>I have a full scarf

>He's not in the town proper

>You're above him

>You have no cancer

GENESIS UP IN THIS MOTHERFUCKER

BIG BANG MAZGNUM DRILL BREAKER

TURN YOUR LEGS INTO A SPEAR, THEN A DRILL. LINE IT WITH CANCER CANNONS AND DIVE TOWARDS HIM, LETTING LOOSE THE ENERGY OF THE GENESIS.

HE DIES TODAY.

>>246949
>HE ABSORBS MOMENTUM AND VELOCITY AND THEN REDIRECTS IT
>BAD IDEA

>>246946
>If so... what am I gonna do about that armor of his, now that he knows about my toga?
Contact poison. Don't need to actually hit him hard in order to do damage, that way; something like a spitting cobra's got. Lace it with aggressive cancer mutagens for extra laughs. It probably won't finish the fight, but it's definitely worth a try.

When you actually hit him, go for exposed flesh and rely primarily upon your indirect abilities- poison, cancer, that sort of thing- to deal the damage, rather than kinetics which he might be able to use against you.

Since saying his name obviously gives him more of an in, stop using it. Rename him something demeaning, and use that to refer to him instead; "Skullsy" might work. Communicate this to the others, so that they do not get caught in such silly traps. Continue avoiding eye contact with him.

Request that your companions keep the slaves off your back while you deal with Skullsy. Having them deal with it will free you of some worries and give the random enslaved guys better odds of living through the fight, one would hope.

>>246953
I'm almost certain an attack that can oneshot Mordre will be able to overcome the limits of this man.

Ok, I just have to say, spear legs are a bad idea.
The only way you could justify it is if you have to hit a slow/immobilized opponent with incredible defense.

Spear legging takes away one of Bang's strongest weapons, his mobility. The enemies we are fighting now have shown that they can keep up with us at MAX, so hampering our ability to move at a moments notice is a bad idea.




Shoot him with cancer, aim for the head.
Your THUNDERCLAP would be useful as crowd control, it affects a wide area and has shown evidence of disrupting the targets control (likely because it jars the brain).
If you can somehow combine the elec move with thunderclap, to make a mass paralysis wave, then that would be good (also it would make it more thunder and lightning like).

>>246946
>Remember that for normal organics, transfer OUTSIDE of a place of Sameness is excessively lethal.
Oh. Well. I didn't know this. I thought he just couldn't do it.

Telekills everywhere! Probably not on this guy though. Probably something about ownership and power preventing it, or the other guy had weakened ownership because of the enslavement. Or not! What's the harm in asking if it can be done, when one of the enslaved minions gets close?

Ask Nagging wife what she told the other masks her name was. Has she accepted The Red Eye of the Dynamo, or did she tell them she was Nagging Wife? That would be funny, but rather unlikely.

Try to get a grapple in on him. Once you grasp him, there shouldn't be much momentum to dampen to give him power, and if you've got a good solid grip, hopefully he wouldn't be able to return the energy. The bugger here is the enslavement ability. Hopefully your leather handwrapping will count as not touching enough for the magic to take hold, or their magic dampening effect on anything that's not curatiomancy will prevent that combat magic you noted earlier from taking hold, or let slow it down enough that you can out-heal it. Or hell, maybe HE has to initiate it, or it's channeled through his hands or something. Decent restrictions for power boosts, there, though the versatility lost might offset the power enough that he decided to not do that.

After you grasp him, on your arm, grow a Death Stalker Scorpion stinger, and inject him with poison, or cancer, whichever. Or, hell, if you've seen a male platypus, grow a venom-injecting barb similar to what it has and try to get him with it during the grapple. But have it inject cancer as opposed to the platypus venom because platypus venom isn't that bad.


Also, I would suggest a dance-off based on his prior moonwalking but no that's just too silly

Also, thunderclap might not be a good idea when we've got two bromasks with us.

>>246962
>Too Silly
>Golem Quest
Mortoro! I CHALLAGE YOU TO BREAKDANCE FIGHTING!

>>246994
>Mortoro
Don't say his actual name, no matter what. I agree with the other guy, call him Skullsy or Skull-face or something.

Alternatively try a slightly less-than-genesis attack where you envelop this guy inside a spherical cage made of 3-4 loops of Bang Blades. As momentum is redirected he will be surrounded on all sides, trapped within a shrinking enclosure of saw blades with infinite feedback until he can't cope anymore. This vector redirection isn't free. Something has to fuel it just like the blood toga.

>>246994
[Dance contest? Sure, why no-]
>Mortoro! I CHALLAGE YOU TO BREAKDANCE FIGHTING!
>CHALLAGE
[Oh, so sorry, the spelling nazi clause is invoked, silly shenanigans cancelled.]

>>246954
>>246961
I dash forward without hesitation, noting Adolfo and Conrado both dashing off in my peripherals to face the masses about us. My hands rise, fingers ready to clutch at anything they may touch as I begin to secrete Possibility Cells onto my palms. The high energy cost and considerable feedback makes this hardly an ideal method.... but if I have to attack someone without moving fast....

"Goodbye, Skullsy!"

