The kitchens are in a state of moderate chaos. From what snatches of griping you can overhear from the kitchen staff, this is not a completely unexpected event, and indeed the chaos is winding down from a higher level, back to something resembling normality. The noise does mean you can't quite catch any explanatory snippets of conversation about what had caused all this fuss.

Lunch is a nutty bread, with an array of mysterious globes lined up on trays beside the bread-basket. After some inspection, you deduce that this is some kind of herb cheese. It doesn't smell especially strong, so maybe this is meant to be spread thickly, unlike the paste this morning.

This does seem to be rather less extravagant a meal than you are used to here in Alvar, though.

You take a seat at an empty spot on one of the long tables, which otherwise has a steady turnover of guards and servants catching a quick lunch before resuming their duties. Some commentary is made on the simpler fare today, but most just shrug it off as inconsequential.

Your position coincidentally allows you an excellent view of the sudden straightening of backs and shuffling of feet into postures of attention, heralding the arrival of the Duke of Alvar himself to the kitchens. He does not look especially happy, as he murmurs something to the kitchen staff on duty in low, even tones.

This summons the head chef, who confronts the Duke with all the assured confidence and righteous anger of the highest authority of her own domain. The Duke weathers the storm of complaints with a faintly apologetic expression and a humbly bowed head. You cannot make out the exact grievance, but it does not appear to be serious; the head chef's agitated gesticulations appear to be chosen for dramatic purposes, rather than any real panic or anger.

As lunchtime theatre goes, you've seen worse.

>[2/3]

Finally, the Duke is released from his scolding, and glances around the kitchen area. Most of the staff avert their eyes, not wanting to catch his attention. Unfortunately, you are not so fortunate.

The Duke walks over to you, and you quickly look down at yourself to make sure that you are presentable. No food stains or embarrassing rumples to hide.

"Nicole," he greets you. "Have you seen Elise? She's not in her tower."

> "I haven't seen her, sir."
> "I was just at her workshop, but if she's not there now, I'm afraid I don't know where she might be."
> "She said she was coming down here to pick up something to eat."
> "If this is about the coffee, sir, I must apologize."

File: quest-mc-fanart-daww.jpg (55 KB, 333x461)

55 KB JPG

A bit of warning: like Nicole, I'm running on low amounts of sleep, and might accidentally doze off in the middle.

I have no proper excuse for this, since it's not due to important stuff like work or family, but just losing track of time.

Apologies if I take a lot longer than usual to update, or if I suddenly have to call for a stop to the thread due to sheer sleepiness.

>>37370301
>> "I was just at her workshop, but if she's not there now, I'm afraid I don't know where she might be."
>> "If this is about the coffee, sir, I must apologize."

>>37370301
> "I was just at her workshop, but if she's not there now, I'm afraid I don't know where she might be."
> "If this is about the coffee, sir, I must apologize."

>>37370301
>"She said she was coming down here to pick up something to eat."
>"If this is about the coffee, sir, I must apologize."

>>37370325
at times it is best to white lie than do something you're unprepared for, damp

>>37370301
>"If this is about the coffee, sir, I must apologize."

>>37370301
>> "She said she was coming down here to pick up something to eat."

>>37370325
no probs damp maybe dry could take over for you while you sleep

>>37370301
>"She said she was coming down here to pick up something to eat."

I once more catch a thread at some ungodly hour of the night. Not like my sleep schedule wasn't already out of whack.

>>37370325
That's cool, I'll forgive you if you can forgive me for having to go to bed in an hour.

>>37370301
> "If this is about the coffee, sir, I must apologize."
> "She said she was coming down here to pick up something to eat."

From the evidence around you, it does not require very much deductive prowess to guess what the Duke is seeking Elise for. Elise had mentioned that her coffee-making methods require quite a lot of resources and raw materials, which have to come from somewhere. The kitchens are on the opposite side of the palace building from the wizard's tower, but maybe the plumbing is more extensive than you would expect. In fact, given Elise's skills and occupation, the plumbing may not be entirely mundane.

"If this is about the coffee, sir," you say with as much formality as you can manage, "I must apologize.

"It's not about the damned coffee," the Duke snaps, but forces himself to calm down. "Sorry, Nicole," he says with a grimace. "And I suppose it is about the coffee, at least in part. But that's hardly your fault; Elise would have made that coffee with or without you. We're all used to it, even if we don't like it." The Duke absently takes a seat opposite you.

You're not sure what you should be doing in this situation. The Duke has never been all that concerned with propriety, but you don't know if you should continue shoveling food into your stomach while he's sitting there, evidently intending to make conversation. And with the Duke's evident distraction, you can't exactly ask him to speak his mind without interrupting what is probably a much more important train of thought.

