>>36083066
>Hold him at knifepoint and ride back to the main road. We'll catch up with the wagons if Torrance and the rest told them to stop.

Possibly with an option on the ropes if we can find them, for added security.

>>36083066

> Hold him at knifepoint and ride back to the main road. We'll catch up with the wagons if Torrance and the rest told them to stop.

Do you have a QM twitter OP?

You look around the buildings, trying to see any sign of movement or clue that someone might be around.

"If we find him, we'll bring him back with us to the wagons. At knifepoint, I suppose, since none of us has any rope."

Belle nods, but you can tell she's not entirely focused on you. She's sniffing at the air. Come to think of it, you can smell something too. Smoke! That must have been what Ivan detected.

You look over to find that he's already dismounted and is stalking around back of a house. He gives you a wave and a nod before going around back and out of your sight. Maybe he spotted your quarry through a window. But what kind of fool must this bandit be to light a fire when knights are in pursuit?

You wait for a couple of minutes, but there's no sign of Ivan or the bandit. Belle looks over at you questioningly - as a trained squire, it seems she's choosing to defer to you.

> Enter through the front door to catch whoever is inside
> Follow around the back to see where Ivan has gone
> Adjust position and see if the scent of smoke is coming from another source
> Stay put. Ivan's got this.
> Other?

>>36083636
> Enter through the front door to catch whoever is inside

>>36083459
Not yet. That will be the next thing to take care of.

>>36083636
> Other?
Twelve or so buildings, and there were only about a half-dozen bandits.
Take stock of the surroundings as best we can. This is a village, not a hideout. We don't want to endanger the people here.

After that, if there's nothing immediately actionable, adjust position for the smoke but keep your eyes on that front door.

>>36083753
You also might want to announce your threads in Quest Thread General. Might get you more players.

>>36083636
>But what kind of fool must this bandit be to light a fire when knights are in pursuit?
The kind that wants to lead the knights into the middle of the area and set the whole place on fire around them?

>>36083636
> Follow around the back to see where Ivan has gone

OP?

>>36085151
Presumably waiting for more votes/tiebreaker.

File: It's cold... so cold....jpg (295 KB, 610x458)

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You wait uncomfortably, not entirely sure what to do. You consider trying the front door, or following Ivan, but you're worried you might ruin whatever position he's established. Belle moves north slightly, following where you think the smell of smoke is coming from. A minute later, she shakes her head.

You dismount and approach the front door. Through a window you can see Ivan with his sword drawn. Not hesitating, you kick in the door and draw your blade.

Ivan shoots you an unreadable look as he hears you enter. You follow his line of sight to where a man is sitting in front of a weak fire, holding a bowl and spoon up to a haggard-looking woman who does not move.

"Celeste..." Ivan mutters, trailing off.

Despite the fire, the room is deadly cold - or perhaps the presence of its flickering heat just throws the bitter temperature into sharp relief. The man looks like the other bandits, with an extra layer of mud and streaks down his face where tears still trickle.

"You have to eat... you have to warm up," he moans to the woman on the ground. Ivan looks grim as he sheathes his sword and approaches the bandit, grabbing his arm.

"Come away. We'll take you to our wagons. There's nothing for her now. Come," he says.

"I won't leave her!" the man shrieks. "She's not dead! She just needs to warm up! Please!" he sobs as Ivan pulls him up. The woman does not move at all. Her eyes stare ahead blankly. You take a step forward and note that her skin has gone ashen.

You go to the door and motion Belle forward. She's trained for this sort of thing; she can confirm it. As you stow your blade and join Ivan in gently restraining the bandit, Belle looks over the woman, checking her eyes, neck and wrists, then wipes her hands with a cloth.

"Not even with phoenix down, I fear. She is too far gone. St. Ajora have mercy on her soul."

The next few minutes are spent finding some rope and binding the hands of the bandit, who makes no protest and continues to sob quietly.

