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Unlike the rest of the palace, the library is open to the public, at least during its hours of operation. Most citizens of Alvar are literate, assuming they have access to their index finger and are allowed to move their lips. The library is stocked with an impressive selection of books, scrolls, and assorted items of literature.

There are only a handful of people in the library at the moment. Most people would be out in the city in the late afternoon, working their trade or shopping for dinner, leaving only the scholars and scribes who either have someone to do for them at home, or who tend to forget to eat while in the middle of research.

The elf librarian behind the large desk gives you a brief glance as you enter, but otherwise seems uninterested in your presence.

> Browse the shelves at our leisure
> Ask the librarian for directions and recommendations
> Look for something other than maps (specify)

>>35561667
> Browse the shelves at our leisure

>>35561667
>Ask the librarian for directions and recommendations

>>35561667
> Ask the librarian for directions and recommendations

weren't we supposed to come here for a map?

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The librarian visibly sighs as you approach, and puts aside her sewing. You can see a collection of handcrafted items behind the desk, ranging from tea doilies to embroidered handkerchiefs to a malformed knitted sock.

She's also dressed in a more decorative style than what you would expect of someone whose primary companions are inanimate objects of paper and ink. Maybe her outfit is hand-sewn, judging from her hobby.

"May I help you?" she asks, obviously hoping that she may not.

"I'm looking for a map of the palace," you say.

The librarian's scowl grows deeper. "We don't do guided tours of the palace."

"I'm not a tourist," you say patiently. "I'm Nicole, the new knight-apprentice." You really need to get some kind of certificate of your new status or something. Maybe you can ask Clarissa for a badge.

"Lose your direction easily, do you?"

You nod, with the faint optimism that this might steer the conversation towards a speedier resolution that ends with a map in your possession.

Seeing no easy way out of it, the librarian stands. "You won't be able to find it in the maps section. We keep the palace maps in a different place, since not everyone is allowed to see it. How detailed do you want the map to be?"

> Something simple will do, I just want to know where the important bits are
> A bit of detail, but not overwhelmingly so; scales and dimensions would be nice
> All the details ever, complete with architectural notes and trivia and secret passages

> All the details ever, complete with architectural notes and trivia and secret passages

>>35561986
>> All the details ever, complete with architectural notes and trivia and secret passages

>>35561986
>A bit of detail, but not overwhelmingly so; scales and dimensions would be nice
guys, you don't just ASK for secret passages.

They're recorded in the History notes and maybe construction logs.

>>35561986
>A bit of detail, but not overwhelmingly so; scales and dimensions would be nice

>>35562071
You don't know that, you're not my real father

>>35561986
>>35562071
blech, too exhausted to write clearly

I mean to ask for History/Architectural notes and be pointed in the direction of construction logs, but don't explicitly ask for secret passages. Call it, "pinpointing weaknesses to patrol".

>>35562100
Of course not, there's no way I'm old enough to be your father. Because I'm a human. Like you.

>>35561986
>> A bit of detail, but not overwhelmingly so; scales and dimensions would be nice

"A bit of detail," you say. "Just a bit. Scales and dimensions would be nice." You entertain visions of some brochure simplified to uselessness, or stacks upon stacks of scrolls and books with mind-numbing engineering minutae.

The librarian leads you to a door hidden between shelves of thick, square history books. If you hadn't been following the librarian, you would have overlooked it entirely.

"These are the only copies of the palace plans we have," she says, unlocking the door with a small key. "We keep meaning to make more, but never get around to it. Members of the public are not allowed to remove the maps from this room; who knows what they'll do to it. Tears and stains and whatnot." She shudders at the lack of care to books demonstrated by the plebeian masses.

"What if more renovations are needed for the palace?" you ask, curious.

"I open the door for the draftsmen and stand behind them until they finish measuring and taking notes. I find it hastens the work process." The librarian looks thoughtful for a moment, running through the checklist of social interaction in her head. "Did I tell you my name yet? No? I'm Katherine."

The map room is cramped and stuffy, with shelves of scrolls and books in various stages of foxing. On the far end, dimly-lit, are a few display cases and glass-fronted shelves, locked tight.

Katherine peers at the collection of maps on the nearest shelf, and selects one. "Here."

"Am I allowed to borrow this? Taking it out of the library?"

