Monitoring the thread, Control. Good to see you back.

No questions from me, so I shall lurk until the quest gets underway.

No questions? Well if no questions pop up in the next 5 minutes or so, I'll get started

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I'd just like to say that I am very annoyed I wasn't around for the last thread. I've been lurking mostly, but I was actually mildly suspicious of "Romeo" after the mention of her being warm despite the cold...

>>24867526
Man we fucked up big time. I wish I was there for that session, might've noticed it.

>>24867854
>>24867859

Well, Im not drinking tonight, that's for sure.

>>24867854
No need to lurk. More people posting is better.

What kind of background does our protagonist have? What was his education, home life, and personal life like before the whole witch hunting thing?

>>24867933
He was a police officer for many years in his hometown, which is a few hours drive from the HQ. He was raised by his father, also a police officer, who tried to impart how to be a good lawman and a gentleman in general off to Colt. He passed away from a heart attack a few years ago, and his mother died in childbirth. Colt only got a highschool education, but he's perceptive with good instincts, so he made a fine officer. Was going to make detective before Silence snatched him up. Colt's work has prevented him from having much of a personal life up to this point.

>>24867993
Is there anything that Colt particularly excels at, or is he more of a jack of all trades type of man?

>>24868018
He's very athletic and a great marksman. He's also got keen senses, which is the excuse I make to information overload at times.

>>24868039

Witchery ever a political hotbutton? A scapegoat, I remember you saying, but anything legislative?

>>24868039
Ah, so an officer through and through. Is he particularly against witches, or is this just a way to keep the public safe to him?

>>24868063
It's somewhat scandalous if you're related to a known witch. You're going to face a glass ceiling, and you probably won't get to prominent public offices.

>>24868066
That's something more for you guys to decide. Until this last royal fuckup, though, he's never personally suffered at the hands of witches.

would artemis be irritated if Colt used her witchery to avoid having to pay for haircuts?

>>24868114
You should ask her that.

>>24868097

I suspect that fuckup will make us more witch-reliant, if anything. We have both neglected and misused Artemis so far, and we payed the price.

Alright, I think we'll get started here. Gimme a minute.

You roll out of bed and groan, putting a hand to your head as the memories of all those bodies flashes before your eyes. You are John T. Colt, Silencer, and while it’s been a month to the day since you were given a “mandatory vacation”, the defeat you faced still lingers in your mind. The Red Witch...the woman you believed to be the Chief of a remote branch of Silence turned out to be a witch with a power like you’ve never seen before. She put an entire branch of Silence under her spell, used you to capture the other witches in the city, and when she was done with her little game, she had all those agents eat their own guns. Ever since, you’ve stretched your brain, trying to wrap your head around just how she might have done such a thing. No matter how many times you think about it, only one answer makes sense.

Charm: the highest form of Suggestion, capable of completely overwriting a person’s entire personality. A Charm Witch is capable of not just issuing commands, but rewriting a person from the ground up. To them, one’s senses, memories, and even their free will are just toys, putty to be shaped and reshaped as they see fit. Even with such an amazing Witchcraft, however, you’ve never heard of a single witch being able to control so many people at a time. No doubt about it, Miss Red is one witch that can’t be left alone.

You slap your face and focus. You don’t have time to keep worrying about what you can’t change. It’ll be your first day back on the job after a long month, and it’s just not in you to be late. A quick shave and shower and a nice clean suit later, you head out the door. You climb into the old pickup your late father left you and start it up. The familiar sounds of a misfiring cylinder (you should really get on that) and the thick black smoke you see from your rear-view mirror finally snap you out of the funk you’ve been in for the past month, and you pull out of the apartment’s parking lot.

>>24868122
I'd say we've more been going to far on the nice side. We seem to have the chain to rein her in when things have gone wonky, and she's told us we have to use it, but so far we've only talked her down.

And it was that stupid cat-ears thing that caused the worst problems with her.

>>24868165
Headquarters peeks over the horizon as you approach. Only of the only Silence branches to have a specialized headquarters constructed for it, the building is a solid hemisphere set into the ground. Surrounding this central building are rows upon rows of barbed wire fences, with guard towers placed at regular intervals. Every inch of the building covered in a bronze-tinted, reflective glass, it is almost like a second sunrise, as the mirrored surface shines with the morning light.

You park your truck and head inside, giving a courtesy wave to the receptionists. The women barely look up from their station. You don’t envy their position. Every day, these receptionists must handle hundreds of calls, each of which are absolutely sure that they have discovered a dangerous supernatural. Those callers are almost always wrong, but attempting to get one to remain calm and consider the situation with a level head is impossible--you may as well try to convince someone that the sky is green.

First things first: you have to go see the Chief and report in. A quick ride in the elevator takes you to his office. Every time you come in here, you see a new placard or photo that you missed last time. Your eyes are drawn to a photo today. Looks to be a group shot, with the giant Branson sticking out like a sore thumb. To his left and right are men and women, all in the professional black suits you’ve come to associate with your agency. One person in particular stands out to you, if only because of her strange pose. The young woman is straddling Branson’s shoulders and her hands are held up, making a “v” sign with her fingers. Branson doesn’t look like he’s about to murder her, so you suppose there was a time in his life before he was a grizzled hardass.

>>24868174
Chief Branson looks to be playing a game of solitaire, arranging and rearranging the cards laid out over his desk. You give a small cough and announce yourself, saying that you’re reporting for duty. Branson looks up from his cards and nods.

“Good to see you back, son. Ready to get back out in the field?”

“Yes, sir!”

“Great, because we need someone to get on a local problem.”

Branson pulls out a file and flips it open, pulling out a photograph. It’s a bit blurry, but it looks like an animal running across a road.

“We’ve been getting reports of these for a while now. So far they haven’t done anything serious, mostly just property damage and a few missing pets, but we just had a serious attack yesterday. The victim survived, but his injuries and testimony seemed off to me.”

“You think it’s a witch?”

“No, I don’t think so. Remember, he survived. Anyway, we want you to look into this.”

You comment that this sounds more like a job for Animal Control, and not Silence.

“True, but these photos and those injuries tell me that this isn’t just a wild dog. I think we’re dealing with some kind of cryptid here. The authorities just aren’t equipped to deal with something like that, so we’re just going to have to pick up the slack. I don’t care how you get rid of these things, but I want them gone. Understand?”

