depth; They were rabbit holes too easily lost within, even for you - Much less Irue.
Meditation. You emphasized the concept foreign to you which your heart's keeper had studied through out their childhood. The act of aligning your own thoughts and world view with that of a Mana to facilitate a better affinity with them. Though not by design, in its lacking state the bracelet required... 'tuning'. It was necessary for the user to take on that onerous, burdensome task in order to direct their intent appropriately. Amplification and translation were handled roughly by the broken Relic, with its accuracy and strength affected by how finely tuned the wielder was to their intended-You stopped, a faint hue of scarlet staining your eyes as you stared blankly into Irue's hazy presence. The question of whether a proper Adept could make better use of the bracelet burgeoned within.Ridiculous. How dare you? You were not some stranger-abiding Relic to be passed around for efficiency! "I am Asche." You wove the colors of memory in angered emphasis. "Your Asche."And you would be no other's!Satisfied the faux pas would not be repeated, you returned to your conveyance......And stopped briefly to acknowledge that, yes, almost anyone else save a demihuman could have made better use of the broken Relic than your heart's keeper. In some cases... A nostalgic recollection of Kara's smiling face formed in the fog of thought, only to dissolve back into colorless aurora.In some cases, even a demihuman might have had a better result.>In some cases... (Ao3)You frowned, feeling the hurt and frustration sticking to your skin like a damp film. The topic was... Complicated, and you chose not to engage.Divine Dryad. You re-emphasized the Mana of life. The one Mana your heart's keeper so fundamentally misunderstood. The one they struggled so often to attune towards, as they interacted with the children Dryad had birthed into their care. What was Dryad?A thing of life. An existence of boundless, all encompassing love and patience. The embodiment of a kind, accepting soul. Memories of Dryad's Atelier sprung vividly into being from the depths of Irue's hazy presence. So vividly, so emphatically, that you felt their ephemerality grow denser. A sense of certainty and identity so strong that for a moment, Irue was almost there with their arms spread, showing you the time spent within the Forgotten Child's Atelier.But that was wrong. Elly had taught them the loving, caring voice of Dryad long before its brutal sealing. Wounded and bleeding, left to sleep in tortorous nightmare for years indefinite, what was the Dryad Irue knew today?Aegis' monstrous body screaming wordlessly towards a baleful moon. Vengeful. The gut of a bear of twisted and gnarled wood, filled to the brim with rancid corpses. A malicious existence that spread its love in the form of pain and rot. Divine Dryad's distorted existence was one of obsession, resentment and possession.
You turned pointedly to Irue, leaving the scenes of events past spread behind you in a damning tapestry, and posed a question you knew they could answer.What is 'Clarity'?...In simplest terms, your heart's keeper understood. Their comprehension was immediate, if flawed by nature of having never interfaced with the forces of genesis. Clarity was 'understanding'. It was absolute certainty of your place and purpose in the world. Of where and why your existence fit into the grander span of the Goddess's creation. In Clarity, Dryad loved indiscriminately. Its very existence was akin to that ceaseless, unconditional love. As the Mana of Life, it was the foundational soil from which all was sewn... In that sense, part of its very purpose included providing that love.You understand now, don't you, Irue? A Mana cannot be sealed. In order to be chained within the Forgotten Child's Atelier, Divine Dryad had to be ripped from Clarity. Denigrated and demeaned from its rightful place among genesis and dragged bloodily towards the existential nightmare of humanity's meaningless existence. It had to lose sight of its pure understanding.Its obsessive, overwhelming feelings could no longer reach anyone. The acceptance it offered was rejected, and repaid in pain and loneliness. The Mana of endless love had to be taught to hate - And in doing so, lose sight of the distinction between the two.You wove a portrait of vines thick with thorns, lovingly strangling the things caught within. Bleeding them dry in its tender, jealous embrace. You turned to Irue, wondering if they understood. The presence of your heart's keeper was a tenuous thing here. This much should be fine, but you kept careful watch regardless...>Go Deeper:>Whether... (Wo3)>Epitaph (Ao3)>Unbroken Purpose (Bo3)>In some cases... (Bo3)OR >Change Topics:>Learn to use the bracelet more naturally. (Anything specific you have in mind?) (Bo3)>Glimpse the bracelet's history and origin. (What are you most curious about?) (Bo3)>Explore Asche's existence. (Is there an aspect of her that you need answers for?) (Bo3)>Share? (what?)Note: Your attempt to share your thoughts with Asche were somewhat fruitful!+10 to your next rolls.You may still only pick one + a Share option.
