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Previously on 999 Quest:

You and your friends had finally returned to the material world, re-entering the city streets and making your way back to the hotel to reunite with Notes-Of-Hunger. But you decided to try and make contact with the archmage, Vuindred the Black before then, resulting in an echo (mirror-image? Avatar?) of said friend to appear before you and explain some things, before giving several gifts to you and your new brothers. He also gave some information regarding his current state, and the present state of his realm, pieces of which are stuck in material reality.

Following that, you made it back to the hotel, only to fins it in dire straits, as Notes-Of-Hunger had degenerated into madness without his watch to act as an anchor. After a short fight, you managed to reunite the spirit with his anchor and bring him back to a sane state of mind. And with that, you ended up with both a new friend, and a lot of new information regarding the spiritual ecosystem of the city.

But currently, you're tucked under your sheets whilst having a fairly nice nap.

"[Orange, Oraaaaange. Get up. It's time to go.]"

Well, trying to, in any case.

>>3916100
Get up and ask him where we're going.

>>3916109
>Get up and ask him where we're going.
Gorggily you push yourself out of the sheets to face a surprisingly happy Blue. You gurgle a reply at him, still half-asleep as you are.

"[Where we're going? Well, Purple wants to check out the city and we're all coming with. He wants us all there when we make the choice of where to go first.]"

You stare at him blankly.

"[Hurry up and wake up, Otherwise you'll miss breakfast.]"

And with that, Blue speeds right on out of the room leaving you to deal with your dreary daze on your own.

>>3916128
Get out of bed and go get breakfast.

>>3916128
Open the window. Nothing helps get up than sun and breeze of chilly morning air

>>3916128
>Open the window. Nothing helps get up than sun and breeze of chilly morning air
Get out of bed and go get breakfast.

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>>3916137
>>3916145
>>3916159
>Get out of bed and go get breakfast.
Well, if there's food to be had, guess there's now point dawdling.

Pushing the covers off of you, you make a gurgling yawn and stretch a few of your limbs. You already have a feeling it's going to be a long day.

>Open the window. Nothing helps get up than sun and breeze of chilly morning air
You move over to the window, pushing away the curtains and opening it up to bask in the early morning rays. Cold air hits you, even as the day slowly gets warmer under the light of the sun, jostling you to functioning awareness. Guess it's time to start heading down now that youre properly up.

You push open your room door, idly noting that Purple is already gone, and head out into the hallway. You vaguely hear some chatter here and there, but none of that matters. Food first.

You move through the hallway, moving past a few of the guests who seemingly stayed the night or weren't affected by the incident with Notes. Most of them seem to be almost as groggy as you are. Almost.

Soon enough, you find yourself down the stairs, out past the lobby, and drifting into the cafeteria hall. As expected, there aren't very many people, and you note some left over signs and warning labels that seem to point to some kind of investigation having been held over night. Looking over to one of the tables, you see your friends all seated together with a bunch of dishes already set out.

"999, my dear boy! Come here and take a seat! We have much to discuss!" Blackwood, jolly as ever, waves you over to the table and the set out food.

>>3916169
Sit down, get food and ask him what's up.

>>3916169
Is this about that I suggested to Purple yesterday?

>>3916190
>Sit down, get food and ask him what's up.
You move on over and take a seat that was saved for you. You look over to the wide array of dishes set out before you, most of them something really sugary like glazed donuts, candied meats and other confections. You think you start drooling a little.

Wasting no time, you start to hovel in as much as you can, making sure not to waste even a single thing. Breakfast IS the most important meal of the day, after all.

>Is this about that I suggested to Purple yesterday?
"Blorble-" You pause to take a gulp. "Blorble, blorb?"

"[Don't talk with your mouth full, Orange. And yes. In a way, it is.]" Purple chastises, before picking up a chunk of donut and plopping it into his mouth to chew on.

"We've decided we're going to start surveying the city today, my kad." Blackwood chips in. "It's about time we started looking around and gathering information on where we've found ourselves. But we wanted you to weigh in on the decisions."

Blackwood then outlines what they've chosen to be the most intriguing places to visit or situations to look into, per what Notes said last night.

> The Court of Silent Tides and the Red Court of Delirium are engaged in a war that spans much of the city. It seems like it might be worth looking into
>The Grandmother, a very potent spirit, has infested the city and is wreaking havoc. There's apparently something trying to oppose it, but it's alone and is fighting a powerful enemy. A few allies might turn the tables
>Some kind of entity is turning the werewolf packs in the city against each other, which could be devastating long-term if what you know about the wolves is any indication. Some investigation into what's going on could open up some major results
>Something else (Write-in)

"We can look into at least two of these. So feel free to take your time in making a decision, my boy.

>>3916242
>The Grandmother, a very potent spirit, has infested the city and is wreaking havoc. There's apparently something trying to oppose it, but it's alone and is fighting a powerful enemy. A few allies might turn the tables
>Some kind of entity is turning the werewolf packs in the city against each other, which could be devastating long-term if what you know about the wolves is any indication. Some investigation into what's going on could open up some major results
Contact with werewolves would give us leads on broken moon mentioned in the last thread and I don't think we need to worry about Fithtists and Black King just yet

>>3916242
>>The Grandmother, a very potent spirit, has infested the city and is wreaking havoc. There's apparently something trying to oppose it, but it's alone and is fighting a powerful enemy. A few allies might turn the tables
>Some kind of entity is turning the werewolf packs in the city against each other, which could be devastating long-term if what you know about the wolves is any indication. Some investigation into what's going on could open up some major results

I don't want to get involved in the war, best to stay neutral.

>rereads last thread
God Machine? Neat, looking forward to turn some of It's angels into demons and steal/study infrastructure of course

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>>3916263
>>3916304
"[So, we're all in agreement then?]" Purple asks, following you giving your answer. "[We'll be focusing on this 'Grandmother' and the entity turning the werewolf packs against each other?]"

A series of nods follows in response.

"[Well, let's finish up here then. We have a lot of ground to cover, so starting quickly is our best bet.]"

Nodding, you begin shoveling in as much food as you possibly can, alongside Blue and Red.

>Grand Eater (F+)
>Grand Eater (F++)

But as you're finishing up, you feel the tell-tale signs of reality beginning to shift and warp, as Notes-Of-Hunger asserts its presence over its domain as it manifests before you once more. Red and Blue shirk back from it a little bit, and Purple almost looks like he's going to, before re-asserting himself.

"~I overheard you, lesser-of-kin. You intend to chase after the old magath and the blighted of the Old Hunters? Do you not realize the dangers in this endeavor?~"

>>3916583
Tell him that we do and we're not afraid of the danger, we fought stronger enemies before. When we went to fetch his watch for example.

>>3916583
>Tell him that we do and we're not afraid of the danger, we fought stronger enemies before. When we went to fetch his watch for example.
we also have no idea of the danger

>>3916650
>Tell him that we do and we're not afraid of the danger, we fought stronger enemies before. When we went to fetch his watch for example.
"Blorble blorb blorble blorb!" you exclaim, reminding him of what you have faced before.

