You rise from bed sore, and your mind frazzled. Your hand aimlessly hits around your end table until it finds your patch, snatching it up and pulling it on over your eye. The ticking cuckoo clock in the corner reads 11:03 AM. A massive yawn rolls out of your lungs as you stand up, stretching your arms near to the ceiling. Catarina stands at the door, idly tugging at loose threads on her down vest. Her eyes watch you bumble around your room in a stupor with only a modicum of interest. When you've finally managed to pull a shirt on and comb down your curly mess of hair she steps outside, letting you pass through the door.

"He's waiting in the chapel." You walk that way together. Your normal walking pace is fairly brisk, in your opinion, but you still have to step it up to keep beside Miss Belmont. Her legs are long, and her strides make yours look like the cautious steps of a child learning to walk in comparison. Her heels clack loudly against the floor in a consistent rhythm, and her body moves along with it in excellent poise. Her manners are atrocious, though. She jams her pinky finger into her ear, twisting it around to scratch at some itch. You avert your eyes; it is not polite to stare. She notices the quick motion, though, and as you reach the steps and begin to climb she asks you a question.

"When were you planning to tell me?"

It's obvious she's talking about the agreement you made with Wayne. You tell her...

>1. I apologize. I meant to tell you, but it slipped my mind with everything else going on.
>2. I never intended to actually go with him.
>3. He did me a service helping with Klaus. It would be wrong not to help him in turn.
>4. Something else.

>>29776023

>1. I apologize. I meant to tell you, but it slipped my mind with everything else going on.

Yaay FNE. Good quest

>>29776023
>1. I apologize. I meant to tell you, but it slipped my mind with everything else going on.

>>29776023
>1. I apologize. I meant to tell you, but it slipped my mind with everything else going on.
Followed by
>3. He did me a service helping with Klaus. It would be wrong not to help him in turn.

Mention it possibly improving relations as well.

>>29776170
You bow your head to Catarina and apologize profusely. "I did mean to tell you, but I was so focused on dinner, and then with training, it slipped my mind entirely."

She holds a hand up, signaling you to stop. "Don't bother excusing yourself. I'm not looking for an apology. Tell me what he wants."

As you ascend you fill her in on the details of your meeting with Wayne in the hospital. Of the identity of the crystal ball you delivered to him and of Kayton Abraham as well. Catarina's head bobs a little when she hears the name, and her lips part just a little. You think she says something then, but you can't make it out. It doesn't make much sense either: "Doll-maker?"

You pass from your private portion of the church to its public face. The place is mostly abandoned on this Saturday morning, only the two of you walking its halls. And presumably, there is Wayne skulking about somewhere as well. But since the day you came here, something has been bothering you about this church, and you've only just put your finger on it.

There are no people here.

It does not feel alive, and filled with the Spirit as your church in Madrid did. Even on days without service people would congregate there to take joy in one another's presence, and the presence of the Lord. But this place is cold, and abandoned. People do not come here. There is a gathering on Sundays that attends regularly, and Catarina goes and leads them. But you have never attended the services yourself. They feel unauthentic. Plastic. Fake. Catarina is leading you more and more quickly to the chapel. But you are not there yet, and now may be the time to ask her about this.

>1. Ask Catarina why so few people come here.
>2. Don't bring it up, focus on the task at hand.

>>29776418
>>1. Ask Catarina why so few people come here

>>29776418
>2. Don't bring it up, focus on the task at hand.

How can Sinners like the Executors lead a proper mass and inspire the holy spirit of communion? It is only natural that their headquarters is a goodless place.

>>29776418
>>2. Don't bring it up, focus on the task at hand.
Yeah I think we know the answer.

>>29776418

>1. Ask Catarina why so few people come here.

>>29776910

Scratch that, I'll change to 2 just to avoid the stalemate.

>>29776937
>>29776907
>>29776638
No, you decide. There is no need to ask. You already know the answer. Executors aren't shepherds. They do not exist to convert or protect, only to kill the enemies of God. Even if Catarina were able to attract a larger congregation, by her logic, she would have no right to lead them in service. She is not a priest, but an assassin.

You don't say anything, and let her lead onwards. It's only a moment that passes between then and your arrival at the chapel. You enter through a side door, for the use of priests, deacons and the like. As you step out into the front of the little hall, a single figure is reclining in the pews. Wayne is here, dressed in a snappy blue suit jacket and darker pants. It's surprisingly well-tailored considering the wearer, and is complemented by a fedora with a blue feather stuck to it. It actually looks a little silly on him, with the wings his hair makes unable to be contained by its small brim; in fact, it pushes them out even further, making his head look like a bird in flight. He waves at you, giddy as can be. "Long time no see, Bart! Come on, have a seat." As if to bribe you, he holds up a bottle of some brew. "I brought wine! The expensive kind! I even paid for it, so I can confirm that part."

>1. It's good to see you, Wayne.
>2. Are you here about the agreement?
>3. Thanks. (Take some wine.)
>4. Please don't drink that in here.
>5. Do something else.

