Current supplies:
Aviator's jacket that lets the wearer survive a fall from any height
Scavenged police uniform and tactical vest
Kitchen cutting knife
Hovercraft console compass
Several nails
Empty canteen
Wallet (formerly Slim's, who died on the hovercraft)
Slim's phylactory coin
1940s first aid kit (attached to vest)

>No really, what do you do?

Whoa, this is back? I thought this was one of those quests that had just been abandoned without explanation.

>>8196312
It's back, and I'm hoping at least some of the old players are around.

Check on Constable.

>>Check on Constable

You stop running and turn back to the fallen goblin. The giggling persists; it sounds like a little girl about the age of 6, everywhere around you. You notice then that Constable's three companions are rushing to him. Higgs shakes him once, then stops. You get closer and see that the little men's pupils are rapidly expanding--then all of a sudden the three lunge at the body and begin tearing at it with their teeth savagely, pulling off chunks of flesh with no regard for the clothing in the way.

What do you do?

>>8196627

I haven't read the previous threads, but hiding seems like a good idea.

>>8196789
You turn away from the grisly scene and plunge into the fog looking for a place to hide.

Roll 1d8.

>>8196880
Add +1 to the roll per 10 minutes, high roll bad.

CAR CRASH?

rolled 8 = 8

roll

>>8196990
Yes, hence me not being able to run this for a while.

The giggling is from the guys' memories of his daughter that we drank. Maybe?

>>8197003
9 out of 8 is going to be cataclysmic.

>>8197003
>>HIGH ROLL, OH NO

As you flee the giggling gets louder, and louder, pounding in your head. The dog steps out of the fog, large, imposing, and hacking loudly as it walks toward you with handprints burning into the ground, teeth bared.

>>8197071
Some of the nasty from the roll might not be immediately evident, either.

Slap it on the snout. That fucks dogs up. And we clearly can't outrun this thing. "Leave me alone!" And slap it really hard against it's snout.

>>8197084
Roll 1d10, high roll good.

rolled 5 = 5

Roll

>>"Leave me alone!" And slap it really hard against its snout.

The dog bats your hand aside with its front paw, and you can feel a burning hand laid across your front arm, the skin beginning to blister immediately. The dog lunges forward and knocks you down. Its flaming eye where you threw the ampule flares up as it snarls overhead.

kick/knee it in the pubic area.

If it's a guy it has balls. If it's female, it can still fuck up the pubic bone. There have been cases of women dying from getting kicked between the legs.

>>8197216
Stab it with the knife if we can pull it out fast enough.

>>8197281

It's a GIANT MONSTER DOG THING, not a person.

>>8197324
>>8197281

Knife, or kick? You may only have time for one.

Indecision is also an option. It'll probably get you killed, but still.

OP, I don't think this is the best time for a return. Make an announcement beforehand maybe, get the old players aware.

>>8197533
I agree that the return of the quest doesn't seem to be panning out too well. However, I hate not either continuing or providing closure. Abandoning it mid-plot with no explanation is shitty. I don't mind just killing off the PC and wrapping up with a "previous questions explained" bit if player disinterest, bad decisions, and/or the dice will it it.

Other than cei, I don't know if any of the old players are still around; even then I don't know if there's still interest. I gave it a go last night and got zero responses.

Announcements tend to get knocked back to page 10 quickly and just fill up the board.

>>8197639
I mean just pretend like this session didn't exist. Restart it tomorrow or Monday with that dog attacking the goblin.

>>8197710
Did that last night. There's only so many times a person is going to set aside time and start a quest thread up and watch it get no interest before they get the hint.

Also, due to job, nights before weekdays are impossible for me.

Well, if nobody wants to settle on a course of action, you're racked by indecision as the dog moves in for the kill.

>>8197939

Shank it with the knife, aim for eyes and hope that shit works.

>>8198009
Roll 1d10+1. High roll needed.

rolled 1 + 1 = 2

>>8198099
Rollan

>>8198122

>rolled 1 + 1 = 2

Yep, we're fucked.

>>8197939
Sorry Dreamscape, it seems really hard to revive old quests, the fans usually forget are aren't on. I saw Bad Guy Quest and several others try to restard with poor results. You might want to start something new if you want to continue making these.

>>8198122
Ouch.
>>8198140
Yes, you are.
>>8198141
Seems like the thing to do.

Writan' up end of quest post, question session to follow.

Aw MAN! Sorry to hear that you were hurt, was wondering where this went.

