>>1098636
Good eye.

It is owned, possibly lost,
Try not to look like cattle rustlers if you do approach.
Maybe loudly ask if anyone has lost a goat?

Oh and do inform the lizbolds that if they see any other goats around not to approach them. Any natives of this planet would not know about the uplifting.

Make sure your companions recognize this goat as "not-food-yet". You need to catch it! You can return it to the owner for a reward or PR.

Nalthar 2024/10/26(Sat)20:10 No. 1099083 ID: 355e44
File 172999861190.jpg - (132.88KB , 1000x800 , fallingcity_78 more goats.jpg )

The party circles around the goat. The small caprine rotates his eyes at them, makes a short bleat, and goes back to munching.

Murdoc: "Well this is clearly domesticated, right? And it didn't come from the forest so we're on the right track."

Gnapper: She sniffs the goat, which bonks his head on her snout. "This little fluff wouldn't last long in the trees no. Looks too tasty for that."

Murdoc: "Well don't eat it yet. If we bring it back to whoever lost it then that's a good start to making new friends." She looks around, but the mountainside is empty as far as the eye can see. She hoists the goat up onto Gnapper's back with her, where he immediately begins snoozing. "Mirrak, Hilgar; we're going to try and find the goatherd. The rest of you follow along a little ways behind."

Heading steadily upwards through heather and brush, the party doesn't see anything for most of the morning. Then from the other side of a rise comes the sounds of jingling bells. The little goat in Murdoc's lap wakes up and lets out a loud bleat, which is answered by several others.

Coming over the ridge, they find a whole herd of goats. Each goat has a little bell tied to their horn, but there doesn't seem to be anyone else around. A stone hut stands nearby with its door shut.

>>1099083
Looks like a wooden crook over there by that bush. Go say hello.

>>1099084
Thats either a pair of ears or hornsnpoking out if it too.

Announce your approach.
Dont want to startle them.
Compliment the qualities of the goat youre returning.
The bell and ribbon mark it as special. Plus it imparts that you are aware of the thing you are willingly returning which in turn implies honesty.
A good introduction, even if you end up startlingbtge bush dwelling goatherd.

>>1099083
Someone in the bush. Calmly return the goat to the herd. There will probably be an initial language barrier, so try to show a body language of peaceful intent.

Nalthar 2024/11/02(Sat)19:53 No. 1099305 ID: 355e44
File 173060243624.jpg - (71.07KB , 1000x800 , fallingcity_79 maybe not a goat.jpg )

Even without using her new electro-sense, Murdoc's keen hunter's eye notices the obvious horns sticking out of the conspicuous bush. She dismounts and trots over to investigate.

Murdoc: "Hey hey, no need to hide. I think we found one of your's and brought them back." She parts the leaves to reveal... not a goat?

Nalthar 2024/11/02(Sat)19:54 No. 1099306 ID: 355e44
File 173060245337.jpg - (72.72KB , 1000x800 , fallingcity_80 yeah thats not a goat.jpg )

???: Ahhhhh!

>>1099306
Is it... wearing goat horns? Maybe a headdress identifying profession.

Give them some space.

>>1099306
Eh. Take a step back and see if they calm down a bit.

Don't worry, horrifying screams are just normal noises goats make. He is goatkin, living among the goates to become one with them.

>>1099306
Give the poor odd thing some space.
You have to admit with all the fleshcrafting a gang of hunters on velociraptors would be a perturbing wakeup call.

See if the screams are communicative or just panic.

1/2 Nalthar 2024/11/10(Sun)21:50 No. 1099616 ID: 355e44
File 173130423086.jpg - (128.81KB , 1000x800 , fallingcity_81 took a little tumble.jpg )

Murdoc: "Whoa, sorry. I'll give you some space." The hunter backs off from the rustling bush, which unravels into a lanky salamander.

salamander: "Ahhhh! Demon goats!" He tries to scamper away, but quickly trips over a rock and tumbles down the slope, shedding leaves and his horns as he goes.