To anyone who saw that other post up, I hadn't refreshed to check if the vote had changed what the selected option was. It had, so I had to scramble and change the update.

>>29777240

>2. Are you here about the agreement?

>>29777240
>2. Are you here about the agreement?
>4. Please don't drink that in here.

At least go to private area instead of the hall.

>>29777240
>1. It's good to see you, Wayne.
2. Are you here about the agreement?

We would have died if Wayne didn't help us, I see no good reason not to greet a friend

>>29777762
>>29777445
>>29777484
You motion for Wayne to put the bottle down. "It is good to see you, Wayne, but please," you insist. "this is a place of worship, do not drink that here." He gawks at you, holding the wine up a little higher, pleading with his eyes. You are resolute, though, and he places it down on the floor with a look like a sad puppy and a depressed sigh.

"Well, since I can't booze up we might as well get down to business," he declares, placing his hands on his lap.

"Are you here about the agreement we made?"

He nods at you sporting a knowing smile. "Yessir, I am. I assume your uh... lady friend here is up to speed as well."

"My name is Catarina Belmont," she retorts with a bit of bite. "And yeah, I'm up to speed." Wayne's eyebrows raise up, wrinkling his brow as he leans back a little. A low whistle escapes his puckered lips, and he turns to stare at you.

"Really, Bart? The Angel of Death? You've got dangerous friends." You squint at him, unsure of how he picked that up so quickly. Catarina may be more well-known than you expected, but then again it may just be another instance of Wayne being more observant than he lets on. The Enforcer doesn't hint any more one way or the other, and quietly stands to approach the two of you. Even as impeccably dressed as he is, his body language is lazy and rough. He leans backwards while standing, letting one arm dangle loosely with the other jammed in his pant pocket. "Well, so long as you're both privy on the top secret inner workings of my little slice of magi politics, why don't we get down to business?"

You hold up a hand to stop him. "Should we not discuss this in a more discrete location? Anyone could walk in here and see or hear us." Wayne snorts and waves you off.

"Ya worry too much, Bart, old buddy. I've been scoping this place out for days. No one comes in here except on Sundays."

Catarina shoots a vile glare at Wayne, who quite deliberately admitted to spying on the church just now, but nods at his words. "He's right. We're fine where we are now. I'm not taking him downstairs anyway. There's nothing there for his eyes."

"Oooh, scandalous church secrets." Wayne licks his lips. "You tempt me woman, you really do." He looks back your way. "But honestly, I'm just not interested. I came here for Bart. I can walk again, and you... well, the way you carry yourself is different. You've been hard at work, haven't you? Priesting around all day and night. Burying bones, workin' on your prayers and whatnot? Abraham isn't getting any younger, and neither are we. I'm leaving for Munich tonight, and I want you to come with me. Arrangements for your travel have already been booked. All I need is your consent." He throws a disarming smile at you, but Catarina intercepts it and stands between you both, on the steps between the floor and the pews, and the raised platform where you stand.

"Not so fast, prick. Bartolomè is my student. His duties to the church, to me, hold priority above a field trip to Germany. He's not to leave my care until he's capable of independent operation. And you're not ready yet... right, Bartolomè?" She looks back at you, an aggressive look that you haven't seen coming from her before.

Wayne leans awkwardly to his right, so you can see him from behind Catarina's frame. "Come on Bart, we don't have time for this. I know I'm asking a lot, but I really need your help here!"

You groan, rubbing your aching head as you try to think up a course of action, "Ay, Dios, what to do..."

>1. I'm sorry Catarina, but I won't go back on my word to a friend. I'm going with Wayne to Munich.
>2. I'm sorry Wayne, but Catarina is right. I told you before, my duties in the church come first.
>3. [PERSUADE] We can reach a compromise! If I'm not to leave your side, Catarina, then come to Munich with us.

>>29778131
>3. [PERSUADE] We can reach a compromise! If I'm not to leave your side, Catarina, then come to Munich with us.

>>29778131
>3. [PERSUADE] We can reach a compromise! If I'm not to leave your side, Catarina, then come to Munich with us.

oh ho ho, this ought to be interesting. If this fails I say we go for option 1, I don't want us to turn our back against a friend

>>29778131
>3. [PERSUADE] We can reach a compromise! If I'm not to leave your side, Catarina, then come to Munich with us.

"Since he is linked with the undead this is going to be serious anyway."
But if she holds out we have to go with

>2. I'm sorry Wayne, but Catarina is right. I told you before, my duties in the church come first.
Better to be prepared in the long run and miss this field trip then rushing in and getting our arse killed because were not trained.

>>29778323
I think Cat is being overprotective since she lost us an eye by being hasty. I say we go with if we can't persuade her, this connection with Wayne has some real potential.

It's too good to pass up.

>>29778399
were as i think the potential danger is way above our trainning level.

We barely made it past our initiation test let alone going up against a full blown mage who has had centurys to fortify a place.

>>29778458
I doubt there will be open hostility since Wayne is a friend and fellow mage. It would be foolish of him to openly betray his kind like that.

>>29778532
Still. If there was a certainty of no conflict we wouldn't have been asked to come along.