Almost as if to spite the sun climbing higher in the sky, the chill in the air seems to bite more severely and the shadows seem just a bit deeper. You secure the prisoner to the back of Ivan's chocobo with only a bit of protest from the bird.

Before departing, you take a moment to quench the fire. When you enter the cabin, you see that the woman's body is still hunched there, sitting facing the fireplace as though it might yet bring her back from the grave. Feeling a bit of compassion for the dead, you put your hand on her face and close her eyelids.

Before you close the door on the shack for the last time, you glance back to make sure no stray ember is still alight. It's probably no more than a trick of the light that the woman's eyes look as though they are open again.

You catch up with Ivan and Belle outside the small village. Ivan hands you a waterskin, which you gratefully accept.

"Well," he says, "I'm thinking our excursion's been quite thoroughly put off at this point. We could try to find a local down to drop this fellow off at, or bring him back to Lesalia. I think it's closer than Goland from here."

Belle shakes her head. "I disagree. We'll be in trouble with Sir Mathis if we don't meet up with the wagons. After all, neither of you was put in charge. That will make trouble for Torrance as well."

> Find a nearby town to take care of the prisoner, then continue on
> Turn back to Lesalia
> Head back to the road to meet the wagons
> Other?

>>36085670

> Find a nearby town to take care of the prisoner, then continue on

>>36085670
>> Head back to the road to meet the wagons

Guy's not well, and he's our responsibility now that we've gone after him.

>>36085670
> Head back to the road to meet the wagons

File: Gang's all here.jpg (91 KB, 246x329)

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"Belle's right," you assert. "We're cadets. It's not our place to countermand orders without cause." Ivan shrugs and lets the matter drop. Inside of an hour, you're back on the main road and following the wagon and chocobo tracks.

The sun's beginning to drop into the horizon by the time you catch up with the wagons. Even Ivan and Belle, the two most talkative of the class, seem withdrawn today. You can't blame them. The journey hasn't started well and the world seems determined to feel rather gray. Sir Mathis comes out as the scouts call in your approach. His big moustache is twitching and you can almost feel him blustering from down the road. As you approach, you can spot Joruun and big Lewis.

"Cadets! I'm most disappointed in you!" That's a bit unfair, isn't it? You hold your tongue for the moment, however. Sir Mathis clearly isn't finished and you'd rather not interrupt an officer.

"As least you caught the last one. We'll settle up with the magistrate in Goland and they can hang him in due course. Now what I'd like to know is why three cadets ran off into the woods in the middle of the night after some peasant of no great import!"

You begin to respond, but the question was rhetorical. "You weren't thinking, that's what! You disobeyed the command structure. I put Torrance in charge PRECISELY because he'd know better. I'm very disappointed, Cadet Celeste. Cadet Ivan. Cadet Belle, you're obliged to support your fellows so I shall consider the matter closed on your part but mark my words I shall be speaking to the Rector of Sciences about this." He strides off pompously.

You catch up with Joruun and big Lewis near the wagon. Nia pops her head out from a nearby huddle of people to give you a quick shy wave. Your fellow squires were clearly eavesdropping on your dressing down.

"Cadet Celeste, what's all this I hear about you using the sharp end of the sword?" Joruun teases. "Training says always use the flat bit. Builds character, it does! Very disappointed."

Big Lewis flashes a quick grin before regaining his composure. Joruun grins widely at the three of you.

"Looks like you got to enjoy a bit of the mud. Honestly, I didn't think you'd catch him. Good on you. There weren't any others, then?"

You think of the dead woman in the cabin. "No."

Lewis interjects. "That's good. You should be more careful in the future. We're still only squires." Joruun claps him on the shoulder and sighs. "You've got to learn to enjoy yourself, Lewis. You'll be old and grey in a year if you're going to take life like that. Look at all the experience we picked up already on this trip!" she exclaims, eyes bright and shining. "Real combat experience - none of the other classes have that. They're still on wooden swords in the practice yard. We've already gotten to taste the real world!"

