give it 15 minutes and if it still hasn't shown up say fuck it and walk... uh, how far is your house from here?

I'd say wait another 5 or 10 mins, depending on your patience, then walk.

fuck it, it's been an hour and the damn thing still hasn't shown up so you might as well start walking. It's going to suck but if you've been here this long I don't think it's showing up at all.

Yeah, time to go.

>>758024
Grab the paper, then look behind you. If there's some reason to run you probably shouldn't be caught reading it. If you don't see anything just read the paper.

Check what the piece of paper has on it.

Weird. Sounds pretty cult-y, what with the other guys with the mask and such.

What's up with your eye, by the way? Are you blindfolded?

>>758180
I think you should do it. Best case it's magic. Worst case it does nothing.

>>758229
Mess with it.

Either proving the null hypothesis or discovering something new both advance the cause of science!

Since you already experiment with the ritualistic I guess you are somewhat open to the possibility of magic existing, so you could take in consideration if it's worth doing this ritual instructed by a masked man in the case of this ritual been real. This could be a curse, but I imagine it's more likely an initiation ritual.
I say do it. If it's bullshit it doesn't matter and if it's real it's probable not harmful.

Also, before you do anything else, double check that your front door is locked.

Someone's behind you!

Alright then, can you check what time it is?

Look around and see if anything is different. The feeling of being still asleep might be a passing feeling. But is it's not, it would be good to confirm it.

>>758280
There were feet on the headboard behind you, but they're gone now.

Look around your room for anyone or anything out of place, then look down at the paper in your lap. See if that's changed.

If that doesn't yield anything, try peeking out your window.

>>758323
Well, it's that, or explore the void for the source of the lullaby.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1jG99z7lVY

I don't understand why you are so afraid os a piece of paper, but if you believe this is a valid concern go look for the source of the music. If you do nothing all you can be is a victim of external forces.

Go see where the music is coming from. That's a possible threat you can examine from safety- you can't "read from a distance".

I was thinking maybe you can bring the paper with you while exploring.

Not a great plan but: If there's danger, then you can read it real fast. Who knows, maybe you can get two monster to fight each other! If not, well, if this is a nightmare, it has to end poorly no matter what you do right?

Say hello.

I'm gonna go with: It means don't read the poem! I'm not sure that's how it works, but now I'm wondering if that guy is his predicament because he read the poem.

Though don't get rid of the paper now, in case I'm wrong.

>>758589
Where do the strings / roots attached to this person go?

It sounds like this paper is associated more with him than you. Give it to him.

>>758595
Claim knife.

I think the knife claimed you, rather than the other way around.

Stab it down into the table, as hard as you can, then try and pry / pull your hand off the hilt?

Guessing the poem can't be read anymore? Seems like the time to do it.

>>758617
...yeah. If you can read the poem, do so now. Before you end up trapped in wire or roots like the last guy.

good night

>>758633
Greet the demon politely. Not much else you can do.

>>758639
Um. Okay, so quick- what do I need to know and/or do before I get out? And how do I get out?

I don't want irreparable consequences.

Ask them how you're suppose to get out.

Also how are you holding up not feeling parts of your body and being blind in one eye?

>>758683
Being blind in one eye is something that can be worked around, but that will make driving suck.

The big problem is a lack of touch will seriously impact your ability to use your hands. You need feedback not to be a clumsy oaf. Basic tasks will be hard for a while.

Important now: what do I need to know or do before I leave? How do I leave?

Wait I'm confused. Someone used the Ash Tree to try and kill me, but you waited when it asked you two, and they want to give me a present? And now I'm supposed to surrender my mortality to the thing that was trying to kill me in a horrible painful manner?

>>758717
>sacrifice my mortality
Um, so does that mean you die or become immortal??

>do you accept the gift
...it's not going to fill me with roots or anything like that if I take it, will it?

The Ash Tree itself seems to be the one thing that unambiguously helped you then. Might as well pledge yourself to it.

...and reluctantly accept the gift of the person who got you to do a haphazard summon.

I don't trust this guy. If he was on your side he could have warned you at the start of this "dream". Ask him why he didn't do that, and also ask why you can't just cut the line connecting him to the mask.

