>>553537
She's only made one mistake. Granted, that's all we know of her tactical capabilities, but honestly, it doesn't really matter whether she'd make a good military advisor or not. The point of even offering is mostly to share intel, show her that we value her (even if we really don't), and tie her fate more strongly to ours.

Just as >>553551 says, we need someone to be able to turn Fell on our side. Keya and Odon seem to be the only real options, and I don't think most of us are willing to throw Keya under the bus, so she has to be our choice. At least until we learn more of the two remaining warminds, and whether we could turn them on our side.

>>553624
While I agree we need someone to help us settle things peacefully with the fell I am a bit worried about her ability as a leader truthfully.

I mean she seems to lack discipline, lets her emotions get the best of her, and is selfish as hell. I mean she's basically telling us that right now hey territory is being torn apart by the other war minds because she isn't there and it sounds like she knew this was going to happen if she failed. Even if that's not true that her land isn't being torn apart as of yet if she would have died fighting us this would still be happening WITHOUT a chance to save it. But what does she do, she sees use traveling, decides to throw caution to the wind, grabs whoever was around her at the time, and bum rushes us. I don't give a damn about what kind of vendetta you have, when you are in charge of how ever many people that where entrusting there lives to her, that depended on her, you don't just do something so stupid as rush of towards the creature know for destroying the world when you have so much to lose with little to no chance of actually winning. It's stupid, selfish, and she basically told us she did it because she wouldn't feel right if she were to just let us go.

If we do let her go we're definitely going to need a way to stay in communication with her because she looks like someone that could use our help weather or not she'd admit it.

>>553631
I entirely agree with you. She is not a very good leader. She's too emotional, clearly way over her head in the social changes she wants to impose, and surrounded by enemies internal and external to her race. Like it or not, she needs us.

That said, I think she does want the same things we do most out of any of the warminds, which is for the world to not suck. So we need her too.

We should ask her what exactly she wants, convince her that we are after making the world as good a place as we can, and tell her to stop being depressed because we are here to help, and if the one who broke the world hasn't suicided after getting a conscience, she can show just a bit of hope.

She needs resources and hope, and possibly tactical and strategic assistance. We want information and people who are willing to not fight each other. Everything else is something we can't expect to resolve in this one discussion.

>>553624
I don't consider Odon to be an option. He wants to turn the other races into robots. Robots which will probably be loyal only to him. His plans are apocalyptic.

We haven't heard much about Karx, actually, aside from the fact that he is a warmonger. What would happen after he has the throne? Could Typhon get him to agree to peace with the other races? I kindof doubt it, but there ARE reasons he could be so war-happy that don't involve conquering the world.

Renz could be dealt with via intimidation, probably, but we have enough experience with him to know he is incredibly shallow. I wouldn't want him in a position of power over the Fell. Keep in mind we wish for the Fell to have a good future, not just the other races.

Typhon 2013/12/28(Sat)01:52 No. 553948 ID: 88efa2
File 138822436673.png - (150.81KB , 800x600 , 200.png )

Geist observing? Not as far as I can tell, but one is now. It is watching and remembering everything. They're very hard to notice.

And if Akar tries to seduce Colin, I think he has his heart set on Cadmea. Ladon would have been the worst of all possible choices, yes.

"You don't seem to be very bothered about being naked in front of me."
"Why are you always naked? Is a pair of ichor pants outside your capabilities?"
"I don't have anything to hide."
"Isn't that true. If you wore a jacket you'd wear yourself on its sleeves."
"Still, no underclothes under that armour at all?"
"Does it matter? Why does this matter to you?"
"You sound very defensive right now. What if it mattered to me a great deal?"
"I'm sure anything female being naked matters to you a great deal."
"It does when it's in defiance of typical norms. I don't think I've seen many naked Fell other than Renz and his associates. Is this a common thing among Fell upper ranks?"

She falters, her processed speech gaining in its distortion temporarily. "Don't compare me to Renz, Typhon."
"You're wearing the same uniform as he was when he talked to me."
"DON'T FUCKING COMPARE ME TO RENZ."
"Same temperament, too."
"YOU FUCKING-- you-- what am I doing listening to you. You're weak. Nothing. Useless. I should have just fought my way out. I'm a warmind, not a foot soldier, I have a higher density of cutting-edge equipment installed in my template than you have in your entire base!"
"Unrelatedly, if I were to let you leave, I would hope you have more than a single soldier to your name. You've been here for some time. Do you have territory to return to?"
"The very fact I can listen to your idiot babble means my tower's still standing, and if that's still standing, then I have forces. If I have forces, I have territory. Karx and Renz are too busy facing off against each other to be concerned with me, and Odon is to the north. Don't dare question me of my abilities. I am a warmind and I am second only to Locus himself, you mindless lout!"
"If I was a mindless lout would I really have made you feel this flustered? Surely if I was totally beneath your regard nothing I say would even matter. Renz seemed to react the same way too."

She doesn't respond. She turns away from me.

Typhon 2013/12/28(Sat)01:53 No. 553949 ID: 88efa2
File 138822438197.png - (385.55KB , 800x600 , 201.png )

"You're going to keep me here, aren't you. You'd be trying to gain my favour if you wanted that information, and this is not gaining my favour. Only more ire."
"Your information would be useful, but it isn't enough to let you free."
"I don't have ichor."
"No. That wouldn't help you either. Odon offered me every scrap of ichor in his territory. It would let me build an army ten times the size I have now. All in exchange for you. I declined."
"You can't decline ichor like that."
"Akar made me another offer with ichor as the bargaining chip. Declined that too. See, you seem to think me some form of smart animal, lead only by the moment and with an inability to plan. You must realise from my actions I am not the same shortsighted creature that broke this world below us. I am a new creature, driven to understand and mend this broken world before things like your conflicts break it further apart."
"You chose me over ichor?"
"You're the most sensible Fell leader I've spoken to so far. Renz keeps women tied up in his quarters for his own indulgences and Odon is, well. Megalomaniacal, let's say. I am not playing favourites until I have spoken to Karx, but you are more valuable to me alive than those two are. If I let you leave, you could be caught by Odon. I don't really care how strong your forces back home are. They're worthless if you're intercepted before you get back."
"You underestimate me."
"You underestimate everything else."
"You have no proof of that."
"Why are you here right now? You thought I would be easily destroyed. You lost your handful of forces and are now at my mercy. If I let you go free you're going to destroy yourself and I'd rather that not happen."
"So what use am I here to you? I can't provide information without access to my systems."
"How can I trust you'll keep your word if I set you free?"
"How can I trust you won't arrange Odon to intercept me on the way back for the ichor you mentioned?"

Typhon 2013/12/28(Sat)01:53 No. 553950 ID: 88efa2
File 138822439687.png - (73.68KB , 800x600 , 202.png )

We make eye contact. We look at each other for what feels an unbearably long time.

I don't blink or breathe. I feel like I can see her mind working behind those eyes. She doesn't blink either. Two immortals, or near-immortals, locked in a staring contest for the end of time.

"I have had many allies betray me, Typhon. And the few that did not betray me could not be saved when they were under attack. Understand that I do not take alliances lightly. I also hold responsibility for the demise of my former allies. I was not always the weakest. It is simply the case that those who were the weakest have not lasted this long."

She looks away from me.

"I am only weak in comparison to Odon's technological advancement and Karx's raw military might, and Renz happens to be in a good position for expansion and acquisition of more territory. If Akar were to cease to be a threat Renz could very quickly become the dominant power within Fell territory. Likewise, if the Shining Empire ceased to be a threat, Karx would overtake the rest of us in days. Odon is only able to focus entirely on technological progression due to his relatively protected territories. Karx and Renz are a buffer for the east and west threats, and none of us have claim to the central territory. My territory is infrequently invaded by strange beings from the south. My forces do not see regular combat, but there are factors that require my defenses to be in good shape outside of our leadership struggle."
"And here you are, naked and powerless in a cell some many, many miles from home. How did this happen?"
"Because you--"
"No, we know that part. How did you let this happen?"
"I already told you! The avatar of what went wrong with the world showed up and I lost control over my higher faculties! You've done the same!"
"Yes. I have. I know exactly what it's like. To be angry. To be scared. To be alone."
"If you're trying to get me to fuck you it isn't working."
"No. I'm just trying to say I understand."

She stares back into my eyes, silent for half of a minute. I hear Arrow smacking some part of Keya's armour with some dull metal tool.

