>>48244 Welp, if we are going to go deep into this, Wikipedia says this about the three of cups: >This card often carries the meaning of joyful social contact,[1] although it may be considered to be rather superficial, unlike the Two of Cups which is considered more personal. There's agreement, general harmony, frivolity, and sometimes it is associated with birth, especially if it comes up with other birth-related cards such as The Empress. >The Three of Cups represents groups coming together to focus on a common emotional goal Which makes sense in context, although there is no way of knowing if Festival anon is using that meaning or some other, custom one. Either way it seems to be referring to our group having a good time. Researching the other ones, the star and lovers mean "Loss, theft, privation, abandonment; another reading says-Hope and bright prospects," and "Attraction, love, beauty, trials overcome.", so depending if it was upright or reversed it means good or bad news for her.

Looks like next update is going to take a while, so tell me, what do you think about the girls that we've seen until now? Festival-anon, avert your eyes. Wouldn't want to influence your decision making. For me, whatever happens, happens, and we'll react accordingly. In no particular order. >Mara: I usually like Kitsune, but Mara hasn't done much particularly for me. She's been more a supporting character than anything else. I'm sure she'll get more development later, but i think festival anon expected us to interact more with her. >Eros catgirl: Cute, but catgirls aren't my thing. >The group at the bar: Nothing that catches my eye there, although we don't have much to go off. I personally get lost when too many characters are introduced at once. I think it was comprised of two Onis, a mouse and another one. >Stalker: AKA giant icecream girl, very likely a Hebi. Could go for her, but for now we don't have much info about her. Though she's going to need to get a bit agressive thanks to our snake fear, or we'd need to get quite drunk. >Bartender(Lakini): A Merrow, i think. Don't know how her MGE mechanic would come to play, if it even does. Maybe we'll catch her peeking at us while bathing. Honestly hope so, she's very flirty, and i quit like her. >Danuki: I find them boring. Not for any weird reasons, it's just usually they get relegated to shopkeeps and not much else. >Spider in the back(Tsuki): Top candidate for now, i love bugs, and these ones particularly. If we encounter her at night something is very likely to happen, and we could always say we will try to help her with her fear of men, although i get the feeling it's less fear of men and more fear of what she could do to men, so afraid of herself. I could be wrong though. >Boog trio: Yvonne seems very focused on Ben, and Ben on Yvonne, so of the other two. Morgan is cute but a bit of a pothead, and Rochelle is cute too, and more responsible. They both are very "voracious", which i like, and they might(?) come as a bundle, although i wouldn't want to assume that and then just anger both at the same time. I like them too, but they aren't the highest on my list Hope i didn't miss any.

>>48785 Well, I've been playing Silksong so much since it came out that I might be biased in favor of bugs because of that. But these bugs seem like a fun bunch.

>>49006 Oh they are definitely a fun bunch.

Any news on the next update? It's taking quite long.

>>49275 It's still roughly within the timeframe festival anon gave >>45934 >2ish or so weeks

>>49281 It's been 20 days...

>>49289 That's still a couple of days over the 2 weeks and he said it's 2ish or so, not exactly 2 weeks. What I'm trying to say is that we shouldn't pressure him as this board has a history of anons getting burned out from trying to keep up a pace of writing.