You give her a courtesy smile, but so far her 'real world' has been gray, brown and ashen. Everywhere is rocks, mud, barren trees and a foul chill in the air that seems to slide down your gullet and take root in your stomach. If this is the 'real world,' it strikes you as terribly glum and drab.

"Anyway," she continues, "just look at Torrance. Even Lewis has gotten a bit more speed, I think. We've gotten to test our skill and take a sense of our limitations. Now we can start to push them."

"That's true," you add. "I do feel like I have a better grasp of the things they've been teaching us. Maybe this was a good experience."

> Buy skills
> Change job (Squire)
> Go talk to the wagon team/Torrance/Nia/Sir Mathis
> Other

>>36087385

>Change job (Squire)

>>36087385
>buy skills
We should level up our job a bit more before leaving Our starting point. The path once walked by Orlandu is one with a strong foundation.

>>36087385
> Go talk to Nia
Maybe she has something interesting to say. Also, switching classes this early is unlikely to be very effective. Lets wait around for a bit.

> Buy skills

What are the options?

Already voted, but just spitballing about something else to do. We should talk with Sir Mathias about some of the things we've seen. Perhaps a bit of perspective from a senior will do us good.

File: Job wheel.jpg (55 KB, 550x312)

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For those unfamiliar with Final Fantasy Tactics, a brief primer on how things go.

Each character has a job, a character class that defines the skills they can employ and the skills they will advance through gaining experience. Each character can have only one job at a time, but can continue to use abilities earned from other jobs to a limited extent. Furthermore, advancing in one job unlocks new jobs that can be tried on. Each job has distinct tactical advantages (with the possible exception of Squire, the most basic job of them all).

Characters accumulate job points that can be spent to purchase the skills of that job. Celeste currently has two active skills from her Squire training (Focus and Recover). Each of the other Squires has only one so far.

The Squire job is considered the root of a "tree" of jobs that encompass martially-inclined characters. The Chemist job is the root of another "tree," the magically-inclined. Eventually these two will connect at the higher levels, but until that time, prerequisites to unlock new jobs can be satisfied by remaining in classes on one side or the other. Of course, if you want to have characters who can both fight well and throw spells, spending time on both trees is your best choice.

> Buy skills

Squire (190 JP)

[Active] Basic Skills
> Defend: Readies against an attack (50 JP)
> Shout Warning: Alerts an ally to take action (100 JP)
> Tackle: Slams into the enemy (50 JP)
> Throw Stone: Throws a rock as a ranged attack (50 JP)

[Support]
> Equip Basic Gear: Equip daggers, clubs, axes and basic armor in any job (150 JP)

[Movement]
> Move +1: Increases your movement range (200 JP)

>>36087999
>Take Shout Warning

>>36087999
> Shout Warning: Alerts an ally to take action (100 JP)

>>36087999
> Shout Warning: Alerts an ally to take action (100 JP)

>>36087999
>Defend (50 JP)

File: Buying skills.jpg (10 KB, 320x180)

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> Shout Warning (100) bought
> Defend (50) bought

You agree with Joruun; that combat did teach you a few things about how to keep yourself and your friends safe on the battlefield. The wagon team is starting to pack things up for the rest of the trip to Goland. Is there anything you wanted to do before everyone is back on the road?

> Talk to Nia (please specify about what)
> Talk to Sir Mathis (please specify about what)
> Other?

>>36087999

>Shout
>Defend

>>36088803
>Just get back om the road

>>36088927
On*

>>36088803
Ask Nia how things went over after you left, what Mathis did/was thinking/was talking, etc.

>>36088803

> Talk to Sir Mathis (please specify about what)

Discuss our excursion and what he felt we did wrong, since in the MC's mind this was a matter of pursuing justice like a knight "should" do. Bring up the dead woman and speculate on why we ended up with peasant bandits like this.

