I don't think that giving her the orb is a good idea. It's too early to be sharing something that important with her.
I also think that she would need a damn good reason to turn on their own. So trying to convince her with only words is just pissing in the wind.
She was ordered to get close to us, but her willingness to do favors for us still depends on her underlying affection. So I'd be a bit more careful in regard to how many annoying questions and demands we prod her with.

I think we learned enough for now and we should simply see where she takes us.

Baron 2018/10/21(Sun)19:53 No. 907851 ID: ca1cab
File 154017683419.png - (184.43KB , 959x773 , 102.png )

>[What is Protocol 27-88?]
"I am afraid zat iz classified."

Are you doing something weird to her head? Could you...not do it too much? I think she may be one of the only reasons I'm not in a cell, and I'd like her brain to stay unbroken

"First, allow me to clarify: Rezan is both a nationality and a race. You have racially Rezan ancestors. Unless I'm mistaken, that also confers a right to Rezan citizenship by blood.

I am telling you this because that fact could make this all a lot easier or a lot harder depending on how public you, personally, are in this whole debacle, and what you decide to do."

"Pardon, but I am still learning Rezanti, I only understood 'alf of what you said."

"Oh...okay. Well I mean that because you are part Rezan, that makes you a Rezan citizen. Even if you don't think so, everyone else will think you are. What you think are 'Rezan politics' will drag you into it because you are one of us, even if you say you aren't."

"Well if you say it like zat..."

"Do you know how many people were witnesses to the attack? I don't.

Do you know what the public will do if there's a rumor of Hegemony assassins? Panic, fear, and possible riots. Couple that with the disappearances that have been going on lately, and the people are going to be thinking you've been killing people - including civilians - in the lead up to the invasion.

That will have them fearing for themselves, but more than that it would have them afraid for their families. That's how you get insurrection and...criminals. "

I don't know what a skooldahgri is.

"Alright, I understand. What do you want?"

>>907851
"You're going to have to take control of the situation. Post guards, enforce laws, and make it clear that if you want someone dead you'd do it in plain sight - although I would strongly caution against killing anyone to make the point, as that would make them a martyr for people to hero-worship.
My role should be liaison between you and the people - I listen to the people's complaints and concerns, handle what I can, and pass anything that needs your attention off to you.
If you can clean up some of the corruption, or solve some of the problems that are afflicting the common person then they may even start to respect you more than the Rezan empire, if you feel like using this as a chance to embarrass the Rezan empire. My loyalty is to my people first; if you do right by them then I don't care what flag is flying.

Personally, I'd like to be kept as far away from you and your plans as possible. I don't want to know any secrets, I don't want to learn anything of value, and I don't want to have any role in anything your command structure is plotting. Nothing good can come of that, so if it's all the same to you I'd like to keep to just being the civil servant and figurehead I've been since I was forced into this job."

I wouldn't speak about loyalty and our people all that much. It's not like they've done us a lot of favors during our time and we've pretty much had to fend for ourselves. Even our job as a governor was basically done by someone else so I'm skeptical about our ability to suddenly correctly acting as one.

Ask her what she herself personally wants.

Baron 2018/10/28(Sun)17:19 No. 908641 ID: ca1cab
File 154077238954.png - (213.88KB , 1400x1050 , 103.png )

Personally, I'd like to be kept as far away from you and your plans as possible. I don't want to know any secrets, I don't want to learn anything of value, and I don't want to have any role in anything your command structure is plotting. Nothing good can come of that, so if it's all the same to you I'd like to keep to just being the civil servant and figurehead I've been since I was forced into this job."

"Ze first request is impossible. I am assigned to you, and I must stay by your side Mousoi Sergei, until zis occupation iz complete. Ze second, I am already doing. Zis cannot be what you want. You were so adamant before. Why waste so much time trying to sway me into doing what iz already my job?"

"Uh...I-well what do you personally want?"

"My wants are ze wants of my people. Do ze mission, get 'ome alive and well. Zat is somezing everyone would want guun?"

"Guun-I mean yes I-"

"You seem to 'ave lost whatever you were zinking of. Let me 'elp. It is true. I do not want panic or riots. It will mean more fighting, more dying. So, 'ere is what will 'appen:

You tell us ze laws, we enforce. You tell us what is missing, we will try to accommodate. If a riot or unrest 'appens, we will let you try to fix ze problem before we apply force to ze problem. I will accomodate your needs and take you where you want to go or need to go. In return, if I need you to do somezing, you do it. Do not ask why you must do it. Do it. Fair trade guun?"

