>>115643
Hmm. I think that is a goblin. Ask it if it is alright.

>>115646
I kneel beside the creature.
"Are you alright?" I ask gently.
It whimpers in pain, curling further.

>>115648
Hmm. Maybe you should pick it up and bring it into town for some medical care.

Oh. I have an idea. Give it the Courage charm.

>>115656
That would not help in this case. It's clear in great pain. With care, I pick it up, carrying it to the entrance. The gaurd, similar looking but wearing a breastplate of Vorn armor, takes the creature away as a smaller one with a cane approaches.
"Whatyername?"

Introduce yourself to the creature. Bow respectfully.

>>115661
"I am Antares." I say, bowing deeply.
"Whenshow repect, tilthead, likelike." the creature says, rotating his head to one side slightly, the ridges sliding aside and showing pale flesh.
"Wehave your foodready." he says. The way he throws nouns and verbs together like colliding carriages is a bit... offputting, but it's nothing I can't get used to. "Pullcart, back to camp. Eatlong, eathard, matehard. The Vornstir. Notlong, no, notlong at all."

>>115664
Inquire as to if you could purchase some of the panacea.

And try out that head tilt thing he showed you.

>>115665
"Do you have access to the panacea that the Orcs produce?"
"Nono. Orcs on notgood standing withus. Theyhurt our huntergirls, and insult our fightermen. I am certain they deliberately rilethe Vorn for their medicinegoop."

>>115668
Ask the location of the nearest Orc settlement then. We're going to have to get it from them or somehow figure out how they extract it...

"Thisone advises you stayaway from Orchomes. Nastynastypeople. Notnice at all. Breakbones over smallthings. Break younglings over smallerthings."
For a moment, the creature seems sad. "Thankthank for helping young huntergirl back. Forreward, wantsend food or girl?"

>>115670
Ask him what he means by 'girl' and how much food he's talking about.

>>115671
"...Girl?"
He wheezes out a laugh.
"Iscustom. When save, you either get the nexttheycatch, or... them."
He shrugs. "Sheis nicegirl. She willunderstand if you pickfood. You smell of othergirl anyway."

>>115673
Well, may as well, if that's the tradition. We could use the help.

I mean, think about it. She would know the area very well, and it's not like marriage or anything right?

>>115684
It's not... binding, is it?" I ask.
"Nono, it morelike... Uhm... Itmorelike justdaytogether." he states. "Wherego is upto youand her."

>>115686
Well, I suppose I could use some help...
"Very well. The girl."
"Shewill seeyou when she isrecovered." the creature says. "Takefood. Eathard. Matehard."
I pick up the handles of the cart and get moving towards the camp.

As soon as I leave the area of the town, the critters from before show up, watching me intently and, as always... silently.

>>115793
"What? What do you want?"

>>115953
... I call out to the creatures, a little annoyed.

One of them mimics the actions of the goblin from earlier, tipping its head to one side. The others are still silent as the rest.

I continue moving and deliver the cart to Jai.

"Good, good..." she murmurs, looking over the food and the cart, then over my shoulder. "Are those... attracted to you or something?" she asks quietly, and I look to see an assortment of Vorn again.

Staring at me. Endlessly.

>>115970
No idea. They've been following us.

"Damn things follow me everywhere." I mutter, pulling a wrapped up parcel of meat from the caAAAAAUGH!

A small, round one looks up at me, a single eye on its front and hundreds of tiny legs on its oval body.

>>115981
Touch it.

>>115981
Ask Jai why she thinks they're following you.

>>115983
It shies from my touch at first. It's about the size of my hand. It crawls onto my arm, then up, and sits atop my head.

"Well, at least they're mostly harmless." I say with a grin, as Jai shakes her head.
"Just help me get this all put away. Some of it needs to be eaten tonight but most of it is non-perishables."

I help her unload the cart beside the hut and then we construct an addition to the hut for housing the food.

This activity takes us until noon.
"Well, there." she looks up at the critter on my head ant pokes it. It lets out a chittering noise, then scurries down to my shoulder.

>>115988
Inspect it closely. Does it seem to be interested in any food?

I do so.

It doesn't seem to be interested in my food, merely in staring up at me.

After a while I notice the eye has a slight red tint I didn't notice before.

>>116005
...oh. You've got red eyes, Antares. They like you because of your eyes.

>>116011
I really doubt that.

I set the creature on the ground, letting it skitter away on the sand.

"Those things send chills up my spine." Jai says quietly.