I, uh, don't really want to end anyone's existence.

>>758778
I... have no idea. I've never heard of him before today, and what little I've learned so far is kind of confusing and contradictory.

If I had to guess the Tree is the spirit of the girl in the picture, and is essentially a spirit of vengeance now. And is being used as a way of killing people, either to further the group's goals or to satisfy its lust for revenge.

...I don't want to be cruel.

... WHAT IS GOING ON!?!

Actually, what is this place exactly? And Is there really a way out? Did that other guy say anything accurate?

How can you survive without becoming a monster? Is there another form of power?

Also, it sounds like the tree's branches are the problem. How about a bit of trimming?

>>759051
Who am I talking to? Are you the trunk, or the branches, or the scavengers? What is it you want?

>>759112
I... don't know. Being asked to chose my future after just leaning all of this doesn't seem like it would be reliable.

Off hand, I don't think that I would support those trying to change the world by doing horrible things to it, even if they reward their own.

...I'll stand for freedom, then.

Freedom from people who would take choice away from others, and decide their fates for them. Freedom from people who would shape the world for others. Freedom from scavengers, branches and roots feeding on the body.

I'll be the shears. Cutting away the vines and other connections that would take purchase on our lives.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMAVLXk9QWA

>>759200
Huh, interesting ability.

>>759201
...out of curiosity, what's wrong with being whore queen? I mean, I suppose it might be distasteful or embarrassing, but it's not like sex is inherently immoral. And the usual problem with pimping is the exploitation.

Might even tie into sexual freedom. Although holding domain / control / ownership over people kind goes against that.

Sorry, I was expecting consequences like "die horribly and painfully in creative ways" not "run a whore house". Little thrown.

>>759203
True while sexual freedom is an option of freedom, we would still be holding others down for if we are a "pimp" then we are no better than a slave master. I say we stand against this evil, it won't be an easy road but we shall persevere, we will survive, we will be righteous, we will be a good person.

>>759203
they're just the 'successful' ending examples, it's less fun to hear about or listen to that one version of yourself that tripped and hit their head on a rock.
But for real watch where you're stepping.

>>759294
>don't call me whore queen
Sure thing, mistress of the shears.

>should have taken the gift
If I start doing cruel things just to serve my own puposes, doesn't that just put me on the road of becoming cult leader myself?

>say anything to leave
Thank you for your help. It's been enlightening, if overwhelming.

"Whatever you want and I will return you."

...what? You said to say that, so I said it!

>>759321
Well that's underwhelming.

Not sure if trust was really the right way to describe what we did. We were in an alien environment we had no control over and no known way to escape- we had little recourse but to communicate with the creatures there. And we had no known way to defend ourself or otherwise resist aggression.

And not trusting something on the basis that it was an artificial collection of spirits is not valid- since the only data we had on what it was was from another source we couldn't trust.

Hopefully it's just a painful nightmare on the way to exiting or leaving this realm. Things were getting interesting.

>>759349
Yeah what is your overall goal anyway?

At what cost though? You say you are leading them into a new evolution of human form, but how do you even decide who is worthy of evolution? What happens to those unworthy? Do their voices mean nothing?

You're freeing people from menial labor... but how will those jobs get done afterwards?

You didn't answer my question, at what cost will you bring about this "evolution?"

>>759388
So you have no stated mission statement except

1 "I'm going to chance things"
2 "against the will of the majority"
3 "and I'm not afraid to hurt people or break things in doing so."

That's not a very good sales pitch. If you want to justify points 2 and 3, you need a really solid cause / change to be championing in 1, which you so far have refused to clarify.

Cryptic. I hate that. Always you cryptic types are giving me the run around. Well, pride goeth before the fall, oh cultist leader, I think yours shall fall sooner than you imagine. I was once told something by a teacher of mine, It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it. I name you, and your followers, cowards.

