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It's been a long flight, but now you're just a half hour away from touchdown. You are John T. Colt, and for the last three hours, you've been sitting the cargo hold of a passenger jet. To your right is your partner Artemis, the Hunting Witch. Before you boarded the plane, other agents of Silence took the liberty of tranquilizing her and placing her in a cage. The procedural handout issued to you informs you that she is to remain in the cage for the entire duration, and that you are only to release her from the cage for short stints to the restroom and to avoid feeding her.
You were also given your official evaluation of Artemis before leaving, as this is your fist mission with her. You hold up the paper and give it a quick scan before looking around the small hold. You knew that the agency was facing budget issues, but you never expected that they would force their agent to grab a seat on their own luggage. The hold is cramped, almost too small for you to stand at your full height, but at least you haven't been crammed in with the wheels like the rest of the suitcases.
You hear a small yawn, and look over to your companion. It seems the tranquilizers are starting to wear off, but Artemis still looks a little weak and groggy. Her half closed eyes sweep across the hold before training themselves upon you, their unnatural red coloration catching the occasional flash from the cheap lighting. She rises from her prone position and gives you a nod. That's the best greeting you've gotten from her so far, so you decide not to comment.

Still, now that she's awake, you could discuss something with her...

>Ask her if she's ever been on an away mission before.
>Ask her about her Dossier in general
>Ask about a specific part of her Dossier (specify)
>Talk about something else (specify)
>Let her wake up in peace.

>>24537314
>Let her wake up in peace.

>Ask about her Dossier (Moonlight Cutting)

>>24537314
>Ask her if she's ever been on an away mission before.

"Have a nice nap?"

Then >>24537537

>>24537314
>Ask her if she's ever been on an away mission before.

Out of curiosity, does the handout say WHY we should avoid feeding her

>>24537691
Lemme jump in here. No, it does not say why. It is, unfortunately, in Comic Sans.

>>24537691
>WHY we should avoid feeding her
Have you ever watched Gremlins?

>>24537705
>It is, unfortunately, in Comic Sans.
>is it [...] in Comic Sans
>PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION
>COMIC
>FUCKING
>SANS

these instructions are clearly a joke
>offer to let her stretch her legs

>>24537314

Good to see you back, Control.

>Let her wake up in peace.


Also, great job with that dossier, shit like that makes my day.

Last call. Looks like we're going to keep our mouths shut at the moment.

>>24537797

Well, after going full retard on the cosplay accessories, that is likely for the best.

>>24537314
>let her wake up in peace

>>24537314
You decide that between the handout and your new dossier, you've gotten enough information for now and keep your mouth shut. Being the only other thing in the hold of note, you turn your attention to Artemis. You would have problems standing up straight in here, but Artemis stretches in her cage, rolling her shoulders back and giving her head a small shake. Looking satisfied with her new level of circulation, she places the Modulator on her head and begins to straighten out her outfit. You look for a few minutes, but she she begins to adjust her pantyhose, you decide to return your attention to the instructions you have been given.

You are to go to the Gorton Hotel. Your room is 403. You are to pose as Mr. and Mrs. Ackerman, returning from a trip to Hawaii. Your vehicle is in lot D19. The keys are in the dresser drawer. You are to rendezvous with your contact, Romeo, at Jumpin' Jake's bar. You will order a plate of brisket nachos with extra guacamole. You will eat three-quarters of it, then ask for a Pina Colada, made with amaretto instead of rum. This will be your signal, after which you are to follow the lead of your contact.

Seems simple enough.

>>24537963
that contact procedure seems like something out of a crappy spy novel

>>24537986
Did you miss the part where this was all in Comic Sans? Whoever makes these instructions is a complete joker.

>>24537986

Isn't that grand?

>>24538003
in that case, I vote we go rogue and get cheese for our nachos instead

>>24538022

That could be the signal for 'decapitate the witch' for all we know.

>>24537986
I have no defense for that.

>>24537963
You place the papers down and prepare to land. As you were instructed, you leave the cargo hold and exit the plane with the normal passengers, then head for baggage claim. It feels like forever, but eventually your suitcase rounds the conveyor belt. You reach for it, but quickly decide you have a more important piece of luggage to retrieve first as several workers wheel out Artemis' cage. Fortunately for you, they were kind enough to drape a tarp over the top of it. You gather your partner and your luggage and head out to the taxi waiting for you.

You know you are supposed to load Artemis into the trunk, but a small sliver of guilt nags at you. Artemis doesn't seem to mind the cage, but you know that can't be comfortable at all. However, you would certainly make a spectacle of yourself if you let her out here.

The taxi driver looks up at you impatiently, drumming his fingers along the worn wheel and taking a long drag from his thick cigar. Well, it's time to choose.

>Let Artemis ride with you
>Load Artemis in the trunk.

>>24538142
>Load Artemis in the trunk.

Gotta keep protocol, even if it isn't very nice. We'll apologize later.

>>24538142
>Load Artemis in the trunk.
Dont want to cause a fuss

>>24538142
>>Load Artemis in the trunk.

We'll get her something nice later, but we don't want to cause a fuss.

