Macabre as it is, you could threaten to kill your companions if the hunter doesn't back off and give you a head start. Remember, he gets paid more if you're all captured alive.

That will buy you time, but once backup arrives with a tranquilizer sniper, it's over.

threatening to blow yourself and your friends up might by you some time and allow you to pick up that wand

>>781454
The tree directly behind you to your left! It looks like there's something behind it.

Update 1/2 Gnuk 2017/02/25(Sat)10:36 No. 782888 ID: 012889
File 148804776423.png - (83.48KB , 800x750 , WS154.png )

>The tree directly behind you to your left! It looks like there's something behind it.

You turn around, but you don't see anything. There is clearly something moving through the trees, but you can't see where it is exactly. Slarr is sneakier than it looks.

>Macabre as it is, you could threaten to kill your companions if the hunter doesn't back off and give you a head start. Remember, he gets paid more if you're all captured alive.

>threatening to blow yourself and your friends up might by you some time and allow you to pick up that wand

>Get the wand of silence while keeping an eye out. If you can use it on yourself then you can run away through the trees and the inquisitor will lose sight of you eventually.

The wand of silence should be on Bella, you'd have to search her, but you know you can't lower your guard or divide your attention at all.

But you have an idea at least.

You hold out one of the pebbles you have left and yell to Slarr that you'll blow yourself and the others two up with the spell you have ready.

Which you don't. But you are not going to tell him that for sure.

A horrid gargling laugh echoes through the trees.

Slarr: "Don't be sssssssilly, you'd kill yourssssssssssssself? And your friendssssssssss?"

Update 2/2 Gnuk 2017/02/25(Sat)10:42 No. 782891 ID: 012889
File 148804816432.png - (68.99KB , 800x750 , WS155.png )

You yell at him that it can't be worse than what would happen to you if they get caught.

There are few seconds of complete silence before the horrid laughter echoes again through the woods.

Slarr: "You got me there."

Somehow you feel yourself regain a bit of composure.

You slightly step forward toward Bella, moving as slowly as you can. In your state you feel like every blade of grass makes the same sound as a non-oiled door.

Slarr: "looksssssss like we are at a sssssssstalemate here. But i'll tell you what. I only need to get back two weirdlingsssssss."

You freeze up completely.

Slarr: "And i need them to be alive of courssssssse. So i think i could make an... exception. How about you turn your tail, and you get out? Leave the other two with me. And live another day."

Keep talking to keep him talking if possible; he can't sneak up on your while talking. (Also, when you get to Bella, see if you can keep your voice moving as if walking past.)
Say, "Why should I believe you would let me go? Doesn't your king demand you capture us all?"
Also, I feel like at some point you should ask why Slarr is loyal to people who keep him locked up most of the time.

>>782891
How about we make our situation a game instead?

How bored ARE you, Slarr? With your life, with what you do? Maybe your satisfied, but maybe you could be satisfied more. I don't know, I'm not you.

Fail tonight, Slarr. Let us go. Let us get stronger. Come catch up to us, now and again, see how we've grown, gotten smarter. Have fun with us. Come on, we're obviously a group with potential to entertain you, perhaps that's better than catching every Weirdling at their weakest, even enough to be worth whatever penalty they might give you for "failing".

keep him talking
ask how you could trust his offer, he'll attack you the second you leave the hostages

Just take the offer. Those two had no chance of getting to safety anyway, the inquisitor killed the people who were gonna help your group cross the border. If you tried to take those two with you, they would have been ratted out almost immediately. All you have to do is change your clothes and you're home free.

Also you've known Bella and Freak for like an hour. How attached are you, really?

Be still. Make a loud click. The kind that hurts to hear, that you can physically feel in your eardrums. Like a fat piece of metal hitting stone. Repeat it at least three times a second. His movements will alter the echo and give you a rough idea of where he is. Focus on your antennae as well. He's a magical creature with magical weapons. Combine the echos with the sensations they provide to pinpoint his location.
If you can determine his location, start trapping EVERYTHING in reach. The trees, the ground, rocks, Your cloths. Don't Trap the pebble in your hand unless you're sure you have time. That'll give you away.