>>24868185
A Cryptid. A creature out of myth and legend, roaming free in the world. Most of them are as dangerous as they are rare. You take the file and tell him you’ll get on it right away.

“Good. Go get yourself outfitted and pick up your partner. Most of what you need to know is in that file, so don’t lose it. Good luck.”

With the conversation over, you think about the new task ahead of you. You do need to get equipped and you haven’t seen nor heard from your partner in a month. There’s plenty of time to see to all of this, so you...

>Ask Branson if there’s anything he knows that isn’t in the file
>Go to the shooting range and see the Quartermaster.
>Go talk to Sam. Maybe he has something nice for you.
>Go see Selene and find out where your partner is.
>Something else.

>>24868196
>Ask Branson if there’s anything he knows that isn’t in the file

We're already here.

"Most of what I need to know? There anything important missing from the file?"

>>24868172

You mistake me. Misused, not abused. Not a matter of morality, a matter of improper utilization.

>>24868196

>Ask Branson if there’s anything he knows that isn’t in the file

>>24868196
>Ask Branson if there’s anything he knows that isn’t in the file
then
>Go see Selene and find out where your partner is

>>24868196
>Go to the shooting range and see the Quartermaster.

Might aw well get a gun that will actually fire real bullets.

>>24868227
I'm pretty sure etherlight is better, since it's lethal force against anything but witches.

>>24868196
"Most of what I need to know? Is there anything important missing from the file?"

Branson snaps his fingers. Apparently he's out of moves for his game and collects his cards to reshuffle them.

"Just talking from experience here. Cryptids are serious business, boy, they're every bit as dangerous as a witch. Some of em are even smarter, too. Just keep your wits about you and don't assume you know anything about how smart it is or what it can do."

You give the Chief a nod and thank him for the info.

"Good, now get outta here, you're ruining my game."

>Go to the shooting range and see the Quartermaster.
>Go talk to Sam. Maybe he has something nice for you.
>Go see Selene and find out where your partner is.
>Something else.

>>24868323
>Go see Selene and find out where your partner is.

>>24868323
>Go see Selene and find out where your partner is.

>>24868323
>Go to the shooting range and see the Quartermaster.

We have kind of neglected this part of HQ up till now.

>>24868323
>Go to the shooting range and see the Quartermaster.

Weapons first, and then go meet the witching lady.

>>24868323
>Go talk to Sam. Maybe he has something nice for you.
I kind of want to see what kind of insane weaboo junk he tries to foist off on us this time. And bitch him out over what happened with the headband.

>>24868335
>>24868336
>>24868341
>>24868344
>>24868353
We need some sort of tiebreaker here. Nobody decides in five minutes and it's 1d2 time.

>>24868323
>Go see Selene and find out where your partner is.
find partner, grab gun after

>>24868398
That'll do. Alright.

>>24868323
It would be best to get your partner first, wouldn't it? It's been a whole month after all.

You make your way down to the psych department, where they house and try to treat the witch's madness. After making only one wrong turn down the confusing and decorated hallways, supposedly they make the witches draw calming pictures on the wall as therapy, you arrive at Selene Erikson's office. She is the doctor in charge of Artemis, your partner, but you're not sure how good of a decision that is.

You knock on the door twice, then let yourself in. Selene is sitting at her desk, undoubtedly reading one of her sordid novels. She looks up from the book at you and gives a toothy grin.

"Hello! Hello! Good to see you again! You never call! Artemis and I were worried that you dumped us!"

You shake your head and sigh, heading into the room. You ask Selene where your partner is and take a seat.

"She's just finishing up her exercise routine. She was SO embarrassed that she couldn't keep up last time that she's been working out non-stop to catch up!"

That is impressive. You ask Selene about her progress.

"Oh good good, she's can run a 13 minute mile now!"

That's...more than double your time.

>>24868528
Well it's better than before, at least she can keep up a 4-5 mph pace.

What is our mile time? 5 or 6 minutes I'd guess.

>>24868528
At least it's something.

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>>24868528
>13 minute mile time
Thats what my average mile time is

>>24868581

Mine too!

... two years ago.

... when I worked out.

>>24868528
The door to her office swings open and Artemis enters. Her red eyes immediately lock on to yours, where they hold for a few seconds. The stare is as awkward as it ever was.

"Hello, John T. Colt. It has been a full lunar cycle since we last met."

Artemis looks at Selene, who promptly gets out of her chair.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Let me just get out of your way."

Selene leaves the room, giggling while Artemis approaches you. You're not sure what to make of it, so you don't say anything.

"Firstly, let me apologize. It was my fault that the tragedy occurred a month ago. I was weak and useless. I never once suspected the Red Witch."

You try to cut her off, but Artemis raises a hand to silence you.

"Secondly, I wish to let you know that I want to grow stronger. I want to be of use to you, and to Silence. To that end, I have a...a gift for you. Please, close your eyes and hold out your left hand."

Artemis stares at you and waits.

>Go ahead and do what she asks
>Hold your hand out, but try to sneak a peek (Chance)
>something else

>>24868651
>Go ahead and do what she asks

Awkward bonding time ho!

>>24868651
>Go ahead and do what she asks

>>24868651
>Hold your hand out, but try to sneak a peek (Chance)

She's not in charge. Let's be unnecessarily petty for the sale of humor.

>>24868651
>>Hold your hand out, but try to sneak a peek (Chance)
I'm up for some gambling

>>24868651
>Go ahead and do what she asks.

May as well. I'm hoping it'll be something utterly unexpected and weird.

>Feel something slimy on your hand.
>"This slug represents our newfound conviction."

>>24868651
>Go ahead and do what she asks

If she tries to pull something we have the chain.

>>24868651
You close your eyes and extend your left hand. You feel Artemis' small, cool hand take your own, turning the palm upward and locking her fingers in between yours. You hear her taking a few deep breaths, but beyond that, you're completely in the dark.

"____!"

Witchcraft. Words of power. Just what is Artemis doing...?

Intense, incredible pain answers your question. You shout and open your eyes, looking down a your left hand. Artemis has plunged a large knife down through the top of her own hand and into yours. After focusing on it for a second, Artemis withdraws the knife from your hand and hers, and presents the knife to you.