"What you want, or what the Hegemony wants."

"Does it matter?"

"I ah...."

"Feel free to zink on it. Now, I believe you said you wanted to be somewhere..."


I get the feeling she just turned this around on me.

Baron 2018/10/28(Sun)17:20 No. 908642 ID: ca1cab
File 154077242969.png - (226.38KB , 1400x1050 , 104.png )

"Oh gods. Oh gods. We've stopped. Thank every god above and below."

"Are you alright back zere?"

"Yes but whatever was in my stomach is now three miles behind us."

"I hear zat an awful lot. You said you wanted to find somezing in ze ruins. Anyzing specific? Somezing I can 'elp with?"

"If it looks culty, I want to be the first to know."

>I get the feeling she just turned this around on me.
That's because you're a chump, and that's exactly what just happened. Is she really so hot that she's got you stammering over every word? Viv is going to be mad jealous, and she might do a hell of a lot worse than fiddle with your new best friends' brain you know.

Thank her for the ride; if she wants to search herself, she will. You've already shown your negotiating position is poor, don't get further in her debt by asking more from her.

>take you where you want to go
"What if I wanted to go on a date with you?"

She seems like a fun driver. Or at least reliable if we need to escape quickly... I'd make a rollercoaster analogy but I'm not sure if theme parks exist.

Tell her that you're looking for people and high tech equipment.

Baron 2018/11/04(Sun)16:30 No. 909621 ID: ca1cab
File 154137785775.png - (218.46KB , 1400x1050 , 105.png )

"Well I'm looking for a number of things. If it looks culty, or a complicated piece of machinery. Or..."

Actually I was hoping more clues to where I could find Viv. Or even Alicia. Fuck I'm missing Alicia.

Also no, I'm not tongue tied around her! I just don't like all this negotiating stuff! I'm used to writing reports where I know everything and I'm just explaining stuff! It's not like I find her adorable or how she would look perfect holding that gun in the centerfold of Bawdyboy's Swimsuit issue!

Baron 2018/11/04(Sun)16:31 No. 909622 ID: ca1cab
File 154137787234.png - (824.47KB , 1400x1050 , 106.png )

But I am now...thanks a lot. I'm blaming you for this.

"Or what? What else are you looking for? What is zis 'culty' zing you say? Why are you looking at me like zat?"

You're hopeless Sergei Brown, completely hopeless.

When we find Vivian, we're telling her threatening you with knives will get you infatuated with her.

>Why are you looking at me like zat?
Don't blame it on us, you're the one bringing up centerfolds, you wolf you. You'd be more believable if you had trouble talking to that ginger general as well.
Tell Nunette you can't believe you just let her drive you to an isolated location in that armed technical she's now fondling after she already threatened to slice your throat.
>Actually I was hoping more clues to where I could find Viv. Or even Alicia. Fuck I'm missing Alicia.
Is that information on a need to know basis with her? Don't drop a name that might be on "her peoples" most wanted list, then she'll never let you find her. Now get to searching, loverboy.

That's sexy, but we've seen sexier. Like, seriously, you'd throw up in disgust of the sheer mind-blowing sexiness of what we watch. Won't stop us from staring at your imagination though!

She probably realizes you're undressing her with your mind. Just act like you care, and keep asking about the soldiers missing on both sides.

Culty as in, it's got strange symbols on it. So we're looking for stuff with symbols and for any swimsuits. Survivors in swimsuits. Surviving witnesses.

Imagine yourself in place of that gun~

Baron 2018/11/11(Sun)16:09 No. 910335 ID: ca1cab
File 154198135351.png - (175.05KB , 1024x768 , 107.png )

Oh godsDAMMIT! That's not the reason why I- look haven't you ever had to go piss like real bad when you wake up with a stiffy?! I wasn't aroused out of being terrified! I was close to pissing myself, not getting off! And don't tell me what depraved stuff you've seen, I don't need any tents in my trousers!

"You know, I'm surprised. I can't believe you just drive me to an isolated location in that armed technical."

"Oh I know it is dangerous. It iz why I am taking ze gun."

"...isn't that a heavy class machine gun?"

"Correct."

"And you're just carrying it around like a rifle?"

"Iz zat a problem?"

"N-no."

Okay THAT is attractive.

"Anyway, this is the place where a lot of crazy stuff went down. Just look for anything that has creepy symbols or writing on it."

"What about zat sign we passed? Iz zat culty?"

"...no that was just telling us the elevation."