2/2 Nalthar 2024/11/10(Sun)21:51 No. 1099617 ID: 355e44
File 173130427417.jpg - (111.38KB , 1000x800 , fallingcity_82 splat.jpg )

His flight ends as he bounces off Gnapper's leg and sprawls on the ground. The little goat bahs a greeting and hops down onto his belly, eliciting a small "oof" from the panting salamander. The bunnbolds come over to check on him.

Mirrak: "Are you alright?"

salamander: *Sniff* "No I'm not alright! I fell down and lost my horns and now the goats won't respect me and Palla was right and now I'm going to be dragged down to the dusty pit of hell!"

>>1099617
Aww. Fetch the poor guy his horns.

>>1099617
"Uh... okay, that's... progressive? The jerk neighbors I used to live with said everyone with horns deserved to go to hell, and... screw those guys?"

They're just goats...

>>1099617
Curious, there's no difficulty understanding him.

Help him up and return his horns. Explain that you are foreigners who have come to this land to settle.

I will smuggle you into Heaven! I will have you know that not having horns is a very silly requirement to go to Hell. My people don't have horns and they've been doing just fine. Let me help you up, and give some food, see if you are down in the dumps after that.

Nalthar 2024/11/26(Tue)20:31 No. 1100438 ID: 6c233e
File 173268189087.jpg - (201.13KB , 1000x800 , fallingcity_83 taking a moment.jpg )

Hilgar helps the guy sit up, which is a little difficult as he is kind of floppy.
Hilgar: "There there, we're not demons. or goats. We're robolds!"
Mirrak: "We're here to trade, and not in souls!"

The salamander sniffles and wipes his eye. "So that isn't one of the pillars of hell come to herald the endless day?" He looks to the distant Jormun, drifting ever downward.

Murdoc: "Nah, mate" the hunter says, plopping the horns back on his head. "Just a big wurm."

The three surround the goatherd, eagerly awaiting him to make the next move. The lizzbolds have adjourned to some nearby rocks to nap in the sun. The salamander pets the goat in his lap while staring at Jormun for a while, glancing nervously at the bolds around him.

salamander: "So, uh, if you're not from around here, how do you know our language?"

Mirrak: "Just a little brain trick we robolds have!" she taps the side of her head. "Don't worry about it."

salamander: "Oh that's, huh." he seems a little lost, but shrugs it off. "Sorry, we don't get many visitors up here. It's just me and the goats. I'm Sinni, by the way." Climbing to his feet and brushing the last loose leaves off, Sinni backs up a step and gives the bolds a sinuous bow. "Please be welcome on our lonely peak. So eh, what is it you seek on this lonesome peak?"

>>1100438
Information, first and foremost. We seek knowledge of these lands, like what settlements are nearby and what resources there are to trade for. We can provide numerous services that are likely in short supply in these parts, and maybe some interesting materials not found here, though in that case we have a limited supply...

One important thing to seek would be making it clear that Jormun is just a longboi and not a pillar of Hell. He did accidentally (?) fall into their world, and then fell into it again recursively, to avoid crashing into the ground. I imagine if there are sapiant beings nearby, they might be a little concerned about it.

>>1100440
On the note of services in particular - healing (and potentially alterations) are some of your specialties. Do they require maintenance, or are they set-it-and-forget-it kind of things? I don't remember. Anyway, ask if there's anyone who is sick or injured, you can help. Alterations have the potential to be even more valuable, but also could cause consternation and should be approached tactfully in case e.g. they take it as an affront to the Creators or st.

>>1100438
We would like to make contact with a local settlement.

1/2 Nalthar 2024/12/14(Sat)20:07 No. 1101257 ID: 6c233e
File 173423563773.jpg - (194.56KB , 1000x800 , fallingcity_84 gaze upon our wurm and see your fut.jpg )

Mirrak: "We're new to the area, so we were looking to meet our new neighbors. Since we dropped in so unexpectedly we're having a bit of trouble getting established. It looks like there is a settlement on this peak, so that seemed like the place to start. Are you with them?"