"I will provide you with what I can remember on hand if you give me access to a visual feed. On the condition that you free all your Fell prisoners on completion of the mission."
"And what insurance do I have against attacks from you in the future?"
"The same insurance I have against attacks from you in the future. Absolutely nothing but our word. Our word and our mutual goals."
"I will have to consult with my advisors."
"No impulsive decisions when they'd be in my favour, of course. Oh well. If you're going to keep me here, can you at least furnish this place a little more? It's so empty and dull. I'd take a beanbag. Anything, really."
"...beanbag?"
"You've been out of it for a long time, haven't you."

"Oh, right. So, why are you naked again?"
"To fuck with you, basically."
"Okay. Just checking. You're still naked, though."
"So are you."
"Yeah."
"Yeah."
"You know, you keep accusing me of wanting to sleep with you, but you sure have been staring at me in interesting ways this whole time."
"..."
"You wouldn't be the first to do that, by the way. Also, for the record, yes, I did sleep with the soroi, but that was more of an emotional moment than giving into lust or some sort of political agenda. Not really your business, but just for the record."
"Regret it?"
"Not sure yet."
"I can guarantee we'd regret doing anything ourselves a lot more."
"Yeah, true."
"Goodbye, Typhon. Let's talk again when you feel like making a damn decision."
"I'll come back when you're wearing more than miasma. Not that that's a bad look for you, mind."
"...You better drop the subject next time if you want a productive discussion and not my unending hatred."

Skimmy 2013/12/28(Sat)01:53 No. 553951 ID: 88efa2
File 138822441312.png - (274.77KB , 800x600 , 203.png )

This is recon skimmer Skimmy, reporting in!

I've scoped out the source of the distress call! It's in territory that must belong to Odon. Stitchers everywhere, and more types of robotic Fell than we even have the names for! I'm just outside a big cube structure. There's a lot of cube structures around this area, but this one is the biggest. It's weird. The Fell structures I saw as I came here were more jagged and angular. These ones are just big boxes. Almost perfect cuboids even! Without all the various fiddly bits on the outside.

I think I found the least guarded entrance to this one. The others were heavily guarded by things that looked kind of made of gun so I think this is my safest option. There are more static defenses here, mostly turrets and the like, but they're burrowed so it doesn't look like they're there, and it looks like the actual entrance can only be accessed by Fell scanners or something. If I could disguise myself as Fell I should be able to just walk in!

How do I do that. I don't look very Fell and I think they have some weird technomagic thingymabobs that let them get in. Oh. Someone's coming out right now. They also look like a robot snake thing. If I could be invisible that'd help too.

"Inefficient this. Inefficient that. One more complaint and that is it. Sysad's getting a surprise as to just how inefficient I can make the operation. This is taxing my processors."

Oh right. You guys might need my skills.

I'm pretty good at being fast and unnoticeable but I can't really just walk up to that door without any issue. It's more like... I have a pretty low profile and I have some neat camouflage as you can probably see right now! It's not true invisibility obviously but it's adaptive and works as long as no one is really expecting me to be there. I wonder if I could just make myself black and purple and say I'm the help. Maybe they'll buy that! Or maybe not.

"Is something there? Halt!"

Oh whoops!

"HALT! REMAIN PRECISELY WHERE YOU ARE-- oh. Why has this turret been deployed? What is this picture drawn in such a manner? Are the lower ranks so quick to free themselves of basic responsibilites with such crude trickery? Was there an earnest expectation this would fool any of us? Is this merely an insult? I despair."

Oh.

So uh yeah I dunno what to do. Other entrances far more heavily guarded than this one.

okay dash to your left around the rock and up to the side of the cube. then turn the corner and ambush this guy. use his body as your pass card.

How quiet can you be? Would it be possible to just follow behind him as he enters the building before the door closes? Can you stick to ceilings or anything, or would we then just have to hope that he doesn't look behind him and see something sticking out of the floor before we can turn a corner? Killing anyone might set off some kind of alarm, and if we get caught after doing that it would cause much more of a diplomatic incident than having just slipped inside there. Plus, you don't exactly look like fighting a base full of robots is within your field of expertise.

This guy seems like kind of an incompetent. Think you could sneak in behind him?

>>553951
You have a similar appearance to that robot there. If you folded up your wings and moved around like a worm I think you could pass for a guard. Then you could just enter behind this one when it goes back inside.

You cooouuuld also try using that unmanned turret to shoot the robot there once it turns its back then strip its armor off and wear it.

if you can stick to walls and stuff I think you should stay as low to the ground as you can and move to your left of the rock to the wall of the cube the guy isn't guarding then stick to the wall and move up above the guy's head and then move just above the door he's guarding wait for him to open it so you can sneak in. Also maybe look at the picture he's bitching about if you get a chance.

Nyx has forces on the way. It may be beneficial to meet with them and learn their skills, so that a cooperative plan can be made. Wouldn't want to step on each others'... well, you don't really have toes, but you get the idea.

Skimmy 2014/03/15(Sat)21:43 No. 566474 ID: 445b3b
File 139494502027.png - (151.21KB , 800x600 , 204.png )

Sneak in behind him... okay, let's see. First off I should try making a disguise in case I get caught. Let's see, curling up and doing my best ichor worm impression, and maybe if I part my spikes like this and all black and purply...

I scoot over sneaky-sneaky to try and avoid being seen but--

"HALT."

I stop on the spot!

"..."
"..."
"What are you doing out here? You're next on the rota! Do not leave the subjects unattended! You should be very familiar with this process by now!"

Okay. Let's see. Best Fell underling impression. Aaaand go.

"Yes sir!"
"Who is your superior?! I ought to report this slacking to them immediately! Get to your post before I do!"
"Sir yes sir!"
"Less talking! More action! Move it! Move move move!"

I race into the building as fast as my legs can carry me.

"Faster, worm, faster!"

The door slams behind me.

Well. That worked better than I could have hoped.

Skimmy 2014/03/15(Sat)21:43 No. 566475 ID: 445b3b
File 139494503845.png - (252.74KB , 800x600 , 205.png )

Okay so I probably don't have a lot of time before someone realises what's going on and they realise I'm not actually a Fell guard.

Right. Let's think. If I was someone being held by the Fell and making an untranslatable distress call in a language I've never heard before, where would I be?

I'm in a giant maze of twisty purple corridors, all alike. See when exploring I make use of landmarks and unique terrain features and this is just nothing. Just black and weird purple lines as far as the eye can see. I miss outside.

I poke around the corridors and doors and can't figure out how to open any of them.

I find a vent, enter it, and follow it. It's narrow, also dark, like caving I guess. Well this is better than nothi--

CRACK

Skimmy 2014/03/15(Sat)21:44 No. 566476 ID: 445b3b
File 139494507358.png - (205.68KB , 800x600 , 206.png )

I come to in a pile of dust. I guess the ventilation in this place wasn't built with my weight in mind! I guess I might be a bit heavier than I think I am.

Uhh. Two big purple things look at me.

"Something fell from the ventilation."
"Yes. It is fallen, but not Fell."
"It is an intruder."
"Yes. Shall we call for the guards?"
"No. It is not a threat."
"The researchers shall decide when they see it."
"Yes. What is this creature?"
"It glimmers like the water yet is solid as the earth."
"It is the embodiment of the mystic force."
"The blood of the typhoon."
"Yes. The lost art. Rare."

"Hi uh I'm kind of a little lost," I say to them, "and if you could let me know where to find a map of this place that'd be amazing also please maybe don't kill me would be good thanks." I'm rambling but I get rambly when I'm nervous sometimes!

"We have no map."
"We are waiting for the researchers."
"We are waiting for treatment."
"When we are ready we can speak the new law once more."

"Do you know where I could get a map?" I'm noticing that this room doesn't seem to have a door. Uh.

"The Fell may grant you a map."
"It is unlikely."
"The Fell do not care for intruders."
"You knew what you were doing."
"This is your fault."
"Do not fault us for your mistakes."
"We will not risk ourselves for you."
"We serve a purpose above helping you."
"Our goal is to spread the new law of miasma."
"Your creator shelters a lawbreaker."

"So, uh, what are you waiting for again?"

"Treatment."
"Repair."
"Resolution of troublesome cognitive dissonance."
"The solution to the first problem of the new law."
"It is nothing you can understand.
"Immortals are too static to understand."

>>566476
These are miasma Soroi, obviously. Tell them that Typhon has some understanding of the Soroi, they should not make assumptions. Also that you aren't Typhon! You even named yourself. Introduce yourself, by the way.

Ask about the law. We do not mind the existence of miasma, so long as it does not attempt to cover the world. Also ask about the taboo of being a lawbreaker. She thought she would die by breaking the law, but did so to help her people. Turns out she didn't die, but became a new being that didn't need the law.