"~Whilst technically correct, you faced a near-mindless construction of Fifthist dimensional work.~" the hunger spirit calmly supplies, levitating a cup of tea to Purple with a gesture. "The Grandmother is a terrible thing, one that has consumed many spirits and has driven itself to absolute madness, but mad as it is, there remains a will and purpose behind its actions. And whilst I cannot say much for whatever has twisted the minds of the spawn of Wolf, what I have gleaned paints it as a force that has consolidated a large powerbase amongst the spiritual forces of the Spirit in this city and is constantly working to expand.~"

"~Both have clear goals that make them more dangerous than any lashing beast could ever be, lesser-of-kin, no matter how powerful it may be.~"

>>3916857
>we also have no idea of the danger
"~And that is where I gift you this.~"

From Notes' body, a single piece of cloth and essence peels itself away, shaping itself into a form vaguely reminiscent of a feather as it does so. It drifts down to you, and falls in your grasp.

"~A piece of my own Essence, gifted to you. I gave one to the little thing of colored cloth when it came here, and both are attuned to one another. Follow their calls across the city, and you will meet with the one who defies the old magath in a lone war. It will also help you avoid the traps of both the mad spirit, and other forces.~"

>Gained Feather of Hunger: A small feather-like mass of woven essence that Notes has gifted you. Acts as a detector for others of its kind as well as an early warning system. Gifts! Gifts everywhere!

"~If you have any other questions, lesser-of-kin, feel free to voice them now. I will answer to the best of my ability.~"

>>3916961
No, not really we must be in our way now...
Well actually just two questions: What are Totem spirits and Magaths?

>>3916961
>No, not really we must be in our way now...
>Well actually just two questions: What are Totem spirits and Magaths?

>>3917391
>>3918130
>Well actually just two questions: What are Totem spirits and Magaths?
Notes shifts in the air a bit, its body re-arranging itself.

"~Totems are simple to explain: They are merely spirits that have been convinced or bound to the service of the Old Hunters. For their major tribes, this usually constitutes one of the Firstborn of Wolf, but they have been known to take others.~"

"~A Magath is slightly more difficult to explain. Strictly speaking, a magath is a spirit that has been formed from the paradoxical merging of two, or very rarely even more, spirits from incredibly different choirs. This results in them becoming mad, chaotic due to their clashing natures. Oftentimes, the magath will flee across the Gauntlet, possessing appropriate hosts as Spirit-Ridden.~"

"~A magath's existence is not something that happens due to merely eating any random spirit, however. It is a result of two wholly separate and conflicting concepts being forcibly bound into one within the new-formed entity. For instance, a spirit of Love cannot consume one of Hate and hope to turn out sane. Their natures are irreconcilable. Neither can one of Laughter subsume one of Despair, or any other case.~"

"~Many who have chanced upon me would assume that I am a magath, for I am indeed not the result of one spirit, but a result of a merging of two. One of Hunger and another of Knowledge. The two concepts would certainly seem opposed, no? But they do in fact share a common middle ground. Both are fueled by desire. A need to understand, and to have. A craving that must be filled. Such was the similarity between the spirit that was Notes-Of-Scribes and the one that was Crushing-Hunger that they ended up forming me.~"

"~And perhaps it also helped that it was a willing merger and not a forceful integration.~" Notes performs a movement vaguely similar to a shrug.

"~If that is all you wished to hear, dear spirit, then I bid you happy hunting. Feel free to return here whenever you feel the need.~"

And with an audible 'pop', Notes-Of-Hunger vanishes.

"Huh. That was indeed most enlightening, wouldn't you say my boy?" Blackwood speaks up, still nursing a cup of his own tea.

"[It was indeed.]" Purple notes, having been busy apparently scribbling down all the relevant info (you didn't even know he HAD a notepad on him).,"[Either way, best we get moving. Orange, I'll leave it to you to pick out where we'll head for this time around. Spanko managed to scout out a fair amount of the city earlier and provide us with some decent info. Though it took us two hours to translate it all.]"

He passes a paper list over to you, detailing several spots you could go and check out, and the apparent benefits of each, as seemingly outlined by Purple.

>Downtown: [Apparently one of the 'stranger' parts of the city, from a metaphysical standpoint. From what we can gather, talking cars and gossiping trees make up a fair amount of the local scenery. Danger level: Unknown.]

>cont

>>3918205
>School Campuses: [The city has a couple schools scattered about here and there, each one apparently radiating a different "flowery goodrop cloud" (thaumaturgic field, most likely) for each and every one. But one in particular seems to be of particular interest. Apparently flying too close to it caused Spanko to start feeling ill, and forced him to turn back. Some kind of spiritual defense? Danger Level: Medium.]

>The Park: There's a park some distance from here according to Spanko. It's a quiet, calm thing judging by what he's said, aside from the various visitors. Even on a metaphysical level it seems innocuous, with only a few of the local spirits making gossip about soemthing feeling 'off.' Danger Level: Low.]

>Abandoned Buildings: Spanko took the time to scout out some of the further areas, and found a series of strangely abandoned or otherwise run-down looking buildings on the fringe portions of the city. He apparently didn't see any spirits there at all, which is something to keep in mind if we head there. But he also says that he got the distinct impression of *something* watching him out there. Danger Level: High]

>The Zoo: [No idea when he went to check this out, but the city apparently has an animal enclosure of a decent size, situated next to a woodland preserve. Spanko has noted that he could 'smell' (closest approximation) something akin to a lot of fur and ash, so if we're looking for lycanthropes, this would be a good bet. But he's also said that he encountered a number of weird spiking and burning...'things' out there that immediately drove him out when they caught him, so there are certainly confirmed hostiles. Danger Level: High.]"

>Suggest something else? (Write-in).

>>3918231
>>The Park: There's a park some distance from here according to Spanko. It's a quiet, calm thing judging by what he's said, aside from the various visitors. Even on a metaphysical level it seems innocuous, with only a few of the local spirits making gossip about soemthing feeling 'off.' Danger Level: Low.]

Let's start off slow.

>>3918205
>Though it took us two hours to translate it all.]"
Kek

>>3918231
>School Campuses: [The city has a couple schools scattered about here and there, each one apparently radiating a different "flowery goodrop cloud" (thaumaturgic field, most likely) for each and every one. But one in particular seems to be of particular interest. Apparently flying too close to it caused Spanko to start feeling ill, and forced him to turn back. Some kind of spiritual defense? Danger Level: Medium.]
But if no one else votes park is fine too

>>3918245
>>3918313
>>3918318
>>The Park: There's a park some distance from here according to Spanko. It's a quiet, calm thing judging by what he's said, aside from the various visitors. Even on a metaphysical level it seems innocuous, with only a few of the local spirits making gossip about soemthing feeling 'off.' Danger Level: Low.]
"[Alright, so it's settled, then?]" Purple turns to everyone else. "[We're heading for the Park. Everyone go get ready and prepare to go out.]"

With one last nod, your group splits apart to each go and make for their own individual preparations, eventually leaving you. Though Purple does suggest that you try and make some preparations of oyur own before he heads out.

Well, what do you want to focus on?