If you are especially crazy you could trap your hand. The power of you mutation will amplify the explosion, and could take out this guy for good. It will definitely take off your arm, the concussive force will definitely seriously injure you and knock you out, and if your if your arm isn't totally outstretched you'll likely die.
But if Slarr is dead and your friends have a chance to wake up, then perhaps you too will get to wake up another day.

Update 1/5 Gnuk 2017/03/02(Thu)09:00 No. 784157 ID: fc7c78
File 148847405769.png - (84.23KB , 800x750 , WS156.png )

>Keep talking to keep him talking if possible; he can't sneak up on your while talking. (Also, when you get to Bella, see if you can keep your voice moving as if walking past.)

>How bored ARE you, Slarr? With your life, with what you do? Maybe your satisfied, but maybe you could be satisfied more. I don't know, I'm not you. Fail tonight, Slarr. Let us go. Let us get stronger. Come catch up to us, now and again, see how we've grown, gotten smarter. Have fun with us. Come on, we're obviously a group with potential to entertain you, perhaps that's better than catching every Weirdling at their weakest, even enough to be worth whatever penalty they might give you for "failing".

>keep him talking

You ask him about leaving everyone today. So that he could hunt you all later, wouldn't that be more fun?

Meanwhile you start creeping toward Bella, since finding the silent wand would give you a great advantage

Slarr: "It sssssssurely would be. Mosssssst fun i had in yearssssss. But work isssssssss work. Gotta keep my quota."

>Also, I feel like at some point you should ask why Slarr is loyal to people who keep him locked up most of the time.

You ask him why he needs to keep the quota, what's the point.

Slarr: "Mossssstly to rub it in the face of Ssssssssslice. That old basssssssstard thinksssssss he'sssssss the besssssst and here you are, proofssssss that he needssssssss to be retired."

>Just take the offer. Those two had no chance of getting to safety anyway, the inquisitor killed the people who were gonna help your group cross the border. If you tried to take those two with you, they would have been ratted out almost immediately. All you have to do is change your clothes and you're home free.

You think seriously for a moment about accepting the offer, but something doesn't feel completely right.

>Say, "Why should I believe you would let me go? Doesn't your king demand you capture us all?"

>ask how you could trust his offer, he'll attack you the second you leave the hostages

You ask him why you should trust him, since he has shown already to lie in order to get what he wants.

Gnuk 2017/03/02(Thu)09:02 No. 784158 ID: fc7c78
File 148847416196.png - (82.34KB , 700x700 , WS157.png )

You feel something stinging in your shoulder.

Slarr: "You sssssssshouldn't. I wassssss just buying time..."

Gnuk 2017/03/02(Thu)09:04 No. 784159 ID: fc7c78
File 148847427421.png - (4.33KB , 600x550 , WS158.png )

You fall uncoscious. Almost senseless.

Everything feels muffled or non existant, your mind goes completely numb.

But then you start feeling something.

Warmth.

Update 4/5 Gnuk 2017/03/02(Thu)09:07 No. 784162 ID: fc7c78
File 148847445189.png - (207.49KB , 800x700 , WS159.png )

As you finally regain consciousness you find the source of the warmth.

Bella's arms wrapped around your body, cradling you like an oversized baby.

You look around to find yourself in a cage. Hay scattered all over the floor.

You must be on a carriage of some sort too, as you recognize the waddling of the wagons and the noises of the horse's hooves on the road.

Update 5/5 Gnuk 2017/03/02(Thu)09:09 No. 784163 ID: fc7c78
File 148847454512.png - (238.11KB , 800x750 , WS160.png )

Slarr: "Oh there you are, princesssss. Finally back in the land of the living onessss, eh?"

His voice sounds rather different, more amicable and soft, even if he hasn't lost his hissing accent.

Steadfastly ignore his false platitudes. Perhaps you can spook his horse out from under him.

>>784163
He looks different. Is that really Slarr? Or did someone defeat him while you were knocked out, and steal his clothes?

Observe for now. Check to see who else is in the caravan.

Does his horse have a mask too?

Welp. Time to make trap runes to blow this bitch up.