>>36088803
Talk to Sir Mathis

about what we did wrong, and what we saw. Ask about why this land is called forsaken by god.

You approach Sir Mathis as the wagons load up. It looks like he's just finished upbraiding Torrance, who gives you a sullen look as he stalks off to find his mount.

"Sir," you begin, "I just wanted to discuss the capture with you. Was it really so wrong of us to want to bring that man to justice?"

The cold look you get back is uncharacteristic of him. You've seen him concerned, pompous, full of himself, even shifty - but this look speaks of something else. "Cadet, when you are graduated from the ranks of the uninitiated, you may take hold of the reins of justice however the law sees fit. Until that time you need to realize that justice is subjective." You look at him with something approaching shock - this is not a thought a knight should ever put voice to.

"Our mandate is justice for all goodly peoples of Ivalice," you protest. "Surely the mere fact of trying circumstances -"

"ENOUGH," he bellows, loud enough to cause a chocobo to jump and give him a rancorous "WARK." Huffing as he tries to let the red seep out of his face, he glowers at you momentarily before composing himself, attempting, it seems, to look kindly. "Justice must be weighed always against the good. It is well that the two should walk together, but from time to time they must needs diverge. Three cadets vanishing into the mountainside, set upon by bandits, would be a terrible disservice to our greater mission. I am glad that you were able to recover the prisoner, but I don't approve of the risk that you took."

You feel somewhat mollified, but there's another thing that bothers you. "Sir, if I may thank you for that, but I must ask also" - you can see the red returning to his face, so you hurry - "why we were attacked by peasants? Banditry I can understand, but these were ragged men of no means. I saw their village, Sir Mathis. It was cold, poor - ramshackle. A woman died of the chill, or starvation. How has this come to pass?"

The knight wipes his brow and adjusts his moustache. "Cadet Celeste, you've lived all your life in the splendors of Lesalia. How did you think the city came to be so fair? The best in the land come to make their lives there, and those who remain behind must learn to pick up the slack. Some men surrender to a life they refuse to better. Some would rather clutch at their mean lives than dare to taste our new prosperity. It is foreign to them and they shun it. The world, I fear, is a cold place to those who will not warm themselves by the fire. Look not with sympathy upon such as these, but pity them their ignorance. Holy Ajora do the same."

You feel like you've just been dismissed. Something else seems to be nagging at you, but Sir Mathis's tone of voice has told you that the conversation is at an end. You mount up and ride back into formation with the others.

"I was chatting with some of the drivers," Ivan shares with the rest of you. "They say the Iron Road has been in trouble down this way. Some group calling themselves Blue Skies or some such is getting into scuffles with the builders." Joruun nods like she expected it, and you rather agree. "In any event," he continues more brightly, "I think we've proved that we're ready for those rogues if they should come to call."

Your group falls back behind the wagons, staying a bit closer this time. Before long, night has fallen and it's time to set up camp. The wagons are circled and the knights establish a camp close by, leaving your group to its own devices. Torrance 'takes charge' and suggests you camp close by the wagons rather than near to the road or the wood.

"Do you think we'd earn some favor by taking a more responsible position?" Joruun asks, coming over to you. The others all seem fine with Torrance's apathetic suggestion, but Markil perks up at the sound of "responsible" and Ivan gives you a look that says he wouldn't mind a touch of record-clearing after your side trek.

> Torrance is in charge, and we're most helpful near the wagons.
> Let's camp by the road; we can alert the wagons if anyone approaches in the night and we'll be ready early in the morning otherwise.
> I don't like the look of those woods. Let's get between them and the wagons, just in case.
> Other?

>>36089924
>Torrance is in charge etc etc
>offer prayers to Ajora in this blighted land before you sleep.

>>36089924

> Torrance is in charge, and we're most helpful near the wagons.