How high can you skim/jump? Can you get back into the broken vents?

neat Soroi, ask if they know of a way out? If not could you get back up to the vent?

also for your no landmarks problem, could you just sharpen one of your limbs and just make little scratches in the walls to let you know where you have and have not been? you could even make them little arrows pointing back to the exit if you want. and do you still think the vent will fall again if you spread your limbs and just move alone the walls.

as for the Soroi, ask if they came here willingly or of they're prisoners, cause if they're prisoners that means we're in a jail, which means we're probably close to whoever is sending that signal. also could you ask them not to tell anyone that you're here, or at least not bring it up unless asked. If they ask why they should just say it's your purpose to explore and right now your exploring this base it's much easier to do what you were made to do when others aren't trying to stop you from doing it. If the fell found out about you they would try and stop you from doing what you are meant to do. Seeing how these guys are order and all that it should hopefully get them to sympathize for you and not rat you out. Don't get your hopes up however.

So these guys are soroi, right? Ask them why they need the Fell to help them, what their brethren can't do. Typhon hasn't met with these guys, so maybe they have something weird going on. They are purple. Maybe they have something to do with the miasma where the others were related to things like water or fire. Or maybe I'm racist.

Tell them that we're trying to learn, so even if we don't understand now, we might eventually, and this might help us understand their culture. Ask what they mean by this new law, and what problem it's causing.

I don't suppose you guys sent out a message asking for help?

>no door
It might be possible to exit the way you came in, though you'd likely need to persuade the miasma-Soroi there to help you up.

>Your creator shelters a lawbreaker.
Who? (Our Soroi didn't break the laws. She followed them, and in doing so was left alone by her laws to die. The fact that she isn't dead yet doesn't mean she broke them).

>new law
>It is nothing you can understand, Immortals are too static to understand.
I don't think Typhoon's as static as you think. And us other ichor creations definitely aren't. We grow, we change, we learn, we adapt.

C'mon, tell me what this new law is. What is there to lose by trying to understand?

Skimmy 2014/03/17(Mon)14:19 No. 566758 ID: 445b3b
File 139509119068.png - (224.54KB , 800x600 , 207.png )

I don't think I can jump back up to the vent. Ceiling is pretty high! Also I kind of was already crawling on the walls and floor of the vent, even if I only suspended myself from the wall that's still all my weight hanging on the inside of the vent tubes.

"Did you guys send out a distress signal? Are you stuck here?"

"We are here for aid."
"We stepped through the weak rip."
"By our will, we are here."
"We do not send signals."

"Do you, uh, know a way out?"

"The weak rip is healed."
"The Fell will tear anew for our departure."
"The wall will bend when they come back."
"We are being shielded from invasion and discovery."
"You could return to the ventilation."
"We do not know how you could do this."

"Oh. Can you, well, not let anyone know I'm here thanks? Also why do you need help from the Fell? What is this new law stuff? What does the, uh, 'lawbreaker' have to do with anything?"

"We want to change the laws."
"Introduce new order."
"Lawbreakers would interfere."
"Obediant soroi will not question changes."
"We want to spread the miasma."
"Incorporate it. Integrate."
"Ward against the akari."
"They will not be able to fight soroi."

"...what? Won't spreading miasma in soroi territory kill everything in it??"

"Soroi can adapt."
"The Fell adapted through generations."
"We adapt within lifetimes."
"We were not born as soroi of miasma."

They pause for a moment.

"Only one flaw."
"Cannot reproduce. Sterile."
"Came to Fell for help."
"Fell have experience in miasma and effects."
"We are here for treatment."
"Fertile before miasma integration."
"When fixed, we can make lasting changes."
"We two can breed."
"Interbreed with other soroi tribes."
"Integrate miasma within soroi. Lands and people."

Skimmy 2014/03/17(Mon)14:20 No. 566759 ID: 445b3b
File 139509120469.png - (178.86KB , 800x600 , 208.png )

"Huh."

Well this is all a bit beyond me.

I try to clamber back up into the vents, but I can't actually find a way back up to the ceiling. Hm.

I find a more accessible panel in the wall that seems to pop off with a passage that leads beyond.

"Do you know where this goes?"

"No. Perhaps a cell."
"Perhaps a laboratory."
"This is a research facility."
"Those are the two most common rooms."

Well, I guess that works. Anything I should do or say before I leave? I'm going to etch little marks next to this panel just so I can tell I've been here before.

>>566759
Tell the two that instead of spreading miasma, why don't they just bring the Soroi here? If Soroi can adapt to miasma, then Fell and Soroi can co-habitate and share land.

That's deeply troubling. We probably want to keep this from occurring. The spread of miasma would be very bad for anything not fell and would probably destabilize the balance of power. I'm not sure quite what to do, though, they probably wouldn't just let us tell them "no". Just let others know and prepare for the worst. Let's go off that way: *points*

before you go ask them how do they now the Fell will keep there words and not betray them? I mean the Fell are even more warlike then the akari. Well the akari may be brutes they at least are whole, the Fell are fractured and fight amongst themselves as much as they fight against others, why would they ally themselves with something that isn't even a fell when they can't even get along with other fell? One of the fell warlords we've meet wanted to force cyberization on all organic creatures whether they wanted it or not. I'm not saying don't join, I'm just saying make sure you have all the cards before you make your move. I mean the akari want to USE us to make an army, the Fell want to USE us to full there war machines, Forces of the void want to USE us as an assassin to take out there foes, the soroi want to USE us as there champion to defeat any who would oppose them. The reason we have staid neutral is because people only wish to use us, not ally. Just make sure the fell aren't trying to us you either.

>>566760
Also, how do the Fell get food if nothing grows in Miasma? Are they sustained by synthetic substances? Do the same substances work to sustain Soroi?

Why do they say miasma integration would make them defeat the Akari? The Fell already use miasma and haven't managed it. (For that matter, don't the Akari and Soroi have a truce now?)

>One of the fell warlords we've meet wanted to force cyberization on all organic creatures whether they wanted it or not.
That was the same guy who owns this fortress, which means that miasma integration is only a stepping stone for him.

>>566769
It is possible that the miasma itself sustains the Fell, in this case the Soroi here may be using it in the same manner.

>>566759
Might want to ask them what they will do if the Fell can not fix the flaw? The Soroi we shelter altered the way the laws affected her, maybe they could gain some useful knowledge on how the miasma integration has affected them from her?

Skimmy 2014/03/19(Wed)22:06 No. 567044 ID: 445b3b
File 139529198405.png - (124.82KB , 800x600 , 209.png )

"Why don't you guys just bring the other soroi here?"

"We don't expect you to understand."
"Or to agree."
"It is too late for changes."
"The actions flow. The plan proceeds."

"Okay, well, I hope they manage to make you guys not sterile or whatever it is you're doing here. The Fell already have miasma and haven't beaten the akari so good luck I guess. Didn't you have a truce?"

The two laugh in a shuddering, wheezing, unnerving way.

"There is no organisation among soroi."
"No soroi speaks for all soroi."
"This is the great truth."
"The first step to understanding."
"Through understanding, manipulation."
"Through shedding the rules, changing them."
"Through changing the rules, controlling them."
"Control the rules, control the flow, control soroi."
"We will become the new leaders of the soroi."
"We will serve the Fell until the akari are no more."
"And then we will rip the miasma from their lands."
"Steal it for ourselves."
"Yes."
"Yesssss."
"Yessssssssss."

"okay uh good luck with that"

I scuttle through the panel and close it behind me.

Skimmy 2014/03/19(Wed)22:06 No. 567045 ID: 445b3b
File 139529200970.png - (206.54KB , 800x600 , 210.png )

I could have asked them more about what their backup plan is or how the Fell manage to grow any edible food but I uh that sounded like the kind of revelation that's usually followed by "and now we have to kill you for knowing" so I figured I should probably get out of there.

Sounds like everyone's using everyone else, though!

Man, I have no idea where I'm going.

"Hmm? What is this?"

OH NO I'VE BEEN FOUND EVERYTHING IS OVER I'M BAD AT SNEAK

"Fascinating..."
"uh hi"
"Hm. I am rather pressed for time. Come with me."
"ok"
"I thought my specifications would have lead to a larger unit, but I'm well aware of the miscommunication that seems to happen between design room and factory floor. Let's hurry now."

Guys I don't like that this is apparently not an issue to whoever this is. I don't like it at all.

"Oh, yes. My name is Tekne. Second only to Odon. And, of course, everyone Odon is second to, of course. I am the primary administrator of this facility. I was created to be Odon's primary engineer, researcher, designer, architect, to fill many roles where uninterrupted innovation would be required. Everything that Odon did not design himself, I designed in his stead. You might have known this already, but I know how easily such information can go astray at times."
"Um, uh, uh huh."
"You're not the most talkative sort, are you. That's good. That means you're working as intended."