My hands close about his throat, smearing Possibility Cells into the gap betwixt Mask and leather under-armor-and let go, having never given him more than the most minor of momentum to work with. I see the Possibility Cells getting to work, charged and devoid of leadership, tumors of Chaos already beginning-

As a hand closes about my toga, and I feel that enchanted cloth beginning to constrict with bone-breaking force about my body. I begin running the calculations necessary to keep my body from crumpling-and otherwise do nothing. I do not try to strike my foe again, nor do I try to flee. I simply stand in place, resisting his counter, as I watch El Mortoro begin to claw at the expanding ring of cancerous growths about his neck, already gasping and wheezing. He drops to a knee as only raspy whistles and clicks escape his throat, still vainly clutching at my toga, the power constricting it about me diminishing-and vanishing, as his hand slips away, his neck so deformed it is clear his spinal column has been severed, his spine disjointed by the wild growth of Chaos, body still idly twitching on the ground. ....Man, that was EASY. That loophole in most Combat Magic, letting curatiomancy in because they assume it to be beneficial is a bit of a killjoy, I won't lie.
>You complain about victory not being challenging enough?
Of course! I'm looking to have fun here-and I do think it's awesome I managed to kill a total of five God Masks in a single night, with... forty nine minutes to spare... but where's the struggle, the clash, the desperation, that hazy, delirious moment between life and death, your every fiber devoted to finding a way to survive, to grasp victory?
>Did you not experience that with Desmonte?
..I did, and I suppose that will have to do.
I pull Mort's Mask off as I turn about, the sounds of combat persisting-
WOAH

The moment I pluck the Mask from his face, a... darkness, a dearth of Soulglow ripples outward, stripping away magic from hundreds, thousands of individuals. Adolfo the Forest Fist, Conrado of Mind Lightning, both in frenzies as they fight off waves of minions, come to a hesitant halt as they note the confusion on the faces of those facing them, the lowering fists. ...Mortoro's grasp was broken, then, or this is one hell of a ruse.
>I would point out that the two Masks we met here are highly suspicious of you, and will likely remind their bearer's to question you further.
What, suspicious? Don't they know not to look a gift fist in the knuckles? That's how you get a shiner on your soul!
>....Beyond the inanity of your retort-
Not inane, STYLISH-
>They likely question why a total of seven-now eight-Masks are detectable on your personage, one of them an Old Mask. This is not aided by the fact Masked Warriors are supposed to be officially appointed, something you most certainly were not, and the irregularity of your Combat Magic.

As if on cue, even as the crowds of minions-turned-civilians mill about in confusion, Adolfo and Conrado both turn towards me, keeping a respectful distance, yet offering probing questions all the same.

>[Conrado]"....While I... while we are most grateful for your help... I'm having trouble with a few things you said. You ride a dragon? You became Masked last night? Are you saying you were not appointed as a Masked Warrior, but just... picked up a Mask? ....And why, exactly, do you have so many extra Masks with you?"
>[Adolfo]"....Are you related to Magnum Boom the Unmasker?"

Wait hold on now THEY KNOW MY DAD WAIT WHAT? ....And since when did he have a title? ....Ah, as I recall, the Masked Warriors are not exactly happy when their rules and whatnot are broken, and I may have a good bit of explaining to do here..... on the other hand, I see Nidhogg circling overhead... I could just say 'fuck it' and leave.... though I REALLY want to claim Mortoro's runed leather bodysuit, and that would take a bit of time to get off his body....





Okay, so I kept my bet with myself, I killed my way through every single God Mask I or Nagging Wife know of.... now what?
Should I try to dance my way through some lame politic stuff with these two Masked Warriors I just rescued?
Or should I say nuts to that and just... leave? I am only one third of the way across Despardos, and times a'wastin....

First thing's first, start workin' that armor off of The Enslaver. Spoils of war and all, yours by right.

Then, Tell the truth, pretty much. Dragon isn't exactly yours, but your employer's. Yes, you weren't appointed, but traveling through the area, and spotted a bandit group attacking a town. You then killed the leader, El Blank Magnifico and his bandits, and took his mask. Then, you decided, for the hell of it, to knock out all the fell masks on the way, because you could and it'd be fun. Took their masks too. Bet some of them against The Butcher's collection, killed him, and now here you are. You're going to keep them and do something with them. Don't give specifics about the whole face necklace thing because that is pretty creepy.

Ask about Pops. Tell US about pops. Ask about the title.

Then say, sorry, I've got to go, got places to be, nice talking with you, spread the word that I'm awesome and took out four fell masks in one night.

Though, if you really don't feel like talking, or they start getting really pissed about rule-breakin, you could just grab The Enslaver's corpse and bugger off, jumping onto Nindy and taking the armor off while riding.

We killed our way through so many, and before dawn. DRINKING TIME! I would say FLEEING TIME, but hey one of them knows dad, I -want- that body, and it'd be pretty sweet to be a real Warrior Mask, right? Anyway, Nagging Wife, Ojo Rojo del Dynamo is gonna stay with us and as cool as it would be to get a kill team sent out after us all the time, that'll make you kinda hated rather then THE BEST DAMN WARRIOR MASK EVER.