We are a student at the moment, we just need to persuade her. I am adamant that going without our mentor is a very bad idea.

>>29779005
I have no doubt it will be dangerous but I'm willing to take the risk for Wayne.

Best case scenario is a successful persuade, although I'm doubtful of that course of action working.

>>29779158
We have no magical training. Again, our lack of training is dangerous. Friend or not, we did state before that we may not able to come due to obligations. One of those is not going into a fight we have no preparations for.

Frankly i do not think were going to convince each other so a tie breaker 3rd person may be needed.

>>29779284
True, quiet tonight though, usually there's a least 3-4 active posters and lurkers that come out for particular votes.

>>29778251
>>29778321
>>29778323
These two are incorrigible. But you have no desire to disappoint either of them. But you think you have an idea.

"We can reach a compromise here," you declare. Neither of the looks the two are giving are votes of confidence. "Catarina, I know my training is not complete, but if I'm not to leave your side, then come to Munich with Wayne and I. I agreed to offer my help, and that's what I intend to do."

She frowns. "You're too trusting of this magus, Bartolomè. If Kayton really did willingly hand over the Orb to a Dead Apostle, then you could be walking into his trap. Wayne could even be his accomplice."

"While I am both grossly offended and spurred to violent action by her words," Wayne drawls. "I think I'm on her side, Bart. If I wanted just anybody's help I'd be asking them. I asked you because I can trust you. But her?" He leers at her, wary and with trepidation. "Dude, she's called the Angel of Death. I wouldn't trust an eight year old in a frilly dress if they had a name like that."

You put your hands on your hips and groan in frustration. Why must these two be so difficult to work with? You think you might have better luck with the children in your Sunday school classes. Difficult it may be, though, you're not giving up just yet. You appeal to their reason and their trust in you.

"Can neither of you see that this is the best option? If Kayton is truly a traitor to your organization, Wayne, then what will be lost if you bring help in apprehending him? And Catarina, Kayton has had dealings with Klaus Hind. If they've interacted, then is it not our duty as Executors to investigate for evidence of other, similar interaction?" She holds out, defiantly glaring at you, and you sigh. You didn't want to say it. "Catarina, please. If Kayton has spoken to Klaus... he might know what happened to my father."

The room is deathly cold. Wayne rapidly backpedals out of the conversation, acutely aware that it no longer involves him. You expected to catch her off guard with that plea, but instead she's done it to you. Her face is frozen, for only the briefest moment, in a pitiful state of shock. She turns her head away from you so that you can't see her emotions in the unlit chapel. It's so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

"That's no fair, Bartolomè."

The entire room is motionless for some time, and you watch Catarina, her shoulders raised and hostile as she tries to work through the ultimatum you've given her. Her shoulders sink. "Fine. We'll go to Munich."

Shuffling footsteps fill your ears as Wayne approaches. He is careful not to glance at the other Executor, eyes only on you. "If you can vouch for her Bart, then she can come. I... expected something like this might happen, so I purchased a third ticket just in case. You both should meet me at the International Airport at 3:00 PM. We'll need time to get all of your... 'equipment' through security." He takes a few waning steps back, then turns around and heads for the door. "As for me, I think I've stirred up enough discord in a church for my tastes. I'll just go ahead and see myself out. Catch you later, Bart." He opens the chapel doors, steps out, and is gone.

Catarina points to the door. "You should be going too. Go back to the hotel and pack your things." You start in terror, realizing how much time has passed, but she expected that. "I've been paying your fee since the night you fought Klaus. You're not bankrupt; just go and check out, then head to the airport."

Not much has changed in her tone or body language, but something seems colder in the way she's speaking to you now.

>1. Apologize to Catarina before you go.
>2. Leave.

And that was your first Persuade Check. Occasionally dialogue options will come up where you can achieve an overall better outcome through convincing several parties to do something than if you'd taken another choice. However, should you fail these, the outcome is less pleasant, possibly even WORSE than the default options. These Persuasion Checks are calculated based on any Persuasion skills you have (you have none at the moment) along with your relationship with the person/people you're convincing, up against the severity of what you're asking of them. In this instance, your standing with Catarina and Wayne was good enough to pass, but Catarina's check was low enough that you needed a less pleasant means to coerce her, and she is unhappy with the agreement.

>>29779686
>1. Apologize to Catarina before you go.

>>29779686
>1. Apologize to Catarina before you go.
"I will make it up to you sometime"

>>29780098
>>29779783
>>29779783
"Catarina, I shouldn't have used that against you. I'm sorry, I'll make it up to you."

Catarina sighs, and frowns at you. "You're hopeless, Bartolomè. I told you I don't want apologies. Now go, you only have a few hours to pack. And I'll change my mind about going if we miss our flight."

Catarina walks out the side entrance without another word, the clicking shut of the door signaling the end of the conversation.You feel terribly confused, shifting weight between your feet. "Well, is she angry at me or not?" A question that can no longer be answered at this time. Your focus now, you know, should be on packing, and making sure you're adequately prepared for a trip to Germany. You don't know how long you'll be there, and it may be wise to pack everything you can.

