1/3 Lady Kensington 2020/12/27(Sun)15:17 No. 984339 ID: 8483cf
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My skills as an alchemist are rapidly progressing. I was the youngest in Kensington to transmute bronze to silver. My potion-book is growing by the day. My bombs are safely kept and quite powerful. Given time, I will undoubtedly gain renown as an adventurer, and have clout of my own.

I have been raised to succeed. To excel. To rule. I cannot afford to shame my ancient name.

The last two days have not gone according to plan.

By enlisting the aid of a fairy, I thought I would be gaining a valuable ally. I have been wrong to rely on her; she has forgotten much of her schooling and is handicapped by her… passions. Perhaps she will improve. Perhaps not.

2/3 Lady Kensington 2020/12/27(Sun)15:17 No. 984340 ID: 8483cf
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I was beguiled into adopting an adorable, precious, and utterly untamed fox spirit. She has an agenda of her own and no way of communicating it to me, so I have yet to ascertain her motives in joining me. Fortunately, she is currently not a threat, and is bound to provide me three favors each day. Unfortunately, she eats a lot of legs of lamb, and needs a bed of her own. I will need to fund both.

Raelynn, a wood elf ranger, is my one reliable party member and good counsel. I hope she decides to stay with us longer than the next two days, but it will be a challenge for obvious reasons.

3/3 Lady Kensington 2020/12/27(Sun)15:18 No. 984341 ID: 8483cf
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I blink the bleariness from my eyes. Sunlight peeks through the curtains. I shrug off the covers and stretch.

In the bunk below me, Dotti is still asleep. But my fairy is missing from her bed. She’s been good to her word and gotten up at the cock’s first crow. Maybe there’s hope for her yet.

It’s going to be a busy day. I need to prepare for tomorrow’s adventure if I’m going to have enough gold to pay for my party’s new room and board.

My party. My very own adventuring party…

I like the sound of that.

>She’s been good to her word and gotten up at the cock’s first crow. 

Good that she is waking up before everyone else, but are you sure she is training? We should know better than that. Lets sneak to find that fairy and make sure she is doing what she promised.

But first, bathe, eat, get dressed, etc. You know the morning routine.

>>984341
Perform morning routine, trust that your fairy is keeping her promise, because she's a FAIRY.

First step is to watch your head. It's time to get used to what Jotun mutagen can do for you! Then assemble your kit and grab a quick breakfast.

dont forget to wash your feets

Check on your party, then ignore their squabbling and shower.

Lady Kensington 2020/12/30(Wed)17:33 No. 984526 ID: 8483cf
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I need to get used to my body. The Jotund’s Might mutagen I imbibed yesterday has made me tall enough, and the bunk bed is short enough, that I don’t need a ladder to climb down. I’d estimate my current height at roughly 203 centimeters.

I don’t slam my head into a ceiling beam as I swing out of bed. That’s as good a start to the day as any.

I grab my bath kit and towel and head for the women’s showers. It’s an uncomfortably long walk, especially considering my nightie is far too small for me now. Fortunately, I’m up early enough that I don’t run into anyone.

It feels like showers are the one time of day I can actually relax. Running water is new to this parish, and I’m exceptionally grateful to have it in the adventurer’s guild. It’s one of the big reasons I picked Minga to set up shop for now. I’m not sure what I’d do if I had to heat my own bathwater, or- savior forbid- use a cold tub.

I hang my nightie and grab my towel. It’s also too small on me… I really don’t like this mutagen.

I sigh and reach for my bath kit. It’s a beautiful collection of soaps and lathers, the best of which I received as gifts from an exceptionally thoughtful sender. They’re enchanted, too. Mild spells, but still useful.

My hand hovers over the kit. I think I remember the soap labels.

Arrowhead Pine: Be swift like the coursing river!
Lumenbug Amber: Make your fairy companions jealous with a soft, warm glow.
Saltrock Mist: Bulk up with a hard, skin-colored chitin to increase defense. Different colors sold separately.
Tarblood Moss: Increase fire resistance from the tar pits of another plane.
Cloud-Manta Extract: Jump higher like you’re light as a sprite, and gracefully float down without fall damage.
Clearwater Cherry: Vanish and go undetected! Or it just might help people ignore me. It’s hard to tell.

Lumenbug, that fairy could stand to get messed with more.

Less modest hemlines are merely a temporary side effect of the mutagen. Save the total makeover for a couple doses later, when it's nice and ready!
Cloud-Manta extract? Why not! You'll be putting on more height than ever! If this stuff really works.

Cloud Mana Extract: The square cube law says that your bones are prone to wearing down under the strain of your modified weight. Use this to get the proportions right.

>>984546
I agree with Cloud manta, but 203 cm is like 6'8" in freedom units. That is tall, but not unnaturally tall, and definitely not square cube law tall.

Saltrock mist.
Your body is your last line of defense and if you’re gonna be a beast of an adventurer then you might as well double down.
Also with all the useful achemical possibilities available to you, you’re probably gonna change more before long anyway.

clearwater cherry, that way we can spy on fairy and make sure she is making due on her promise.

I wonder how long these effects last...

Lady Kensington 2021/01/02(Sat)15:33 No. 984653 ID: 8483cf
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I decide to wash up with the Cloud-Manta Extract. I’m not used to my longer legs yet, and if I trip, it should ensure a soft landing.

I close the curtain around me and seal the world away. The water is piping hot but not scalding, just the way I like it. Soon the stall is my own private steaming oasis. It’s my favorite part of the day.

I don’t hurry. There’s as much water as I need. Why rush a good thing?

All too soon, I’m done with my wash. I want to spend the whole day here, but I have responsibilities. I have to check on my fairy and make sure she isn’t causing chaos. I should start brewing my potions for tomorrow.

But the walk back to my room is cold, and the shower is hot. One more round of conditioner won’t hurt…

All too soon, I’m done. I wrap myself up in my towels and step out to face cold reality.

And Raelynn is right there in front of me, wearing only a tight-wrapped towel and a tight-lipped scowl.

“Ah!” I yelp. I wasn’t ready for reality!

“Did you tell your fox spirit I was her chambermaid?” Raelynn asks.

“U-um… no?” I stammer, cluching my undersized towel to my chest. This day is already off to a bad start. “Why? What happened?”

“She wouldn’t stop pounding on my door until I helped her get dressed.”

“O-oh,” I sigh in relief. “I was expecting something worse.”

“I didn’t volunteer to play dress-up with a fox spirit first thing in the morning,” Raelynn says, irritation in her voice. “I don’t think Dotti cares about the basic rules of society if they get in the way of something she wants.”

“I-I’m sorry!” I blurt out. I should be more assertive, but this is not how I imagined my day going. “I’ll handle it!”

Raelynn raises an eyebrow, but she steps aside and lets me pass. She shakes her head.

I rush back to the room, thankfully not running into anyone in the hall. Dotti is gone.

I hurriedly brush my hair with an enchanted drying comb and put on my new adventuring clothes, worrying about my fairy and fox spirit the whole time. I’m going to need to deal with them sooner rather than later.

But how? And who is more likely to cause trouble first?

The fairy could most likely cause trouble first, but Dotti could not have gone far since she left much later than fairy. Plus fairy said she hates lying, so there could be some time before she causes trouble before you can find Dotti first.

Lets go and find Dotti. Knowing her love for food, she most likely is at the bar looking for something to eat, perhaps trying to eat crumbs or fallen food people dropped off the floor. We can approach this by providing her with breakfast, as stated in the contract.

The fox spirit, definitely. She's a troublesome one, can't trust her. Besides, getting to play dressup with her should be your privilege.

>>984653

We might need to teach Dotti to be a litte more self-sufficient.

Offer to dress Dotti next time

Lady Kensington 2021/01/10(Sun)16:40 No. 985352 ID: 8483cf
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I worry about what my charges might do while I'm not watching. My fairy knows no restraint in her free time- but she does, in her own twisted way, keep her word. She is at least somewhat predictable.

An unsupervised fox spirit is not predictable. According to my fairy, they're wild, deceitful and vicious. This is corroborated by the stories and fables I read as a child. What is Dotti's agenda? I can't leave her alone without knowing what she's up to.

I rush downstairs as soon as I'm decent and hunt for her telltale pink bow. Think, Serah, think! If you were a fox spirit, what would you want first thing in the morning? Food! Of course!

I rush into the mess hall and scan around. I spy a pink bow peeking around a rubbish bin.

Oh dear.

"Dotti!" I snap. "What are you doing?!"

I rush up and grab the chicken leg from the floor. Dotti looks at me, shock and confusion in her eyes. She looks at the bin full of wasted food longingly.

"This is not for eating!" I say, completely exasperated.

Dotti is still looking up from the floor, confused, watching the chicken leg. I toss it in the rubbish bin and slam the lid.

"You can't do things like this! People are going to look at you like an out-of-control pet!"

Dotti's eyes narrow to slits. She bares her teeth.

Uh-oh.

Get her to some proper food, stat.

She doesn't understand and thinks you're just keeping food from her. First thing's first, find some food to give her to replace what you took away.
Tell her that the trash bin is for items which no longer have worth. Townsfolk have higher standards for cleanliness and easy access to food, so consider food that has been contaminated to no longer be worth the risk of getting sick. Or even if the food has just been sitting out for too long. These higher standards are seen as a sign of civilization, so if people see her eating out of the trash, they'll think she isn't civilized.

Find Dotti a chicken leg that didn’t come from a trash can.

Remind Dotti she can't hurt you as per the contract, and if she wants to be a human, she must act like one!

Also, ask where her boots are. It is highly improper to be walking around barefoot in the messy tavern and its sticky floor. after all: no shoes, no shirts, no service!

>>985356
>Remind Dotti... if she wants to be a human, she must act like one!

(Cue a homeless human bum rummaging through the trash)

"You need to buy food from an appropriate vendor - or at least cook and clean your meals before you fox into them! Filthy, raw food is filled with diseases and parasites that will get you sick, and I refuse to pay the exorbitant bill for an illness cleanse just because you wanted bargain bin chicken!"

Pick Dotti up and get her to the nearest fast food. Buy something plain and cheap so she won't complain about the volume.

baby steps. Just take her and her chicken leg to a table.

Lady Kensington 2021/01/15(Fri)23:25 No. 985770 ID: 8483cf
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I gulp.

Dotti’s mad that I took her "breakfast.” Very mad. Mad enough that her whole body is tense and ready to attack.

I have to hope fairy magic is good for something.

“I’ll get you breakfast,” I say. “Just like our contract says.”

Dotti’s eyes glaze over for a second, and the simmering anger vanishes. She shakes her head, confused and disoriented. She lets out a soft whine.

I’m just as confused, but whatever happened, it took the wind out of her sails, thank the Savior.

“This is a rubbish bin,” I say, pointing at it. “Humans put items and food that are to be disposed of. Food in here is dangerous, and may make you ill.”

Dotti looks confused.

I sigh. “Dotti, I’m sorry if this is confusing for you. But if you want to live with humans, you have to act like us. Being around humans means obeying written and unwritten rules so we all get along. That’s what makes civilization work.”

Dotti looks forlornly at the rubbish bin.

“I’ll get you some jerky for breakfast,” I say. “Now promise me you won’t eat anything else from a rubbish bin.”

Dotti nods eagerly.

“Good,” I say, and head to the guild’s stores to grab some jerky. I grab a bag and pay its worth into the guild’s locked cash box. We use the honor system: this is isn’t a thieves’ guild!

I get back and find Dotti tearing messily into the same chicken leg I just threw away.

Apparently, there's nothing in the contract stopping her from lying. And there's technically no law in Minga against eating garbage.

I sigh.

>>985770
Keeping promises is part of civilized culture as well, Dotti.
Which is why she gets only SOME of the jerky from the bag, which you will then lock away somewhere she can't get so she can't gorge herself on it.

We need a punishment system in place to help Dotti behave herself.

How about tell her the next time she misbehaves again like breaking a promise she made, you'll have to use one of your favors in the contract to have her do a chore she might not really like, such as using your favors to clean your room,or carry any heavy luggage you acquire all by herself for example.

We could just use the favor to get her to stop eating trash, directly.

>>985771
This

Lady Kensington 2021/01/22(Fri)21:56 No. 986121 ID: 8483cf
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I cannot expect Dotti to abide by the unwritten rules of society. Even if I can use the contract to force her to abide by the law, she is free to misbehave in all sorts of other ways.

I will need to rely on other methods of leadership.

I could coax her into good behavior with rewards. I can likely fascinate a fox spirit with even the most basic of human luxuries.

Or I can rely on the stick. Dotti is bound to perform three favors for me each day. I can remind her- gently at first, harshly if necessary- that being part of society means performing unpleasant, but essential, tasks.

...But perhaps the most effective way of convincing her to behave may be to speak her native language and rely on less civilized punishments.

Are you saying you want to spank the fox? We won't stop you.

>>986121

How do you propose we speak fox??

I think we should try the "catch more flies with honey than vinegar" approach.

>>986121
You're trying to make her civilized. Punishing her in an uncivilized way is hypocritical.
But option B is good, remind her that you have a stick and aren't afraid to use it. That should keep her more in line... but IMO you should *also* use a carrot. Punish her now, then tell her if she's good for the rest of the day you'll give her a treat. That should prevent her from attempting to avoid punishment by provoking you into using all three of your favors.

Hug her. Don't stop until she behaves.

Considering the stick or carrot is important for this, but they are part of the same process. Using the stick or offering a reward work far better when you make situational use of BOTH.

Lady Kensington 2021/01/23(Sat)15:16 No. 986150 ID: 8483cf
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If I’m going to have any hope of keeping Dotti in line while I’m not directly supervising her, I need to her to behave properly of her own volition. Doing whatever she wants, whenever she wants may lead to short-term satisfaction, but Dotti will need to learn that the rewards are greater if she delays her gratification.

That means I’ll need to reward her the end of her tasks and give swift, immediate punishments to take away her rewards for deceitful or impulsive behavior. If she knows that lying and rule-breaking will lead to unhappiness, she may decide that honesty is the best policy.

Or she might get better at hiding her bad behavior. One of the two.

