>...TeeHee~...
She giggles, but she does not make eye contact.
>Even if you say you are not a god...It still does not change how anyone sees you in this village. If you do not consider yourself as a God, my people shall still call you and others of your kind who come from the sky Demons or Gods...It is just that simple.
She giggles again and pecks you on the cheek.
>I understand that you are considered average where you come from but down here, it is different...You have knowledge beyond what we can even dream of...
She turns her attention back to her book.
>This was my favorite book to read when I was young...It has all the tales of the Gods, or whatever your kind is called, that have appeared in our village...Eliza the Summoner of Demons, Frantz the One who Wields Lightning...Edgar the Tyrant Killer...
You see each of the illustrations, recognizing each of them. Eliza was the inventor of the Steam Speeders, drastically replacing the Crawlers, crab-like automatons, that had been widely used...You actually had a lesson with her once. Frantz was considered the greatest Steam Cannon Gunner to have ever existed. He died after the last battle between the Nodes. And Edgar...The illustration looks like your great-grandfather? You knew he had a trinket from the Great Forest, but you assumed he had found it in an abandoned village. He majored in the History of the Forest, how we came to live in the sky while people like Nixia lived on the ground. He was actually the first researcher to begin the studies.

((I gotta go...Please Stay Tuned...))

>>33317
Well, I guess that settles it. I won't be able to redirect the village's misconceptions. I sigh slightly but nod my head. "I... can deal with that. Maybe we can get them to accept me as a humble god." I chuckle slightly, and lean in to look at the book.

"I actually know of all these... gods. What did Edgar the Tyrant Killer do? He looks familiar."

>>33326

>Edgar the Tyrant Killer was the first god to appear to our humble village. It was a much different time back then. Back before there was the cliff face and waterfall. It was said that he fell in love with a servant of the Last Monarch that ruled our village. He vowed that, for her hand in marriage, he would rid us of the tyrant that plagued our lands. He first took the villagers to safety on a metal, crab-like creature. He then openly challenged the Tyrant, facing down his armies single-handedly. It was said that he had command over the lightning itself, bringing a God's wrath upon the army. Soon he eradicated the fighters and faced down the Tyrant on a human's terms. They stayed in a deadlock for three months, never loosening their grip on each other...Then on the final day of the third month, the tyrant fell. Edgar tore down the palace that the Tyrant had built for himself, brick by brick. In its place he caused the earth to move, and he created out cliff. He went to take the servant's hand in marriage, and took her into the Realm of the Gods. But around ten months later, the servant returned. She did not fit in with the Godly beings, and became homesick...And so she lived, never fitting in with the villagers and exiled from the Domain of Gods. She had died, alone. Mysteriously, a grave for her was erected and legend says that every 200 years Edgar the Tyrant Killer appears to pay his respects...
You remember how Edgar had always disappeared every 200 years, claiming that he had important research to do...It must be to visit Great-Grandmother's grave...Her name was unusual for someone who lived in the Nodes as well. It was something like Prosea...You had also found it odd that she was absent from anywhere on the Nodes, but you never really thought about it before. You have also never heard of some of the inventions that you Great-Grandfather used except for the Crawler. You gain a new respect for him...

Nixia sighs contentedly, then moves to place the book back on the shelf.
>Perhaps we should get ready for the feast, My Sky God?
She smiles mischievously, and enters another room in the hut.

((I gotta go...Please Stay Tuned...))

>>33383
Wow, no wonder the lead warrior said I didn't stack up compared to the gods of the legends. I guess that means I have some ground-walker blood in me. Interesting...

I look after Nixia with wide-eyed curiosity. Well... I don't know the preparation rituals in this village... I suppose I should allow my new bride to show me. =]

I follow her into the other room.

>Teehee~. Please do not peek, My Sky God...
She playfully pushes you out of the room and drags a screen across, obstructing your view.
>What you are wearing is fine. Not many people will complain because you are a God~.
After a while, she enters the room wearing an unusual set of clothes. They were both colored in an unusual porcelain white, with a detailed, flame-like embroidery on the fringes of the outfit. The shirt had a stiff collar around the neck, with wide sleeves. Instead of the usual skirt that the most of the villagers wore, she wore a pair of wide bottom trousers. It actually looked like an outfit that you have seen before...From a photo of your Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother together perhaps.