>>46628 “Sure, we’ll join ya. We were just havin’ a couple drinks before going that way, anyway! I’m Anon, by the way.” you reply, taking a swig of beer, and then briefly introduce everyone to the new couple. Ben stifles a couple coughs, leaning over and handing his lit sherlock pipe over to Morgan. “Do you happen to know who’s playin’ on the main stage, anyway?” he asks, smoke wisping out of his mouth. “I haven’t even looked at the set list since we got here.” Thalia reaches into her cargo shorts, pulling out and unfolding a thick pamphlet. “Well I know there’s two bands, one does covers and the other’s got all original stuff…” she starts, her finger running down one of the pages. “Ah, here they are! Steve ‘N’ Seagulls and Dirtfoot.” Morgan coughs lightly, passing the lit pipe to Rochelle. “Dir-” she starts, before a harder coughing fit runs through her, expelling all the smoke in her lungs. The fly shakes her head, clearing her throat. “Sorrrryyy~ Dirtfoot? What’s their stuff like?” she asks, wobbling slightly in her stool. The goat simply shrugs. “Bryce and I haven’t heard ‘em, but the pamphlet describes ‘em as being some kinda gypsy punk. All I know is they got a sax player, and that’s enough for me to check them out!” Thalia answers, making all the bugs perk up. “Hey, that could be good! I’m down!” Yvonne pipes in. The hornet’s attention returns back to Mara, the fox flipping over the last card on the table. You were able to catch a quick glance at the spread, when you feel something poke your arm. Looking back over, you find Rochelle offering you the lit sherlock pipe, that lazy smile still on her face, smoke escaping from the corners of her lips. Your brow furrowed for a moment, an odd familiarity itching in the back of your mind, but you shake it off. Giving the mosquito a smile, you take the pipe, but opt not to take a puff. You glance at Ben, gesturing at the couple, and he nods in response. “Do you two smoke, by the way?” you ask, offering the pipe to Bryce, who was the closest. He eagerly took the pipe, a wide smile on his face. “Fuck yeah we do, thanks! I haven’t had earth-grown weed in years.” he answers, taking a small hit from the pipe. His odd comment made your eyebrow rise. “Years? The portals have only been open for, what, a year and change?” Ben asks, beating you to the punch. Bryce nods, passing the pipe to his wife, who also took a small hit. “I have an ‘Oh’ of that, by the way, you don’t need to take small puffs. Appreciated, though!” your friend adds. “Noted, thanks! And yeah, Thalia and I have only been on this side of the portals for… shit, a couple weeks now, I think?” Bryce begins. “It’s a bit of a story, wanna walk n’ talk to the main stage?” he then asks. “May as well! Does anyone want an extra beer for when we get there?” Ben replies, then asks, leaning over from his seat to crack open the cooler. A cluster of ‘Yeah’ and ‘Sure’ sounds out from the bugs and yourself, though you notice Mara shaking her head. “I might have a beer later, but I think I’ll stay here for now, and keep watch over the fire. I have a feeling a few more customers may come by while you’re away, and I would be most disappointed to miss them.~” the fox says, and turns to your camp neighbors. “If you two are interested after the show, I’d be delighted to read your fortunes.~” she offers, and with a flick of her wrist, another business card appears between her fingers, which she then hands to Thalia, in exchange for Ben’s sherlock pipe. The goat looks over the card, her eyes slightly narrowed, but a smile still crossed her features. “Maybe! I’ll let our friend Cici know, too, she’s really into this kinda stuff.” Thalia replies, pocketing the card. Mara’s signature wider-than-normal smile appears, the fox nodding. “The more the merrier!~” she replies, and returns her attention back to Yvonne’s spread, handing the bug the smoldering pipe. “Remember that the decision is ultimately yours, but you may find more stability than you initially expect. Look for guidance amongst those living in a similar situation. No matter the choice, you will find joy.~” the kitsune finishes, collecting her cards back together. The hornet seems lost in thought for a moment, then closes her eyes, letting out a sigh and grinning. “It’s gonna be a long, fun week, that’s for sure at least!” she says, and takes a hit off the pipe. Suppressing a chuckle, you see Ben take one of the cold cans he just pulled from the cooler, and in one smooth motion, presses it against the hornet’s neck. With a hacking cough, she immediately jolts upright, her hand slapping against the offending metal can, while her wings sputter and flex. “Here’s your extra beer!” Ben says with a snort. Yvonne turns to him, laughing. “You fucking prick! You just killed my high!” she playfully scolds as her face turns a light shade of pink, making your friend roll his eyes. “Oh nooo! What are we gonna do now?” he jests back, pointing at his pipe in her other hand. “I guess you’re just gonna have to smoke more of my weed, but that’s a sacrifice I’m okay with.” he adds, smirking. You kinda hoped he was being serious about that pelvis insurance from earlier, if the deeper red blush and the hornet’s bit lip were any indication. Mara has temporarily left the party. She will stay at Pyrite Lane until another camper in your group decides to return. You can ask Mara to rejoin the party later if you would like. If you need her counsel while away from camp, you can attempt to call or send her a text, but if she is with a customer, you may not hear back from her until their session has finished. She will answer if it is an emergency, however. Once everyone was ready (your flute once again cased and in your bag, with the extra beers in Bryce’s backpack), the group began to make its way towards the Main Stage. Ben’s pipe had another fresh pack, and was still in rotation, though you maintained your decision to abstain for now. This time, you took the lead on the path, with Morgan and Rochelle flanking your sides once again. Behind you was Bryce and Thalia, followed by Yvonne and Ben. You hear your shirtless companion clear his throat, gaining the attention of the party once again. “Anyways, the girls won’t know, but do you guys remember that second big American eclipse, years ago?” he begins. Both Ben and yourself nod, and Bryce continues. “I went camping by myself that weekend in Ouachita National Forest. I thought the best way to see it was somewhere quiet and out in nature. So, after some hiking, I ended up finding this awesome clearing with glowing mushrooms all over the place.” At the mention of mushrooms, the bugs begin to giggle. “Glowing mushrooms? That’s how most outlander stories usually start.” Yvonne teases. “So where’d you end up popping up at?” “The Riphean foothills, but I’m gettin’ there.” he quickly answers, waving his hand dismissively. “So yeah, a couple nights later, those glowing mushrooms got a lot brighter and started to pulse. At first, I thought I just smoked too much and greened out, so I went to bed early. Next morning when I wake up, I find myself in a completely different forest, and I am freaking the fuck out.” At this, Thalia wraps an arm around his waist. “This cute dumbass is sooooo lucky I found him out there when I did! I was out on a whim looking for wild berries when we crossed paths.” she pipes in, leaning closer to nuzzle into his neck. “He was on the other side of the river, heading down stream, a few days from the next village. I had to convince him that going to my village was a better idea.” Bryce starts to chuckle, and gives her a brief peck on the top of her head. “Yeah, well, asking me if I needed a bed to stay in, followed by rippin’ your top off, was a very compelling offer.” he points out. “You’re still jumping ahead a bit, hun, I was wandering the forest for days before I saw you. By that point, I was out of food, and I wasn’t quite ready to eat some weird drippy-looking fruit and hope for the best.” The goat lets out another bleating-laugh. “You say that like prisoner fruits aren’t your favorite thing to snack on.~” Thalia teases, getting another playful pinch from her husband. “They’re my second favorite. There’s a certain peach that’s my all time favorite.” he teases back, resulting in another bleating-giggle from Thalia. “Soooooo… what was up with the other village, anyway?” Rochelle asks, bringing the flirting couple back to the present. Thalia simply smirked. “It’s an amazonian village.” she answered. This got a laugh from the whole group, though since you weren’t smoking, your laughter faded sooner. “You said you’ve only been back for a couple weeks, right? What’d you two do before coming here?” you ask, and a wide smile crosses Bryce’s face. “What’dya think we did? I got back in contact with my folks! Trying to get letters across the portals over the last year has been a bitch and a half cause of all the government red tape, but they at least knew I was alive!” he answered, and took a gulp from his big bottle of High Life. “Not gonna lie, I was a little worried they’d want nothing to do with Thalia or Portia, but they were absolutely ecstatic to meet them.” “Portia’s our little girl, she’s spending the week with her grandparents while we’re here.” Thalia adds, smiling as wide as her husband. “Awwwww! How old is she?” Morgan asks, stepping closer to your side. You feel her antennae start to tap and brush against your arm for a few moments. “She turned three a couple months back, and she’s already a gabber. Kid made a big deal to my mom about how we’re getting her a little brother or sister this week.” Bryce answers, smirking. Thalia lets out a wistful sigh, and places her free hand over her belly. “That’s the plan, at least if Bacchus and Eros decide to bless us! We’re hoping the festival’s energy and the eclipse give us a little extra boost, too.” the goat adds. You’re reminded of that couple from earlier in the day, Freddie and Renee. Weren’t they aiming to become parents this week, also? https://youtu.be/OiBmb5INGxA?si=vHKN0ejU3AHHu57_ Your group continued on the path, past the campgrounds and down the Upper Bazaar/Main Stage pathway at the fork. Bryce and Thalia shared a few more stories from back home, mostly about their daughter’s antics with her cousins, when the sound of amplified music began to reach your ears. You weren’t quite at the main stage yet, but you found the source soon enough. A large, open air canopy was set up, with eight benches, arranged in three rows and two columns, with a smattering of occupants. Towards the other end of the canopy at the head of the aisle, was a skinny blonde guy in swim trunks and a tacky Hawaiian shirt, holding hands with and kissing a much, much larger white & blue skinned woman, with pointy fins along her arms, and a thick, shark-looking tail. Around her arm you noticed what looked like a belt that had a slight blue glow to it. She seemed to be a little unsteady on her feet, though curiously enough, her legs appeared to have the same slight glow as the belt on her arm. Behind them and standing at a raised podium was another smiling woman, though beyond the lavender hair and dark blue fins behind the ears, you couldn’t make out many more details. At the very least, this was definitely a makeshift chapel. At the edge of the canopy, there were three musicians standing next to a small stack of amps, all wearing clothing in shades of pink. The first was some kind of harpy, a bass guitar held in the crook of one wing, while the talons on her other wing plucked the strings. Next to her was a short tan girl with magenta hair, sitting on and playing a cajon that didn’t look as beat up as Ben’s was. You couldn’t make out any monsterish features on her, but you got the vibe she wasn’t human, either. The last musician was- You blinked. It was the pink cat girl again, singing and strumming away on her guitar. She was still wearing that massive backpack, and you idly wonder if she’s had it on for the whole day now. It wasn’t long before she notices you, eyes locking to yours, her smile and eyes widening. She breaks her gaze with you for a moment, flicking to either side of you, then locks onto you again. Her smile changes ever so slightly, a slight edge creeping into her eyes. You get a very distinct tingly feeling, the phrase ‘Challenge Accepted’ runs prominently through your mind, when that fluttery feeling hits your stomach again, hard, making you stumble slightly. Morgan and Rochelle step closer to either side of you, helping you to reorient yourself, as well as not-so-subtly ushering your group away from the chapel and further down the path. “Did she get you with the glam-eyes?” Rochelle asks, her tone less playful than it was earlier. She had a grip on your forearm, her thumb gently rubbing circles on your skin. “The what?” you ask, raising an eyebrow. “Is that why it felt like my gut was doing backflips?” “Yeahhhh… if they see a guy they like, Eros Cultists will nooooooot hesitate in using their goddess-given Glamour.” Morgan answers, slightly pouting. “I think it’s unfair, Eros gives ‘em a skill that eeeeeeven succubi use very sparingly.” the fly adds, her grip on your other arm tightening. Her antennae begin to frantically tap away on your bicep once again, which even the mosquito notices. “Relaaaax, Mo… at least we know who our competition is.~” Rochelle says soothingly. “Besiiiiides… we have our own… advantages.~” the mosquito then points out, her thumb rubbing your arm a little firmer. “Ro, you’re right!” Morgan gasps, and tugs your arm, getting your undivided attention. “I’m making you jambalaya tonight!” she exclaims, her hazel eyes sparkling. “Weeellll, I’ll make eeeevryone jambalaya, but you get to dish up first!~” she elaborates, the bounce in her pace picking up. “Uhhhhh… is that the beeessst idea, Mo?” the mosquito asks cautiously, which the fly dismisses with a wave of her free hand. “I knooooow!” she growls, and locks eyes with you again. “Wear a blindfold, it’ll just looooook bad, but your tongue won’t know that!” “Ooooh! Well if you want, back at our camp, we got some melting veggies and raging mush-” Thalia starts to offer, but Morgan quickly shakes her head. “Nooooooo! No tricks! I want Earth-realm ingredients oooonly!” the fly insists, causing the goat to chortle. “It’s okay, I get it~ If you change your mind though, we brought plenty of produce from Hyperborea!” the goat finishes with a wink. “I got some chorizo in the cooler, you could probably use that.” Ben pipes in. “There’s some bacon and potatoes too, but I’m saving some of that for breakfast this week.” “That should woooooork! I brought some rice, but we miiiiiiiight need more, and we’ll definitely need veggies, maaaaayyyyyybeeee another kind of meat…” the fly starts to plan. You couldn’t help but smile at the fly. “Let’s go enjoy the show, first. We can find what you need when we head back.” you say, the fly practically vibrating at your words. “Yesssss! Party first, then weeeeee can look around!~” Side-Quest Active: Help Morgan find/forage for ingredients between shows. https://youtu.be/elHcYm4oYg0?si=5ispJ_iHCU5gaXxM Minutes later, your group was cresting a large hill, the dull roar of music blended with a crowd reaching your ears. Below and a ways from the hill was The Main Stage, where at the moment, it appeared the band coming on next was setting up. At a smaller stage just off to the side, you could see the first band, a group of guys in denim overalls and straw hats in the middle of a jam. There were jumbo-sized video screens set up above and around both stages, showing off the current group in better detail. Towards the front of the stage was most of the crowd, you wouldn’t quite call it a mosh pit, but it was definitely a lively, dancing crowd. Midways from the stage and the hill was about a third of the audience, most having set up picnic blankets or folding chairs to watch the show. At the top of the hill, where you were now, were only a few groups of folk sitting around, casually enjoying the music. Now and then along the top of the hill you noticed some small platforms, and on each of these was at least one or two cameramen filming the performance. One of these pairs caught your eye, making you smirk. You weren’t surprised at all to see Gus and Tilly here, the former standing on the latter’s carapace, operating a tripod-mounted camera. The scruffy guy appeared to be changing out lenses, while his wife was doing something on her tablet once again. They looked a little busy, but you were kinda curious to see what pictures they might have taken since the beer tent. Where do you want to enjoy the show? 1. Get close to the stage 2. Settle down in the midground 3. Find a spot on the hill crest 4. [Chatty Cat] Sit by and talk to Gus and Tilly