The moment of social awkwardness passes with relief, as a kitchen maid hurries over to place a glass of something amber and probably alcoholic on the table. The Duke takes a sip with obvious satisfaction. "Don't mind me, Nicole," he says. "I'm just here to take a break from the endless rounds of meetings with the guild-masters, only to hear of Elise's latest stunt. Please, carry on."

>[1/2]

Permission granted, apparently. You continue eating your lunch, keeping an eye on the Duke in case he requires something more from you, like conversation. You should probably make sure you don't end up talking with your mouth full.

"I was hoping to see Elise in order to discuss... well, the coffee, for one," the Duke continues. "But there are a few other matters I wished to seek her advice upon."

"She said she was coming down here to pick up something to eat," you say.

"No doubt she caught sight of me, and made good her escape," the Duke grumbles. "No matter. Hunger will bring her here sooner or later."

You decide that it is not your place to inquire whether the Duke of Alvar intends to sit in the kitchen of his palace for an extended period of time, simply to catch his misbehaving mage.

The Duke takes a larger gulp of his drink. "Foul weather outside," he comments. "I'd not want to go back out there, but duty calls. I'd hope to see my son for at least a while before I go back, but I had to deal with all of, well. All of this." He sighs, shaking his head. "I hear you are organizing some sort of evidence transfer with the Watch?" he asks, changing the subject.

> "Yes, sir. It's part of an ongoing investigation."
> "It may have something to do with that shadow familiar I chased down that night."
> "If I may ask, will you be asking Elise to do something important in the next few days? I, uh, may already have filled her schedule."
> "Out of interest, did Sir William come back with you?"

>>37370683
> "It may have something to do with that shadow familiar I chased down that night."
> "If I may ask, will you be asking Elise to do something important in the next few days? I, uh, may already have filled her schedule."

>>37370683
>> "Yes, sir. It's part of an ongoing investigation."
>> "It may have something to do with that shadow familiar I chased down that night."

I hope that coffee was as good as Nicole said

>>37370683
> "It may have something to do with that shadow familiar I chased down that night."

>>37370683
>You decide that it is not your place to inquire whether the Duke of Alvar intends to sit in the kitchen of his palace for an extended period of time, simply to catch his misbehaving mage.

Kek.

>"It may have something to do with that shadow familiar I chased down that night."

>>37370683
>"If I may ask, will you be asking Elise to do something important in the next few days? I, uh, may already have filled her schedule."

>>37370683
> "It may have something to do with that shadow familiar I chased down that night."
>> "Out of interest, did Sir William come back with you?"

>>37370683
> "Yes, sir. It's part of an ongoing investigation."
> "It may have something to do with that shadow familiar I chased down that night."
Fuck yeah i managed to catch this quest for once,
but serious damp, dont push yourself, most of us here can go another day or two without our favorite quest, we'll just have to go visit /d/ in the mean time

he fell asleep huh

You can believe that the evidence transfer is unusual enough to be considered mildly interesting news, with the sheer amount of paperwork you had to fill in just to get it approved.

"It's just a hunch for now," you say cautiously. "But I felt it was something worth following up on. It may have something to do with that shadow familiar I chased down that night."

"Ah, yes. I got a briefing about how those shadow familiars work from Anders." The Duke pauses momentarily, his face darkening as he recalls whatever it was that had caused Anders to storm out of his office yesterday. It must also be above your pay grade and thus none of your business, because the Duke does not expand upon it. "He was skeptical about certain parts of your testimony, but he cannot explain the discrepancies."

You've been nothing but truthful with regards to the incident with the shadow familiar, so this doubt comes as a surprise. "Skeptical how, sir?"

"According to Anders, the magic involved cannot be dismissed by the caster at a distance," the Duke says. "So the remarkable disappearance of your shadowy quarry must have been due to some outside factor. The rain is the most likely culprit, but again, Anders cannot prove this. It troubles him not to be able to prove something, even if only in the abstract."

Best to assume that the rain that night had disrupted the magic. You really do not want to include the possibility of yet another party casting a counterspell into the existing tangle, among other possibilities you'd want to think about even less.

>[1/2]

>>37370950
nah, he usually takes between 30 mins to 45 mins for a update if its a multi-parter, some times more for bigger updates

>>37370955
see

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>37370950
Nice summon 40 seconds

>>37370950
>>37370955
Ha.

The Duke drains his glass. "In any case, I wish you the best in whatever you hope to find out," he says, standing. "I have to go see Victor, before I go back to the guild council hall. If you see Elise, tell her that I have some work for her." He glances thoughtfully in the direction of the cooking area. "After the head chef gets her opinions in, of course," he adds.

Little did you know that one pot of coffee would result in a veritable queue of people lining up to yell at Elise. But Elise had still made that coffee anyway, so maybe she's used to it.