You're not concerned about that, though, and you check your hand. Surely there's a horrible gaping wound that...

There's nothing. Certainly, there's a lot of blood, but you can't see a single wound. It doesn't hurt anymore either.

"I spent this last month trying to create a powerful weapon for you. I even used my very soul in the process, but this is all I could manage."

You look at the bloody knife. It's certainly high quality from the looks of it, but it's fuzzy somehow. As if you can almost see through it.

"I know it is not much, but please take it. It will never break, and I promise it is sharper than any scalpel."

You take the knife. It's almost weightless, despite the blade's size.

"There's more...please let me explain."

Artemis takes a seat in front of you and takes another large breath.

>>24868876
Well that was weird.

>>24868876
....Damn

>>24868876
>magic knife

Fucking sweet, we need a name for it

>>24868876
"As I said before, I used my soul when I made this weapon. That is not a metaphor. What you hold is a fragment of myself."

You turn the knife over in your hand, witchcraft is stranger than you thought.

"That knife is me, and I am that knife. I want you to sharpen me."

You raise an eyebrow at that statement and ask her to clarify.

"Before, I thought that I knew better than you. That because of my seniority, I could compensate for your errors. I was wrong. I was useless. I was ignorant. I was weak. I was only a bother to you. You were the only who was compensating for my presence."

This seems like a serious statement. You feel that now would be a bad time to cut in, and you let her continue her speech.

"So I have decided to cast away my former perspective. I want you to instill proper discipline in me. I wish for you to show me what it is like to be a true hunter. Sharpen me. Hone me into an even greater weapon. As you sharpen me, that knife will become even stronger. Even if I am still of no use, I know that this blade, at least, shall serve you well."

There is a long awkward silence afterward, as Artemis looks at you straight in the eyes. This is no joke.

"Well then...I must clean myself. I assume we have a mission, do we not? I will wait by your vehicle."

Artemis gets up and leaves. Once more you turn the knife over in your hand, considering what she said.

"Oh my, oh my~ I can't believe my little girl went ahead with something like this!"

It's Selene, leaning in through the doorway.

"Sorry, I peeked."

>>24869054
So if we spend long nights idly sharpening the knife will Artemis feel that?

Don't actually ask that.

>>24869054
hell of a marriage proposal

>>24869131
best suggesting since licking the soul gem in MGNQ

>>24869054
Well that was something. I wonder if sharpening the knife is code for killing witches.

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>>24869054
Selene laughs as she heads over, taking a seat. You ask her if Artemis was really serious about all this.

"Dead serious. Witches don't hand away little pieces of themselves that easily. You should have seen her as she was trying to make it. She kept expecting everything to come out like it was Excalibur or something..."

You laugh nervously, asking her opinion on the matter, and what all this actually means.

"Well...here's the thing. Artemis is opening herself to your lead now, so you're going to have to be aware of yourself from now on. She wants you to be a strict taskmaster, obviously, because she thinks that you being hard on her is going to make her a better soldier. She might be right about that."

Selene spins in her chair.

"But you know, I don't care about any of that. I've always wanted to see her understand what it was like to be normal, even a little bit. If you ask me, I think you should be gentle with her. She might not be a better witch hunter, but she might be a better person. In any case, you're more likely to have an effect than I am anymore, so do whatever you think feels right. Just remember...your decisions don't affect just you anymore. Be mindful, okay?"

You nod, thanking her for the advice, and take your leave. This is all very strange...

>Go to the shooting range and see the Quartermaster.
>Go talk to Sam. Maybe he has something nice for you.
>Something else.

>>24869142
We could use it to cut cake, Artemis fucking love cake.

>>24869187
>Go to the shooting range and see the Quartermaster.

>>24869187
>Go to the shooting range and see the Quartermaster.

We got a knife.

Let's get a gun.

Later, knife-gun.

>>24869187
>Go to the shooting range and see the Quartermaster.

New goal: Teach Artemis to be a lean mean witch hunting machine.

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That was adorable of her to do

>Go to the shooting range and see the Quartermaster.

>>24869054
this is clearly a plot by artemis to get out from under the thumb of the silencers by having colt, still reeling from being outplayed by a witch, train the fuck out of artemis until she is strong enough to wipe out th agency, at which point she leaves ans kills everyone sent after her culminating in a climactic running battle between her and colt

It all turns out to be an illusionary dream world created by the red haired witch to keep us under while she mindcontrols our body into killing artemis

>>24869187
>Go to the shooting range and see the Quartermaster.

>>24869222
INCEPTION

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>>24869214

>>24869222
DO NOT GIVE THE QM IDEAS

>>24869187
Putting the question of this knife aside...you need to pick up your weapon, so you head down to the shooting range.

The sound of etherlite rounds hitting target dummies reaches your ears before you even get inside, but after you reach the range, you are subjected to a cacophony of bangs and flashes of light. Agents are lined up at the range, taking aim with their arms and blasting the etherlite in continuous streams.

You plug your ears and head to the Quartermaster's office. It's been a while since you saw him.

You open the door to his office and step inside. The room is practically covered in firearms. Everything from pistols to shotguns, to even grenade launchers are lined up on the wall. All from his personal collection, and all designed by this master gunsmith.

"Damn! I went and thought you died, I tell you what, where you been?

The Quartermaster, Steven Jepp, is a skinny fellow. His beady eyes and bald head might seem creepy to most, but you know him as one of your few friends within the agency, and an expert on anything that goes boom.

You mention to him that you need to pick up your sidearm, and might need something to take on some cryptids.

"I got just the thing for you, boy, just the thing! You get over here and I'll set you up real nice. That critter ain't gonna know what hit it."

He takes you to a less populated portion of the range and heads to his stockpile to retrieve your weapons...

>>24869426
please be a Tac-50

>>24869459
How about an Obrez, we might not have the luxury of range and there are few things that blow massive holes in things right up close like an Obrez.

>>24869426
Jepp returns with box full of what you can only assume to be highly deadly weapons. You wonder if that is the safest way to transport them, but realize you're not the Quartermaster here, and you shouldn't question his methods.