Alicia reaches for her knife for a desperate stab at the creature, and realizes with a surge of panic that it's missing. She doesn't even have time to scream before her existence is ended.

The next day at a hospital outside of New York, an older couple sobs as the machines keeping their daughter alive are removed, her brainwaves having halted completely.

With no chance of release, Paul remains trapped as the demon's host. His dreamscape becomes a place of carnage and horror, with him receiving a first person view. A curious neighbor finds his comatose body lying in his apartment, and Paul is hooked up to a hospital IV, still trapped inside his mind, unable to end it.

Outside of the bounds of human intervention, the being that trapped him there in the beginning chuckles heartily. "Most entertaining."

>>8198465
BAD END. ;_;

>>8198442
I'll probably start something else up at some point in the future. Anything you wanted me to touch on for the question-answering session?

>>8198493
Any ideas on what you'll do next? Will it be in the same universe as this Quest or will it be a different setting entirely?

>>8198493
If Alicia was in the real world, how did she get into Paul's Dreamscape? Is the Dreamscape merely an area where the consciousness of people go when they are in their coma state? Should we even have been following the Plague Doctor? What would have happened if we continued walking towards the Government? The Plague Doctor sounded rather vicious, with all the nails through hands things. Would he have tried to do the same to us if we had found him?

>>8198510
Something else entirely. I've got a big list of campaign ideas I want to try, and some of them are hard to do with a normal group. Also, as much fun as this one was I need to try something new.

>>8198530
Also, who did those memories we drank belong to? And who was the creepy smiling man on top of the diner/mountain? What was the story behind the people in the puddles? And finally, was it the "Being" itself that was the Pawn Shop's most valuable customer?

>>If Alicia was in the real world, how did she get into Paul's Dreamscape?
Alicia was an anomaly, existing in someone else's Dreamscape instead of her own, and the reason Paul got chosen for "Morpheus"'s entertainment. It was also the reason the door opened right next to her at the beginning.

>>Is the Dreamscape merely an area where the consciousness of people go when they are in their coma state?
They normally go into their own, but yes.

>>Should we even have been following the Plague Doctor?
All long term options were valid. Romero was a powerful ally if you could persuade him. Likes to use RPG-7's as maces, among other things. Talking to the guy who wanted Paul's dossier would have let you know that you were a real person as well.

>>What would have happened if we continued walking towards the Government?
Pic related for what The Government would attempt for a spy. What actually would occur would depend on your actions but could have resulted in a spiffy suit of power armor. Also, an attack by New Saduq City was in order (aka New Rocket City, Saduq=English transliteration of "rocket" in Arabic), which would have included the entire city's buildings used as a rocket barrage.

>>The Plague Doctor sounded rather vicious, with all the nails through hands things. Would he have tried to do the same to us if we had found him?
Depends on how you approached him. With your goblins, likely, but not inherently.

>>Also, who did those memories we drank belong to? The memories were of someone who gave up his most valuable possession in trade. There wasn't too much else going on with him, but drinking someone's memories was going to have some long term effects.

>>And who was the creepy smiling man on top of the diner/mountain?
A stalking enemy.

>>What was the story behind the people in the puddles?
People using the drowning method of transportation. Hence you seeing yourself in the police station when you were drowning, and Paul seeing you (he couldn't make out that it was you) drowning when he fired a flare in the police station.

>>And finally, was it the "Being" itself that was the Pawn Shop's most valuable customer?
Nope, it was pic related. Something of a mob boss and information broker in the dreamscape, hence him knowing who you really were (or at least that you were an actual person, like Paul).

Any idea when we could expect you back to run another quest?

>>8198666
Said power armor.

>>8198760
Gah. Well, thanks for answering. Though I didn't get to participate in this quest, it was great to read along. I wish you luck in your driving / crossing the street skills as well as good fortune in your next quest.

>>8198784
A week or 2, I suppose. My career takes most of my time during the week and I can't afford to be tired during the day, so weekends are pretty much it for me. And I just started running 4e over Maptool for some friends of mine scattered across the country, so that's less time to run a /tg/ quest.

The fact that this quest ended in such a brief and ignominious fashion is a source of sadness for me. It had previously brought me much entertainment.

Also, Paul was going to be able to tap into the demon's abilities at a risk to his sanity should he have been freed, but that didn't quite happen.

>>8198852
I was expecting a bit more climactic an ending myself, but I wanted to at least resolve it even if a lack of players meant not continuing it.

>>8198798
Glad you enjoyed it, and thank you. I'll be looking forward to yours as well.