The Duke departs briskly, before you can ask if the job he needs Elise to do will be especially strenuous. You'd really like to have that detection device ready by the time you leave for Whiteford, which is not so far into the future now.

Well, you can get the details from Elise later, anyway. If the Duke's orders take priority, there's not much you can do about that.

You wait politely until the people in the kitchen dining area relax before returning your empty plate to the washing-up area. By now, the previous uproar caused by Elise's coffee-making has been completely submerged into the usual busy chatter of the palace kitchens running at its usual efficiency.

> Pack and deliver lunch for Elise at the tower
> Go to the Watch House

>>37370967
>> Pack and deliver lunch for Elise at the tower
then head to the watch house

Nichole pls stop being anti-spell it's hard to explain!

>>37370967
Yeah >>37370978

>>37370967
>Go to the Watch House

It's only going to get worse the longer we put this off. Also, Elise is hiding from the Duke at the moment and it would be rude to reveal her.

>>37370967
>> Go to the Watch House

>>37370967
>Go to the Watch House
The sooner we get this done the better.

>>37370967
>> Go to the Watch House

>>37370967
>> Go to the Watch House

You will have to return to the wizard's tower again after your trip to the Southgate Watch House anyway, to drop off that gold ring. You'd rather not go there more than you have to, especially since the burned-out wards still creep you out in some undefinable but no less potent way.

Besides, Elise is hiding from the Duke now, so she is not likely to show herself so easily. You wonder if there are such things as spells of invisibility.

You should go to the Southgate Watch House to pick up the gold ring before anything else comes along to distract you.

Back to your room to pick up your sword and raincoat, and then back out before you succumb to the temptation of just a quick little nap. The raincoat is surprisingly sturdy and durable for something paid for with taxpayer money, and you already feel your spirits rising marginally. Just a quick trip out to the Watch House, collect the ring, and return, nice and dry. A hot shower or a long bath later, and your work for the day is done.

The rain shows no sign of letting up, which has to be putting some pressure on the city's drainage system by now. Alvar has a relatively modern and efficient sewer system, upgraded from its Empire days as part of the ongoing efforts to present Alvar as a city of technology and progress. Even now you can see a team of workers and artisans across the street from the palace gates, shouting instructions to each other as they unclog some blocked channel or other. Very organized, and much better than having the streets flooded with unmentionable substances.

You keep your head down to keep out the rain, as do most of the passers-by you encounter. Apart from the precipitation, the weather has already begun to turn colder, which reduces the number of children playing outside on the street. Most people would rather be indoors, or at least under shelter, and those outside finish their business as quickly as they can before hurrying back to someplace dry.

>[1/2]

Upon arrival at the Southgate Watch House, you nod amicably to the stoic guards on duty outside, and twitch open your raincoat to show your credentials, viz your uniform and sword. The duty guards wave you in, and you duck into the Watch House entrance, stamping the rain off your boots and doffing your raincoat.

"Can I help you?" the constable at the front desk asks. You don't recognize him; he looks young and fresh and new, which is certainly not any sort of issue, considering your own lack of work experience.

"Is Marianne around?" you ask. "Er, Constable Marianne Farnston, I mean."

"Oh, she's off work," the constable says. "Commander sent her home to get some sleep."

Lucky for her. "Did she leave any instructions? I'm from the palace." Which should be obvious from your uniform, you realize slightly too late. "Here to pick up something. The paperwork has been completed," you add hopefully.

The constable looks uncertain. "Um, I wouldn't know. You could ask the Commander, but he's not in. He has a meeting today, I think. At the guild council hall."

Quite probably the very same guild council meeting the Duke is supposed to be in. You can feel your spirits sinking once again.

> "When will the Commander be back? Maybe I can wait here in the meantime."
> "Is there someone I can speak to regarding evidence transfer?"
> "Never mind. I'll come back later."

>>37371257
>> "Is there someone I can speak to regarding evidence transfer?"

AFK an hour or so for dinner.

>>37371257
>"Is there someone I can speak to regarding evidence transfer?"

>>37371257
>"Is there someone I can speak to regarding evidence transfer?"

Ah yes. The wonders of Beauracracy.

>>37371257
>"Is there someone I can speak to regarding evidence transfer?"
Well, that's not good. But we can still pull palace authority and just grab it. The paperwork IS there.

>>37371257
That's what you get for jinxing yourself, Nicole.

> "Is there someone I can speak to regarding evidence transfer?"
> "A senior officer perhaps?"

"Is there someone I can speak to regarding evidence transfer?" you say desperately. The vision of your comfortable bed is slipping away ever so softly, leaving you with naught but grey despair.

The constable looks dubious. "That would probably be Sergeant Hune," he says. "Bertie Hune. It's just, uh. You are absolutely certain that the paperwork is completed?"

"Yes." You sincerely hope so; you do not want to even contemplate the possibility of having to do all of that again.

