Re: Strange Aeons Gameplay Thread

[Aviana]

"Wait, why do you say Zandalus is the one who caused all of this?" Endrit interjects, frowning. "We found some other records that seem to indicate otherwise. Isn't speaking of killing him a bit hasty?"

[Nix Machina]

"I'm not sure what reports you've seen," Wren says, "but I've seen Zandalus ordering this cult around with my own eyes. Maybe he wasn't like this before. I don't know. But he certainly did this."

[Nobody7713]

"We can decide what we're doing with him when we get to him," Thulvreiss points out. "Regardless, we need to stop him. If that takes lethal force, so be it."

[Aviana]

”I certainly hope it won’t come to that, since he might be victim as much as anyone else here,” Endrit answers, still frowning. ”Going in with a sword already seeking blood seems like a path to ruin, anyway. The report was from Eliege Losandro, if I’m remembering right?” He glances over to Vadoma for confirmation, trusting her grasp of facts they’ve learned more than his own. ”Did you know that doctor, by any chance?”

[Drekkle]

Vadoma nods, reciting the report in question with perfect recall.

[maswoon]

Junmai hums affirmation to Endrit, though it seems agitated and listless. "Fine. Dragonclaw will seek no blood until your blade is drawn, but I still don't trust Zandalus as far as I can throw him. And I'm pretty good at throwing."

[Nix Machina]

Wren nods after a second. "She was the administrator in charge of the asylum. If her name was on the report, I'll trust your assessment there. If you'd rather not kill him, that's fine. I'm not personally a fan of bloodshed myself. Whatever you end up doing, though, the cult as a whole needs to be stopped, and he's at the head of it."

[Grit]

The kobold, in fact, actually has many things to say, but for once, they don't want to offend the gods. Humans can be pretty picky about those, and they don't take well to kobolds jabbering about their better scaly overlords that don't lead to mist infestation involving empty cities, dead dreams, and deader people.

Either way, the answer is pretty clear-cut on this case. The kobold snivels in frustration, hissing as it flicks its tongue.

"Kobold doesn't see problem here. Easy answer, isssn't it not? Find Zandalus? Set Zandalus on fire! Zandalus go die. Mist go away. No problem here. No get worse anyway. Get worse, set on fire. Problem go away.

If kill Zandalus, and no new problem, okay. Problem go away too.

Done. Do not need to chase tail with snout, hoomins."

The lizard doesn't seem particularly unhappy about the moral implications. In fact, it almost seems relieved, tail flicking, presumably at the newfound prospect of getting away out of prying human eyes, and more importantly-- into fields with better reagents.

Mostly the latter, really. It'd do a good deal of things for even a single vial of high quality aqua regia. It's already running out of material to make bombs, and they all smell funny already.

[Nobody7713]

Thulvreiss sighs in frustration, seeking to avoid a circular, protracted debate, "We can discuss what to do with Zandalus after we are actually in a position to make such a decision, there's no sense debating it now."

[Nix Machina]

Wren nods. "That's understandable. Regardless, you likely won't make it to him unless you can find a way through the fog. Do you think you'll try to track down the oneirogen?"

[Drekkle]

"It would seem no matter how we choose to deal with Zandalus, the oneirogen is the first step to getting to him," Vadoma says, looking to the others for agreement.

[Aviana]

”I would agree, yes,” Endrit answers slowly, thinking. ”We still don’t know much about how these people ended up this way, though, so avoiding judgment and dealing with them harshly still seems the right way. But we can ask questions of the oneirogen regardless.”

[Nix Machina]

"Great." Wren takes a seat on a cot. "I'll offer you what help I can, but I'm afraid I won't be much use in a fight. If nothing else, though, I can vouch for you while you're here. I imagine that sleeping here would be safer than sleeping out in the open in the asylum."

[Nobody7713]

"No need. We have our own safe place that's plenty defensible, but we appreciate the offer," Thulvreiss replies with a shake of his head.

[Nix Machina]

"Oh, I see." Wren nods. "I won't push it, then. Just be careful of who you mention that to - some of the cultists here, even if they won't attack you here, wouldn't hesitate to sell somewhere like that out to Zandalus for some favor."

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