>>6140669>Unbroken Purpose (Bo3)
>>6140669>Unbroken Purpose (Bo3)and>Share? (what?)What ever even went wrong, during?Thread #77 post >>4135964What went wrong and what did she do, what was about to happen.
Rolled 51 + 10 (1d100 + 10)>>6140682Also Roll.
Rolled 90 + 10 (1d100 + 10)>>6140669>Unbroken Purpose (Bo3)ROLLAN>>6140682I don't think you can choose both. Note the "OR"
>>6140803100 MOTHER FUCKERSLETS FUCKING GOOOOOOOOOOOO
Rolled 64 + 10 (1d100 + 10)>>6140669>>Unbroken Purpose (Bo3)
Rolled 28, 52, 2 + 10 = 92 (3d100 + 10)>>6140678>>6140682>>6140803>>6140822Unbroken purpose! What was the Relic supposed to be for before it was broken?>>6140682This is inquiring for additional information, rather than sharing feelings or insights of your own. But we'll see how it goes!No one rolled for a Share this time around, so I'll pick it up.Getting to work!
>>6141130Unbroken Purpose: 100!Share: 62!
Despite your best efforts to convey yourself to your heart's keeper, or perhaps because of them, their presence flickered distractedly. Thoughts colored their haze, vague curiosities without shape or form, but the thrust was coherent. You were broken, you served no purpose now. Now. What were you unbroken? What purpose were you meant to serve?Unbroken purpose.The vagueities molded into that singular phrase, interrogative wonder visibly floating around it. You turned away, for all it did in this liminal space, and ignored the question. It wasn't something you wanted to answer. It wasn't something you wanted to think about. It wasn't something you necessarily had the answer for. 'Asche' was born broken, had never not been broken. If your heart's keeper asked what came before, how were you meant to answer?"What were you before you were you?"How frustrating. A spiteful flash of red considered demanding the same of Irue, but it was studiously stamped out. ...Less studiously stamped out, maybe. Considered at length- A longer length than it should have been- But ultimately discarded before the imprint could begin to level a convincing argument for violence. Violence was its primary language after all; How it reached out to others and defended itself all in one. All it knew were demands, and those demands were exactly why it had ended the way it had.Offended? Be that way. You inherited its dishonesty that way, and it's probably why you ended up this way as well. Yet your heart's keeper still inquired, and so you gave what you knew. What you felt. The little flashes of origin left engrained in the ruins you had eroded over the years to make a nest for 'Asche'.
A single existence. A singular existence. Boredom. Loneliness. An idea?From that singularity, eight concepts. To keep it company. To adore it.From eight concepts, a world. Unplanned, unstable. Countless insignificant little dreams.So taken by their little project, eight concepts babbled amongst one another. Turned their eyes from the singularity. Held in their hearts a thing, any thing, other than the singularity.The world unraveled in time. Unplanned, unstable; Creation was flawed. Eight children turned their hearts back towards their mother.Try again. A different child took the lead. A different world, made from the same world. Built atop the same world. Different, insignificant little dreams. The same unraveling. The wheel turned. The children changed. The layers of ashen dreams grew; Each a foundation for the next.Eight children turned their hearts towards a singular existence for answers.Reluctant, it offered no answer.Persuaded, it offered a single answer.Acquiesced, it offered a tool.A pin.A thought.A channel.To interact with the insignificant little dreams. To make their fleeting existence a little more joyful before they inevitably unraveled. Grasp the Goddess' Sword and cry out, little dreams. Praise your creators. Tell them who you are. Let them hear your voice, and hear theirs in kind.Your time is limited.