The constable does not look reassured, but gives you directions anyway. From what you remember of the layout of the Watch House, Sergeant Hune's office is quite close to the evidence storage room.

The door to the office solemnly states that the inhabitant is the Documents Handler Officer. You reflect on the vagaries of that title as you knock politely.

"Enter," a reedy voice calls from inside.

You quietly open the door, and immediately make your expression as professionally blank as you can make it. If you had to envision someone who exemplifies the very personification of the concept of the word "fussy", Sergeant Bertie Hune, in his small, skinny, and rather pasty way, would probably be among the top contenders.

This is not promising.

Bertie pushes his thin half-moon glasses up his nose, and sniffs. "May I help you?" he inquires, obviously hoping that he may not.

You resist the urge to click your heels together. "I am Knight-Apprentice Nicole, from the palace of Alvar. I've come to collect a piece of evidence from a case, for transport to the palace."

>[1/2]

Bertie sniffs, and sifts through the papers on his desk. "Yes, I have heard of this request. Your papers are in order, and there are no discrepancies. Constable Farnston is to be commended."

Maybe your luck is improving.

"Request denied," Bertie adds.

Or not.

"If you would care to read paragraph thirty-three, subsection eight," Bertie continues, pushing forward one of the forms you had so painstakingly filled out the previous night, "you will note that the security of transported evidence is paramount, and must be carried out by at least two members of law enforcement in good standing, or some other equivalent arrangement."

You force your tired eyes to focus on the tiny print. Unfortunately, Bertie is correct.

"Meaning unless you produce a partner, or a waiver from a higher authority, I cannot release the item into your possession. We cannot risk losing evidence in an ongoing investigation, through carelessness or mishap. Procedures must be followed."

> Silently lament to the uncaring gods
> "I am a knight-apprentice of Alvar. Is that authority enough?"
> "I promise you that I am more than capable of handling myself."
> "What would convince you that I can meet your criteria?"
> "I see. I'll be right back."

>>37371636
>"As a knight of Alvar I am worth two members of law enforcement, wouldn't you agree?"

>>37371636
> "I am a knight-apprentice of Alvar. Is that authority enough?"
> "What would convince you that I can meet your criteria?"

>>37371636
>> "I am a knight-apprentice of Alvar. Is that authority enough?"
If N
> Silently lament to the uncaring gods
> Go and to the Guild Meeting, might as well try and go talk straight to the one in charge

>>37371636
> "What would convince you that I can meet your criteria?"
> "Is there any other reason you would suddenly deny the transfer? Because there will be consequences if there are and you have not told me."

>>37371636
> "I am a knight-apprentice of Alvar. Is that authority enough?"
> "I promise you that I am more than capable of handling myself."

>>37371636
>"Are there any OTHER reasons for the denial? I understand if you're just following rules, but I don't want to bother Constable Marianne over something less than justified."
>"I see. I'll be right back."
Come on, let's just get Marianne and be done with it. We might get some info about Escavilla as well.

>>37371636
>>37371704
Seconded

You have not come this far only to be balked by fine print. "I am a knight-apprentice of Alvar. Is that authority enough?" You are dimly aware that throwing around your metaphorical weight is not something done lightly, as it were, but right now you are steadily progressing to a point beyond caring.

"Not nearly," Bertie says calmly.

You keep a lid on your temper. This is surprisingly easy; you're too tired to feel very angry. "So how can I meet your criteria and get the evidence?"

"Displaying the resourcefulness to find a partner on short notice would do it," Bertie says.

It is small comfort to know that despite his mannerisms, Bertie has something like a sense of humour. "Did Marianne make any other arrangements?" Surely Marianne would not leave you stuck at this juncture.

"Constable Farnston was adamant on waiting for your arrival this morning," Bertie says. "However, Guard Commander Hendersworth instructed me to expound upon the finer points of evidence handling and safety to her." He frowns. "I had barely touched upon the most important matters of hygiene and certificates thereof when she fell asleep in her chair. It had only been an hour or so."

You can imagine Marianne dozing off due to Bertie's lecture. You can also easily imagine that the Guard Commander did that on purpose. You would have approved of that particular trick, if it hadn't resulted in your current predicament.

"She was sent home in the care of a few of the other constables," Bertie continues. "If Constable Farnston had left any other instructions to her fellows, I was not made aware of them."

>[1/2]

You briefly entertain the idea of drafting some unfortunate random constable to help you, but you're not sure your authority extends that far. Even if it does, you're not sure you will be able to explain yourself to Clarissa or the Duke, should they get wind of it. "Is this the only requirement I have yet to meet, then? If I come back with another person, you will release the item to me?"

"That hypothetical person will have to be a member of law enforcement in good standing, or equivalent," Bertie corrects you. "But yes, that is correct."