"I am sorry. But your rezanti writing looks-'ow you say- creepy enough to me?"

Okay that was a dry hole, and I don't need you putting naughty thoughts in my head thank you!

"Well anyway, we're looking for stuff with symbols and for any swimsuits. Survivorsinswimsuits! Surviving witnesses!"

Stop that!

"Your rezanti. It was too fast for me. What did you say?"

"Look! For surviving witnesses! Or...or symbols that look creepier than Rezanti script."

"I don't zink anyzing is like zat..."

>And you're just carrying it around like a rifle?
We've seen this before with Daoine, they can grab a slab of pig iron and the laws of gravity just die. It's lighter in their hands but the weight stays the same, while durability is preserved as the weapon chops through solid dragon flesh.

>"I am sorry. But your rezanti writing looks-'ow you say- creepy enough to me?"
It's made from obsessively copying a dead language with shaky precision and minimal understanding of the context, to preserve the function when applied to buried mechs. So yes.

Onward.

>Okay THAT is attractive.
...I'd agree with you, but it also gives me the impression she has more in common with the thing that calls you 'brother' than she let on; she did shut down that line of inquiry really quickly, it makes me think she knows more about Rezan-looking super-soldiers she's telling.

Time to return to the scene of the crime.

Anything that doesn't look like rezanti writing then.

Let's begin searching. Try not to venture too far away from her.

Baron 2018/11/18(Sun)14:46 No. 911116 ID: ca1cab
File 154258121209.png - (390.75KB , 1024x720 , 108.png )

Oh please don't even imply that. I'm going to rely on her, last thing I want to hink about is her growing claws and tentacles and trying to gut me Why is it suddenly so smoggy? I mean I get that the burning could be a reason for some of this, but it is suddenly really really smoggy.

"Anything that doesn't look like rezanti writing then."

"Oh, zen iz zis not Rezanti?"

"What isn't?"

Baron 2018/11/18(Sun)14:47 No. 911117 ID: ca1cab
File 154258123954.png - (428.00KB , 1024x720 , 109.png )

"Ooooooh. Yeah that is not Rezanti..."

>last thing I want to think about is her growing claws and tentacles and trying to gut me
I could poke fun at what you'd undoubtedly rather think about her doing, but I'll instead point out she didn't need claws and tentacles to try and cut you before. You probably ought not rely on her, Serg.

[analyze runes]
Is that a shadow or swirling supernatural darkness? What's it drawn on?

Looks like a dial. Try spinning both rings.

Tell her to check if she can find out where the smoke is coming from while you play with this thing.

Spin the middle circle to the right by 90 degrees.

>>911117
"Yeah, this was cultists. Their runic magic system is quite distinct.
I don't recognize most of this specifically, but the primary sigil of each circle is the Ashton Elder Sign. Recursed inside another with the yellow sign flanking it, with one inverted no less.
Looks like it's warding against Hastur and Ithaqua, or perhaps invoking them?
The gutteral stop at the top means it reads counterclockwise from the top-left. The mark at the bottom is a joining, and I think the mark means it's conducting energy from the outer circle to the inner circle.
I believe the right side is a name. I have an idea on who, but I'm not familiar enough with it to read it.

As far as the inner circle, these don't seem to be functional sigils. They seem to be descriptive - nouns or verbs, or both.

The mark itself was done by a practiced hand - no splatters or stray marks, no signs of correction. They free-handed it perfectly the first time.

We'll need to call in an expert to confirm, but this could be a major break in the case.

Could you have somebody contact the governor's mansion and have them send up one of our occult specialists to look this over, record it, and properly destroy this? Quickly, please."

Baron 2018/11/25(Sun)16:19 No. 911782 ID: ca1cab
File 154319155595.png - (505.39KB , 1024x720 , 110.png )

"And now zat we 'ave found it, what now?"

"Now we-uh..."

Okay yeah, it's not a dial. It's a circle. And touching it made it glow

"What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything, I just poked it!"

"Zen you did do somezing!"

Baron 2018/11/25(Sun)16:24 No. 911783 ID: ca1cab
File 154319187720.png - (499.60KB , 1024x720 , 111.png )

"That's not the point! Just-I don't know- shoot it, blow it up I don't care! Destroy this thing before"

"A lovely parting gift isn't it?"

"Oh gods not again..."

"Sanze Videccio! What in the hell!?"

>>911783
This is why I didn't say to touch it.

Ok, emergency response time.
Do you see the tree branch in the outer circle?
Scratch that out. You just need to break the lines and it'll foul the magic.