I follow behind this Tekne thing for a while. We go up some moving ramps. Nifty.

"So, what do you have to report? You've presumably returned from a scouting mission, correct? Where did you go? Did you find anything worth noting?"

I uh. Um. HELP ME OUT GUYS

>>567045
Dammit, you should be better at sneak. On the other hand, this is REALLY GOOD opportunity. We can give a false report to this guy and misdirect our enemy. If we can goad him into attacking one of the other Fell armies prematurely then that would be in our favor. Maybe you can say that there's a weakness in the enemy defenses to the... west? Make sure to talk about an area you've actually seen, so that you can throw in real details. A lie works best when it's mostly truth.

Wait what? Odon is second to someone? Uh oh. ...well maybe whoever this is thinks there's someone above Odon when there isn't. If there is, though, this could be bad. Or maybe it could be good. If the soldiers aren't aware of the complete command structure then Typhon could easily just place himself at the top and only the top commanders would notice.

Seems like Tekne is expecting a Fell scout.

Tell him you saw a large grey creature to the west, but were unable to get close. It had a bunch of faces and was able to see you first.

Don't mention anything else.

Odin controls the northern Fell territories right? And you spent a lot of time exploring the western territories that's under the control of another warmind right? Just tell him the troop movements and where the western Fell set up fortification and how strong said fortifications are. I mean if we could maybe goad Odin to attack the western front it may take some presser off of the Akari and in turn take presser off of the soroi.

Also with everyone excepts for maybe the Akari I'm noticing that all the races we've meet so far seem to be fighting themselves as much as everyone else. Think we should tell the other soroi back at where we had those peace talks about what there miasma cousins are planning at some point? Also infighting could actually be good, if we can figure out the other races politics we could try and find a way to put Typhon in charge by beating them at there own game. We can worry about that stuff later though, for now lets just focus on the now.

>>567050
>>567048
Do we know what territory is Keya's? I support this plan of directing him west however we can, as long as we aren't unwittingly giving him Keya's troop movements.

>>567051
I believe she controlled the southern part of Fell territories.

>>567058
In that case, disregard my idea and give him all the troop movements you've observed. You'll be fucking over either Karx or Renz.

Don't mention the Soroi either; if you blow the cover on their plan, they'll just blow yours'.

Well, we've explored quite a bit. We could describe a region we've been to before so at worst we're unhelpful but correct. Probably not that weird area typhon visited with the time shenanigans, but maybe the area to the south with nothing in it but storms. If he bugs you for extra information you can cryptically mention seeing people walking out there and signs of a fight.

Skimmy 2014/07/06(Sun)19:31 No. 583174 ID: 6705ef
File 140470027817.png - (207.27KB , 800x600 , 211.png )

I put on my best Fell underling voice and give a report!

"Yes! There was a large ichor creature sighted to the " let's see if I'm here then it was "south east! There also seemed to be evidence of a battle in progress, so I retreated to a safer distance. The ichor creature was destroyed, I believe! Also, to the west, Renz is struggling to defend against the akari! I don't think Renz is doing very well at holding the western defenses!"

I smile and nod knowingly. Based on how quick Fell are to fight each other I think, this should take some of the pressure off of the akari! Tekne tilts its... head or body slightly on its far too many legs.

"Hm. Sounds like Renz requires some additional reinforcements. I will discuss this with Odon and see about providing Renz with more sophisticated technologies and defenses."

Wait no that isn't what was meant to happen. "Why help Renz? Isn't Renz a rival to Odon?" I ask in the most naive way I can manage.

Tekne stares at me for a few seconds longer than usual, rubs its headbody with a leg, then responds.

"Interesting question. Insightful, for a simple scout unit. Renz is a useful buffer against the threat of western invasion. While his resources are directly invested into defense, it means Odon's resources are not. Tell me. Are you aware of who Odon serves? What about who Renz serves? Or Karx? Or Keya? Do you know who they serve?"
"I am not aware of this information!"

It bobs up and down as though nodding thoughtfully. "Something must be done about the upload process. A lot of useful information is being omitted in the manufacture process, it would seem. As you are my scout unit, of course. Correct?"
"...Yes! Yes, I am your scout, sir! Your creation!"
"Oh, how I wish it were true. To have created something so sophisticated and capable of understanding is something I desperately wish to create, but inevitably, some extra cognitive functionality must be borrowed from pre-existing creatures."

I just look confused while trying to not freak out and panic about Tekne seeing through my cover. It seemingly shakes itself.

"Well, as you are clearly my scout, that I created, and in no possible way a representative of another power I am very familiar with, let me tell you of our people, scout."

Skimmy 2014/07/06(Sun)19:31 No. 583175 ID: 6705ef
File 140470029191.png - (499.95KB , 800x600 , 212.png )

"When the end of the world came, so with it came the demise of the two ancient, shining empires of progress. Very few survived the bleak hostility of a nature thrown into disarray. Storms, tornadoes, earthquakes, the world ripped itself apart long after the Shatterer had torn itself to nothing more but drifting ichor filaments. Creatures of unnatural clashing colours slipped into the world through tears in the very air itself, to wage war with survivors, to fight each other, and to harvest the ichor raining from the heavens. Our distant ancestors had known hardship and the wrath of the elements, but imperial life did much to take what they had learned away from them. Many perished from old hazards once defeated by civilisation, or new hazards brought from the world's end. Several simply gave up all hope for the future. One did not. Travelling between the wrecks of former Wintermol and former Sannersoon, he tried desperately to find a means to continue when faced with a dying world. The very water was draining from the oceans, and the dirt became frozen. Where others hoped to restore the world to what it was, he was determined to instead create anew. To forge a new world where the elements for survival could be replaced and manufactured. A world sustained not by the supernatural or the technological, but both working in harmony. He found the Marble, and the Marble realised his dream. It began as a simple means to continue. With control over the decay of all things, he and his followers ceased to age. What little food they could gather would be preserved. The Marble gave him the power to repel the beasts that slaughtered without reason. It became the basis for all we are."

Skimmy 2014/07/06(Sun)19:31 No. 583176 ID: 6705ef
File 140470031436.png - (412.54KB , 800x600 , 213.png )

"Our saviour, Locus, remains with the Marble to this day. But the burden of his immortality, the worship of his thoughts and words as though he were a god, became a weight he could not stand. Filled with doubt over his actions, he chose sixteen successors, partitioned the land he had claimed into sixteen sections, and gave each a message. To whoever could make his domain the most prosperous, he would grant both absolute rule, and the Marble, thus allowing time to claim him. He sealed himself into the central tower, the Throne. No one we know constructed the Throne. It simply existed within our land. He remains to this day, silent. The sixteen heirs were at a loss to know if he would ever return. Over time, confusion turned to self-conviction, and conflict of opinion turn to bloody conflict among a once unified people. The outside world discovered a warring, violent nation with advanced technologies in the hands of a select, few, highly selfish individuals, and almost immediately saw it as something either to be conquered or to be destroyed before it could become a larger threat. Subject to ever increasing hostilities, we became the Fell we are today. Highly militarised. Efficient. Of the sixteen chosen, four remain, known as the warminds. For years upon years, the belief that Locus will return is tied entirely to being the sole survivor of this war for succession. No one knows if it is what Locus would have wanted. Regardless, to survive is to fight."

Skimmy 2014/07/06(Sun)19:32 No. 583177 ID: 6705ef
File 140470032604.png - (207.84KB , 800x600 , 214.png )

"So you must understand. Odon, Renz, Karx, Keya. All four are second to Locus. But the warminds do not even remember Locus as anything more than a promise. The sixteen selected were not themselves immortal as Locus was. They are all tied to devices and systems to continue their existences. Said systems have only improved over time, but they have lead to degradation of those they support. Older memories become trivia, facts that are known rather than direct experiences. Beliefs drift. Priorities change. Odon himself was flesh and blood alone, many, many years ago. Each of the warminds has their own opinion on what would bring prosperity to us. Odon seeks progress. Karx seeks territory. Keya seeks restoration. Renz seeks expansion. All four are blinded to how far they have fallen from their own goals. Most of the other warminds perished, but some were kept around. In significantly reduced forms. Shells of their former glory. As assistants. Or pets. Their only options remaining compliance or death."

Tekne twitches.

I am not really sure I expected a Fell not-a-warmind to be this critical of the warminds! Tekne pauses, mutters something to itself, and looks at me more closely.