>>24538142
>>24538171
>>24538185
>>24538250
Are you guys crazy? Don't forget she's got that modulator on right now. We don't want to cause her ANY extra stress

>let artemis ride with you

>>24538142
>Load Artemis in the trunk.
Sorry Artemis, but we don't want any trabble with the cabby.

>>24538294

She's been in the business longer than Colt, I imagine she has likely had this happen before.

If anything, making her a spectacle will be far more stress inducing.

>>24538142
>Load Artemis in the trunk.
No need to stir shit up.

>>24538142
You decide that you're just going to have to be a little heartless today and lift Artemis' cage into the trunk. Unfortunately, the fit is a little more snug than you anticipated, and you begin to jostle and shove the cage into the trunk, just to get it to fit. You hear several loud thumps as what you hope isn't Artemis' head bangs into the bars of the cage. Finally, the cage rests at the bottom of the trunk, and you turn to fetch your other luggage. You're sure you hear someone click their tongue...

You grimace and try to shake it off, loading the rest of the cases into the trunk of the cab. After you're all finished, you take your place in the back seat and tell the driver to take you to your destination. Unfortunately, the taxi driver has no idea what is in the back of his cab and drives like a reckless madman, throwing you and your luggage about the compartments as he peels out and screaches through the turns. The driver turns back to look at you as you try to catch your breath, having slammed your head against the window.

"Fastest cab in town, yeah?"

"Yeah..."

Eventually, the taxi reaches its destination, a small back street about a block from Gorton Hotel, and you bolt out of the cab, barely remembering to pay the man and collect your things. You drag Artemis' cage away from the main road and pull the tarp off. Artemis looks less than enthused, clutching the side of her head and wearing a very distinctive frown.

"You're a brute, John T. Colt."

>>24538457
Sorry. I'll buy you candy?

>>24538457

Haha, we Big O now.

>>24538457

" A brute wouldn't tolerate your lip. Come on, I'll make it up to you."

>>24538457
"Couldn't exactly show everyone a pretty girl in a cage, they might think the same things about me that you do.

Would you like some hot cocoa to make up for this?"

>>24538457
Sorry. grab a bite to eat as an apology?

>>24538457
Sup CONTROL, glad youre back.

"Sorry. By the way, do you know anything about this note?" and show her the note saying not to feed her.

>>24538457
You belt out a hasty apology, stating that you had no idea that the taxi that the agency hired would be such a wildman on the road. You offer to buy her something sweet out of your own pocket to make up for how you and the taxi driver manhandled her.

Artemis takes her hand off her head and stares at you for a good half a minute. You worry that she might be figuring out the best way to dice you to ribbons, but she eventually breaks the ice.

"Cake."

"Cake?"

"Chocolate cake. German."

Artemis has apparently made her demand. Without waiting for your response, she takes her own bag from you and begins to walk toward the Hotel. Sighing, you follow her and begin to really take in your surroundings.

This city is big, much larger than the small town your branch of Silence is based in. The buildings are all at least 8 stories high, and many are covered with flashing neon tubes, which occasionally change colors and configurations to display anything from advertisements, to the time, to tomorrow's weather forecast.
The streets themselves are packed, but every now and again, you see a car weave through them at a breakneck pace, reminding you of the taxi you just escaped from. The sidewalks are three people wide on either side, but are in a much worse condition than the rest of the city seems to be.
Otherwise, you can see that this was a city that was built by very small group instead of committee. Blocks are designed evenly, separating into neat sections of civilization, and you can see the road stretch out for miles in any direction at an intersection.

Feeling more confident in your surroundings, you try to catch up to Artemis, who was much less taken with the scenery than you were.

>>24538680
Im going to assume there is more coming?

Otherwise, we just follow her in and check in, probably.

>>24538858

Same here, I assume Control just got distracted.

>>24538680
You and Artemis arrive at the Gorton Hotel. While the rest of the city is grand, this hotel is absolutely enormous. Just from the outside, you'd guess that this building has as many as thirty floors. You don't have much time to gawk at its ivory and marble construction as Artemis heads inside before you.

The inside is just as opulant as its exterior, with red rugs, crystal fixtures, and soft lighting as far as the eye can see. Several bellhops come to take your things, and you mention your room reservation. Pointing you to the front desk, the help leaves for your room while you and Artemis approach the receptionist.

"I'm Jimmy Ackerman," you begin, "My wife and I have reserved a room, and we'd like to pick up our key."

Artemis looks up at you and reaches for the side of her head. That's right, you promised her something...

"And we'd like to have a quick sit down at your restaurant first, if you don't mind. My wife has a sweet tooth to tend to."

"Of course, sir." The clerk hands you your keycard and points you in the direction of their cafe. Witch in tow, you head in that direction, hoping that they serve German Chocolate Cake.

>>24538875
Sorry about that, had to get up to stir dinner.

>>24538911

I leave for hours at a time running Tavern Quest, so no room for me to judge.

>>24538911
No problem. Your quest is good enough that I am willing to excuse just about anything.

>>24538911
It's fine. Can't have the questrunner dropping dead of starvation.