>>8198894
Well, it's resolved, I suppose, and that is worth something... not every story gets a happy ending. A bitter and pointless death awaiting at the end of a hard journey can be compelling on its own, from a certain perspective.

Depressing as hell, though.

>>8198968

It is similar to the ending of Titanicus and the Halo Legends short Homecoming. Bad ends, but profound enough to keep you thinking.

Well, after Supernova's questions I realize that pretty much went through what I had planned for questions to be answered.

Other than that pretty much everything at the shop was a valid option for survival, even the stuff that wasn't really considered or asked about:
The ticket to anywhere basically summons a taxi/bus/train out of thin air and gets you out of there.
The vial with a year's winter was an amazing hand grenade or weather changer.
The 2 doses of Adrenaline+++ would have turned even Alicia into a combat machine twice, although she'd be sick after the effect wore off.
The door-locking key was a great escape means, like the ticket.
The Eager Knife was dangerous to use but very, very effective at killing.

>>8199022
Would have showed that burning dog a thing or two at least...

>>8199070

Or us, but that's half the fun I guess.

>>8198968
I've been told I can be quite the mean GM. If players want a good end, I feel they should earn it. The world is full of lives that end quickly and brutally, deaths that serve no purpose, and struggles that end without results. Much as people can ignore it, I like to touch on that in the games I run.

>>8199096
>>8199070

It would have, yes. All it would have taken was a scratch. Who got that scratch would remain to be seen, but that natural 1 roll wouldn't have been good either way.

I wonder if Cei is going to draw anything for the ending...

>>8199143
Agreed. I'm really struggling to emphasize that in the next quest I'm working on. I was a bit too easy in HANA as it was my first endeavor, and I was rooting for her to succeed as well. If I had wanted to be harsh, I would have snapped a certain character's mind at the installation.

However, I'm a big proponent of the main character being able to stabilize those around them if they can be persuasive enough, or make the "right" choices. Some things are unavoidable in life, but it is how we impact others that carries the greatest significance.

>>8199209
I doubt it, but I wouldn't protest. All that really happened draw worthy was a messy death, though. Unless the hospital scene, with the words BAD END.

For kicks, Paul should be being wheeled in right next to where Alica is being taken away from.

>>8199255
A bit too easy, yes, and I still think that KANE shouldn't really have been killed as it seemed, but done an excellent fake of it. All sorts of things he can do if he's hiding in the system or residually in Two's head.

I agree with the second paragraph. Doesn't mean it will be easy for a player to pull that off, though. If things ever seem to be going smoothly, I always ask myself how I can next throw a wrench in the works. Best advice I ever got for telling a story was from the former webcomic Road Waffles, in his offhand remark: "Time to tear down this happy little world."

I find it funny that right after the quest ends in BAD END thanks to lack of participation, all the would-be players show up.

>>8199383
Well, there was also a critically bad roll at a critical time. But the irony wasn't lost on me.

>>8199330
KANE and ABLE were never meant to last that long, NPC-wise. I was planning to kill Cam off if you jacked in early, as he would fight off KANE trying to beat his way into your head. I really tanked on ideas after that though, and the entire Seeker faction split was hardly touched on. It was my lowest point in writing, and an embarrassment.

I'll look forward to your next quest then. Cheers.

>>8199441
Oh, what would have we found if we didn't go to the Library? That's the other thing I was thinking of.

I guess as long as there's post-quest chat going on between people who run them, I'll pull out a name and fish for comments. Dreamscape, your quest was excellent; high praise from me.

>>8199330
I tried to do the same thing. Of course, the quest I ran was all about the protagonist being miserable and constantly having things that made turning evil far more attractive than staying good, which I took as license to be somewhat more heavy-handed than I normally would.

I only really applied >>8199143 in terms of non-protagonist characters, though. The main character would basically live through anything because the point of the quest in my mind was to watch her emotional development. I suppose the line about earning a good ending might apply... not that they really got one.

>>8199441
Hardly an embarrassment. You ran it well and it was enjoyed by many. You can never touch on everything you think of for a game, unlike a fiction story. I couldn't be involved later on but reading it after was fun.

I still say KANE is a fine "oh shit, he's back?" enemy if/when you continue in the setting. Lots that an AI can do to screw up a utopia. I'll be looking forward to yours as well.

>>8199451
New Saduq City was preparing its assault against The Government. You would likely have been trying to get off a building that had activated a rocket engine to become a kinetic strike device. Guess what happened to the old Saduq City?