"Of course, being my scout, and not Typhon's, you will not repeat a word of anything I mentioned to anyone else's. Because, of course, you are in fact my scout, as I can attest, and the fact you are so clearly a work of an intellect neither my own nor Odon's is but a ruse. Correct?"
"I, uh..."
"The answer is 'yes'. Because, as I have just said, you are my scout. Particularly well crafted to resemble one of Typhon's, and not a poor ichor imitation of a Fell scout." It rubs two of its limbs together. "Do we understand?"
"Yes!"
"Good. Now, as a clever imitation of an ichor creature, you can go places no clearly Fell scout could ever go. Such as a certain structure of significant importance. One that none of the warminds have claim to. It's knowledge that could change the world. I could alert the guards to your presence, but, well. The years have made me... bitter, I suppose. Resentful. Why are you here, though?"
"I, uh, um--"
"No, let me think. Tracing your path from entering to here, you're entirely lost, so this was a mission of minimum preparation. Either Typhon and his followers are less competent than assumed, or this was carried out urgently. Very urgently, in reaction to something-- the distress call, yes. That must be it. The timing is too close to be anything else. Well, how remarkable. This could turn out very well for both of us. The prisoner is under guard by Odon's elite guard. Highly sophisticated, highly loyal, very difficult to fool. I can get you access to the prisoner for whatever your purpose is, and, in return, I want information."
"Information of what?"
"It will take a while to even form the request. This is an opportunity I can't squander, and needless to say, there will be consequences if your creator does not hold up his side of the deal. If I can take a small sample of the ichor you are made of, I should be able to determine a way to contact Typhon with my request. We can negotiate the favour, but a favour is something I will be owed."

It taps its limbs in alternation. "Or you can just leave and this all will have never happened. Your decision. I would rather not have to alarm the guards. I can provide an escape route along with a distraction for free. It's in my best interests not to have been seen in lengthy conversation with an intruder, after all."

I wish Typhon was paying attention to help me decide whether to do this or not. Is anyone?

Let's do it. An inside man embittered towards his leader is a good ally to have, and we're unlikely to reach the source of the distress call without his help - plus, getting to the Throne to investigate it helps us get information as much as it helps him get information.

>>583177
I like this Tekne. Accept the deal. I don't think there is much information that would be too dangerous to tell him... and I think we could just refuse since his request will happen after the mission is completed.

But uh, say that the information request should probably be for something that Typhon is willing to tell him.

i like him. try to explain this "the marbles are aspects not the whole, having one causes the scales to tip too far. Locus stopped outward decay, so instead it went inward."

so of the 16 warminds that once were he's one of the ones that have fallen but was still kept around. That is very convenient if I do say so. I'm also surprised and a bit flustered by how unified the Fell are after everything we've learned. From what I can tell from the information we've gained so far is that while each warmind is ultimately in this for themselves they will gladly use each other as well. which again falls back into this worlds never ending cycle of shooting itself in the foot in such a way that it still manages to still be left standing. Great. it's going to be one hell of a show when we finally make a move and watch the dominoes fall.

But yeah might as well make the deal. As far as most people we've seen go this one seems to be of the more sane verity so let's not burn this bridge just yet. and who knows maybe he might give us an opportunity to do something we can't do yet.

This sounds like a good deal. This guy is friendly enough and I don't think we actually have any information that's especially sensitive (I guess except the "how to blow up the world again" thing) and I don't think any harm will come from giving a tiny amount of ichor if they're already storing massive amounts of it. Not to mention that it's always good to get some more people who are willing to act cordially with us.

>>583255
In addition, any bit of ichor someone besides us has, the smaller the chance that the Shatterer incident happens again.

>>583177
"Throw in some form of device for secure communication we can use to send and receive private, untraceable, undetectable, time delayed messages between you and us and we have a deal."

>>583255
He's asking us to get him information about the tower that Locus is supposedly in.

Skimmy 2015/06/17(Wed)17:08 No. 649107 ID: 556f64
File 143458608298.png - (257.61KB , 800x600 , 215.png )

"Okay," I say, "but Typhon will probably only let you ask for something he wants to give you."
"Don't concern yourself with the negotiations just yet. I didn't assume Typhon would be too generous. Hold out your... hand? Fin? Limb."

I hold out one of my whatever they ares and Tekne whips one of its claws out at me. I feel a slight pinchy pain and realise that it took a tiny, tiny bit of ichor. I can feel a very, very dim awareness of myself in more than one place. The awareness goes away quick though.

...hey, I should tell Typhon about that. Maybe see if I can make tiny Skimmies to cover more ground. Hmm!

"Hm. Definitely an intrinsic connection to the source. I should be able to get to Typhon from there."
"...source?"
"Odon has been studying his ichor reserves, and has theorised a connection to a hypothetical source of all ichor, connecting all composed of it. He wants to use ichor as an improved means of instantaneous communication over large distances. ...as well as determine how to gain full control over structured ichor entities."
"Structured ichor entities?"
"You, Typhon, all of Typhon's creations, creatures like the Monolith. There are several like the Monolith, in fact. Scattered across the world. At least two others confirmed, with sightings of a third and potentially even a fourth."
"Huh. Do you know how far Odon is with his ichor research?"
"Odon trusts me to design and oversee many of his projects, but he is not stupid. I have no awareness of his progress or access to his ichor reserves without his explicit permission and observation. Anyway, we have spent enough time bantering."

Tekne gives me directions to the prisoner's cell.

"I suggest you are hasty, because the easiest way for me to create a diversion that ties into pre-existing information is as follows."
"Uh, ok, on my way--"

It smacks the wall, pushing a button I never noticed.

"INTRUDER SIGHTED IN TEKNE LAB 12. INTRUDER SIGHTED IN TEKNE LAB 12."
"See, from my camera feeds, there's clear evidence that someone came this way -- why you scratched your likeness on the wall, I do not understand -- and logically they would end up here. So, the guards come here, I engage them in informative though time-consuming conversation, direct them as far away from your destination as possible, and why are you still listening to me? Go!!"

Skimmy 2015/06/17(Wed)17:08 No. 649108 ID: 556f64
File 143458612791.png - (126.89KB , 800x600 , 216.png )

I tear down the hallways trying to pretend I'm looking for the intruder! It doesn't look convincing when you're running away from where they're supposed to be, though, but with various other black snake robot things in a rush all over the place no one spots me immediately!

I race as fast as I can and nearly hurtle into a closed door.

I look around for any evidence that it's the cell but it just looks like a normal room. I'm confused. Tekne's instructions said to come here but this just looks like a normal room and nothing about this makes any sense, why would a prison room need to be made to look like a regular room? Wouldn't it need like heavy blast doors or something, I dunno, anything?

No sign of Odon's elite guard or anything! They must have chased after where they think I am or something? Seems weird for an elite guard to abandon the thing they're guarding but I don't know how Fell work!

I realise there's no sort of handle to open the solid metal door or any sort of control panel or anything. Oh. Okay.

I smack the door. No response.

I body slam the door. it opens and slides upwards with a slight grating noise.

Well, okay, I think at this point I'll take what I can get!

Skimmy 2015/06/17(Wed)17:09 No. 649109 ID: 556f64
File 143458616252.png - (242.12KB , 800x600 , 217.png )

The door closes behind me and it's incredibly dark. I take a while to adjust to the lack of bright around me and oh.

Okay. I have to say, of all things, I wasn't expecting this.

This might explain why I couldn't recognise whatever the distress call was. I don't think any of us know Fell distress signals.

Part of me is comparing Odon to Renz and I barely even know who either of them are, except this feels a lot worse.

But what I don't understand is why? Why would there be a distress call from a Fell prisoner inside Odon's territory? I mean, we didn't hear any other Fell distress signals and if they've been infighting all this time then we'd have to have heard them. Did we just not have a good enough observatory or something?

"Hi?" Oh! Whoops! I suddenly remember this is a stealth mission! "Hi?"

No response.

Skimmy 2015/06/17(Wed)17:09 No. 649110 ID: 556f64
File 143458619474.png - (77.16KB , 800x600 , 218.png )

"Remarkable."

Some kinda bigger black snake robot slowly moves in front of the closed door.

"Optical upgrades for all but the lower quartile. Downgrades and reassignment for the lower quartile. Observe this specimen, drone," says the big snake thing. "A complete and perfect template was assembled for all Fell soldiers to adhere to, a complex and intricate balance between capability and subservience. Genetic deviation from the template is a clear indication of malfunction. A failure lying in wait to reveal itself at the least opportune moment."

The snake thing slithers silently over to the prisoner, circling around it slowly, inspecting them the way I've seen Ladon look at really bad ichor designs.