I watch as Dotti devours the last of the garbage chicken leg. She seems content. It’s probably a thousand times tastier than anything she’s had in the wild… but we’re in the city, not the forest. She might be a magical fox spirit, but I’m the one with all the power.

I take a deep breath. I’ve got this. I can do this. I’m in charge, and if I do what I know is right, everything will be okay.

“Dotti?” I ask sweetly. “Did you enjoy your chicken leg? The one from the bin you promised not to eat out of?”

Dotti licks her paws and ignores me.

“Promises are very important, Dotti. Promises are a big part of living with humans, elves, and any other civilized society. When you break a promise, people get mad. They won’t trust you again.”

Dotti cocks her head and looks at me quizzically, as if she’s confused I would even trust her in the first place.

“You have to earn that trust back. And it’s hard. Very hard.”

Dotti is still confused.

Suddenly, I understand.

“You might not need trust to survive outside society, but it has rewards here. Big rewards. Big, tasty rewards.” I reach for the bag of jerky and pull out a few pieces.

Dotti licks her chops.

“If people trust you,” I say, “They let you into rooms full of food, where there’s nothing but tasty treats from floor to ceiling. And there’s nobody watching you when you’re inside.”

Dotti’s eyes get as big as saucers.

“But if they don’t trust you… they lock everything up and take away the treats.” I put the jerky back in the bag and tie it closed. “Dotti, I don’t trust you. So you’re not getting these tasty, delicious treats, and I’m telling everyone to keep you away from the room they came from.”

Dotti droops, crestfallen. She lets out a soft whimper at the unthinkable cruelty.

“Not only that, as my first favor for today, I demand that you provide Raelynn exemplary room service for breakfast. This consists of cleaning up of the mess you’ve made of yourself, then fetching Raelynn whatever food she wants, not touching or eating anything while doing so, and scraping the remaining food waste into this rubbish bin when Raelynn is done. Then, and only then, will you eat your own proper breakfast, which I will provide.”

Dotti looks at the rubbish bin.

“You promised not to eat from the bin. If you keep your promises for the rest of the day, I promise in return to give you tasty treats from the secret special room. But if you don’t…” I shrug. “Maybe you should rethink whether you really want to be around humans at all.”

Dotti looks around at the slowly filling mess hall. She looks a little overwhelmed, and confused, and upset.

>>986150
>“If people trust you,” I say, “They let you into rooms full of food, where there’s nothing but tasty treats from floor to ceiling. And there’s nobody watching you when you’re inside.”
Oh dear. That's gonna backfire...

Anyway, Dotti can't communicate so you'd better tell Raelynn about the favor so she can tell Dotti what she wants.

Lady Kensington 2021/01/23(Sat)18:51 No. 986164 ID: 8483cf
File 161145666369.png - (153.91KB , 507x1086 , Untrustworthy.png )

Dotti stares at me as I pull a spill-free quill and scrap of paper from my pouch (essential for emergency communications when in the field) and write a brief message to Raelynn on it explaining that Dotti is to serve her breakfast as a test of her ability to follow societal rules.

I give the note to Dotti and smile. “I know it’s a lot to take in, but things are a lot safer here than in the wild. Just be honest, and do your best to help out. If you do that, then I’ll be there to help if you get in trouble. Okay?”

Dotti nods. She gets up, and I’m reminded that she’s barefoot. I look at the stairwell, where there’s a pair of unlaced pink boots.

“Are those your boots over there?” I ask. “Do you know how to tie them up?”

Dotti shakes her head. She tugs on her bow nervously.

“That’s okay. I’ll show you how today, and then we can spend some time practicing later.”

Dotti slips her boots on and I tie them up for her. She gives a happy tip-tap of her boots and smiles, then heads upstairs.

I sigh. Hopefully Dotti learns the value of honesty and basic manners.

Now I have a choice. I can either check in on my fairy, or start brewing potions and elixirs. The best ones take longer, so if I want to make the trickiest ones in my book, I’ll have to start now. But if I do that, my fairy might cause untold chaos. Somehow.

>>986164
The fairy's been relatively well behaved so far, if a bit bad at giving advice. Show her some trust and make some good potions.

Find your worthless good for nothing industrious challenged fairy. She is most likely telling the truth and using her magic until she is all magic'd out, but who knows HOW she is practicing her magic

Potions. I think the fairy is partied out and needs to recover her mana before starting additional fires.

>>986164
The fairy may be irresponsible, but she isn't an idiot (or in Dotti's case, obscenely ignorant). She understands the situation and, while she may be struggling with her own demons, deep down she does seem to care.

Go make potions. See if you can learn more about mutagens so you can actually reap the rewards they offer.

Lady Kensington 2021/01/24(Sun)14:08 No. 986206 ID: 8483cf
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I tell this morning's volunteer chef at the mess hall to serve Dotti her breakfast once she's done serving Raelynn, then head to the alchemist's lab.

Because I’ve decided to start early, I have access to my full repertoire.

Right now, I have the following:

ACTIVE MUTAGEN: Jotund’s Might (Basic): Makes me bigger, faster, stronger, and grants resistance to cold.

Consumables:
- Ice Bomb x2
- Fire Bomb x1
- Minor Healing Potion x1
- Smoke Bomb
- Elixir of Strength
- Failed Potion of Invisibility. I should throw it out.

Bombs: Explosive projectiles stored securely until use. Cause friendly fire and collateral damage.

Oils: Temporary buffs applied to weapons, armor or other items used in combat. Harmful when used on living tissue, but can be applied extremely carefully to things like fangs or claws.

Mutagens: Concoctions that alter my body. The effects can only be undone through an unpleasant, day-long cleansing process. I will never use these again. Never ever.

Potions, Elixirs, and Greater
Potions, Elixirs, Philtres, and Infusions are all magical liquids containing spells meant to be imbibed. The differences are in how the spell is stored within the liquid. Rule of thumb is that potions are easiest to prepare, followed by elixirs, then philtres, with infusions being the most difficult to prepare and store.

Since potions, elixirs, etc. are a broad category, their effects are many and varied.

Spell Distillations and Concentrates
One of the highest arts of alchemists specializing in potions and elixirs. Distillations are the essence of a spell, contained within a storage medium, usually a flask or vial, ready to be cast upon release. Concentrates are the same thing, but concentrated even further to produce an even more powerful effect.

A skilled alchemist can duplicate almost any spell, from arcane to divine, but will need to learn the inner workings of the spell first, usually via research from a well-stocked library or direct tutelage from a wizard or cleric.


Bombs:
- Flashbang: Blinds and disorients all in radius. Do NOT let my fairy know I can make these.
- Elemental Bomb: Fire, Ice, Wind, Earth/Shrapnel. For when things just have to go boom.
- Smoke Bomb: Great for cover and concealment. Ninjas are so cool!
- Sticky Bomb: Literally a sticky bomb.
- Sticky Bomb: Bomb that makes things sticky in a 10-foot radius.
- Gravity Bomb: I haven’t been able to make it work yet.
- Solvent Bomb: Dissolves armor of target. Requires direct hit to work.

Oils:
- Coating of Flame: Coats weapon in white-hot flame. Effectiveness decreases over time.
- Oil of Sharpness: Magical sharpy sharp
- Oil of Hardness: Magical hardy hard
- Holy Oil: burn zambie burnnnnn
- Oil of Magical Rebound: someday I might be able to make this one work. Grrr

Potions, Elixirs, Etc.:
- Healing: Never leave home without some. Absolutely essential.
- Swift Stride: discretion is the better part of valor!
- Invisibility: I haven’t managed to successfully make one of these yet.
- Strength: rar I so stronk
- Mage Armor: Invisible force field to deflect attacks. Great for mobility, but the force field doesn’t extend beyond my skin.
- Dragon’s Breath: omg so cool
- Resist [specific] Element: boring but effective.
- Etherealness: Exceptionally difficult to brew. Makes physical attacks go right through me for a bit. Haven’t managed to successfully make it yet.
- Water Breathing: remember to pack for vacay to swim with fishies
- See Invisibility: because boys always try to sneak into the baths
- Darkvision: imma kitty kat mew mew mew

Distillations and Concentrates:: All are difficult to make for me right now.
- Magic Missile: my first distillation <3<3<3<3 Grants me the ability to shoot arcane projectiles at will for 60 seconds.
- Control [specific] Element: Grants manipulation of fire, water, earth or air for three hours.
- Telekinesis: Limited telekinesis for one hour.
- Hold Person: I’m not sure how long it will last, but I can guide the spell to ensnare one target.
- Counterspell: Exceptionally difficult to make, but exceptionally useful.


I can make two potions, two eilxirs(stronger potions), three bombs, one oil, and one distillation. What should I brew?

Mutagens may not stack well, but if you can brew a better version of your current one, don't settle for subpar alchemy.
You should keep trying those experimental brews every day. For now, let's try:
-Gravity bomb, flashbang, and a solvent bomb.
-Oil of Hardness
-Control Earth
-strength elixir, healing elixir
-Ethereal potion, dragon's breath potion

Potions:
- practice again with getting invisibility to work, study your failed invisibility potion to learn from your mistakes before throwing it out. Compare it with the Clearwater Cherry soap for any kinds of similarities or diferences.
- Etherealness

elixer:
- healing
- Darkvision (for spelunking)

bomb:
- practice making a gravity bomb
- Solvent Bomb
- wind bomb

oil
Coating of Flame

Distillations
Control wind

Potions
-Strength
-Mage Armor
Elixirs
-Healing
-Healing
Bombs
-Shrapnel
-Sticky (A)
-Solvent
Distillation
-Telekinesis

>>986206
Hey, there's only enough room on this board for ONE blonde with telekinesis!

-Solvent Bomb, Flashbang, and Fire Bomb
-Coating of Flame
-2 Healing potions
-Counterspell distillation (great for shutting down pesky wizards)

>>986206
>I can make two potions, two eilxirs(stronger potions), three bombs, one oil, and one distillation. What should I brew?
Potions:
1 healing
1 strength
elixirs:
1 healing
1 mage armor
bombs:
1 smoke
1 ice
1 sticky bomb (the one that does damage)
NOTE TO SELF: rename the 10-foot sticky bomb to "glue bomb".
oil:
fire oil
distillation:
magic missile.

Bombs: Sticky, Solvent, Gravity. You have a few spare bombs so try out some utility ones and see if you can get the gravity formula down.
Oils: Holy Oil. Most of your other options aren't great against the undead so this is a nice to have.
Potions: Healing, Mage Armour. Better to have it and not need it for healing, and prevention is better than the cure.
Elixirs: Dragon's Breath, Swift Stride. Both very handy in a pinch!
Distillations: Magic Missile. Pew pew lasers are great.

Don't write off mutagens.

Don't make any more right now either.

What you need to do is read more literature on how mutagens behave and the effects they can have. Once you are confident that you have a good enough grasp on their natures and inter-workings, we should try them again. Plus, knowledge is good and you never know when you might need it.

As for actual practical alchemy, why not check out the failed potion. See why it failed and, since it doesn't make people invisible, see if it [i1does[/i] do anything.

Also, you need a lab rat, like an actual lab rat. Trying potions on yourself that may or may not work is a very bad idea that could end in disaster, not to mention more trauma. Trauma that could ruin other branches of alchemy for you, just like the mutagens.
If you don't like harming animals, you could look into seeing if there exists a type of artificial non-sentient stand-in such as a type of homunculus or human-anatomical golem. Honestly though, lab rats are easier and ethically speaking, it is probably one of the least bad options.

>>986342
Use fairy as a lab rat.

>>986349
That's kind of awful, especially when she went and took the mutagen herself after she messed up.

No sapients as test subjects.

Lady Kensington 2021/01/30(Sat)21:05 No. 986581 ID: 8483cf
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If I go searching for reagents to transmute silver to gold, I will need to prepare for sudden, unexpected combat if I’m ambushed. If I decide to go spelunking in the nearby ruins, I will need to prepare to fight my way through whatever defenses have managed to scare off local adventurers, or local monsters that have taken to hoarding lost treasure. Both will involve combat. Healing and defenses are essential.

If I go spelunking, I can likely rely on my fairy for light; I don’t currently need darkvision. Likewise, I can probably use my bombs in place of Dragon’s Breath potions; there’s nothing local that will need white-hot dragonfire to destroy, or else my father would have heard about it. Finally, my mutagen seems to have increased my speed. I can probably outpace most of my foes if I sprint, with no pressing need for Swift Stride.

After yesterday’s events, I’m nervous about trying new potions on myself. I’m better off not trying to make the invisibility potion right now, without a way to test it. I could ask my fairy to help; if her boasts are true, she has an impossibly strong tolerance for all kinds of concoctions that should logically kill her. However, her biology is significantly more magical than a human’s, and there’s no guarantee what affects her will affect me in the same way. Still, the mutagen mix she drank was specifically calibrated for my essence, not hers; mutagens are tailor-made for the alchemist who makes them.

If my fairy consents, she may be the safest and most ethical option to test new potions on, as well as my failed invisibility potion. She will not be able to help with mutagens, which is fine, as I will never make them again. Never ever.

Bombs: Solvent, Flashbang, Gravity (experimental)
Potions: Healing, Strength
Elixirs: Healing, Mage Armor
Oil: Coating of Flame
Dilstillation: Magic Missile <3

I get to work on the items I know how to make, then get to the gravity bomb. I have enough shadow and earth essence to make it work, but volatilizing them together in a bomb calorimeter to ensure the right energy level is a difficult process. My notes are bad, and I don’t have any textbooks or teachers to help.

Every other time I’ve mixed them, I’ve either overcompressed or undercompressed the essences, and the whole thing just fizzles after an hour or so. There’s no way to tell how close I am to a workable, stable bomb core, and it’s really getting to me.

I load the calorimeter and close the lid. My brow is sweaty. I’m perfectly safe, but that’s not what worries me.

I have no idea how to do this.

I should quit. Make a different bomb. Try something I know will work, and give myself the guaranteed bomb for tomorrow’s adventure, instead of failing and feeling horrible.

I should give up while I have the chance.

You've made all these other successful brews! You're talking nonsense. Tweak your parameters, get a feel for the compression. Mix that bomb and let's go spelunking.