>Don't pray

>>36089924
>> Torrance is in charge, and we're most helpful near the wagons.
But keep our weapons close by just incase.

>>36089924
>Torrance is in charge, and we're most helpful near the wagons.

>Buuuut start planning in case shit hits the fan again, and float the idea of suggesting an alternate site together.

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You defer to Torrance, earning you a disappointed look from Joruun. The moment passes and she goes off to crack jokes with Belle. Following Torrance to his chosen camp site, you set up for the evening and get a fire going.

It gets dark quickly at this time of year, and as soon as everyone is done eating they start cleaning up before going off to sleep. A sudden "Hey!" from Lewis causes you to turn. Two long shadows are approaching against the moonlight. One of them stops some distance away, while the smaller one approaches.

"It's a kid," Ivan pipes up. "Probably hungry."

The child stops just outside of the firelight and looks back at the other figure. A woman, possibly its mother. "Please," comes the child's voice, sounding very weak. "Please. I'm so cold."

You take the lid off the pot and check. There's still a bit of food left. Lewis, kindly as ever, calls to the child: "Come on over here by the fire. You can have a bite to eat. Tell your mum to come too."

You think the woman looks a bit familiar as she approaches the campsite, but you can't imagine where you would have seen her before unless you passed her on the road. The child looks dead tired; pale, overly skinny, balled fists suggesting cold fingers. It comes a bit closer.

"Please. Please, I'm so cold."

Ivan has his hand on his sword and is gritting his teeth. Torrance looks over at him. "You alright?" Ivan looks at him in surprise. "I'm fine," he replies. "Why?"

> Check on Ivan
> Bring the child over to the fire for some food
> Go invite the woman over
> Get the others out of their tents
> Let the wagons know there's company
> Other

>>36090792
>Check on Ivan.

Tell the other squires not to break ranks and invite them in while you're distracted. If you do, you should do so together.

>>36090792

> Go invite the woman over

>>36090792
>> Get the others out of their tents

>>36090792

ITS THE WOMAN WE SAW DEAD!

>>36090918
Fuck it. Let's just get this moving again.

Changing vote to >>36090836

>>36090792
Alert the wagons. It might be a distraction. Better safe than sorry

File: Please sir, I want some more.jpg (156 KB, 579x782)

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You look over at Ivan, still oblivious to the fact that he's begun to shiver. A sickly, ice-cold feeling in your stomach confirms against your wishes that you already know why he's so tense, but you feel compelled to ask anyway.

"Ivan," you ask softly, walking over to him, "it's the same woman, isn't it?"

Joruun looks over at you. "Celeste, you're going to have to learn how to cope with fewer blankets out here. Look at you, shivering like that. Move your bedroll closer to the fire before you sleep." Looking down, you see that your own hand is on the hilt of your sword. You don't remember doing that, but you also don't think it's a bad idea at all.

Ivan gets a haunted look in his eyes, completely alien to the cheerful boy you know from class. "Back when I caught the bandit in that shack... I would swear that woman moved."

It's not just you, then. The woman is staying distant, but the child is approaching. Lewis, oblivious, takes up the ladle and fills a cup with leftover broth, walking over to the child.

You're not sure which of you shouts first; maybe you shout together, but it's hard to tell. Both you and Ivan end up saying something to the effect of "Lewis! Don't go near that child!"

Big Lewis looks back at you just as the child steps into the firelight. The air chills as you look upon the pallid, dead-eyed face of something that is no longer alive. The voice that seeps from its mouth is a stranger to the emptiness reflected in its eyes.

"Please. Please, I'm so cold."

The child reaches for the cup of broth, fists unclenching to reveal clawlike hands where fingers have withered to bone. Lewis drops the cup and lets out a shocked yell.

Ivan snaps out of it before you do, grabbing a branch from the fire and throwing it at the child. The small shape falls to the ground as the branch rolls away, sputtering in the dirt.