>>24538990
No, that is perfectly excusable.

As long as they have somebody lined up to take over. We could just have an unending chain of quest, with a new QM taking over when the old one kicks the bucket.

>>24538900
When you promised her cake, you meant a slice. Artemis, however, seems to believe that a cake is meant to be eaten as a single item. While you originally couldn't see past the mountainous cake before you, Artemis has since reduced its glorious three layers down to two and shows no sign of stopping.

You check your watch and discover that your meeting with Romeo is only a short time from now. You have some time to kill, but you're not sure if you can wait for Artemis to fully sate herself on this. The note about not feeding a witch springs to mind, and you wonder if the tranquilizers have anything to do with her newfound appetite. In any case, you don't have much more time to sit around, so you...

>Send Artemis and the cake up to the room and meet Romeo by yourself.
>Tell Artemis that she has to leave the cake and head for Romeo
>Ask Artemis about the instructions not to feed her.
>Something else (specify)

>>24539023
Ask about the instructions, and if it is a good reason, tell her to leave the cake.

If it is a bullshit reason, tell her to take it to the room.

>>24539023
>Ask Artemis about the instructions not to feed her.

This is going to go badly. I can't wait.

>>24539023
>Ask Artemis about the instructions not to feed her.
And maybe she can explain why it was in COMIC FUCKING SANS.

>>24537963
>Ackerman.
Heh.

>>24539023
>Send Artemis and the cake up to the room and meet Romeo by yourself.

There is no way that this will end badly.

>>24539023
"Since we're on the subject," you begin, trying to get her attention, "why exactly did the agency tell me not to feed you during the trip?"

Artemis looks up from her food, wiping away the small bits of frosting and cake from her mouth. While she doesn't set her fork down, she seems to have stopped eating at the moment.

"It has to do with the Witch Tranquilizer."

After a few seconds, it becomes obvious that you have no idea what she is talking about, so she continues.

"Most normal tranquilziers have very little effect on Witches, as we can force ourselves into action with magic. Witch Tranquilizers, on the other hand, have many effects which make it harder for use to utilize that magic. One of its effects is to dramatically lower our blood sugar. Naturally, eating will alleviate this issue somewhat, making the tranquilizer less effective."

You suppose that makes sense...

"Is there any reason why the note was using the Comic Sans font?"

She looks blankly at you.

"I made those instructions, since you seemed inexperienced. Was that an unsuitable font?"

You shake your head and change the subject.

>Send Artemis and the cake up to the room and meet Romeo by yourself.
>Tell Artemis that she has to leave the cake and head for Romeo
>Something else (specify)

>>24539304
>harder for us*
oops

>>24539304
>Tell Artemis that she has to leave the cake and head for Romeo

Also, inform her she is to never again make use of Comic Sans.

>>24539304
>Send Artemis and the cake up to the room and meet Romeo by yourself.

I stand by my poor decision making.

>>24539304
>Tell Artemis that she has to leave the cake and head for Romeo

>>24539304
>Tell Artemis that she has to leave the cake and head for Romeo

"Artemis, it's getting close to when we have to leave for our meet. The cake will be here when we come back, we can have it sent up to our room so you can enjoy your massive pile of cake later, but we've got work to do.

And never use Comic Sans again, please, it's a terrible font."

>>24539304
Why dont we offer her the choice?

"Listen, I could use you on this mission, but you really arent fully neccesary. However, the cake cant come. So you can either stay here, with your cake, or you can come and join me, but you will have to leave it behind."

>>24539304
Use Arial or Times New Roman next time, Comic sans just looks tacky outside of a comic

>Something else (specify)
Gotta go meet informant, you want to come of finish your cake?

I'm going to grab a plate of dinner, and let you all straighten yourselves out. I will be back in 10 minutes.

>>24539470

Rejoice in your meal, friend.

So, looks like we take Artemis with us, and tell her to never again commit Comic Sans. Anything else?

>>24539383
>>24539380
>>24539354
As far as I can tell, we dont need her with us for this. We are also capable of defending ourself.

If she thinks the cake is more important than the mission, let her indulge. It will buy Brownie points anyway.

>>24539304
Wait, you gave me orders not to feed you, then immediately ask for baked diabetes?

>>24539520
Sending the cake up to the room seems to also be an action that's agreed on.

>>24539537

I am loathe to leave her alone with the anesthetic weakened.

>>24539544

I count three for taking her, one for sending her up, and two for letting her decide.

>>24539541
Clearly, that was just for the plane trip. Now that she's on the ground, she has to be ready for action. Hence pigging out on cake.

>>24539470
Aaaaand back. Alright, I'll tally these up and get to writing.

>>24539574
>The procedural handout issued to you informs you that she is to remain in the cage for the entire duration, and that you are only to release her from the cage for short stints to the restroom and to avoid feeding her.
I'm not so sure.

>>24539304
"Times New Roman next time. We're going to Jake's when you're done."
>Read a newspaper.

>>24539304
You decide that you can't wait anymore, and Artemis can't afford to stuff her face any longer either. You stand up and push your chair back in. Taking the best authoritative tone you can, you turn to Artemis.

