Donny! I already have Laurence's effigy and if you don't want me to kill him you better both stand down.

>>817960
This

Well if we're gonna shoot him, no real need to use the magic gun.

Can we just tell the hawk to fly in front of the moving train to you know take measures against it going down.

>>817987
Or we could just tell the hawk to crush the effigy in it's claws right now.

Heretic 2017/07/24(Mon)13:45 No. 818104 ID: 8a947d
File 150092910249.png - (303.54KB , 1212x826 , Train 25.png )

You pop shorty once in the leg with your Sixshot [22 ==> 21] and steal his effigy off of him. Your Hunter Killer Hawk flies into the conductor's car and hands you Slim's Effigy. Now you have the upper hand: Slim's hanging off of the side of the train, Shorty's incapacitated, and you have both of their effigy's

Destroy both, if the flying skull doesn't dissipate because of said action, prepare for it and also find a way to get rid of the tree magic.

Destroy the effigies. Wait, that tree wasn't behind you before, was it? Dodge!

rolled 11 + 6 = 17

---

TREE INCOMING! DODGE! (agility roll is +6)

rolled 19 + 6 = 25

---

>>818104
There's a tree behind you! Dodge it!

>>818104
Oh, wait, that's the conductor. He's been turned into a tree also.

We should still get away from it, just in case Shorty makes it attack us!

Let's destroy the effigies and then tell Shorty to undo the tree stuff he's doing!

1/3 Heretic 2017/07/24(Mon)14:29 No. 818117 ID: 8a947d
File 150093178309.png - (228.17KB , 1212x826 , Train 26.png )

What ? Oh that's just the conductor. He must've been turned into a tree like all of the others.

You: Alright Shorty you have to-

2/3 Heretic 2017/07/24(Mon)14:31 No. 818121 ID: 8a947d
File 150093190478.png - (219.93KB , 1212x826 , Train 27.png )

Tree branches shoot out of the ground towards you.

>rolled 19 + 6 = 25

Luckily you're fast enough to dodge them. The branches hit the side of the room and bend the steel of the wall opening a hole in the train.

3/3 Heretic 2017/07/24(Mon)14:32 No. 818122 ID: 8a947d
File 150093196254.png - (291.00KB , 1212x826 , Train Roof 28.png )

The Crow's Skull lowers down into the room and stares at you, charging another attack.

rolled 6 + 8 = 14

---

Tell your hunter-killer to destroy Laurence's effigy, then shoot Donny's effigy. Sit down by Donny, point your gun at him and flip the bird-skull the bird.

"Donny, call your brother. Tell him to un-summon his Denizen right the goddamn now, unless he wants you to be caught up in its blast effigy-less."

Charm and speech bonus.

>>818131

On the one hand, ough, that's low. On the other, if I've read the situation right, we might have a hell of a circumstance bonus.

Also, thinking about it, sitting down might not be necessary. Just being in the immediate vicinity should do, looking at the spread of that beam.

rolled 11 + 8 = 19

---

>>818131
This sounds good!

>>818150
Well, that's higher than what was rolled earlier, but is it enough?

rolled 4 + 6 = 10

---

>>818122
I feel as though the hunter-killer hawk should attack it with its energy beam thing, and you should dodge.

Heretic 2017/07/24(Mon)20:26 No. 818228 ID: 8a947d
File 150095319504.png - (327.70KB , 1212x826 , Train 29.png )

Before the Crow's Skull can fire you roll to where Shorty is and grab him by the neck while the same time crushing his effigy in your hand. The Hawk cracks Slim's effigy in its claw. You point your Sixshot at Shorty's head.

The Crow's Skull stops charging its beam and stares at you and Shorty, soon Slim climbs through the hole in the wall and gets a view of the scene before him. There's a long silence before Slim says anything.

Slim: Well? What's it gonna be?

Shorty: Laurence you can't-

Slim: Donny. Be quiet. So you got demands or you just plan to kill us here and now ?

Shoot Donny in the neck to show you're serious. When he gets angry, threaten to destroy the Azerite chunk. He'll listen.

The "deal" is simple. Slim leaves. That's it. Risking Donny's life to bleedout is Slim's "Idiot tax", but he can cut his losses now and hope to whatever voodoo

(check for sneak attack here)

god he grovels before to spare his brother, or just rush in and die while you use what's left of Donny as a mana pool for your magic.