>1. Go to my room in the church, first. I can bring my things there to the hotel, and go to the airport straight from there.
>2. Go to the hotel, pack, and then come back here to retrieve the rest.
>3. You have plenty of time. You'd like to do something else first.

>>29780236
>1. Go to my room in the church, first. I can bring my things there to the hotel, and go to the airport straight from there.

>>29780236
>1. Go to my room in the church, first. I can bring my things there to the hotel, and go to the airport straight from there.

>>29780236
>1. Go to my room in the church, first. I can bring my things there to the hotel, and go to the airport straight from there.

>>29780287
>>29780295
>>29780312
You stop by your room here, first. It's only sensible, after all; you can head to hotel from here and then go to the airport at your leisure. You stroll back at your own pace, no longer struggling with the speed of Catarina, and find things relatively in order. You rarely used this room for more than recovery and sleeping, so the only thing in real disarray is your bed. You take a few minutes to make up the sheets into a less chaotic arrangement, and then set about packing. There is a gym bag here that you can use for transporting most of what you've brought here. Your priest's clothes go in first. Though Kayton may be a former friend of Wayne's, a battle may not be out of the question, and you'd prefer to be prepared. In that same vein you tuck in the Cross of Orleans, the sword that Klaus Hind originally wielded against you. It still feels heavy, and awkward in your hands. The hilt is not balanced like a sword's, or at least not he Black Keys'. Though, you have little experience with weapons in general. You could have it backwards as far as you know, the Cross being perfect and you simply adapting to the more awkward workings of your church's preferred armament. You shuffle around the place a bit, throwing in some spare clothes and other trivial things, but there's not much here besides your equipment. A shame, you think. This room was little more than a barracks to you. Maybe if you'd been here a little longer you could have done something more with it. You zip up the bag and depart the church.

...

You took a taxi to a few blocks down from your hotel. You'd have liked to have been dropped off right at the door, but your funds are finally beginning to run dry, and you need to be a little conservative with what you have left. You get a hefty quantity of stares as you go by the locals, and only naturally so; wouldn't you gawk at an athletically-toned foreigner with an eyepatch, carrying a bulging gym bag with a rosary around his neck? But even if it's natural, you feel embarrassed under their stupefied glances, and try to keep your red face out of sight as you pass. You've been cooped up in the church you've forgotten--even if the functional losses of your missing eye have been compensated for through training, you still look bizarre to strangers. You hurry across the street with several commuters when the lights turn in your favor, and keep striding towards the hotel. You pass by a few quaint little shops, separated by thin alleys...

Your ears perk up, and you freeze halfway through a step. The alley you just passed is strange. There are faint sounds coming from within that, if you strain yourself, you can pick up. There is a shuffling of feet, and someone breathing at a frantic pace. You can smell the salt of sweat and tears from within that place. Your brow furrows. Someone is in the alley, and they are scared.

>1. Go in and investigate. Someone may need your help.
>2. It is none of my business, and I cannot miss my flight. Go to the hotel.

>>29781390
>1. Go in and investigate. Someone may need your help.

As if there is even an option otherwise here. We're a priest.

>>29781390
>1. Go in and investigate. Someone may need your help.

>>29781390
>1. Go in and investigate. Someone may need your help.

As god wills it. The Shepard shall come to the aid of the flock.

>>29781429
>>29781431
>>29781476
Of course you go in the alley. There was never any way you wouldn't. No duty could compel you to ignore someone in need. As discretely as you can manage you slip between the buildings and into the shadows. Your footsteps are slow, and quiet, and you take great pains not to move so quickly as to startle whatever is back here. You set your bag down on the top of a dumpster, the metallic thunk echoing wildly around the walls. Your ears pick up a new sound, a quiet gasp... coming from right beside the dumpster. Moving around to the other side you poke your head around and find what you were looking for.

It's a young girl. Olive-skinned like a native, but with bright red hair full of knots and tangles. Her face, which you are sure would be quite charming otherwise, is grimy and unwashed. She is quite young, you wouldn't place her over fifteen, and that's if you're being generous. You wonder what she's doing here, and how she came to be in this position. But all of these observations, all of them, come second. Second to the fact that the moment you poked your head around the corner she pointed a 9mm pistol at you. The barrel is tucked under your chin and has a very up-close and personal view of your throat. You're frozen, eyes wide as you see the girl debate shooting. Her face is warbling in a flurry of emotion. "W-what do you--get away! Get away from me!"

>1. Disarm her. (1d100+2)
>2. Say something to try and calm her down.
>3. Run away.

>>29782270
>2. Say something to try and calm her down.
Let's try to get her to confess her sins or something?

>>29782270
>2. Say something to try and calm her down.

I'd rather not risk a roll, that seems like it could be instant death.

Say something to the effect of not wanting to hurt her, being a priest, and asking if she needs any help.

>>29782270
>2. Say something to try and calm her down.
"Easy now, who are you running from?"

Also should check eyes out for just eye now

>>29782400
Second this.