>>116013
Ask Jai if she has any idea why they like you.

>>116013
Well another possibility is that it was changing its eye to match yours but that sounds even sillier.

...oh hell, maybe they're attracted to you because of US. Legion.

>>116015
...Send Legion over to Jai for a while.

>>116016
"Jai, I need to try something. Could you accept Legion for a moment?"
"I suppose."

^%$^@$@#

Ugh, fine. What is the little brat trying now?

The bugs still stare at him. Their heads bob as he walks up and down the beach and he returns.

%#^%$$^$

Okay, this is starting to get on my nerves a little.

>>116031
Erm. I guess they might like your hair... White is a rather unusual color.

Or the dust you collected?

>>116053
I'm honestly tired of trying to find out. If they want to stalk me, fine.

[See Erhgal | See his daughter | Hang with Sal'an | Talk to Jai | Timeskip]

>>116054
Don't you have a date with a goblin?

>>116057
When she recovers, yes. For now I have all the time in the world.

>>116058
Go hang out with Sal'an.

>>116058
We haven't spoken much with Asala.

Delicious Asala.

>>116100
Asala I shall see, then. No reason why not, after all...

I approach the campfire, where I see her and her father speaking with one another conversationally. I cannot hear the conversation clearly.

Eavesdrop. It always worked for your father.

>>116117
Well no point in eavesdropping from a distance where you can't hear them. Get closer.

>>116134
I move closer steadily.

"...And then he just... slapped it and it fell over."
"Haven't I tole yer, yer silly gal, ter always, always, ALWAYS aim fer da center of da head?"
"W-well, the thing was moving an-"
"Den COMPENSATE!" he roars. "If dat boi wasn't dere yer'd be a dead gal, and I don't raise no dead gal, yer hear me?"
"...Yes, father."

>>116173
Hrm. His style of parenting is fitting, I suppose, considering who he is.

I bet Erhgal would notice if you actually snooped. Keep moving closer until they notice you.

>>116180
I move closer.

"As fer yer, boyo, learn tah use a propah sword. None of this silly glowy ring bullshit." he crackles his neck. "Gal, you teach 'im. I'm gonna head from tha grunk and blow off some steam."

He walks away, grumbling.

>>116198
...this is going to be great. It's too bad we aren't going to be getting Raven's 'help' during this sparring match.

"He seemed a bit grumpy."

>>116213
She grunts.
"He means well." she says, tossing me a practice sword. It's quite dull. "Now, you might get a little hurt, so that's why we have these." She holds up three bottles with a large "heal" rune inscribed on them.

>>116218
Is it a one handed sword? If so, then use your dagger as a parrying weapon.

I don't care that you've had no training, do eeeet

>>116218
Did you re-Bless your armor yet? That could help.

Ask who it is that etched the bottles.

>>116226
"Who etched those?"
She pauses, looking away.
"No one important." she draws her own practice blade.
"Are you prepared, rune engraver?" she asks, a smirk quirking one side of her lips as I bless my armor.

>>116228
Tell her yes.

>>116228
Hmm. I think she did. To be close to the 'healing' rune... She's been hurt frequently. Hopefully just through regularly sparring with her father.

>>116238
Let's hope that...

"I am ready, amazon." I retort, grinning.
holyshitshe'sfast!
I bring up my sword just in time to block the blow that should have broken a rib, the impact sending tingles shooting up my arm. I stumble a few steps, the blades locked.

...And now I see them.

Tiny, tiny scars. Lines on her cheeks, her brow, her neck. small white lines, less than an inch long everywhere. I lose focus and I'm flung back, stumbling over the sand as she walks over and I fall.

The point is pressed to my neck.
"Again? Or do you want to go to that little hut?"

>>116254
Again.

>>116258
"Again." I say, rising up as she walks away.
"Fine. I'm not going to go easy on you this time." she mutters. "Come at me when you are prepared."

BLESS SHOES.

Oh, and gloves if you've got em.

>>116284
>>116286
I quickly bless my shoes and gloves, feeling the world around me slow down ever so slightly, and smile. I run forward, the fire moving as if it were slowed or in molasses. Her sword rises ever so slowly.

I think I've actually engraved these a little too big, eheheheh... The world slows to a crawl, just shy of actually stopping.

Hmmmm.... What should I do?

>>116292
Well, you can search around for the cure, find it, and then come back to this spot, ready to deflect her sword. Or you can will one away.

>>116292
Get behind her, admire her figure.

I bet you could drive girls crazy with this if you figured out how to use it...