>>784201
I'm pretty sure they're not stupid enough to put a magic user in a cage and hope they don't try to use magic. The cage must have some sort of magic canceling effect on anyone inside of it.

>>784201
Besides, even if we did blow the cage open, what then? Slarr is right there and will catch us again, and the other two are asleep so we don't have backup. Better to bide our time for now. Maybe talk with Slarr more since he's wanting to be friends with you, see if you can find out something that'll help you.

>the other two are asleep
Hold up, why did we wake up while the other two are still asleep? Aren't we supposed to be more susceptible to magic effects?

>>784254
They got hit by magic sleep claws. We got hit with a sleeping dart.

Not much to do, so question time?:
Where's the other high inquisitor? You've got their mask on your hip.

What exactly are you anyway?

Where are we heading?

Freak and Bella have just completely ruined what good you had in your life, and cost pebblesqueek his existance.
all in a mere day after meeting you.

forget weirdling brotherhood or any garbage like that, these people are leeches, selfishly dragging you down just to save themselves

Say it looks like someone got the better of Slice, so why is he still going back to his cage?

>forget weirdling brotherhood or any garbage like that, these people are leeches, selfishly dragging you down just to save themselves
It sure was awful of them to outlaw weirdlings and and smash Pebblesqueek ... no wait, that was King Asshat and his pet goo terminator.

Now that he is victorious, inquire what will happen to you and other weirdlings. Maybe, in his hubris, he will reveal something useful. After all, he proved to be your superior, so there's no way you might escape his clutches. *wink* *wink*

>>784262
How about you shove your cynical and mean-spirited opinion up your cloaca, lizard-person?

>>784325
Hey, don't drag the good name of lizardkind into this!

If you destroy the mask you destroy him.

>>784163
Point at his mask and ask him "If I take that off, will you die?"

>>784402
He's not stupid enough to tell us what will kill him!

.....actually, now that I think about it, he probably is that stupid.

Why bother capturing us alive? If all the king wants is to cleanse the land of all weirdlings why not just have us killed then and there? Seems like a lot of extra work and brings more chances for weirdlings to get away like the other two did. Most importantly why shouldn't I just rip my friends throats out and shove my head between these bars and break my neck so we don't have to suffer through whatever you are going to do to us?

Update 1/4 Gnuk 2017/03/16(Thu)07:46 No. 787819 ID: 007b4b
File 148967559616.png - (258.41KB , 750x750 , WS161.png )

>Hold up, why did we wake up while the other two are still asleep? Aren't we supposed to be more susceptible to magic effects?

You try to get up, waking up Bella.

Bella: "Oh, you are finally up" She says in a tired voice.

You ask her what she means.

Bella: "You've been sleeping for a... couple days."

At least this explain why you are starving...

You get up, removing her hand, telling her to keep sleeping. You are really not in the mood to talk to her anyway. You feel groggy, weak and pissed off.

>Steadfastly ignore his false platitudes. Perhaps you can spook his horse out from under him.

>Does his horse have a mask too?

>Observe for now. Check to see who else is in the caravan.

The caravan is composed of the cart you are on, Slarr on a normal horse and four or five guards on horses. You can't really discern the race since they are all showing you their backs. It seems no one wants to stay behind with the High Inqusitor.

You take a look at Slarr, and then you yell right in his horse's ear.

Or at least you try. There is no sound.

Update 2/4 Gnuk 2017/03/16(Thu)07:53 No. 787823 ID: 007b4b
File 148967597950.png - (228.64KB , 800x600 , WS162.png )

Slarr laughs, then touches the bars of your cage

Slarr: "Inibitium and runesssssss, my dear. Built to contain your weird. Nothing you can do insssssssside thissssss. Nothing that a Weirdling body hassss or can do will work as long as you are insssssssside."

>Why bother capturing us alive? If all the king wants is to cleanse the land of all weirdlings why not just have us killed then and there? Seems like a lot of extra work and brings more chances for weirdlings to get away like the other two did. Most importantly why shouldn't I just rip my friends throats out and shove my head between these bars and break my neck so we don't have to suffer through whatever you are going to do to us?

>Where are we heading?