So walk over, fireman lift up the dead body and slap our two new friends on the back. "I'll tell you on the way. We're gonna cantina crawl our way back to my home base, and you're gonna hear every detail on the way! And possibly a lot of other badass stuff!"

And ask around for a bag or something. We can't just keep stuffing this stuff down our pants. Especially the armor.

>>247005
Guybrush Threepwood is unamused.

>>247003
This seems pretty good, although I would add that we should say it in a loud and impressive voice so that everyone can hear us. Because, y'know, while the Masked Warriors before us might be prickly about their rules, I'd bet that the hundreds of people we just freed from mental control will be a damn sight less so. And spread our legend of AWESOME in a far more positive light, after hearing us tell our tale.

Ask about our dad first, though. If the questions about our status re: Mask turns ugly, we might have to leave in a hurry. I'd like to have news about our dad when we do, although I suppose that we can drop in on any town at random and ask for rumors if we care to spare half an hour on it. Would definitely be more convenient here, though.

As for not being appointed... of course we were appointed! By ourselves, in the absence of anyone else capable of doing so. They can declare it official now in light of our latest set of actions, if they feel like it. That'd straighten things out nicely.

Also: Is Mordre Bang's employer, or just some guy that he hangs out with for fun? Because I thought it was more the latter. Regardless, Nidhogg is a person, not a possession; it would be appropriate to phrase things in terms of "works for", not "belongs to".

Masks seem to have souls... Maybe you could just give the outright dangerous masks like the insane old mask and Mortoro's (enslaving?) mask to Mordre for his golem to eat as thanks for lending you Nidhogg and Burduko. Otherwise they'll just end up on some other nutcase in the future.

These two guys seem a bit slow on the uptake. Keep talking to them while you casually loot Mortoro's stuff. Chat about things like this Magnum Boom the Unmasker, how you've killed a few God Masks today for kicks and how you've helped countless innocent Despardan citizens escape cruel tyranny.

Finally when you're done jump onto Nidhogg with the parting comment "And yes Conrado I DO ride a dragon, I'm just that awesome." Then fly off while standing in a cool pose on top of Nidhogg's back.

On Mortoro's body suit, surely you could just pick the corpse up, and carry it with you when you jump up to Nidhogg? Or just have Burduko run to the corpse and teleport to Nidhogg's back, where you can take off the suit at your leisure (on the corpse itself, probably get Burduko to teleport it to Mordreden, they would like the gift; maybe they could somehow utilize his bones make the Walls able to repel the magic of humans or something).

>>247007
ok well wrong word employer there. Right on that. Quite tired here.

And for Nidhogg, well, maybe. But having a tame normal dragon is a simpler (haha) explanation than beast parasite deep spawn, and thus the quickest explanation is indeed "owned", like one owns a horse or dog. Not exactly truth, but it gets the point across. Doesn't really matter, though, "works for" is good as well. Should just mention it in passing, though, so they don't ask "How did the crazy son of a bitch tame/employ a dragon?" which would slow us down.

>>247010
We probably need more bones for that.

Hmm. Related to using Burduko, Can Mordre detect that... pliability Kyorto described, in world magic users? We keep killing magic users, and while I doubt anyone we've already killed has used world magic (Except maybe The Butcher), it would be good, if Bang were to continue tearing his way through the desert, to know if we can determine if a corpse is usable post mortem.

Oh man what am I even talking about. We could just have Burduko drop off any corpse we suspect to use world magic and shout at Kyorto that we're not sure, maybe this one, confirm it before you use it.

>>246999
Well aside from dealing with this situation involving the other two Masked Warriors, which everyone else seems to have covered, you need to keep going across Despardos. You might just want to make a stop where your dad lives though. Get the full story on his tittle and ask why you were never told about this. Unless he's a drifting sort, then just stop by your home town and see how things have changed. Other than that just recharge your Sash and Scarf, practice with the possibility cells, save anyone you see in trouble below you.

>>247004
I really like the idea of having them join us for a drink, but not explaining the situation to them while we ride off. If we explain it here it allows us to have the people we just saved and who will be incredibly grateful for our service as a backdrop to the conversation. That sort of thing really adds a lot of oomph to your argument.

So after we talk them down and maybe get them on our side we can offer them a drink and a ride on the dragon. We can even make a smooth transition like "You know what Conrado? You seem keen on the fact I'm riding my Boss' dragon, how about you and your friend join me and we'll take it for a spin. I'll drop you off at your home base and maybe we can make a pit stop for drinks."

>>246999
"Well, duh! Ain't it obvious?

...what, it's not? Ah geez, fine. Let's see, now:

>[Conrado]"....While I... while we are most grateful for your help... I'm having trouble with a few things you said. You ride a dragon?

First, yeah, I ride a Dragon...well, work with her is more like it. Call her Nidhogg, or Nindy if you really want, but be warned, I doubt you have the healing factor to stand up to the reprisals, haha! She gives me a lift to where we need to go, and of course helps my in my DYNAMIC ENTRY's.