You're not sure you can make it to Marianne's apartment without a guide. You'd rather not wander around lost in the city and waste even more time, but you might not have much of a choice now. "Assuming that condition, anyone will do?"

"Indeed." Bertie spreads his hands in the manner of one who has already provided a great deal of leeway, and cannot quite understand why this is insufficient. "Alternately, show me a letter of waiver from Guard Commander Hendersworth, or your own Knight Captain, and the item is yours."

> Try to remember where Marianne lives, and go fetch her
> Storm into the guild council hall, wherever that is
> Go back to the palace and look for Clarissa
> Wait until the Guard Commander returns
> Give up and go back to the palace for the day

>>37371847
>> Go back to the palace and look for Clarissa

>>37371847
> Storm into the guild council hall, wherever that is
>"This bureaucracy is INSUFFERABLE!"
>Slam fist on table

>>37371847
>> Try to remember where Marianne lives, and go fetch her

>>37371847
>Try to remember where Marianne lives, and go fetch her

>>37371847
> Go back to the palace and look for Clarissa

Nicole needs to get a damn map already...

>>37371847
> Storm into the guild council hall, wherever that is

> Go back to the palace and look for Clarissa

>>37371847
>> Give up and go back to the palace for the day
We failed today.
We can still succeed tomorrow.
It's not worse the pain, only to gain a few hours.
And if the ring disapears, well, the Guard Commander will have to take responsibility.
Time to go back to the palace.

>>37371847
> Storm into the guild council hall, wherever that is

>>37371847
>> Try to remember where Marianne lives, and go fetch her

>>37371847
> Try to remember where Marianne lives, and go fetch her

>>37371867
>>37371870
>>37371954
>>37371983
Don't you think Marianne deserves her sleep ?
The ring will still be there tomorrow or not

>>37371994
She's had a few hours by now, hasn't she?

>>37372008
It's not like she has to go all the way to the palace with us. She can help us get the ring or get some other guard to go with us.

>>37372059
See? It's all fine.

And that's doze-off number one. Sorry.

You do not feel up to convincing a random city guard to abandon their duties simply accompany you back to the palace. You can't even ask them to falsify their presence for appearance's sake, lest Bertie find out about this deception and bring the full weight of the Alvar City Watch bureaucracy down upon you. A random guard would certainly not lie convincingly enough in that situation.

Your options have inexorably narrowed to a few unpalatable choices, most of which require you to go back out into the rain. At this point, finding Marianne and getting her to accompany you to the palace seems to be the most expedient route, according to your sleep-deprived judgment.

Also, a tiny, selfish part of you is of the opinion that Marianne has had enough rest by now, compared to you.

"Before I go," you say, "could I at least make sure that the piece of evidence is safe and present?"

Bertie unhooks a small keyring from his belt, and unlocks one of his desk drawers. From within, he extracts a small iron case, sealed with a secure latch. He undoes the latch and opens the case, revealing the gold ring nestled inside amidst a bed of wood shavings.

You breathe a sigh of faint relief. Not only is the ring still accounted for, Bertie evidently treats his job seriously enough that he is indeed ready to part with the piece of evidence, as long as you prove yourself worthy of slaying the dread beast of bureaucracy.

Bertie stows the evidence case away again, and returns to his own work. "Don't let me keep you," he says in obvious dismissal.

>[1/2]

>>37372059

please.

knowing her, she WILL walk with us all the way to the palace, whether we like it or not.

shes such a goodie two shoes and a stickler for procedure.

we'd best invite her to eat with us at dinner at the palace before we bring her back. that or let her rest at our place.

You exit Bertie's office, stumbling only slightly. You really need to get some downtime, if not a proper nap. Traipsing all across the city repeatedly is not doing very much for your energy levels.

You still have enough presence of mind left to inquire about the Watch House about whether anyone knows where Marianne lives. Unfortunately, you receive only uncertain replies and contradictory assertions, all of which you are pretty sure are utterly incorrect. The fellow guards who had carried Marianne bodily home are out on patrol duty; you get the impression that they will be back in a couple of hours or so, which is also around the time the Guard Commander should be returning from his meeting. You are not sure you can last that long.

You try to pierce through the fog in your mind. You can very vaguely recall the route Marianne took to her apartment from Crosstern Street. You think you can figure out where Crosstern Street is from the Southgate Watch House, although the mental image you call up is frustratingly blurry and indistinct. You do get the constable on duty at the front desk to write down some directions, which you attempt to commit to memory; trying to check instructions written with cheap ink on cheap paper in the rain is probably not going to work.

With that, you don a raincoat near the entrance, which may or may not be the one you arrived with, but is presumably still free for official use anyway. Taking a deep breath, mostly to keep yourself awake, you step back out into the city.