"Only because you live in the palace now, and I know where to find you." Her tone implies dire consequences should you sully so much as a corner of the map. "I'm the only one who can open this room, so if you want to come back, you'll have to ask me."

> Check the map right here
> Ask about the locked shelves
> Thank her, and leave; it's almost time for dinner

>>35562339
>> Check the map right here
>> Ask about the locked shelves
>> Thank her

>>35562339
> Check the map right here
> Thank her, and leave; it's almost time for dinner

>>35562339
Derp, forgot to clarify: "Check the map right here" leaves the map in the library, and "Thank her and leave" takes the map with us.

It's fine anyway; I'll handle it in the next post.

>>35562339
> Thank her, and leave; it's almost time for dinner

>>35562339
>Ask about the records of renovations
>Check the map right here

>>35561568
Isnt that the school from mana khemia?

You unfurl the map, tilting it to catch the light.

It's a large sheet of parchment, unwieldy to hold for long. This map is an overview of the palace as a whole, showing four levels of the palace, including a basement you didn't know was there. It's also fairly up-to-date, as far as you can tell. The wizard's tower is shoved into a sidebar, but most of it looks like stairs and storerooms anyway. Little notes in the margins refer to other floor-specific plans, which are presumably the other maps on the shelf.

You fold the map up again. It's too large to fit into a pocket or pouch, unless you want to fold it further than it already has been, and risk the wrath of Katherine the librarian.

"Be careful with it," Katherine warns you yet again. "And return it as soon as you can. I hear the Duke is thinking about expanding the residential wing."

> Maybe it's better to leave this precious map in the library
> We'll be careful, what's the worst that could happen

also the previous

> Ask about the locked shelves
> Thank her, and leave; it's almost time for dinner

>>35562551
> Maybe it's better to leave this precious map in the library
> Ask about the locked shelves
What's up with those?

>>35562541
It is. It's just a random image search for something suitably Fantasy Buildings, since I'm terrible at picking images.

I'll get around to playing one of the Mana Khemia games one day, I swear

>>35562551
>> Maybe it's better to leave this precious map in the library
>> Ask about the locked shelves

>>35562551
> We'll be careful, what's the worst that could happen
> Thank her, and leave; it's almost time for dinner

We need to make a rough copy of it. Might as well start on that tonight.

>>35561986
So she just believes our story about the knight-apprentice without any evidence?

>>35562551
> We'll be careful, what's the worst that could happen
> Ask about the locked shelves

>>35562597
Hey, don't point out such a potentially useful security hole that we can exploit.

>>35562551
>> Maybe it's better to leave this precious map in the library
>Ask about records of renovations

>>35562572
Play the first if you want story and character development. Play the second if you want character PREMISE and gameplay.

>>35562572
I am a huge fanboy of the first one. not so much the second one. Would highly recommend both though if you have a psp. If you still have a ps2, Mana khemia 1 is the way to go. Sorry to disrupt your quest thread or whatever. haha. I leave as I came, in peace.

>>35562551
> We'll be careful, what's the worst that could happen
> Thank her, and leave; it's almost time for dinner

>>35562551

> Maybe it's better to leave this precious map in the library
Memorize!

> Thank her, and leave; it's almost time for dinner

Calling the vote here, or we'll be forever waiting for a tie-breaker.

Writing for
> Maybe it's better to leave this precious map in the library
and
> Thank her, and leave; it's almost time for dinner

Gingerly, you replace the map onto the shelf. "I think it would be best to leave it here for now. I can always come in to check the map again, right?"

"You may indeed," Katherine says, with a tone approaching but not quite achieving approval. Apparently her belief in the sanctity of the library has won out ever so marginally over her disinclination for having to unlock the map room every single time.

You are about to ask Katherine about the locked shelves at the far end of the room, but she is checking her pocketwatch, and does not like what she sees. "It's time to close the library," she says.

"So soon?" You recoil slightly from her deepening scowl. "I mean, thank you for your help, Katherine."

Katherine just about pushes you bodily out of the map room. "Whatever. Come back tomorrow."

A thought strikes you. "Do you have any records of the renovations done on the palace?"

"Why would we? This is a library, not a records-room." Katherine relents slightly. "The seneschal should have something like that. Go bug him if you're so interested."

You make your way back to the passageway to the palace, where the pair of guards watch you warily. Using the unassailable logic of having come from the palace in the first place, you manage to convince them to let you back in.

You really need that certification of knight-apprenticeship.