And that is why you are coward, you fear what is inevitable, you lack the courage to face it, you wish to defy death? Then rise to meet it and die with some pride as a man, only then do you gain true immortality. But fine, you want to know what I've seen for your death? You swim. You swim up a river of blades only crawl your way through a tree of thorns, and feast at the table of hunger with the knives of famine. And yes we may be future versions of Ana, but her bravery is our bravery, her will is our will we have powers that even you cannot imagine. And may the will of the story tell be told, we will see you fall.

>number 2 is resolved with education
Only if you're willing to defer your plans until education works or you have majority support, which I didn't get the impression you were.

>why even bother talking reasonably with a madman
Because there's nothing to be gained by talking unreasonably. We're outside of continuity- trying to intimidate him, frighten him, or otherwise influencing him emotionally yields no long term gain. Trying to understand his perspective and motives by engaging him nets a marginal strategic benefit.

>Did you think you were the only one who
Dude we're so new to this reality we haven't had chances to even make assumptions about the magic system and lore yet. Sorry, we haven't bought in to one narrative long enough for you revealing yourself to be a rival "chosen one" or whatever future-self influenced people are called to be a surprise, yet.

Thanks for the info, though. There are ways to work around precognition / massively parallel processing, or to use it against people, it just takes creativity and a lot more work setting it up.

>>759414

>talking unreasonably to a cult leader
.... YOU AIN'T GOT NO PANCAKE MIX!! YOUR DECEIEVING ALL YOUR FOLLOWERS, YOU AIN'T GOT NO PANCAKE MIX!!!!

Well maybe he just needs a coke and a smile and to shut the fuck up.

>>759427
You said it yourself, you're the writer of this story, so it's not our fault that you wrote his character like that! It's your fault that he's someone that gets angry and violent when agitated!

Ok, I have a question for you because I am expecting bad things to happen, maybe on some level it will be our own fault when bad things go down, but please tell me there won't be "rocks fall, everyone dies"moments because we took a wrong turn or something. Only reason I ask is you yourself have called yourself and asshole and pulled that on us as a joke at the end of the chapter. Or am I getting into spoiler territory?

>>759427
Meh. Either he was bluffing because this is non-canon, or we succeed in goading him. Psychological influence achieved. I'll call it a win either way.

We chose the path of the shears, anyways. There's no way we weren't seeing violence.

Actually, the interesting question: which thing we said convinced him we were dangerous? That gives us insight into his thought process, and maybe where he thinks his own weakness is.

Oh boy we've got problems...

>>759471
Well I guess we've got the first branch we'll have to prune. Or at least the first leaf.

Bandage your stabbed hand before you bleed out. You won't feel it.

>what do I need to know
How to defend yourself, and how to find your opponents before they find you. Neither of which we know how to do, now.

>what do I do
We kind of have to assume someone will find you. Either the people you just declared your intent to oppose to their power source, or maybe the guy who offered you the gift.

...that means you can't stay here, I think. First step is to leave home. Gotta go off the map, I think.

>>759521
Added to this, get a weapon, knife would work well, but as for self defense with it I found this for you (posting this from phone so idk it will work)
https://youtu.be/4S2eKsBHSy8

>>759556
I was thinking of supernatural defenses. She can learn how to fight, sure, but we need a counter for whatever tree magic these guys are going to bring to bear or we're in trouble.

>>759565
Alright let me see what I can do there, since we are going up against tree people I know of some actual schools of magic, this is druidic magic which specializes in the earth and trees
http://www.santharia.com/magic/druidic_magic.htm

However, the Norse, my personal preference also have some magic related to destiny and dreams. I figure these would be most useful.
http://norse-mythology.org/concepts/magic/

Isn't this a worldwide thing? Why do we think he's necessarily close to your home?

Hockey stick isn't a bad weapon, and can pass as normal, at least.

Not sure we're ready to confront the cult leader off the bat. Unless alt future advice allows Contessa style bullshit precog fighting, you aren't prepared to be a one woman army yet.

>>759711
...someone has already found you, I think.

We need another way out. Options?

>>759770
Since he's not a cult member, he'll either be paranoid good like, "Oh, good! You're the chosen one, I'll help you fight the cult!" or paranoid bad like, "Oh, no! You're one of those cultists, I'll kill you!"