Apologies for the delay, I recently completed another solar cycle (yes, I'm phrasing it that way for a reason) and that kind of threw a wrench into things for a bit.

>>49347 Happy solar cycle day!

>>49275 >>49343 Speak of the devil...

>>49343 >Look for guidance amongst those living in a similar situation. No matter the choice, you will find joy Well at least this I can interpret just fine. >“Glowing mushrooms? That’s how most outlander stories usually start.” I feel like this is something that should be investigated further. Teleporting rings of mushrooms have something to do with fairies, I think? Mythically speaking, I mean. >Side-Quest Active: Help Morgan find/forage for ingredients between shows. Neat. We'd be remiss not to take advantage of our status effect, so I'm voting 4 for now, figuring out the best place to view and listen to a concert is a different matter.

>>49343 Looks like stuff is starting to get heated, huh. Mara is slowly starting to scare me. There is something a bit uncanny about the way she always smiles whenever she gets a new customer. I'm starting to think she's less reading someone's fate and more "influencing" it. The boogs are working quite hard i see. If we lower our guard too much we might get snatched up too soon. At least we'll have a full stomach. I'd say we chat up the photographer pair and ask everyone else what they want to do. I'm down to dance if they are down to dance, and being in the crowd during a concert is something to be experienced at least once.

>>49420 >I feel like this is something that should be investigated further. Is there anyone specifically you want Anon to ask about this? Different folk might provide different details... >>49491 >I'm starting to think she's less reading someone's fate and more "influencing" it. Tomato/Tuhmahto. You could say that shining a light on something that's been in the dark is still an influence. Now, what could someone possibly gain from that?

>>49614 Ominous.

>>49614 Well Yvonne's the one who said it so it'd make sense to ask her

Next part is mostly done, just doing some editing and adjusting right now. Expect an update in the next couple days or so. If there's anything additional you want Anon to ask or talk about, post it now.

>>51455 Hmm, aside from the portal thing, or if we are moving closer to the concert or listening from afar, there isn't much else.