>You became Masked last night?

Eh, last night, this night, same diff really. Saw a bunch of rudos roughing up a town and we stepped in. How was I to know El Blanco Minimo was gonna be there? Not that I'm complaining, of course, even if he did go down like a chump, but eh.

>Are you saying you were not appointed as a Masked Warrior, but just... picked up a Mask?

As for picking up a Mask...Well...yeah? That tingling brain thing it did when it happened was pretty neat.

>....And why, exactly, do you have so many extra Masks with you?"

As for the masks...well, lets see, I got that Hippo dudes here, San Bruno something or other, that Creeper guy's mask is right here (Damn creepy thing, mind you), Then there's Desmonte's right here...what'd he call it, Eternal Sunset?...

Oh, and now Mortoro's. Yeah, its been a busy, what, 9 hours?

>[Adolfo]"....Are you related to Magnum Boom the Unmasker?"

YOU KNOW MY POP? AWESOME. HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT NAME I GOTTA KNOW!

>>247008
>have Mordre eat the masks
actually that's a really interesting idea. if we don't turn over the masks to appease the two warriors talking to us now, that seems like a viable plan. Unless we still want to keep them for that necklace of masked-faces idea we had.

>>247003
this sounds like a PLAN

>>247014
I suppose if Bang asks Burduko to get rid of the corpse we can do that without too much suspicion from him, as he doesn't know about the Kyorto thing. It wouldn't hurt to try!

oh crap we still have like 50 minutes in-universe-time until the bonus time for Ugrokk's new arm runs out. brb drawing

Do the lame politic stuff. It brings you fame!

Word of this will make people recognize you as a great power unto yourself. Since you're effectively immortal, barring catastrophic destruction of your brain and entire neural net, you're going to get to start tapping into Belief magic. If you want that sweet sweet Belief, you've got to stick around and talk. Maybe you could extract promises from everyone here to tell the tale of Magnum Bang's Five Fell Fights, too.

Also, I've got a prediction: As word of Bang's success, and of his style, spreads, more white blood users will start to pop up who specialize in covert operations. Bang, and any other sufficiently skilled possibility cell user, can make himself look like anyone else. Those same abilities allow for Bang, or a student of Bang's weaponized curiomancy style, to sneak chaotic cancer cells into a target. The cancer can be tuned to attack at different rates, and I suspect can even be tuned to remain undetectable and trigger when a specific condition is met. The same abilities can be used to make other biological poisons too, of course.

A curiomancer of Bang's ability could even alter other people to look like a specific person. No doubt that will be much rarer though, owing to the added difficultly of permanently altering someone else's flesh. I still expect it to happen.

In short, there will be a series of assassinations made using cancer cells and biological poisons, and there will be many curiomages who alter themselves and others to look like other people so that they can be excellent spies.

Randomly, what say we stop calling nagging wife, well, nagging wife? She's helped us out over the past fights, saved our ass after that genesis move... I think it's the least we could do to stop calling her such a derogatory name, really.

>>247052
with you there.

Whatever you do, do not give up the masks.

If need be, bail out to Nindy. Grab the body and take the armor while riding Nidhogg.

Agreed

With the "not calling Nagging Wife" part. Returning the Fell Mask Masks is fine, just not Ojas Roja since us two are partners now.

>>247070
In the least I think we should give back those three masks that we claimed after we killed Desmonte.

Of course. I don't actually see the use in having multiple masks anyway.

>>247076
The creepy face-necklace, remember, with multiple masks?

Don't turn the masks in. If they're insistent, yes, turning the three you won from The Butcher is ok, since those were masked warriors he killed, but the four Fell Masks are definitely OURS.

>>247066
this has my full support. answer a few questions and ask a few of our own then grab the loot clad body and get out of there.

be fore we run off explain that we were going to meet a bro of ours before we took a small detour to get a mask and do the masked warrior thing but we have to get goining as we dont want to be to late.

could someone put this into Bang speech please? i would but i seem to suck at it

>>247077
I don't really see the appeal with that face necklace with masks thing.
What the heck is it actually supposed to do anyway?

>>247078

Oh yeah, we should definitely make it clear that this whole venture was but a small distraction for us. That should make them clear who they are dealing with.

>>247080
Give us the power-boost from multiple masks while also having a small amount of surface area for runes (I'm sure cheeks and foreheads could sport a few small runes).

>>247080
[Let's see.... chained Cerebral Zeniths, or using the other Masks as buffers to prevent insanity for Nagging Wife/Red Eye of the Dynamo, networked magic sensing for increased capacity.... all sorts of stuff.]

>>247003
I begin ripping the opulent garments off of Mortoro's corpse, and after briefly appriasing how his runed leather armor is fastened, begin carefully unlatching and unhooking it so that it can be removed. As I work on it, I note with certainty that I could fit within this leather shell... but with inbuilt gloves, boots, even a high collar, I would have almost no exposed skin... which would mean no Bang Blade.... well screw that then. While I labor I start to respond to the two Masked Warriors before me, being careful to insure my words are loud and carrying, cutting through the confusion of thoseone-time minions now milling about as they seek their bearings..