You look back at the library before you return to the palace. Katherine has chased out the last of the lingering scholars. Strangely enough, she does not leave herself; instead, she heads back to her desk, and ducks down under it, out of sight.

The guards at the archway appear to be having second thoughts about letting you through. You hurry back to the palace before they change their minds.

>[1/?]

Your brief glance at the palace map was enough to give you a fair idea of where everything is located, so you make it to the kitchens without incident. The dinner rush has just begun, and the menu for this evening is more of the lunch stew, fortified with probably lamb. Hopefully the cuisine varies in the coming days; you are not unaccustomed to having a limited meal variety, considering trail rations, but you were hoping for something a bit more luxurious, now that you aren't travelling.

You take a small plate once again, and quickly finish it off. You don't see Clarissa around, or Anders, or even that elf maid. Given the amount of food still left, Clarissa certainly hasn't been here yet.

> Linger in the kitchens to catch some gossip
> Head back to your room
> There was a communal bath listed on the map...

>>35563093
>> There was a communal bath listed on the map...

Maids and cooks get pissy if you get in their way.

>>35563093
> Linger in the kitchens to catch some gossip

>>35563093
> Linger in the kitchens to catch some gossip
I still don't know what our goal is, but learning more about what is going on around her has got to help.

>>35563093
> There was a communal bath listed on the map...

anyone think going to the wizard's at night is a good idea?

>>35563093

Actually, we could do both
> Linger in the kitchens to catch some gossip
> There was a communal bath listed on the map...
Changing my vote >>35563163

>>35563093
> There was a communal bath listed on the map...
Bath!

>>35563093
>> There was a communal bath listed on the map...
There is no need to fear anything, we are all human here, except the orc smith, of course.
Right? A ha ha ha ha ha.

>>35563178
you mean inviting some people from the kitchen?

>>35563235
I mean hanging around the kitchen and listen in on stuff before going to the bath.

>>35563249
why would we have the time to do both when we're supposed to choose 1?

I'm pretty sure this is the longer kind of bath than you're thinking.

>>35563271
Why wouldn't we have time to do both? It's up to the MC and the QM how long they want the bath to last.

>>35563093
> There was a communal bath listed on the map...

BATH SCENE

>>35563297
>It's up to the QM
I'll keep my mouth shut for now, then.

>>35563093
>> There was a communal bath listed on the map...
Don't think we'll learn all that much here.

>>35563344
Normally I'd disagree, maids and cooks know a lot of shit, but we're still in "getting to know our way around" so if we stay we'll just be in the way or get asked questions we don't want to answer.

>>35563093
>bath

You recall that there is a large communal bath listed on the plans for the palace, located on the ground floor, beside the servants' quarters. The third-floor residents, viz the Duke and his personal retainers, have their own private baths. You don't remember anything about private or communal baths for the second-floor residents like yourself; maybe you glossed over the map too quickly.

Still, scouting out the baths would be a good idea, even if you don't take one now. You give yourself a surreptitious sniff; you don't think you built up any stink, despite the day's activities, so you could conceivably delay until you ask Clarissa what knight-apprentices are supposed to do to clean themselves. The idea of a good, long soak is pretty tempting, though.

When you reach the baths, you find that they are divided into male and female sections. Of more interest are the towels and soap you spot when you enter the female side, free for the taking; the towels are a little threadbare, and the soap looks and smells like something you'd rather not know the ingredients of, but beggars can't be choosers.

Rows of cubicles are provided for the storage of clothes. No security is provided for these, possibly on the basis that servants of the same household should trust one another. You shrug off your clothes very carefully, making sure that nobody is around when you remove your stilettos and daggers and fold your shirt over them.

The baths are heated, a luxury that no doubt keeps the servants happy and content. You are not the first in the bath; a few other women are already relaxing within, including at least two mothers with their very young children. You try to ignore the curious stares, although you can't tell if their attention is on your unfamiliar presence or your skin colour.

>[1/?]

After cleaning yourself with the mysterious object hopefully classified as soap, you settle into the steaming water for a long soak. If this is what you can look forward to in your knight-apprenticeship, it might not be so bad after all.

Nothing of note happens in the bath, apart from the stares, quickly averted when you glance in their direction. It gets distinctly uncomfortable after a while, so you reluctantly exit the bath, drying yourself off with the towel.