Instead of giving up, why not take a short break to at least calm your nerves a bit especially since you're sweating from stress. And during this break, why not ask for some help from an adventurer in the mess hall who might know a thing or two about alchemy? Don't feel ashamed to ask for help, you gotta start somewhere after all.

>>986581
>I’ve either overcompressed or undercompressed the essences
Do you know when you've done either of those? Knowing what range in between is correct would be useful.

>notes are bad
Make better notes then! Get started on that now. Write down how much you're compressing it this time, and then record the result.

>give up?
No. You must allow yourself the chance to fail, otherwise you cannot improve. An important part of the process is failing, and remembering those failures so you don't make the same mistakes again.
A better knowledge base would be nice though, can you get some books from somewhere?

Lady Kensington 2021/01/30(Sat)22:09 No. 986589 ID: 8483cf
File 161207336867.png - (44.91KB , 369x385 , Failurefeelsbad.png )

But what if failure feels really really bad?

>>986589
Then get mad at the failure and channel that spite into getting it right. And mutagen creating. Now that, you should test on the fairy. I'm sure you'll find them eagerly agreeing to it.

>>986589
Dang sorry I didn't know your name was Lady Wussington.

Is there a way to experiment with the process without using up so many ingredients? Like, maybe, set up several canisters with smaller loads that mimic the same conditions, so you can nail down what you need to do with a proper bomb?

>>986589

Failure is our greatest teacher.

Don't give up! Failing only feels bad for a little while, but accomplishment feels good for a long time.

If you can't get a good feel for the compression level you need a better way of monitoring it, or to adjust the process to make it regulate itself. Can you add a dye that'll change colour based on compression level of the bomb core?

Then use your big giant brain and find a way to make failure just sort-of-bad! You don't have to take grand risks all the time, especially when you're in a civilized base and have youth and resources to figure this out!

Lady Kensington 2021/01/30(Sat)23:38 No. 986596 ID: 8483cf
File 161207868008.png - (76.96KB , 370x568 , thisisallsomuchtoconsider.png )

Maybe I should just reconsider this whole idea, what was I thinking? I have no good good resources on this subject and really a gravity bomb is just too much to expect at my level and there aren't any alchemists at the guild right now and this is all so much to take in and it's really important that I be at my best tomorrow so maybe I should just reconsider everything and let someone else more experienced handle things please???

BOMB. THE GRAVITY.
ALL HAIL LORD SINGULOTH!

>>986596

Then just make everything else, silly.

You have plenty of other bombs but you don't have a gravity bomb so try the gravity bomb again.

But...
If your that much afraid of failure over making a bomb with the outcome is just it being a dud, then... how are you going to make it as an adventurer where failure is much worse like if you lett down your teammates over a dumb decision and have them abandon you, or if failure could get you killed by a dangerous monster in one of your adventures because you made a mistake or weren't good enough??? OH NO!

hug Dotti to feel better

>>986596
Ok fine. Make some other bomb until you can research things.

Definitely hug Dotti to feel better

It's a gravity bomb so... weight it? Hang the bomb calorimeter from one side of a set of scales, and balance it to equilibrium. If it starts getting noticeably heavier (or lighter?) then you know you're approaching the correct mix.

>>986596
Honestly, you have two routes. You can push through it and maybe fail, which is probably a good choice if you want to work on your character, or you can give up for now and just learn more about the different subjects until you are comfortable working with them (if you pick this one, turn the heat off, run out of the room, and scream that there is a bomb and for everyone to get out. You don't want casualties).
Honestly, you lack confidence and you really need to work on that. Learning will definitely help you feel confident in your knowledge.

--

Mutagens may be tuned on an individual basis, however there will still be generalized rules for how what will work with who and why.

Lady Kensington 2021/02/03(Wed)20:52 No. 986895 ID: 8483cf
File 161241436074.png - (360.75KB , 938x1203 , Emergencyhug.png )

I knew I wasn't good enough for a gravity bomb. I'll just make a sticky bomb! I don't care which kind!

I hurriedly dump the earth and shadow essences out of the bomb calorimeter and into a neutralizing bath of solvent. Phew! Crisis averted!

I immediately regret my decision. I've just completely wasted two gold pieces' worth of reagents.

Oh, why did I do that?!?! I need all the money I can get! I can't waste anything! I'm such an idiot! I didn't learn anything from that! I can't even fail properly!

I'm such a screw-up. I can't get anything right! I'm going to fail at adventuring, too! I'm going to freeze up and fail right in the middle of tomorrow's adventure, and Raelynn and Dotti and my fairy are all going to leave my party, or worse!

I can't handle this kind of pressure! I want to go home! I want to drown myself in my big soft bed and stuffed animals!

Wait. I have something better right here!

I burst out of the lab and, as luck would have it, spy Dotti down the hall, carrying Raelynn's dirty breakfast bowls from her room to the mess hall.

"DottiIneedhugspleasebeforemypotionsblowup!"

The wooden bowls clatter to the floor as I sweep her off her feet and hug her tight. She lets out an high-pitched noise somewhere between a squeal and a shriek.

I sigh contentedly and squeeze her tight. She's so fluffy I forget she just got done eating trash.

Do you remember what you said about the carrot and the stick?

Me neither, more hugs.

Keep hugging Dotti until people start looking at you weird

Also realize that you may have used up another favor by asking Dotti to let you hug her. Get anxious over that as well and hope that Dotti isn't smart enough to count this as a favor.

Keep hugging until Dotti reciprocates or gets angry

Get Dotti some perfume to cover up the smell of garbage.

Lady Kensington 2021/02/06(Sat)13:37 No. 987106 ID: 8483cf
File 161264747773.png - (253.42KB , 989x1131 , DottiHug2.png )

I keep hugging my soft, slightly stinky stress solution.

Then I realize I’m tall, and Dotti is short. Her feet are dangling off the floor as I keep hugging her. This can’t be fun for her. She’s going to be so mad at me for ambushing her like this!

“I’m sorry!” I set her down quickly. “I’m so sorry! I just needed a hug so badly, and-“

Dotti turns around and nuzzles against me.

I sigh in relief and return the hug.

“I suppose we’ve both had trouble these last few days, haven’t we?”

Dotti nods, though her face is still pressed into my corset. I’ve probably got trash slime on me. I don’t care.

“I suppose this counts as my second favor for the day,” I sigh.

Dotti leans back a little and looks at me, confused.

“I ambushed you and demanded hugs. You probably didn’t like that.”

Dotti looks at me like I’ve gone crazy.

“All right, then. Forget I said anything.”

Dotti nuzzles me again.

Maybe I should reassess my opinion of her.

I should also probably get back and check on my potions, but they can wait a few more minutes. If I want, I can spend more time with Dotti, or I can check on Raelynn. I probably don’t have enough time to track down my fairy yet, unless she’s causing some kind of highly-visible havoc.

Eh, the potions can wait. check up on Rae, and see if she appreciates Dotti cleanup work.

spend more time with dotti, get that attention you so rightfully deserve, oh and hugs, maybe come to some understanding with a hugs based currency system

Really shouldn't leave those potions alone, with how much you worry over them... Take Dotti with you to see them!

Lady Kensington 2021/02/13(Sat)11:48 No. 987929 ID: 8483cf
File 161324573086.png - (225.98KB , 808x1121 , Jumpscare.png )

I decide to spend more time with Dotti. The potions and bombs are fine on their own for a few minutes, but I need hugs now.

Suddenly there's an angry, shocked shout.

"Lady Kensington! What's that heart-eater doing here?! Kill it! Quickly!"

I let out a yelp. Dotti jumps into my arms.

Who's threatening my emotional support Dotti?

It is your strict butler/servant back from home. He was sent looking for you after you left to take care of you. He's a bit over protective, not all that smart, but will serve Serah.

Also, he is a kobold.

It's the ghost of a skeleton that is bound to the Kensington family and is used to deliver important messages and otherwise be a general dogsbody.

I forget his name

It’s your personal butler/knight. He’s a dwarf with a wicked beard

>>987933
This. And he’s been worried sick about you ever since you left home!

Your sporty fighter rival from a fellow noble house, who until yesterday was the taller one and loved to lord it over you. Well, who's looking down their nose now, lady Angelica?

Lady Kensington 2021/02/13(Sat)14:15 No. 987942 ID: 8483cf
File 161325452746.png - (80.39KB , 500x500 , Butlerface.png )

It's a floating, disembodied phantom skull with glowing green eyes.

Oh no.

"Quickly, Lady Kensington! Dispose of this foul spirit! Before she consumes you!"

"I'm not murdering Dotti! She's soft and nice and-"

"My fears have been realized! She has already stolen my Lady's heart!" The skull bobs and weaves in midair.

"No! You're wrong! She's out of magic, she's harmless!" I squeeze Dotti tighter, and she whines nervously. "T-this isn't what it looks like! She's bound to serve me, just like you are!"

"She has bewitched you!" the skull rattles. "A fox spirit could never serve so faithfully as I! I, who have waited on your family for generations! Generations who have never left home in such a state! Your departure has worried me so for your safety, and now that I have found you at last, I see my fears were well founded! Lady Kensington, if you can hear me from your mind's prison, never fear! I will inform your father at once and save you from this terrible fate!"

"No! Don't tell Daddy!" I try and fail to fight back my panic. He can't drag me back! Not now!

I have to do something to keep my dogsbody from leaving!

Uhhh he’s just a skull right? Grab him and stuff him into a bag

>>987942
If he's bound to serve you, then order him to stay.

Alternatively, you could prove Dotti is serving you by getting her to do something ridiculous as a Favor. Like do a silly dance or something.

Stuff him in your bag! Don't let him escape.

He's a servant with a contract and supernatural biomechanics, use a trigger phrase to shut him down.

Lady Kensington 2021/02/26(Fri)18:40 No. 989253 ID: 8483cf
File 161439363961.png - (170.20KB , 821x889 , Tagitnbagit.png )

Oh no! Daddy never gave me the special command words for the skull servant- he must have been planning for this moment where my family's long-serving servant flies straight back to Kensington Keep and tells Daddy exactly where I am and locks me up and makes me marry whatever ugly old man is politically convenient but isn't offended by a Lady with a very strong background in alchemy!

"No!" I cry out. I grab him with my Jotund-enhanced strength and jam him into my most secure portable alchemical bag. "Getinthebag! Nownownow!"

"I say!" my servant says as he is bagged. "Why, this is violence!"

I seal him inside the bag. Crisis averted!

Dotti looks at me like I've gone crazy.

"I'm not crazy!" I say. "I just needed to solve a problem. This is a perfectly normal method of solving problems, Dotti. Shove it deep down and hope it never comes up again."

Dotti frowns.

Well, what does she know? She's a fox spirit who doesn't know anything! She hasn't had to deal with the threat of impending marriage! Foxes can't get married! That's illegal!

I should really get back to my potions. That and order Dotti to do something so she stops looking at me with that judging expression.

Ask Dotti to help check your potions and notify you if one of them starts doing something strange.

Decide to talk to Dotti and tell her about marriage and love and conveniently leave out the fact that foxes can’t get married.

>>989253
Talk to the skull while he's in the bag. No reason to wait. You're all potioned out for now anyway!

order dotti to marry you

foxes CAN get married, marry Dotti!

Lady Kensington 2021/02/26(Fri)20:25 No. 989275 ID: 8483cf
File 161439995613.png - (80.48KB , 475x507 , Whatislove.png )

“Okay, Dotti,” I say, pretending that everything is normal, like a good leader should. “You haven’t had breakfast except for that trash chicken, so good nutrition is important.” I pick up the discarded bowls and give them to her. “There’s food waiting for you in the mess now that you’ve helped Raelynn with hers, just like I promised. It’s good to keep your promises. It shows honor and virtu-“

“HONOR AND VIRTUE! QUITE RIGHT!” roars a voice from my bag.

I jump a foot in the air and drop the bowls. Dotti makes a high-pitched laugh like a particularly amused squeak toy.

“THE ACOUSTICS OF THIS BAG ARE AMPLE INDEED!”

“Oh, no…” I put a hand to my head. I should give my skull servant to my fairy, so she can keep him in her space-time inventory and shut him up. “Please be quiet…”

“I shall not cease my service!” my skull servant says. “My Lady, hear me out! Release me and I shall be free to free you from this heartless heart-eater’s spell, and you will be free to choose a suitor!”

“No! No suitors!” I slap my bag. “I told Daddy this a thousand times!”

“The decision is no longer yours!” the bag declares. “If I do not return, Count Kensington will surely give your many suitors permission to begin their own searches for your hand, free of his control at court! They will surely come calling at your door and present themselves with great aplomb! Ah, courtship! Such a fine tradition!”

“Released to… hunt me down?” I blink. “Like a common game pheasant?”

“Quite undignified! It is better you return and choose a husband in a more dignified manner. And free of this evil fox spirit’s influence! You must let love take its course naturally, and marry the best and finest man to carry on your house and care for your offspring, who I shall serve in turn!”

Dotti cocks her head.

“Love and marriage are society’s highest and noblest goals!” my bag pipes. “How could you flee from such a beautiful institution?”

“Bleh!” I stick out my tongue. “Spare me your lectures on love and marriage! Marriage is a way for old men to dole out estates and make alliances, not some glorious quest for love!”

“Just what one possessed by a fox spirit would say!” declares my servant. “The devils have no concept of such selfless acts and sacred institutions! Love is foreign to such beasts!”

“Stop saying Dotti is possessing me!!!” I groan. “You don’t know anything about fox spirits, or Dotti!”

Dotti tugs on my sleeve.

“What is it? Do you want your food now?”

Oh.

Hug Dotti. Again.

Better tell Dotti what the concept of love is.

Explain to Dotti what love is through hugs and kisses

Also, if she is interested in love after explaining what it is, tell her you'll give her lots of it if she behaves herself.

Dotti wants to know about love, use a food analogy, something about how she wants to be with these drumsticks for the rest of her life but instead a piece of celery won’t let go of you and you can’t get that drumstick you really want. That’s an arranged marriage.