Sinni: "Oh, the temple?" He looks up the mountain, though the structures near the top aren't visible from this angle. "It's supposed to be hidden you know. Ah, but your wurm can see from above huh?"

The salamander shrugs "We're not hiding anything important, just keeping away from troubles, you know. Shaping and communing with the stones. Well they do, I just keep the goats." He shrugs again, a liquid gesture that seems to use his whole body. "Sorry, I'm not the best for conversation. I only go up to the temple once a week or so, usually I'm on my own."

"If you want to talk to the stonecarvers I hope your business is stone related. They don't really care about anything else up there. They live at a stone's pace too. Not like the fast paced goat life down here." He gestures his charges, who are languidly browsing the hardy mountain grasses.

The rest of the party comes over the ridge to join up. Sinni looks a little alarmed. "Whoa, that's a lot of predators. They're under control right?" His head perks up as he catches Jitter and Grina chattering away. "Wait, they can talk? Could they always talk?"

Mirrak: "They can now!" The trader puts a companionable arm around his leafy shoulders. "Just one of the many improvements Robolds can bring to your life." She leads him along while the others regroup. "Come, lets break bread and discuss what we can do for you. Er, if you have bread that is, we didn't bring any."

Sinni: "I have some, and cheese too."

Mirrak: "Score!"

2/2 Nalthar 2024/12/14(Sat)20:08 No. 1101258 ID: 6c233e
File 173423568306.jpg - (166.92KB , 1000x800 , fallingcity_85 shut up and eat your cheese martah.jpg )

The robolds bring out a few tarps and set up a picnic. Sinni disappears into the smaller hut and returns rolling a stone cylinder. Setting it up on its side the salamander runs a lightly glowing finger round one end, following a neatly carved groove. The stone flows under his touch until with a pop the end drops off to reveal the alabaster cheese stored within.

Mirrak: "Oh ho, that's a neat trick!"

Sinni: Blushing at the praise, "Oh it's nothing really. Any Grakashon could do as much." He scoops out some of the soft, aromatic cheese to distribute to eager bolds. "You're not shon, but I suppose your people have a magic affinity too. Wood perhaps, or maybe clay?"

Martah: "Living flesh" the shaper says offhandedly while trying to figure out how to get some cheese into him without revealing his raggedy curse-knit mouth to their new friend.

Mirrak's smile freezes on her face as she sees Sinni grow pale. The goatherd starts shivvering, eyeing the sharp teeth on display on both ro and lizz type bolds. "F-f-flesh you say?" he queries, shaking several more leaves loose.

Mirrak: "thank you Martah." she hisses under her breath as she tries to think of how to salvage this situation. She's getting that twitch in her eye again.

>>1101258
Explain a bit more. Tell him you can reattach limbs, save people from what would be otherwise deadly injuries, and modify the body to improve and change. Don't mention any of the more harmful applications.

Go through with this information. First and foremost, ask if the goats need any kind of improvements to ensure they live better lives and yield better products? Want their metabolism to speed up or slow down? Sharper claws to attack predators or sturdier skin to defend against their bites? Does he need them to produce a higher quality or higher... quantity of milk?

...Would his tribe be okay with the male cattle producing milk?

>>1101258
Don't worry, we're medical practitioners. We use it to treat things like sicknesses and disabilities.

Oh, and you can use it to attach new parts onto people. If he wants real goat horns then that is something you can help with. Well, with the right materials anyway.

I would emphasize healing first and foremost, as (it seems to me) medicine and healing are common to almost every culture and thus least likely to be taboo or somehow evil. Secondarily focus on subtle improvements to animals; like Kome mentions:
>>1101260
Appeal to their wallets as it were, while still permitting the comfortable mental distance of "it's just animals". It might not be practical to completely avoid the topic of people-shaping, but I'd be very delicate about it and deemphasize it. The weirder (more removed from what they've experienced) something is the more likely it is for it to be interpreted as bad, I think. Don't forget what drove you all here in thr first place; don't let it happen again. I think if you approach it from the right angle with enough caution you should be able to get these people to accept what you do, but it may be tricky.