> roll 1d20, best of three

Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>37372167

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>37372167

Rolled 8 (1d20)

>>37372167

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>37372167

>>37372186
>first post in thread
>cockblocks a 19

good job anon, if only you were half a minute slower...

>>37372173
>>37372178
>>37372186
Dammit guys, that's what you get for rushing the rolls.

>>37372197
>>37372198
Sorry I was paying attention to the thread.

>>37372210
don't worry about it anon, we'll probably just bumble around in the rain for a bit before finding it or some clues to help us find it, at least you didn't roll a 1

>>37372210
>>37372221
Yeah, it's not like it was a combat roll or anything. We'll be fine.

It's raining.
I'm lost.
My feet hurts.

>>37372233
I wish I could unsummon myself.

>>37372233
I'm tired
That guy was a dick
Why does magic shit keep blowing up around me?

>>37372241
good thing we've also got our draconic resilience and blood to help keep our elven ears warm

>>37372241
How can we be magic if we're anti-magic?

>>37372256
Who said we're magic? We could just be from a different plane.

>>37372268
Yeah but if we were summon wouldn't we just unsummon ourselves? How would we even get summoned in the first place if we break magic?

>>37372278
Special magic

>>37372285
anti-magic

>>37372278
What >>37372285 said. It probably happened after we were summoned.

>>37372285
That sounds like some prime bullshit.

>>37372291
Seeing as how we have no idea how magic in this setting actually works, we can't really call it one way or the other.

>>37372287
Draconic Anti-magic Magics.

>>37372290
That seems a bit convoluted.
At the moment I would rule out any magic-based origins because it seems we break any spell that we physically touch.

>>37372302
>Draconic Anti-magic Magics.
You mean Demonic Draconic Elven anti-magic magics

>>37372310
You forgot our most special power.

Actually being human

>>37372302
I meant more that the idea of double special magic is bullshit in general.

>>37372305
Well, Damp confirmed some time ago that the correct theory had pretty much been guessed. We just need to find that post, then compile a list of all the suggested theories up to that point. After that it's just process of elimination.

>>37372333
That's really a joke.

But the way we interacted with Elise's wards at the beginning, when we saw whichever Touhou that was, pretty much confirms we're magic of some kind.

>>37372336
I remember someone saying something about being a dragon.
Then there's the thief or some kind of assassins backgrounds.
Constructs and being summoned are also there but I would put them to the side for now.

>>37372347
We know elven, don't we?

>>37372343
I still think we're anti-magic because three times we've touched something magic it broke.
And three times is leaving coincidence land.
>>37372360
Yeah there's that as well.

>>37372347
She is at least glamoured or shapeshifted somehow, so we can't rule out all magic. I think the wards may have been triggered because of that.

>>37372336
Also throw in that the secret being revealed would be the end of the quest if we don't have enough social points, I think that was said at one point. That means whatever the secret is, it has to be something that would be really significant to the other characters, and not just "my ears are actually pointy."

>>37372374
That still leaves out the shadow and the nightmares though.
Also the ward blowing up didn't actually hurt us.
We just fell down the stairs and had our arm broken by captain.

>>37372364
Anti-magic=Magic to me so we're on the same page until Damp confirms differently.

But the Elven thing plus our insane agility and general lack of needing food points to something like a construct or summon, perhaps some kind of really advanced Golem.

>>37372378
So it is something so big that the people around us are likely to abandon us based on it, if we're not close enough friends.

>>37372386
The food may not be supernatural at all.
We still eat three meals a day they're just small portions.

>>37372385
>and had our arm broken by captain.
After we tried to stab her.

>>37372378
well its not that big, damp said we would have to make monumentally bad choices and rolls to bad end like that as we need 2 social points for that, and we've already got one with Clarissa

>>37372397
Yeah, the point was we didn't get injured by the ward breaking even though it seemed to do a lot of damage to the hallway.

>>37372394
We eat abnormally small portions, even compared to the other elves in the setting.

We were surprised we were hungry this morning. There has to be something up about that.

>>37372412
I still wouldn't say construct yet though because it would require more assumptions and exceptions to things than not being a construct.
Have we touched something with a spell on it without the spell breaking yet?

>>37372412
And we sleep as if we were dead.
We're toys in Damp hands, and he's playing with our sanity since the very beginning
I love that.

>>37372412
Maybe it's our body slowly getting adjusted to the transformation?

>>37372422
>Have we touched something with a spell on it without the spell breaking yet?
Orbie

>>37372430
I don't remember ever touching Orby.

>>37372422
Not saying construct from the eating, just there's something up with it.

As for magical touching...not that we know of? Maybe some of Elise's stuff but I don't remember.

>>37372424
He certainly is one of the few Qm's I've seen able to pull something like this off, most either give it away or simply suck.

>>37372428
Frankly, we have no clue.