Returning to the changing area, you notice someone else there, piling the used towels into a wicker basket. It takes you a moment to recognize the elf maid, which is long enough for her to spot you.

"Oh! It's you," she says, bobbing a short curtsey. "Um, I see you've talked to the Knight Captain?"

"I'm a knight-apprentice now, yes," you say. "My name is Nicole."

"I'm Lily," the maid says. She politely holds out her hands, and after a moment of incomprehension, you hand her your towel. "Would you like to send your clothes for cleaning too? You can use one of the robes here, and I can deliver your laundry to your room once they're done." She blinks. "Oh, but I don't know which room you're staying in."

Normally you'd accept the offer of having someone else do your laundry, but you'd rather not have to explain the weaponry right now. "Thank you, but I'll hang on to my clothes for now."

Lily looks momentarily confused, but evidently decides that the peculiar ways of knight-apprentices are not hers to question. "Very well. Please excuse me."

You wait until she leaves with her laundry basket before quickly donning your clothes and stowing your weapons. They feel a little manky now, and you only have one more change of clothes in your meagre luggage sack. Maybe you can ask Clarissa or Anders for an advance on your pay to buy more clothes. Knight-apprentices get paid, right?

> Go to your room
> Wonder what the wizard's tower looks like at night

>>35563954
>> Wonder what the wizard's tower looks like at night
RAINBOWS AND GLITTER

>>35563954
> Wonder what the wizard's tower looks like at night

>>35563954
>> Wonder what the wizard's tower looks like at night

>>35563954
> Go to your room

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>>35563978
of a sort

>>35563954
>Wonder what the wizard's tower looks like at night
don't forget to see about an elementary book on magic

You didn't get a chance to explore the wizard's tower this afternoon. From what you remember of the map, the tower is essentially one long spiral staircase, reaching up to the top and descending into a basement level. There is a middle floor approximately five storeys high; the map did not mention what that floor, or any others, are used for.

The stone bridge to the tower from the third floor of the main palace building is an obvious recent addition, likely installed for the convenience of whichever court wizard in times past had decided that traipsing up and down the entire tower whenever they wanted to get to the main building was not a productive use of their time.

The third floor was deserted; everyone in the palace had gone home, gone to dinner, or retired to their rooms for the day. You encounter nobody else on the way.

With night falling, the palace darkens, lit only by the occasional lantern set into the walls. You're no stranger to the shadows, but as you ascend the wizard's tower, you begin to feel uneasy.

>[1/?]

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This was, in retrospect, a terrible idea. There's no reason for you to explore the wizard's tower right now, when you can do it in daytime. So many accidents can happen; a slip of the foot, and down you'll go tumbling until you end up all the way at the bottom, a broken, lifeless heap. Strange shapes lurk in the dark, watching, waiting for you to make just the tiniest mis-step, waiting for the smallest opportunity to pounce.

Your heart pounds in terror, and you feel yourself reaching for a dagger, ready to defend yourself against what lies within the shadows, unsure if you can do so.

You're afraid of the darkness.

You're not supposed to be afraid of the darkness.

This is definitely not natural. There is some sort of magic at work here, which should probably be obvious in hindsight, given your present location. Unfortunately, knowing that you're being influenced heavily by magical terror does nothing to dispel it.

You can always come back tomorrow, when the magic will presumably be dispelled to allow access to the tower without the staff cowering in fear. Of course, you're not sure if that particular thought came from reason or compulsion.

> Fight through the compulsion (roll 1d20, median of three)
> We're not that curious, give up for now

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>35564699
>Fight through the compulsion (roll 1d20, median of three)
No pure-blooded human would be let magic induced terror get to them.

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>35564699
> Fight through the compulsion (roll 1d20, median of three)
Fight the power!

>>35564699
> We're not that curious, give up for now

>>35564699
> We're not that curious, give up for now
we'll come back later, we need to copy down what we remember of the castle map.

>>35564742
>>35564746
Ha

ha

ha

>>35564742
>>35564746
Hoooly shit. Yeah, I'm voting to get the fuck out.

>>35564699
> We're not that curious, give up for now.

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>those rolls
We might be a bit weak to terror magic or something.

Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>35564699

> Fight through the compulsion (roll 1d20, median of three)

Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>35564699
> Fight through the compulsion (roll 1d20, median of three)

>>35564355
We already know magic from mental conditioning judging by >>35564699 and back when we were examining the other book.