"Here we are, your side arm. One 1992A2 Nightlight. I remember designing the coating for the slide on this. Etherlite'll just chew through the normal stuff. Took a while to figure out that when you apply carbon fibers to a polymer shell and..."

You interrupt him, thanking him for bringing out your weapon and ask what he had in mind for the Cryptid situation.

"Well, there are a couple approaches you could take to that and they're all about the same to me. Let me show you a set, and then you can pick which one you want, got it?"

You nod, and the Quartermaster sets up shop. Eventually, he seems satisfied with the weapons he has assembled and brings out a total of three firearms.

He places a long, heavy rifle down on the table. "This here's our Nightstalker. Big, heavy rifle. This thing will shoot a round that can take out a tank if you wanted to. Compatible with Etherlite rounds and a long range scope. Just mind the recoil, and don't even think about shooting this without fully bracing yourself."

You nod, and he brings out what looks to be a pistol. However it has a folding stock which slides behind the grip and a long magazine.

"Some of em are way too fast to hit with a standard weapon. That's why we have old Sparky here. Give em a burst from our little machine-pistol here and see how well they run after that. A nice long magazine here means you can keep shooting almost all day if you pace yourself."

>>24869607
How big of an animal did the cryptid look like in a photo and based on the size of the claw/bite marks on the victim?

>>24869607
Finally he sets a snub revolver on the table. At first, you think he's joking, but then you see the size of the barrel and the width of the champers. You could easily fit your thumb in there!

"And that brings us to the Lawgiver. She ain't got the longest range, and she ain't got more than five shots to her name, but I ain't seen anything shrug off a shot from the Lawgiver. Just don't break your arm, alright?"

Well, you'd like to take all of them, but there's no way you could carry that much. You decide to pick the one that goes best with your style, so you reach for...

>Nightstalker
>Sparky
>Lawgiver

>>24869652
>Lawgiver
so we can shout I AM THE LAW

>>24869639
It was a blurry picture, but it seemed about the size of a large dog.

>>24869652
Well, claws means fast.

Sparky.

>>24869652
If we could dual-wield Sparky and Lawgiver...

We'd be inaccurate as fuck and unable to hit anything.

Nightstalker and Sparky. We big game huntin' now

>>24869652
>Sparky

For this mission given what we know about the Cryptid this seems like the best choice. My second choice would be Lawgiver.

Given that both Sparky and Lawgiver are smallish can we take them both?

>>24869652
>Lawgiver

I have a feeling that these cryptids are the type of beast that like to get up in peoples' faces.
Yes cryptid(s). Plural. I doubt these things hunt solo.

>>24869705
Sparky folds down small, but it's still a fully automatic weapon. Lawgiver is huge and heavy. You could try to take both, but good luck finding a place to fit them on your business suit. Nightstalker would have to be case carried regardless.

>>24869652
herm...
>Sparky
Though I would certainly have also liked the Nightstalker for its range

>>24869652

Sparky. I am anticipating a need for large quantities of dakka.

>>24869652
Lawgiver. Machine guns never work out against monsters.

>>24869652
>Lawgiver
It sounds badass.

>>24869607
Lawgiver, our pistol isnt half bad range and damage wise, but for the big guns a small cannon would be great.

>>24869652
I'm going to say Sparky, as badass as Lawgiver sounds, this thing doesn't seem big or bulky enough to warrant a hand cannon.

>>24869652
Definitely Lawgiver.

>>24869847
When dealing with beasts always assume that there is a mother that needs to be killed.

>>24869847
Remember the chief, cryptids don't work the way you think they should.

>>24869607
Unless I miscounted, I think Lawgiver has it at the moment

>>24869886
I'm just concerned that this thing is going to be too fast to draw a bead on with something like lawgiver.

All the power in the world won't help if we can't hit the damned thing.

>>24869915
It looks tied to me.
Assuming you count
>>24869693
as a vote for Sparky and/or Nightstalker

>>24869669
>>24869730
>>24869792
>>24869814
>>24869825
>>24869863
Lawgiver

>>24869675
>>24869705
>>24869762
>>24869786
>>24869847
Sparky

>>24869693
Sparky/Nightstalker

>>24869939
Excluding the ambiguous vote

>>24869915
>>24869939
>>24869954
I'll go for Lawgiver, just to break the tie. Who doesn't want a handcannon?

>>24870011
I dont. I want a SMG.

But I already voted for Sparky.

>>24869652
>Lawgiver

>>24870011
Eh, I mean its strong. Just I don't like small amount of shots it holds.

Biggest vote turn out over a gun. Why am I not surprised?

>>24869652

You pick up the revolver, feeling its considerable heft.

"Like the Lawgiver, eh? As long as you can keep your hand steady, you should be able to punch a hole through anything that gets in your way. You're a damn good shot, so I don't think she's gonna be any problem for you."

You nod and take the extra supplies you'll need for Lawgiver. Three speedloaders and two boxes of ammunition. You hope that will be enough to take care of business.

After holstering your weapons, and getting something to sheath your new knife in, you leave the range, feeling prepared for whatever's ahead.

>Go to your cubicle and review the file
>Go talk to Sam. Maybe he has something for you.
>Something else

Lawgiver it is then?

>>24870108
>Go talk to Sam. Maybe he has something for you.

>>24870108
Something else!

>>24870108
>Go talk to Sam. Maybe he has something for you.

Still need to scold the fucker for the ears.

>>24870108
>Go talk to Sam. Maybe he has something for you

More tech is always nice. Let's just hope this doesn't end badly.

>>24870139
Specify

>>24870108
I repeat this one: >>24868353

>>24870108
>Go talk to Sam. Maybe he has something for you.
Something other than those cat ears

>>24870108
>Go talk to Sam. Maybe he has something for you.
Strict "keep your fetishes out"stipulation

>>24870108
>Go talk to Sam. Maybe he has something for you.

Maybe we can get a bullet-proof maid outfit.

>>24870108
You decide it's time to hit up Sam. Perhaps with a bit more caution this time--you remember the incident with the modulator.

You find Sam hunched over his computer, laughing to himself. Occasionally, the computer plays a voice clip, presumably from some game he is playing.

"N-no! I-I'm your teacher, we mustn't~"

You decide it would be best to alert Sam to your presence before he gets too "into" his game. You slap him on the shoulder and ask him how that six-pack you sent him was.