"Some genetic deviations from the standard template are more apparent than others. Some chromosomes in particular. I have little use for deviations from the standard template, but sometimes there are other applications for such mistakes."

I blink. I don't even really know if the prisoner is actually alive but they look like they're breathing? I think?

I'm not quite sure what snakebot is getting at.

"I grow tired of explanations to a force that does not care for nor appreciate them. Your ichor is more useful in my possession than as part of you, and I possess the means to return ichor to an inert, pliable state, free from the burden of will or memory. I suppose I almost need to thank Typhon for delivering me the materials for my grand demonstration in a single ambulatory package."

Oh.

>>649110
Deny him the chance. Self-terminate ASAP. Use the blades surrounding the prisoner if you can't just do it to yourself.

As a distraction, tell him you care. Approach the prisoner and ask what's different about her.

Hm, even aside from the guy in here I am not sure if we could get a Fell without equipment out of this fortress in one piece.
Try and keep obstacles between you and him. I don't suppose we can re-assign ichor into weapons systems? Depending on whether his means of collecting ichor are more a weapon or a passive gathering device, if we can't incapacitate him we might be able to escape by 'dying' in a way other than the one he intends.

>>649110
I possess the ability to self terminate and deny you access to my ichor, now that you've given me that warning. Do you believe your external mechanism can execute faster than my internal command?

In what way is this fell a deviation? This form isn't designed for a detailed scan at this range, but the deviations I recognize from my point of reference (Keya, don't say that) appear cosmetic, at best.

A suicide bluff buys us a little time. But not much. No offense, skimmy, but you're not in good shape to defeat that elite guard, or bring this prisoner out with you. We need the cavalry.

>>649125
That's not an elite guard. That's Odon himself.

keep out of this things reach and keep him talking. Ask if he means if something is wrong with the prisoner or if he's just talking about fell general? And speaking of the prisoner, what gives? is she an experiment, a POW, just some random mook going through cyborg puberty, what? Oh and maybe ask for it's name. Just keep your distance and see what info we can get out of this guy. Also know that snakes are wicked fast when they strike so try to stay at least a body's length away from it... and watch out for guns since it's a robot as well.

>I have little use for deviations from the standard template, but sometimes there are other applications for such mistakes.
Is one of those applications as bait?

We kind of walked right into this. I'm not really sure what we can do here. You aren't exactly built for fighting and I don't see an easy way to get the prisoner out. Is there any apparent way to free her? If not, we might need to abandon the mission and escape. Odon here is saying that he can free your ichor of will and memory which I'm worried means that, unlike how if you're simply exploded you could be remade, he can actually kill you. That's not exactly an acceptable loss here. I'm also not entirely confident that destroying yourself will just free up the ichor and return you to Typhon before Odon can pull something. Run around and try to buy time while finding us more to work with. Whatever you do, don't get caught.

Skimmy 2015/06/18(Thu)18:55 No. 649293 ID: 556f64
File 143467890155.png - (234.41KB , 800x600 , 219.png )

Okay. Bluff.

"Well I do care for them but I'm sorta, I mean, I can just die and then I go straight back home? Not sure why you revealed your plan? Oh well. Bye."

I walk over to the blades.

"Such convenience. Very well. I won't hurry you."

I pause.

"I am very well experienced in manipulating ichor, gaseous, liquid or solid. No ichor will escape the walls of this facility against my will. Freeing your living bonds will make the processing much, much simpler. Hm. It is a weakness of mine to reveal so much, I suppose. One I must address at some point."
"Who are you, anyway?"
"The heir to Locus, and future world administrator. My name is Odon, until my significance is such that there would be no need for a name at all."

Okay, uh. I don't like how things are going and I don't know how to fight.

Skimmy 2015/06/18(Thu)18:55 No. 649294 ID: 556f64
File 143467893420.png - (75.70KB , 800x600 , 220.png )

New tactic. Prisoner. Yes.

"What's wrong with this prisoner? She looks like any other Fell soldier I've seen."
"The template is male. The male property is a simple irrelevant consequence of unmitigated factors. A female soldier has at least one self-evident flaw or defect in template replication. Karx wastes resources on establishing performance metrics for defective assets. Renz wastes more resources by assigning defective assets to roles within his tower. All unnecessary."
"...so what's wrong with--"
"The optimum would be to remove extraneous, unnecessary characteristics and systems such as reproductive organs from the template, of course, but this is difficult. Pointless, also. Machines can circumvent many pattern defects. I will be using this one as a stitcher component soon enough."
"What's wrong--"
"Of course, for a genuine distress signal, there is no easier method of generating a unique signature than to use a unique individual. I keep some limited quantities of otherwise useless assets from the central factories due to the lack of direct evidence of a single warmind's involvement, just for situations such as this one."
"So is she just faulty because she's a girl or--"
"I am weary of wasting my explanations on something so limited in its capacity for understanding them. Are any of your superiors listening to this?"
"Yeah, yeah they are!"
"I will continue. Few appreciate my methodology, but few can doubt my results. There has been great cost, but the processes and techniques for reducing error and repurposing mistakes are only improved by each new misstep. Once the creation of raw neural matter separate from irrelevant tissue is perfected, no more mistakes like this can happen again. The cost is high, but few have the vision to understand the price required for a united, peaceful world. It can be bought only in blood and the lives of millions. Conflict can never be avoided. Only concluded."
"That sounds sort of insane!"
"Our values do not align and cannot be reconciled or compared. Do not attempt this further."

"So what are you going to do to her?"
"I tire of your babble. Are you going to destroy yourself, or am I going to have to do it myself?"

I'm not going to come back if I die here, am I?

...

"Is-- is there anything I can do t-to not be killed?"

Odon tilts its head.

Skimmy 2015/06/18(Thu)18:56 No. 649295 ID: 556f64
File 143467896821.png - (201.53KB , 800x600 , 221.png )

"hek hek hek hek hek hek hek."

Odon twitches its head violently.

"Hek hek hek hek hek hek hek. How mortal you are, insect, and how terrifying it must be to realise this. How desperate you must be to ask such a question. So powerless. So pathetic. No. I have no need of your inefficient services as a scout or an infiltrator. You have proven yourself to be a failure on both counts."

I can't back away any more. Odon slowly approaches me and I ball up.

"But if there is one thing I am known for amongst all warminds, it is that I am the most resourceful. I can repurpose abject failure of raw materials into something more. And if you do not wish to die, there are many, many uses I have for the experiences and connections of an ichor creature. So, little scout. What will it be? Remain faithful to your creator, and know oblivion? Or abandon your ichor collective, live separate and severed from the ichor link, and serve me? There are no more options for you to take, scout."

>I'm not going to come back if I die here, am I?
I don't get how. He's not blocking your connection to the collective- you can still hear us. And we can hear you. That's a two way communication channel.

I mean, even the people we lost to ether / ichor annihilation didn't die and just fell back to the collective. And their constituent ichor ceased to be!

Is he just bluffing to get you to surrender instead of terminate?

>choice
Death or torture serving a madman who will mold you into gods knows what.

...either way he still gets the ichor. I wish we had a means to deny it him. I wonder if Cadmea could get Nyx to summon your alternate?

One dumb ploy would be to surrender with the intention of being rescued or escaping later, but I expect he'd be more than prepared for that.

Could we swap your mind out? One of us take your place, and take the fall, so you make it back?

Could we spend the ichor making your body up on something? Burn it for research or something so there's nothing left for him.

Does ichor have a self destruct sequence? Could we order it to convert to inert, useless materials? Or release all the energy- detonate it?

>>649295
I don't think he understands. I don't think you understand. You're part of Typhon's hivemind. You are not just the ichor that composes your body. How else could we talk to you without him knowing? He is bluffing- he can't kill your mind. Not unless you let him.

Don't let him use fear against you. Return to us.

Yeah, looks like the only way he can stop your mind from returning is if you accept - and what he does to you after that will no doubt be terrible.

The best gambit is to withdraw your consciousness into the collective rather than sever it. And even if he can...

There is still a piece of ichor with Tekne. If your consciousness has nowhere else to go it will go there.

can you turn yourself into a bomb? just violently destroy your physical form to cause damage. lunge at them too if you can so they take the brunt of the blast. or fling a glob at their head that is a bomb, blow their smug face off.

well this isn't looking good. No obvious exits and there's a crazy person in here. Well if you can't come back to us and you don't want to be this thing's test subject of the week I think you're going to have to try and fight your way out. You may just be a scouting drone but you do have speed on your side. Try to get over to the prisoner. I mean do you see all the sharp objects around her? if you could get your hands on one you could at least try and fight your way out of here. Also use the prisoner as a shield if you really have to. I mean if nothing else she's someone to hide behind and I don't think that anti-jetal weapon he MAY have will work to well on regular flesh and blood. Just whatever you do don't give up, it isn't over till it's over no matter how bleak things may look. If nothing else if you can hold him off long enough you might find another way to escape from.