>>35564801
Wow, too late, though.

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>35564699
> Fight through the compulsion (roll 1d20, median of three)
Yep.

>>35564787
>Wanted to fight the compulsion
>Saw the rolls
>Still voted for it because I'm not a faggot

>>35564699
> We're not that curious, give up for now

Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>35564801
Couldn't you have rolled earlier?

>>35564699
> We're not that curious, give up for now.

>>35564833
Don't worry anon, the story is more interesting this way

>>35564833
Wouldn't have helped cause two 1's and a 20 end up as a 1 still.

Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>35564699
> Fight through the compulsion (roll 1d20, median of three)
Gotta fight

Being afraid of the dark is perfectly reasonable when there's magic afoot, you're likely to be eaten by a grue.

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>35564699
> Fight through the compulsion (roll 1d20, median of three)

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>35564699
>> Fight through the compulsion

>>35564875
>>35564889
You can stop rolling, you know. The first three already happened.

>>35564922
I sorta wanna see what happens when we are "compulsed"

>>35564922
I didn't see how many people had rolled yet

We might need to send our clothes to be cleaned with those double 1's

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>35564922
Sorry... Didn't realize. My page hadn't updated.

>>35564951
I kinda want someone to find her crying in a corner.

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>>35564970
that's not very nice

>>35564699
> Fight through the compulsion (roll 1d20, median of three)

I also want to see her weeping in a corner.

>>35565023
Would be fun if it was the Guard Captain that found her. Just for her to see this stark contrast between the excellent swordswoman who effortlessly defeated her earlier and this terrified little girl cowering in fear of the dark.

And then rocks fell everybody died.

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>35565023
Because it is such a thing a human would do! I hear humans are also sometimes afraid of the dark!

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>>35565082

>>35565099
Perfect!

>>35565038

Wow what a cisscum rapist shitlord.

>>35565094
Only if you're a tiny little baby. Real humans just punch the darkness into submission.

>>35565155
WE'RE NOT A BABY IT'S JUST... WE GAZED INTO THE DARKNESS and... it looked back.

>>35565155
>Implying fear is a bad thing

>>35565094
Only pussy knife-ears are afraid of the dark. Real humans aren't afraid of anything.

>>35564699
It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a Rumia.

>>35565211
Best death.

>>35565211
What is a Rumia and how similar is it to a Grue?

How odd.

The ring of steel striking stone startles you, and you are blinded by a flash of sparks. You dimly realize, as though from a long distance, that you are responsible for both, and the dagger that you have no memory of drawing is spinning away into the darkness, knocked loose from your hand.

Something has gone terribly wrong, but you can't quite remember what.

You do feel a little strange. Maybe it has something to do with how you can't really see or hear anything right now, and yet you're perfectly aware of everything around you. Or maybe not; you're pretty sure that you know what's going on around you, but for some reason you're not really interested in the details. You are aware, and that's all that matters. Whatever it is you are aware of is irrelevant.

There's another sensation that's quietly impinging on your awareness of anything and everything. This one is sort of different, though. You try to find a word to describe it. There's definitely a word. Flying? No. Floating... no.

Oh, right. Falling.

A million years pass. It's a nice sensation, this "falling". Kind of relaxing.

Oh, hey, there's a new sensation. Only it's not a sensation. More like... what was it again? Presence. A presence. Not just a presence, but a presence that is not-you. Another presence.

There is someone else here.

Interesting.

> roll 1d20, best of three

>>35565323
THE SILENCE MUST FALL

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>35565323
HEART, GUTS, COURAGE

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>35565323
> roll 1d20, best of three

Rolled 8 (1d20)

>>35565323

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>35565323
Heh.
inb4 nat1

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>35565355
>>35565356
>>35565357
Actually nevermind, that's pretty good.

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>>35565281
If you look at the very top of the steps in the QM pic, that's Rumia. She is surrounded by supernatural darkness and eats unwary humans. Yes, she is a Touhou.

>>35565398
Hope I made up for being so late with that last 20 with one of those 19's

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>35565323
We could have just left why didn't we leave please make it stop

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>>35565355
>>35565356
>>35565398
>>35565448
What. The. Fuck.

Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>35565355
>>35565356
>>35565398
>>35565448
Why do we keep getting 19s?

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>>35565467
Because it amuses us.

>>35565467
Tg wants us to affirm our not elfs age I guess.