Voices rise from the wagon circle and lights flare. You look down at the thing that fell to the earth and see only a loose pile of ashes.

Off in the distance, the shadowed form of the woman stands perfectly still. A stink reaches your nose, a terrible and profound foulness seeping forth from the pile of ash at your feet. You feel yourself gagging; the others are covering their noses and coughing. Markil runs over with a bucket of water and some leaves and pours it over the ashes, which seems to help with the terrible smell.

"Wellworry leaf!" he says, beaming. Sorry Markil, but you don't feel that you're in a praising mood right now. Ivan talks in a low voice with Lewis and Torrance, then all three arm themselves and head out of camp.

"Where are you going?!" Belle shouts after them. Heaving a frustrated sigh, she turns to you. "They're going to go do the 'man' thing, aren't they?" Markil interjects: "Don't worry, I've got my priorities straight. I'm staying right here."

Joruun looks around the edge of the campsite, all traces of a smile gone from her face. Nia pops her head out of the tent, looking quite distressed. You look back toward the moon. The silhouette of the woman is still there.

> Go after the boys
> Go alert the wagons
> Go after that woman
> Stay put, stay calm, help the rest calm down
> Other?

>>36091705

> Go after that woman

>>36091705
>Stay calm, help calm things down. We've learned our lesson about running off.

>>36091705
> Go alert the wagons

>>36091705
> Go after the boys
GET BACK HERE, FUCKERS, YOU KNOW THE NURSERY RHYMES

>>36091705
Have jor and nia alert the wagons
go after boys to prevent stupid

>>36091734
Changing vote to >>36091870


>>36091705

File: Poison Nail incoming.png (270 KB, 640x480)

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"Joruun," you call. "Take Nia and go alert the wagons to... that. The intruder. Whatever is out there."

Joruun ignores you. "I thought I heard something..." she mumbles under her breath. Snapping out of it, she looks over at you, quizzically. "Wait, where will you be?"

"I'm going after the men," you reply. "Someone has to talk sense into them and get them back here."

A brief twinkle in Joruun's eye is all the merriment you'll get, but for a moment it feels like enough before the chill sets in once more. "Good luck with that. I'd rather teach sense to a cow." She ducks into the tent to retrieve Nia.

Markil is in your face in a trice. "What should I do to help, Celeste?" he asks almost eagerly. Purely to put him off, you suggest he keep Belle and the chocobos calm, a task he takes to eagerly. You mentally apologize to Belle for leaving him with her as you mount a chocobo and ride off in the direction the men headed.

You catch up to them soon enough on the border of the wood. Ignoring the moon and the shadow beneath it, you ride up to them. Just as you're about to speak, Ivan holds a finger to his mouth.

The men all look around anxiously... and you can see why, as three shapes slip forth from the treeline, low and stealthy. Even though you can't make out their color, you know by the shape and your studies exactly what has come to call. Still, just to confirm, you mouth to Torrance "Red panthers?" and he nods.

You've spotted three of them near the treeline, one facing your party and the others nearly flanking. Lewis and Ivan are in the front, with Torrance to the right of you and you the only one mounted.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGYpV1bP190

> Orders?

>>36092490
>Ivan marks out their locations to Torrance while you use yourself as a decoy, staying on the defense.
>Have Torrance cut off the panthers when the first moves to strike, using his chocobo's size and profile to surprise it with a much larger threat than it was expecting.
>Between the two of you, cut it down. Lewis covers Ivan and vice versa, while you and Torrance make a second pair.

>>36092490
This write-in battle system is pretty tedious. I'm not sure what you could use in it's place though.


>>36092535
Backing

>>36092535
You're the only one with a chocobo. The others left their mounts behind.

>>36092633
Ack, I misread. Same tactics, just a character-swap, then, mounted rider surprises the beast.

>>36092622
I don't mind it, but it's not usual quest fare. I'd suggest working out a number of basic tactics and allow nuance to form in additional contributions alongside the vote.