>>49343 https://youtu.be/0rK4SAjRtW4?si=Q5n2J6_mmJV7XqID “Do you see anywhere good to sit?” Ben asks, trying to follow where you were looking around at. “I’m already guessing you’ll wanna chill somewhere back here.” You look away from where the photographer and his wife were set up, and back down towards the crowd at the stage. It didn’t take too long before you found a few large, slithering reasons not to go down there. “Yeaaaaahh… I uh, saw Gus and Tilly. Why uh… why don’t we go and chill over by them?” you offer. Your friend gives you a nod and a knowing smile. “Sounds good to me! Let’s see how they’re doing.” he says, as you start to lead the group in their direction. Rochelle tugs at your sleeve, and you glance over at the mosquito. “Yooouuu… don’t wanna go down to the stage?” she asks, her soft russet eyes locked onto yours. Her hand at your sleeve grips your arm, squeezing gently. “How come?” You break her gaze, looking down at the few long, writhing shapes in the crowd, only to look back up towards where Gus and Tilly were. You really didn’t want to focus on what’s down there right now, if you could help it. “Snakes.” you mutter, quieter than you intended, and cough. Rochelle looks down at the stage, the mosquito squeezing your arm slightly harder, when you hear her gasp. “Ohhhhh…! Don’t worry, Anon.~” she starts, and steps so close, she’s practically glued to your side. “Mo and I won’t let any… sssneaky sserpents get close to you.~” Morgan, still on your other side, peeks around you at the stage, also stepping much closer, her hand gripping your wrist, while her antennae bounce quickly on your bicep. “So, ummmm… what happened?” the fly asks. You grimace, quickly burying old memories from your youth. “I got attacked.” you answer simply, keeping your vision locked forward. Ben snorts, but says nothing, thankfully. An awkward silence settles in for a few moments, before you hear Bryce cough. “Who are these friends of yours we’re meetin’ again?” he asks, passing Ben’s smoldering sherlock pipe to Morgan. She takes a large draw, handing it over to Rochelle, when another coughing fit strikes her. You walk right through the cloud, inadvertently taking a large whiff of the floral and skunky herb, coughing as well. The fly blushes and gives you a wobbly smile, her gaze dropping to the ground almost immediately. With a thumbs up in return, you let her know it was okay, bringing her hazel eyes back up to yours. Ben’s stuff was certainly strong (as you were beginning to feel a slight tingle start behind your eyes), but it wasn’t anything you weren’t already used to being around. SPIRITS: Temporary Intuition increased to +1.2, Tolerance at 4(-2.4) For a brief moment, you feel a sense of relief wash over you, which abruptly ends when Rochelle pulls your attention away from Morgan, as the mosquito has her own, though not as harsh, coughing fit. “They’re a couple we met back at the beer tent earlier today, they seemed pretty chill!” Ben answers, beginning to wave as your group closes the distance. “Hey, strangers!” he then yells out, catching Tilly’s notice. The beetle waves at your group, while Gus finagles with his camera, detaching it from the tripod. The scruffy photographer then hops down, joining his wife in briefly waving. “Howdy! How’s the festival been treating y’all?” he replies, handing Tilly his camera. The beetle slowly fishes a long cord out from a small pack by her tablet, linking both devices together. “Great! We’ve just been partying and meeting new friends!” you answer, and quickly introduce the group to the couple. “Do you two mind having some company? We’re looking for somewhere to sit and enjoy the show.” you ask, which gets a headshake from Gus. “Not at all! I’m havin’ Tilly set up the auto-cam for the rest of this set, but I’ll need to take some manual shots when the next band starts playin’.” he says. Ben licks his finger, holding the digit in the air for a few seconds. “We’ll sit down on the other side of Tilly, if that’s cool, we’ll be down wind from there. I don’t think you want our smoking messing up your shots.” your friend points out, making the scruffy photographer laugh. “That’s fine! A little smoke ain’t gonna hurt things too much anyways!” Gus replies, your group moving to settle in. Bryce had a large picnic blanket stuffed in his pack, which was quickly spread out on the ground. The party eventually sat in a semi-circle, of which you were towards the edge, with Morgan at the very end on your left, and Rochelle on your right. Next to her was Yvonne and Ben, followed by Thalia and Bryce. Gus, having re-secured the camera to the tripod, sat at the other end, next to his wife, leaning against one of her beetle legs. “Have you gotten any good pictures since the beer tent?” you ask, receiving a shrug from the scruffy photographer in return. https://youtu.be/ntWqBVxgS8Q?si=hNcem1F7pxRjbAC0 “Nothin’ really magazine cover worthy, yet, at least. Though I did get a decent picture of one of the security teams up in the stagelight catwalks.” he replied, taking the work tablet from his wife. After a few swipes, he flipped it around. Displayed was a photo of two soldiers, one man, the other a tanned woman with large, pinkish-white feathered wings, crouching on a platform. Both were wearing pink camouflage uniforms and chest-rigs, with matching boonie hats that had “SECURITY” embroidered in black on the front. The guy, apparently aware he was being photographed, was waving his left hand, with some kind of assault rifle held in his right. The gal appeared to be adjusting something on her own, larger rifle. It looked familiar, but you couldn’t place where you would’ve seen one before. On her shoulder was a large patch, featuring a navy-blue bird with a gray beak, but you couldn’t make out any more details. Yvonne, however, let out a small gasp. “Am… am I seeing that right? Are those two Steelbills?!” she asks, her eyes widening. Tilly turns, giving a small nod and a smile at the hornet. “Mhmm. The Pharaoh wants the best in protection.” the beetle answers simply. “Tilly was tellin’ me earlier that there’s a lot of troops from Nadija’s homeland here. They’re roughly a lil’ over half of the hired security force.” Gus pipes in. A low whistle escapes from Yvonne’s lips. “Holy honey...” she starts. “I mean, I was expecting some Marten soldiers here, but not The Storks. Nadija’s not fuckin’ around, I guess!” “Uhh, I’m kinda lost here. What’s Marten, and what are The Storks now?” Ben asks, one of his eyebrows raised. “Emm Arr Tee Enn, The Mamano Republic of Ta’Netjer. It’s the country The Pharaoh hails from, and their soldiers are top notch. The Steelbills are especially rare, you only see ‘em if something big is going down.” the hornet explains. “The closest we have in the Gossamer Kingdoms, compared to The Storks, would probably be The Star-Mantis Corp, and they’re pretty much just a glorified version of the Queen’s Ceremonial Guard.” she adds, making Ben chuckle. “You’re kinda makin’ it sound like The Pharaoh brought her own version of Delta Force or The S.A.S. or something…” he observes, receiving a quirked eyebrow from Yvonne, but Gus clears his throat. “That’s uh, not too far from the truth, from what Tilly’s told me.” the scruffy photographer adds. “How’d you put it again, shug?” “Spooky actions in the dark.” the beetle says flatly, a small smile crossing her lips. “All for love.” The hornet nods at this, beginning to grin. “Yeah, they have a bit of a reputation for clandestine stuff. The first and last time I saw a couple of Storks was before we opened the portals, they were some of the first to step through, and they made sure everything was safe enough for the rest of the united forces to come through.” Yvonne continues, then laughs. “I mean, a bunch of ‘em are outlanders, anyway, so they kinda had to go first.” There was that word again, and it reminded you of Bryce’s mushroom story, making your brow furrow. “Hey, Yvonne, that reminds me… so, I get that people from Earth that end up over in your realm are called Outlanders. You mentioned something earlier, about how most outlanders talk about glowing mushrooms before they cross over. What’s up with that?” you ask. The hornet laughs and shrugs. “Hell if I know, I’m not a mage or a scientist, and as far as I know, I don’t have any fae in my family tree that are willing to tell me! All I know for certain, is that they’re a key part in most, but not all, portal crossings.” she replies, and looks over at Rochelle. “Did Lorraine ever mention anything to you, during your alchemy lessons?” The mosquito puts a finger to her chin, her eyes glossy. “Hmmmm…. wellllll, she diiiid say the moon and starlight can enhance many herb and mushroom effects, depending on the phases and time of year…” she answers, and taps her finger a couple times. “It’s not tooooo far-fetched to say that might play a small part, but with mushrooms specifically…” she adds, trailing off. A few moments later, she scrunches her eyes shut, and frowns. “Ooooonly vigor potions and wound poultices come to mind. We’ll have to find someone who knows waaaaaaaaaay more about fungi.” she finishes with a huff, taking her finger from her chin. With it, she starts to trail small circles on your arm. “Sorry.~” You give the mosquito a soft smile, which seems to brighten her mood up. “It’s cool, I’m sure we’ll find someone who knows, sooner or later.” you tell her, and you notice her not-so-subtly scooching up closer against you. Morgan, not to be outdone, presses against your other side, slightly sandwiching you between both bugs. A certain rhyme crosses your mind, and you smirk. You really did feel pretty snug. “Hey… all this mushroom talk got me to thinkin’... are they still doin’ psych treatment studies in Colorado with goldcaps?” Bryce asks, glancing between you, Ben, and Gus. The scruffy guy and yourself shrug, but your friend perks up immediately, taking his attention off of his mid-packed bowl. “Actually, yeah, they legalized it for anxiety and depression. Minnesota followed suit not too long after. Why?” he asks. The shirtless guy then turns to you, and taps his temple with his forefinger. “You said you got a problem with snakes? A couple magic ‘shrooms might be what you need!” he exclaims. You suppress a grimace at the thought of serpents, and roll your eyes with a scoff. “Man, I just gotta avoid them. I don’t think tripping balls is gonna help change that.” you spit out quickly. “Hey, hey, I’m just sayin’, it’s food for thought. You’re gonna have a tough time avoidin’ snakes this whole week, ya know.” he replies, taking a drink from his bottle of High Life. Thalia was rummaging through her husband’s backpack, and grinned. “There it is! Who’s hungry?” the goat asks, pulling out a large ziplock bag filled with pretzels and snack nuts. A chorus of approval sounded from the group, and Thalia set the open bag down in the center of the semi-circle. She then pulls out a couple of the beers Ben packed, along with a corked bottle and a small stack of plastic cups. “I’m feeling like a little pinot grigio, does anyone else want some?” the goat asks. Ask about Keywords? Also Do you feel like… 1. Drinking your spare beer? (Y/N) 2. Trying some of Thalia’s wine? (Y/N) 3. Finding some water? (Y/N) 4. Trying some of the bar-mix snacks? (Y/N) 5. Partaking of the White Widow? (Y/N)

>>51661 Security with rifles at a concert is kind of spooky. But you never know when an Apophis might try to overhtrow you, so maybe it's a necessary precaution. Keywords, keywords. Lots of keywords. I reckon they sort of explained who the Steelbills are already. The two countries are more interesting than their soldiery, so I'd probably ask about those. Gossamer Kingdoms is plural, which is interesting. But the decision. I think we've had enough beer for now, and are likely hydrated enough not to need water for the time being. We already ate, so snacks aren't necessary either. I say we make like A Clockwork Orange and TRY THE WINE.