>>818228
Order Slim to reverse the hex that's keeping everyone a tree, then get off the train. Shorty will be left at the next stop without any further harm as long as they both cooperate. If Slim tries anything funny, then Shorty's going to be a head shorter.

>>818228
>So you got demands or you just plan to kill us here and now?
"I'll only kill you if you do something stupid."

"First of all, get rid of that crow skull. Next, undo your tree bullshit and free everyone. Finally, explain how the fuck you assholes knew I was going to be on this train."

As soon as they undo the tree stuff, Issei should be able to smell blood and voodoo magic and he'll come over here, with Troy right behind him!

>>818232
No, that's too much.

Calm down Donny, your pal here isn't stupid, is he Lawrence. What you're going to do is turn all the trees back into people, and then fuck as far off away from me as is possible and never come back. You haven't won an engagement yet and the next time I see you or shorty here, you'll both have jigsaw puzzles for heads.

>>818241
Or we could let Issei eat them! But, don't tell them that! It'll be a surprise next time they try and fuck with us!

People like you burn fate.

"Laurence, the worst deal you ever made was the one that put you in my line of fire. Wotcher contracts say? How deep you in? Any way to back out, renegotiate, repay, renege? You got into this shit for your bro. Can you get out, or is your voodoo dependency the one-way street of crippling debt I've been told it is?"

If we keep going like this we all will die tonight and I don't want that. I just want to fix the world is that to much to ask. So please let me be.

Heretic 2017/07/24(Mon)22:45 No. 818271 ID: 8a947d
File 150096153739.png - (162.17KB , 1212x826 , Train 30.png )

You: I don't plan on killing anybody unless you do something stupid. First, I want tweety bird over there gone, it's making me nervous.

Slim snaps his fingers and the skull dissipates into the air.

You: Good, now let's get these people fixed. Which ever one of you's making the passengers into trees knock it off.

Shorty mutters something under his breath and the air in the train car feels like it's gotten lighter, the train conductor turns back to normal, though he's unconscious and you can assume the rest of the car is the same way.

You:...and now this one might be a bit of a stretch, but I don't ever want to see you two around again or I will not be as merciful.

You let go of Donny and push him towards Laurence. You begin to remember things you shouldn't now in the first place.

You: How deep are in this voodoo thing Laurence ? You got into it for your brother but now it looks like you're just getting him in more danger.

Laurence: You don't know shit! Alright pagan ? You got your victory this time but I ain't backin down from this, big things are comin' and I ain't gettin' left behind.

Laurence snaps his fingers and the two fade from existence leaving no trace they were ever there.

You feel tired...

>>818271
Ok, put your gun away and wake the conductor up so that the train doesn't end up getting derailed or something!

Then head back to your seat where Troy and Issei are. If they're unconscious, then wake them up.

If Troy asks where the food is, start by saying, "I've got a perfectly good explanation for that and neither of you are gonna like it." Then explain everything that happened, including the part where everyone was a bunch of trees.

If they complain about you letting the voodoo brothers go, tell them, "Oh, trust me, this is their only chance. If we see them again and they try to fuck with us again, feel free to kill them." Oh, and don't forget to tell Troy and Issei how to kill the voodoo brothers, in case they run into them without you.

>>818274
Also, make sure you check your seat before you sit down, just in case the voodoo brothers left something there!

>>818271
Grab the remains of their effigies. Could be valuable.

Tend to the hole on your shoulder. Maybe fiddler imp can work some of that sweet heals.

>>818275
Mention that, since they were after you, you're very lucky that Troy was lazy and made you go get his food for him, otherwise you would've also been turned into a tree!

1/2 Heretic 2017/07/25(Tue)14:43 No. 818337 ID: 8a947d
File 150101902593.png - (88.49KB , 1212x826 , Train 31.png )

You meander back over to your seat where Issei and Troy are waiting, they seem to have waken up from their sleep.

Troy: There you are! did ya find the food cart? And...didn't you go the other way?

You: Long story.

Issei: gallows are you bleeding ?

You: Spilled ketchup on myself, anyway here's your food.

You drop off the bowl of chowder and the strawberry salad on the table then slide into your seat. From here on it should be a smooth ride to Ender Port.