>>8199479
Thank you. I'm not sure that I read your quest, but if you name it I may be able to comment on it.

>>8199479
It would be interesting for KANE to make a comeback, but I try to have things make sense in a way. That's why I couldn't close off the installation entrance - wasn't about to pull a "rocks fall, your exit is blocked." However, no one picked up on what caused the ship to misjump at the Pirate encounter. I'll be happily running with that next arc.

>>8199550
Ah, caught on the other side of the war. Interesting.

>>8199559
He ran "Girlfriend Quest," which turned into "Vampire Bride Quest." Or did they switch GMs after Girlfriend Quest "ended" badly the first time?

>>8199479
>>8199580
In that case, are you the same guy that ran Iron Quest? The rumor mill says so but you know how rumors go.

>>8199580
I hijacked Girlfriend Quest when the original GM killed off the main character with a vampire, then left having turned her as the epilogue and didn't with to continue it. It became Vampire Bride Quest from there.

>>8199610
Yeah, that was me. Observe the magically changing trip.

>>8199625
Well dang, now I've got to go read Vampire Quest. Didn't really catch my interest subject-wise, but since you were running it, off to the archives I'll go.

Also, Iron Quest's ending and the gnashing of teeth afterward was one of my main reasons for ensuring this quest got definite closure.

>>8199625
GAH! Multiple Personality Disorder! Ah well. Now I'll have to go and read Iron Quest.

>>8199676
And that said, if you want me to read and critique Vampire Bride Quest and get back to you on it, drop a throwaway email and I'll send something along.

The praise is even higher coming from you now that I know it's from one of /tg/'s top quest GMs.

>>8199676
Iron Quest's non-ending was one of my greatest failures. I knew exactly where I wanted to go conceptually, but I couldn't get there without dropping basically all mechanics, because the numbers were getting massively out of hand- I was progressively losing details as I went, and it still took painfully long to process turns.

When I missed a session due to real life attacks, I entered the nasty cycle of "this is really hard/I'll get to it later" that every procrastinator is familiar with regarding trying to figure out how to dig myself out of the corner I'd painted myself into. Suddenly it had been a month and I realized that the quest was over and I'd missed my chance.

Now I do more prep work when planning campaigns, and will carefully make certain that any quest I run has a definite ending.

>>8199735
You flatter me. Thanks, though. Be warned that Vampire Bride Quest is very, very different from Iron Quest.

>>8199799
It happens. At least you took it to heart, and didn't let it stop you from trying again. I'm sure having a well liked (according to the archive, Vampire Bride Quest had quite a few fans) completed quest accomplished was quite the morale boost. And there were worse places to stop Iron Quest--as it was, it was basically "Laser strikes, everybody dies, good game."

I assure you though, it's not just flattery. There are still members of the board with "Subprocessor _____" at the top of all their posts, after all this time. Who still perk up at the mention of Iron Quest.

Email noted; it may take me a bit of time with my current schedule and the number of threads, probably sometime next weekend you'll have your response.

>>8199965
The fact that some people are still named "Subprocessor _____" is something that astonishes me every time I see it and has been responsible for more than one uncontrollable smile.

I didn't actually plan to run Vampire Bride Quest at all. Just spontaneously picked it up when I got annoyed at the ending of the previous quest, and went from there... which says something about my claims that I plan things, I suppose. Still, I think it turned out rather well.

No rush or anything on the review; it's not as though the threads are going anywhere. Nice of you to take a look at all, really.

Anyway, my complements. Dreamscape Quest did a great job, above anything else, in providing a genuinely tense atmosphere. That was due mostly to your opening scenes and the bit with Paul's hand, I think, but regardless there was a sense of danger at almost all times for which I commend you.

One thing I've noticed is that on /tg/, almost any player mood is infectious, so once you'd set survival horror as the quest genre the mood was persistent even when nothing obviously terrifying was going on. You did a pretty good job of kicking it up whenever it began to flag, though, and without breaking narration to do so.

Aside from that, you've got an admirable creative streak and a devious mind that most GMs would envy, and you did great things with them here.

Best of luck to you in all endeavors; I'm off.

>>8200095
Again, I thank you for the compliments and for the analysis. It's always been helpful for me to get an outside view of how I'm doing things.

If anyone who reads this from the archives has a question or comment, I'll check the above email every few weeks. Thank you everyone for playing, I had a great time with this.

:(

In the time that I spent catching up on the last couple of threads, Alicia died...

I feel partially responsible for the dog-maiming.