>>51661 It's been 6 months(damn), >It didn’t take too long before you found a few large, slithering reasons not to go down there. Fuck! Did you misspell mamono? Also, the Yvonne said RTN instead of RTM. It's becoming somewhat clear. I just remembered pharaohs have a special voice. Of course, a concert, people gathered around massive speakers. How did i not see this earlier. There is a non 0 possibility of something like that happening, if the sight of the Steelbills really is that rare. Good that we have our earmuffs. This might be an attempt of the Pharaoh of establishing a colony on earthen soil. We should start up a conversation about how that The Mamono(?) Republic of Ta’Netjer acts and handles their external politics. Maybe we'd get a good idea if that's something the pharaoh would do, without pulling the alarm lever too quickly, or sounding like a conspiracy theorist whacko. I think we can get some more information about the portals from Mara. She's bound to know something. I'd like to ask Rochelle what she meant with "fae in her family", and i don't think she means fairies. There isn't any classification of the sort in the encyclopedia. The tolerance stat is lowering is still hanging above our heads like a sword, so i'd say not to drink too much wine. Hopefully it recovers in the morning once we sober up. The bugs are getting pretty handsy. How many arms did they have again? So to summarize OOC Mamano or Mamono, Arms? IC Drink the wine responsibly, eat some of the snacks(shouldn't drink on an empty stomach), and then ask about the republic and their politics. Later we can ask Mara about the portals and also about the republic. It's definitely not a coincidence that she's here, and maybe not even a coincidence that she stayed back.

>>51988 I guess you're right about not drinking on an empty stomach. Maybe the nuts will go well with the wine, some wines are a little nutty from what I hear (I never drink... wine)

>>52645 Yeah, but do you think my schizo theory is anywhere near plausible?

>>52671 I find it a little impractical to try and stake a claim on territory by mind controlling people who came to that specific spot from all over, personally.

>>52715 So you think it's just a festival with nothing else going on?

>>52745 there's definitely something going on, but the pharaoh staking a claim probably isn't that. isn't the festival taking place in an oasis already?

>>52745 >>52773 Yeah special forces operatives don't just turn up at a concert for no reason.

>>52799 Guess for now we'll just wait. IIRC, it's still the first day, we can go around snooping and investigating tomorrow.

Hey everyone, next part is still in progress, but today I decided to dick around with the Sora AI for shits and giggles. If you don't care for AI slop, you can disregard this post. Also, glad to see there's been some discussion and theories on what's going on and what might happen. Remember, it doesn't hurt to re-read previous parts, if there's anything else that catches your eye or that you feel Anon can ask, post it!

>>53251 cursed

>>53251 Lakini a cute

>>51661 https://youtu.be/MED4JfIgNPk?si=BLb_FMK9Xbqn7z43 “Eh, sure, why not? A lil’ wine never hurt anyone.” you reply, as Thalia begins to pour herself a cup, followed by one for you. You gently take your drink from the goat, along with a handful of snacks. Before you can take a sip, Rochelle moves her hand down your arm to your wrist. “Maaay I~?” she asks with a smile and batting eyelashes. You shrug and nod, allowing the mosquito to take the cup from your hand. She gives it a short whiff, her smile growing, and takes a small sip. “Ooooooh, that is good! I usually like reds, buuuuuut I can definitely enjoy this.~” she announces, and you take your cup back from her. The goat gives her a nod, pouring a third cup. “I’ll try some tooooooo! If Ro likes it, it’s gotta be gooooood!” Morgan exclaims, getting a chuckle from you and Thalia. You sip the wine as the girls receive their drinks, and…. …it tastes good. Really good. Kinda fruity, but very mellow. You take another sip, and lightly swish it around. The only odd thing about it that you notice is it makes your tongue and inside lips feel dry, and ever so slightly itchy. Weird. “Does anyone else want any? I got plenty to go around!” Thalia asks, wiggling the open bottle in her hand. Ben and Yvonne shake their heads, your friend grabbing two of the beers the goat had set aside earlier, handing one of them to the hornet. “Thanks, but maybe later tonight. Last time I mixed wine with beer was at an Oktoberfest a couple years ago, and I got a nasty hangover.” he answers, cracking open his can and taking a sip. “Weren’t you also drinking apple pie that weekend too?” you ask pointedly, gesturing at Ben with your wine cup. You were referring to an Everclear concoction that was pretty popular at the college campus’ peppered around Moorhead and Fargo. “Was I?” he asks, a far away look in his eyes for a brief moment, before he shakes his head. “Either way, I try not to mix too much together. I’m a bit surprised that you are, though!” he continues. You shrug. “Part of why I’m here is to loosen up and have fun. I can’t really do that if I’m a stick in the mud.” you reply, making Bryce laugh. “You say that, but yet you don’t wanna try out ‘shrooms?” he asks, and you roll your eyes again. “All I said was I don’t think they’re gonna help me with my… issue.” you say, pausing and suppressing a shudder at the brief thought of serpents. “In any case, I’ve never tripped. That’s kinda more of Ben’s thing.” you add. Bryce glances over at your friend, who nods. “You could say I’m a bit of a space cadet.” he confirms while lighting the fresh bowl and taking a hit. You take another sip of wine, and clear your throat. “Anyway… so, what’s the Gossamer Kingdoms like?” you ask, changing the subject. The bugs in your group perk up right away. “It’s a peaceful land, mostly rolling hills and dense lush forests. The weather’s pretty good, but we have our rainy and snowy seasons.” Yvonne begins, smiling softly. “After the Treaty of the Ochre Queens, The G.K. made a point in the last couple centuries to be on good terms with our neighboring nations, which naturally resulted in a lot of crop and goods exports, an economic boom, and to a lesser extent, a small population boom. Now we’re a mostly polygynous, agrarian society.” she continues. Ben coughs, a plume of smoke exiting his mouth, and he hands his pipe to the hornet. “So… your country’s in the shape of a rhombus?” he asks, and coughs again. Yvonne mouth drops slightly agape, and she blinks. “Wha- no! We’re mostly just farmers, and our borders are a few major rivers and a mountain range. I wouldn’t even know how to describe the shape…” she answers, trailing off to take a hit from the smoldering pipe. “Whoa, rewind, what was this about a treaty, now?” you ask, attempting to re-rail the conversation. The hornet passes the pipe to Rochelle, and slowly exhales. https://youtu.be/4DPKEuB8U9E?si=Hnz4yi0Xy4Xo7xLq “The Treaty of the Ochre Queens.” she repeats. “The G.K. was once seven separate squabbling kingdoms. When those assholes in The Holy Empire of the Leonic Order decided that their god hated our guts and launched an attack, the seven queens set aside their differences to form a coalition. After the war, that coalition became a bit more permanent.” she continues. Rochelle exhales a plume of smoke upwards, letting the breeze take the cloud away from your group. She hands the smoldering brass pipe behind you to Morgan, then slides her hand down to rest at your side, pressed between your hip and the fly. “Makes sense, that kinda sounds a little like a few nations’ histories here on Earth. So what’s up with Marten, then? The Pharaoh is from there, but they’re a republic?” you ask. Yvonne nods, cracking open the beer Ben had given her. “Mhmm. The Pharaoh and her family are mostly figureheads and ambassadors, while the actual ruling body is more of a parliament. I think they have a sphinx as a prime minister right now…” she answers, trailing off to sip her beer, then shrugs. “Beyond that, I don’t know much of the ins-and-outs of their system. The G.K. is on good terms with them, obviously. We send them a bunch of food and textiles, they send us a bunch of equipment, tools, and machines. Mostly farming stuff, but a fair amount of military gear, too.” she finishes. Morgan lets out a small cough, and leans over to pass the smoldering pipe to Bryce. She coughs again, her wings fluttering slightly, reminding you of another comment from earlier. “Yvonne, you said something about fae when we were talking about glowing mushrooms… are there a lot of fae in The G.K.?” you ask. Unexpectedly, this question got a few laughs from the girls. You feel your face turn a little warm, and you squirm in your seat. You hope that wasn’t a dumb question. Bryce clears his throat, catching your attention. “That’s kinda like asking if there are any Englishmen in Iceland. So, probably, but not a lot.” he explains, and takes a puff from the smoldering pipe. “Fae are what the elven and fairy nobles of Avalon call themselves. If there are any fae in The G.K., they’re usually either visiting family in the small north-western province of Tir na nÓg, or paying respect at the Tomb of the Grand Magus in Brécheliant.” Yvonne added. “Ro, Mo, and myself are from a village in the wooded mountain province of Magonia, south of Brécheliant.” Well, that kinda answered that, but there was one detail still bugging you. “That’s fair, but what do the fae have to do with glowing mushrooms in the first place?” you ask. Thalia starts to wave, catching your attention, and finishes taking a puff from Ben’s pipe. “It’s cuz’ of a few rumors mostly, but before the Mana-Glut occurred over a century ago, most outlanders would appear in or wash up on the shores of Avalon. Some would show up elsewhere in the realm, but Avalon tended to receive the lion’s share. Even their king is an outlander, and rumor has it he’s over a millenia old.” the goat answers, smoke wafting from her lips, as she passes the smoldering pipe to Ben. “But even back then, nearly all outlander stories would feature those glowing mushrooms, and an Avalonian elf or fairy guide.” she continues, sipping her wine. “Somebody in the Fae noble houses must have talked, though, cuz’ those crazy cats of Hybrasil started snatching up far too many outlanders, well before the Mana-Glut. After that, though? You guys would pop up all over the realm.” the goat finishes, topping off her wine glass with another pour. That also kinda makes sense, though you wonder what she meant by ‘crazy cats’. You reach for another handful of snacks, and Thalia wiggles the wine bottle at you. With a shrug, you hold out your wineglass with your other hand, and let the goat top off your cup. Before you could ask Thalia, Gus starts to get back up. “Looks like the next band’s comin’ up, gimme just a moment.” he says, using a couple of the secured packs on Tilly’s carapace as steps, and clambered back on top of his wife’s shell. You look back down at the small side-stage, and sure enough, the first band had wound down their set, and we’re waving at the crowd. At the same time, the second band was doing a couple last minute gear checks, immediately going into a song once they were satisfied. https://youtu.be/aHG38uzlreI?si=0NEOEfwVHnG539kP Morgan and Rochelle both began to bounce and sway to the music, the fly being the first to stand up from her spot. “Oooooh! C’mon Anon, let’s dance a little!” she exclaims, handing what was left of her wine glass to Yvonne. Rochelle follows suit, and the two girls begin to pull you up. Fuck it, why not? You’re here to party after all. You give Ben your wineglass, getting up on your feet and… SPIRITS - MIXED LIQUOR. Temporary Resolve sustained. Tolerance 4(-3.6) [Casual Drinker] = Chatty Cat sustained. Temporary Intuition still at +1.2 …you stumble slightly, your head swimming for just a moment. God damn. Maybe that wine was a lot stronger than you thought. The girls help to steady your footing, and you’re pretty sure one of them pinched your ass while doing so. Right now, that didn’t matter too much to you, as you rubbed your eyes and swallowed, trying to get a little clarity back. You were still thirsty, things felt somewhat hazy, and your mouth was itching like crazy. One more drink was definitely going to get you drunk, and you weren’t quite sure if you wanted to get that fucked up this early in the day. Once the sun went down, that was another story, but there was still a fair amount of daylight left. Rochelle had a gentle grip on your forearm once again, her thumb tracing more circles across your skin. “Eeeeeasy, big guy~... Should we go find you some water?” she asks, more concern than amusement bleeding into her voice. Morgan grips onto your other arm, and her antennae begin to bounce along that now familiar trail across your bicep. “Jeeeeeeez, lumberjack, just hooooow many drinks have you had already?~” the fly asks teasingly. “Ro’s riiiiight, let’s get some water in yoooou.~” Glancing over at Ben, he gives you a shrug. “Beer and Wine, man, I told ya.” he says simply, taking a puff from his pipe. Well, at least it was early enough that you could deal with it, if you wanted to. Where was the last place you saw free water at? Otherwise, you hope someone nearby might be selling or willing to trade for a bottle. There’s also the option to try to sit it out, but with your metabolism, that might give you a bigger headache. Alternatively, if you’re in four a penny, you’re in four a pound. You shake your head again. What the fuck was that? It practically felt like you had a devil whisper into your ear there for a second. You look down at the girls, and it didn’t look like either of them had done it. That was… weird, to say the least. 1. Go with Rochelle and Morgan to look for water (Temporarily split the party) 2. Go alone to find some water (Temporarily leave the party) 3. Stay and eat some snacks, hold out until the band finishes it’s set 4. Drink some more wine 5. Drink your spare beer