"I realize that your tranquilizers made you more than a bit hungry, but we have an appointment to make. Put your fork down and let's get moving. If you're still hungry later, we'll figure something out."

Artemis, in the middle of biting down on another morsel looks back at you and slowly slides the fork from her mouth.

"...And, goddangit, never use Comic Sans again. Use something like Times New Roman or Arial or, hell, even Courier, but never use Comic Sans again."

She gives you a nod and puts her fork down. The moment you turn your back on her to head out, you hear a small clinking and snap your head back. Once again, Artemis has a mouthful of cake, but the fork is nowhere to be found. Shaking your head, you leave the Cafe with the witch and head for your vehicle, having grabbed your keys from the room earlier.

While you are less than impressed with the old station wagon they supplied you with, it makes good time over to Jumpin' Jakes. The bar looks like it was carved from one solid piece of oak, and even though it is still just afternoon, the place is practically lined with motorcycles and shady looking, unmarked vans. You're sure you don't have to think too hard about the kind of people that visit this kind of bar.

You look to Artemis, who looks like she should be sipping on some kind of -tini instead of heading into a crusty place like this and consider your options.

>You could leave on standby with the car, drawing as little attention to yourself as possible.
>You could take Artemis with you, but she'd stick out like a sore thumb in this kind of place
>You might try sending Artemis in to scout first, but you're not sure if she has the real world experience to do that
>Something else (specify)

>>24539674
Of the flight. Wouldn't be very useful if that was for the whole trip.

>>24539827
>You could leave on standby with the car, drawing as little attention to yourself as possible.

She's close enough to help if we need it.

>>24539827
>You could take Artemis with you, but she'd stick out like a sore thumb in this kind of place

Leaving her out here will only result in someone trying to hit on her, and that will end badly.

>>24539827
>You could take Artemis with you, but she'd stick out like a sore thumb in this kind of place
She's easily more dangerous than WE are.

>>24539827
Ask her to guard the car. We'll be following the contact out anyways.

>You could take Artemis with you, but she'd stick out like a sore thumb in this kind of place

We were warned that there would be other witches around so lets keep our's nice and close.

>>24539827
Let's leave Artemis. She's liable to get sexually harassed in this place, which means she's also likely to kill someone.

>>24539827
>You could take Artemis with you, but she'd stick out like a sore thumb in this kind of place

Try to look fatherly and her to look daughterly. It'll work.

>>24539959
>implying the world will be any worse off with one less of these walking biker cliches

>>24539827
"Well, here we are. Keep the doors locked and don't break anything, I'll be right back."
Park outside the bar and head in.

>>24539999

A good friend of mine is one of those walking cliches. Chuck's a hell of a guy.

>>24539827
>You could leave on standby with the car, drawing as little attention to yourself as possible.
If we need her we can give a tug on the Chain.

>>24539827
Take her!

Let's just go ahead and take her. I'm not keen on having to go find her again already

>>24539827
>You could take Artemis with you, but she'd stick out like a sore thumb in this kind of place

>>24539827
Your first thought is to leave Artemis out of this whole mess, but you figure that she can handle herself. You head inside, witch following behind you, and almost vomit from the awful smell. The distinct odor of piss, dried blood, and a few other bodily fluids which you would not discuss in polite company wafts through your nose, all tinted with the lovely smell of cheap alcohol and cigarette smoke. You're going to need to get your suit cleaned after this.

Artemis walks in after you, only giving the smallest wrinkle of her nose at the smell. Her entrance into the place produces a swell of cat calls and whistles, as the patrons celebrate the addition of a female which they clearly haven't used yet.

You look around the room to get a feel for the place. There's more leather and rawhide here than you've seen in your entire life, and neon signs, all advertising some kind of alcohol, flicker on and off with a steady rhythm. There are a few booths in each corner, but the majority of the seats are all worn stools. The customers here are no classier, all sporting some kind of studded leather attire, boots, and tattoos galore. Even the most conservative among them has at least one arm completely inked.

"Alright, I need to to go standby elsewhere in here. I have to go signal for our guy." After giving Artemis her instructions, you go head toward the bar. You stop when you feel a tug on your sleeve.

"Please stay with me, I don't feel safe here..."

Shocked, you turn back to look at her, but she only has a blank expression as usual. She narrows her eyes at you and tilts her head.

"Selene was right. You are simple. Go ahead. I will remain on standby here."

Feeling a lot less amiable toward your partner, you head for the bar to start this song and dance.

>>24540201
>"Alright, I need you to go standby elsewhere...
Shit, son, what is with all my screwups today?

>>24540221
So, sorry if I just misunderstood, but did we dismiss her again? Or did we allow her to stay nearby?

>>24540249
Artemis is on standby inside the establishment while you signal the contact.

>>24540201
>You will order a plate of brisket nachos with extra guacamole. You will eat three-quarters of it, then ask for a Pina Colada, made with amaretto instead of rum.

>"I made those instructions, since you seemed inexperienced. Was that an unsuitable font?"

I think she's hazing us, guys.

>>24540356

Aye, but orders are orders.