You put your head between the bars and ask him what's the point of taking you alive, or what is going to stop you to try to kill yourself or your companions since there is clearly not a better option to whatever is going to happen to you all.

Oh yeah? Can't contain *this.* (various rude gestures)

Update 3/4 Gnuk 2017/03/16(Thu)07:58 No. 787826 ID: 007b4b
File 148967632502.png - (200.93KB , 800x500 , WS163.png )

He boops your nose, plaifully.

Slarr: "Don't be ssssssssssilly. How'd you even try to kill yoursssssself. You don't really have the look of a murderer, nor the body. Plusss you should have realized by now there isssssssss a reasssssssson you are getting to the Pitsssssss alive. "

>He looks different. Is that really Slarr? Or did someone defeat him while you were knocked out, and steal his clothes?

You move your head back from the bars and ask him if he is the real Slarr, since he sounds different.

Slarr: "The one and only!

>Now that he is victorious, inquire what will happen to you and other weirdlings.

You ask him what's going to happen to you and the others.

Slarr: "You'll sssssssssee! I hate ssssssspoiling sssssssurprissssssesssss!

Update 4/4 Gnuk 2017/03/16(Thu)08:11 No. 787832 ID: 007b4b
File 148967711191.png - (166.92KB , 700x700 , WS164.png )

>What exactly are you anyway?

You ask what he is

Slarr: "One of the bessssssst inquisssssssitors of coursssssse!"

You ask him what he REALLY is

Slarr: "One of the besssssssssst inquisssssssssitors" He replies, this time you recognize the same voice he used when he was hunting you.

>Say it looks like someone got the better of Slice, so why is he still going back to his cage?

>Where's the other high inquisitor? You've got their mask on your hip.

You point out that you have noticed the other mask on his hip. You ask what happened to the other one.

Slarr picks up the mask and raises it in the air

Slarr: "Alassssss poor Ssssssslice, i knew him well."

He takes a second or two of complete silence

Slarr: "He wassssssss a bitch! And died like one! Whoever helped you made a number on him. Even worse than what you did to me."

He laughs.

You ask him why is he so happy about.

Slarr: "Becaussssssse ssssssssince he'ssss dead now i'm charge of this hunt! I'm back in busssssssssssinesssssssss!"

He leans in again, trying to get close to your face

Slarr: "All thanksssssss to you! You are clearly a lucky one.

>Point at his mask and ask him "If I take that off, will you die?"

>Maybe talk with Slarr more since he's wanting to be friends with you, see if you can find out something that'll help you.

You step back again, trying to get as far from him as possible in the space allowed by the cage. And point at his mask.

You tell him that it looks important. You ask him seriously if he'd die if you remove it.

Slarr stares at you for a moment, then laughs again.

Slarr: "Nah. Masssssk is just a ssssssssymbol. But you and your sssssssstupid golem got clossssssse to get me."

You blink, remembering what happened back in the forest. It didn't feel like a close fight at all.

Slarr: "And i'm being sssssssssseriousssssss. For once. One of the besssssssst hunt i had in yearssssssss."

He bumps Slice's mask against his mask, making a metallic sound.

Slarr: "You are a ssssssssspecial one, aren't you?"

Use a claw or your friends pointy head to carve the trap symbol into your palm. Then Touch somthing outside the cart, the bottom of it, the toung, the horses ass, ect. To leave a blood print of the trap rune. Then blow that up.

Well, it sounds like your benefactor escaped to rescue you another day. If all else fails, you can bide your time, waiting for rescue, thinking of ways to piss off Slarr to pass the time.

>>787832
Ask him for food.

>>787838
Too soon for such an action, to many guards about on horseback. Best to wait until night or some other opportunity.

"Yeah, I'm pretty special in the head, aren't I? Thinking that running away would work..."

Since he seems the bragging sort, ask him some more about the inquisition. Like, why do they hide their faces with masks? Wouldn't they be more effective if weirdlings couldn't identify them as inquisitors immediately?

Update 1/6 Gnuk 2017/03/30(Thu)13:05 No. 791727 ID: 44f31f
File 149090434627.png - (258.33KB , 750x600 , WS165.png )

>"Yeah, I'm pretty special in the head, aren't I? Thinking that running away would work..."