The fact that you are communicating with us now means that you are still linked to the collective, and if could survive Mannimarco ichor annihilation I do not think a device for collecting dispersed ichor would be any more effective. Don't tell Odon about this, by the way, since if he finds out about it he will probably try to research something that actually can interfere with the mind link.
A pity that he will be gaining that much ichor, but if you can't see any physical exits to the room dissipation will have to do.

>Bomb
I don't think we have the capability to do that now, but we should definitely look into upgrading the scout body with an ichor/ether annihilator for the next time someone wants to steal ichor from our scouts.

>>649360
I still think ichor/ether annihilation brings the end of the world closer. So let's avoid using it at all if possible.

I'll be honest, if I was in your place I'd self-terminate, even if he is being truthful.

Better to be dead than to be subservient to him, as the prisoner right in front of you shows.

I'll miss you if you really do die Skimmy. :(

I'm not really sure what to say, as it's ultimately going to end up being your choice, but it's not a choice between living and dying. It's a choice between dying on your own terms or on Odon's terms when he inevitably doesn't want you anymore. Assuming he doesn't do something worse than death. This was our fault but let's at least try not to make things worse. Maybe we can at least convince Typhon to build you a statue somewhere.

Skimmy 2015/06/20(Sat)19:55 No. 649726 ID: 556f64
File 143485531886.png - (177.55KB , 800x600 , 222.png )

I don't think I can make myself into a bomb! Or any part of myself! I guess my only option is to just try and blow up in a different way!

I hope I come back if I do this though!

"No! Never! I'll just die!"

Odon is silent and pulls away from me.

"Hm."

It stands really freakily quiet for a bit and looking off into the distance while I slowly creep over to the blades again.

Odon just stands and stares into the distance.

Skimmy 2015/06/20(Sat)19:55 No. 649727 ID: 556f64
File 143485535931.png - (123.38KB , 800x600 , 223.png )

"You're still here?"

Odon slowly looks towards me.

"This has taken long enough. Leave this facility and do not return to my territory."

The door opens. Odon is as still as a statue and not looking at me or the prisoner.

I, uh. Um.

I don't have any idea.

"Wh-what about the prisoner?"
"Leave this facility and do not return to my territory."
"But--"

Odon tilts its head and all of the blades in the room point towards me.

"As you appear to struggle with complex instructions, I will narrow it down to one command. Do not return to my territory."

Odon tilts its head the other way and all the blades suddenly--

Skimmy 2015/06/20(Sat)19:56 No. 649728 ID: 556f64
File 143485538532.png - (94.07KB , 800x600 , 224.png )

shnk

Skimmy 2015/06/20(Sat)19:56 No. 649729 ID: 556f64
File 143485541446.png - (160.25KB , 800x600 , 225.png )

--gnh.

Did I die?

Ladon's here. I'm in a vat.

"Well," says Ladon, "I did tell everyone you wouldn't be good in a fight. You did good, Skimmy. You did good and none of us thought Odon would do something like this so soon after showing up to parley."

"What happened?"

"You became an ichor pincushion. It's weird. Ichor's ridiculous as a building material. It can be as stiff as metal and yet still yield to puncture wounds like you were made of sponge. Your internal structures got too mangled and you just sort of collapsed into a puddle, and then you died. End of Skimmy."

"End of... end of."

"Your ichor's still coming back home. Apparently Odon is either a bad liar or overconfident. I tapped into some of the expended research ichor to make you a body sooner. It's like you're a totally different Skimmy now!"

Ladon 2015/06/20(Sat)19:57 No. 649730 ID: 556f64
File 143485544582.png - (183.41KB , 800x600 , 226.png )

"Skimmy? Are you okay? ...you know what, I'm just going to, uh, I'm gonna go ask Typhon to maybe relieve you of duty for a bit."

[ Advisor control has changed to Ladon. ]

Oh dear. Okay, I admit I might not know the source of all my memories and skills, but I don't remember having to deal with ichor creatures being, I dunno, traumatised like this before.

Colin was a little shaken after being destroyed but less than an hour later he was back in action. I guess constantly creating and reforming barely sentient ichor designs has done terrible things for my... bedside manner? Oh good I'm the closest thing we have to a doctor.

Oh shit, I'm the closest thing we have to a doctor.

Uhh. Yeah. Maybe I should take Skimmy to Typhon to argue my case for letting him have a rest before going back into the field for a bit. He's a wreck. He'll just get himself killed again like this.

"Wanna go ask Typhon for a break? Maybe stay here and if you wanna help out me or Errol for a bit that's fine?"
"uh huh"
"Okay, let's go see Typhon. Sshh. Come on, let's go together."

Ladon 2015/06/20(Sat)19:57 No. 649731 ID: 556f64
File 143485546924.png - (369.41KB , 800x600 , 227.png )

Typhon is in the lab with Nashi.

Oh right. Nashi is the soroi. She picked the name herself after rejecting literally every name Typhon could think of. I have no idea where the name came from but she decided it was her name now.

Also I think Nashi is just de facto a part of our, uh, crew, or gang, or whatever the hell we are. Also, Iiii might have seen Typhon and Nashi leave the lab for a bit before Typhon's connection to the weird ichor mindcloud thing went dark for mysterious unannounced reasons. My only guess is round two. But here they are now, work unimpeded. Man. I wish I was that productive.

Anyway that aside we're here for Skimmy.

"Hey, Typhon?"

Looks like Typhon's busy at work wrapping up doing the job I'm supposed to do. Well, he's the boss.

Nashi is, uh. I'm sure she's doing something useful, I just can't tell what it is.

"Ah. Ladon. Excellent. I've got the groundwork down, and I have a few parts in this design I think you're more prepared to refine. I've requested a geist to move everything directly to the spawnery, I'll discuss it with you shortly."

Typhon looks at Skimmy.

"I'm catching up with what just happened in your mission, Skimmy. Errol was supposed to be giving you information. Was she? Did she say anything?"

"n-no."

"I'll have to ask her what she's been doing for however long it's been. Normally I'd send you straight back into the field but, well, I suspect you won't be working at your best. I'm relieving you of duty, but I'm afraid I don't have anything for you to do around here. I don't have any ichor or research invested in any form of recreational distractions."

That's it? Well, I guess that's still more than I was expecting. Poor Skimmy.

Hot springs episode! Take Skimmy somewhere fun/relaxing.

>>649735
Yeah, this is a good plan. Let's go find something fun to do. Bring everyone who's not busy or who typhon won't notice. You guys deserve a break from this whole fate of the world thing.

>Oh shit, I'm the closest thing we have to a doctor.
Maybe we need to spend some ichor building a therapist / councilor unit. Someone whose job it is to look after the mental well being of the rest of the collective.

...honestly, considering Typhon's past, insurance against our sanity is something we should have considered a lot earlier.

>>649731
When is anyone here gonna wear some clothes. How hard could a clothes fabber be to make.

>help skimmy
Maybe a hug? Hugs are simple and good.

Maybe you could bring him to talk to Keya? Maybe if he talked to her about what he saw Oden doing he'd feel better.

One thing to consider Oden might be using the transfer of ichor to Tychon's stores to get a clearer reading on how exactly it works. Skimmy is quite small and the amount of ichor he embodies isn't that much. It'd be a much greater victory for Oden to learn as much as he can now to block future ichor transferrels or even block Typhon and his troops from accessing his stores mid-battle.

>>649738
If we get a way to make clothes we're not just making them for the soroi, of course. We need fancy tailored clothes for all of the ichor creations too. I'm sure Skimmy will feel more up for another mission if he's got a classy spy suit!

Ask Mannimarco if he's invented any games that Skimmy could use as a distraction. Like rolling tiny multifaceted cubes to manifest alternate realities.

well we could always just walk around the ship with skimmy, maybe see what the others are up to and how their projects are going. If nothing else it should help take skimmy's mind off what just happened... Also a refresher on what's going on around here wouldn't hurt anyone. After that we can plan on our next move.

>>649728
I'm having issues translating this. There are three new symbols, and even the parts I have all the symbols for are difficult to fill in the blanks for. Phonetic translation is REALLY HARD for me sometimes... plus in some spots I can't be sure if there's a space or if the symbols are just a little farther apart than normal. Mostly towards the middle of the image.

Also I think cirr is being stingy with the vowel signifiers in this one.

This is what I have so far, with numbers for the symbols I don't recognize, parenthesis around untranslated words, lowercase is comments, or part of the Th symbol.