More friends would be nice, plus paranoid people tend to be armed well. So it couldn't hurt to see if is him still approach with caution and try to be friendly

>>759770
...paranoid people are prepared. With supplies. Places to retreat to. Contingencies.

Maybe you should tell him you're in trouble.

Can I come with you? I think what's happening is more than we even imagine, beside we might be the only people left in the city besides whatever and whoever else is out there, we should watch each other's back.

Actually never mind, where is Derrick now?

>>759923
...okay, look, let's not debate the cause.

You really trust the government and emergency services to come through for us? They're going to be disorganized and distracted, and we can't afford to sit here if there's a follow up attack waiting to hit emergency responders.

Oh crap! Get away from the doors! Run, go find Dereck!

I think that's the same guy from your dream. Can you tell for sure?

Flip him the bird, go find Derrick. Crawl if you have to but do let him see you through the window

>>760140
Don't* let him see you

"Get down!"

>>760153
God damn, that's a good shot being able to hit a single finger with a fucking quick draw in the dark.

You need to tourniquet that before you bleed out, even if you can't feel it.

>>760156
Get down! Shooter!

Uhh... right then... so we didn't lose a finger... sooooo... tea?

>>760203
Yeah, he's not giving you a good reason to go outside and since he was rude and shot your finger off (even though it happened in your head it still counts), you're not going to go outside.

Go get some tea.

Aactually we go have tea, let's take some stock of our situation. There is a cultist member who I assume is the one responsible for Clarances death, and has proven efficient enough at illusion that he can make us think things haven't happened. So, is there anyway to signal to him before we go up? Like asking him what his "gift" is?

>>760222
To be fair, giving him the finger was also rude, so he only responded in kind.

...of course, if he killed Clarance, he started the rude behavior.

For now, gifts accompanied by gunshots are not ones I want to accept.

Is... that a paper airplane?

Or maybe that's mean to be your shears. San handles. I meant that title metaphorically, though.

Um, catch?

If it got through a gas mask, and it didn't go through the broken window and kill you, that suggests whatever the poison is, it's not your typical airborne containment. If it were, Clarence would be okay and you'd be dead.

He makes a fair point that the masks aren't necessarily the protection. It could be something else they're carrying, or even an antidote they took in advance.

...maybe the gift that guy is offering will help?

Short of that, we might have to capture one of them.

>>760245
Are this different answers? We don't have the way to get a mask or antidote without grabbing a cultist. Which we can try if the plane is a bust.

Choose wisely

The mark can be simply drawn like the one you used before going to sleep

Well you guys could always try to lure him into the building and gets some answers out of him. Also if you make a mask like that and gave it to Derrick think that could help
him see the guy? You might be able to see him because you have seen the ash tree itself.

Just drawing the mark is a big risk. And the only way to test is potentially getting yourself killed, or using Derrik as a guinea pig. Which seems wrong.

That leaves waiting for a cultist to ambush, or taking the gift. The gift could be a trap, or he could attack you in some way, but I don't see how that's more dangerous than fighting with a cultist anyways.

Let's take the gift.

You could make a sign of your own that says, "Give me a reason to trust you." and then show it to that guy that's trying to give you a gift.

Alright I only have 4 simple questions then, give me these answers and I'll trust you enough to take you paper airplane or whatever. 1, did you kill clarance or was that the fog? 2, are you a cultist member or did the ash tree send you? 3, can we have his gun back? 4, is your gift going to protect me and my friend from this fog?

Fair enough, I accept. I will take the gift, but we will use it when we feel we are ready to use it. I have one other idea of how to get out of the building so we can avoid the fog.

Even if his from the cultists and therefore the enemy, there is a rule in war "no man threatens the messenger." Kind of a parley rule.

>>760555
Do we trust him? No, not at all.

But my next best idea is to use Derek as a guinea pig to test if the altered mask works against his will, which is morally reprehensible. Also he's your only ally, so treating him as a disposable test subject isn't very tactically sound, either.

And the next best idea after that is attempting to take a prisoner, after allowing other cultists to reach this building, which is more dangerous than attempting to parley with this messenger.

So.... that means we take his gift, then we decide what we're doing after that.