>>36092656
Without a map and hp/mp counter at least it's going to get pretty confusing as we get more powerful.

>>36092710
Well, we won't need to micromanage that intensely.

And hell, if we do, we have room to grow into that. The system will develop to the complexity the quest requires.

>>36092908
I disagree but, it's not my call.

Alright, going to break here for the night. I intend to resume tomorrow; hopefully that goes as planned. In the meantime I'll work on a scheme to streamline combat.

>>36093103
Thanks for running.

>>36093103
Without a twitter I will not be able to actively follow this quest, OP.

Morning bump for OP.

Page 10 rescue bump.

>>36087756
oh my that many stars, either cheats or you love this game as much as I do.

>>36087999
ohhhh not nice you dont have jp up, so does te PC squire get unique abilities like ramza's squire and luso squire got?

>>36102189
I eliminated Gained JP Tolerable because it was so sickeningly mandatory. It's now just a part of every character to earn a rational amount of JP.

Also we're back live. I'll leave a small window for newcomers to catch up and leave votes, and then we're off again. Also if anyone has suggestions on how to replace the current combat mode with something less tedious, feel free to share.

You call instructions to Torrance and Ivan. The latter looks like he's considering an argument, but he nods and goes along. Torrance runs off in one direction, marking himself out as a target by making a lot of noise. Ivan shouts a warning to you as two panthers close in on Torrance, who looks up in time to hit one with a thrown rock. You're there in a flash, chocobo staring down a hungry predator. A swing of your sword brings a yelp from the red panther, and Torrance is on hand to ward off the other one. The beast you struck hasn't given in yet, though. It snaps at your chocobo's legs, receiving a flurry of talon swipes for its troubles. Unfortunately, the flapping of your mount screens the beast and it vanishes from view.

You find it a moment later as it leaps up and delivers a vicious scratch across your back that tears into your armor. You feel a burning heat in the wound.

Torrance has the other red panther at swordpoint; the beast is smart enough to understand the danger of the weapon. "Where did they come from?" you shout to Torrance. He doesn't even look over at you to answer, so fixed is he on the deadly beast at the tip of his sword.

Ivan and Lewis seem to have finished off the other one and start running over. You had hoped that superior numbers would scare off the red panthers, but it seems they're not so easily dissuaded. The one next to you bites at your chocobo's neck, trying to pull it down. Ivan is on top of it with a sword strike that fails to connect, and the monster kicks him away. Still, he's bought you time to get clear.

You urge your chocobo away from the panther; it seems happy to oblige. Lewis closes on the beast and tackles it, not bothering with the heavy axe. The red panther rolls, but despite Lewis's "ow, ow, ow," he manages to hold on to the creature. You kick your chocobo into action and charge at the beast Torrance is holding at bay. The large cat deals him a nasty scratch to the leg that causes him to stumble into your line of charge, forcing you to pull up at the last minute.

"Ivan, behind you!" you shout as the other beast moves to pounce. He looks up just in time to bring his sword around and ends up under a skewered panther for his troubles.

You're tiring now and the red panther can smell it. Your mount is, too. The big cat stalks toward you and you don't think your chocobo has the stamina to run away. Suddenly the cat looks over at Torrance - he must have hit it with another thrown stone. As Ivan and Lewis arrive to back him up, the cat takes size of the situation and turns tail.


[Celeste: +90 JP (Job level up: Squire Level 3)] (Unlocked Soldier)
[Ivan: +80 JP (Job level up: Squire Level 3)] (Unlocked Soldier)
[Lewis: +80 JP (Job level up: Squire Level 3)] (Unlocked Soldier)
[Torrance: +80 JP (Job level up: Squire Level 3)] (Unlocked Soldier)

The boys rally up, wiping the blood off of their weapons. Torrance is limping and you feel pain coursing through you - pain and sickness. Lewis is scratched up across his chest and Ivan has some bad bruises. Still, Ivan has a grin on his face again.