Choose two.
>Try and make some stronger constructs. The ability could come definitely come in handy

>Inspect your Dream Trinket. Try And make sense of it a bit more. Maybe you can make it better?

>That dream you had last night. It did *something* to you. Try and tap into that and see what you might find out

>The Nameless Book from Vuindred seems like a good gift. Try reading through it and learning some things

>>3918855

>Inspect your Dream Trinket. Try And make sense of it a bit more. Maybe you can make it better?
>That dream you had last night. It did *something* to you. Try and tap into that and see what you might find out

>>3918855
>>The Nameless Book from Vuindred seems like a good gift. Try reading through it and learning some things
>Inspect your Dream Trinket. Try And make sense of it a bit more. Maybe you can make it better?

>>3918859
>>3918986
Roll a 4d100.

Rolled 64, 62, 92, 76 = 294 (4d100)

>>3919698

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>>3919743
294. That's decent and covers at least one of them. Writing after sleep.

Rolled 95, 88, 83, 50 = 316 (4d100)

>>3919698

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Don't mind me just posting images

>>3918859
>>3918986
>>The Nameless Book from Vuindred seems like a good gift. Try reading through it and learning some things
>Inspect your Dream Trinket. Try And make sense of it a bit more. Maybe you can make it better?
You idly take out your Dream Trinket and the Nameless Book given to you by Vuindred. You study the both of them for some considerable time, before deciding to flip the book open and take a look inside.

>I am Vuindred the Black, and if you are reading this, then know that you do so only because I have willed it so. This book, a fragment of myself in every way, contains many of my personal notes and findings regarding the nature of this vast Tellurian all exist within in. From Fallen to Shadow, this knowledge shall be a great boon to any who would read and apply it. But for now, let us begin: within the Tellurin, there is a divide between the realms of Flesh and Spirit. This divide, erected ages ago in a now long vanished land, is the Gauntlet...

It goes on like that for a while, explaining the concepts of the Shadow Realm, a warped reflection of the Material World composed of a substance known as 'ephemera' and inhabited almost entirely by spirits. Amongst a multitude of other things, it details how inhospitable the Gauntlet is for most things of the Realms Material (where you are now) and how they prevent navigation between both the material world and that of the Shadow.

You briefly ponder on this. You've never actually felt much problem in interacting with spiritual stuff. In fact, none of you have. Is the divide between Flesh and Spirit even thinner when it comes to you and your friends? Do you even suffer from any divide at all?

You go back to reading through the book, which continues to list off details about the Shadow (or 'Hisil' as it gets named occasionally) and how one might interact with it, as well as entities who regularly do. Werewolves and mages are included amongst this which you nod along with, but there's also mention made of things called 'Prometheans' as well.

After a point however, the information in the book gets a bit *too* complex and overly technical, forcing you to move away from it for now, and go looking at some examples of how to cross the boundary between the Invisible Realms and Material. Still, it's very good info. And it generally seems to line up with what Notes told you too!

>Scholar of Realms (F+)
>Scholar of Realms (F++)
>Scholar of Realms (F+++)

You're about to move on over to inspecting your Dream Trinket, right before Spanko and Blue come jumping back into the dining hall and laughing.

"[Alright! Let's go kick some spirit ass!]"

"[Language, Blue.]" a sigh sounds out, and Purple and the others come back in. "[Also, keep it down. Far as we can tell, the majority of people don't know about the supernatural here.]"

"[Yeah yeah, whatever.]" Blue practically rolls his eyes at the reprimand. "[Orange, ya' done?]"

Well?

>>3920857
Sure, just give me a sec...
>go through the spirit section looking for a way to bind or contain a spirit

>>3920857
We're ready.

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>>3920907
>go through the spirit section looking for a way to bind or contain a spirit
You flip through the pages of the book looking for details on how to bind or otherwise contain a spirit. And whilst you get a fair few details, (like say, having the ability to shrug off supernatural vices, fears or urges), it also details a LONG list of techniques that are required to pull it off well. Like seriously, it's at least 10 pages.

It also mentions how the stronger the spirit, the more difficult it is to bind or ward against. Which in all honesty shouldn't be too surprising, but it's still kind of a downer. Oh well. At least you'll have the time to learn on the fly.

>>3920958
>We're ready.
"Blorble."

"[Good. Then let's go. We have to cover ground before night fall.]"

And with that, you're off. Out of the cafeteria and lobby you go, opening the main doors of the hotel out into a bright new world and sunny day.

Already, just looking outside you see a bunch of people going about their day-to-day and cars whizzing by. You'd say it almost seems lively, if it weren't for this oddly oppressive atmosphere hanging over everything.

"[A-anyone else feel that?]" Red stutters a little, his tone questioning.

"[Yeah. Feels like a really bad chill.]" Blue responds looking around, and Purple nods in the affirmative. Guess you aren't the only one.

"This entire town feels naturally blighted, indeed." Blackwood chips in with his thoughts. "Something dark has made itself known here, and it's growing stronger."

"[Quite. Make sure to let some of your power flow into your bone charm, Orange. Helps keep things stable.]"

You nod to Purple, even as Spanko rushes by you and speeds off, moving quickly but not *too* quickly such that you lose sight of him.

"[Oh, what now?]" Blue grouses. And for once, you can't really blmae him.

"I do believe the dear lad is just following the same path he used to head to the Park is all." Blackwood tries to explain. "We should follow him and see where he goes, wouldn't you agree?"

>>3921836
Come on now let's follow Spanko, we can all tell from experience splitting up never works out

Didn't 999 learn (simple) healing? I can't find it in the sheet but I remember that happening

>>3921836
Follow Spanko
>>3922230
We did.

>>3922230
There's a bunch of shit that I'm going to have to add to the stat sheet eventually. I'll look through the past threads for it.

Anyway, writing now.

>>3921882
>>3922326
>Come on now let's follow Spanko, we can all tell from experience splitting up never works out
>Follow Spanko
"[Yeah, no. I'm not getting trapped in *another* alternate dimension because we split the party.]" Blue gripes, right as you all start rushing after Spanko.

Spanko isn't moving as quickly as you *know* he can move, so it seems that on some level he's well aware of what happened the last time he rushed ahead. But he's still fast enough that he's speeding past multiple people on the streets, and is forcing you to have to try and match the speeds at which he's moving.

You brush past several individuals, offering apologies as you pass by, and pushing power into your bone charm to maintain the illusion of normality amongst these people. Spanko makes a couple quick turns and crosses past some buildings that are mildly disorienting, but you and the others manage to keep the pace more or less.

After maybe 10 or so minutes of hounding after him, you manage to catch up somewhat as Spanko speeds into a large opened gate leading into a large open area that a few people seem to be trickling into. Benches are strewn about here and there, and families and pet-owners wander along the grounds, playing around or just generally relaxing. Trees stand on all sides and the air is cool and refreshing as it brushes against you.

You guess this is the city park then.

"Oh? Hmm, it seems that strange spirit is back again."

"*Again? Ugh, I am NOT in the mood to listen to its noises right now. Wake me up when it's gone*"

"Don't be such a killjoy, dahhhling. It's a nice change of pace, ne seriez-vous pas d'accord?"