Um. Unless this building has access to the sewers, or maintenance tunnels? Whatever they're killing people with isn't actually a gas, and seems restricted to the outdoors. Underground might be a safe way to travel.

My idea is that we go into the basement, I've heard certain apartment complexes have underground passageways and steam tunnels leading between various buildings, usually for underground maintenance and power lines. This building may have something like that. However if we can take whatever this guy had we can maybe take it but not use it, but it may not work like that. We should send Derrick to check and see if there is a way out like the way I mentioned and give him Clarence's gun.

>>760560
Then my analysis is unchanged. Taking the gift is no more dangerous than our other options. We may as well.

Write a sign that says, "I'll take the gift. Do I need to come out there to get it or are you going to send it over like you did with the gun?"

Watch to see what he does. Did he disappear, or leave, or is he still watching?

Read note, don't open bag.

Also, what has Derek made of this exchange, since he couldn't see half of it, and can't explain what you're doing / may not even be able to see the things you're holding?

Note, this only explains it if the note is telling the truth. One way for the cult to kill you is to convince you to walk into the deadly fog, thinking you're safe.

...and if we really need to justify it, the mark doesn't belong to the acolytes, or the cult. It belongs the the tree itself, and is older than them, and stands for more than it means to them.

The note also doesn't tell us what's in the bag.

Okay so how paranoid was Clarence? If he had a military grade gas mask, maybe he had some other stuff we can set a trap with and then escape into the basement, you say it's not exactly a great way to escape but there has to be some way of getting through there like a maintenance tunnel or something.

How much of the 20 minutes did we waste stalling?

Also, what's in the bag? Can't be anything good.

>>760623
It's whatever will keep us safe from the fog

Set a trap with the smoke bombs, maybe rig a trip wire that will set them off if anyone comes through. it wont stop them but it may buy you some time, and have Derrick help you. You take the taser as it won't kill so it is a weapon can use. Once the trap is set get into the basement and find a way underground. If my hypothesis is right there should be a maintenance tunnel leading to another building.

Well, gear up. You can wear most of that.

>>760811
If you want to hurt the cultists, come with me. I plan to bring them down for good, cut them off from the source of their power. Kill their leader. You can do more harm than stay here to take a few of them with you when their patrol reaches this building.

>>760811
Hey don't forget to wear the cultist mask over your gasmask.

>visual sendings
I would guess that's what the ring does, since he didn't to that earlier.

>never let it change you
(Quietly) Too late for that.

Thank you Derek. Good luck, and goodbye. They'll pay.

HUG HIM

YOU HAVE BOTH BEEN THROUGH ALOT TOGETHER, HE HAS LOST SO MUCH IN THIS MADNESS, AND IS WILLING TO BECOME A SACRIFICE IN ORDER TO TAKE ONE LAST BIT OF VENGEANCE ON THE CULTISTS.

AND I DON'T THINK I HAVE TO TELL YOU WHAT HORRORS ANA HAS FACED

MORAL CONSOLATION FOR DAMNIT, HUG!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvas3pDD9vE

In all seriousness, Derrick, I wish you would come with us. I know I can't understand what you are feeling right now but I do know the feeling of wanting vengeance. But I hope I can at least make you consider coming with us. If you believe that you won't have another happy day or this is your only chance for vengeance then you do what you feel is right. I won't like it but I will understand. But if you think that you could do more, that there is another way, that you can go on no matter how small I chance, please come with us. Good luck Derrick, may Odin bring you wisdom. And if you believe that this is right, then may the Valkyries bring you home to Valhalla and may you be reunited with your family.

Let's get a move on.

We should use the dynamite as other plans would require us to use the the ring which has some consequences. If it's from the cult it could be a tracking device, when we put it on it starts to track us and give away our location. Speaking of using it however, do we have anything to light it with?

Set dynamite, wait outside of the basement for it to detonate.

If there's a collapse, Go with plan 4 (roofs). If not, go with plan 3 (sewers).

We need to move fast, when the dynamite blows they will probably move in, so we need to move quickly

>>761203
It already blew. The question is if we take the time to clear rubble from the hole that we blew to get through, or if we risk another exit (across the roof, say) and hope the cultists on guard don't see us in the process.