>>24540201
>>24540201
"Brisket Nachos. Extra Guacamole."
You can barely get your order out over the blaring jukebox, but the bartender eyes you carefully then calls out your order to the cook. He returns his attention to you.

"You and your friend here don't come to places like this much, do you?"

"Now, I don't think that's any of your business, is it?"

With the pleasantries exchanged, you wait for your meal. It only takes a few minutes before you get a pile of clearly stale chips, covered in green and yellow slime. Your stomach turns, but you force yourself through the horrid meal, putting chip after slimy chip into your mouth until you've eaten what you hope to have been a full three-quarters. Ready to toss your innards all over the bar, you order your drink to give the last part of the signal.

Before your drink gets here, a figure pulls up a stool next to you and slaps you on the back.

"Never thought I'd see someone go through with a dumb set up like that! You must be new, kid!"

You turn and face what could only be Romeo. It's a woman, with long red hair and blue eyes, dressed in the same leathers and chains as the rest of the establishment.

"Did someone tell you to do our old routine from the 80's? You know, you didn't have to do all that. I mean, I could tell who you were just from how you dressed. "

You feel bile rising at the back of your throat, but you swallow hard and keep it down.

>Confirm if this is Romeo
>Wait silently for your information
>Check on Artemis
>Something else (specify)

>>24540418
>>Wait silently for your information

It was a ruse, it seems.

>>24540418
>Confirm if this is Romeo

Something seems off.

>>24540418
>Check on Artemis
Just casually check her way, see if her expression's gone into anything resembling a smirk.

>>24540418
>Confirm if this is Romeo

>>24540474
This! Then something else, but this first!

>>24540418
"I can bet it's a joke on me, and a crack at you"
Get something to drink and wash the vile taste of guacamole nachos out.
"The things I do for job security."

>>24540474
Thirding, then

>Confirm if this is Romeo

>You could take Artemis with you, but she'd stick out like a sore thumb in this kind of place

Calm and professional like.

First this checking on Artemis, then confirming Romeo's identity

>>24540418
You avert your eyes to check on Artemis, suspecting that this was all some cruel hazing ritual concocted by that witch. You find her in a booth in the corner, surrounded by men. They are all making wholly inappropriate comments, whilst leaning over her form. A few have even taking to playing around with the ears on the Modulator, flicking them around and watching them fall back down to rest on Artemis' head. The witch herself is looking down at the table, with her hands folded neatly in front of her. She appears calm at first glance, but you can see her brow twitching and the white knuckles of her hands. There is a palpable aura of malice emanating from her, but you shake it off and decide to confirm if your contact is who she says she is...

>>24540474
I like it!

>>24540664
"Introduce yourself," you say, turning to your new neighbor. You take that Pina Colada you ordered and gulp it down, trying to wash the taste of coagulated guacamole out of your mouth while waiting for the news from your supposed contact.

"I'm Romeo, come on! I know we're trying to be all hush hush in case of familiars, but it's not like we're conducting espionage or something. Calm down."

Come to think of it, this was all rather silly, given that your agency is public knowledge. You feel a little bit of shame after having taken it so seriously, but you bury your face in your glass and continue to drink in order to hide your mistake.

"So anyway, you're here about them Wards, huh? Gimme a minute to call ahead and I'll show you something nice. I'll be outside waiting for you if you want to finish that up."

Romeo gives you a small wave and leaves the bar, cellphone in hand. Well, that was a lot of drama for something so simple.

>Finish your drink
>Head outside immediately
>Something else (specify)

>>24540664
This is why I said to leave her in the car, but since she's been hazing us, I don't see why we can't let her suffer there for a bit.
>Oh I'm sorry, I simply didn't notice.

>>24540747
Pick up Artemis and head outside.

>>24540747
Check on Artemis again.

If she is still in trouble, pull her out. If there is resistance, pull harder and warn that we dont want no trouble.

>>24540747
>Finish your drink

My father always taught me to never leave a drink. You never know if you will get to have another.

>>24540747
>Finish your drink
Artemis can wait after hazing us

>>24540747
Finish our drink and leave.
Hopefully Artemis will snap and this blight on earth will burn.

>>24540747
You decide to finish your drink, nice and easy. As bad as the nachos were, this isn't a bad drink. The smooth flavor of the amaretto mixes with the pineapple and coconut juices to produce a drink that's easy to drink, but still has that little bit of kick any man of sophistication would look for in a good beverage. You consider ordering another one of these to go, but you remember that you are on the clock right now and can't afford to bill your agency with any unnecessary purchases. Furthermore, it seems like Artemis is still having an unhappy time in her little corner, and this business with Romeo needs to be taken care of swiftly if you are to truly get on this case soon. Reluctantly, you put your glass down and head to the back of the bar to pick up your companion.

When you reach Artemis, she is shaking with fury, but her harassers don't seem to notice or care. As they are in one piece, you assume that Artemis hasn't lost her cool just yet, so you decide that this would probably be a good time to collect her before all hell breaks loose.

"Come on," you call to her,"It's time to go."