>>29778131
>Burying bones, workin' on your prayers
Runescape reference, right here.

>>29782425
Heh heh... whoops. That's a typo that's probably gonna keep going on for a while.

>>29782400
>>29782628
>>29782425
"Easy now," you whisper, careful not to raise your voice too high. There's commotion out in the streets, and if you raise too much attention then someone might investigate. You speak in English, in the hopes that she'll know some. "I don't want to harm you. My name is Bartolomè. I am a priest, what is troubling you? I could hear your breathing. Has something frightened you?"

The girl speaks back, but in panicked, scattered bursts that make no sense to you. "N-no, no priest--not priest--Dead! You're all dead! J-just under the skin! All dead!" She's getting more frantic, and you can feel the gun in her hand trembling. She's either going to drop it, or fire.

>1. I'm very much alive. Please, put the gun down.
>2. She's going to fire, try to disarm her. (1d100+2)
>3. You're not making any sense! Tell me what happened to you.
>4. She's hysterical, and a danger to herself and you. Knock her out. (1d100+2)
>5. Wait... is she talking about the Dead?
>6. Try something different.

>>29783064
>1. I'm very much alive. Please, put the gun down.

>>29783064

>1. I'm very much alive. Please, put the gun down.

If i was to guess she just saw some priests get killed by ghouls, so grabbing some weapons would be a good move. Have we gotten into the habit of hiding them around our body at all times yet?

>>29782951
Shit, missed that

>>29783064
>1. I'm very much alive. Please, put the gun down.

I fucking swear, if we get shot in the face...

>>29783064
I know who these dead are, and I'm not one of them. Put down your weapon, I'm not an enemy of yours.

>>29783064
>2
fuck you guys. If someone puts a gun to your throat you don't talk your way out of it. This is not DnD and we don't have +17 to diplomacy.

>>29783334
>>29783278
>>29783244
>>29783220
I hope we get shot now. Y'all niggas dumb

>>29783352
I don't think Beatta will just have us shot dead in this situation, if we fail the disarm though...

>>29783379
because beatta is a pretty good gm so far is why I think he would. If we can never die what is the point of this.

Roleplay it. Bart is tough, but he's timid. I cannot see him holding composure and speaking with any sort of persuasive conviction in this situation

>>29783474
I'm just not seeing it anon. If this talk fails though then a disarm is looking a lot better. We'll leave our fates to the dicegods if she stays belligerent

>>29783474
We can always roll, but if we get her to lower the gun, we've just gained some trust that might help not get a bullet in the back later on.

Seriously, people panic in quest threads so easily...

>>29783561
>>29783528
you call it panic, i call it roleplay. Getting a gun pushed to your neck is pretty intense. I'd wager half of the guys here can't hold a conversation at a party with a friend, nonetheless a stranger with a pistol.

>>29783735
We stood up to the reality-bending vampire pretty well, what makes you think his knees are knocking from the little girl?

>>29783778
social skills vs. fighting skills. Your point only bolsters my argument. Bart has reason to believe he could easily disarm this kid.

>>29783778
See? this guy gets is.

>>29783735
Roleplay all you want, but don't push your veiw on other people without making an argument for it. Calling someone stupid etc is just an invitation to be ignored.

>>29783735
>my roleplay is so awesome
>i know how a gun getting pushed to my neck feels
>im so alfa because i mentioned you're all betas that cant talk to people
Kindly fucking leave.

Lets all calm down and see how it plays, no need to get riled up.

>>29783189
>>29783220
>>29783278
You can feel sweat brewing on you. Even on this cool winter, you don't think you've felt so uncomfortably warm. You've been in equal danger of dying before, several times now. But they were in the heat of battle, where instinct took precedence over intelligent thought. Now, though, the opposite is true. If you lose your cool for a brief moment, you will die. You try to exhale calmly, but you can't help but begin to shake.

"I... am very much alive. I'm not dead, I promise. Now please, put the gun down..."

The girl flinches, shrinking away from you but doesn't move her weapon. You gulp, and feel your throat press against its barrel. Tears are rapidly streaming down her face, locked into a grimace of pure terror. She's begun to breathe too rapidly; she's hyperventilating. You move a hand to reach for her, but she sees you. With a high shriek she squeezes the trigger. You close your eyes in terror... but nothing happens.

Her trembling hands hold the pistol, but it has not fired. Maybe it misfired. Taking the opportunity you grab her hands, finding them too weak to resist, and peel her fingers away from the gun. It clacks against the ground; you set the safety on and put the barrel away from you both in case of a delayed shot. The girl is sobbing inconsolably. "Dead d-dead dead you're all dead!" She buries her face in your shoulder, and before you can react has quieted down. She is unconscious.

Your hands tremble. You have no idea what to do. What has happened to this girl?

>1. Bring her to your room in the hotel. You need to think on this.
>2. Leave her here. This is out of your control.
>3. Bring her back to the church. Maybe Catarina will have an idea.
>4. See if Wayne is in the hotel. He might know what to do.
>5. Bring her to the police station. Dead or no, this isn't your responsibility.