Slightly shorter update this time around, but hopefully you guys like it. Updates might take a little more time for a bit, as I've got my focus split on this, the writing contest, and some IRL things I won't blogpost about. Also, I've done some more generations in Sora, if anyone cares for those. Like last time, if you don't care for AI slop, you can disregard them. Mara's and Rochelle's turned out the best, and had the fewest gen attempts. Yvonne took about ten, and Morgan was about twenty five, and I've got mixed feelings on both.

>>55103 >You were referring to an Everclear concoction that was pretty popular at the college campus’ peppered around Moorhead and Fargo. The things I learn... There seems to be some not-so-subtle hinting from somewhere that we should drink more wine, but what good has ever come from listening to voices in your head? We definitely don't need more wine or more beer. It's a just choice between 1, 2 and 3, really. Moving alone is not safe, I don't think. Moving with the gropey bugs might not be "safe" in a different way, lol. But staying still and eating will make us thirstier, this stuff is salty. That would point me toward choosing 1... but then again, maybe the weird voice is just intuition. We've got intuition, but it's been a while since we used it. Ah fuck it. 4. In vino veritas. Worst case scenario is we puke all over the place and pass out. >>55105 I'm writing something for the contest too :D

>>55208 >The things I learn... The funny thing? Fargo Apple Pie is usually much stronger. North Dakota gets full strength Everclear (190 proof), while nanny-state Minnesota only gets the weak shit (150 proof). Anyways, there's a solution to this conundrum that can satisfy some of those worries. Remember, you or other readers can always propose an additional option to choose! >I'm writing something for the contest too :D I eagerly await to see what you're working on! I'd ask for details, but I do not want to impose, and surprises are always fun.

>>55208 Does anyone other than me have any opinions?

>>59015 I've been a bit lazy lately. I'll read it after work and give you my opinion.

>>55208 >>55103 Ah, i'll have to apologize, but i agree with our character here, let's just pick 1 and have Roch and Morg carry us for some respite. Don't believe we can walk in this state, and we'll probably stumble our way down and get lost. The itch could be anything really, including just some mild aphrodisiac, or an allergic reaction. Either way, it doesn't seem like a good idea to keep getting fucked up. As for the rest of the chapter, info is trickling down slowly. The gals are all from nearby places, wonder if most of the mamono are also from GK or the Ta Republic. Mana-Glut is most likely when the DL too power, although i'd find it strange for pre-DL monsters to be snatching up people, or rather men specifically. My updated schizo theory is that they want to do some kind of mass transportation of men back to the other side of the portals thanks to the mushrooms ability to transport people between dimensions. Fits the topics we've been talking about a bit better. If you do insist on going for the wine anon, we can roll a D6 and see who gets the higher result.