You brushed away the fragments of origin, cleaning your little nest once more. Was it what your heart's keeper wanted to see? Had it answered their question?Confusion seemed their only response. Uncertainty. Their presence withdrew introspectively. Another phrase formed from the dissipating fog, leveled directly at you. The repressed resentment simmering just beneath your skin bubbled back to the surface."Goddess Protocol?"Determined to deny every trace of 'Asche', again and again. The things you worked so hard to bury and break down to make way for your existence were being dragged back.What a waste these past years have been....What else did Irue want to know? Your heart's keeper already knew what you were now."?"A soft laugh, like a sip of sugary cyanide. A sweet little blackness that murkied the waters and concealed - or consumed? - the colors which painted your/her skin. What went wrong? Everything.What did she do? Put a stop to it.What was about to happen? 'Asche' regarded her heart's keeper for a long, long time. These answers weren't sufficient? "What went wrong?"Asche ran her hands through the hazy presence of her heart's keeper, scattering it into thin wisps. Pinching an errant strand between her fingers, she held a scrap of Irue's self as if to emphasize its fragility, even as the haze gradually tried to dissolve back into a singular entity. The spectral tendril trapped in her grasp bled with color. From a colorless haze to something reflecting the shade of Asche's skin, and eventually a singular strand of bright crimson threaded itself into that stolen piece. Releasing it, the miscolored piece of her heart's keeper rejoined the rest of the shapeless haze and its colors melded into the rest of the air seamlessly. Resentment. How dare you think of someone else? Asche is yours. Only yours.>Scarlet feelings (Ao3)Asche inspected her nails with an accusatory glint, a spark of crimson traitorously taunting her before vanishing into the flesh. Frustration built in her, but she couldn't address it now. Not with Irue present.
The connection linking you and Asche schismed. It was faint, either from fatigue or done on purpose, but you grew more acutely aware of where you ended and Asche began... But the resentment and jealousy seemed utterly natural. As if the thought of Asche going to anyone else had been lurking at the bottom of your mind for years and only chose just now to surface... And it left you roiling with a frustration that ate at you in ways you couldn't begin to scratch.You are Irue Valen, and you are incredibly possessive of your maid. Childhood friend. Partner. You--Aren't that way at all. The moment passed, and what seemed simple and self-explanatory didn't quite fit you... Though echoes of it still felt correct. Or felt like they should have been correct."Shouldn't be this way." Asche murmured softly, gesturing to the haze that constituted your existence in this queer connection. Something was wrong with you. Something fundamental, but beyond physical health. "Identity erosion. Ego malleable. Vulnerable.">Identity Erosion (Ao3)You tried to fish out the remnants of foreign sentiment, but... Was it really a creation of Asche's example that made you dislike the idea of losing Asche? No, no she was irreplaceable. She'd always been irreplaceable. That was your genuine opinion of her. S̷o̸ ̵m̶u̸c̴h̶ ̴s̴o̶ ̸y̶o̶u̵ ̶h̴a̴d̶n̸'̶t̶ ̸e̵v̴e̴n̷ ̵w̵a̶n̵t̷e̶d̴ ̸t̴o̷ ̵t̸a̶k̶e̷ ̶a̶ ̵T̸e̵s̷t̶a̴m̸e̵n̷t̶. ̶S̴̪̤͛ḧ̷̗e̴͍̾͂ ̴̥͒̔͋͜w̷̭̖̜̋̎ạ̶̯̏̒s̶̝̣̻̓̈́ ̶̗̌̎a̵̡̘̒l̶̛͇̙̟l̷̖̈̈́͝ ̷̩͙̿̓y̵̞̼͕̏̐ō̶͍̳͠u̵̘͊̌̉ ̸̙͛͠n̵̦̏̊̆e̸̤͑͂e̵̛̳͆͛͜d̵̦̋̌e̸̞̮̝̋͑͊ḑ̵̯̋̏.̷̺͊...You felt uneasy"Dryad connection disabled." Asche answered softly. "Prevented influence.">In some cases... (Ao3)>Scarlet feelings (Ao3)>Identity Erosion (Ao3)>Epitaph (Ao3)>Whether... (Wo3)It was getting harder to maintain this state.