>>989275
BABY DON'T HURT ME

Tell her there's two kinds of love, familial and romantic. Familial love is like, good feelings and loyalty towards your family members. Romantic love is when you want to be with someone all the time and are willing to overlook their flaws to do that. Finally, marriage is when two people undergo a ceremony and then are expected to stay together as if they were in romantic love, and have children. It's also an exclusive arrangement, you're not allowed to behave as if you're in romantic love with anyone else.
Courting is when someone tries to give you things and treat you nicely to see if they can get you to love and marry them.

Tell the skull you will accept being courted, as the better option. If it's not an arranged marriage you can just turn them down. MAYBE one of them will be likeable enough.

Lady Kensington 2021/02/26(Fri)23:13 No. 989291 ID: 8483cf
File 161441001647.png - (134.21KB , 727x658 , DottiHug3.png )

How do I explain love?

Do I really want to?

Dotti lets go of my sleeve. She doesn’t seem terribly interested. Maybe I should just let it go.

But what if she really doesn’t understand what it means to be loved? If that’s true, then… I don’t even want to think how horrible it would be to live like that.

I hug her. Tight. Dotti slips between my arms and sighs contentedly.

She likes hugs. No matter how good a liar she is, I know in my heart she’s not lying about that.

“Love is… well, it’s like hugging,” I say. “Love is hugs and chicken.

“Love is wanting to be close to someone for the rest of your life, and they want to be close to you too. And you share your hopes and dreams and help each other make them a reality, like if you wanted a trash chicken and I helped hunting all over the city to help you find it. But just being close to each other feels as good as having a thousand trash chickens.”

Dotti nuzzles me close.

“That’s not love,” my skull-servant says. “There is far more exchange of property involved.”

“…And then,” I say, “If you wanted a chicken, but got a celery instead, and that celery is old and mushy but you can’t get rid of it, that’s what’s called an arranged marriage and it’s an abomination.”

I let Dotti go. Dotti smiles, but she doesn’t seem to be at ease.

Is my skull-servant right? Does Dotti really not have any idea what selfless compassion is?

…And what’s his name, anyway?

In life, he was Malazar the Mad, scourge of the southern seaboard. In undeath, however, his name is Mr. Jeebs.

In life he was ARCHIBALD because he was balding at age 7 and the name stuck.

Now he's ARCHIBEARD because of his cool beard.

>>989293
>>989292
Archibeard Jeebs II

>>989291
I mean you can just ask her if she's ever wanted to do something nice for someone, without wanting anything in return.

Then ask the skull the same question.

Lady Kensington 2021/02/27(Sat)19:45 No. 989391 ID: 8483cf
File 161448390935.png - (138.15KB , 592x746 , LF Favor 2.png )

“Dotti? Can you answer me this one question before you get your food?”

Dotti nods.

“Have you ever wanted to do something that helped someone else for no reason at all, even though you wouldn’t get anything in return? Even if it hurt you a little to do it?”

Dotti stares at me.

“Um… has anyone ever helped you like that?”

Dotti’s eyes are blank for a moment, but then she squints. Her ears fold down.

She touches one paw to her bow.

“HER SILENCE IS DEAFENING!” my skull-servant shrieks. “She is as heartless as-“

“Shut up, Archibeard!”

Ah, yes. Telling Archie to shut up jogs old memories. Archibald Jeebs (formerly Malazar the Mad), or Archibeard as I called him as a child, used to be a pirate long, long ago. Then he was sentenced to serve my ancestors until his sentence was up- which turned out to be far more than would fit in one lifetime.

My ancestors weren’t very nice people, but neither was Malazar.

“Dotti, just go get your breakfast. I have to check on my potions and start some new bombs.”

“Bombs!” Archie protests. “How unladylike! You should be making potions! Potions of love and fancy!”

This is going to be a long day.

-----

I grab a snack for myself and finish my work. It’s late in the afternoon by this point, but I’ve completed my preparations for any battles tomorrow. I wipe the sweat from my brow and leave the lab, mentally exhausted dealing with Jeebs’ constant admonitions.

The guild has filled up with adventurers shacking up for the night, and a horrible thought occurs. The new batch of adventurers will see Dotti and almost surely think she’s a threat. Given what happened yesterday- when practically the whole guild joined forces to corner her- I’m very, very worried about what might happen.

“Dotti? Dotti! Where are you?!”

I feel a tug on my sleeve and spin around. It’s Dotti! How convenient and not at all suspiciously well-timed!

“Thank goodness you’re safe!” I breathe a sigh of relief. “I was worried that someone might try to… you know.”

Dotti raises an eyebrow. She bares her teeth and slices a paw across her throat, then licks her chops.

“Yes. That.”

Dotti rolls her eyes.

“Don’t be so cavalier! I was worried about you!” I say. “Wait- what are you carrying? What have you been doing all this time, anyway?”

Dotti holds up a sign.

“Oh dear.”

She looks left, looks right, and holds up the sign again.

“Did my fairy tell you to search for this?”

Dotti nods.

“Of course she did.” I sigh. “All right, let’s grab some wine so you can fulfill your favor. Where is she?”

Lady Kensington 2021/02/27(Sat)19:45 No. 989392 ID: 8483cf
File 161448392230.png - (32.75KB , 372x410 , Highly_Scientific_Notes.png )

We borrow a bottle of cheap rosé from the guild stores, then Dotti takes me to a storage shack behind the main building.

And it is trashed.

There are spent arrows sticking from the rafters. Shredded, empty grain sacks lie strews across the floor. Scribbled, illegible bits of parchment are strewn atop wood crates. Bruised and splattered apples are piled in three closely packed heaps.

I look for the telltale blue glow in the darkening shack and see not a flicker. My fairy is nowhere to be found.

I pick up the only legible piece of parchment. It reads:

-Aimbot
-Razzle Dazzle Disco Attack
-Portal
-Reflect
-Rewind
-Sparkle Sparkly Weapon and Sexy Dress Buff (which is also Armor)
-How to Make Friends and Influence Djinn
-Do As I Say, Not As You Do
-Om nom infinite food buff
-Fate is My Bitch
-Empathic Senses
-Stop! Arrow Time

Of the twelve spells(?), four are crossed out, four are underlined, and four have question marks.

Which are which, and why are they crossed out/underlined/question marked?

-Aimbot???
-Razzle Dazzle Disco Attack
-Portal
-Reflect???
-Rewind???
-Sparkle Sparkly Weapon and Sexy Dress Buff (which is also Armor)
-How to Make Friends and Influence Djinn
-Do As I Say, Not As You Do
-Om nom infinite food buff
-Fate is My Bitch???
-Empathic Senses
-Stop! Arrow Time

Sounds like lazy fairy is thinking of spells to invent/teach you? Or the guardian you assigned to her? Sounds good, but where did they go? Probably the bar once they got tired of experimenting.

-Aimbot ???
-Razzle Dazzle Disco Attack
-Portal ???
-Reflect
-Rewind ???
-Sparkle Sparkly Weapon and Sexy Dress Buff (which is also Armor)
-How to Make Friends and Influence Djinn
-Do As I Say, Not As You Do
-Om nom infinite food buff
-Fate is My Bitch ???
-Empathic Senses
-Stop! Arrow Time

New Spells maybe? Some of them have some dumb names though. Like who would ever use Sparkle Sparkly Weapon and sexy dress buff?

Underlined

- Sparkle Sparkly Weapon and Sexy Dress Buff (which is also Armor) (PERFECT FOR PARTIES AND LOOKING COOL!)

- Razzle Dazzle Disco Attack (LOOK SO COOL AND SEXY WITH YOUR DANCE MOVES WHILE YOU ATTACK! YES!!!!)

- Do As I Say, Not As You Do (I'm such a good influence after all!)

- Rewind (Go back and erase any mistakes I make that make Serah mad at me and love me forever more than Dotti!

Crossed out

-Om nom infinite food buff (Unhealthy, could lead to overeating and obesity. Gotta watch our figure)

- Empathic Senses (Guilt will only hold us back!)

- How to Make Friends and Influence Djinn (I'M THE ONLY FRIEND SERAH NEEDS! And I'm already better than any ol' ancient Djinn! I'm the best in fact!)

- Stop! Arrow Time (NEVER AGAIN! THE PAIN!!!! My poor wings!)

?

- Aimbot (What is a bot?)

- portal (portal could lead us somewhere dangerous)

- Fate is My Bitch (I don't believe in destiny, maybe useless? worth studying more)

- Reflect (Don't we already have a mirror to look at how pretty we are? Might need to learn it if we do not)

>>989391
>Pirate who hates bombs
I can see why he got caught.

Crossed Out:
Aimbot [{Increases Attack(Accuracy) of all actions}, {For some reason this spell points all offensive actions towards allied party, unacceptable}]
Razzle Dazzle Disco Attack [{Summons Disco Ball causing all enemies to dance uncontrollably, enemies may attack but only during specific time frames}, {This also causes allies to dance uncontrollably, and causes enemies to gain Damage and Attack Boost during turns which they are allowed to attack}]
How to Make Friends and Influence Djinn [{Buffs Charisma by 4, with an additional +2 to Charm saves}, {total failure, decreases Charisma}]
Stop! Arrow Time [{Causes temporary Time Stop, then conjures multiple magic armor-piercing arrows to target enemies},{All arrows puncture through user first}]

Underlined:
Portal [{Creates a 2-dimensional wormhole between two points in spacetime}, {Currently too tiny to pass through but capable of casting through walls or across long distances, great multi-utility, not much temporal leeway}]
Rewind [{Caster focuses on target, who obtains precognitive knowledge of potential future events by experiencing them in real-time}, {Extremely useful for risk-reward decisions}]
Om nom infinite food buff [{Causes target body to function as if it has finished digesting a complete and balanced breakfast, spell lasts for hours, target will be malnourished when the spell ends}, {Will keep a target alive for a long time, only drawback is that it must be cast periodically even after consuming normal food}]
Fate is My Bitch [{Causes one critical failure of the user's choosing to become a regular failure, spell lasts for whole day, can only be cast once a week and temporarily consumes spell slot}, {Extremely useful spell, can effectively save user's life at the low cost of one less spell slot}]

Question Mark
Do As I Say, Not As You Do [{Can order target to perform an action it has frequently performed but under specific context of caster's choosing}, {Unable to tell probability of spell working, needs research and mods}]
Reflect [{Causes Magical Spells to change velocity based on initial velocity and point of contact with user},{It works on low-grade spells but the rebound does not home in on original caster, need to find a way to make this target based on ID}]
Sparkle Sparkly Weapon and Sexy Dress Buff [{Conjures Holy Weapon and Holy Armor}, {For some weird reason both the user and the enemy party lose their sanity in the presence of these objects, no idea if that is useful or suicidal}]
Empathic Senses [{Allows User to experience senses of a target}, {Does not appear to function but targets begin to cry profusely and act drunk for some reason, possibly useful but will aggro the whole area}]

Also, consider the reason you can't see a shining light is because Fairy may have done what you said, and trained until she was drained of all her magic, including losing her shiny fairy glow.

>>989392
(comments are LF's thoughts on them)
underlined
-Razzle Dazzle Disco Attack
Heck yeah laser beams!!!
-Sparkle Sparkly Weapon and Sexy Dress Buff (which is also Armor)
Looking cool!
-Rewind
Finally, I can undo my mistakes! Only like 5 seconds though, gotta react fast.
-Portal
It's big enough for me to go through, and probably big enough to throw bombs through!

crossed
-Stop! Arrow Time
Fires a few arrows in random directions. Useless.
-Fate is My Bitch
I don't believe in fate!
-Empathic Senses
The range on this is... high. I now know things I wish I didn't. Also, gave me a headache.
-Om nom infinite food buff
Only summons apples, half are spoiled.

???
-Aimbot
What the heck this doesn't work at all? Or do I need a live target?
-How to Make Friends and Influence Djinn
Couldn't test by myself.
-Do As I Say, Not As You Do
Couldn't test! Argh!
-Reflect
Couldn't test, is supposed to reflect attacks.

>>989393
I'm all on board with this list

Lady Kensington 2021/02/27(Sat)21:44 No. 989415 ID: 8483cf
File 161449106197.png - (91.72KB , 496x670 , Whereuat.png )

Suggestions for Lazy Fairy’s spell list will be accepted until next update.

This definitely looks like a spell list- and if all the sparkles and references to space-time are any clue, this is what my fairy thinks she herself might be able to cast.

“Are you sure she’s here?” I ask Dotti. Dotti sniffs the air and nods. Yes, she’s sure.

“Um… fairy?” I call out. I know fairies don’t like to give out their names, but it’s still awkward to say out loud. “Can I at least call you by a nickname or something?”

There’s no response.

“Dotti says you’re here, so please let me know if you are? I’m… starting to worry a little.”

“Yeah, yeah! I’m here!” a tiny voice calls back from the rafter. “Just leave the booze and go!”

I take a moment to process what I’ve just heard. Did my social butterfly of a fairy just tell me to leave her alone?

“Are you okay up there?”

“I’m fine! Just leave me be!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes I’m sure!”

I finally manage put two and two together. “…Are you telling me to leave because you used up all your magic? Are you going to be okay if you can’t fly down from up there?”

There’s silence, then a soft flutter of wings from the rafters. “I’m, like, fine, okay?! Just leave the wine! I’ll come down soon enough!”

On one hand, my fairy is very sensitive about her glowyness, and apparently it’s scandalous for fairies to go dim. On the other hand, she can’t lie, but I’m not sure if she’s telling the whole truth about being “fine”.

I should also probably think of a way to call for her other than “my fairy.” It’s getting old.

shorten 'my fairy' to Mary. Mary makes merry a little too much.

Her name is "Lacey"
Lacey the fairy

>>989419
Lacey is good, but what about Boozy the fairy

>>989415
>fairy name?
Glitterbutt.
Glowbug.
Nightlight.

For real though why don't you ask her?
I'm sure it's something like Moonshine or Vineleaf.
Moonshine would be a pretty good name to call her regardless.