((I gotta go...Please Stay tuned...))

>>33771
Hah! What a tease.

"Wow, that outfit is stunning." I eye the flames and give her a roguish half-grin. "I'd say it's fiery hot." I consider asking her if the clothes are some sort of ceremonial outfit given to the wives of gods, but I figure she's talkative enough that I probably don't need to ask.

>Teehee~! This dress was tailored after what the servant wore when she returned from the Realm of the Gods. She taught our village how to spin the fibers in which they become stronger...This outfit is the original, passed down to every Elder of the village to their children. I am glad you like it~!
She spins around once, then grabs a hold of your arm.
>Shall we go? The feast shall not start without you...

((I gotta go soon...Please Stay Tuned...))

>>33948
"These clothes may be ancient, but I'm certain they've never before been framed by such beauty." I give her a warm smile and then nod. "But yes, you're right. We wouldn't want to keep everyone waiting." Hmm, I wonder what special rules might come into play during the feast. I'd better take this time to find out before I wind up surprised.

"Um, are there any rituals or customs I should know about before we get to the dinner? Anything I'm supposed to know or do or say?"

>Hmm~...Probably not. There has never been a God who had attended a feast before. To my knowledge, you are the first one~!
Oh goody, going into uncharted waters...There is probably a saying for this from the Nodes, but you can not think of it now.

((I gotta go now...Please Stay Tuned))

>>34036
"Huh, I would have thought other gods would be honored at feasts too. Ah well, let's do this."

>The other gods have never stayed long enough for a feast...You shall be the first one to stay with us...
Nixia blushes slightly. You can feel her clutching you more tightly. You feel the urge to look at the sky.

The feast goes on without a hitch. The tables were set around a huge bonfire...The villagers played what seemed to be their traditional music, a combination of several drums, flutes, and chanting. It's quite haunting, especially with the dance that went with it...It was quite refreshing, dining under real stars...You see many comets flying through the sky and you wonder...How many are real comets?
---
The next day, you wake to see Nixia clinging onto your torso again, but you do not mind...Until you see yourself shirtless. What did you do last night?
You hear pounding on the door.
>Tabot the Serpent Slayer, Bringer of Rain! You have a visitor from the godly Realms! It is Edgar the Tyrant Killer, he is asking for you! It has something to do with the comets that fell in the sky!
It sounds like one of the messengers of the village...You also can hear cheers echoing from the village.

((I gotta go now...Please Stay Tuned...))

>>34088
Wait, do I not remember what I did last night? Did I get drunk at the feast?

Um, alright, I check to see if Nixia is awake. If she's not, I try to exfiltrate myself from her grasp without rousing her. Then I throw a shirt on and answer the door, thanking the messenger and asking if it's urgent. If it is, I'll accompany him back, but if not I inform him that I will be right down. Then, if Nixia still isn't up, I'll gently wake her and ask her if she'd like to join me and meet Edgar the Tyrant Killer. Cue getting dressed quickly before heading into the village.

I think Nixia'd really like the chance to meet Edgar, so I'd like her to come with me if at all possible.

>>34088
Well, lets go say hi to our ancestor.

>>34224
You might have gotten drunk, but it would have taken more than what the Villagers had in stock to cause you to black out...

You carefully make sure that Nixia is still asleep, then you try to move out of her grasp. You succeed in wriggling out of her grasp without waking her, then answering the door after putting on a shirt.

>Greetings, Tabot the Serpent Slayer! Your presence is required in the village immediately! Edgar the Tyrant Killer requested you by name. It has something to do with the comets in the sky during the feast.
It seems extremely important, but you still take the time to gently wake Nixia.
>Hmmm~?
>Nixia, another god has appeared in the village. It is Edgar the Tyrant Slayer. Would you like to-
You do not get the chance to finish when she runs out of the hut. You decide to take her cue and follow her, the messenger hurrying along.
---
You arrive at the village, but you can not seem to reach your Great-Grandfather because of the crowd surrounding him.