Rolled 66 (1d100)>>6142625>Identity Erosion (Ao3)buss
>>6142625>Identity Erosion (Ao3)Are we inside a computer simulation?
>>6142625>Identity Erosion (Ao3)I guess the question now, is the influence of what, and why?
Rolled 28 (1d100)>>6142780roll.
>>6142677yo you need to start rolling bro
Rolled 96 (1d100)>>6142677>>6143014Hell I'll steal it.
Rolled 6 (1d100)>>6142625
>>6142672 (66)>>6142677 (28)>>6142780 (96)Identity Erosion! Average: 63Alright, will get to work!
You continued vainly attempting to comb through your thoughts and opinions, trying to find something out of the ordinary. There was nothing. In the first place, you probably wouldn't recognize a side effect of the erosion if it was there. Which begged the question... "Since when?"Asche returned your question with silence. Was it a result of your time in the Ateliers? Or something else? Ateliers were a known danger with a documented history of mental corruption... But you weren't short on experiences that you'd seemingly come away from either without consequence, or minimal fallout. Your time with the doppleganger, dying... Repeated uses of the Diary of Reflections.Thinking back, you'd run face first through a small forest of ego death events since the rite. ...Maybe that was why you weren't all that surprised to learn about the identity erosion.Seeing no answer forthcoming regarding 'when' the erosion started, you changed your question. "What would Dryad's influence have done to me?""Changed you." Asche's answer felt bitterly resentful. "Without intermediary, Mana shape what they touch."You touched the dual ringed bracelet settled against your wrist. The bracelet was that 'intermediary'; A translator which conveyed your words and desires to the Mana and vice-versa. But something about her answer prickled in the back of your mind. "...Have you cancelled other influences besides Dryad?""Yes." She nodded confidently, not a hint of hesitation in her response....You understood the implication. The Mana shaped what they touched, and if you were to make a connection with one in your current state, there's no telling what of their principles and mindset would find root in your own. Conservatively you might imagine it could grant you a sudden affinity with a given Mana... But you suspected reality wouldn't be so gentle. If Asche's demonstration earlier was any indication, brushing against a Mana proper could have twisted you to your very core, distorting you into something lost between human and Mana.Context reframed the question left unanswered. How long had your identity been in a state of erosion? "Asche," You began blankly, "Am I becoming an Aeon?"
The small maid's jaw set, a sharp, scarlet gleam in her sea-green eyes. "I won't allow it.""Allow...?" You laugh despite yourself. It seemed ridiculous to even consider it an option. Like Asche had said, the favor of a Mana could only affect you if there wasn't an intermediary, and despite your best efforts, you'd never been able to gain any Mana's favor. The fact your identity erosion hadn't been colored by a Mana already had nothing to do with allowance and everything to do with the fact there'd never been an opportunity in the first place.Your laughter waned under Asche's watchful eye, the hand around your bracelet tracing its metallic rings as that uncomfortable feeling crawled in the pit of your stomach. "Asche... How..." You swallowed dryly. Hesitation stilled your tongue. The premonition of a question you didn't want the answer to. "How long have you been preventing the Mana from interacting with me?"Without hesitation: "Since the start."
The remnants of empathic color faded from Asche's skin as your connection finally dissolved. A cool breeze kissed your skin under the midday sun, and the distant hum of Resuri's bustling populace echoed up dimly to the towering wall you shared with your childhood friend, overlooking both the densely packed rooftops of the trade city below and the expansive open grass fields surrounding it.>?Also: Roll 1d100! It's time for someone's arrival.
Rolled 52 (1d100)>>6145066