Art by Derklord Nalthar 2024/12/19(Thu)18:12 No. 1101398 ID: 6c233e
File 173466076978.png - (135.81KB , 1000x800 , fallingcity_86 piqued interest guest art derklord.png )

Mirrak: "Ha ha, Martah can explain it better than that." The bunn drapes a friendly arm around the shaper, digging her nails into his shoulder. "Can't you Martah?"

Martah: "Oh sh- healing, I meant healing! We can mend and strengthen flesh and bones, even reattach parts if they haven't rotted. Like this!" Snatching a leaf out of the air, the mouzbold skitters over to Sinni. A quick pass of his hand and the leaf reconnects to a vacant stem, fresh and vibrant. "Ta dah"

Sinni stares hard at the little leaf blowing in the breeze. As the awkward silence drags on Martah and Mirrak exchange a nervous glance.

Mirrak: "Eh, ah, was that too-"

Sinni: "How many?"

Mirrak: "What?"

Sinni: Grabbing Martah by the shoulders "How many times can you do that?"

Martah: "I... maybe hundreds in a day? It wasn't much of a much really."

The salamander runs his tongue over stubby teeth. "So uh, if I take you up to the temple, and you help me with a uh, a little personal issue, what- what would you want in exchange?"

>>1101398
Oh boy here we go. Time for the more economically-minded to haggle on prices. Obviously we can get some good information but there might not be enough *valuable* information to be worth the services, so perhaps we can get some materials or currency out of this too.

"We will demand much, I warn you. And it will not be a price many of your strongest will wish to pay.
... We demand a world where fathers do not sell their children to demons. Where strangers do not look upon love and curiosity with hate and disgust. Where what is needed to live well is what is always freely given. And most importantly, we demand a place in such a world.

Can you meet that offer?"

Your first born son.

..No wait, we'd are looking for a place to settle down, with plenty resources to eat and trade with, so if you know of a good place to start a settlement and ways to get on the locals' good side, we'd be very happy.

Also, how what kind of horns do you want?

>>1101400
Indeed, we should allow the traders to haggle our services.

Oh, crud. I almost forgot: We should also look into someone who can remove Martah's curse.

I mean I don't think he really tolds us who caused and why, and he's a fleshcrafting wizard who got exiled for fleshcrafting too much, so he probably deserves it, but let's break it anyway, because he is the protagonist and that's what must be done.

1/2 Nalthar 2025/01/06(Mon)19:25 No. 1102051 ID: 6c233e
File 173622035146.jpg - (136.57KB , 1000x800 , fallingcity_87 shoehorning in backstory for the ch.jpg )

>Time for the more economically-minded to haggle on prices.
Mirrak: (That's meeee!)

>We will demand much... yadda yadda... And most importantly, we demand a place in such a world.
Mirrak: (The old better world gambit. Its never worked in the past, but sure, worth a shot.)

>Your first born son.
Mirrak: (Eh, he's cute, but kind of a limp noodle. I can't really see myself... oh you meant like thaaat. No.)

>horns
Mirrak: (Mmm, he would look even cuter with some real horns. I'll have to work that into the pitch.)

>We should also look into someone who can remove Martah's curse.
Martah: (Oh uh, that's a nice thought but... walk with me for a minute. Er, float, waft, whatever.)
Mirrak starts in on Sinni with the hard sell, while Martah leads you around behind the cheese shed.

Martah: (I don't like to talk about this, but we're friends by now so you ought to know. Since I was just a little boldling I've had a great talent for shaping. Enough that everyone wanted me to apprentice with the most accomplished flesh shaper. He wasn't keen on it, but must have felt pressured, so he ended up agreeing.