>spell suggestions
Actually I wanna revise mine, to pick spells I want instead of what LF's preference might be.

underlined
-How to Make Friends and Influence Djinn (apparently this lets us summon spirits that can help in combat!)
-Rewind (who knows how much time rewinds, but time magic is OP regardless)
-Portal (portal!)
-Empathic Senses (read minds? would be useful for communicating with Dotti... and figuring out if she's going to behave)

crossed out
-Aimbot (guessing this is her circling around a target to enhance aim like legend of zelda, which... puts her in harm's way in exchange; seems bad.)
-Om nom infinite food buff (looks like it summons food)
-Fate is My Bitch (no idea what this actually does, but messing with fate tends not to end well, and is boring when it does end well)
-Do As I Say, Not As You Do (Geas? an all or nothing spell, I don't like it)

???
-Stop! Arrow Time (some kind of arrow spell)
-Razzle Dazzle Disco Attack (sounds obvious, flashy blindness spell)
-Reflect (reflect)
-Sparkle Sparkly Weapon and Sexy Dress Buff (which is also Armor) (gives her direct offense/defense? not needed if she's gonna be a summoner)

Moonshine for fairy name

>>989428

Yep, this is the best one.

1/3 Lady Kensington 2021/02/28(Sun)15:46 No. 989504 ID: 8483cf
File 161455598086.png - (128.87KB , 737x1186 , NapkinFairy.png )

“I’m sorry, Miss Fairy,” I say, “but we’re going to put ourselves in mortal peril tomorrow, not today. I don’t want you breaking your neck ahead of schedule.”

“Mortal peril?!” Archibeard gasps from inside my bag. “Lady Kensington, you cannot!”

“What the fuck was that?” my fairy asks.

“Just my disembodied skull servant who tracked me down and is threatening to drag me home to get married. Nothing to worry about,” I reply tersely. “I’m an adventurer now, Archie. I told you that when I left. I’m not letting you out of that bag to run off to Daddy, so either shut up or help me!”

I shock even myself with my sudden assertiveness. I guess Archie brings out the best in me. Sort of.

“Uh, okay,” my fairy says. “I was wondering why your aura felt kind of… undead-y. Now I know.”

“Yes, you do. Now will you please let me help you down?”

Silence. Then a huff. “No!”

I let out an exasperated sigh. “What possible reason could you have to refuse my help? I don’t care if your glow is gone. I can’t believe you of all fairies have a hang-up over being seen.”

“Oh, that’s rich coming from you!” my fairy snipes back. “You locked me in a trunk when you wanted privacy getting changed!”

“…That’s fair,” I say. “All right. I promise to loosen up a little.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Okay, miss fairy. You want proof? I’ll help you drink this wine and more. Now will you please let me help you down?”

“Uh… deal, I guess. No backing out!”

“Deal.”

I spring off the ground, light as a cloud. The Cloud-Manta soap from this morning hasn’t worn off yet, and I’m able to easily reach the rafters. I grab on with one hand, and extend the other, palm up. My newfound strength and height, combined with the soap, is more than to let me grip the beam tight. I look around for the source of the voice, and find my fairy on the same beam I’ve latched on to.

“Whoa,” my fairy says, taken aback. “I didn’t know humans could fly.”

“And I didn’t know you were wearing a… napkin?”

My fairy shuffles her feet nervously. She barely makes eye contact. “I was being responsible with our money.” She quickly hops on to my palm, and I float us down gently.

Dotti looks at my fairy and licks her chops, eliciting a terrified shriek.

“No! Bad Dotti!” I turn to shield my fairy with my body. “That wasn’t funny!”

Dotti smiles.

“She’s gonna eat me!”

“The beast shows its true colors! Dispose of it!”

“Shut up, Archibeard! Say you’re sorry, Dotti! The contract says you have to treat her with courtesy and respect! Do you want me to break it and kick you out?”

Dotti narrows her eyes, but she gives a deep curtsy and keeps her eyes down to the floor in what is presumably remorse.

“I should zap her,” my fairy says. “I can still enforce the contract, even without my own magic. She’s in default.”

“She was joking. Don’t zap her.”

My fairy huffs.

“Let’s just pop the cork on this wine and talk it out,” I say. “I bet you’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

I pluck a tiny alchemist’s tool from my belt and uncork the wine. It’s normally used to prime bombs, but for this it also seems appropriate. I set the wine on a box and realize I didn’t bring glasses. My fairy doesn’t care, though. She somehow summons up the strength to kick the bottle so hard that the base pivots straight out and neck falls into her tiny grip. She chugs the flowing wine like a champ.

Wow.

2/3 Lady Kensington 2021/02/28(Sun)15:47 No. 989505 ID: 8483cf
File 161455603574.png - (140.20KB , 824x1092 , Moonshine.png )

“Classy lady like you probably needs a glass, huh?” my fairy smiles once she’s had more than she should logically be able to drink.

“Give me that,” I say, and take a swig of my own. The rosé is sweet and has notes of cherry. It’s not bad, for something the guild had on the bottom shelf. I don’t even choke.

“Nice,” my fairy says in appreciation.

Dotti reaches for the bottle.

“None for you,” I say. “You can’t joke about eating party members and expect to be rewarded. Have you even had wine before?”

Dotti crosses her arms and whines.

“That’s what I thought.”

My fairy takes another herculean swig from the bottle. I shake my head. “That’s amazing. How did you even learn that?”

“Necessity is the mother of party tricks! And I have lots of needs!”

“I bet you do.” I take the bottle from her and help myself. It’s a big bottle. Or, it was. “Oh, sweet savior. We’re going to need more wine at this rate.”

“Or a bottle of rum!”

“Shut up, Archibeard!”

“I like this guy! He’s trying to get you laid, hates Dotti, and parties hard!” my fairy says. “Hey, Archibeard! Hi! I’m your new best friend!”

“Charmed! What may I call you?”

“Serah’s Fairy!”

“Hello, Serah’s Fairy!”

“This is getting old,” I say. “Hey. Fairy. Can I just call you something other than, you know, Fairy?”

“Do you have to?” my fairy asks. “I like that name just fine.”

“We’re risking our lives together and are bound by a hastily-signed contract with questionable benefits. I’d say we should be on at least a first-name basis.”

“Uh. I guess. I haven’t really… you know, had an adventurer before. Names are important, you know?” My fairy takes a drink and a minute to think. “I guess I can tell you my name. We’re already magically linked. You could probably find it out anyway. But! But but but!” She looks at Dotti and wags her finger. “Dotti doesn’t get to know it! For obvious reasons!”

Dotti puts on her most innocent face.

“So whisper it in my ear or something,” I say.

“Dotti has big, fat ears! She could totally hear it. I shouldn’t tell you as long as Dotti’s in the same city as us!”

“Fat ears?” I can’t help but giggle at how ridiculous that sounds. The wine is starting to get to me, I can feel it.

Dotti, shocked, puts a paw to the tops of her ears. She pats them self-consciously.

“Fine, Fairy. Dotti, as my second favor for the day, I order you to grab one of these grain sacks, go to the other end of the shack and scream into the bag as long and as loud as you can.”

Dotti blinks. She looks at me questioningly, like I’m drunk or something. I nod. Yes, she should do it. My fairy nods too. “No eavesdropping!”

Dotti picks up a sack and goes to the other end of the shack and lets out a muffled, high-pitched squeak-squeal of ungodly fox frustration.

I hold out my hand. My fairy hops on my palm and I lift her up to my ear.

“Hey, there,” she whispers. “I’m Moonshine. Nice ta’ meet ya.”

“That’s a lovely name,” I giggle. “Nice to meet you too.”

I set Moonshine down on a box just as Dotti runs out of breath. Dotti, flush red even through her fox fur (somehow) sits down next to us, wearing an expression of a fox spirit utterly done with life and everything in it.

3/3 Lady Kensington 2021/02/28(Sun)15:47 No. 989507 ID: 8483cf
File 161455607569.png - (126.87KB , 1289x559 , Lounging_Fairy.png )

“So that’s my true name,” Moonshine says, lounging on the box, “But you all can call me Landi. Actually, everyone here except Dotti, ‘cause she can’t call me anything at all! Ha!”

Dotti turns even redder. I should say something, but the wine is hitting me a little too hard to act like a proper leader person. “That’s mean! You’re mean, Landi! Landi! Landi, Landi, Landi! How’d you get that nickname, Laaaaaaaaaan-di?”

“Long story, and I think I might have missed a few parts of it I was there for.”

We both polish off the bottle.

“What’s that spell list, anywahy?” I ashk. “You trying to make friends with Djinn? Make fate your beeeeeeeeyatch?”

“Please never do that again,” Landi groans. “For both our sakes. And yes! Yes, I was trying to remember a lot of really cool spells I should know. But I don’t think some are worth remembering or relearning. I think I may have pissed off all the Djinn I know. Especially the Spirit of Western Winds.”

“What’d you do to her?”

“I think I stole her panties. Maybe. It’s unclear.”

“Oh! Well then you should give them back!” I suddenly remember the panties Landi shoved in my face a while back. “Those were very nice panties! I want panties with gems in them like those! Pretty panties!”

“You’re drunk,” Landi smiles.

“No, you’re drunk! I’m party leader! I’m the boss lady!”

“Yes. Yes, you are.”

I hear a stifled snuffling noise that sound suspiciously like a fox trying not to laugh. I turn and spy Dotti watching all this with growing amusement.

“No laughing! Laughing at the boss lady is illegal!” I boop her snout. “Boop!”

Dotti covers her booper.

“Where’s Rae Rae?” I ask Landi. “She’s smart and not drunk. She should decide what we do with the rest of our day.”

“But you’re the boss lady,” Landi says. “And the boss lady gets what she wants.”

“Yeah, I am! Yeah, I do!”

What does the boss lady want?

Decide what to do with the rest of your day. This decision will have consequences. Awesome consequences.

You know what, now that you are drunk and confident, how about we try and make that Gravity bomb again? or hell, even a mutagen with your fairy!

That, or just hang out with the adventurers at the guild! maybe dance even!

>>989512
Though if you are still not drunk confident enough to make a gravity bomb, we can try to make another Solvent Bomb, cause why not.

Maybe make both!

GRAVITY BOMB- wait maybe we shouldn't make explosives while drunk.

Go find some quest you can do for the adventurer's guild. Do it.

Spend the rest of the day researching futa transformations - whatever those are, because you wonder why your [] had whole magazines you were magically censored from seeing.

Finish your potion brews first. Replenish your fairy's mana. And when that's all said and done, go looking for more ingredients with Dotti! You can collect flowers and have a nice picnic and Jeebs can clean up after.

You’re drunk and having a good time with your fairy, why not strip and dance with them, clothes are so restricting while you’re drunk. And then after getting the excess energy out decide that you’re finally brave enough to attempt the GRAVITY BOMB again, maybe this little liquid courage is what you needed to get it right this time.

Also give Dotti a smooch on her booper as soon as she uncovers it, she might have threatened Landi, but she’s still a good girl for listening and covering her head/screaming to not hear her real name.

To add to my suggestion >>989512 >>989515, ask Landi if you can borrow the Lucky Panties to wear to help give you luck in making the gravity bomb

Spend the evening doting on Dotti. She was awfully sweet with you before with the hugging, and she's been awfully tolerant of the jokes at her expense. A little love and positivity could help build your bond so she'll be happier to do things for you in the long run.

Other than that, I recommend spending the evening on stress relief. You're getting too drunk to reliably and safely do something productive like potion brewing. You're putting your life on the line in the near future, it'd be good to come into it as relaxed and happy as possible. Whether that means strip poker, messing around with make up, telling horrible jokes, cuddling, doing up Dotti's fur in horrible hair-dos, whatever it may be, we want to be fresh and ready for what comes tomorrow.

>>989720
so wholesome I can't help but support it.

>>989720
Also support.
Stay in your room for the rest of the day/night to cool off so nothing bad happens. In fact, just go to bed early, dream of something abstract.

1/2 Lady Kensington 2021/03/13(Sat)17:13 No. 991100 ID: 8483cf
File 161568442211.png - (71.21KB , 498x543 , SerahBraid.png )

I look at Moonshine, who prefers to be called Landi, and think so hard I burp.

“I wanna relax!” I say. “I feel good! I look good! I’m done being responsible!”

“YES!” Landi squeals. “Now you’re speaking my language!”

“Lady Kensington, I must insist that you not do anything rash!” Jeebs calls out from inside my bag.

“You’re a rash!” I smack the bag. That’ll show him! “Landi! Dotti! More wine! Tomorrow is adventure day, but tonight is girls’ night!”

“YEAH!” Landi cheers. “Wait, can we invite that cute-“

“No boys!” I stick out my tongue. “Girls’ night! Girls’ night!”

“Eh, you win some, you lose some…” Landi sighs.

We leave the shed and go to snag another bottle of wine from the guild’s storage. Say what you want about the living conditions, but these guys know what’s important to adventurers!

“Food!” I realize. “Bread! Bread and cheese!”

Dotti looks at me with big wide eyes.

“And jerky!”

Dotti smiles.

We load up on tender vittles for girls’ night from and barricade the door. I shove Jeebs’ bag deep, deep inside my lockable chest and smother the bag with a cloth so he can’t hear us talk, then slam it shut.

2/2 Lady Kensington 2021/03/13(Sat)17:19 No. 991103 ID: 8483cf
File 161568475403.png - (93.35KB , 546x605 , DottiBraid.png )

“Girls’ night!” I declare. “Wine! Wine and hair braiding!”

“I’m fuckin’ awesome at both,” Landi says. “Dotti, take off that bow so I can do it right.”

Dotti drops her jerky and clamps her paws to her bow.

“Okay! Bow stays on! Honestly, fox spirits…”

Braiding hair is great. Landi is great. Dotti is great. Wine and cheese is great too.

I’m feeling preeeeeeeeety good about my adventuring party right now. And Jeebs can't hear me or judge me.

I can finally relax.

We should find Rae, and braid her hair too!

Give Dotti and Landi a smooch and then swap childhood stories that are too embarrassing to tell while not drunk

Lady Kensington 2021/03/13(Sat)20:25 No. 991146 ID: 8483cf
File 161569595464.png - (161.87KB , 831x866 , Dottikiss.png )

“Where’s Rae Rae?” I ask, taking another sip of wine. “She needs to be drunk with us! We can braid her hair and stuff.”