"Good, great! A little warm when it got here, but still good!"

He spins in his chair. Today, his T-shirt reads "Alien Princess PaiPai", and features a somewhat scandalous silhouette printed on it.

"Oh yeah, how was the modulator!? Did you get to see Artemis' tsun side? 'I-it's not like I like you' or something like that?"

You crack him up side the head and tell him that Artemis attempted to kill you and the witch you captured.

"Ohhh...well that happens. Anyway, you want something new right?"

You nod and he leads you back into his vault of strange wonders.

Forgot this part
>>24870299
"What kind of things do you want today?"

>Something conventional
>Something for witches

>>24870323
>Something conventional for witches

>>24870323
>Something conventional
Since witches is guaranteed fetish gear

>>24870323
>Something for witches

We'll be using her more, might as well.

>>24870323
>Something for witches

>>24870323
>Something conventional

We could use something that fucks with animals, possibly fucking with scent or something along those lines.

>Something for witches

>>24870323
>Something for witches

Here we go again.

>>24870323
"Something for Artemis."

Sam claps his hands and grins.

"Those are my favorites! Come on come on, let me get the Magical Bazaar open."

You're pretty sure you're going to regret this...

Before you are two items. One is a bright red ribbon, extraordinary in size and strikingly vibrant. The other is...a set of clothes?

"As you know, I can only let you field test one thing at a time, so let me describe these to you."

He points to the ribbon. "This is the Mystical Lyrical Ribbon! When a witch touches this, she can freely manipulate it, controlling it like it was a limb. It can grow up to 10 times its current length and support up to 1000lbs of weight. Furthermore, the red color would go perfectly with a certain someone's eyes. Problems with it are that it can sometimes act on a witch's passing thoughts. We've had incidents where agents were groped or tripped or strangled. Things like that."

You cross your arms and wait for him to explain the next item.

"Miracle Meido Fuku! Or Miracle Maid outfit if you can't speak the proper language. These otherwise normal clothes can harden up when a magical current is passed through them. It's not exactly bulletproof, but it should protect your witch against physical trauma very well. There is a slight problem with it, in that when the system is overloaded, it ejects the failing material. We wanted to raise the stress limit, but couldn't get the funding..."

"Anyway! Which do you want?"

>Mystical Lyrical Ribbon
>Miracle Meido Fuku

>>24870523
>Miracle Meido Fuku

... sometimes I hate this job.

>>24870523
>Mystical Lyrical Ribbon

Never under estimate rope. In any of its forms.

>>24870523
>Mystical Lyrical Ribbon

Rope is the most useful thing ever.

>>24870523
>Miracle Meido Fuku
Ask and you shall receive! I think I love CONTROL,

>>24870523
Oh for the love of...
>Miracle Meido Fuku

>>24870523
>Mystical Lyrical Ribbon

It'll be easier to convince Artemis to take a nice ribbon than to dress her up in a maid outfit.

>Mystical Lyrical Ribbon
I feel like both of these items are going to comeback and bite us so hard on the ass that our great grand children will feel it.

>>24870523
>Miracle Meido Fuku

Was there really any other choice?

>Miracle Meido Fuku

>>24870596
>Implying we'll have grandchildren after the ribbon rips our dick off.

>>24870523
>Miracle Meido Fuku
Can't have our Witch being torn apart by rabid wolf dog things.

>>24870523
MaidMaidMaidMaidMaidMaid

>>24870523
>Miracle Meido Fuku
Sam did want us to get Artemis to act more human so why not show her the wonders of cosplay!

>>24870523
You sigh, reaching for the clothes. Artemis needs to be protected, even if she has to wear something like...this...

You look at Sam and his grin is unnerving.

"I knew you were one of us, deep down. Don't worry about the size. I had a feeling you'd ask for this one day and I had it prepared."

He reaches into a drawer and pulls something out. It's...a set of women's undergarments. Black, with white lace, and far too small to be considered normal.

"Here's the matching set. Go for it, man, go for it!"

You were right. You regret coming here.

>>24870649
I think you mean Selene not Sam.

>>24870685
He expects her lady parts to be attacked?

File: 1368753818662.gif-(512 KB, 480x268, ahogepull.gif)

512 KB GIF

>>24870685
...oh boy

>>24870685
Carrying Sam's "gift" in a box, you check the time. The cafeteria will be serving lunch soon, but you still need to look over these files. Artemis said she would be waiting by your vehicle when you want to get started on the case, but that's no reason for her to sit in the parking lot all day, is it..?

>Review the file at your desk
>Have some lunch, you deserve it
>Bring Artemis back in from the parking lot.
>Forget all that, you want to get started right away.

>>24870739
>Review the file at your desk

She says shes fine, shes fine.

>>24870739
>Have some lunch, you deserve it

First thing an agent needs is patience.

>>24870739
Lets have some lunch
Grab artemis too

>>24870739
Grab a pile of food, eat outside with Artemis.

>Review the file at your desk

>>24870739
>Grab some lunch
>Eat back at your desk as you review the file

File: 1368754215566.jpg-(6 KB, 320x180, mqdefault[1].jpg)

6 KB JPG

>>24870739
>Review the file at your desk
>>24870709
OFCOURSCH

>>24870739
>Head to car, give artemis file to look over and give us the highlights

training for extracting important info from dense documents

>>24870739
You decide to grab some lunch.

You stand in line behind the other agents too lazy to leave HQ to get some food, and you take in a deep breath. Today's lunch is...pizza? As the line moves, you play a little game, trying to guess the toppings. You focus on your nose and close your eyes.

Bacon...hamburger....sausage...pepperoni...and...what is that last one? Something sweet? Sun-dried tomatoes?

You finally get your tray up to the front and find out what the mystery ingredient was. Pineapple. What an odd pizza to serve. In any event, you grab about four slices and leave the line.

((Since there was some disagreement about it, where do you want to eat?))
>cafeteria
>parking lot
>your desk
>elsewhere

Grab some food and eat outside with Artemis while reviewing the file.

>>24870850
>your desk

Read that report as well.

>>24870850
>your desk

Report time.

>>24870850
Desk for me so we get to reading

>>24870850
>parking lot
review file with artemis

>>24870850
>parking lot

Or grab the file and head out there. We need fresh air occasionally.