What does it look like upstairs? We were banking on the idea that it would take them longer to get here, and we are unsure if we can clear it away it time now, we may not have that kind of time. So the question is do we want to try slipping out the back with the ring on to protect us from the fog while Derrick fights them off?

Actually, if they are surrounding the whole building slipping out may be impossible, we need to dig our asses off, let's get moving!

So here is the problem we are still facing. I suspect that these cultists are waiting on something a lot bigger to show up and storm the place. And while we still have time, I wouldn't t want to risk going out unless we know we won't be seen by them, I don't want our position being given away. So I need some other opinions here. Part of me says we dig but we may not have enough time. So we either risk going out and being seen and our position given away or we keep digging and risk not escaping in time. At the moment I think it may be best if we try to get the roof, stay low and try and get to the sewer

So far, so good, stay low and stay alert

And stay quiet!

What does this voice sound like? And how are we doing on time?

Well, there are one of two outcomes, here.

Either that's a civilian the cult hasn't found yet, or that's a cultist trap. (Or both: an innocent civy being used in a cultist trap).

You either walk away or you intervene. With the potential downsides of leaving her to die versus dragging her into this, and potentially walking into a trap.

We have no way to asses the likelyhood or either right now. So the important question is: what's important to you? Is your mission paramount to the point you'll sacrifice others to fulfill it? Or are the innocents the mission?

(Personally I'd skew towards investigating).

I'm skewing towards checking myself but we would need to be quick... Plus if this woman is unaware of the fog we need to tell her.

More specifically the mask will protect you from the fog.

Heave-ho! Best move it carefully off if her leg is broken

>Is that your lesbian sex alter ego
Damnit, maybe we should have stuck with "Whore Queen."

Clearly we can't leave this one for the cult to find. Her power of insults is too powerful.

>what do
Try to move the wardrobe, I guess.

Wait, how did she get stuck? The cult released a poison outside, they didn't cause an earthquake or go around shoving furniture on people.

And you know what you need, bitch? A kick to the cooter!
(Lawful good doesn't mean lawful nice)

https://youtu.be/uzm6_szUkYk

>>761962
With the kevlar and the masks in the way, I'm not even sure she can get a good chokehold?

Even if she faked that to catch you, the thing really was on her leg. She should be hurt there. Kick her in her injured leg, as hard as you can.

Then all you need to do is stumble / drag her out the door you came in while she's off balance. She's not wearing a mask, she'll be killed p quick.

"You need to respect the rules of engagement. You didn't wait out the clock, and I'm not going to show any mercy to those who try to penalize helping civilians."

>>761980
We don't kill people, but that doesn't mean we can't play a little rough, if she is with the cult (most likely) take her mask that will trap her here until her comrades find her and she will be punished for her failure and for failure to follow her leaders commands. Plus if we take her mask then we could use that instead if the fish mask and maybe do a hide in plain sight deal

Tase this bitch!

If you did just pull out your taser, you got to do an awesome one liner

"My turn..." TASE TO THE FACE!

Honestly I can bullshit. Who goes from a chokehold to pulling out a concealed knife faster than they can hit the ground or be kicked? If nothing else, it should have been too late to stop the momentum of the kick.

And yeah, careful with that future sight combat. There are pitfalls to it. You either Golden Pathed yourself (blindly following the future and deadending yourself in the process unintentionally) or you failed to account for an opponent who is also a precog and couldn't predict an action with a future cause.

...why is she aw shitting? Did she suddenly remember how stupid it is to gloat mid fight?

Ok, so hold up a second, now I remember her! Laura how you doing girl?! Do I remember getting stabbed in the leg by a knife? Yeah, I got an awesome scar from this. The explosive ones had a kind to of double tap thing, where if anyone but her pulls the knife it detonated taking your hand along with wherever it hits. Care to get this knife out and get us some bandages please? We've got more of the real cultists on the way. Want to come along?

Note to self: from now on introduce yourself as not-a-cultist.

Also god dang how did your future sight not see you getting stabbed by that. (Unless getting injured by her and bonding over it is the optimal outcome of this encounter?).