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>35565323

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>>35565410
Although she typically can't create a lot of darkness, either a small ball of darkness or just make it slightly dimmer.

Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>35565490
I guess it does. I don't know why it would though, 19 is a perfectly normal human age for being an apprentice knight that was in no way something that was in no way randomly picked by Nicole.

Slightly Damp @QMdamp 4m4 minutes ago
Trivia: if the rolls after the weird sequence had also been natural 1s, the mystery of Nicole would have been revealed.


Well great job high rollers.

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>>35565569
fuck nicole

>>35565569
QM Trollan

>>35565569
Dammit

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>35565569
I'm kind of glad we didn't get it, the mystery is fun.

>>35565569
I don't believe him.

It's the dawn of a brand new day.

At least you think it is. It would explain why everything is so white.

You don't really like white. Or bright. Dark is better.

Also, you hurt. A lot.

Most of it is concentrated in two places, namely your head and your right arm. Nevertheless, your entire body feels like someone has been using it as target practice for padded festival balls. For several hours.

Damn, that really, really hurts.

"Ah," a voice comes from far away. "She blinked."

"I think it's working," another voice says, from even further.

You try to focus, and you swear you can hear your eyelids creak from disuse. You manage to shut your eyes for the first time in what feels like forever, and blessed darkness returns.

... wasn't there something about the darkness that was really important?

With great reluctance, you open your eyes again, squinting against the light. You can make out blurred shapes now, and with some more frantic blinking, they coalesce into people and faces.

The one nearest to you, beside your bed, is not someone you recognize. A woman, dressed in a reassuringly neat robe, which had the well-turned look of a uniform. You vaguely recall seeing that particular outfit before, somewhere.

Standing next to her is Anders. He gives you a smile, which looks like he spent some time practicing it before coming here to see you.

You tilt your head slightly to peer at the third person-shaped blur. Leaning against the wall is Knight Captain Clarissa, who does not look happy.

The woman at your bedside smiles brightly. "How are you feeling?"

> "Ouch."
> "What happened? Where am I?"
> Close your eyes and go back to sleep

>>35565897
> "What happened? Where am I?"

>>35565897
>My apologies.
>...owie.

>>35565923
This then
> "What happened? Where am I?"

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>>35565897
> "What happened? Where am I?"

>>35565897
>Pained Groan
> "What happened? Where am I?"

>>35565897
> "What happened? Where am I?"

>>35565897
PANIC
> "What happened? Where am I?"

>>35565897
> "What happened? Where am I?"

>>35565897
"Like I feel and could get up"

"Sorry," you say, trying to sit up. Then you wait for a minute or so until all the flashing lights went away. "... owie."

"Easy there," the woman says. "Don't try to sit up just yet. You're lucky to be alive."

You suppose you are, even though you're not entirely sure if death might not be better than the pounding headache you have developed. "What happened? Where am I?"

"You're in the palace chapel," Anders says. "Which also serves as the palace hospital. Sister Simone here nursed you back to health, with some help from our court wizard Elise."

You wonder why you would need to be nursed back to health in the first place, but the throbbing pain in your arm distracts you from that train of thought, even as it answers the question itself. "... why is my arm in a cast?"

Anders hesitates before answering. "You fell down the tower," he finally says. "Broke your arm, and knocked you out as well. Clarissa found you in the tower's basement. You've been unconscious for three days."

Simone looks as though she is about to add something, but Clarissa clears her throat irritably before she can.

"Don't do anything stupid like that again, apprentice," Clarissa growls. "I don't want to have to bail you out of your own messes all the time."

With that ultimatum, Clarissa turns and leaves the room. You notice that her left hand is bandaged.

"Elise sends her apologies, by the way," Anders says. "She thinks the wards she set up for basic security must have malfunctioned. They were just supposed to distract you from climbing the tower, not disorient you so much that you'd trip and fall."

... that's not what happened to you.

> "That's not what happened to me."
> "Sorry, I don't remember anything at all. But thanks for saving my life."
> "How did the Captain get injured?"

>>35566365
> "Sorry, I don't remember anything at all. But thanks for saving my life."
> "How did the Captain get injured?"

>>35566365
> "Sorry, I don't remember anything at all. But thanks for saving my life."
> "How did the Captain get injured?"

>>35566365
>"That's not what happened to me."
>"How did the Captain get injured?"