>1a. Bring the gun with you.
>1b. Leave the gun here.

>>29783373
>>29783379
>>29783474

Funniest thing. I've been making background rolls to see if you're calming her down, and you failed to do so. However, she ALSO critically failed her attack roll...

>>29784263
>3. Bring her back to the church. Maybe Catarina will have an idea.

>1b. Leave the gun here.

Well, there go our plans for leisurely packing.

>>29784263
...Holy shit the bitch almost killed us.

>3. Bring her back to the church. Maybe Catarina will have an idea.
Sounds like undead shenanigans from what she is saying
1a. Bring the gun with you.
Just make sure it is far far away from the crazy.

>>29784319
Goddamn, that was actually close.

>>29784263
Bring her to the hotel, seek out Wayne, take the gun.

>>29784263
>1. Bring her to your room in the hotel. You need to think on this.

>1a. Bring the gun with you.

Well that was a stroke of luck, we should probably work on our persuasion side at some time. Take her to your room for now, itll be safer, we can let her calm down a bit and well be able to pack in the meantime.

We need to leave this place anyway, we can't afford the room rent.

>>29784319
hahahahha hell yeah. beatta confirmed for best gm who don't give a fuck.

>>29784263
>3. Bring her back to the church. Maybe Catarina will have an idea.
Catarina would probably have a better idea about the Dead since the girl was referencing priests.

>1a. Bring the gun with you.

>>29784263
>other

Shoot her.

>>29784263

>1. Bring her to your room in the hotel. You need to think on this.
>Take the gun.

>>29784263
Oh yes and: when we do get inside our room and the girl has explained who she is and what she just saw, ring Catarina to tell her what has gone off.

>>29784331
>>29784351
>>29784448
This is serious. You can't imagine what madness has gripped this child, but it isn't something you can stand to ignore. You retrieve the gun first, putting it in your pocket where it will not be seen. Then you take the girl up in a bridal carry. She's not very heavy. You would often carry Olivia up to bed like this and tuck her in when she dozed off in the living room. Though the distance has increased, you've gotten stronger too. You think you can manage it, except...

You watch people mindlessly stroll by down at the edge of the alley. "That's no good..." you'll get stairs from carrying around an unconscious girl. And if someone called the police you have no clue what you'd tell them. "Why do these things always happen to me?"

You use your teeth to pick up the gym bag, tossing it up in the air and letting it drop back down around your head, using your neck to hold up the strap. It hurts. "My day won't be going smoothly..."

...

Panting heavily, you kick open the door to the church and come inside. You stumble down through the lobby and down the stairs towards Catarina's office. You call loudly for her, but don't get an answer. You've dragged this girl all the way across town, sticking to alleys and shadowy corners to avoid arousing suspicion, and you're at your physical limit. With staggering, painful steps you throw yourself down the stairwell and to her door.

Catarina looks up from her desk, awake for once. She looks up at you. "Bartolomè? What do you want... who is that?"

"I don't know," you say, "But she needs help."

Catarina tuts, and even as she stands up and approaches you scolds, "We can't just take in strays off the street." She motions for you to let the girl go, and she takes the load into her arms instead, keeping her up with remarkable strength. "You've already wrangled me into one stupid venture, I don't have the patience for another." Complain as she does, she still carries the girl down to your room and sets her down in the bed you've been using. Once the chaotic moment has passed, Catarina looks to you, and asks for a wet rag and a bottle of pills from her office. Once you've brought both of these things, she places the rag on the girl's head and takes the pills herself.

"So, Bartolomè? Any reason you brought this thing to me?"

>1. Explain to her what happened.
>2. Explain what happened, but leave out the attempted shooting.

>>29785138
>you'll get stairs from carrying around an unconscious girl
>you'll get stairs
>stairs

>>29785175
>1. Explain to her what happened.

>>29785175
>1. She was carrying a gun and screaming about 'the Dead', seemed serious enough. Especially since she almost shot me.
Show her the gun.

>>29785175
>1. Explain to her what happened.
We need to make it clear that she's dangerously unstable.

Give Cat. the gun

>>29785175

>1. Explain to her what happened.
"She kept on going on about dead priests. So It might involve us"

Probably going to be chewed out a bit about nearly being shot but that is to be expected.

>>29785299
>N-no, no priest--not priest--Dead! You're all dead
She isn't talking about dead priests specifically, just that we're a dead priest, in addition to everyone else, who is also dead.

>>29785215
I have disgraced the clan.

>>29785245
>>29785256
>>29785264
>>29785299
You pull the gun from your pocket and show it to Catarina. "Yes, there is a reason." You hand it to her, which she takes with some clumsiness. It's balanced between both of her hands as she takes a closer look. As she turns it over to look at the other side, you continue elaborating. "I found her like this in an alley, crying and shouting nonsense about dead things--how we're all dead."

This intrigues your mentor, and she asks, "Do you think..."

"I think she might mean them, yes. But she's dangerously unstable. You should restrain her until she wakes."