"I did mention that we have a problem with cults, right? I'll answer questions if you survive."

Meanwhile, we can attempt to [Consume the spell's power]

touch it again touch it again

Okay, the first thing that comes to mind is breaking the runes, but I think Vidian planned for that. Stab her in the head, then have Nunette barrage the &!+(#!

Ask her if she remembers what happened the last time and tell her that the same thing's going to happen if she tries anything funny. You aren't going anywhere. Ask her what she wants.

>>911800
Supporting

>>911800
Clarification: This elder sign is used to make something unnoticed or ignored. If that is broken it will draw attention, and since this isn't nearly enough to allow an Old One into this world their attention would be drawn to the other parts of the link.
This may result in minor warping of reality and a small number of lesser horrors from beyond the stars leaking into your world, but those would be far easier to handle than your brother. Meanwhile, your brother would have to contend with a pair of Great Old Ones who would be rather annoyed at his disturbance. It's a risk of routing your summoning through the outside.
It's a risk, yes, but a calculated one.

If we can drain the spell of power then it will just snap shut. He'd be cleaved in twain, so that's a bonus.

Oh, also, reality warping and lesser horrors could drive your handler mad with their presence. You'll be fine; you've got Eldritch heritage so it wouldn't affect you, and you've seen far worse without any trouble.

Baron 2018/12/02(Sun)22:33 No. 912826 ID: ca1cab
File 154381880601.png - (205.17KB , 1280x1024 , 112.png )

Right head bashing I-

"Where's my club? My club was in my pocket! Where's my club?!"

"All weapons were removed when you were found!"

"Why did you do that?!"

"You were a potential enemy!"

"Alright fuck it then! Shoot it! Shoot the circle! Just shoot everything in that direction!"

"Yes! Shoot it, shoot it, shoot it! But what will happen?"

Baron 2018/12/02(Sun)22:35 No. 912827 ID: ca1cab
File 154381895157.png - (309.63KB , 1280x1024 , 113.png )

"Oh Sergei, you little tease! A third woman? And she is such a delicious little thing isn't she? Where were you hiding all this time? Had I known you were on the ship, I would have had so much fun with you~"

"Let her go!"

"Or what, you'll yell me to death little shit? Don't worry, you damaged this body too much brother, I can't bring you back to father in this."

Baron 2018/12/02(Sun)22:38 No. 912828 ID: ca1cab
File 154381911709.png - (347.39KB , 1280x1024 , 114.png )

"Don't worry though brother. I will be back. And I'll bring your women along as well~"

"Uuuuugh!"

"Oh...so I guess we now know what happened to those missing soldiers..."

"Alright...alright. So let us say I believe you zat zere is more to zis situation zan ze occupation. What was zat, and how do we kill it?"

"Holy help me, I think this was private Danielsi"

"That was one of my father's spawn. He's a cult creep who selects women to breed for their genetic markers, gets into long term relationships (possibly in parallel), and then steals the babies so he can perform sick experiments and indoctrination on them in service to his eldritch god. My mother managed to catch on and saved me from his influence.

Vidian, not so much. She's been plaguing me ever since you arrived. She even streamed me a video of you rallying your army at the beaches, I guess she didn't care to remember your face. And because of her my fiancee might be dead. So yeah, let's deprogram her if we can, and utterly incinerate her real body if we can't.

Also, if the cult gets their hands on me, they'll rip me open. Apparently my genetic code is what they need for their master plan, though they think I'm a sack of wasted potential."

See, you heard him, he said he was on the ship! "private Danielsi" is one of yours!

We need to find my old bodyguards, it looks like they're as in much danger as... well, I guess now either of us.

>>912828
She looks semi-transparent. Is she slipping the bonds of reality?
Better grab her to make sure she doesn't get pulled into the realm beyond without you.

"Well, I guess that explains where all the bodies have been going, but it's gonna be a pain to come up with a way to explain this to the public without breaking classification or causing a panic. I really don't want to have both sides of this mundane war having to bomb this island back into the ocean just to maintain the facade of containment.

Ok, so, short version?
Cultists are attempting to breed eldritch beings so they can give elder gods a way into mundus.
That's my brother. He's got a lot more control over our powers than I do, but he's both stupid and insane.
I've killed him three times, but this is the first time the remains were intact enough to figure out how he was coming back.

OFFICIALLY, I'm the governor. In reality, I'm just a puppet head of government and other people handle all the decisions. They even have somebody who impersonates me when politicking is required.