Complaining: you couldn't have guessed I wasn't a cultist from the whole not killed you thing.

Also who the heck carried bomb knives. This is not a normal person. She's some kind of crazy vampire hunter.

Also what the heck was she doing if this wasn't specifically a trap for us. Pinning herself as a trap to catch cultists isn't a good idea, since they'd have just killed her.

>what's my job
Currently, helping the cult by stalling. Come on, chop chop. We already broke a leg here. We need to get my leg patched, make you a mask to protect you from the poison, then we need to get the heck out of here.

You are following in your dad's footsteps, Laura Moon, and you are almost a cop and you almost graduated from the police academy, probably would have been awesome had this cult shit not gone down. You were currently in swat training and specialized in bomb squad tactics. Guess you picked a few things up huh? You were also about leave to find your dad because he probably would have been near the front lines when the cult showed up but then you saw me and... well you know the rest.

Still doesn't explain why she was pinned. That kind of trap only works on someone with a conscience, with the cult seems to lack.

But yeah we need to get patched up and get out of here.

Yeah let's motor, tell her that the fog won't recognize you if you wear a mask with the cult symbol on it, that's why I'm wearing this one. I recommend you get one too and we need to move fast

>>762396
Right we can compare notes on who knows which bits of the everything later, let's get this kidnapping done and be out of here already.

I assume she has a mask if she knows everything (including how the poison works).

Alright well get a mask and let's boogie then

As much as one person who was stabbed can but both are in danger can I suppose.

>do you trust me
To work against the cult? Mostly. Not to get me stabbed again? Less so.

It's a moot point, though. The cult does brainwashing, you just said. As long as you're under cover, I'll never be able to tell if you're acting or if you've been compromised, which means I won't be able to afford to trust you. Unless you've got a perfect defense against their brainwashing technique?

>they can't brainwash me if they think I'm one of them
Yeah, until you get caught. Then poof, brainwashing, and you will be one of them.

Where we going with this?

That's chaotic neutral for you.

I vaguely remember this, it's was scary for a while, until I realized she is one hell of a liar and a wickedly good poker player. Think of this as her hole card (five card stud if you will), she want you to think that this a means of keeping the trust between the two of you, but honestly a bomb in a persons leg? So much could go wrong with that, and she's smart enough to know it. So she threatens us with a hole card that actually makes her hand worthless. There is no bomb and it's just a way to make sure we can cooperate (albeit under a fake threat of violence).

But that doesn't mean we can't use it to our own advantage, call and raise the stakes. There was many a time that we were almost caught and we threatened them with the "bomb" in us, they did run away quite a bit when they think they are in Armageddon's shadow. Especially if you run at them screaming bloody murder.

Okay but I'm still banking on it being just a silly light to help convince us. But fine we need to move, so let's get going already sheesh

So it's a one way trust check. (Which is ridiculously ironic). So long as we trust her not to blow us up (by not removing the bomb) she'll be able to tell. Of course, we have no similar gesture of her trust, and she is free to blow us up at any time. (Or the cult is, if she's caught).

(Also, "I can only trust you if you allow me the capability to kill you, and if you remove my ability to kill you, I'll kill you" is twisted supervillian logic at it's best).

How does she plan to evade the cult leader's precog? She dodged ours (somehow) but there's no guarantee her luck of defense will hold up long term.

I mean sending someone in undercover with the means to blow up her allies just waiting to fall into enemy hands is action movie plot level dumb.

If anything, she should be the one with a bomb in her so we can blow her up if she gets brainwashed.

>one thing to do for me
Yeah what's that.

>>762752
Wasn't planning on it. Hi, I'm not a cultist, I promise.

Why are you tied up in there, and what's with the pointy chompers?

>>762772
Um. Show them the note? Hold it up in front of them and unfold it for them to read, without turning it to read yourself.

Don't really know, but it sounds like we are headed in the same direction. But you do work for the ash tree right? I've met him, and he's helped me out a bit. If you work with the ash tree and not the cult, then we share a common ally. I''m Ana, and The Ash Tree has Dubbed me the Mistress of Sheers.