Oh! Can you remove her armor and possibly disarm her? It'd be amusing. Though kinda ruins the point of this training.

>>116302
I smile, walking up to her and pulling apart the straps to her armor. Then I pull out my own blade, place it against her neck, and then the runes short.

She blinks.
"Wha-"

And then her armor falls to the ground. Under it, she is still clothed but quite vulnerable-looking.

"I... what?"

She blushes massively, reflexivly backing away and covering herself... dispite her clothing. Then she gathers up her armor, and runs onto the ship.

>>116315
I think that was a bit too much. Walk up to the side of the boat so you're comfortably within earshot.

"Sorry, I guess I couldn't help myself. I should make the runes smaller..."

Apologize, say you couldn't think of another way to win against someone so skilled, and that you thought she'd find it amusing.

"I, ah... My apologies, Asala. I... I got caught up in the moment."

A long board slides out from the boat and slaps onto the sand, Asala says nothing.
I can walk onto the boat if I want now.

Board the boat slowly, normally I'd say to ask for permission, but the plank itself might count as that.

>>116366
Go ahead and do so. If she wants to give you a big ol' slap there's the healing drinks to heal your broken jaw and loose teeth.

>>116388
I climb up, fearing the worst.

"Don't tell father." she says meekly.
Oh... oh my.
Now, when I say that Asala is attractive, I meant it. But because of what she wore, I didn't really notice before. But this outfit?
A long blue dress, the armor on her chest now mostly beautifully ornamental and tastefully covering the neckline of the dress. It comes down all the way to the floor, and her hair is down, past her shoulders and likely halfway to her waist.
I'm stunned. I never noticed, really, but her hips are rather wide, and... her body is quite well porportioned.

"F-father doesn't like me wearing dresses." she mumbles. "But I thought it might be w-w-worth it i-if..."

her arms, like her face, are covered in tiny scars. Her arms have muscle, but it is more lean than toned, hard to notice unless you seek it out.

>>116409
Jawdrop, Tell her she looks absolutely gorgeous.

Cause, y'know. It's true.

>>116442
"I, uh, er... you... ah... you look gorgeous." I manage.

She smiles slightly. "I don't really think so. Ever since..." she looks at her own arm, habitually tracing the scars with two fingers. "Well, I don't think I'm that much of a catch anymore." she walks over to the side of the boat, brushing hair from her face and latting the wind rush over her.
And, um. Her dress. Uhm.
I walk up beside her.
Er...
[ahm | uhhh | uhm | Well... | I... | Aaah]

"I... I think you're an amazing catch.. I mean! Woman. I mean! Lady! Lady.

*awkward silence*

Do you mind if I ask what happened?"

>>116463
"I... I think you're an amazing catch.. I mean! Woman. I mean! Lady! Lady."

She giggles.
"My we're both utterly imcompetent at this, aren't we?"
There's a soft, low lowing from the side of the boat, and a heard and neck rise up. It... looks like a huge... cow of some sort, or rather a steer, on a long neck with curling horns. I look over the side to see it attached to a lard body made for swimming.

Asala laughs and hugs the beast's head, patting it.


"Do you mind if I ask what happened?" I ask gently.
"I do mind." she replies softly. "But I won't fault your curiosity."

>>116466
Ask her what the beast is called.

>>116469
"What is that?"
"I... we... are not certain. We just know it likes to pull things. And eat meat." she shrugs.
"D-do you really..." she shakes her head. "I... ah... I'd best go change before my father gets back. G-goodnight, Antares."

Wait, goodnight?

I blink, looking up. The sky has indeed darkened.
"Be more careful with your runes from now on. You passed out on your feet after pointing your sword at my neck."

With that, she turns and heads into the depth of the ship.

Oh.

>>116485
Well, go back to the camp. Are you tired?

Find Sal'an. Also, keep an eye out for the vorn, tell me when you see some. See if you can get them to mimic you.

>>116503
I feel fine.

Except that the big Vorn is back. And following me closer than before.

I stop, and it bumps me gently with its head, settling onto the sand.

>>116505
You know what? Just ask it why it's following you.

>>116505
Wait "big" vorn? Not the massive one from the campsite, right?

Pet it. and try rapping on it's shell lightly.

>>116507
The one and the same.

I stroke its carapace on its head and it shitters slightly and pushes me gently with its head, wiggling into the sand again.

I notice its back is vaguely shaped like a saddle.

Ask it aloud. "can I ride you?"

If there's no negative response, attempt to.