>>247035
"Really, I just gave you some perfectly fine explanations.... but I guess I can be a bit more involved. SO:
First, yeah I ride a dragon-well I guess it's more accurate to say I work with her, by the name of Nidhogg-nickname of Nindy, but she doesn't respond all that happily to the moniker. I doubt you have the regenerative capabilities necessary to deal with her... reprisals, as it were. Anyway yeah she gives me a lift and a high place to do a dynamic entry from: Say what you will, but turning yourself into an artillery shell dropping from the sky as an entrance is radical!"
>[Adolfo]"..You work WITH this dragon Nidhogg?"
"Well yeah, she works for Mage Mordre, one of my buddies, really cool guy, got a Soul Grave and everything."
>[Conrado]"If you could elaborate on becoming a Masked Warrior last night?"
"I swear I explained this while we were jumping, but whatever. ...Eh, last night, this night, same thing really. Saw a bunch of rudos roughing up a town as Nindy was flying overhead, and I decided to step in, take a little stroll on the ground miles below, okay? How was I to know El Blanco Minimo-that's gonna bug me, I've gotten so used to calling him that I forgot his name-"
>El Blank Magnifico, real name Vernio Deltulo
" El Blank Magnifico, real name Vernio Deltulo , that was it, thanks for the reminder, Wi-.... nah, you've done a great job being my Mask, I'll stop teasing: Thanks, Red Eye of the Dynamo. ANYWAY, how was I to know a Fell Mask of the God Mask gang was gonna be there? Not that I'm complaining, of course, even if he did go down like a chump, but eh."
>I... thank you.
>[Conrado]"So then, that is-WAS Magnifico's Mask?"
>[Adolfo]"Making it a Fell Mask?"
"Well yeah, she was, but you know how it goes, if a dick picks up a Mask, not that much they can do about it! I figured I could put her to use on the side of JUSTICE, punching faces for righteousness, all that."

I finish pulling and unfastening the straps, cinches and buckles of the Kinesis-Feasting armor, and realize that my pants are WAY too tight to stuff this down (too much Bang down there, HAHA)
>Was that entirely necessary?
OF COURSE IT WAS I'M BANG. Now then... Phohn?
Yes, Mortal Bang?
-Okay that's been bugging me, why are you calling me Mortal every time? I can recover from fatal stuff just like you guys, so what's the deal?
So if your head was destroyed, you would still persist?
Currently? Ah... actually, I might. Got auxiliary thinking meats in my bones, could keep me going while I regenerate the head. So... yeah, I probably would still persist, unless I lost my head and every single bone in my body at the same time.
...Acknowledged. What is it, Bang?
Could you ask Burduko to take these runed leathers and bring them to... let's see, how about Arkus? I never did pay him back for those medical textbooks he found for me in the Arcanoworks, gotta pay him back for the extra technical knowledge of how my body works!
The request has been made, and accepted.
Burduko appears in a whisper of displaced air at my side, many of the freed civilians reflexively cringing as the Masked Warriors tense, but at seeing my open stance (and Burduko's immediate vanishing act), they relax-with a new question thrown in the mix. I do note that the few hundred minions listening to my loudly vocalized words are frantically calling out for others of those just freed and milling about, all while they listen keenly to this conversation.

>[Conrado]"...Is your ally there... Burduko, was it?"
"Yeah."
>[Conrado]"...Is that a Tractomancer? And more broadly.... what IS this Burduko?"

"Burduko... yeah, he's gotta be a Tractomancer, or at least I assume so. Never asked, he's not the biggest in the world with small talk. As to what he is... well, I don't know that much about artificial or heavily augmented entities, but near as I can tell, he would count as a Life Golem. ...Man, my throat's dry, what say we continue this in a saloon? I could use a drink, and I bet you could to."
>[Conrado]"Hold on, I have more question-"
>[Adolfo]"He'll answer them while drinking, then. ..We do not know this city well at all, perhaps you know where one could be found?"
"Sure, I spotted at least one saloon I missed in the initial subterfuge to draw out Mortoro, was a three story affair, should be properly stocked... oh yeah!"

I turn to address the audience of freed civilians at large.

"Hey, I'll treat you all to some free drinks, courtesy of this Fell Mask here, how does that sound?"
I barely get a chance to speculatively flap about Mortoro's Mask before the confused but exceptionally attentive bystanders consent to the offer with a great deal of cheer: They may not yet know what's going on, but they certainly know they could use a drink. All right! Adolfo and Conrado take up positions on either side of me, and are bombarded with questions by the freed minions as I trailblaze to the bar, all of us united in our glorious quest for booze. Somewhere along the path, it comes out that Conrado was enslaved half a year ago, having come to investigate where Adolfo vanished to a year prior to that. ...So, big one was captured for a year and a half, little one for just a half year. I start getting timeframes for the enslaved minions as well, as talk of dates and timeframes continues during out trek. It seems that most were enslaved within the last two years, with just a few from three or more years back. Ultimately, the conversation dies as I come to a halt before a robust building, and say the magic words.

"FREE BOOZE INSIDE!!"