A sigh. "And you brought her to me? Gee, I didn't know you cared, Bart. Fine. Gimme a second." You watch her set to work, placing the gun on a corner shelf before pulling sheets out from spare drawers in the corners of the room and using them to tie her hands and feet to the bedposts. "There," she says satisfied. "That oughta do it."

"...Do you really think that's enough to--"

"That oughta do it," Catarina repeats, firmly. "So. You've brought me this little burden. What exactly do you expect me to do with her?"

>1. We have to take care of her until she's stable again.
>2. We have to find out what she knows, and if it's connected to the Dead Apostles.
>3. I don't know. I panicked and brought her here. What do you think we should do?

>>29785815
2. We have to find out what she knows, and if it's connected to the Dead Apostles.
Lets see if we can impress Catarina with our professionalism.

>>29785815
>2. We have to find out what she knows, and if it's connected to the Dead Apostles.
If it isn't then she's better off at a hospital, a mental one.

If it is then we need to take care of her obviously.

And for god's sake make sure the gun isn't just laying on a counter. I don't particularly want extra holes in our priest.

>>29785815
>2. We have to find out what she knows, and if it's connected to the Dead Apostles.

>>29785889
>>29785895
>>29785938
"If there's any truth to her ramblings, and she's not just crazy, then it's our duty to find out what it is. It may involve Dead Apostles." The cold words you're saying put you ill at ease, but if anything they seem to impress Catarina, who smiles lightly at you.

"Exactly. You're learning, Bartolomè." She retrieves the gun and places it in her vest's pocket for safekeeping. "But... sadly, we're not exactly going to be lugging a crazy girl overseas." For a moment you expect Catarina to suggest you have to stay in Naples to help watch the girl. But she surprises you. "So. Change of plans. You go to Munich. I'll stay here and watch the girl."

"W-wait, I don't understand! I thought you didn't want me going to Munich without you?"

"Yep, still don't," she clarifies, but gives an apathetic shrug. "But then again, the point was that you didn't skip out on my teaching. But if we have to babysit someone having a mental breakdown, I don't think training is happening one way or the other. So, go to Munich with Wayne. Find out more about Kayton, and if he has anything to do with the Dead Apostles or your father." She points limply at the girl. "I'll stay here and learn what I can about the girl, and what she saw to make her freak out. Deal?"

"T-thank you, Catarina," you say. But she waves you out the door.

"Go on, get back to what you were doing. I can hold down the fort here."

>1. Get back to the hotel and finish packing.
>2. Play Intermission.

>>29786459
>2. Play Intermission.

>>29786459
>2. Play Intermission.

>>29786459
>2. Play Intermission.

Looks like we're going without our mentor after all, I look forward to our imminent mutilation. We don't really need two arms anyways.

>>29786459
>2. Play Intermission.
>>29786609
Why you gotta go and jinx it man.

>>29786459
>2. Play Intermission.

>>29786609
Just Bartolomè and Wayne against the world. Thankfully we have a sword, that ought to make life easier.

>>29786726
>>29786730
On the flip side it'll be more interesting this way. Cat. would've showed us up for sure.

>>29786609
You are now Catarina Belmont.

The clock tells you it's about 8:00 PM. Bartolomè left hours ago, and since then it's been you and his little pet psycho. You haven't left her side yet, though. Don't let anyone ever say you aren't a diligent worker when you want to be. And no. Those couple of times you dozed off don't count. Bartolomè's room is impeccably kept, which is a nice change of pace; you wish he'd get around to cleaning your office sometime. The place is so messy even you don't like going in there. You've been trying to keep yourself busy, but it's getting harder to do so by the minute. Your stomach's been growling at you jealously for a while now, demanding attention. You've been putting off eating all day. It's been too nice a change of pace having somebody who can cook around; now you've gotten complacent, and don't want to go back to microwave food. You figure you'll buckle in another couple of hours.

But not yet.

Sleeping Beauty over there hasn't budged since your student carried her in, but that's probably to be expected. She looks like a mess. Probably hasn't been anywhere warm for days. You'd like to be around when she first wakes up in case she goes berserk. She's probably not dangerous though. You locked her gun up in the panic room. As far as you know she's just a regular girl besides.

But sitting around and commenting on things you already know only distracts you for so long. What are you going to do for a little entertainment around here?

>1. Take a nap.
>2. Grab a newspaper and catch up on the news.
>3. Go find a TV and watch the news on there. It's less boring than the paper.
>4. Go poke around Lucien's office. Maybe he left something important you could blackmail him with.
>5. Poke around this room. Maybe Bartolomè left something you could embarrass him with.
>6. Call Bartolomè and see if he's landed in Munich yet.
>7. Rifle the girl's pockets. Maybe she has an ID.
>8. You're too hungry. Make "dinner."

>>29787051
>5. Poke around this room. Maybe Bartolomè left something you could embarrass him with.

There has to be something, right?

>>29787051
>8. You're too hungry. Make "dinner."
She hasn't eaten for the whole day. Should probably eat before doing anything else.

>>29787051
>7. Rifle the girl's pockets. Maybe she has an ID.
then
5.