That won't last long.

> Ask them just what the hell they thought they were doing
> Go confront that woman
> Rush back to the wagons/camp
> Other

>>36106710
>Rush back to the wagons/camp

Shelter among allies and tend to your wounds. The woman, if it is a woman, can wait.

>>36106710
>> Rush back to the wagons/camp

>>36106639
> Ask them just what the hell they thought they were doing

>>36106710
> Ask them just what the hell they thought they were doing

>>36090025
see this guy, this guy knows whats up with "st ajora"

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You let Torrance mount the chocobo with you, still feeling the burn on your back. He "hmm"s with concern and mumbles something about infection.

The group of you head back to camp at as brisk a pace as you can manage, pointedly not looking over at where the moon hangs in the skies. You've kept a leash on your temper until now, but it's about to give out. You turn your bird and face down two of the men (the other has escaped your wrath for the moment through cunning amounts of being injured).

"WOULD YOU MIND TELLING ME," you shout, "JUST WHAT THE HELL YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE DOING, RUNNING OFF LIKE THAT?"

Lewis looks properly chastened, but Ivan fixes you with a clear-eyed look. "The smell of that... whatever thing... Torrance and I were worried that it would attract some wild beasts from the woods. Lewis agreed with us. We didn't want to get ambushed and we couldn't wait for the chemists to pack up, so..." he finishes a bit lamely "...we decided to check it out for ourselves."

You glower at him for a moment, then sigh. "Fine," you say, "but maybe mention it at least to Joruun or me first if you want us to stay behind." Lewis might be blushing; you can't tell in the dark with the moon behind him.

You're almost to the camp when a piercing white light bursts forth from between the tents. It fades away and you all rush up to see what has happened. The scene fills you with unease. A white-robed priest of Glabados has her staff raised in the air and is facing a body on the ground. Over to the side, Markil is looking quite pale and speechless as a senior chemist from the wagons cradles Belle's head in his hands and applies radiant crimson-gold feathers to a vile-looking set of gashes running from her throat down past her torn collar. Belle's eyes are staring listlessly, as though she has been taken with a very dull shock.

> Ask Markil what happened
> Examine the body on the ground
> Go find Sir Mathis
> Go find Joruun and Nia
> Other

>>36109446
Ah fuck.

>Ask Markil what happened

>>36109446
>> Ask Markil what happened

>>36109446
> Ask Markil what happened

Ivan wastes no time running over to Belle. Lewis looks somber-faced as he casts around for Joruun and Nia. You dismount, stumbling a bit as the pain causes you to retch. Catching yourself, you approach Markil, who is on the ground staring blankly with a sword nearby.

"What happened, Markil?" you ask softly. He turns his head to you slowly, eyes haunted.

"She's dead..." he moans quietly. "But she was so cold..."

The chemist comes over, interrupting you, and forces some kind of beverage into Markil's mouth. "She's not dead," he says briskly, "she's just in poor shape at the moment. We'll bring her back to the wagons and have the priestess pray for her. All things will be made right under the light of Ajora." He levels a perfectly neutral look at you. "Young Markil will be going to sleep now. Please don't disturb him."

Irritated, you stand, wince, and turn away, only to feel a hand on your shoulder. "Cadet," comes the chemist's voice, "those wounds are poisoned. You won't last the night if they go unattended. Come with me, I have antidotes in the wagons."

You cast your gaze back to the body on the ground, which now appears to be little more than a skeleton dressed in rags, facedown in a pile of ashes. It might just be the poison, but you could swear you saw eyes staring out of the corpse's skull for just a moment... hollow and empty. The cold of the air feels like it has become part of your bones, now.

And that concludes the second thread. Thanks to everyone who participated.

>>36110639
Thanks for running.

>>36110639
Thanks for running. I'm really enjoying your quest.