Needing no further encouragement, the audience propels we three Masked Warriors inward from sheer body pressure, as those claiming to have been bartenders immediately set to appraising the stock of the structure. With hundreds and hundreds of bottles stacked behind the bar, and as many mugs as one could want, it takes little time at all before everyone is happily nursing some whiskey, rum, or a large flagon of beer (or, in my case, twelve).
>Is that much alcohol strictly necessary?
What, worst case scenario I just blast out the alcohol-imbued blood, and grow some more! Besides, I'm THIRSTY!

The two Masked Warriors, each with a heavy flagon before them, Adolfo working on something that smells pungently of nuts while Conrado goes for the tried and true whiskey, resume their questioning, and the cacophony in the supremely packed bar immediately dies down as hundreds of ears strain to listen.

>[Conrado]"So. Mind explaining why I detect a total of eight Masks on your personage?"
"No problem. One sec-"

I fish around in my crotch and about my ass, pulling forth six masks to complement Mortoro's, still in my left hand. I get more than a few dumbfounded looks at my choice of storage space, even a generous smattering of drinkers snickering into their cups, but I ignore them as I begin ticking off the Masks.

"Okay, let's see here... I'm wearing one, this is Mortoro's Mask here, this one here was San Bruno Toro's Mask, another God Mask... this one was the Old Mask of Desperspardos the Creeper... these three were won in a bet against Desmonte the Butcher, with this Mask here being his."
>[Adolfo]"Mind saying just where you encountered this so-called Butcher?"
"Yeah sure, he was running a casino in Domingo, bleeding the town dry of finances for his opulence, all that fun stuff. I gotta say, THAT guy put up one hell of a fight, not the least of which for having this sash I wear now, and some potent white boots, Geomancy inclined."

The two Masked Warriors share a wordless nod at this, while they try to wrap their heads around what I just said.
>Considering that Desmonte The Butcher was one of the oldest members of the God Mask gang, and responsible for slaying several Masked Warriors, even in groups-
Oh boo hoo, I'm answering their questions-WHICHREMINDSME

"So hey, Forest Fist Adolfo."
>[Adolfo]"Hm?"
"You know my pops? That's awesome. How do you know his name though?"
>[Conrado]"Boom's SON!? Wh-"
>[Adolfo]"I know him because he is as well known as the current bearer of the Belt of Champions."
"What really? He wasn't that big of a deal when I left Despardos a decade ago."
>[Adolfo]"Much can change in a decade."
"True enough! So, do you know where he's at? I haven't seen him in forever, would like to say hi, all that."
>[Conrado]"So, you are with that outlaw?!"
>[Adolfo]"Settle down, he's been away since before it started."
"Mind filling in the blanks here? WHAT started?"
>[Adolfo]"This requires a bit of backstory... one moment."

After the massive warrior refills his tankard, this time with what smells like grain alcohol, he begins speaking, the other patrons of this bar not even trying to hide their singular focus.

>[Adolfo]"As you are no doubt aware, your father was a Masked Warrior-"
"Was?"
>[Adolfo]"Yes. He continued to be one of considerable prestige and capability, until Leatherface entered the political scene."
>[Conrado]"Honestly, the guy gives me the heeby-jeebies."
>[Adolfo]"A common occurrence. Leatherface the Evermasked, who claimed the title of 'Most Powerful Masked Warrior' two-... Four years ago, I suppose."

The Forest Fist turns from our conversation for a moment, speaking to the audience at large.
>[Adolfo]"Hey, any of you who've lost less time than me, do you know if Leatherface is still the belt holder?"
>[Freed civilian #1,382]"Uh, it sounds like I've only lost a month, and he was still champion last I heard."
>[Adolfo]"Right, so, Leatherface has held the belt against all challengers, be it official bouts during the day, or assassination attempts by Fell Masks while he slumbers, for four years."
"Unless something has changed, the next best I ever heard of, in terms of how long someone held the title, was measured in months, not years."
>[Adolfo]"That is correct. Leatherface is currently re-setting the record every day, for how long a single person has held the Belt."
"Okay... and what does this have to do with poppa Boom?"
>[Conrado]"He took off his Mask, Tomb Sight, and has, for the last three years, been... hunting Masked Warriors and Fell Masks alike. Last I heard he was up to thirty eight Masks claimed."
>[Adolfo]"Hrm. Last I had heard he had only twenty two.... must be picking up his pace. Anyway, there are reports he is using those claimed Masks in an attempt to craft SOMETHING, and he has hardly been secretive about the fact it is intended to let him fight and best Leatherface."
"Okay... I know my pop's a real focused guy, but he's impatient as all hell. Why would he start a multi-year plan to claim the Belt of Champions, instead of just challenging the guy outright?"
>[Adolfo]"Let me give you a brief glimpse into what is so different about our current champion than past ones: Leatherface possesses an Old Mask, one of the oldest known to still be around."
"Ah, so he's a puppet for the Old Mask, then?"
>[Adolfo]"No. He stitched the Old Mask to his face, grafting it to his skin... and devoured the Mask's psyche in the process."
"WHAT THE HELL THAT SOUNDS AWESOME!"
>[Conrado]"...Definitely Boom's son."
"So... do you know where pops is now? ...Or the current champion?"
>[Conrado]"Why do you ask, you working for him?"
"Whatno, I'd like to ask pops what the hell he's doing-I mean, I'm assuming he's killing Mask owners, he was never one for non-lethal fights-"
>[Adolfo]"Correct."
"Not to mention I thought he was in semi-retirement, what with the ban on Soul Magic."
>[Adolfo]"Also correct."
"So yeah, I got questions for him."
>[Conrado]"Then why do you want to know the champion's location as well?"
>>247081
"Well, this was a nice distraction and all, doing a bit of night-time cleaning in Despardos, taking down some Fell Masks, but hey, a spar with a champion like THAT? Sounds fun as hell."