>>24870850
>parking lot

>>24870850
>parking lot
We'll have Artemis read the report with us

> Bathroom, while vigorously performing push ups to take bites off of the tray.

>>24870850
>>24870940
This is best idea.

>>24870960
No its not your just being silly

>>24870974

Well, I think that's obvious to everyone involved, friend.

>>24870974
You lack dedication.

>>24870940
Gotta stay in shape. Can't have our Witch outclassing us physically.

>>24870850
You take your tray of pizza out to the parking lot. You feel like having a bite in the sunshine and fresh air.

You look over to your car and see Artemis sitting in the bed of your truck. The witch is playing with her hair at the moment, in a rare, telltale sign of boredom. As you approach, she stands up straight and greets you.

"Good afternoon, John T. Colt. As I said, I am standing by for your orders."

You tell her that you're not leaving just yet. You simply came out here to eat your lunch.

"I understand. Then I will remain on standby here."

You sit down in the bed, remembering when you used to eat grilled cheese sandwiches here with your father back when he was alive. A sense of nostalgia fills you as you take your first bite of the pizza. It's not quite a grilled cheese sandwich, but the warm, cheesy food is still refreshing.

Artemis looks at you, then to the items you brought with you, and then at your food. She says nothing, but readjusts herself every now and again. It's not like her to be antsy, she must want something.

>Tell her she's free to go get her own lunch
>Tell her it's okay to have some of your lunch
>Ask her if she wants to see what Sam gave you
>Ask her if she wants to read the report
>Something else

>>24871099
>Ask her if she wants to see what Sam gave you

>>24871099
>Tell her it's okay to have some of your lunch
>Give her report as well, tell her to find the useful information from the useless info

>>24871099
>Tell her it's okay to have some of your lunch

It's not like Johnny boy is an unkind boss.

>>24871099
Work out while Artemis reads the report to you.

>>24871099
>Ask her if she wants to see what Sam gave you
then
>Tell her she's free to go get her own lunch

>>24871099
>Tell her it's okay to have some of your lunch

Give the girl some pizza.

Then after we eat we can do pushups while she sits on us and reads the report.

>>24871099
>Tell her it's okay to have some of your lunch
>Ask her if she wants to see what Sam gave you

i'm sure this will go well. Though I wonder now that I look back...What exactly is the material that is "ejected" when it overloads. Cause if its the clothes themselves...oh boy

I think we've got a pretty good majority for giving her some pizza. Some of you wanted to do other things. Let's have a vote on some of those now

>Read the report
>Show her Sam's stuff

>>24871196
>Read the report

>>24871099
>Tell her it's okay to have some of your lunch
>Ask her if she wants to see what Sam gave you

May as well get it over with.

>>24871196
>>Read the report
No sense in ruining her appetite i guess

>>24871196
>Read the report

We'll give her the maid outfit in a bit.

> Tell her it's okay to have some of your food, or she may leave to get her own. If she leaves to get her own, push-ups. If she stays, jumping-jacks while she reads it to us.

>>24871196
>Read the report

>>24871225
Oops, I meant if she leaves to get her own, read the report. One track mind.

>>24871196
>Read the report

Important things first.

>>24871225
>Read the report

>>24871196
"You can have some if you want. I think you might want some extra energy when you read over this." You toss Artemis the file on your next assignment.

"I haven't looked over it myself, so I'll let you familiarize yourself with it first. Tell me what stands out to you."

Artemis looks down at the report, then to your food. She then immediately snatches up a slice of pizza and takes a disproportionally sized bite from it. Several bites later, the entire piece is gone, and she wipes her mouth with a handkerchief pulled from her pocket.

"Thank you. I will give you a summary shortly. I hope it is up to your expectations."

Artemis flips open the file while you eat. You can see her eyes flying over the content, examining photos and reading documents with a speed you'd be envious of if you weren't eating a delicious pizza.

After a few minutes (and another slice gifted to the witch for her efforts), your plate is finished, and Artemis snaps shut the file.

"I've finished reading the documents. I will begin my summary shortly."

>>24871325
"The case in question is largely concerned with property damage. Several weeks ago, local residents noticed damage done to their fences and outside walls consistent with the claw marks of wild animals. Additionally, several pets were found dead or went missing. Of those dead pets, the heads were always severed. The cut is jagged, therefore it is likely that it was also done by a natural weapon of sorts, either tooth or claw. Yesterday, the issues escalated with the assault of Frank Suthers. Frank Suthers is an office worker, low on the chain, who is often called to work overtime. Yesterday, as he was walking home, as the public transit had since shut down, he was assaulted by a strange animal. Suthers recalls the animal as being roughly four and a half feet tall, and twice that in length. He claims that the creature was impossibly smooth, but hard to the touch. His wounds are consistent with other property damage, including jagged lacerations on his neck. However, it seems that a passing car drove off the creature and he survived. HQ believes that this is the work of more than one of these creatures, and that we are to exterminate them all."

Artemis, finished, rests her hands on her knees and resumes her eerie stare.

"Was that helpful?"

You nod, and think about what you need to do next.

>You should use the daylight to investigate the area better.
>This is a nocturnal animal, you'll have a better time finding it at night.
>Don't investigate for now. Go find Frank and question him further.
>Give Artemis Sam's "gift"
>Something else.

>>24871465
>Give Artemis Sam's "gift"

Then.

>You should use the daylight to investigate the area better.

Perhaps we can find a clue to it's lair.

>>24871465
Well First:
>Give Artemis Sam's "gift"

Then
>Investigate in the daylight
Better to find something while we can see better

>>24871465
>Give Artemis Sam's "gift"

"Good job on the summary, it'd probably take me a fair bit longer to get through that.

Artemis, I have something for you. It looks silly, it looks very silly, but it ought to be able to keep you from getting hurt which is the important part. Nobody can do their job properly if they have a hole in their gut."

>>24871465
>You should use the daylight to investigate the area better

>>24871465
>Give Artemis Sam's "gift"

>>24871465
>This is a nocturnal animal, you'll have a better time finding it at night.

Find one out on the prowl and tail it. It will have to return to its home eventually.