>>37372430
I don't think we have touched it actually. We always have a bag or cloth in the way and the de-spell effect seems to require physical contact.

Does anyone think we forged the letter of recommendation, or did that roaming knight actually give it to us?
Nicole seems adamant about becoming a "True Knight", so she may actually have met him.

>>37372399
So what you're saying is that we have to get in a relationship with Clarissa before revealing ourself. Good thing most of us were already trying to do that.

>>37372430
We have never touched orbie

>>37372439
>just there's something up with it.
Oh yeah, definitely but any kind of origin that requires us to have spells on us should be sidelined until we learn more about magic or you anti-magic effect.
Simply because it requires us to make exceptions we have no knowledge of existing yet.

>>37372436
>>37372440
I'm pretty sure we have

>>37372450
I'd like to see how far this quest can go before waifufags manage to force her into a relationship.

>>37372459
I'm positive we never have.

>>37372459
Not directly, we used a cloth to cover it when takeing it back to our room.

>>37372450
No, what I was saying is that Damp said we already got the social point with Clarissa because we've interacted with her so much and formed a relationship with her. He also said its easy to get more social points with the others, it just requires us to spend time interacting with them and not being an anti-social tard.

>Good thing most of us were already trying to do that.
Yes it is.

>>37372455
True. But that massively limits our shadowruns because frankly, we don't actually know a lot about Damps setting.

I kinda want to go to the nun-lady and tell her that we have a deep dark secret just so we're not lying to everyone.

>>37372475
>But that massively limits our shadowruns
And this is a bad thing?

>>37372475
>But that massively limits our shadowruns
Yeah, but it's the logical things we can assume an exception until we see something that demonstrates it.

>>37372488
Not particularly, but we don't have a whole lot else to go on besides shadowruns since Nicole is very fervent in her desire to not even think about whatever she is/isn't.

>>37372493
Not arguing your point at all, it makes sense.

There is something quite depressing about being out in the cold rain, raincoat or not. The entire world is a grey haze, permeated with the dull hiss of water pouring from the skies. The chill cuts deep, and you try to huddle in on yourself, but you have to be careful lest you slip and fall on the slick cobblestones. Every footstep has to be carefully placed, because splashing through a puddle would simply waste even more effort as you try to slog through the water resistance. The raindrops hammer onto the top of your raincoat's hood, each one a tiny bead of lead peppering your head and shoulders.

People who pass by you hurry on, wishing to get to someplace dry and warm. Nobody speaks to each other unless necessary; to do so would require shouting over the roar of the rain. Nobody looks at each other unless necessary; to do so would require spending more time in the rain than they absolutely have to.

And still you walk on, trudging through the streets of Alvar, growing ever more weary and cold and, you suspect, lost.

This is what the city guard has to do all the time.

You duck under a convenient awning, and check your directions. You have to hold the piece of paper at arm's length away from you, so you don't drip on it. According to this, you are supposed to turn left at the alleyway before the intersection at the theatre. Unfortunately, you do not see any alleyways on the left, and three on the right.

You probably shouldn't go roof-hopping either. The directions do not take such travel modes into account, and while you'd make better time to wherever you'd want to go, you still need a destination to aim for first.

The one small consolation in this whole mess is that with the palace being the largest and most prominent building in Alvar, you can pretty much find your way back there from anywhere in the city. You might need to get to a higher spot to locate it, but that should prove no difficulty.

>[1/2]

Now if only you can quash the very strong urge to give up entirely and go back to the palace. Surely the ring will still be there tomorrow? Surely none of this is so urgent that you need to get the ring to Elise today. In fact, not giving the ring to Elise will just allow her to concentrate on that detection device. Which is the more important thing, right?

Right?

You stuff the note back into your pocket, and adjust your raincoat, before going back into the rain. Since you've already gone this far, it would be even more depressing if you gave up and turned back, without anything to show for it.

Let's see, if there is no left turn alleyway, maybe you should go left at the intersection at the theatre. Which, now that you've approached it, looks quite impressive up close. It is advertising a play that promises high romance and tragedy, set in a historical backdrop, to run for the entire month, but not today. Maybe you can visit it when next you have free time and free disposable income.

You keep a provisional map of the area in your head as you follow the streets. If there used to be an alleyway here that was then removed, it would have come out here. From here, if you continue through the street until you reach the next junction...

... you will have arrived at a suspiciously familiar place.

This looks astoundingly like the area you remember Marianne's apartment is in; you have apparently arrived here without going through Crosstern Street. You take a long moment to calm yourself, and visualize the night you had come here, in the dark, but also in just as much rain. If your memory holds true, Marianne's apartment should be... that one.

You approach the apartment door, and knock gingerly. When you receive no reply, you try the handle; unsurprisingly, the door is locked.

> Hammer on the door
> Yell
> The rain will hide any tears

>>37372374
It may be some kind of non-magic transformation as well.