At this, the smaller Masked Warrior has nothing to say, jaw dropping to the ground. Adolfo is less shocked, and after a pregnant pause speaks.

>"Your father's location is unknown, however Leatherface has been calling the same river-side city his home for several years. He is likely still in Lugo Oviedo."

Once again, an audience member speaks up.

>[Freed civilian #1,117]"Uh, I heard about the Unmasker being in Naviarro... I guess two months ago?"
"Thanks for the tip!"

The two Masked Warriors drinking with me seem to have run out of questions, though I note they are sitting a bit closer together now.
>Likely so their Masks can communicate between them, confer without verbalizing.
Right, the contact thing.
>I would like to point out that Lugo Oviedo is farther north and very much so on our path. Naviarro, however, is a good eight hours out of our way, far to the East.
...Eh, decisions, decisions. Let's review:

-Mordre asked me to make my way to the Arcanoworks as swiftly as possible, and I already took a detour to have this fun, but I got some magical artifacts to show for it, I could hardly picture him mad about that.
-Mordre's waiting on me to return to the Arcanoworks, but he's busying himself with stuff in the Land of Dragons, doing the followup on that mission from Lenryt, that crazy-creepy little girl who is somehow a Grand Elder Mage of the Mortal Coil?
-I've got my name starting to spread, now that I've finished disseminating the tale of my awesome night-time brawling escapades, but if I could get a fight in with Leatherface-or hell, get some answers from pops, it'd make what I just did look smalltime.
-I got two mutually exclusive directions to go: North bringing me to the champion, East to my dad (maybe).





Hm. What should I do?
Should I pump these two Masked Warriors for more information, or get while the getting's good?
And should I stop in to meet the current champion, or maybe trek out to meet my dad again?
Or have I had enough excitement (HAH) for the moment, and plan to just head straight to the Arcanoworks?
>[Dawn in five minutes.]

Nah, head back to the Arcanoworks. Doubt the situation'll change too much in any amount of time, and you can always come back later.

North to the champion! Your dad was seen two months ago, that's HARDLY a fresh lead. We'll just wind up being directed somewhere else, and waste tons of time messing about when we're needed elsewhere.

lets have a quick look for pops before leaving, he might be trying the multi mask thing we were thinking of. we can always comeback later for the other stuff.

>>247099
this is bangs dad were talking about, hes probably going to make a costume or armour entirely out of masks

I am inclined to say continue to the Arcanoworks. This was an amusing diversion, but you did make a promise to proceed there with speed. You have a great deal of Mordre's trust, don't want to seem unreliable now.

>>247094
Just go the Arcanoworks. You could use some extra time to regenerate all your magic, and it's not like you won't be able to come back in a couple days. Neither of them is likely to vanish in the meantime. Mordre asked you to be as swift as possible, and you've already taken a detour or three- AWESOME detours, yes, but still detours. Mordre's your buddy; you should do what he requested and THEN come track down your dad. Doing right by your friends is an important thing, y'know.

>>247094
Go ahead and check in with your dad and see what's up. He might even let you in on what crazy thing he's building with all those Masks. Also how is your relationship with him? And what fighting style did your dad use when he practiced Soul Magic? Ask the other Masked Warriors what he's using now. It must be something insane to manage doing what he's doing now.

We shouldn't confront Leatherface before speaking with Boom.

But, I vote to go to Arcaneworks and get this thing over with so that we can deal with Eisenhardt finally

arcanoworks.

To the Arcanoworks! I wanna see what Mordre's up to again.

Glue 2010/10/23(Sat)13:08 No. 247132 ID: ddd48d
File 128786452362.png - (56.39KB , 800x600 , ITSGOTIME.png )

head to the Arcanoworks, see whats up.

hooray Arkus got a present!

ALSO UGROKK IS GOING TO HAVE THE MOST BAD-ASS ARM OF ALL TIME.

>>247132
[ +1 Fanart Ugrokk Arm Unspent Fanarts: 10/10 For Gialgorra Limb Magnum Opus] [MAXIMUM ACHIEVED]

>>247095
>>247103
>>247104
>>247124
>>247128
...Eh, the news on where pops is, that's a bit old, he could be anywhere now. And the champion... well, if he's held the belt for four years, I imagine he can keep for a few more days... but OH MAN, I definitely want to fight him.
>So...
So, little miss Red Eye of the Dynamo, I think I'm going back to the Arcanoworks. What better way to prep for challenging the champion than fighting a war hero? ..And, if I use that as an excuse, I should be able to excuse myself before the questions here get too overbearing.