I believe the new symbol shaped like an N is a "z" sound, and "was" is WZ instead of WS now. Also, contrary to the first image we got like this (the shining empires one), "there" is now ThR instead of Th*R.

title on the side: THE (DM*Z) OF THE SOURCE

main text: ONCE THERE WAS ONE.
THE FIRST AGE MADE TWO.(split between ichor and ether, I'm guessing)
SO
(N) (1) (SP*T=spite? spat? split, missing l symbol?), THERE BECAME FOUR.
(N) (ThRMB2N), THERE BECAME EIGHT.
SO
AN AGE (PD=passed? missing s symbol? the D symbol should really be a T here in that case anyway), AND EIGHT REMAINED.
ONE BECAME FIVE AND SEVEN REMAINED. (what? Maybe this refers to the void marble being shattered.)
SO
THE (SRS) OF (KR**2N) IS BROKEN.
FOUR AGES HAVE PASSED.
ONE (*NF) (L) (DS). ONE (W1).
BEYOND THIS, OBLIVION.

>>649749

the demise of the source
[...]
in their ambition, there became eight
[...]
the source of creation is broken
[...]
when enough (L) (DS) [heck if I know]

No idea what mystery symbol 1 is.

>>649749
I am once again amazed by how you figure this shit out.

so what I'm getting from this is it's giving use the origins of the marbles. But that last bit sounds kind of like the warning we were giving about how the destroyer will come through once we have all the marbles and Typhon hooks back up with Nyx. I mean we collect all the marbles leaving only the two of them left with they're powers and when the two meet ichor and ether mix destroying each other but also creating that third element which I can't remember if we named it yet or not. After that there is only one, the Shatterer and with his arrival marks the end of everything. So in short this seems to me just like a more poetic telling of what the guy in the tower told us.

>>649752
>>649749
>when enough (L) (DS) [heck if I know]
>BEYOND THIS, OBLIVION.
So, when the shit comes together, the end of the world occurs 'cause it all goes back to the stuff of creation. Good to know.

>>649767
Let's not come to any conclusions without a full translation. Keep in mind they were, at one point, together and used all at once. We know the world was sundered by use of the Void marble, not by using all of them. Typhon literally punched a hole in the world.

[ so it's readily apparent that I'm incredibly rusty at my own dumb script but I significantly cocked up a couple words that I'm gonna help out with here as an apology:

Unfolds
Passed (you're right I thought it sounded like a d in my accent but it does not)
Waits ]

>>649798
I don't think the marbles are enough. In the tower it was suggested that Typhon and Nyx are the eventual trigger mechanism of the end, but it's likely that the marbles play a role as the things that must be gathered.

>"I don't know exactly what created you, per se, but you exist only to serve two purposes. To gather the things the Shatterer requires, and to provide form for its entrance. When you have everything you need, Nyx becomes an obsession of yours. She's involved in this process too, I believe. You merge either through trading a simultaneously lethal blow, or merge in a... different sense, if you'll excuse me. And from that, the Shatterer is born into the world for the rest of the world's very, very short lifespan. I've seen this happen in different permutations. One time it was just a very enthusiastic handshake. You both seemed very surprised that time."

So we need to avoid too many marbles being in one place, and avoid directly interacting with Nyx in general. It would probably be in our best interests to keep the Void Marble from reforming as well.

Alright sounds like symbol 1 is a "ts" sound.
Mostly-complete translation:

THE DEMISE OF THE SOURCE

ONCE THERE WAS ONE.
THE FIRST AGE MADE TWO.
SO
IN ITS (SP*T=spite? spat?), THERE BECAME FOUR.
IN THEIR AMBITION, THERE BECAME EIGHT.
SO
AN AGE PASSED, AND EIGHT REMAINED.
ONE BECAME FIVE AND SEVEN REMAINED.
SO
THE SOURCE OF CREATION IS BROKEN.
FOUR AGES HAVE PASSED.
ONE UNFOLDS. ONE WAITS.
BEYOND THIS, OBLIVION.

So the Fifth Age is the current one. The Sixth Age is the next one. There is no Seventh Age, according to the prophecy, but I don't believe in prophecies.

Alright, now that that's done with...

>>649731
Go talk to Errol. Find out why she's being so quiet.

Maybe make a small toy out of some of the incoming Ichor. Paddle ball?

Ladon 2015/06/22(Mon)19:40 No. 650212 ID: 556f64
File 143502721093.png - (190.22KB , 800x600 , 228.png )

Well, like Typhon said, I can't really think of many places that would be fun or relaxing. There's a forest filled with plants that attack on sight, there's soroi territory but we might end up breaking some rule we never heard of or get attacked by chaos creatures, and then, well, Fell territory isn't really an option. Then we have a couple of prisoners we need to think about, and Nashi's banished from soroi lands, an enemy in akari lands, and would probably suffocate in Fell lands.

Also clothes would cost ichor and you know how frugal we are with ichor around here. Also, because Typhon is never going to tell you this himself, he much, much prefers everyone going around in the nude. Yeah I said it. I'm pretty sure Nashi wouldn't wear clothes anyway.

After giving Skimmy a hug for a bit I think maybe going to see Errol would be a good idea. I think I can come up with something a little more sophisticated than a paddle ball when I get back to the spawnery, too.

Ladon 2015/06/22(Mon)19:40 No. 650213 ID: 556f64
File 143502725332.png - (232.07KB , 800x600 , 229.png )

"Errol?"

I enter the observatory and Errol is, uh.

Well, she hasn't been staying idle, that's for sure. She's also, uh, kind of creeping me out. Her tendrils are flying fast over the surface of an ichor device I don't remember being here last time with her back to the wall.

"Finally," she says.
"What?"
"I've been cross-referencing everything I've been sent. The information and its ramifications are concerning. We need a scout back in Fell territory. I must have more information. I need to make it clear to Typhon that the equipment in this observatory could stand to have some upgrades without the need to endanger anyone."
"Didn't Typhon ask you to help out Skimmy?"
"He also told me to map the extents of the soroi territory and what territory is claimed by chaos creatures. There wasn't much I could do for Skimmy anyway. The tech facility just thwarted my every effort to see anything in there that Skimmy didn't already see. It took some effort just to figure out where you were, Skimmy, the distress call came from the north and we somehow received it as coming from the south of Fell territory."

She pauses, and flips away the coverings over her eyes, looking apologetic. "Sorry, Skimmy. I let you down. I should have told you sooner."

Skimmy sluggishly nods.

She flips them back on. "My report's ready for Typhon and I'm waiting for another assignment."

Typhon comes into the observatory and looks at Errol in stunned silence.

"Okay. Yes. We're all taking a break. All of us. We'll figure out where we can actually go once Colin gets back. He's on his way now, so it'll be a few hours before he returns. Plenty of time for Ladon to actually do what I asked him to and put the final touches on the combat drone."
"Aw come on."
"And while you're doing that, there's something I want to do that I haven't done for a long time."
"What's that?"
"Actually sleep for once. Wake me up when Colin gets back."

[ Advisor control returns to Typhon. ]

Ladon 2015/06/22(Mon)19:42 No. 650214 ID: 556f64
File 143502732311.png - (244.92KB , 800x600 , 230.png )

Ugh. I much preferred time in the field. Not that this quieter work is unimportant, and it's a good deal less stressful, but if I was the one in that facility I wouldn't have had my best explorer broken in this manner.

I can't fault him. I still fear death and I've already died twice in this era alone. The only thing I fear more is becoming detached from this sense of mortality. While I acknowedge my vulnerability and shortcomings, I keep myself grounded. I stop myself from becoming the monster I was or the monster I'm apparently destined to be.

I can only wonder how Colin's diplomatic meeting with Akar went. If things had gone disasterously wrong, I would have had some sort of message from him by now. If he'd been killed, he'd have come back here much more quickly. But I haven't heard anything, positive or negative. It's concerning.

Still, they're all good at what they do. Even if they slack off sometimes. Although, I don't know what got into Errol that she suddenly swung from doing her job at her own pace to locking herself into her work so fiercely. She wouldn't even respond to me until I physically came to the observatory. I don't know what she's seen or figured out but it worries me if it's had this much of an effect on her.

I haven't slept for a very long time. I don't need to.

But for some reason, I feel like it might help.

well that was a ride. looking forward to the next part.

>>650213
Hmm. It looked like there was another a new symbol at first but it's actually just the symbol for K, drawn backwards by mistake I assume. Translation:

left word=UNCLEAN
middle word=DANGER
right word=CLEAN

>>650214
The translation here is obvious.

I assume next chapter begins with us assisting Colin.