>>24871465
You dart your eyes over to the box, stuffed with Sam's "gift" to Artemis. You feel apprehensive. The last time you had Artemis use one of his gadgets, she attacked you (several days later) and almost killed you. Nevertheless, you need Artemis better protected, so you pick up the box.

"Artemis, I have something for you. It looks silly, it looks very silly, but it ought to be able to keep you from getting hurt which is the important part. Nobody can do their job properly if they have a hole in their gut."

She tilts her head to the side and takes the box. Tentatively, she opens the box and looks inside, then looks back at you.

"I...understand. I never thought that...I'm sorry, I will return shortly after I have equipped myself. Excuse me."

With that, Artemis takes the box and jumps out of your truck bed. As you watch her head toward the building, you notice the fruits of her training. She is much faster than she used to be...

>>24871681
Artemis returns a short time later. The Maid Outfit is much more modest than you thought it would be, coming from Sam anyway. The black and white outfit is short sleeved, with an open collar. Hints of white lace poke up from behind Artemis' muffler and her wrists have cuffs attached to them. While the skirt is short, the lace and ruffles would preserve anybody's modesty, leaving only a small strip of flesh exposed between the skirt and stockings. You realize that looking at the outfit anymore would be staring, so you avert your gaze to Artemis's face.

"Well? Are you satisfied," Artemis asks, crossing her arms.

You'd try to explain you had nothing to do with it, but you don't think it's going to help any.

Alright, and I'm about to die from starvation. That's it for today, with all your preparation completed. You can begin the investigation properly next time.

>>24871809
You better draw Artemis in a Maido Outfit for next time.


Also, Ill see you next Thursday?

>>24871826
I'll try to let you guys know if something happens and I can't.

Comments questions suggestions, etc. Did you like something, did you not like it, could be done better and so on.

I was kinda scared you guys wouldn't like the knife

>>24871856
Meh, it isnt too bad. I kinda like the idea of it being tied with her, so making it stronger will make her weaker. What I am afraid of is whether it will geat weaker if we try to make her more Human, or if it will weaken Artemis if we lose/manage to destroy it.

As far as storywise, I didnt think Colt would like it terribly much, as he is a Gunsman, but I suppose a good hunting knife is always a necessity.

>>24871856
I like it. Kinda of weird the way she presented it, but that can be chalked up to Witchery.

>>24871856

Short, but good. I like the dynamic the humanity vs efficiency thing you introduced with the knife thing brings. See you next time.

>>24871901
Well, it's a knife because Artemis uses blades, naturally, but also because Artemis obviously thinks of herself as a weapon. Had it been another witch, it might have been something completely different, likely not a weapon at all.

>>24871901
You never know when you get forced into an up close situation and have to stab a bitch. Or if you want to kill something but not make much noise.

>>24871856
Also, one thing that I figure should be put out there now; Waifu-ing. I know it was brought up before, but it was a bit unclear.

Right now is a bit of a Choice situation. In the Quest General, people were discussing Waifu-ing this quest, and others were discussing how they were leaving before it got too bad. I would personally prefer a direct answer as to whether or not you will allow/encourage it. Be known that allowing Waifu-shit will increase the reader base several times over. However, also remember that, in the end, it generally decreases the overall quality of your work.

>>24871971
People are free to like any character in my Quest, so if someone says "Artemis is mai waifu", well, that's okay with me. However, even if people overwhelmingly want to laze around and want to sweet-talk the witch, that's not necessarily going to be reflected in what actually happens. There's a time and a place for doing that, and there's room for it here, but this quest is about Witch-Hunting (or in this case monster hunting) first.

>>24872020
Alright, good.

Because as soon as this becomes "Romancing Witches: The Quest" I am probably going to leave.


And only view the archives, because while I dont want to be a part of it, it doesnt make you any worse of a writer, and I really do enjoy your work.

>>24872020
And for that you have my support.

>>24872020

That is, I think, the best way to run things. I share your view on it.

Archive's up. Time for me to eat.

>>24872056

Doesn't that kind of exacerbate the issue? If everyone against that leaves, then the people who want that kind of stuff are guaranteed the majority. Seems the best thing to do would be to actively play the quest in the manner you see fit, not run off and stop participating.

>>24872274
Well, like I said,

>as soon as this becomes "Romancing Witches: The Quest" I am probably going to leave.

That assumes that the majority is already in favor of that, or else it wouldnt become that kind of quest. And a tthe point where the majority feels one way, I dont see any point in trying to change that many people's minds.

>>24872411
I'd be more worried about or Light Side Dark Side meter (the knife)

>>24872434
I hardly consider it that. I mean, both sides represent us teaching and supporting Artemis. It is closer to a Human vs Weapon meter.

>>24872475
I'm not sure if I want her to become any more cold and inhuman than she already is.

>>24872475

Aye, this is the center of it. It's philosophy, not morality. At least, I think so.

>>24872511

Depends what we end up facing. If we NEED the power, I will support forging her into whatever is necessary.

>>24871856
So is there a standard for choker/witch relations?
Like, are we supposed to treat her like a hunting dog?
Is it weird that we don't constantly use the chain?

Someone came in real late with a question, huh?

>>24874686
If you'll remember, Artemis mentioned that many Agents in charge of Witches use the chain as part of a daily routine. This might be true, but Silence's decentralized nature means that "standards" are different everywhere. Most have to use them at least occasionally, though, simply because most witches are far less stable than Artemis is. It's not unlike them to have episodes of erratic behavior, or simply attitude issues.

>>24870685
Because OP tends to ask for feedback/comments:
>"I knew you were one of us, deep down. Don't worry about the size.
This is where I stopped reading. If I wanted any of that shit, I'd read MSQ.

>>24877411
Sam is supposed to be that kind of guy, you know, a gigantic creepy weeaboo. Of course he made an assumption of kinship, however off-base that assumption may be. Sorry it bothered you.

>>24877472
The problem is not that character, but that our partner will get to run around in a fucking maid costume from now on.

It's like John is working at Planet Express, only to have things turn into The Wire as soon as he steps outside

>>24877661
I'm sorry it bothered you. Sam and his inventions are supposed to be silly, as are many of the people at headquarters. I had originally intended everything to be very serious and tactical looking, but to me, it just wasn't very endearing without oddballs and strange things. I wanted to balance the severity of the situation with absurdity at "home". That was intentional, and again, I'm sorry that it's not to your taste.