"Strange/New/Smells Weird/Food?"

"I doubt it's actually good to eat in any way, dahhling. It would be...uncouth as well to make a meal out of such a dear."

"Sad/Understanding."

"wellithinkitsareallygreatfriendandwecouldallplaygamesandhavelotsoffunand-"

"*And here's where I tune the rest of you idiots out*"

Dozens of whispering and not-so whispering voices ring out around you, muttering and mumbling about any topic under the sun, but primarily seeming to focus on Spanko.

"Hm? Oh, I think it brought friends too."

...And now you're feeling all those attentions turning as one towards you. The air becomes tense, as even the grass beneath you seems to turn stiff as a board.

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>>3923095
>they seem eccentric so being eccentric in turn makes sense
>assume cat shape
Greetings, spirits!! We have heard you gossiping about, and I quote, ''something feeling off'' and would positively like to hear allll about it!

>>3922837
Dug through the archive
We were on a cusp of unlocking healing skill in 6th thread and in 11.5
>A new skill has attained realization within you [Recovery] (C): Through the light of your soul, you can mend all wounds and ailments. Well, in the future maybe. Right now, it's just *your* wounds you can heal. But soon!

>>3923553
Roll a 3d100 if you would.

>>3923655
Yeah, I remember now. Gonna add that to the stat list soon enough.

Rolled 56, 23, 91 = 170 (3d100)

>>3923723

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>>3923730
170. That'll do, cat. That'll do. Writing.

>>3923553
>they seem eccentric so being eccentric in turn makes sense
>assume cat shape
You look around for a moment, making sure that there are no humans around to see you. And when you can confirm that there aren't, you decide to shift your form into that of a small orange feline, body flowing into the movement almost too well.

"Oh my, it can do tricks!"

"*Any spirit can do what it just did. It's not special*"

"Acceptance/Confirmation."

Well then, have they ever heard of your next trick?

>Greetings, spirits!! We have heard you gossiping about, and I quote, ''something feeling off'' and would positively like to hear allll about it!
You happily wave your limbs up and down, your new gooey paws and tail all coming together well even with your own inexperience with the body.

"Blorble blorb blorbleblorb blorb-blorb, blorble!!"

"And it can speak well too! Oh mon Dieu!"

"*Yeah well, it would be pretty dumb if it COULDN'T speak ya' stupid bint!*"

"Refusal/Excitement/Development."

"*Oh come on, not you too!*"

"itseemsreallyniceandwhoareallthosebehinditaretheyalsoresllynicewewonder-"

"*Yeah yeah. Shut up*"

"Oh, let the young ones have their fun, Lashing Wood."

A particularly gravely and *old* voice joins in the choir of voices, the others almost seeming to part for it. At the other end of the park, a very large tree stands, covered in a variety of string and thread and what seem like offerings. Its bark is a deeper and richer shade than any of the others around it, and it almost seems to pulse with a deep well of power.

"*O-Of course. If that is what you will, great Elder*"

The other voice that kept complaining almost seems to shrink away, one of the trees next to you seeming to pull itself back, long twisting branches snapping back into place with deceptive speed.

The great 'elder' tree then focuses you and your group down, the great bark seeming to almost gaze into you even though it lacks any eyes.

"Now then, little ones: What brings you to our neck of the woods?"

>>3923891
''Many evils plague this town danger lurks in every corner. Thus we have come to greet pure and undefiled spirits of this park and offer our assistance as a show of our goodwill and desire to cooperate''

>>3923899
AKA gib side quest

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>>3923899
>>3924161
>''Many evils plague this town danger lurks in every corner. Thus we have come to greet pure and undefiled spirits of this park and offer our assistance as a show of our goodwill and desire to cooperate''
>AKA gib side quest
"Blorble blorble blorb." you happily blurt out to them.

"[Many dark things infest every corner of this city, twisting and corrupting it to their own macabre ends. We'd like to offer our assistance in helping to combat them.]" Purple quickly comes in to back you up, in case your words fail to translate properly.

"[In other words: gives us your side quest or whatever.]" Blue adds in bluntly, with Purple and Red shooting him incredulous looks.

The elder tree seems to study you intently, and for but a moment all is silent. The whispers of the other park spirits fades completely as their elder takes you in.

And then, without warning, it lets out a deep sigh, its branches swaying a bit the tensions seems to leave them.

"Very well, outsiders. I sense no malign intent from you. And if you are allies with that other spirit, then you may be considered allies of ours..."

The chatter of the other spirits almost seems like its going to break through again, and you almost leap for joy. But-

"...However, you must yet earn our full trust." the elder states.

Well, that's to be expected.

"[Well, of course. We'd expect nothing else. What would you have us do?]" Purple once again comes through with the right words for the situation.

"What you see here is not the full extent of our grove, outsiders. There is much more that we have hidden fro mthe minds of the mortals wandering on our grass and roots. But where our deeper network once stood, now lay a tangle of blight."

"[Hey,]" Blue speaks up, sounding confused. "[But I thought you guys weren't really in any trouble, at least according to Spanko.]" he motions a limb in the direction of the now quickly returning bird/doctor. "[What changed.]"

The elder sags once more, bulk almost seeming to be split with the image of an androgynous figure adorning its front, looking down wearily.

"Whislt what your companion might've said would've been true at the time, soon after they left, it had gotten worse. For weeks now we have been suffering, all because *something* arrived in our grove. We do not know what, nor what its actual motivations were. Only that it held dark intent."

"It planted soemthing dark in the heart of one of our great elders, driving them irreversibly mad, and twisting them into a nightmare beyond description. We were forced to seal off our grove to prevent the infection from spreading or to hopefully wait it out, but that is no longer an option. Shortly after your fellow spirit left us, the infection worsened. It has been spilling out into flesh side and has been despoiling this place of rest. Soon, we fear it will twist even we who guard the grove to its will, and this place will become weakened to all but the most horrible things."

"We require aid."

>>3925381
>bird/doctor
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/megamitensei/images/b/ba/Caladrius.png/revision/latest?cb=20190331163021

>>3925381
Honestly seems pretty par for the course for us. Point us to him and we'll deal with it

>>3925381
Tell him we'll help as best we can.

>>3925734
>>3926535
>Honestly seems pretty par for the course for us. Point us to him and we'll deal with it
>Tell him we'll help as best we can.
The tree spirits branches sway and bend in a nonexistent breeze as it listens to your words.

"Very well."

Reality seems to wrench itself open then and there, holes opening up in the fabric of space to show a bright glowing stretch of plant life beyond the gap.

"Our blighted elder lies within the rotten heart of the infection. Follow the trail of decay and you will find them. Free them from their torment in whatever way suits you, outsiders. When you are done, return to us with proof of your work, and we may parlay."

You nod, just as the chattering of the other spirits picks up.

"Oh dear, I don't think they'll make it. Tellement désolé les petits."

"ohboyarewegonnagettoseethrmmeetthegreatelderthisisgonnabesomuchfunandsoocoolandthenwe'll-"

"*-Dead. They're all dead-*"

"Estimation of survival/NOT GOOD/Disappointment."

Blue sends a scowl all around the general area.