>>116505
Hmm. I think you've been invited to chat with someone. Get on the horse.

>>116512
>>116511
"Can I ride you?"
Nothing.
Alright then.

I get on and grap the chitin before me.
Well, that wasn't so baaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH OH GOD OH GOD AAAAAAH THIS THING IS VERY VERY FAST.
I leaps through the forest as if the forest does not exist, huge bounds that cover wide areas. Until I notice the trees simply stop, replaced by a thick, waxy goop, glowing softly red. The creature lands heavily, breaking the surface of it, and lets me down.

Two smaller creatures approach and make a strange bow, their front claws out to either side and their mandibles touching what I assume to be the grunk. It has a waxy, solid surface.

The creatures begin to walk into a tunnel.

>>116518
Follow them.

>>116518
This is a bad idea, but follow it.

>>116518
Well... follow.

I follow them into the cave, where small bits of Grunk are set up to light the way. Eventually, I arrive in a large, circular chamber.

A black-cloaked person, hood up, face shadowed, looks me over.
"I... apologize for your suv-surv-surveillance." it says, slowly, as if new to the language. "I am named Vorana."
She lifts the hood. Beneath, entirely green eyes glimmer in the darkness, and jet black skin... no, carapace, but carapace so fine it resembles skin... covers her face dor the exception of her lips, behind which are... very, very sharp looking fangs. She has no hair on her head, merely a shining black dome.
The cloak covers the rest of her body.

>>116526
"Why, um... Why did you want me here?"

Do that respect thingy the goblins show you, and maybe then bow.

Be exceedingly respectful, and ask why she brought you here.

>>116526
Is she a hottie?

I bow deeply, and she smiles.
"Such respect." she murmures. "I brought you here to tell you of a terrible monster, and to give you a chance. You see... Some time ago, humans inhabited this land. But there was a great and terrible war, and a demon that began it. The demon stole the very bodies of man, and soon, they dissapeared. He moved here as well, annihalating dwarf and gnoll and kobold, forcing those that remained into the earth and beyond his grasp. It was only I that was able to eventually repel the demon, but not without price."

She sits heavily on her stone throne.
"That being humans on this continent. To craft soldiers of war, I was forced to take the men untouched by the demon. It is a sad thing, for our two peoples used to coinside and thrive from one another... especially because of a certain... How to put it... issue with the Vorn's genetic power."

She sighs heavily. "Vorn Queens do not die of old age. They can command a colony as large as mine with ease. But I am the last queen left. For while a taker can create itself in man's image..." she gestures to her honor gaurd, humanoid and with chitin resembling platmail, "A taker, nor a Vorn, can mate with its queen to produce another."

Ask her what she expects of you, if you help. Is this going to be a long term thing? Are you going to be infected? Will you get something from the deal?

>>116532
Hey... If you do this (and by this I mean giving her your genetic information), maybe you can get that panacea without any trouble.

>>116533
Erm...
"What do I need to do to help?"
"The demon has retreated to his kingdom in the north, where the sun is low always and the ground is white for three seasons. In order to finish him for good, I need to birth a new queen, so she may rally her brood against him. To that end, I wish to mate with you."

Er...
"Are there any long term things? Will I be... changed?"
"No. You may leave the instant you finish, if you desire. However... I know what you seek, and I am sad to say that while I possess the raw materials, I do not know how to craft it into what you seek. Just as there is little cost for you in this endeavor, there is equally little reward. I am sorry."

>>116537
I'm not seeing much of a drawback here.

I'll ask again: Is she a hottie?

>>116537
I say do it. Think of it as helping a race out, just like your father did with the Seeran. The helping, not the fucking, I mean.

Ask her if she will support us if we help her in this thing. Help us with our quest if we need the help.

>>116541
"I can see that as a viable reward." she murmurs, standing. She pauses.
"If this form is displeasing, I can take any that you like." she adds quietly, discarding the robe.

>>116539
Yes. In a jet black, smooth, and shiny sort of way...

Do it. Go crazy.

>>116542
Well if you're satisfied with her general shape, I guess the only thing missing is hair, or something that looks vaguely like hair.

>>116543
...Very well.

"I... I've never..."
"Do not worry. Pleasure is not key here." she says simply. "Well, yours is. Not mine."
We enter the next room, where she lies down on a rock bed.
Goodnight, Legion.

---------------------

Part one: complete!
New runes obtained: Augmentation
Paths found: Jai | Asala | Iklip | Vorana
Path taken: N/A