In reality? I have that title so in an emergency people will do what I tell to do without question, because my job is to deal with these sorts of problems.
If it seems like I don't know much of anything about politics, or who's at war with who, or things of that nature, it's because that's not my job.
Incidentally, that's also why I wanted as much isolation as possible and for you to just let me do my job. I really don't care whose in charge as long as they let me do my job, because my job is preventing the end of the world. I hope you see the value in my work.

Also, I would have told you, but you wouldn't have believed me.
Anyway, since you're now aware of the problem feel free to read our written records on it."

Well might as well let her know that things like this happen from time to time so if they’re planning on sticking around they should get use to it. Also no one will believe you if you say anything about unless they see it themselves and even then they might denial

Tell her it was someone you had killed before so... it's something you're wondering yourself.

Check out the circle if it's still operational.

Wait. So is our doppelganger a guy or a girl? I can't tell.

>>912985
That is literally the least important thing to be concerned about.
However, to answer your question, I believe it is outside our concept of sex, and simply takes on the characteristics of the corpse it infests.

Baron 2018/12/09(Sun)21:13 No. 913578 ID: 314c51
File 154441883227.png - (431.41KB , 1280x1024 , 115.png )

She's not disappearing the fog's coming back. Or smog. I don't care. Barely awake for two hours and already I'm exhausted.

"Okay so the long and short of it? That's my brother. Or maybe my sister. I can't tell. It was one of my father's spawn. He's a cult creep who selects women to breed for their genetic markers, gets into long term relationships, and then steals the babies so he can perform sick experiments and indoctrination on them for his god. I don't have solid proof of this, but clues are pointing in that direction. My mother managed to catch on and saved me from this.

But Vidian here? She-"

"Zat's her name?"

No, but they call her-nevermind. She's been plaguing me ever since you arrived. And because of her my fiancee might be dead."

"Oh...oh dear I'm sorry. You were to be wed?"

"Um...sort of yes. I-ah. I don't exactly have it ironed out how the family will be though..."

"Ah yes, you Rezans and your many spousal family units. 'Ow do you get zose ordered?"

"It isn't that hard once you know how-off topic! I want to try and deprogram her if we can, and utterly incinerate her real body if we can't.

Incidentally, all this is also why I wanted as much isolation as possible and for you to just let me do my job. I really don't care whose in charge as long as they let me do my job, because my job is preventing the end of the world. I hope you see the value in my work.

Also, if the cult gets their hands on me, they'll rip me open for my parts, because apparently they need it for their master plan."

"Zat sounds...what iz word-far-fetched. Yet here is Danielsi. I might believe some of your story, but ze whole world? Zat is still 'ard to swallow."

"Well it's a start."

The circle seems inert. It's not glowing anymore, and I don't feel any heat off it. So whatever was in that is gone now.

"All zis only answers one of my questions. What do we do now?"

We have the ritual circle stored in our logs. We can show you later so you can transcribe this stuff.

For now, get Private Danielsi in a coffin and ready for autopsy and burial. Then we look for signs of further tampering in this area - there might be a hack to hijack this portal rune but I doubt the cult would spend the resources just for your sister to troll in and say hello. This implies that she or one of the other cult agents drew / altered the rune, and did other things nearby. Find those other things.

>>913578
Search the site for any other anomalies.
Then make arrangements for the Private's funeral.

Keep searching the area. Still need to find out what's up with the smog.

Baron 2018/12/16(Sun)16:05 No. 914253 ID: ca1cab
File 154500511969.png - (203.08KB , 1280x1024 , 116.png )

The smog's just from the city. There's still fires burning down there. No more circles, none that we could find on our own. Nunette says we can't spend anymore time here without her command getting suspicious. She promises to help me out but...I don't know. The more I know, the less I know about what's going on, and the less control I have over my life.

Baron 2018/12/16(Sun)16:05 No. 914254 ID: ca1cab
File 154500514312.png - (141.39KB , 1280x1024 , end.png )

I hope mom's alright.

Baron 2018/12/16(Sun)16:09 No. 914255 ID: ca1cab
File 154500538589.png - (211.35KB , 697x873 , propagantastic.png )

Achievement: There Goes the Neighborhood

Bonus: Imperial Propaganda. Translation: This is your Leader. Protect his smile! Enlist today!

Going to do a shorter quest where I'm going to experiment with my character designs. Most prominently giving everyone a nose! Whether it's canon or not I leave to you

>>914255
And ready...
>>914273