I, being a naive kid, was just ecstatic about working with a great master and all the awesome things I was going to make. And at first it was fine, I was still learning, but eventually I was out pacing his lessons. He would get more strict, snapping whenever I would try to do more than I was tasked, or ask too many questions. Then one day, I tried fusing two beasts together, a really advanced technique, and I succeeded. Half marten, half snake, it was so cute.

When I went to show the master what I had done he was irate. He... snapped its neck right in front of me. And when I protested, well...) Martah unlatches his mask and slips it off. There's a gap in the fur on his muzzle, a line of scarred flesh where a maw should be. (He said that I talked too much, had ideas above my station, and that this would teach me humility. And for years I believed him. I shut myself in, barely spoke to or even saw anyone.)

(I would have just withered away if it hadn't been for Murdoc and Donvan. When they came back from their apprenticeships they immediately dragged me out of my misery and into therapy. And now years later here I am, doing pretty well, all things considered.)

(Aaaaaanyway, spite is a powerful force, so this curse is going to stick around. Not to toot my own horn, but I'm very talented. If I can't shape it, it can't be done. Thanks for thinking of me, but well, maybe someday.)

Mirrak: "Martah Martah Martah quick, get over here!"

2/2 Nalthar 2025/01/06(Mon)19:26 No. 1102052 ID: 6c233e
File 173622040263.jpg - (112.12KB , 1000x800 , fallingcity_88 bashful bush.jpg )

Mirrak: The trader giddily waves the shaper over. "Tell him, tell him what this is all about!"

Sinni: "Well, uh, its my friend, Palla. We're really close, if you know what I mean. The elders don't approve, so we've only met in secret. And we haven't been able to, m-mate" Sinni blushes and retreats into his bush "because when shon mate we shed all our leaves, so we would get caught right away. But with your help we could finally, finally..." a shiver rustles through his leaves.

Mirrak: "We gotta help him, Martah. Its for love." she shakes him by the shoulders. "For looooove!"

Martah: "Okay okay, I get it! So what are you proposing Sinni?"

Sinni: "W-well I can take you up by the hidden path, and then... well I'm not sure. I've never done something like this before. Maybe some of you could try meeting with the elders to distract them. Or we could just sneak in. Any ideas?"

Oh, those leaves aren't clothing, they're part of him! How interesting.

>>1102052
Well, meeting with the elders would certainly work as a distraction, but our main trade is flesh-shaping, so our flesh-shaper would be occupied during the distraction.
How would sneaking in work?

I mean, is Palla stuck somewhere under the watch of the elders? Can they just meet you somewhere hidden? If the elders are expecting a telltale sign, they may not be watching your actions as closely. Also, how long will the leaves need to be maintained? A few days? A full season? (Also, can you suppress the process itself rather than reattaching hundreds of leaves?) It would also be good to know more details about their biological cycles so we don't accidentally e.g. make one of them infertile or MUCH TOO FERTILE or something.

Oh also, a thought - be careful: if the elders find out you're helping somebody get away with something illicit, subverting their authority (especially if they find out BEFORE you've made yourselves indispensable to them), they may decide to brand you as public enemies, and that's the same old kettle of fish all over again.

>>1102051
Wild idea: What if instead of trying to fix your cursed mouth you just seal it off and create a new mouth?

>>1102054
Good ideas

>I fused two animals together. It was so cute.
You need therapy, man.

Hmm, we should find out why exactly the elders don't want these two to be together. May not be as arbitrary a reason as we suspect.

But first:

>Spite is a powerful force
I'm an impotent soul living vicariously through the actions of others. I am FULL of spite. Probably not the only one, either.

Tap into our combined essences and wring, I say WWWWRRRRRING the power to undo the curse from the cosmos! Existence entire hath no fury like whatever-we-is scorned!

I think it would be easier to flex his biology so he doesn't shed after mating.

>>1102069
Oh, could also just... remove the mouth entirely and put a whole new one on. If your lips don't work, use someone else's!

>>1102052
He's eh... he's got a lot of leaves on him.

>>1102189
It leaves a lot to the imagination, heheh. We should definitely get a look at what we're working with.