"..Shit, it's just about dawn, isn't it?"
>[Conrado]"Hm? Yeah, yeah just about."
"Well, I gotta go. I'm already a bit late for a meeting with Mordre, but I'll be back. Can't leave that champion with his Belt, nor can I just ignore pops being a dick, going around killing anyone with a Mask he sees."
>[Conrado]"Now, hold on-"

I ignore Conrad's protests, easily accomplished as his words are drowned out by a deluge of cheering, heartfelt thanks from those I freed. Adolfo's words cut through the cheer like Conrado's could not, a final question as I approach the door, already asking Phohn to have Nidhogg descend.

>[Adolfo]"So what is this meeting about?"

As Nidhogg swoops down amidst a flurry of whipping, biting gusts, Burduko on her back, I turn to look back over my shoulder as I offer parting words.

"Got a war hero to fight."

Without a single word more of explanation, I leap onto Nidhogg's back, and fly off into the rising sun, stuffing Mortoro's Mask into my leather vest, eight separate Masks now secreted about my body. ...Plus this sash I got, and those boots, and that leather armor... not a bad haul for a night's work.
>You have a gift for understatement.
Damn right I do!

The city of Domingo has already faded away in our wake as we travel ever north, the sun slowly climbing to its noon zenith as I think about... dad.

Magnum Boom. A Masked Warrior since before I was born, one of the big names, too. Most of my memories of him are from when I was a wee little tyke, since he... kinda abandoned me when I was twelve, on account of... having beaten my mother, Magnum Kapow, to death with his own hands.
>WHAT!?
Bit more to the story. See, mom was a fighter too. She had a good bit of prestige going for her, what with having the oldest known Old Mask, and not going crazy from using it. That's how she and dad met, both were big name Masked Warriors back in the day. ...But somehow or other, she ended up in a tight spot. Couldn't handle it herself... and so she performed a Cerebral Zenith with the Old Mask.
>...With one so ancient as that?
Yeah. Well, when she finally made her way home from that... she wasn't all there. Seemed... off, that whole day. ...And that night, she tried to murder me in my sleep. Dad stopped her, but in the thrall of the Old Mask, she was strong... and her mind was gone. ...Pops, to keep me safe, and to let whatever was left of her mind rest.... put her down.
>Bang, that...
Not quite done yet. Well, as one might expect, he was not the most happy of folks after doing that. He tried to stay, to look after me... but every time he looked at me, I guess all he saw was what he did to keep me safe. One day when I woke up... he wasn't there. He had left, couldn't handle being reminded of what he did every single day. ...I was twelve at the time.
>....I am so sorry for you, Bang.
...Yeah, not a set of memories I like dredging up. But hey, silver lining... if that hadn't happened, I wouldn't of been rejected a few years later when I tried to join the Masked Warriors, I wouldn't have made that promise to become a famous warrior with healing alone... and I wouldn't of met you.
>Bang, I.... thank you.
Alright, so... gonna get busy trying to gather energy, fill up my sash so...
>I will give you your space, such as I can.
Thanks.

I purposefully eschew rumination for the entire rest of the day. I surround myself with ever more layers of bone shells, doing nothing but trying to optimize my magical regeneration. ....I am able to restore the almost completely depleted sash about my waist to a fifth charge before the day is out. Night comes.... and we keep flying north.

[DAY 148: DAY 8 OF WEEK 3 OF MONTH 4:]
[Enduday of the Third Cycle of Praeclarum (Summer)]

The scenery changes ever so slowly beneath me. Sand starts to give way to dirt by noon, a tree or two being seen instead of the constant shrubbery and succulents. At our cruising altitude miles above the ground, even my eyes cannot tell me if we are spotted... but I would hardly be surprised if we were, considering that dragons do on occasion wander north from the Land of Dragons. Still, nothing and no one bothers us in our high-flying travel.... and come nightfall, we finally exit the territory of my homeland. We spend a few hours crossing the outskirts of the swamplands those Froggrock... things claim their home within, even spotting a few of the human settlements that have sprouted on their borders-before we finally reach the southern end of the Warring Nations.


[DAY 149: DAY 9 OF WEEK 3 OF MONTH 4:]
[Rathday of the Third Cycle of Praeclarum (Summer)]

Dawn is still at least an hour away, my sash just slightly past half charged, when I finally enter the land of the Azelhaedran State. ...Phohn?
Yes, Bang?
Let Mordre know I'll be at Kyogrock Arcanoworks in... oh, another hour at most.
...Administrator Mordre has been informed, and says he shall join you upon your arrival. He also wishes to extend thanks for the gifts you sent to both Lorgk and Arkus.
Eh, no prob. ....Okay, it's almost time.......



[GOLEM QUEST ARC NINE COMPLETE]
ARC 10: ENCORE WITH IRON-HEARTED EISENHARDT IMMINENT ]


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