“Her hair’s already in braids,” Landi says, wolfing down a tiny slice of bread. “But I wanna see her with her hair done up! Maybe she’s hiding a sick scar under those peek-a-bangs!”

“We need to hunt down the hunter,” I ponder ponderously. “Dotti, you have a good nose, right? Can you sniff her out and bring her here?”

Dotti looks at her unfinished jerky and sighs.

“No! Eat jerky!” I say. “You should eat lots of jerky. You’re a good girl. Good Dotti! I love you sho much.” I kiss her booper.

Dotti puts her paws to her cheeks and melts into a puddle of happy fox.

“And I love seeing you in such a great mood!” Landi says with a wide grin. “Look at you, Lady Bossington! All happy n’ shit!” Landi twirls around her wine glass stem like it’s a pole and gives an excited flutter of her wings.

“Yeah!” I say. “Girls’ night rules!”

“About that! Girls’ night doesn’t just happen,” Landi says. “We gotta share our juiciest secrets for it to be a real girls’ night. This is known.”

I nod shagaciously. “Is known!”

“So?” Landi leans forward expectantly. “Gimme the goods, fancy pants! I wanna know it all! What do highborn girls do to get guys? Tell me about the hot guys drooling over you! Did you ever sneak out and kiss any big, strong farmhands while Daddy wasn’t looking?”

I flush a deep red. “M-maybe?”

“Holy shit!” Landi squees and dances back and forth on her teeny-tiny slippers. “I knew it! I knew it! Tell me! Tellmetellmetellme!”

“Um… it’s kind of embarrassing…”

Landi looks like she’s going to explode.

“Okay, okay! I’ll tell you!” I lean back and take yet another sip of wine. “Um… once, before I got really good at alchemy, there was this really cute Farm Boy who used to bring fresh milk and eggs to the keep. He was tall and tan, with scruffy black hair, and his sleeves were always rolled up. I used to wait for him in the mornings he’d show up to watch him unload the jugs. He was so strong…”

Landi’s eyebrows bounce up and down as I tug at my corset. It’s getting kind of hot in here.

“So I wanted have an excuse to talk to him, but Jeebs would always stop me. So I begged for fresh milk every day, and that just wasn’t possible because the farm was too far to get daily delivery. So I got Jeebs to buy a cow from the farm! And… well, I pretended the milk was bad, and Jeebs got Farm Boy to come tell us what was wrong.

“I finally had the chance to talk to him face to face! And… and I told him…”

“Spit it out!” Landi says, eyes wide. “What’d you say?”

“I told him… oh, sweet savior… I told him I needed him to feed my cow so I could drink his milk. Every day.”

Landi falls over laughing.

“Yeah, yeah! I know!” I huff and wait for her to finish.

“Did he feed your cow?” Landi manages to ask through her giggle fits.

“Daddy found out and had the cow served for dinner. I never saw Farm Boy again.”

“Oh,” Landi says, disappointed. “So you never got to drink his-“

“No, I didn’t!” I slap the floor and tug on my corset again. “Hey, this is girls’ night! Not talk-about-hot-boys’-night!”

“Same thing,” Landi says. “My turn, my turn! What do you wanna know about me?”

Tie-dye the braids!

Remember how Landi magic'd you up a dress which didn't work all that well yesterday meaning she was probably even worse when she was in fairy college. Ask about her most humiliating fail back when she was in college.

Listen to embarrassing stories from fairy college. Get the deets so you can use them as totally not blackmail later.

>>991146
What are fairy boys like?

Lady Kensington 2021/03/14(Sun)00:10 No. 991193 ID: 8483cf
File 161570941192.png - (126.21KB , 774x808 , Portalfail.png )

“Fair’s fair!” I declare. “Tell me your most embarrassing story from fairy college!”

“Oh, have I got one for you!” Landi says. “So, as part of an escalating series of pranks between my sorority and the Kappa Epsilon Kappa fraternity, I found myself in the guys’ dorms cutting ball-sack sized holes in gym shorts- long story, too epic to tell here- and, sur-prise, the guys come back from class early! I hear them coming in, and I can’t be caught in the act, ‘cause the whole plan will be blown.

“I try the window. It’s stuck! Cheap piece of crap won’t open! But I have a solution. I just learned how to portal from one place to another. Now, I’ve only tested it in class and it was a pretty half-assed test, but space-time is my bitch and it’ll be easy, right? Wrong! I totally forgot that extra-magical stuff, like yours truly, burns through my portal spell’s fairy dust way faster than, say, a box of wine.”

“Oh no,” I say, trying and failing to keep the smirk from my lips.

“Oh yeah. You can see what’s coming. I open the portal to the other side of the wall and can see through, ezpz. I shove myself through- and instantly run out of dust. The portal slams shut halfway through. I’m stuck with my dust-less butt pointed at an entire frat!”

“Oh no!” I giggle. Dotti, too, lets out a small snuffling noise. “How horrible for your butt!”

Landi takes another drink of wine and groans. “So yeah, I’m giving the guys a show they’ll never forget, like some kinda bad porno. Like, if I’m gonna be in a porno, at least put some pixie stix in it! The guys of course are laughing it up, but one of ‘em realizes that hey, maybe a stuck portal spell is maybe not something to fuck around with? So they get someone who can fix it.”

“Ohhhhhh no!” I let out a laugh. “Who do fairies call to get butts un-stuck?”

“They brought the space-time professor in. He fixed it no problem. But yeah. I couldn’t look him in the eye from then on out.”

I look at Landi and her napkin-based outfit. Something clicks in my mind. “Do fairies wear panties?”

“Some do, some don’t.”

“…Were you wearing panties?”

Landi flushes. “I learned a valuable lesson that day.”

I collapse into a giggle fit. Dotti bites her paw, but soon she can’t contain herself and she lets out a peal of ungodly fox laughter.

“So there you have it,” Landi says. “May you learn from my butt.”

“I hope they gave you a Bachelor’s of Butt Sciences for that.”

“They should have!” Landi stomps. “My butt is amazing!”

“Yeah!” I agree. “Your butt is amazing. I wish I had your butt.”

“You should appreciate what you have!” Landi cups her chest. “Some of us aren’t so lucky.”

“Big boobs are a pain!” I tug on my corset again. “It’s too hot and I can’t take this off or else I’m gonna be all over the place!”

“GIRLS’ NIGHT OUT!” Landi shouts. “Let them be free!”

I tweak the straps of my corset. It’s too hot. But if I’m gonna go outside to, like, get Rae or more food or whatever, I’m really gonna regret taking it off. There is no way I’m gonna be able to get it back on.

Uuuuuuuuuuughhhhhhhhhhhhhh

> remove clothe, going out be damned.

>>991193
Release the beasts.

Girls' night out!

Listen to your heart, and general chest area.

Umm... be a good leader and dont do it for the safety of your reputation. You'll disappoint Raelynn and Dotti going out with your breasts exposed while searching for Rae out there.

If you're gonna go topless, at least stay in your room so you'll have the excuse you were just changing clothes, but overall, forget it.

Lady Kensington 2021/03/14(Sun)12:48 No. 991263 ID: 8483cf
File 161575131457.png - (168.56KB , 696x943 , Befree.png )

I should probably keep my corset on. Once it comes off, it stays off.

But it’s girls’ night, and I’m done being responsible!

I fumble to get the knots on the back of my corset undone. This is hard! Why must life be so cruel? Finally, I get the strings unlaced, the rush of cool air confirms that all is right in the world.

Landi cheers. “Be free!”

“Freedom!” I toss my corset to the ground. “Ah, yeah! That feels good!”

Landi laughs as I sit down. “Wow! You weren’t kidding! Look at those puppies go!”

“You’re just jealous.” I sigh and lean back against the bed, rubbing my back against the soft sheets. “Oh, yeah. Yeah. Much better.”

It’s good to be the boss lady.

"I have an idea," Landi giggles.

What's her idea?

Landi wants to motorboat you, duh. Cause obveously the fairy that likes panties would like the boobah

Her idea is... wait, aww, fuck, she just forgot it, lol.

A game of Truth or strip (Dare or strip for Dotti)

Landi's idea is to go streaking...
However, Serah passed out for the rest of the day and night before she can hear that idea

Lady Kensington 2021/03/19(Fri)18:46 No. 992069 ID: 8483cf
File 161620479701.png - (86.74KB , 554x649 , Poutydotti.png )

"We're going streaking!" Landi shrieks. "Take it to the streets! We both did it yesterday, we've had tons of practice!"

"No!" I laugh. "No more running around Minga in disappearing outfits!"

Landi claps her hands excitedly. "I could make you all glowy like me! Would that help?"

"Uh... maybe? I mean, no!" I shake my head. "I've had too much wine!"

Landi's smile twinkles brilliantly. "You're fun when you're drunk. You should totally do it more often."

"Only when I'm about to risk life and limb the next day. This is a special occasion."

"You're an adventurer. That might happen more often than you think."

"Well, nothing bad is going to happen tomorrow!" I purse my lips. "We're gonna go out and... and either go ruinate the ruins, or find some rare reagentsh. Somewhere. I'm not sure where. Raelynn will help me. She's shmart."

Dotti points at herself and looks at me expectantly.

"Dotti, you stay here," I shay. "Dangerous fight fight. Not for emotional support specialisht."

Dotti waves her arms like she's casting a spell.

"She's out of magic!" Landi pipes in. "She's totally useless!"

Dotti barks and snaps her teeth at Landi, who turns around and slaps her butt in a grand you-want-some-of-this?

"Oh no," I say. There's something I've forgotten! "Dotti will eat all the trash when we're gone!"

Dotti nods.

"Leave her here!" Landi says. "She's dead weight!"

There are no good options. I can't risk her, but I can't leave her!

Oh nooooooooooo

Take her! maybe her swiping skills will come in handy?

>>992069
Won't she regain some magic overnight anyway?
Also you can give her your bombs so she can throw them on command, leaving you able to do other things.
Or she could just be a scout, if she wants.

She's still a fox. She can bite, she can use her strange fae knowledge, she can look cute. Besides, who are you to talk about going in unprepared, going adventuring without a corset?

Sh'hee's got dat, dat smeller! Dat'll give us a warrrr... headsh up iff there's, like, bad guysh!

Lady Kensington 2021/03/19(Fri)23:12 No. 992096 ID: 8483cf
File 161622076642.png - (310.29KB , 888x1207 , BePoliteBeEfficient.png )

“Dotti’s not useless!” I decide. “She is full of uses! Like exploding!”

Landi and Dotti both stare at me.

“I mean bombing!”

“Oh,” Landi says. Dotti sighs in relief.

“I can give her bombs,” I say. “To explode. Explode the bad things.”

“I don’t think you’re thinking this all the way through,” Landi says. “You’re not wearing a bra, your argument is invalid.”

“Did they teach you that one in fairy college?” I retort.

“Yes, actually. I have scientifically observed that when people take their bras off, they’re rarely thinking things all the way-“

“Dotti, dispense hugs!”

I receive Dotti hug.

“She’s coming tomorrow!” I declare. “Dotti, as my final favor, I re… re… ask that you tuck me in tonight!”

“Whatever,” Landi groans. She pours herself more wine. “No more planning. Time for gossip! So who’s the hottest guy in the guild?”

“I mean, Flax is cute,” I say. “He’s a verdant knight and he-“

“Verdant knight?! They have those here?” Landi asks.

“Apparently.”

“Okay, Imma check this guy out. Who else?”

Landi and I spend the rest of the evening sliding further into the floor. Eventually, we fall asleep. Possibly on our beds. Dotti presumably tucked me in.

-------------- DAY FOUR --------------

“Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh,” I groan. I’m throw off the covers. I’m still dressed.

And I am having a BAD TIME.

I can barely think. I feel like I’ve been run over by a carriage. Full of wine.

The sunlight is shining through the window. Oh no.

Oh no! I need to get ready for adventuring!

I leap out of bed and grab a towel, then immediately regret it.

I grab my head and nurse my poor, poor temples.

Then I resume panicking.

I stumble out the door and run into the elven grim reaper!

“AHHH!” I shriek, and clap my hands to my head. “Uhhhh…”

“There you are,” says the leafy reaper. Leafper? “Your fairy said you wouldn’t be up for a while. I’m impressed. Sort of.”

“…Raelynn?” I ask. “Uh…. Wow. Nice armor.”

“I assumed we’d be adventuring ASAP. Daylight’s precious, spend it well, my dad used to say.”

“Oh, sweet savior…” I grasp my head. “I need a healing potion.”

“Already?” Raelynn asks. “You must be swimming in those.”

“Oh no,” I groan. “I have to ration those. Oh dear…”

I could ask Landi for help with my hangover. Or I could get Dotti to try a fox spirit remedy. She eats trash and doesn’t get sick, she must know something. Or I could just chug a healing potion, or tough it out and take a nice long shower.

Raelynn looks at me expectantly.

Oh, right. I’m the boss.

Uh… what do I tell her to do?

>>992096
Landi is the expert in this subject. Even if she can't give you magical assistance she can give you good advice.

Tell her to do some warmup exercises while you get ready. Today, It is important to be in tiptop shape on our first day venturing out together...

Ask if she is interested in today's adventure being a quest to find her an animal buddy in the forest or cave or something. A ranger such as herself needs one after all.

If she says she wants to find a companion in a cave, lets use Lumenbug Amber when we shower to make ourselves light up the cave with our glow. Otherwise, Saltrock Mist to increase our defense in case we run across a bear!

Ask for a hangover cure, or go buy one, or even cook one yourself.

Since you're not trained in cooking, fry a few eggs, boil some vegetables, add the leftovers of your meat wherever you want, and eat it all. Then take the long-road to the dungeon and do basic herb-picking until the guilt finally kicks in.

Lets find Dotti and teach her how to breakfast before she eats trash again.

Health potion!
Drinking got us into this problem, and drinking can get us out of it!

Ask Landi on helping you with your hangover.