>>29787051
Grab a newspaper, get bored, poke around the room.

>>29787051
>5. Poke around this room. Maybe Bartolomè left something you could embarrass him with.
There must be somethinge else there wouldnt be an option.

>>29787130
>>29787219
You push yourself out of the chair with purpose. The purpose of finding something to hold over Bartolomè's head when he tries to pull the father card on you again. Your search begins with the shelves. An unlikely place, but you scan through every surface for signs of his presence. Nothing, though. You go through the desk drawers next. Maybe he has a naughty book tucked away somewhere. You stifle a laugh at the thought of it. The red on his face when you'd dangle it in front of him... too good, too good! But alas. Your innocent, virginal student has no filth to be found. At least not in this desk. You sigh, scratching your chin as you look around. This was fun for all of two minutes, but you're getting bored fast. But your eyes hover over a waste bin, and it hits you. Of COURSE it'd be in the trash! You're about to dive down and root through the collection of tossed papers, but you stop yourself.

Were you really about to just do that?

You step away from the trash can, shaking your head and dusting yourself off. "The hunger's driving me crazy..." It's not worth going through trash just for the sake of a prank. You need to find something else to amuse yourself with.

>1. Take a nap.
>2. Grab a newspaper and catch up on the news.
>3. Go find a TV and watch the news on there. It's less boring than the paper.
>4. Call Bartolomè and see if he's landed in Munich yet.
>5. Rifle the girl's pockets. Maybe she has an ID.
>6. You're too hungry. Make "dinner."

>>29787587
>6. You're too hungry. Make "dinner."

>>29787587
>6. You're too hungry. Make "dinner."

>>29787587
>4. Call Bartolomè and see if he's landed in Munich yet.

>>29787587
>1
it's catalina for christs sake

>>29788310
She's too hungry to sleep

>>29787722
>>29787725
"All right. You win, stomach, I'll eat."

You wish Bartolomè'd at least have put some leftovers in before going. You head to the kitchen, where a small television is playing in the corner. You can watch it while you make your food and eat. Others would call it lazy to put a TV in the kitchen; you call it unrecognized genius. You go fishing in the freezer and retrieve a box of ziti. Not exactly appetizing, but you're not about to be picky. You toss it in the microwave and set the instructed time. The little black tray spin round and round under the orange light, and you watch it twirl around for a few seconds. Then you realize that's dumb, and turn to watch the TV while it cooks. It's set to a news station, though as you can expect of the media it's not a pleasant story. Besides the handsome newscaster, there is a young woman's image plastered on the screen. "Hey," you murmur. "Haven't I seen that face?" She appears young, just barely into her teenage years, with long red hair and a sullen face. But she only catches your attention when the newscaster accuses her of murder.

"Sabrina Rao, 14, has been charged with the premeditated murder of fellow classmate Melissa Biancardi..."

You gape at the screen, recognizing the girl you have tied up just down the hall. "Oh, sh--"

The microwave beeps. Your ziti is ready.

And that's where the Quest is halting for the night. Thanks to everybody for playing, and as usual feel free to follow me @Frolloswagendir for information about upcoming Quest times!

However, as I stated in a QTG earlier, I'm gonna stick around for a while and call this a Q&A session.

If any of you have any questions about the Quest, the mechanics, its relation to other Nasu things, the plot, characters, or something else I forgot to think of, ask it here in the thread and I'll answer it to the best of my ability. The only restriction I'm going to place is that I'll refuse to answer the question if it will completely spoil some aspect of the Quest.

>>29788464
I fucking knew she was batshit crazy. Hurry Cat. Kill her before she gets you!

>>29788518
Thanks for running the quest, you've a way with creating suspense. Also what fuck is ziti.

>>29788518
Why'd our mage friend work with us so easily? We were new and still didn't approach him with working together, he suggested it.

it would seem like someone established in the business would be more prejudiced. Will he receive some sort of reprimand for working with us?

How advanced is conventional medicine? I was convinced Wayne was fucked with what happened to him without magical healing.

Did cat. jump the gun with our first mission and got us maimed with outdated information or was she given false info.?

Can't really think of any other questions I'd like to ask. I enjoyed the thread Beatta

File: 1390709207258.jpg-(12 KB, 200x200, ziti.jpg)

12 KB JPG

>>29788617
Some kind of baked lasagna-like food.

>>29788657
>Why'd our mage friend work with us so easily?
Partially out of self-interest and partially out of apathy. Wayne is irreverent and disrespectful as a rule, and only obeys the rules of the Clock Tower he'd be killed for breaking. He's barely tolerated because of his unique ability, though he's often sent on dangerous missions as punishment. Incidentally, that's how he got assigned to bring down Klaus without any backup or equipment. He was pretty sure cooperating with you would save his life. And as it happened, it did.

>How advanced is conventional medicine?
Conventional medicine isn't really any better than ours today, but Wayne's pretty resilient on his own. He's not actually back at 100% yet; he came knocking as soon as he could walk on his own again.

>Did Cat. jump the gun or...
A little of Column A, a little of Column B...