>>35566365

> "Sorry, I don't remember anything at all. But thanks for saving my life."
> "How did the Captain get injured?"

>>35566365
> "That's not what happened to me."
> "How did the Captain get injured?"

>>35566365
>> "How did the Captain get injured?"

I'm split between the other two options.

>>35566365
> "Sorry, I don't remember anything at all. But thanks for saving my life."
> "How did the Captain get injured?"

>>35566365
>"That's not what happened to me.
>"How did the Captain get injured?"

>>35566365
> "Sorry, I don't remember anything at all. But thanks for saving my life."
> "How did the Captain get injured?"

You're pretty sure your original intention of keeping a low profile has been well and truly shattered, thanks to the ill-fated trip to the wizard's tower.

However, there might still be a chance to salvage something from this, as long as you keep your head down from now on and let suspicion fade. Inviting further investigation into the nature of the magical mishap would not fit that course of action.

"Sorry, I don't remember anything at all," you say. Which is close enough to the truth, anyway. "But thanks for saving my life."

"You should thank Clarissa," Simone says. "She's the one who found you, and sent the message to me at the church in the city. I hurried back as fast as I could."

"I'll talk to the Captain." Once you're sure she won't bite your head off for this stunt, anyway. "How did she get injured, by the way?"

Simone exchanges a glance with Anders.

"It's nothing to be concerned about," Anders says smoothly. "Get some rest. According to Simone, you should be up and about by this evening. I suggest going to see Clarissa then; she has something to discuss with you."

Once Anders departs, Simone's smile grows wider. "So," she says, with all the relish of a speaker in front of a captive audience, "have you heard the good word of the Divine yet?"

> "Why no, I have not. Please, elaborate."
> "Actually, I'm feeling a little tired, sorry."
> Close your eyes and groan softly

File: Paladin 3.jpg (62 KB, 381x611)

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>>35566937

> "Why no, I have not. Please, elaborate."

>>35566937
> "Who?"

>>35566937
>>35566972
Seconded.

>>35566937
> "Actually, I'm feeling a little tired, sorry."

>>35566937
> "Why no, I have not. Please, elaborate."

>>35566937
> Close your eyes and groan softly

>>35566937
> "Why no, I have not. Please, elaborate."

>>35566937
> "Why no, I have not. Please, elaborate."

...Religion exposition, really?

Or of course, just trying to catch Simone offguard?

>>35567480

It's /tg/. We like fantasy worlds.

You are not exactly in the mood to be preached at, but Simone did nurse you back to health, and from what she said, this was at the expense of her other religious duties. You owe her quite a lot for that, and listening to her evangelism is a small price to pay.

You put on your best attempt at an expression of interest, which you imagine looks more like a glassy smile. "Why no, I have not." This seems inadequate. "Please, elaborate."

And Simone does so. At length.

You don't remember much of it, except for the mildly umcomfortable sensation of swinging in and out of a haze of chatter. You've never paid much attention to religion, and the Church of the Divine Aspect had just been part of the background noise in life; probably important to someone, somewhere, but not to you.

As far as you can tell, there was something about driving away dragons, and blessing the lands, and turning away swords with faith, and quite a lot about travelling far and wide to find a home. Most of it is phrased in allegory and morals that are rather too much for your aching head to process at the moment.

You're not sure how much of Simone's sermon applies to you, anyway. Grace and salvation seem like the sort of things that would only apply to people who are... not you.

It's a bit depressing to think about.

It takes a while before you realize that Simone has finished. You have another go at a Face Of Interest, but Simone shushes you.

"I've talked enough for now," she says. "Besides, it's time for your medicine."

This takes the form of a glass bulb of something green so dark as to be black. Simone rattles off a list of herbs, none of which you recognize.

Predictably, it tastes vile.

>[1/?]

"Elise mixed up the potion," Simone informs you. "It should help heal that head wound of yours. Meanwhile, I've been working on your arm, so you should be good as new in just a few more days." Her confidence abates slightly. "I think."

Meaning healing magic. Devout types did tend to be better at it than other magic-users; there are probably reams of paper and seas of ink dedicated to theorizing why, none of which you are familiar with.

"Thank you," you say again, just in case you hadn't said it enough.

"Just doing the work of the Divine," Simone says piously.

The combination of Elise's medicine and Simone's ministrations did indeed put you back onto your feet by the evening. You decide not to tempt fate further, and you report to your assigned room without further unnecessary exploration.