2/2 Heretic 2017/07/25(Tue)15:11 No. 818344 ID: 8a947d
File 150102067607.png - (183.46KB , 1212x826 , Ding Train 1.png )

Fighting voodoo gangsters on top of a train and weaseling your way out using a hostage had helped you gain enough experience to bring you to the next level.

STRENGTH, PERCEPTION, ENDURANCE, CHARM, and AGILITY increase.

Heretic 2017/07/25(Tue)15:17 No. 818345 ID: 8a947d
File 150102107274.png - (119.73KB , 1212x826 , Ding Train 2.png )

By leveling up, you can now upgrade one of your abilities to give it more power or a new functionality.

Choose one of the upgrades.

[Aether Sight] ==> [Aether Scan]: Aether Scan let's you assess enemy health more accurately

[Stun Spike] ==> [Stun Claw]: Stun Claw does a small amount of damage to anyone hit.

Endurance and Stun Claw

Aether Scan

Aether Sight is easily our most used ability and while the upgrade isn't spectacular, upgrades further up the tree might be.

Aether Scan - knowing if an enemy will die to a slight breeze when you've been intimidated into summoning to even the odds will help you preserve resources and spend them towards attacking efficiently.

Stun Claw. That last fight made your lack of offensive magic apparent.

Aether Scan

>>818345
Stun Claw

And when you wake up, make sure you give Troy and Issei the whole story of what happened, so that they don't fall for the same trap a second time!

Upgrade Aether Sight.

Claw. We need booms, and this might lead to booms.

Stun claw

1/5 Heretic 2017/07/25(Tue)21:45 No. 818452 ID: 8a947d
File 150104434898.png - (133.38KB , 1212x826 , Train 32.png )

Your [Stun Spike] becomes [Stun Claw].

Troy: So...We just gonna ignore that Gallows is covered in blood and sweat ?

Issei: it's a little hard to when i have to smell him.

Troy: UCK! This chowders cold!

2/5 Heretic 2017/07/25(Tue)21:46 No. 818453 ID: 8a947d
File 150104440699.png - (39.98KB , 1212x826 , The Dream Haze.png )

...

3/5 Heretic 2017/07/25(Tue)21:51 No. 818458 ID: 8a947d
File 150104469660.png - (111.12KB , 1212x826 , A Premonition 1.png )

Shorty: Boss I'm sorry this job didn't go so well... we let ya down.

Slim: I let you down Boss, I wasn't ready to risk Donny's life for this. I understand if I'm going to be punished but-

Boss: Boys. You both did well, the fact that things when south was a matter of bad luck. The fact that you're both alive despite the destruction of your effigy's is good.

Boss: Slim, you did the right thing.

Boss: Anyway, I'm putting this plan on ice. I underestimated the Pagan, and the fact that he's got more allies is only making this harder.

Boss: we're going with plan B

4/5 Heretic 2017/07/25(Tue)21:54 No. 818459 ID: 8a947d
File 150104489732.png - (82.67KB , 1212x826 , A Premonition 2.png )

???: Hey! What about me !?

???: You said if those bone heads screwed up I'd be up next !

Boss: Gya, these guys are more dangerous than I had previously anticipated.

Boss: If you want to risk your life than fine but I'm not going to be a part of it

Gya: Yay! I've been getting bored just sitting around here.

Gya skips off to wherever

5/5 Heretic 2017/07/25(Tue)22:08 No. 818472 ID: 8a947d
File 150104569204.png - (278.36KB , 1212x826 , A Premonition 3.png )

Boss flips open a gold pocket watch and glances at the time, behind him an ethereal creature materializes from nothing. A Lowa stands behind boss whispering into his ear.

Lowa: y0u kn0w h3 can s33 y0u r1ght ?

Boss: Yeah, being that close to Azerite for that long does that to ya.

Lowa: y0u s33m pr3tty calm d3sp1t3 running 0ut 0f t1m3, y0u hav3n't f0rg0tt3n 0ur d3al hav3 y0u ?

Boss: I'll find a way Datba. Panicking never helps anyone.

Latba: 1'm glad all humans ar3n't as l3v3l-h3ad3d as y0u, 1t'd b3 hard3r t0 trick th3m. that pagan 1s an 1nt3r3st1ng 0ne h0w3v3r, k33p an 3y3 0ut f0r h1m.

The Lowa Datba's form disperses and Boss is left alone once more.

Boss: Things are getting heated, and the game hasn't even begun yet.

[END CHAPTER 5]