>>59629 I do feel 1. to be the safer option to be sure, but the voice in our head (our intuition?) is pushing for 4. My roll was likewise a 4. I feel it's destined, but let's say we'll go with 1. if you can beat or match my roll.

>>59876 Uhh, to do a roll, you need to put dice1d6 in the email field.

>>59876 Welp, may destiny decide our fate.

>>59939 >>59956 I tried it and all that happened was that my post had dice1d6 as the name, is the email field not the name field and hidden somewhere? I have no idea what I'm doing

>>60080 e-mail field is hidden by default, you have to click "More" under the posting form to reveal it

>>60081 Thanks, let's see what happens

>>60082 Welp, i hope you are ready four what's about to happen.

>>60089 Destiny cannot be denied.

>>60097 The fact that i rolled a 1, and you rolled a four, twice, seems to imply so.

>>55103 “Uhhh… I think I’ll be okay for now, I can get some water later.” you declare. Rochelle and Morgan seem slightly disappointed at losing a chance to be alone with you, but their mood’s change as you half stumble and step towards more open ground. “You two still wanted to dance, right?” you ask playfully, holding out your hands. The girls step towards you, with Rochelle taking your right, and Morgan your left. Joined together, the three of you began to shuffle and sway to the music. Every so often you would raise one of your held hands, letting the girls spin on their toes. While calling it “dancing” would have been a generous term, you were still having fun, and it was clear the girls were as well. With the song winding down, you found yourself slightly dizzy, and the girls helped you settle back down in your seat, once again sitting on either side of you, pressed up as close as they could get. “-nd he didn’t even know what to do with all of that, so he just up and gave me about half a bible’s worth.” Ben was saying to Bryce, as he handed you back your cup of wine. The shirtless man’s eyes were slightly bugging out, and he let out a low whistle. “Daaaamn! So, what are you gonna do with it all?” he asks your friend, then finishes off his bottle of High Life. Ben just chuckles, and shrugs. “Well, he paid it forward, so I figured I’d do the same. So yeah, if you wanna explore the life cosmic later, I’m down.” he replies. You were about to ask what they were talking about, when your stomach began to bubble. You then glance down at the cup of wine in your hand. Did you really want to risk having another glass? YES! https://youtu.be/f4tvjXCGIQ8?si=2xiwDxTgTBFOIfg2 You shudder. It was that voice again, this time it practically shouted into your ear. Well, as it said it earlier, in for a penny, in for a pound. Without further hesitation, you guzzle down the cup of wine. Thalia’s eyes widen, and she lets out a bleating laugh. “Hey! That’s meant to be savored, not slammed!” she observes, and sips her own glass. You hold your breath for a moment, as the wine settles in your gut, slowing down the bubbling for now. “It uh, just seemed like the right idea at the time.” you reply lamely, your vision swimming slightly as your mind fell into a deeper haze. SPIRITS - MIXED LIQUOR. Temporary Resolve buff neutralized. Resolve is now -1. Perception is now -0.5. Tolerance 4(-4.8) [Soused] = Chatty Cat status neutralized. Jabber-Jaw and Indignation are now in active flux. Some choices are now automatic and out of your hands. Temporary Intuition still at +1.2 You shake your head, trying to clear your mind of the fog, but it settles in like a heavy blanket. You shift in your spot, attempting to get more comfortable, and lift your arms up. Morgan and Rochelle give you confused looks at first, until you bring your arms back down, wrapping around their waists, and you pull them tighter. The fly giggles, her antennae tapping away at your neck, while the mosquito lets out a content sigh, burying her face into your chest. You now feel much cozier in your spot. Yvonne laughs at the sight. “Go figure, add a little wine, and you turn into a cuddle slut! At least you’re in good company!” she jokes, taking a hit off of Ben’s smoldering pipe, and passes it to Rochelle. Ben laughs. “For now! Just don’t get sloppy drunk, man. I don’t want to have to break up a fight cause you put your foot in your mouth in front of some asshole, like the last time we went drinking on my birthday.” your friend warns. You chuckle, and let out a pleased sigh. “Hey, that preppy frat faggot called you a dirty spic behind your back, I wasn’t gonna let him walk away without shit-talking his five popped collars.” you state, recalling the memory. It felt good giving that yuppie prick a black eye. “Anyways, I-” you start, and hiccup. “-I was never really a wine guy. What’s in this stuff, anyway? I could get used to drinkin’ it more often!” you reply, then ask the goat. Thalia lets out another bleating laugh. “They’re just white grapes from Hyperboria, but the vineyard it’s from is called Augur’s Valley. They say if you need guidance, Bacchus will talk to you through the drink, but I think it’s just a clever marketing ploy. I’ve been drinking this stuff for years, and never once heard her!” she answers with a shrug, and sips her wine again. Huh. Maybe that’s the voice you’ve been hearing? Rochelle coughs, exhaling a plume of smoke, and goes to pass the smoldering pipe over to Morgan. Go ahead, Nephew! You shake your head again. Okay, maybe that is Bacchus after all. Isn’t she supposed to be some kinda god of partying? If she says it’s okay, fuck it, why not? “Hey, gimme that.” you mutter to Rochelle. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise, followed by a smirk. “Sure, just don’t get toooooo messed up.~” she coos, and hands you the pipe. You clear your throat, place the pipe to your lips, and inhale. https://youtu.be/MQGTSpP0nAk?si=P5i1P3cmUAwjYxlG SPIRITS - MIXED SUBSTANCES. Tolerance 4(-5.8) [Soused]. Temporary Intuition increased to +3.2. You Exhale, and it quickly turns into a hacking cough, as a thick plume of smoke passes your lips. Fuck, you guess you haven’t smoked in a while, if it hit you that hard. The sound of light, tinkling laughter catches your attention, but you didn’t recognize the voice. Shuddering, you pass the smoldering pipe to Morgan. “I think uh, one’s pro-” you start, cough, then hiccup. “Probably enough for now.” you finish. The fog in your mind starts to swirl, and you blink a few times. As much as your head felt like a cloudy fishbowl, you still felt quite cozy in your seat, with the girls on either side of you. You close your eyes, which helps to slow your swimming thoughts, and begin to breathe slowly, enjoying the pleasant sensations of your surroundings… You hear the snap of fingers, and open your eyes. You see Thalia grinning in front of you, but… at second glance, it’s not Thalia. This goat has a bit more of a tan, and is wearing a white and purple checkered robe, with a crown of leaves upon her head. Looking around, you see that you are no longer on the crest of the hill overlooking the stage, but an open grassy field, with what looked like a grape vineyard in the distance. “Damn, nephew! I thought it was going to take a while longer to get through to you!” the goat says, as she sips red wine from a small glass. Nephew? Why is she calling you nephew? The goat lets out a loud, bleating laugh. “Child of Pan, don’t be dense now! You’ve always carried a divine spark!” she continues, and points to your side. You look down, and see an old lantern clipped to your belt. Inside it, an almost imperceptibly small flame is flickering. “Looks like your fire is starting to catch again! You just need to keep feeding that spark.” she explains, or at least, attempts to. You still feel kinda lost. The goat sighs, but keeps her smile. “Just pay attention, you’ll figure it out once more, eventually.” she says, and finishes her small glass of wine. She stands up, and offers you a hand. Taking it, the goat helps you to your feet, and begins to lead you towards the vineyard. “Where the hell am I?” you ask her, only to receive another bleating laugh. “That doesn’t matter right now. I just need you to pay attention.” she explains, dragging you over to the vineyard. “Do ya’ like pie, Anon?” she asks, then giggles. “Who am I kidding, you’ve always liked pie! Here!” she continues, and hands you a plate. Looking down, you don’t see a slice of pie. Instead, it’s a few different pieces of fruit. There are a pair of berries, one red, and one blue. Next to those is an orange, a black cherry with yellow specks, and a pink fig. Nestled and slightly obscured behind these fruits was what appeared to be a white berry with purplish-black flecks upon it. You blink. The fruits changed into separate slices of pie, though while you only saw five slices, you noticed the one on the plate closest to you contained both the red and