>>24877733
I have no clue why you keep apologising. Most of the people playing the quest do, unsurprisingly, seem to like it. Good work.

The only reason why I even wrote anything instead of simply hiding the quest from now on, was becaise you kept asking for feedback. I told you I think it's shit and that I stopped reading the quest because of it, and that's that.

It's useless feedback anyway, so - eh.

>>24877843
I suppose I was just hoping to get some information I could learn something from. I had no idea it was offending people. Sure, the usual groans from something being cheesy, but not enough to stop reading. Had I known sooner that his weeaboo gadgets might bother people, I might have made them more subtle.

You're right, though. Nothing I can do about it now.

>>24877937
I have no clue where you get the idea it somehow offends me.

The cat ear thing was... okay. I thought it was an on/off joke because it didn't really fit in with the rest of the tone I thought you were going for.

I thought I'd get some kind of gritty supernatural cop story. Instead I got cat ears and maid outfits at the start of our missions. There wasn't even a choice to tell that guy to produce something normal-looking the next time, although I doubt anyone would have chosen that option.

If anything, it's my fault for getting the wrong idea where you were planning to go with this. I spent my time on this, so the joke's on me anyway.

>>24878066
I know it doesn't mean much to you at this point, but for others who may read this here or in the archives later. There's some normal looking stuff in most batches, like the ribbon that's actually a rope/grapple or the communicator, but everything under the "conventional" option is government agent tacticool things. That's the option you pick to avoid the stranger things.

>>24878124
Nobody will ever choose that when given the option, you're on /tg/.

I'm just really upset I spent time on this, thanks for being kind enough to let me vent a bit.

>>24878235
You were kind enough to at least give it a shot, so I can let you blow off some steam at least.

>>24878247
There were actually a lot of things I liked about this setup.

No waifus (every person the players could consider a romantic option so far, is either deranged, or turned out to be an enemy), no superpowered/chosen protagonist, an original setting, no IRC/twitter circle jerk.

And you just had to give people the option to put cat ears and a maid costume on the female lead. You could write like Jules Verne and I'd still have lost any kind of trust I had in your integrity as a DM/OP/whatever.

Is it too much to ask for more than 3 quests on this board at a time who don't pander to that crowd?

>>24878346
To be honest, the items are there to poke fun at that crowd and those kinds of quests. Even if you pick them, my goal is (or was) to show how absurd the ideas are just by playing it straight. A UN sanctioned witch-hunter wearing a maid outfit is a stupid idea, no matter how you sell it.

>>24878401
I just don't get you.

>>24878578
Think of them, and many other things, as my way of making fun of Quests in general, even as I participate in them. That book on theoretical military applications of witches? Strike Witches Quest(s) reference. Made fun of it. Chief Branson? Super Macho Quest Protagonist parody. The Quartermaster? /k/ Quests with their redneck droning. Sam? Weeaboo Quests, just about everything about them. Selene? Fetish Quests. The list goes on.

I try to highlight how silly they are without making a blatant callout, but I sometimes fail, obviously.

Quests always turn to suck, because the /tg/ masses desire it.

The first poster is a guy who named himself something terribly weeaboo. Why would you expect better?

>>24878664
To be honest, I have no clue. Perhaps because I remember quests being different back from the era of Iron Quest etc.

>>24878626
I don't even know how to respond to that...
thanks for screwing up so early in your run?

>>24878711
To be fair, quests were never really different. Even before they were called quests. Just more of them now to compare to.

Anyway, if you didn't like the parody origins for characters and story elements (most are rooted in some sort of parody), then you probably would have found something else that got to you later on Branson's ridiculously long list of accomplishments and adventures. Placing parody within something that's otherwise quite serious, and I like to think that this quest is otherwise very serious, is something I do even in regular DMing. I realize that's not for everyone though.

>>24878770
Ridiculous pandering to the lowest common denominator is a very American trait. Why would you want to be American?

>>24878786
Pandering wouldn't be the word I'd use, as I'm not including the straight-faced ridicule for the readership. I do it because I wanted to poke fun at those things, in addition to running the quest.

>>24878770
I have no clue how you constantly manage to misinterpret my posts, or read things into them that just aren't there.

Unless you're making fun of me, in that case:
Bravo, it completely went over my head.

>>24878865
I'm really not sure of another way to read "thanks for screwing up early". I mean, the opposite would be screwing up late, which I admitted would probably likely happen if you didn't like those things.

>>24878890
No, screwing up late would have been taking your inspiration from fetish quests, and have Selene suggest we should jack off on the witch every hour or so to keep her powers contained for some bullshit reason.

Maybe Selene and Sam should join forces and come up with the suggestion to give Artemis the chocolate, Hisa... John.

Having your characters inspired by, or poking fun at, something is not the problem. Having it seep into the storyline is.

Every fucking goddamn scene we'll have our partner prance around in a goddamn maid outfit. The equivalent would be Vito Corleone playing 30 minutes of scenes in the Godfather in his underwear, because the focus group thought it would be funny.

>>24879008
And I forgot my sage, brilliant. I'll just stop now.

>>24879008
Honestly, the gag items tend to get brushed over after the initial shock. Aside from a mention or two, the ears weren't brought up until someone remembered why Artemis might be flipping out.

>>24879008
>No, screwing up late would have been taking your inspiration from fetish quests, and have Selene suggest we should jack off on the witch every hour or so to keep her powers contained for some bullshit reason.
>Maybe Selene and Sam should join forces and come up with the suggestion to give Artemis the chocolate, Hisa... John.

I wouldn't do either of those things. Why would you compare that kind of bullshit to a silly outfit that'll probably be quickly forgotten? I wasn't upset before, but thinking I'd do that kind of thing is insulting.

Just popping in to say its amusing that my 'weaboo' name is somehow indicative of the quest audience, when I have been against most of Sam's little tricks. I thought it was funny, having a Texan cop-type have to deal with the kind of absurdity the guys in HQ bring. The levity that gives the quest is very good, I think, otherwise this would be a pretty damn grim setting. I think we have enough grim.

So yeah, take this as a counterweight to his objections. I greatly enjoy that stuff, mainly because it makes me groan every time you pull it.