Artemis gets up suddenly, pushing the small table back as she leaves her seat, knocking over one of the men hassling her. He gets up, red in the face from anger and reaches over to Artemis.

"____"

You see her mouth move, but you can't hear her whisper over the din of the bar. It doesn't matter, as the man's hand suddenly spurts blood from dozens of small lacerations. He screams as Artemis takes her place next to you, and your good sense drives you to leave the bar immediately.

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Your OP image has intrigued me. Was ist das?

>>24540990
Something I made in paint. Originally, I saw it as Silence's seal, but I never found a chance to really work that in.

File: 1367295038027.jpg-(95 KB, 563x750, bet you havent seen this (...).jpg)

95 KB JPG

>>24541024
No, I mean what's the quest about? Don't think I've seen it trawling the archives.

>>24540969
Looks like we gotta scold her on unauthorized use of powers again.

>>24541101
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Silencer%20Quest

>>24541133

Certainly. I knew we should have left her in the car.

>>24540969
As you leave, Romeo snaps her phone shut and spins on her heel to face you.

"Alrighty then, now that I've called ahead, how would you like to go see some of their Wards? We recovered two of them, but we've been having some problems down here with identifying exactly how they work. Since you brought your puppy along, I was thinking we could have her take a look, if that's okay with you."

It sounds like a good idea to you, so you give Romeo a nod and tell her to lead on. You're eager to put any distance between you and that bar, so you set a brisk pace. Along the way, you inform Romeo about what little you know, including the possibility of more than one Witch being present.

"Well, duh there's more than one here. We think there's about three active in this city right now, and they're all at each other's throats. Didn't anyone tell you anything about what's going on here?"

You shake your head, saying that you came here on a hunch from your Chief.

"Christ. See, this is why we need to centralize, instead of having all this independent branch nonsense. Anyway, here, read this."

You're handed a small file folder and you flip it open immediately. You're greeted with pictures of corpses. Lots of them.

This case just got a lot more serious...


And that's it for now. I have to replace the head gasket on my car tomorrow, so that's gonna be fun.

Thoughts, ideas, suggestions, criticisms, other isms are welcome right now.

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>>24541137

>>24541157

Good thread man, I had a great time. Don't really have anything for you criticism or suggestion wise, but you'll know as soon as I do. Remember to archive!

And thanks for running the quest. I am loving where this is going, and that's only partially the heavy southern accent I throw on Colt.

>>24541213
Thanks for the praise, but remember I can't get any better without some criticism, so don't be afraid to be blunt and come out with it if there's anything that's not up to par.

>>24541262
Honestly, there are no glaring errors. You are keeping Waifu-fagging to a minimum Which is a personal preference, but it is best to be on or off rather than just cockteasing, the setting and the plot are both good, you arent taking too long between posts, and they arent too short.

One of the better quests on here. On my top 5, at the very least.

>>24541262

I agree with this guy:>>24541394

You are really handling this well. If I want to reach, uh, maybe incorporate dialogue players write more? I know that can really increase attachment to the protagonist. You've improved post length, which was the first issue I brought up. Really, keep up the good work, and maybe consider running even longer if possible.

>>24541394
Speak for yourself. Artemis is golden waifu material.

>>24541437

Keeping it to one waifu is actually a very good step in the right direction, if you ask me. That shit can eat threads. My solution was to give the protag previous attachments in my quest, and that was only partially successful. In a way, this is more elegant.

>>24541437
But you will never get it.

And what I am getting at is that he isnt making that the point of the story. That is a viable option, but he has to make the choice. I dont like quests that give you a waifu, then expect you to dance all over it while you try to keep up with other things. There are dating sims and there are adventure games. Not a fan of Dating-focussed adventure games.

>>24541430
I'll try to run longer and use some more player dialogue. I'm running length on this like I would for a regular RPG. Keep going until it feels like a good place to stop. Don't know how some of these guys run quests all day.

By the way, I'll also answer any trivia questions about the setting and stuff now too. You'll get any info you can reasonable expect Colt to know or be able to easily find out, in case you want that for some background info.

>>24541479
Archive is up, by the way

>>24541479
Fem can do it because she's working on her computer all day anyways, haven't heard anyone else's reason, though.

>>24541479

Have witches affected global politics significantly, both in the modern era and the past?

>>24541515

I run an eight hour shift on mine, because I do it on Saturday afternoons once a week.

>>24541479
I dont run very long sessions because my only companions are loneliness and self-inflicted hatred

>>24541532
Witches themselves haven't been in politics in a major way, but they've reliably used as bogeymen for politicians who need a scapegoat or an enemy to shift attention to.

Witches aren't afforded rights in most countries, and those identified as a witch were killed without question up until progressive movements for the criminally insane also included them. Until Etherlite was developed and anti-psychotics reached a usable level, the "merciful" containment of witches included cutting out their vocal cords. Scientists still aren't sure why, but this stopped a witch from using her magic, though it did nothing for her condition otherwise.

This is where Silence, and the act of "Silencing", got its name from, incidentally.

>>24541620

I was hoping for Nazi Witch Squads. Damn.