"[Good to see that thry have faith in our success. Boy, I sure do feel appreciated for helping out here.]"

"[Lay off it, Blue. We have a task to do, so let's get to it.]" Purple definitely does an eye roll, before striding forwards towards the gaps in reality.

"I agree with the young lad here, my blue compatriot. We'll see to the end of this threat in short order." Blackwood follows after Purple, clear in his purpose, as Spanko flaps alongside him.

Blue grumbles in irritation a bit, before finally repenting and stepping up, Red following behind.

"[Let's just get this over with. Come on, or we're leaving you behind, Orange.]"

>>3925725
Cack.

>>3926668
Go through the portal.

>>3926668
>Reality seems to wrench itself open then and there, holes opening up in the fabric of space to show a bright glowing stretch of plant life beyond the gap.
Portal to the shadow or physical location?
Either way Spanko and Blue and Red as birds scout
Us purple and Blackwood inspect ground

>>3926914
>inspect ground
Survey on the ground level sounds better

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>>3926714
>Go through the portal.
You step through the dimensional aperture, following after your friends. And to your surprise p, you find yourself back in the same place that you were earlier. Except, not really.

The area around you is completely lacking in any human designs or signs of development, vines and roots tangling over everything as great trees shoot up into the skies above. A space completely devoid of the influence of mankind.

It feels kind of...cold, being honest.

>>3926914
>>3926978
>Either way Spanko and Blue and Red as birds scout
"Blorble-blorb." you point at the trio of Spanko, Red, and Blue, who collectively nod (or cack, in Spanko's case), before Blue and Red shift into bird form to go scouting, just as Spanko does the same. Hopefully they'll be able to scout things out well enough.

>Us purple and Blackwood survey ground level
You, Purple and Blackwood start checking out the ground level.

"Hmm, I have a fair bit of experience in dealing with alternate realms and planes of being, my boys. And this already feels very off indeed." Blackwood looks around, taking note of the surroundings.

"[Yes, you're right Lord Blackwood.]" Purple takes a look at one of the trees. "[These trees, these vines, all these plants. They seem normal only on the surface level. But beneath...]"

Purple walks up to the tree, and slams a limb into it, cracking apart the bark and exposing what's outside. A mass of stinking sludge that flows in strange thick globs starts to steadily pour out from the new opening.

"[It's all rotten underneath.]"

You however barely have time to take in this revelation, as around you, the ground seems to slightly tremble, before a mess of vines and thorns shoot upwards, spiking forward with no mistaking of their intentions.

>>3928064
>Snow-storm (E+) freeze limbs in place
>to flyers via Sir Blackwood's telepathy: ''You see the source, yet? Cuz it certainly sees us!''

Op, did you know about Deviant coming out?

>>3928064
>>3928139
Support

>>3928139
support >>3928336
what?

>>3928365
New game in CofD which is the setting of this quest (mostly) https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Deviant:_The_Renegades

>>3928336
>>3928393
I did in fact. Haven't gotten a chance to take a look at it yet, but I'm hearing some pretty good things about it so far.

>>3928139
>>3928359
Roll a 4d100.

Rolled 99, 89, 98, 3 = 289 (4d100)

>>3929108

File: 1455053848912.png (1.19 MB, 1500x1500)

1.19 MB PNG

>>3929116
289. Putting those d9dging skills to good use. Writing.

>>3928139
>>3928359
>>3928365
>Snow-storm (E+) freeze limbs in place
>to flyers via Sir Blackwood's telepathy: ''You see the source, yet? Cuz it certainly sees us!''
You dart out of the way of the initial wave of spines and thorns, their mass jutting upwards and splitting the ground like a tide of green death. Reaching into yourself, you pull for your dream trinket and start channeling its power.

In a sudden burst of snow and permafrost, you freeze the oncoming wave of awful plantlife right in its tracks. An audible hiss echoes from the ground beneath you.

Taking the time to catch yourself, you decide to try and contact the others via Blackwood's telepathic link. On the other end, you get the sounds of violent fighting and squawking obviously belonging to Spanko.

"Blorble-blorble?"

"[A..urgh...little...busy! Here! Orange!]"

Blue's voice rings back, the crackling sounds of fire coming from his side of things.

"[W-We could really use an assist!]" Red also shouts, the violent roars of something coming to you through the link.

>>3930147
We should thank this thing for being so straightforward then we're done, sneaky subtle types are a pain
Let's go guys! Purple give Sir Blackwood a ride!
>charge up a purifying blast as we ascend
I'm thinking about jumping into its soulspace and btw abiloty to jump in and clean up souls has huge significance in WoD

>>3930172
>I'm thinking about jumping into its soulspace and btw abiloty to jump in and clean up souls has huge significance in WoD
Indeed it does. Which is going to lead to some interesting times later on.

Anyway, roll me a 3d100.

Rolled 70, 30, 36 = 136 (3d100)

>>3930298

Rolled 75, 45, 15 = 135 (3d100)

>>3930298

Rolled 90, 70, 37 = 197 (3d100)

>>3930298

File: 2b161519cc31c2987fcf2700a(...).jpg (73 KB, 736x984)

73 KB JPG

>jump into a vampire
>kill the beast in soulspace
>???
>Salburi clan 2.0

File: 1560701994014.png (1.68 MB, 1000x917)

1.68 MB PNG

>>3930424
>>3930432
>>3930435
197. Hurt, but still kicking. Writing.

>>3930172
>Let's go guys! Purple give Sir Blackwood a ride!
Purple nods at you, shifting into the form of a large hawk (wait, when did he learn that), and picking Blackwood up with his beak before tossing him up and onto his back. He ascends to the sky after, as the ground once again starts to angrily shift and hiss.

>charge up a purifying blast as we ascend
You blast off into the sky, following after Purple. And as you do, you allow purifying power to gather into your body, held into a close sphere near your centre of mass, primed and waiting.

It doesn't take very long for you to find where the others went, as they dive through the air above a space that might be what the park grounds would look like if they were completely overgrowncand choked by poisonous thorns. Beneath them, a thick bed of bubbling mud, bone, thorns, and other assorted unsavoriness shifts about, thick vines and branches, visiblg withered from exposure to the disgusting mess, rise up and start trying to swat Blue, Red and Spanko out of the air.

"WrONg. It'S AlL WrONg!" the bubbling mass wails in a scratchy, hissing voice. "It HuRtS ToO MUcH!"

>>3931531
Fire purifying blast at the mass to buy us time to regroup

Rolled 94, 33, 79, 63 = 269 (4d100)

>>3931652
Roll a 4d100.

Rolled 15, 68, 46, 96 = 225 (4d100)

>>3931688

Rolled 9, 14, 43, 71 = 137 (4d100)

>>3931688

Rolled 77, 98, 62, 81 = 318 (4d100)

>>3931688

File: 1557696574397.png (477 KB, 695x559)

477 KB PNG

>>3931720
>>3931760
>>3931957
318. Guess blasting it to hell also works. Writing.

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72 KB JPG

>>3931652
>Fire purifying blast at the mass to buy us time to regroup
You pull on the energies you'd already gathered up inside you, weaving them together into a burning ball of energy. Setting it loose with a beat of amorphous wings, you kick it downwards into the centre of the corrupted mass.