>Tabot! You seem like such the light in the proverbial tunnel after all that has happened!
He's looking good for a man who is pushing around 5 million years.

((I gotta go...Please Stay Tuned...))

>>34371
"Hello, Edgar the Tyrant Killer," I place extra emphasis on the title and grin as I say it. "It's good to see you too. So what is it that has happened? Do you want to find somewhere more... personal to talk?" I eye the crowd. I know this must be a huge event for them, what with Edgar being a god and all, but it's still rather intrusive.

>Hm?
Your Great-Grandfather was slightly busy being touched by the children of the village.
>Oh, yes of course. Move along now, my holiness will wear off if you handle me like that. Come on now, we shall go to a truly private place for me to explain the situation.
He leads you out of the village and into a deep part of the forest. The two of you walk until he stops at a clearing where there is a single stone in the center.
>Hello, Ceilio...It has been a while...
This must be the grave of your Great-Grandmother...You feel slightly awkward. You are not used to such a sentiment as a grave for a loved one, nor are you truly familiar with the concept of death.

>Great-Grandfather...What is the matter?
>Ah, Tabot...You have grown splendidly. It has been two weeks since your disappearance into the Great Forest. Everyone gave up on finding you...M'yes...I have worried about you.
He sure is spouting a lot of malarkey. He never really cared about how you were doing, and officially washed his hands of you when you never chose History of the Forest. There is not a single conceivable reason for him to-
>Yes, I know that you don't have any favorable feelings towards me Tabot.
He loses some of his kind edge.
>It is just that, you are my only family left. The node has been conquered, and many have been killed. I only escaped by the skin of my teeth. I figured this was my wake-up call to connect with the only blood I have left!

...What? The Nodes has been...Conquered?
>It all started with that traitor...What was the name...Silve? He had given his presentation on a special sort of device that created a barrier as so that ships of certain wavelengths could pass while others were to be blocked. But in fact, the other Nodes already had the codes, given to them by Silve himself. He led to all this death and destruction, and I will not hesitate to rip his organs out and eat them as pasta!
Lines of spit trail out of Edgar's mouth as he becomes more excited and small craters form under his feet, but that is not important right now...Silve betrayed the Node? Was that why he caused you to crash into the forest? To spare you from the slow death, or to ease his conscience that he will not be betraying his friend to his face?

>>34814
Or possibly to get me out of the way? But even more distressing... "How could I have missed it? I worked with him for so long. Did I miss the signs? Were there any signs...?"

Wait. "Did... did you say... 'only family left'? Everyone else is- is dead?" This must be a joke. A really bad joke gone too far. There's no way it could be true. And why did he even come down here? What am I supposed to do about it?!

You think back to the times you worked with Silve...Admittedly you never had many chances, as you had conflicting views on combat and the focus of research in the nodes. He had believed in the advancement through war theory, on how technology would boom through war and destruction. You only thought of war as a necessary evil that would only be used as a last resort. This still did not stop the two of you from being close to each other.

>Yes yes, everyone related to us is dead, I saw it with my own eyes. We were the closest to the ships, and we also had unrestricted access to the weapons of our node. We were the prime target of their genocide. I came here because it was the only place I thought of. It was complete coincidence that you were here...So, you made a name for yourself? That is quite a feat.
You could cut the tension with a knife. The returning humidity does not make it any easier.

((I gotta sleep...Please Stay Tuned...))

>>34839
You found me out of luck? So nobody even searched for me? No, forget it, it's not important now." Most of the questions buzzing around my head don't seem very important anymore. Even my annoyance that they hadn't sent a search party for me no longer fazed me. If they'd found me, I'd probably be dead along with everyone else.

"How did you escape from the carnage? And do you have any sort of plan? To... take back the Node? or are you going to lay low down here?"

I suppose I ought to try to make amends with Edgar if we're going to be spending any extended amount of time together.

>Plans? Why should I have plans right now? The enemy is armed to the teeth with two nodes' worth of weapons technology. I don't see how we will be able to take them on with a bunch of Natives.
He throws his hand into the air in exasperation.
>I may as well lay low here until I think of something.