You tell him that you don't feel special, just stupid that you thought you could run away from him.

Slarr: "Everyone doessssssssss. Everyone at leasssssssssst triesss! That'ssssss what i love about this work"

Since he seems the bragging sort, ask him some more about the inquisition. Like, why do they hide their faces with masks? Wouldn't they be more effective if weirdlings couldn't identify them as inquisitors immediately?

He pompously sits on his horse, and you ask him why he and the other inquisitors wear masks, since it would be easier to find weirdlings if they weren't able to recognize them instantly.

Slarr: "The masssssssksssssssss are a gift and a badge of honour. Granted by the King himsssssssssself. We do not need to hide ourssssssselvessssssss."

He turns to face you, and you feel a chill down your spine.

Slarr: "We know how to find the weird, there issssssssss no real place where your... kind can hide from usssssss."

Update 2/6 Gnuk 2017/03/30(Thu)13:11 No. 791730 ID: 44f31f
File 149090468898.png - (197.73KB , 700x700 , WS166.png )

>Use a claw or your friends pointy head to carve the trap symbol into your palm. Then Touch somthing outside the cart, the bottom of it, the toung, the horses ass, ect. To leave a blood print of the trap rune. Then blow that up.

>Too soon for such an action, to many guards about on horseback. Best to wait until night or some other opportunity.

You are sure that it wouldn't work anyway. Seemingly all your powers and magic is nullified as long as you are stuck in this cage...

>Ask him for food.

You feel your stomach growl in pain, remembering that you have been sleeping for days and you haven't eaten anything since before your escape from the city.

You ask Slarr if you can have some food.

Slarr: "Not now. You'll have to wait. We are already late on Ssssssslice's old ssssssschedule and we need to catch up to Sssssssslob in two citiessssssssss from here. You'll get your ration when we camp later. keep yourssssssssself bussssy. Talk to your friendssssssss... when they wake up.

He rummages behind his back, before picking something you can't really see from behind his mantle.

Slarr: "Sssssssspeaking of friendsssssss"

He tosses something at you

Update 3/6 Gnuk 2017/03/30(Thu)13:15 No. 791731 ID: 44f31f
File 149090490896.png - (259.54KB , 700x700 , WS167.png )

You catch the thing. It's a broken piece of stone.
A broken piece of stone you are really familiar with.

Slarr: "I picked sssssssssssomething up before returning you three to the cage. He put up a good fight, as annoying as it wasssssss. Conssssssssider it sssssssssome form of ressssspect for your golem.

Update 4/6 Gnuk 2017/03/30(Thu)13:19 No. 791732 ID: 44f31f
File 149090518297.png - (190.73KB , 750x700 , WS168.png )

Slarr laughs and moves the horse to the front of the cage-cart. Leaving you and the other weirdlings alone.

You slump down near Bella, that is now snoring.

>Well, it sounds like your benefactor escaped to rescue you another day. If all else fails, you can bide your time, waiting for rescue, thinking of ways to piss off Slarr to pass the time.

The situation is clearly not the best, but it's also not the worst. From what you have gathered by talking to Slarr, Ulric is still out somewhere, and he is strong enough to take down an inquisitor.

Speaking of, despite how powerful and dangerous Slarr look, you can't shake the sensation he's too full of himself. Too sure about his own merits and capacities.

Update 5/6 Gnuk 2017/03/30(Thu)13:21 No. 791733 ID: 44f31f
File 149090528012.png - (156.89KB , 700x550 , WS169.png )

And hopefully his own confidence will be a precious ally to you.

Isn't it?, you whisper to the stone.

Update 6/6 - END OF CHAPTER ONE Gnuk 2017/03/30(Thu)13:25 No. 791737 ID: 44f31f
File 149090552556.png - (180.44KB , 700x550 , WS170 END.png )

Pebblesqueak:" Protect Masha "

END OF CHAPTER ONE

>>791737
Now that's an interesting ace in the hole, if Pebblesqueak has any functional runes left.

>>791749
we could also gather some more stone and see about sticking it on.