>>24541620
Is that form of Silencing still used in rare cases, or can modern drugs and such work adequately all of the time?

>>24541629
There have been many attempts to use them that way, certainly! Until Silence made the modern form of the Choker, such attempts have been very unreliable at best, essentially aiming a Witch in one direction with a knife to her throat or a gun to the back of her head.

The only group to successfully use Witches in this way was Witch Hammer, the Catholic funded predecessor to Silence. They actually had physical chains and collars, which put a Witch completely under their control. Modern Chokers are imperfect replicas of these mysterious artifacts.

>>24541644
Yes. Any witch that is now sanctioned for a Permanent Silencing has her vocal cords surgically severed. Of course, they are also put on anti-psychotics to deal with their psychological issues.

>>24541691
So, are choked witches actually loyal?

And if they are, are they loyal to us or to Silence?

>>24541727
The modern Choker is not as effective as the Witch Hammer's collars, which provide complete control. Witch Hammer still operates, but their numbers are so limited that in most places where they are active, they have been completely integrated into Silence. Choked Witches are generally loyal because they know this is their only option. Some are grateful, some are resentful, but for the most part, they know they got a pretty good deal and try to make the best of it. They tend to be more loyal to their individual handlers, who they work with on a daily basis, than to the idea of Silence but that distinction is usually unimportant.

>>24541786

Is Silence governmental or religious? Both?

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>>24541802
Or, for that matter, a private organization?

>>24541802
>>24541808
Silence is a multinational organization, sanctioned and approved by the United Nations. Prior to that recognition, though, Silence existed as many different cells of witch hunters who occasionally spoke to each other and traded information. That decentralized organization persists today, even though they have adopted some forms of regulation and official recognition.

>>24541852

Thanks for the info Control, Im out. See you next time.

>>24541852
Hmm, do we know very much about the other types of witches? I remember you mentioned Green, Fire, and Death, if we know what those do.

>>24541437
Artemis is too creepy to be a waifu. Plus, I just don't think she's interested in Colt

>>24542096
Green witches have powers relating to plant life. Flame Witches have powers relating to heat and fire. Death Witches have powers relating to decay or corpses.

These are broad nomenclatures, and many witches classified as one type have some witchcraft dealing with things that aren't traditionally associated with that. Every witch is a unique case in regards to her talents and powers.

>>24542147
You mentioned that some powers, such as submission, are shared. Are there some types that specialize in these, or are they always just a mundane add-on?

>>24542103

There is an entire subset of creepy waifus, man. And them bot being interested has never stopped waifuing before.

>>24542160
Yes, for example, Witches that deal primarily with Suggestion are known as Charm Witches. At the same time, there are Witches of other Classifications who have suggestion on the level of Charm. How a Witch is classified generally falls down to who is doing the paperwork, but they try to classify them based on their main talent.

>>24542188
But she hazed us, man, she hazed us. She also probably set up the stupid cover story for the Hotel, and the crappy car too.

>>24542206
Has anybody ever asked the witches what they would classify themself as? I feel like they should know their powers best, and given that theyre compliability, it seems like a good idea to me.

Also, how exactly do the bureaucrats get an accurate description of their abilities? Is there scanner-eque thing, or is it MAGICSCIENCE?

Honestly I've really liked the interactions with Artemis. Also the jokes that you've snuck in are pretty funny.

>>24542281
Generally, guys like Dr. Sam perform a battery of tests on Choked or Captured Witches, so they have the most detailed and complete records to base this off of. Witches who cooperate also offer information if they can, but it's no secret that many don't share the full extent of their abilities, particularly if those abilities have a particular stigma attached to them such as Beast or Charm Witchcraft (both known for more serious psychological issues). Otherwise, it just comes down to what was observed by field agents during capture.

>>24542346
If it is possible they dont even know the full extent of their powers, they probably dont all show up with testing either.

inb4 Artemis has a Noble Phantasm

Hmm... Is this all a homebrewed setting, or are you basing this off of something? It sounds really well thought out, and I would love to read a book in this universe.

>>24542400
Yeah, some witches aren't aware of what they can do. The tests at Silence try to coax them into using their powers, hence why Artemis has F ratings in certain skills (she just doesn't have them).

And honestly? I'm making this up as I go along. I had a rough idea in my head, sure, and there's been some inspiration from outside sources, but it's mostly just me adding more and more widgets to my original ideas as I go along.

>>24542462
That is about how I work it when I make a setting

And I absolutely adore Q&As such as this. Really helps me flesh out my setting, by answering about specific details.

>>24542462
>hence why Artemis has F ratings in certain skills (she just doesn't have them).
>Physical Aptitude: F
So what, is Artemis like super out of shape or something?

>>24542539
She is crippled, silly.

Didnt you read the part where she can only talk with a Stephan Hawking style computer?

>>24542462
So, Artemis fits in a cage pretty well, right?

How tall is she? How thin?

>>24542539
>>24542546
She's got no athletic talent at all. Just atrocious at the whole exercise thing. Fortunately, Colt happens to be really good at those things.

>>24542556
She's the very definition of a featherweight.

>>24542585
Did you draw that picture from the dossier?