Clarissa is already waiting for you inside. The room is surprisingly spacious, and Clarissa has been keeping it obsessively neat. Most of her possessions are now located in one half of the room, with the other half containing just the standard furniture set of a bed, a slim wardrobe, and a desk, upon which your sack of belongings had been deposited.

The clothes you had been wearing on the first day of your knight-apprenticeship are folded neatly on your bed. From the looks of it, they are freshly laundered.

You've been expecting something like this ever since you realized that you were dressed in a standard-issue hospital smock, which you traded in for a simple shirt and trousers when Simone pronounced you fit to walk under your own power. The clothes had been scrounged from somewhere vague, and were obviously sized for a man. You garnered several looks of sympathy as you hurried to your room, avoiding eye contact.

On the upside, you don't think you'll have to keep introducing yourself as the new knight-apprentice anymore. On the downside, you'll have to work hard to erase your reputation as the knight-apprentice who fell down the stairs on her first day.

>[2/?]

>>35568371
Hey, accidents happen, especially when fear-inducing magic is involved.

"Close the door," Clarissa says quietly. You do so, while pondering her tone of voice: someone who has such a lack of anger has either worked out her feelings, or is very angry indeed.

Clarissa walks over to her desk and opens it. From within, she extracts two stiletto knives and one dagger.

"I believe these are yours," she says, holding them out to you hilt-first. "Roderick has the other dagger. He's fixing the nicks."

You're still too dazed to think of a more suitable reply, so you collect your weapons. The stilettos are crude things, hammered out of spare bits of metal that you picked up; now that you have the daggers from the Alvar armoury, you really should consider throwing the stilettos away, rather than risk further incrimination.

Not that there are very many degrees of incrimination left for you to accomplish.

Clarissa sits on the edge of her bed, looking speculatively at you.

"So, Nicole," she says. "Who are you?"

> Make up a story.
> "I'm your knight-apprentice."
> "I don't know."

>>35568619
> "I'm your knight-apprentice."

>>35568619
>> "I'm your knight-apprentice."

File: Who Gives A Shit.gif (886 KB, 175x144)

886 KB GIF

>>35568619

>"I'm your knight-apprentice."

Seriously, we fight with daggers. Sure, it's a little against tradition, but it's hardly damning.

>>35568619
> Make up a story.

Hey, it's worked every other time. No one would think you'd send a spy who's such a bad liar.

And that's it for me for today, since it's way late. I'll be back tomorrow.

Thanks for joining me in Questing.

Today's Quest is brought to you by the numbers 1, 19, and the darkness.

I wonder if this thread is going to survive to tomorrow, so we can do two days' worth of posts per thread.

>>35568619
> "I'm your knight-apprentice."

>>35568659
It's a perfectly suitable weapon for a lowborn commoner. Now you guys can regret not going for that "backstory" in the first thread.

Extra meta-game info: note that the "Make up a story" option does not require a roll this time. After what happened today, I'm scared.

>>35568716
Thanks for the quest, m8.

>>35568659
We didn't tell them about the two extra daggers. And we lied to keep them concealed(not sure why)

>>35568716

Link to the thread in your twitter next time please!

>>35569165

There's a twitter?

>>35569628
https://twitter.com/QMdamp

>>35568619
>> "I'm your knight-apprentice."

>>35568716
thanks yp

>>35568619
> "I'm your knight-apprentice."

>If it's any consolation, I was really just curious when I headed for the Wizard's Tower.

>>35568619
> "I don't know."

>>35568046
>Grace and salvation seem like the sort of things that would only apply to people who are... not you.

So does that mean beyond salvation... or not in need of salvation? Mysterious!

>>35572402
We're some kind of monster.
Or.. someone who was abused by one.

>>35572520
>Or.. someone who was abused by one.
Yes but I mean the protag's background, not the events of today's thread.

>>35572402
That talk about dragons is ominous!

>>35573088
Maybe we're a half-elf half-dragon half-divine cutebold?

bump

>>35573116
Half dragon cool. Kolbod disgusting. Would not cute. 1/10

>>35577802
Good afternoon thread. We're currently at page 10.

>>35581217
No idea why I quoted there, my bad.

>>35581217
>>35581226
https://twitter.com/QMdamp/status/523054098120048640
No need to keep this bumped. Sage and let it die.