Lady Kensington 2021/03/20(Sat)12:33 No. 992193 ID: 8483cf
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“I’m not going to waste a healing potion already,” I tell Raelynn, my voice hoarse. “While I… prepare, you, Raelynn, are also going to get yourself ready.”

Raelynn looks at herself and her armor. She cockily cocks a hip.

I massage my temples. “You never told me where you wanted to search for an animal companion.”

Rae’s hip un-cocks.

“We can search near the ruins and caves for a bigger beast, or go deeper into the nearby forest for something more avian,” I propose. “Oh, sweet savior, it hurts to talk…”

“I’ll consider both,” Raelynn says, eye sinking down to the floor. “I’ll think on it.”

“Don’t think too long. Maybe do some warm-ups for cardio.”

“I’ll do that.”

I leave Raelynn, clutch the towel to my incredibly wrinkled outfit from last night and poke my head downstairs. There are few enough adventurers in the mess, thank goodness. I am in no presentable state, but standards are low this early in the morning.

“There you are!” Landi’s voice calls out from a table. “Come here, come here! You did it!!!”

I glance around one more time, and, satisfied there’s no one judging me on my disheveled hair and half-dressed state, I join her.

“Look!” Landi says. “An almond-cashew date shake with bananas, and almond butter toast! Guaranteed to pick you right up!”

I don’t wait. I dive right in.

It’s heavenly.

“Thank you,” I sigh, and I feel better already. “These ingredients aren’t easy to find. Where did you get them?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Landi says.

I narrow my eyes.

“I didn’t steal them, okay?” Landi huffs. “I’m not Dotti. I called in a favor. Yeesh. You’re so suspicious in the morning.”

“I’m going to go shower and get ready,” I say. “I’ll have a better idea of what we should to once I’m done.”

“Okay! I’m gonna go grab Dotti. Stupid fox, probably trying to eat trash again…”

I pause at the bottom of the stairs. That was really nice of Landi. I should let her know how much I appreciated it. But she’s gone, disappeared down the hallway.

2/2 Lady Kensington 2021/03/20(Sat)12:35 No. 992195 ID: 8483cf
File 161626890556.png - (71.25KB , 500x549 , Showerthonk.png )

I grab a bar of Saltrock Mist to wash up with.

PLAN YOUR STRATEGY.

Do you want to gather rare reagents in the forest, or hunt for treasure in the cave ruins?

What items should you put in Landi’s inventory?

Should you grab any more supplies on your way out of town?

Serah’s Arms and Equipment

Weapons
Bastard Sword OR Axe OR Warhammer OR Heavy Spear

Bombs
2x Ice
1x Fire
1x Flashbang
1x Smoke
1x Solvent

Potions
1x Healing
1x Strength
1x Invisibility (Failed)

Elixirs
1x Healing
1x Mage Armor
1x Strength

Oils
1x Coating of Flame

Distillation
1x Magic Missile


Landi’s Spell List
- Inventory: Can hold up to 87 lb./ 39.4 kg. Currently holding lots a’ arrows.
- Calamitous Cacophony: A blinding display of glowyness. Can also deafen for extra dust cost.
- Portal: Tunnel through space-time to a location within 20 feet. Visibility or reasonable assumption of distance required; accuracy reduced if not able to see target. Currently limited to nonmagical, inanimate objects. Alchemical products are considered nonmagical. Portal entrances and exits cannot terminate within objects or creatures.
- Godmother’s Blessing: Increases defense of armor based on amount of dust used.
- Godmother’s Makeover: Transforms outfit of one willing target into something more stylish. Duration depends on dust used.

Raelynn’s Equipment
- Elven Shortbow, nonmagical
- Elven Underbrush Armor, nonmagical
- Elven Rope, magical
- Quick-Draw Quiver, nonmagical
- Samhain (heirloom; magical; long dagger; half of paired set)
- Antidote and First Aid Kit
- Flint
- Provisions and Water Cleansing Pellets
- Animal Treats (Wrapped in scent-proof liner)
- Uncanny ability to mimic animal noises


Dotti
- Strong sense of smell
- Can eat trash
- Hugs boost morale unless she’s been eating trash
- Novice pickpocket (only works on the overly trusting; bonus to stealing jerky treats)
- Can throw bombs with only a moderate chance to drop them at her feet

Let us look for ingredients in the forest so we can get supplies to practice becoming the best alchemist out there! we didn't use the soap to make ourselves glow, so cave is off the table... for now. I feel stronger enemies make their home in caves.

Forest seems like the best choice from now, although we should definitely look for the caves to actually get an animal companion. Between Dotti and Landi, the very last thing we need near us is a fucking bird.

>>992195
WARHAMMER

Plays to the strengths of Jotund's Might, and a nasty surprise for anyone expecting the stereotypical squishy mage.

>>992195
Have Serah use the heavy spear.

Dotti should carry the smoke bomb and flashbang, which are least likely to mess her cute face up if she drops them.

Put the Healing elixir, Coating of Flames, and Healing potion in Landi's inventory.

I’m more fond of Serah using the Warhammer since she’s still big and stronk right?

Probably give Dotti a smoke and flash since she would probably need to practice before actually holding the stronger bombs right?

Then Uh, Probably go to the forest, I like the idea of getting more potion ingredients, though not the idea of getting an avian companion, well, actually that might be useful in scouting and keeping you all safe from the really strong monsters.

Lady Kensington 2021/03/21(Sun)00:26 No. 992379 ID: 8483cf
File 161631156332.png - (58.61KB , 1250x450 , Combat_Panels.png )

I finish my shower and gear up. I confirm that everyone’s eaten breakfast and packed enough provisions for a day trip. Dotti’s provisions are stored securely in Landi’s inventory.

I also check the lock on my crate and make sure it’s secure. I don’t want Jeebs getting loose while I’m gone.

When I ask Raelynn where she wants to look for an animal companion, she says either the forest or cave will work, as long as she has enough time to try and find an animal receptive to bonding. In that case, I choose the forest for our trip. It gives us more room to maneuver, and eliminates certain risks like cave-ins or ancient booby traps. Plus we don’t have to pack torches or rely on Landi for light.

Well, then.

It’s time to go adventuring.

Please, please, please let everything go smoothly…

----

I’ve given Raelynn a list of plants, mosses and mineral deposits I’ll need to transmute silver into gold. By themselves, they’re useless, but in a lab, I can reduce them down to their constituent components and essences, which are far more potent. Raelynn has seen a most of the items before, but two specific items we’ll need to search for: the blue-capped acid mushroom found only around tree roots at least two centuries old, and plated bauxite, which is rich in alumina and devilishly hard to identify against cliffsides covered in useless clay.

We spend a few hours making our way out of Minga and into the forest from an angle most adventurers don’t take- or at least, adventuring parties without alchemists in need of reagents. The underbrush is thicker than usual, but the forest floor is still clear enough to make our way unimpeded.

Thankfully, we don’t encounter any vengeful spirits or angry animals for a few hours- but then, Dotti begins sniffing the air curiously. Then she crouches to the ground, ears flat, teeth bared.

Raelynn vanishes into the underbrush.

“Wolf pack,” she whispers from a direction I can’t pick out. “Six wolves total. A few are circling behind to cut off our escape.”

“Wolves?” I whisper back. “Why in the middle of the day?”

“I feel… bad,” Landi says, and she starts shivering. “Oh, shit, Serah. There’s a spirit leading them. A nasty one, and it’s hungry. It’s driving them all rabid.”

I ready my borrowed warhammer and down my elixir of mage armor.

“Can we run?”

“They have your and Dotti’s scent,” Raelynn says quietly. “They’ll chase. Right now, we can try to set up an ambush.”

Wolves led by an evil spirit are circling us for the kill. My shoulders hitch. My heart races.

I have to focus. I have to plan something. I… I have to…

Dotti should get up a tree. Wolves can't climb, and she can toss her bombs from above.
You're gonna want to drink one of your strength potions too. Save the magic missiles for the spirit if you can.

Landi should try to find a wolf and open a portal for you to toss a bomb through to hit it at long range. If things get bad Landi can cast a cacophony, giving you a warning so you can shut your eyes and possibly ears.

>>992380
This is a pretty good plan, and I support it

Sarah: Start by felling some trees, and coat your weapon in fire oil. When the time comes, hammer into your barricades to let loose a barrage of flaming splinters.
Landi: Open a portal from a bird's eye view so you can get a good look at the general battlefield, then plan two escape routes and a favorable combat location.
Raelynn: Climb up, set up overwatch.
Dotti: Follow Raelynn and focus on the spirit. Be ready to throw a bomb if you see three wolves bunched up together.

Lady Kensington 2021/03/21(Sun)12:22 No. 992450 ID: 8483cf
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The wolves are locked on to me and Dotti. I have to protect her! I chug a Potion of Strength and prepare to defend. That means Landi and Raelynn are free to go on the offensive and pick them off early.

Before the wolves approach, I hear my party’s handiwork.

Raelynn scores an easy kill, shooting a wolf through the heart from complete concealment.

Landi drops an ice bomb on one wolf, freezing it solid and shattering it to pieces in one great blast. My bombs don’t hold back.

The wolves arrive just as I finish hoisting Dotti up the tree. She hasn’t practiced climbing in boots. We’ll need to fix that.

Dotti fumbles her smoke bomb and drops it at the base of the tree. One wolf spies her, and is distracted in indecision, but ultimately decides to come after me.

Three wolves surround me. I swing my warhammer at one and and miss. Two wolves try to hamstring me while I’m off-balance, and their sharp fangs are deflected by my mage armor.

Landi: make one portal next to you on the ground, and another portal several feet above a wolf for the arrow to travel down fast enough to cause damage, and start dropping arrows down the portal at a wolf

Rae: shoot one of the wolves near Serah

Dotti: throw another bomb at the wolf going towards Serah

Serah: swing at the wolf that hasn't been attacked by the others.

>>992455
This is a good plan and I support it.

Holy fuck Dotti is useless. But very useful for hugs so be sure to tell her she's a good girl.

Lady Kensington 2021/03/21(Sun)14:55 No. 992477 ID: 8483cf
File 161636372211.png - (295.50KB , 1250x1250 , Forest Combat 2.png )

Raelynn scores another kill the wolf behind me with two arrows in quick succession.

Landi tries to be fancy and portal an arrow fast enough to pierce the wolf’s hide, but the arrow isn’t moving nearly fast enough.

Dotti misjudges her throw, and ends up tossing the flashbang right behind me. It explodes, blinding and deafening the three wolves around me. I’m only deafened (and shocked and scared witless), but it’s not the first time I’ve heard a flashbang go off.

Dotti is very upset!

Raelynn’s level of concealment has increased!

I swing wildly at a wolf in front of me. The result is NOT pretty.

Two wolves remain. One is blinded and deafened. The other is confused, but close enough to bite me the instant it realizes there are no more flashes and bangs coming.

>>992477
Kesington should murder the disabled one, it's easy to hit. Rae can kill the other one.
Keep a lookout for the spirit, it should have showed up by now...

Serah, chokehold the blind and deafened wolf until it falls unconscious.
Landi, distract the confused wolf.
Raelynn, shoot the confused wolf.
Dotti, hunt down the spirit.

Landi should fly up and see if she can see the spirit. You keep swinging wildly and tell Dotti it's ok and she's a good girl. Rae keep shootin'

Dotti: cry and get it out of your system so you are not upset anymore

Rae: shoot a wolf again.

Landi: Godmother’s Blessing on Serah

Serah: keep swinging!

Serah: grab the nearest wolf by the tail, and beat a motherfucker wolf with another motherfucker wolf.

Lady Kensington 2021/03/21(Sun)16:15 No. 992495 ID: 8483cf
File 161636851340.png - (348.75KB , 1250x1250 , Forest Combat 3.png )

Raelynn cuts down the confused wolf with two exceptionally well-placed shots before it decides to attack me again.

Landi begins casting Godmother’s Blessing, which will help my magical defenses, but they will not be as powerful as when I first drank the Elixir of Mage Armor.

Dotti is upset.

I splatter the final wolf with my warhammer. The instant I do, I feel a rush of wind.

Landi shrieks. The air around us chills. I can feel the life being drained from my body- and the wolves around me, as well.

Spirit of Bloodshed gains power from the battlefield! Serah and Landi are caught in its feast! They will lose life as long as they remain close to spilled blood, and must resist the skeletal hands keeping them in place.

Dotti begins crying loudly and cannot act.

>>992495
Landi you gotta get out of there.
Kesington, priority one is to get your magic missile swarm going. If this isn't a panic button situation I don't know what is.

Rae: shoot at the hand grabbing Serah
Serah: magic missle!
Dotti: deep breaths
Landi: portal near Dotti. If you can't, move away.

Magic Missile and try to get away if possible, Rae, shoot it if it's shootable, or the hands if they're more obviously shootable.

Landi, get over to Dotti if possible.

1/2 Lady Kensington 2021/03/21(Sun)17:45 No. 992518 ID: 8483cf
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Raelynn sees Landi’s struggles, but she refuses to take such a risky shot. She fires at the insubstantial body of the spirit, to limited effect. She curses, breaks cover and draws her dagger, but she’s too far away.

Landi struggles in vain to break free of the skeletal hand. Her glow dims. Her wingbeat slows.

“NO!” I shout. I won’t let this happen. I can’t!

I pop the stopper of the Magic Missile distillation on my belt and let the magic loose all at once, not caring about the skeletal hand keeping me in place. I’m aiming squarely for the spirit’s body.

My vision dims. Then the ground gives way beneath me, and the dread cold in my chest is gone.

We survived.

2/2 Lady Kensington 2021/03/21(Sun)17:46 No. 992519 ID: 8483cf
File 161637398119.png - (288.74KB , 1250x1250 , Combatclear.png )

Raelynn reaches my side, dagger drawn, circling me, eyes darting for any other dangers.

“Is Landi…”

“She’s alive.”

I look up, towards the sound of faint sniffles. I see Dotti still in the tree, holding it tight, Landi nuzzled against her neck, shivering for warmth. Her light is dim, but still there.

“That was close,” Landi says, her voice as faint as her glow.

I drink most of my healing elixir and the world sorts itself back into place. I save the rest for Landi. I don’t know how much dust it’ll give her back, but it’ll help.