>>24542585
I'm guessing somewhere around 5 feet, maybe a bit more, less than 100 pounds soaking wet, somehow manages to eat an entire cake by herself.

>>24542597
Paint.net and a mouse, yep. I have a sister who is an actual artist but she asked for money and screw that.

>>24542604
Witches, man.

>>24542620
Well it is a hell of a lot better than I could do, so I approve.

We got to see her neck when we first saw the Choker, right? Is there anything special about it?

>>24542620

Colt. Does he have a southern accent. Its been bothering me. I hope so.

>>24542636
It's where the actual Choker is. It also doesn't get ANY sun so it's even paler than the rest of her.

>>24542655
He's from Texas, and the rest of his branch is located there too.

>>24542683
Does she seem embarrassed by it? Or is the muffler only there to prevent any unconvinient questions?

Is she obviously a witch? Witches are pretty publicly known, so do people dislike her on sight?

Is the public's opinion of witches hatred, or is it just mistrust and therefore they get scapegoated?

Are there any surefire signs of a witch? Glowing eyes, children bones in death, smelly armpits?

>>24542711
>Does she seem embarrassed by it? Or is the muffler only there to prevent any inconvenient questions?
Colt doesn't know.

>Is she obviously a witch? Witches are pretty publicly known, so do people dislike her on sight?
Those red eyes are freaky. However, if people knew she was a witch, they wouldn't be selling her German Chocolate Cake and she wouldn't be harassed by six guys at once.

>Is the public's opinion of witches hatred, or is it just mistrust and therefore they get scapegoated?
It is pretty much exactly the same as the opinion of serial killers. Dangerous, scary people who can do bad things to you. Some politicians blame mysterious fires and the like on them, with varying degrees of truth.

>Are there any surefire signs of a witch? Glowing eyes, children bones in death, smelly armpits?

Magic. Some magic has obvious signs. Glowing eyes are often associated with Remote Sensing or Suggestion spell in use but it isn't a hard and fast rule. The gibberish language associated with powerful spells is a telltale sign, but you're usually only going to hear that right before a witch kills you. Those in the know can recognize a Choker, but most aren't in the know.

>>24542798
Is Witchery a trainable thing, or is it genetic? And for that matter, is the Psychosis a symptom or a cause of it?

>>24542848
Some women are just Witches. It doesn't follow any sort of pattern, be it in family lines (not that most witches have a chance to reproduce) or proximity. Witches are also all crazy, and it becomes progressively worse. It's a very chicken and egg scenario, but it is known that Witchcraft use accelerates their mental instability. Silence uses medication and therapy programs on both Choked and captured Witches to alleviate these symptoms.

Artemis, to the best of Colt's knowledge, is extremely stable. Like her dossier says, her Flat Affect is still troubling.

>>24542940
Was the dossier also provided by Artemis, or was that actual Silence files?

Has anybody ever been cured of Witchery?

Has a Witch breeding program been attempted?

>>24542975
>Was the dossier also provided by Artemis, or was that actual Silence files?
That is an official file.
>Has anybody ever been cured of Witchery?
The only cure is death.
>Has a Witch breeding program been attempted?
Colt knows that Soviet Russia conducted many experiments on this. They failed to significantly increase or decrease the appearance of Witches.

>>24543014
Have we ever left the country?

>>24543024
No

>>24543043
Do we have any family/close friends?

>>24543198
Most of his history doesn't matter or hasn't come up, so I can be free with it. Colt's mother died in childbirth so his father raised him. Taught him to shoot straight and to live straight, and Colt joined the police just like his father did. A couple years before Colt was recruited by Silence, his father died of a heart attack--too many steak and egg dinners. Otherwise, Colt's old connections have withered somewhat due to the nature of his job. Not much time off to make new friends or keep up with old ones.

Colt has many friends in the R&D department, like Dr. Sam and he's on good terms with the Quartermaster (who you haven't met yet) who generally is in charge of the Shooting Range.

>>24543282
Has he had any meaningful relationships?

>>24543315
Define significant

>>24543336
I mean women.

Has he ever proposed, or reached the point where he has wanted to propose? Maybe she wanted him to, but he didnt?

>>24543355
Alright well, Im off to sleep.

Been good chatting with you, Control. Any idea when you next thread will be?

>>24543355
No. Colt has followed his father's advice: "A good cop doesn't take a wife. It's a hell of a thing to do to a woman."

He's just been too busy for those kinds of things anyway.

>>24543418
I really don't know. Soon, though. Unfortunately, I'm still in limbo concerning a job so I can't be certain until that's resolved.

>>24543423
"A good cop only has a waifu for comfort. So when you pick her, pick the right one."

That was another quote of his, right?

>>24543423
Well, that's one way to avoid becoming a fat angry has-been gringo with a bad haircut and a ridiculous shirt, without the sensibilities to know right from wrong.

>>24543454
lol, we'll see. Most of this is fairly inconsequential if you ask me.

>>24537314
I knew Artemis was cute. I knew it.

>>24542604
>tiny witch girl for a partner
>apparently likes to troll
Surely Not a Waifu Quest indeed