An explosion bursts out of the thing then, as it lets out a howling cry of pain and discomfort, masses of black mold and other unpleasant things scuttling about in the thickness of the poisonous muck.

"HuRTs. It AlL HuRTs!" it cries over and over, even as it starts to pull itself back together. Blue, Red and Spanko fly over to your side just as it takes the time to mend the damage to itself.

"[Alright Purple, spill it. Is this thing that corrupted spirit or not?]"

Purple looks down at the dark roiling mass, still carrying Blackwood, as a strange purple light flows from off his body.

"[It's radiating massive corruption levels, but I don't thin-]"

The mass shudders then, once, then twice, th3n it becomes a rhythmic thumping as something begins to rise out of it.

In all of a few minutes, there's soon a massive distorted sphere hovering in the air, beating as black and red essence leaks off it like some twisted parody of a heart. Grim energy begins pooling in its center as it seems to notice you.

"[Is THAT our spitit?]"

"[....Maybe?]"

>>3933251
its the spirits body or a tumor of corruption

File: MariaNINE.jpg (115 KB, 575x1030)

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>>3933251
It's clearly suffering and acting out not because of any malign will but out of pain
....This might sound crazy but I'll jump into it's soul and clean the corruption from within. Guys keep it busy here, Purple do you think you'd do better here or with me?
>>3933283
Either way we'd soul jump into corruption

>>3933251
>>3933308
+1

Rolled 77, 32 = 109 (2d100)

>>3933283
>its the spirits body or a tumor of corruption
"You're most likely correct, my boy." Blackwood speaks up from atop Purple's back. "If this is the heart of our spirit, or at least a source of corruption, then removing it should almost certainly improve the situation here."

He raises a very long gun that seemingly just *appears* in his grip, and takes a shot at an offending arc of corrupting energy, which breaks apart and dissolves at the touch of the near-undetectable projectile launched from the weapo-

A strange crackling noise echoes as the weapon fires, ringing inside your skull for but a moment before it's gone. You look for whatever Blackwood was firing at, but you can't see anything. You look to Purple for any idea, and he seems just as confused. Same for Blue and Red. Only Spanko seems aware of whatever happened just now.

"Apologies for that, my boy." Blackwood looks at you sympathetically. "I brought it to the lowest possible setting, but it still seems like the temporal effects took hold. Unfortunate, but it is what it is."

You're still confused, but you decide to nod along for now. You can unpack THAT later.

>>3933308
>>3933576
>It's clearly suffering and acting out not because of any malign will but out of pain
....This might sound crazy but I'll jump into it's soul and clean the corruption from within. Guys keep it busy here, Purple do you think you'd do better here or with me?
"Blorble-blorble blorb blorb." you look at the shuddering mass of crackling energy and corruption, wailing in pain, blindly lashing out at anything around it. You turn to the others.

"Blorble blorble blorbbil blorb-blorb-blorble."

"[...Orange, you can't possibly be suggesting what I'm thinking you're suggesting.]" Purple seems almost taken aback by your plan.

"Blorble."

"[Yeah, he is.]" Blue and Red sigh, but less in annoyance, and more in amusement.

"[It's insane!]" Purple shouts a little bit, veering out of the way as a bramble of thorns and boiling soil sails past the spot he was last in. "[The last attempt with it was almost disastrous, and that was just from a slow-acting form of spiritual perversion! This could go even worse with how far this has already progressed!]"

"Borble blorble, blorb?"

"[Well, yes but-wait, what?]" he snaps out of his rant to actually look at you properly. "[You want me to fome with you?]"

"Blorble!" you chirp happily.

Purple seems to think it over a little bit, before he grips Blackwood gently in a pseudopod and sends him over to Blue.

"[...Alright, but just to make sure that you get through this!]"

You can accept that.

Turning in the air, you point yourself directly at the corrupted mass of the spirit alongside Purple, and pushing yourself downwards quickly, begin to fly directly at it.

>Roll a 3d100

>>3934162

Rolled 16, 85, 61 = 162 (3d100)

>>3934162

Rolled 74, 97, 74 = 245 (3d100)

>>3934162

>>3934311
Based

File: 1538409767_The-SCP-Founda(...).gif (1.86 MB, 960x720)

1.86 MB GIF

>>3934207
>>3934210
>>3934311
245. Guess we're making the dive, no matter how much Purple dislikes it. Writing.

>>3934162
Reality shifts and bends and contorts as you push yourself forward, chaotic energies pulling and twisting and bursting against the firmament of reality, even as the spirit tries to resist and throw you out.

But you keep pushing, the power around you flaring nd tearing away at the spirit's hastily erected spiritual defenses. And when Purple adds his own power to yours, the shell of defenses the corrupted spirit has put up shatter and you plunge straight into that glimmering heart of rot.

When reality exerts itself once more, you find yourself not in a forest, twisted and rotted, but instead in some bizarre space where spires of perfectly sharpened black metal pierce through the landscape, black particles float up into the air around you, the world periodically seems to 'break' and 'glitch' without any warning, and the sky is a single massive sheet of solid grey.

And in front of you, pierced by a number of those black spires, jagged and awful, is a figure. Black-brown blood freely leaks from torn wounds, and you can hear it weeping and mumbling.

"It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts"

>>3934781
Envelop the spirit to calm it down
Purple scans the spirit

Can we dissolve spires in our slime? Since they are corruption made manifested burning through has to be an option. But what if removing them too quickly would result in bleeding or internal damage? Then having our slime dissolve and replace spires at an even pace seems like the best option

>>3934930
+1

>>3934930
>>3935360
Roll a 3d100.

>>3934965
>Can we dissolve spires in our slime?
You can certainly try.

Rolled 77, 96, 57 = 230 (3d100)

>>3935728

Rolled 62, 96, 80 = 238 (3d100)

>>3935728

File: 1489858688639.jpg (199 KB, 968x1000)

199 KB JPG

>>3935824
>>3935829
238. Pretty damn good work against something you don't really have experience with. Writing as soon as I get back.

http://imgbox.com/g/ffrxoZZc3u

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>>3934930
>>3934965
>Envelop the spirit to calm it down
>Purple scans the spirit
You move over to the spirit, moving across the grey and lifeless ground where tiny spikes of that black stone push upwards around you, growing and shrinking almost in time with your movements.

You get close to the spirit, its body a tiny and blackened thing under the touch of the cold stone. You run some of your limbs over it, which causes it to quiver and whimper as you do so.

"N-nO. StOp iT."

You push yourself over the spirit and start to envelop it, as a warm light shines from within your mass.

"[Orange, be careful. The thaumaturgic energy bleeding off this place is *immense*, and thats just the bleedoff. Whatever happened to this spirit is something massive, and incredibly powerful.]"

You note Purple's words for the most part, but something catches your eye. Embedded in the spirit's chest, at a point where all the offending black stone piercing them seems to point to or radiate from, lies a single gleaming piece of solid black glass.

Like the one you encountered with the Fifthist anomaly.

"I SAID STOP IT!"