>>35029
"Alright," I nod slowly. Edgar might be a bit eccentric, but since we'll both be staying here, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to come to an agreement with him.

"Look, I'm sorry I disappointed you by not choosing to study the Forest. At the time, I did not see the importance of it, and it wasn't my main interest. But now... now that I've actually spent some time here, I can see why you tried to push it on me. There's an... honesty here I'd never experienced back in the Nodes."

"Now, that doesn't justify disavowing me entirely. That was pretty cold. But... I... am glad you're talking to me now. How 'bout we try to start over?"

>Time can not be turned back...We may not be able to "start over", but we may move forward and not dwell on the past. Come, we must meet with our worshipers.
The both of you walk back to the village in silence.
---
Several months pass without much happening in the village. The rain returns with a vengeance, showing you the true power of water. Edgar can not walk a single step without being mobbed by villagers. You also notice that from time to time, villagers have been disappearing.

((Gotta go...Please Stay Tuned...))

>>35032
Interesting. It would seem we have a mystery on our hands. Possible causes: ritualistic sacrifices (unlikely considering they would probaly be sacrificed to me and Edgar), hostile tribe kidnapping villagers (somewhat likely, as the villagers would probably know how to watch out for that kind of thing), people from the Node above abducting subjects for experiments (moderately likely, since they would have the technology to take villagers unnoticed, do not have qualms about killing people to achieve their goals, and are keen on weapon production and testing).

First steps: confirm that I'm not the only one noticing. I'd like to meet with Edgar and Garram and see if they know what's going on. I think a census might also be in order to count the number of villagers and keep track of deaths and births. Then possibly increase guards to keep watch.

You ask some of the villagers if the had noticed anyone missing during the last few days. They answer that they have noticed a few missing people, but all of the ones missing have disappeared in the Forest, which is not too out of the ordinary.

You meet with both Garram and Edgar to discuss the problem.
>Hmm...Perhaps Demons are stealing away our villagers as a revenge towards the two Gods among us?
The Elder taps his staff on the ground. He seems extremely tired lately for some reason.
>Please Elder Garram, relax.
Edgar soothes the Elder, then gives his opinion on the problem.
>It's those people who took over the no-...I mean, There are rival Gods who are jealous of our power, and have been taking the villagers probably. I may need to speak with Tabot in order to form some sort of plan to convince them to stop.
>*Sigh* Yes, yes...I hope that you will stop them, Gods of the Sky...For now I shall increase Guards at the borders as well as taking this...census of everyone who lives in this village as well as the births and deaths. It will not be easy with all of them...
Garram sighs again, and exits the hut. You see that he moves with a hunch for some reason.

((I gotta go...Please Stay Tuned...))

>>35100
It was just a suggestion, not an official request. Hmm... "Elder Garram seems to be a bit on edge recently. Is he still of good health?" The man is my father-in-law, and as pressing as the case of the disappearing villagers is, I can't help but worry about him.

"So you suspect those who conquered our Node as well? Do you really think we can talk them into ceasing these kidnappings?"

>It's hard work to run a village, Tabot. It's just that, he beginning to feel the stress and it hit him hard. I would prescribe a few medicines to him, but this matter is much more important. Yes, I believe that the new inhabitants of our old home are kidnapping the Natives in order to perform experiments with drugs in general. In fact, our own node used them as well. It was a stroke of genius to many of the researchers. They are close enough to us, but different enough that we would not care. It allowed accurate results for any experiments that we made. I know it seems cold, but consider our community.
Edgar sighs.
>We won't get them to stop, if that is what you are asking. But I finally formulated a plan to take back the node that will take at least two people. I need to stay on the ground, so you need to find someone to volunteer. Make sure to make them understand that they will die if this mission is not a success.

((I will be away for a while...Please Stay Tuned...Ahh...Summer is ending, which means I can't really go on TgChan too much...))

((I'm back for now though...))

>>35277
((Oh right, sorry. I meant to post earlier.))

I find it both difficult and easy to believe that our Node had kidnapped villagers. I'm sure I wouldn't have cared just a few short months ago, even though now it seems like a horrible thing to do.