blue berries. You had to admit, each slice looked really appetizing. You really didn’t know which one you wanted to dig into first, though. Glancing back up at the goat, she simply gave you a smile. Looking back down, you saw that the pie was no longer in slices, but whole. You could no longer tell what fruits were inside of it. “Is that more to your liking? You always did like surprises, didn’t you?” she says with a giggle. Without giving you another second to think, she takes the plate away from you, and tosses it like a frisbee, farther up into the vineyard. “It’s not going to be that easy though, but you knew it never was. C’mon, let’s keep going!” she continues, and drags you deeper amongst the grapevines. Still confused, you look around, but you only see endless rows and trellis tunnels. The goat stops, looks left, and giggles. “Oh that’s right, Eros is entertaining the children. We won’t bother her about pie right now. Let’s go this way!” she says, and pulls you to the right, down one of the trellis tunnels. In moments, the two of you enter a small clearing. In the center of it was a pale woman with light brown hair, wearing a golden-brown beret, and a long, multi-colored patchwork dress, giving you the impression of an old-school hippy. She was seated upon a picnic blanket that had a pattern of purple flowers across it. There was what appeared to be a tray of items in front of her, but she seems more concerned with her surroundings. A serene smile graced her features, and her violet eyes flit about, as if they were tracking phantoms. The goat lets out a loud, bleating laugh, which catches the woman’s attention. “There you are, Silly! I brought Anon with me!” the goat exclaims, and pulls you towards the woman, having you sit across from her, the tray between you. The goat steps around, taking a seat next to her, and she gives you an unnaturally wide grin. The hippy looking woman slowly turns, giving her a lazy nod, before she turns back to you. “Salut.” she greets softly. Her eyes dart about you, and she chortles. “First time, this time around, I see. You’ll get your sea-legs back, soon.” she says, her smile curving to a slight smirk. She gestures towards the tray, and you glance down. In a neat row, there were two half-full cups, a tiny round cactus with a pink and yellow flower, a blue-frosted frog-shaped cookie, and a couple pages of what appeared to be scripture. Peering into the cups, you noticed that while one contained some kind of tea, the other had a liquid so dark, it seemed almost like a black void. Looking back up at the two women, you raise an eyebrow. “Do I need to pick something here, or what? I still have no fucking clue what all of this means.” you ask. The two women laugh, the hippy shaking her head, while the goat furiously nods. “No, they’re not necessary, but if you lack focus, they help.” she answers, taking the cup of tea, and sipping it. “They are fun, though.” “Very fun! You could choose all of them if you really wanted to!” the goat adds, then wags her finger. “However, some of these are not easy to get to.” The hippy sets the cup of tea back down onto the tray, which the goat immediately takes, setting it next to the scripture. “These two you could find today, if you really want to.” “You may need to help me convince The Jackal.” the hippy woman states, and grabs the cup of tea once again. The goat picks up the frog-cookie, and takes a small bite off of one of the feet. “You’ll find this one when the rains arrive. Be nice! A Precious Collection will be shared with you, and you’ll find a shocking surprise.” she says, and sets the cookie back down. Her hand moves over to the tiny cactus, and she taps it with her finger. “This one is willing to meet you, once you vault over your hurdles. The Golden Fool might expedite this. A choir of Wooden Voices can change the two of you for the better.” The goat’s hand then moves to the cup of black liquid. “And this one…” she begins, lifting the cup from the tray. The hippy woman leans over the glass, giving it a sniff, before grimacing. The goat pulls it away, and starts to swirl it. Once satisfied, she sets it back down on the tray. You lean over to look into it once more. In the swirling black, what few flecks of light reflected from the liquid would vanish just as fast, but you could faintly make out what looked like an infinity symbol, followed by the number thirteen. Steam starts to rise from the cup, and when it hits your nose, your senses are assaulted by the odor of rotting vegetation and petrichor. Leaning back, you sputter, and rub your nose. “Uffda! What the fuck is that?” you ask. The goat gives you another bleating laugh. “That one will bring you to The Edge, where you can talk with more of My Siblings, and… Her.” she says with a giggle. Suddenly, all mirth and joy leaves the goat’s face, and she gives you a serious look. “You really should vault your hurdles before you even consider this one. The lord without a castle awaits. Search for the Marked Check.” she states. Just as quick, the mirth and joy return to the goat’s face. She then stands up, and offers you a hand. Taking it, you rise to your feet. The goat steps around the tray, and gives you another unnaturally wide grin. “It’s time for you to go!” “Brace yourself.” the odd hippy woman adds, sipping her tea once more. Before you could process it, the goat woman punched you in the stomach, hard. You double over, and you feel your gut bubbling, ready to empty its contents. “I apologize for that, but you did have too much, too fast. Pace yourself, and we will see each other again, in time.” the goat says, her voice starting to sound distant, as your vision blurs. “Oh, one more thing! Tell the priestess that he arrives with the red skies.” she finishes, and you feel her finger flick your forehead, between your eyes. Squeezing them shut, you attempt to settle your stomach by willpower alone. With your head swimming, it was a losing battle. When you opened your eyes, you found yourself back amongst your friends at the festival. However, you were no longer on the hillcrest, but walking down one of the paths. With where the sun was sitting in the sky, you guessed that a couple of hours had passed by. Ahead of you, Ben and Yvonne were in the middle of a conversation with Bryce and Thalia. Rochelle and Morgan were still on either side of you, but with how you had your arms wrapped around their shoulders, it was apparent they were trying to help you keep moving. Your stomach did a backflip, and you wretch. Oh, it’s coming up right now. Gazing about in a panic, your eyes soon settle on a garbage can further up the path. Without further hesitation, you take your arms off the girls, run past the group, and barely make it the bin. A few heaves and wretches later, your stomach is finally empty. A migraine began to settle in your head, and although your stomach did feel better, you still feel thirsty as hell. The haze that had settled in your mind is long gone, your thoughts clear. What the fuck just happened? SPIRITS - SYSTEM PURGED. Adrenaline Rush. Survival 5(-2). Tolerance 4.5. All temporary buffs have dissipated. “Called it!” you hear Ben yell. “I warned you about the beer and wine, man!” Moments later, you feel a pair of hands rubbing your back. Looking over your shoulder, you see Rochelle and Morgan, bemused smiles on their faces. “Soooo… wanna find some water, maybe something to eat, before we head back to camp?” the mosquito asks softly. Morgan giggles. “Heeeey! We could look around for my jambalaya ingredients!” the fly exclaims. Your stomach rumbled. That might not be a bad idea. 1. Find some water and something to drink with Rochelle and Morgan (Temporary split the party, Side Quest progression possible). 2. Follow the group back to camp. 3. Find somewhere quiet to sit first, collect your thoughts, and try to make sense of what happened. (Temporarily leave the party.)

>>63522 Some letters are bolded during the druggy part >E, s, l, a, u, g, h, s I don't know what to make of that, though. >petrichor I know this scent so well yet never knew it had a name. You learn something new every day. But yeah, that was a pretty wild turn. Guess it wasn't our intuition talking to us. Honestly don't know what to make of this development or how to proceed. The fruit I think correspond pretty well to the people around us, but everything after that I can't guess at all. Trying to collect our thoughts would probably be helpful here, but it would also mean being by ourselves when we're clearly in a pretty vulnerable state, so I'm against it. It'd be either 1 or 2. I guess 1 would be best, getting rehydrated and getting more food is worth the risk of getting bugged. A side quest also sounds like it could potentially help us find whatever the hell it is Bacchus and the hippy deity want us to find. So yeah, 1.