The spirit roars suddenly, and you're flung backwards, ripped off its body as suddenly the black stone spires erupt all around it and cover it in a hard stone shell. A dark glow starts to flow out of the amassed dark rock.

"ThEy AlL HaTe Me. I'lL MaKe ThEm SUfFer."

The stone splits open, as thick black vines start to flow outwards, lifting and prying apart the ground as massive wings seemingly made out of black glass rise along the central spire. Grayish energy coils around you, piercing into your body, and lapping away at whatever energy it can, silencing whispers and invisible thin fingers trailing along your form.

>>3937458
>Mass Builder (D) + Purifying Touch (B++) + Construction (D++)
1) Grow huge and melt that shit
2) Grab wings with pseudopods and melt as much as possible and cover the rest with slime
3) Purple: Hide behind us
4) Purple: Scan black glass embedded within them

>>3937602
Support.

File: 6gueygmkn3a21.png (530 KB, 1200x900)

530 KB PNG

>>3937602

Rolled 49, 22, 87, 74 = 232 (4d100)

>>3937602
>>3937605
>>3937612
Roll a 4d100 if you would.

>>3937810
Almost rolled 3d100

Rolled 62, 16, 30, 75 = 183 (4d100)

>>3937810
>>3937832
KEK

Rolled 56, 42, 12, 33 = 143 (4d100)

>>3937810

Rolled 94, 73, 8, 67 = 242 (4d100)

>>3937810

File: 1535317937399.jpg (423 KB, 970x587)

423 KB JPG

>>3937832
>>3937833
>>3937907
>>3937910
242 vs 232. Time to burn this thing out. Writing.

>>3937602
>Mass Builder (D) + Purifying Touch (B++) + Construction (D++)
>1) Grow huge and melt that shit
>2) Grab wings with pseudopods and melt as much as possible and cover the rest with slime
>3) Purple: Hide behind us
>4) Purple: Scan black glass embedded within them
You rip through the icy thin tendrils of energy cooling around you with several limbs, sweeping it away as your body swells to massive size. Without holding back, you shoot out multiple pseudopods to grip the flapping wings jutting out from the massive dark crystal, tightening around them and almost crushing them with your strength. Slime flows off your form and starts to melt away at the impure energies constituting the wings and the dark stone, with several falling away in broken melted piles.

>Mass Builder (D+)
>Mass Builder (D++)
>Purifying Touch (B+++)

Purple was pushed behind you when you grew larger, and studies the energies pouring out from the center slit of the center spire.

"[Orange, that dark glass...It's radiating so much power. As if it's connected to everything in this place.]"

Suddenly, purple arcs of energy flick off of him, expressing shock or surprise.

"[That's it!]" He turns to you, gesturing quickly. "[Orange, you need to get to that glass shard. If we can remove and destroy it, then it's likely that all of the corruption here will be vastly diminished!]"

The plan sounds great in theory, but it seems that the corruption itself has no intent of letting you get close. Spires of black stone race out of the ground toward you, several piercing through your pseudopods and forcing you to retract them, and the remaining wings along the spire start drawing blood-red signs in the air as dark energy crackles and screams all around you. The black vines speeding out of the slit of the stone start pouring out in greater and greater numbers, now adorned with twisted thorns leaking black fluid that sizzles when it hits the dead ground.

>>3938178
>Purifying energy on front
>Battering ram it
>Pseudopods tear and hold it down
>Purple sabotages sigils by chaining it's wings

Rolled 1, 72, 8 = 81 (3d100)

>>3938201
Rolla a 3d100.

Rolled 19, 89, 39 = 147 (3d100)

>>3939063

Rolled 71, 26, 92 = 189 (3d100)

>>3939063

File: 1535303187969.png (415 KB, 637x861)

415 KB PNG

>>3939098
>>3939127
189 vs 81. It's not defending against this, not this time. Writing.

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65 KB JPG

>>3938201
>Purifying energy on front
>Battering ram it
>Pseudopods tear and hold it down
>Purple sabotages sigils by chaining it's wings
You move your limbs together, the movement only possible because of how fluid your own body is. Thin bursts of purifying fire race from the tips of your many limbs, blasting into the large black stone and burning off whole chunks that fall sizzling to the ground. Dark vines crackle and writhe as thry go up in flames and fall to the ground.

You move quickly then, charging forward and leveraging your greater mass to full on ram into the dark mass, the eldritch crystal buckling under the force of your charge, dark energy quickly running over your body in retaliation.

You push your pseudopods into the thin cracks of the dark stone, and you start tearing into it. Ripping off more and more chunks of it, tearing apart the structure as it hisses and almost screams at you.

"STOP IT! STOP IT!"

Blood red arcs of lightning strike your body over and over and over, falling down from the wings overhead and punctuating each echoing howl from the corrupted spirit. Thorny vines speed over onto you, acidic black fluid flooding over you and digging in. Hungry. Trying to consume.

Then, you hear the 'schlink' of chsins, and the blood red lightning stops falling. You briefly look up, to find the wings are chsined together, disrupting their sigils and keeping them from moving, as they try to struggle out of their bonds.

You look back, to find Purple silently holding back the wings with his chains, keeping them still and preventing them from continuing their assault. The look he gives you is one that's quite clear to you.

'Finish this.'

You nod, and look back to the thing binding you in poisonous vines. Its crystal shell is now completely split open, and the corrupted spirit is now exposed, the jagged dark crystals spreading so far across its body that it's almost unrecognizable. It's no longer howling using its mouth, for even that has been pierced through by the dark crystals. The screaming and hateful shouting all around you seems to be echoing through the dark shard of glass pulsating in its chest, beating as if it's a twisted perversion of heart.

The spirit looks up to you, and for the first time it seems almost lucid in its gaze. Almost begging.

The shard of glass is howling, and around you, you can feel the crystal spires pressing in. Their dark intent clear, to pen you in and finally crush you into nothingness. The shard of glass is laughing.

>>3939696
Summon up your blade wrapped in purifying flames of your supernal power!
Cut into the flesh around glass shard and pull it out using sword like a lever!

Rolled 28, 40, 74 = 142 (3d100)

>>3939713

Rolled 62, 22, 6 = 90 (3d100)

>>3939713
Support

Rolled 84, 67, 82 = 233 (3d100)

>>3939713

File: 52578723_2549707378390451(...).jpg (66 KB, 804x864)

66 KB JPG

>>3939713
>>3940023
>>3940147
>>3940816
233. And that tears it, quite literally. Writing.

Rolled 95, 67, 44, 11 = 217 (4d100)

>>3939713
>Summon up your blade wrapped in purifying flames of your supernal power!
>Cut into the flesh around glass shard and pull it out using sword like a lever!
You grip tightly onto the corrupted tree-spirit, who offers only the barest struggle as you do. Around you, walls of black stone erupt, swallowing up what little light illuminates this desolate soulscape, as the shard of glass, that mass of hateful oblivion, laughs to itself.

You hold firm, even as new masses of stone start to dig into your sides, and you summon up your blade. The sword that split you into four, whose power has guided you thus far, gleam so brightly in this dark place that it's almost blinding. And when you pull it out, the glass shard stop laughing. It stops its mocking. And instead, the only sounds it's making are hateful hissing and squealing as it wriggle around in the blackened flesh of its captive.