"You have a plan that will take only two people to take back the entire node? That's excellent. Tell me what the plan is so I can figure out who the other person should be and what skills or abilities they need."

>Hrm...Well, is it that important? All you need is someone with a nimble figure. Perhaps that Native girl I see clinging around you. When she's not doing that, I see her swinging on trees and vines. It worries the Elder sometimes, as he does not hesitate to tell me whenever we are together.
Edgar seems reluctant to tell you what the actual plan was. You sense that there is a bit more to this plan than he is telling you.
>Edgar, tell me what is the plan. It will not do to rush in without preparation.
You make sure to be stern. He pauses for a moment, then relents.
>Gah...Fine. It was not all that big of a secret to keep from you anyway. My plan is to destroy the Node. It may seem childish, destroying the Node just so the invaders can not have it, but it must be done. We can take out a chink of their population and temporarily stop the kidnapping. That will give us time to move the villagers to a different area. We shall use our "Godly Influence" to try to sway the villagers into leaving if they prove too stubborn. There is a small entrance hatch that is at the bottom of your old home. I had placed it there when I first owned the house in order to cover up the gaping hole caused by my crashing into the Node's outer surface. From there, i expanded it to lead to many of the important buildings in the node, most specifically, the engine room where the flotation core rests. The plan is to shut it down or destroy it, then escape. It is simple, but it is also quick. Our kind thinks in months and years. They will be expecting a dish served cold. Instead, we shall strike while the iron is hot, and move quickly. This may take some time to implement, as you have yet to fix that infernal contraption of yours. You have repaired some of it, but you will need certain metals that will probably take some time to acquire. Hopefully no one will be abducted in that time period.

((Gah...I will be away for a moment...Please Stay Tuned...))

>>35431
"Absolutely not." I shake my head adamantly. "I'm not bringing Nixia along on a dangerous mission." Just how genre unsavvy does he think I am?

"Your plan will work, but I'll find someone else in the village who is nimble enough." It strikes me that I'm putting her life above that of someone else I don't know as well, but fuck it: I don't care. "I'll get to work on repairing the Steam Speeder, and I'll figure out some way to find a capable assistant in the mean time."


Okay, first is coming up with a list of needed materials. Then brainstorm possible places I could salvage or find the metals from. After that I can start arranging expeditions (either solo or in a group if dangerous) to retrieve them.

>Well...I guess you could use a different person to watch your back...You are really separating from your former shell my Great-Grandson.
Edgar smiles and walks away, presumably to draw up the finer details of the plan.
---
You take a look at the Steam Speeder to assess the situation. There are many broken parts, but you feel you will be able to fix the Speeder. You need to replace the rusted out engine, a few pieces of the frame, and probably some of the rusted patches of the metal plating as well as adding in a new seat for the second pilot.

You do not think the quarries will have the best metal for the task, but it is safer and right in the village. You know of a cave along the river that may have some of the light-weight metals that you need, but it is also prone to flooding. You HAVE heard of a second passage there. You can also try searching for some of the "comets" that fell a few months ago for some scrap metal. You are quite sure you can locate one, though you do not really know the Forest Area as well. You could probably ask Nixia to guide you through the Great Forest.

((I gotta go...Please Stay Tuned...))

>>35715
That sounds like a splendid idea. It'll give me a chance to do something productive with Nixia, and I'm sure I'll find some useful spare parts. If I'm lucky I'll find an intact engine, although I'm not sure if anything I find will be free of rust either. At the very least I could try to melt it down for the metals.

I'll leave the quarry for later, and the cave for third.

You go off in search of Nixia to ask her to be your guide through the forest. You see her among the women of the village, discussing...something. You are not quite sure what they are talking about, but you get the feeling that she will tell you in time.

>Hello Tabot, teehee~! How are you doing?
>I am doing fine. I would actually like to search for some of the comets that have fallen from the sky. They may be able to help me repair my own comet, though you do not have to worry about me leaving any time soon...
She nods, but looks a bit distracted.
>Are you okay?
>Y-yes Teabot...I was just thinking. Please, allow me to guide you through the forest. I shall be waiting at the entrance of the village.