“What was that?” I ask Raelynn quietly.

“A spirit of bloodshed,” she says, concern lacing her words. “It shouldn’t have been here. There’s not nearly enough spilled blood in a forest to feed it for long. Something is very wrong.”

“Are we in danger?”

“…I don’t know.”

We have all our reagents except plated bauxite, and only I know how to identify it. Rae can’t hunt for it on her own. The nearest cliffside that might have it is close- only a ten-minute walk from our current position. If I find the mineral deposit quickly, it’ll add a half hour to our trip.

Raelynn can handle herself. I’m healed up, and still have some vestiges of magical armor left. But Landi is cold and shivering, and Dotti is shaken.

I have a choice to make.

>>992519
if we are going to be in the hole without it based on the materials that we've already used, then risk going for it. If we're already coming out ahead with what we've got so far plus whatever we can salvage from the wolves/spirit of bloodshed, then head back. Having half our party useless is very bad though.

Bombs: 1x Ice, 1x Fire, 1x Solvent
Potions: 1x Healing, 1x Strength, 1x Invisibility (Failed)
Elixirs: 0.5x Healing
Oils: 1x Coating of Flame

We used up like half our supplies.
If you can get Landi back her mana, it'll be fine. Try the rest of the healing elixir on her. Any chance the coating of flame could do something?

From here on though we need to be as stealthy as possible. ...maybe Rae can get a vantage point to try to spot where the main bloodshed happened? If we can just avoid that spot, we can collect the bauxite and then retreat.

Another possibility: Dotti goes back home with Landi. You can use a Favor for that. She's being good right now and not hurting Landi despite the very real opportunity she has to do so.

We should probably let the adventurer’s guild know about what we discovered as soon as possible. Rae said this wasn't a normal encounter.

Head back, half your party is wounded and you can't risk any further encounters like that. Have Raelynn scout ahead and nab as much trash on the way back as possible while you keep Landi and Dotti alive.

Lady Kensington 2021/03/22(Mon)20:30 No. 992684 ID: 8483cf
File 161647021343.png - (24.41KB , 265x264 , Potion.png )

I gently ease Dotti down from the tree branches, and forget everything nasty I’ve ever thought about Jotund’s Might.

We have to push on. We're so close, and we have Raelynn to help us avoid danger. And Dotti, too. If we just focus on stealth, everything will be fine. We'll succeed. We'll get what we came for. No problem.

Landi is in bad shape. Even as we nurse a bit of glow back with the Elixir of Healing, she doesn’t stop shivering in Dotti’s paws. I can still see her outline, too. I step back and take Raelynn aside.

“This doesn’t make sense,” I say. “She drank a tiny bit of healing potion a few days ago after getting hit by Dotti and she got all her dust back. Isn’t her vitality supposed to be tied to her magic?”

“Only fairies know details about fairies,” Raelynn says, shaking her head. “Their bodies are mostly physical, unlike spirits, but they don’t act like it. I think they respond to magic.”

“But that potion was magic!”

“It’s alchemical,” Rae says, thinking. “It has the essence of a healing spell. But it’s not a healing spell.”

“It’s exactly the same as a healing spell! And I just told you that she responded to an even weaker one!”

“I’m sorry,” Raelynn says. “I just don’t know what to tell you.”

I want to scream. I want to curse Raelynn out. But I can’t.

I’m the boss. And a good boss doesn’t blame people when they’ve tried their best.

And speaking of trying their best…

“I shouldn’t have brought Dotti,” I say, the anger leaving me. “She’s torn up. Look at her.”

Raelynn’s eyes narrow.

“What?” I ask, confused.

“I didn’t hear you tell Dotti what that bomb did, exactly.”

“So? I didn’t expect her to do anything. She’s here because she can’t be trusted not to eat trash.”

“Serah,” Raelynn whispers. “She threw it at your feet.”

“She missed!”

“Are you sure?”

I blink.

Forget what I said earlier. I’m going to cuss her the fuck out.

>>992684
Tell Rae she needs some shred of evidence before she accuses a party member of betrayal. Dotti fumbled the first bomb, so it's more likely that it was a fuckup than not. She's also under contract, a contract that Rae helped make. What was the point of that if she could just try to kill you in the very first fight you get in? What would even be the point of Dotti betraying you, when every enemy here could kill her and she has no easy way to escape?

Ask Rae why she's so quick to accuse. Was she betrayed by someone before? If she absolutely needs to be sure Dotti can be trusted in a combat situation, then ask Dotti directly if she wanted to harm you with that bomb. She can even stand exactly where she intended for it to go off.

Lastly, try giving Landi some healing POTION. That worked last time, maybe one of the ingredients in the elixir disagrees with her. Or maybe sharing something alchemical ruins the magical aspect of it?

Consider: Scary spirit notwithstanding, are Dotti's actions those of a vengeful trickster who is afraid because their assassination attempt unexpectedly failed, or a friend freaking out because they apparently nearly hurt someone they like. Modulate your response accordingly. I suspect dotti wouldn't take another bomb right now if you offered one.

Deep breaths, then Ask Rae if someone hurt her by betraying her trust in her past. You'll listen. Though make it clear if she doesn't want to talk about it, you'll understand.

Lady Kensington 2021/03/22(Mon)22:46 No. 992700 ID: 8483cf
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How dare she?! How dare Raelynn accuse my party member of attempted murder? I was wrong about her. She’s not smart at all. She doesn’t know a thing about Dotti or the contract. How could she be so callous?! No wonder she doesn’t have an animal companion- no one could ever like an aloof, callous bitch like her.

It takes years of practice being very, very quiet in front of very, very disgusting nobles to keep that thought to myself.

“You’d better have a very, very good reason for saying that,” I say quietly. “She has a contract.”

“A contract written by Landi!” Raelynn says. “I have no idea how well her magic works, but I do know that every time I hear about a fox spirit showing up, it’s always bad news. No one has ever done the right thing trusting a fox spirit. Brave, powerful warriors and nobles alike have been tricked into horrible, bloody ends, over and over again.” Rae looks at me, and something like worry flickers across her golden eye. “I don’t want you to make the same mistake.”

“I make mistakes on a daily basis. Lots of them. But trust isn’t a mistake.” I look Raelynn right in her eye. “I don’t trust Dotti, at least not fully. She lies and breaks rules when it suits her, and if she had her magic, I’m sure she’d be a terror. But I do trust that she isn’t trying to kill me. It takes a lot to make that leap. Why did you think that?”

Raelynn breaks eye contact first. She looks to Samhain for the briefest of moments.

Silence.

“You don’t have to tell me,” I say. “But trust is a two-way street, Rae.”

I go to Landi, still dim and shivering in Dotti’s paws. I pull the healing potion out from my belt. It’s the last bit of healing I have.

“Hey, Landi. Try this one.” I pop the cork and tilt it to the outline of her mouth. “It’s the same kind you had a few days ago. You know, when we first met.”

Landi guides the potion to her lips. I keep talking. “When we first found Dotti, remember? You warned me not to make eye contact. I really should have listened to you. Could’ve saved myself a trash-eating fox girl.”

Dotti sniffles. Landi takes a deep pull of potion. It doesn’t look like it’s working.

“I almost died,” Landi says quietly.

“It’s okay to be afraid,” I say. “I think I know something to help with that. Do you want to get some wine on the way back?”

“Yeah,” Landi says. Her glow brightens just a little. “Wine is good. And friends. Friends are nice.”

“Am I a friend?”

“Yeah.” She shines a little brighter.

“Is Dotti a friend?”

Dotti’s ears perk up.

“Dotti’s a pillow.”

Dotti’s ears go flat.

“I like pillows.”

Dotti whines.

I go to Raelynn and tell her the truth. “She’ll be fine.”

------


I take stock of our supplies. Thankfully, Dotti didn’t prime the smoke bomb before dropping it- that one’s still usable. Raelynn says the trip home will be just as dangerous as taking an extra half-hour to find the plated bauxite. I decide to trust in Raelynn’s skills, if not her forthrightness.

I won’t send Dotti home alone- she’s completely defenseless. Better to keep her with the group.

The risk pays off. We reach the cliff sooner than expected, and I find a deposit almost immediately. It feels good to get an unconditional win. Really good.

Raelynn is waiting for me when I step away from the cliffside, prize in hand.

“Are we still safe?”

Raelynn nods. “I found the source of the bloodshed.”

“Oh, no. Is it…”

“It’s not bad,” Raelynn says. “Not right now. I found a clearing with bloody bear pawprints. Lots of them, with ritual markings in the trees, and boot-prints in the dirt surrounding the clearing.”

“What on earth…” I put a hand to my head. “You make it sound like an arena.”

“Ritualized combat. Months’ worth of it. Enough to overpower the ritual cleansing.”

“But what kind of bears would fight with people watching?”

“Not bears,” Raelynn says numbly. “Druids.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Neither do I.”

We decide to leave. Now.

-----

Everyone is exhausted once we leave the forest and make it to the safety of the well-traveled road. There’s only one party member who might have enough energy to have a conversation with me after everything that’s happened.

Is it Landi? Raelynn? Or Dotti?

>>992700
Lets talk with Landi.

I think we should talk to Rae about why she has trust issues. Maybe we can get her to open up a little bit more. Perhaps her trust issues is why she doesn't have a animal companion yet.

>>992700
Druids in repeated ritual combat? Maybe it was some kind of tournament? Regardless, they fucked up and we can file a complaint.

Talk to Raelynn. You don't know her very well, let's fix that. You can ask her about her adventures, where she trained, etc.

Lady Kensington 2021/03/23(Tue)17:52 No. 992826 ID: 8483cf
File 161654714002.png - (85.25KB , 500x500 , Contract.png )

Raelynn’s the only one aside from me that’s not completely drained. I try to strike up a conversation with her to try and find out a little more about her. She doesn’t bite.

Fine. If she wants to walk home in silence, that’s up to her. It just gives me more time to think about how absolutely rich I’m going to be if my transmutation works out. I’ve still got silver left from my last batch- enough that if I successfully transmute it all to gold, it’ll set me up for months and months of lavish dinners and dresses for me, Landi and Dotti. That or some nice magic items. The artificers, gemsmiths and enchanters have a real racket going on.

That’s all assuming I can do my first silver-to-gold transmutation without blowing up.

But before I do that, I have a different issue: Dotti’s contract. The provisional term expires at sunset. Landi, Dotti and I have an hour or so to decide whether to extend it for a month.

If I’m going to propose modifying the contract, like adding in provisions banning Dotti from lying or eating trash, I’m going to have to do it now.

>>992826
Using magic to compel her to not eat trash is counterproductive. You want to teach her as much as possible and only use magical compulsion to prevent direct and obvious betrayal.

If the only reason you can trust her is because you know she's being forced supernaturally to be trustworthy, then you really can't trust her at all.

Leave the contract as-is and just extend it.

>>992826
The more restrictive you make the contract the more she'll resent it.
Don't put a "no trash" clause in there. You already kindof have a way of making her tell the truth, too. Isn't the Favor clause flexible enough to order her to answer a question truthfully?

Ask the other members of your team if they're satisfied.

Dont put trash restrictions.

Make sure to tell the guild what your party went through since it wasnt natural

1/2 Lady Kensington 2021/03/23(Tue)22:10 No. 992863 ID: 8483cf
File 161656261290.png - (86.59KB , 500x500 , Sunset.png )

I could compel Dotti to never lie, never tease Landi, and never eat trash. But that wouldn’t be very trusting of me, would it? I have to believe Dotti can be better, just like Landi can be better.

I glance back at them. Dotti is weary and tired, eyes glued to the ground, staying close to me the whole time. Landi is perched atop the top of Dotti’s puffy dress shoulder.

“Are you both okay?” I ask.

“Yeah,” Landi says.

Dotti nods.

“I’m sorry you got hurt, Landi,” I say. “I didn’t mean for things to happen that way.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“I know,” I sigh. “Dotti, I’m also sorry that I dragged you out like this. It was a lot of pressure, and I shouldn’t have put you in that position. I’ll understand if you want to cancel our contract.”

Dotti looks up at me with big, watery eyes and shakes her head. She rushes me with a hug and refuses to let go. What can I do but hug her back?

Raelynn watches impassively. I ignore her.

“Landi?” I ask. “What do you think of having Dotti around for a little longer?”

“Do I get to zap her if she threatens to eat me?”

Dotti winces.

“No zapping unless it’s in self-defense,” I admonish.

“Fine, whatever. She’s okay, I guess.”

“Then it’s settled,” I say. “Landi, I vote to extend our contract for one month.”

“Meh. Seconded.”

Dotti nods and looks around excitedly.

Nothing exciting happens.

“Was there supposed to be fireworks or something?” I ask Landi.

“You didn’t buy the premium package,” Landi jokes halfheartedly. “You want something pretty to commemorate our awesome adventuring party? There. There’s a sunset. It’s very glowy.”

“It is.”

I look to Raelynn. She’s preoccupied with something- whether that’s Dotti or the druids, I don’t know. She might join up with us again. She might not.

I might have screwed up. I can admit it. But… at least the future’s looking bright.

That’s all I need.

2/2 Lady Kensington 2021/03/23(Tue)22:10 No. 992864 ID: 8483cf
File 161656263667.png - (209.72KB , 1000x1000 , Title Card 2.png )

END OF THREAD 2: Lazy Fairy and the Adventuring Party

Who Will be the POV of the Next Thread?

1. Moonshine, a.k.a Landi, a Fairy
2. Lady Serah Kensington, Heir Countess of Kensington, a Human Alchemist
3. Dorothea, a.k.a. Dotti, a Fox Spirit
4. Raelynn, a Wood Elf Ranger

Thread will remain open for one week to count votes.

Dotti's turn to have character development.
Lets see if she can win Rae's respect.

>>992864
D O T T I

DOTTI fox adventures!

In the mind of the Dotti,
Chickens!

D O T T I

>>992864
Dorothea. Time to do the big fox think for big fox problems. Like how to stop people to toss perfectly fine meats in tiny compartments.

Raelynn. Sensible Adventure of Sensible Elf!