When you ignite the blade with the flames of your own raging power, that's when the hissing squeals become even more pronounced, as the shard starts to speed up the walls of oncoming crushing death. But you don't freeze up in fear. Nor do you start to panic. You're quiet, as your flame rises to coat the entire blade. You are almost deathly calm, in fact.

Without hesitation, you plunge your sword into the flesh directly above the glass shard, which bubbles and sizzles as you do so, and you begin to cut. Cutting around the flesh in a small, almost circular pattern. More black spires dig into your flesh as you continue your grim task.

The glass shard is screeching now as you do so, trying to speed up your brutal death, but you don't stop. You dig your blade in and you start trying to use it as leverage to force the shard out of its victim.

It screams at you, black arcs of lightning coiling around it and rocketing into your form again and again and again, thin black strands of rotting tissue trying to pull it back in to the protective shell of its host. The walls of dark stone press in ever deeper.

It's now or never.

>Roll a 4d100

Rolled 90, 38, 33, 76 = 237 (4d100)

>>3941021
Hooo boy

Rolled 96, 38, 21, 67 = 222 (4d100)

>>3941021
>>Roll a 4d100

File: 1540334117213.jpg (287 KB, 800x457)

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>>3941031
>>3941118
237 vs 217. And that's a wrap for this angry little shard of evil.

>>3941021
You dig your blade in deep, ignoring the pain or the lances of energy spiking into you. All that matters is putting an end to this. Right here, right now.

You have one last time, pressing against the shard with all your might even as it screams in desperation and hate. Purifying light races from the tip of your blade down, cauterizing the decayed flesh and thorny vines and causing the glass shard to slip ever further from its vessel.

Until finally, it gives.

The shard of malignant essence goes sailing off, howling far into the distance as your blade finally tears it off from the protective mass of flesh it had buried itself in. And around you, the dark crystals go shocking still, mere inches from tearing into you and crushing you into nothingness. And then thry start to flake away. Dissolving into grayish particles that float away on the air.

You watch as the remaining spires hoisting the body of the elder tree spirit also break down, dropping them into your warm and waiting grip. Behind you, the remaining vines either and die and also start to dissolve, as Purple brushes off whatever is left on his body.

"[Corruption seems to be decreasing at a massive rate now.]" he says, eyes dancing with motes of violet light and runes. "[I think we've-]"

In the distance, you hear a howl, a deep reverberating cry of hatred. But not only that. It's a howl of something else. Of something deeper.

It's a howl of failure.

A sphere of crackling dark gray energy rises in the distance, before shooting off rapidly into the sky and breaking through the thick sheet of solid greyness, which explodes in a burst of large cubes as it tears a whole in it. An exit all too familiar to you, as you recall the Fifthist encounter.

Around you, you watch as the corrupted landscape around you begins to dissolve rapidly, falling away to the void.

Purple looks over to you anxiously, something approaching worry coating his looks.

"[Orange, we need to leave. We need to leave NOW.]"

As the void continues to encroach, swallowing up the remnants of the corrupted landscape, you can't help but agree. You shift the spirit in your grip so that they're held firm when you change into a great bird, using your added mass to make it larger than the norm, as you get ready for take-off. Purple darts into the air beside you, having done similar.

"[The spirit's soul seems to be doing a hard reset back to default. If we don't get out of here before it reaches us and the remaining patches of corruption, it'll take us down with it.]"

He waves a wing towards the hole where the glass shard made its exit.

"[We can use that to get out. Now come on! Hurry!]" he shouts to you, before starting to take off.

>>3941861
Follow the path catlrved out by the grey sphere

>>3941861
>>3941890
Support.

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>>3941890
>>3942131
>Follow the path catlrved out by the grey sphere
You take off after Purple, holding the spirit close as you do, wings beating against the cold air, as the landscape around you starts to collapse into a deep and pure white oblivion. Purifying power rushes into you and invigorates you in order to strengthen your push towards that hole that the escaping sphere made in the grey sheet that constitutes the 'sky'.

The spirit in your hold us weak and lessened from the ordeal, but even so, it manages to raise a hand, gnarled and broken, and green light races out to encompass you and Purple. Pale green energies that smell of the forest and soft green grass flow around you and hasten your escape. Until you sit upon the very precipice of the way out and the world dissolves into cubes and shapes and lights and-

The two of you forward, sailing through the air as you re-enter reality in that perverted grove, falling back into reality as you burst out of the cyst that you had entered which sprays purple purple-red fluid all over, as it deflates into nothing.

You fall to the ground, and Purple does the same, your bodies splaying outwards on the ground as Blue and the others rush over to your side to help you. The spirit falls to your side, weakly wheezing as it struggles to push itself to its knees.

"Well done, my boy. Well done." Blackwood comes up to you, offering a hand to help you up. You take it as you reorient yourself, shifting back into your default form and size. Blue and Red come over and help Purple up, getting him back onto his feet and keeping him steady as he sways slightly.

"[Alright, Orange. Next time we're doing that, we'll do it on *my* terms.]"

Well, that sounds fine enough. Sharing is caring after all.

You turn to the spirit then, who is still wheezing and gasping. You're about to move over to try and help it, but it actually starts to push itself off the ground, energy coiling around it as it starts to stand again. Life seems to flow into it as it starts to stand once more, muscles and fibres regarding slowly but surely as the corruption starts to dissipate from within it.

"I...feel...a...gain..."

It's voice is weak and raspy still, but you can tell it getting stronger. Around you, the corrupted soil and plantlife starts to wither away, pulling back from the things that starts to grow and change, being purified of rot and blight.

The spirit turns to you, hollow and regenerating eyes gleaming, as the holes in its throat heal.

"Th..ank...yo...u.." it says, almost struggling through the words.

You're about to reply, until you feel *soemthing* shift in the air. The spirit feels it too, and your friends likewise.

Behind the spirit, a darkness seems to form, and black spidersilk seeps from it, as eyeless and lipless faces push out from that void, sagging in the nothingness. And from those shadows, an elderly and kindly voice croons to you.

"Aah. Finally caught you, dearie. No more hiding now."

-999 Quest 18 End-

>>3942861
Grandma dearest came to us herself, great
Thanks for running, OP! Can we learn spirit numina and teach our (I'm calling them Lumina) to others?

>>3943174
It should be noted that Granny Stitch herself is not present here. Merely her Saved sent from her personal domain. Which isn't any better, being honest.

>Can we learn spirit numina and teach our (I'm calling them Lumina) to others?
You'd need a spirit to bother instructing you about them, but otherwise, yes. In fact, a lot of your current abilities could be mistaken for Numina by those who encounter you.

As for teaching them, that depends entirely on who you're trying to teach and what you're trying to impart on them.

>>3943197
>As for teaching them, that depends entirely on who you're trying to teach and what you're trying to impart on them
Well a spirit of a forest could be taught Recover, for example, since it's thematically appropriate to a spirit, right?

>>3943211
More or less. But they'd have to WANT to be taught for it to mean anything.