Nixia walks off. You have a feeling that she may be hiding something from you. You may have an inkling of what it is. It seems like many people are looking stressed in the village lately, but it may be because of the kidnappings.

((I shall be away for a while...Please Stay Tuned.))

>>36357
Nixia's distracted, talking with the women of the village... Could she be... pregnant? The possibility almost breaks my concentration and it's all I can do to not excitedly press the issue. If she was with child- my child!- then it's up to her to let me know when and how she wants to. Oh but I hope she doesn't wait!

But then again, it could be something else. Best to just let it go for now and assume it isn't that. Although, if she is pregnant, I'm not sure having her gallavanting about is such a good idea. But I doubt I could stop her anyway. I'll just have to trust that she knows, understand, and appreciates the responsibilities that come with-

Argh, gotta stop worrying! All I can do is be there for her and give her my love and support. I find some kind of bag or sack to hold anything useful we find, and any of item I might need (like a small weapon, some water, a light or torch or whatever if we'll be out for long). Then I immediately head for the village entrance.

You walk towards the entrance of the village, picking up several sturdy bags to carry any parts you find. You see Nixia patiently waiting for you, leaning on one of the large posts. She looks up at the sky in a daze.

>Hello?
>Oh, you surprised me Tabot...Teehee~! Please, shall we go?
She hold you by the hand and drags you into the forest. You hope that the both of you will not encounter any harmful creatures.

((I may not be able to post as often anymore because of school, so please bear with me...Please Stay Tuned...))

>>37463
"You seem to be a bit distracted as of late, Nixia. Do you have anything on your mind? Anything you'd like to talk about?" I focus on trying to keep up with her over the uneven terrain. Although I know I should be keeping watch for any source of danger, I find that unless I specifically focus on it, it easily slips my mind. I guess I can attribute that to my upbringing on the Nodes.

>T-there is nothing the matter...Everything is a-all right. Nothing to worry...Everything will be fine.
She does not seem to want to tell you what is currently on her mind, though you are not sure why.
>One of the comets that you have pointed out should be close by...
Nixia points towards an area where one could obviously tell that something had crashed. Where trees used to be were crudely hacked off stumps. You could see a crater in the center of the mess, with the Speeder in the center, still intact. You have no idea where the pilot went.

((Gotta go...Please Stay Tuned.))

Really do you have to do this on quest there is only like one person who enjoys it, can't you just exchange emails or AIM with them and do it over that.
This entire thread is just Blundering Writer (a person who craves people to acknowlege him) and Durandal (a man who clearly craves attention from quest creators) writing a very poor circle jerk story. I mean there are so few people who actualy pay attention to this I wouldn't even consider it a quest.
Please take this somewhere else even in /txt/ would be better.

((Hmm.....))

>>42830
Can you try to word that in a less jerky manner?

I haven't really read the story since the beginning, but it looks perfectly fine. I'll try to catch up and make some suggestions later.

Yeah, the point may have been valid but it was overshadowed by the unnecessary rudeness. I feel sorry for Blundering because he's got a really interesting story but not many people are willing to take the time to read.

>>43077
>>43067
Welcome to the internet my friends, I would be more okay with this if it was under text or if it was writefaggotry, but its not a quest the fact that you>>43067 are the first suggestion I have seen in this thread is a testiment to that.
And you shouldn't feel sorry for Blundering Writer He should know that not everyone will like his work and some may be more vocal about it than others.

>>42830
>>43088
hey, I've always been meaning to read this quest, it would be a shame if they took it elsewhere.

I know I will, at some point, read up and have a few hours of entertainment. why do you want to take that away from me?

>>43122
Why is it your taking this attack personally?
If you enjoy it so much why do you not participate?

The only people I see participating in this quest on a daily basis is Durandal and occasionally SZ the fact you are saying you need to read up on this and I have never actualy seen you participate indicates my point that this is simply writefaggotry that does not encorage the participation.

Durandal!swQABHZA/E 2009/09/12(Sat)16:01 No. 43247 ID: acdc9b
File 125279646891.png - (11.95KB , 725x108 , Tada.png )

>>43214
Why are you taking this thread so personally? If you don't want to see it, you can hit the minimize button (see pic).