>>37372523
>> Hammer on the door
>> The rain will hide any tears

>>37372523
> Hammer on the door
> The rain will hide any tears

>>37372523
>> Hammer on the door

>>37372523
>Hammer on the door
>The rain will hide any tears

>>37372523
>> Yell
> The rain will hide any tears

M

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>37372523
>> Hammer on the door
>> The rain will hide any tears

>>37372523
> Hammer on the door

no tears, only dreams of hot showers.
we shall save our tears for the moment we realize that the coffee took every liter of hot water in the palace for the entire day.

>>37372516
> Hammer on the door

>>37372523
> Hammer on the door
> The rain will hide any tears
I wish I was home
Scene's music: riders on the storm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DED812HKWyM

>>37372475
> confess to Simone.
THAT idea I like.
A least tell her we have a secret. Or confess everything to her without the players hearing anything.
I have the feeling she's a total bro.

>>37372626
>> confess to Simone.
Yeah no, not until we make good friends with her at least, so not for a long while, we barely know her.

>>37372626
That's why I said it.

Simone seems to take her role as a spiritual guardian very seriously, so even if we just confessed we weren't exactly what we said we were and we had a mission we couldn't tell anyone about, I feel she would keep it a secret as long as we mentioned we weren't going to harm anyone in Alvar.

>>37372640
I think confessing like that would make her our friend, even if only because she want's to keep talking to us.

>>37372656
>I think confessing like that would make her our friend
That's not how those things work anon...

I am sure as shit now going to blab to her about our deepest darkest secret when we barely know her, that would be exactly the kind of retarded move that would bad end us that Damp talked about.

>>37372656
I don't think so.
Everything seems to indicate that we're some level of terrible person.

>>37372675
I didn't say actually tell her the secret, make note of that. Just that we have a secret that we're ashamed of/not able to talk about.

She really gives off the vibe of wanting to be her friend.

>>37372687
Never got that vibe, I know we know some weird shit but nothing in Nicole's attitude indicates she's a terrible person. Maybe a bit of a checkered past, but nothing more than that.

>>37372708
>She really gives off the vibe of wanting to be her friend.
So be her friend instead of trying to guilt her into that by telling her our secret.

>>37372761
This

>>37372761
I...think we have different mindsets.

I'm not trying to get her to be our friend by telling her our secret. Note I said DON'T tell her the actual secret.

Just...talk and open up to her a little. Which we'd actually have a reason to if we say, wanted to ask her for advice about what's bothering us.

>>37372786
>Note I said DON'T tell her the actual secret.
And yet the anon you agreed with said exactly that...

>>37372796
But I didn't agree with him...

>"Sister, I have a secret I'm keeping from everyone."
>"We noticed. Everyone noticed. Why are you even telling me that?"

>>37372873
That's not how confession works there anon.

>>37372873
Ouch.
Nailed it.

You will not cry in frustration. To do so in public would be unfitting of the dignity of a knight-apprentice of Alvar. It would also be a sure sign that you are too pampered to withstand the rigours of knighthood, which will no doubt contain days far worse than this. Admittedly you can't think of any examples at the moment, but that just means you are not thinking rationally due to your current physical state.

Also, that sniffle just now did not count.

You lean against the door, taking the time to compose yourself. You have to be stronger than this, if only because even now, you can see that all of this is the result of a trivial collection of setbacks. They just feel magnified due to your exhaustion.

You draw on the certainty that this day will pass. You take comfort in the knowledge that none of this will matter, once you have completed your obligations for the day and gotten a good night's rest. You also linger for a bit longer than you probably should on the memory of the best coffee you have ever had in your life, just this morning in Elise's tower. The fact that staying to drink that coffee is probably the reason why you are in this situation now is firmly ignored.

With renewed determination, you straighten up. You ball your hand into a fist, and start hammering on the door.

This actually feels remarkably therapeutic.

>[1/2]

If any of Marianne's neighbours are alarmed at the sight of a cloaked, hooded figure pounding away at her door, none of them give any sign. You do not even see any nervous twitches of curtains at windows, which is quite restrained for a neighbourhood such as this. It is not the most prestigious of locales, but the walls are clean and painted, which already puts it at a level above the sort that would not mind an unknown lunatic making a disturbance in the middle of the day.

You eventually stop when you can just about discern the faint scratching of keys being fumbled on the other side of the door lock, as well as the occasional jingling and yelp as the occupant drops said keys. Before you can get annoyed at yet another delay, the door is yanked open, and Marianne stares at you breathlessly. She is wearing her city guard uniform sans armour, looking like she has slept in it, which is probably the case. She also looks quite rested, which is not fair at all.

Something in your expression must look odd, because she takes a nervous step back.

"Nicole? What are you doing here?" She blinks a few times, a sure sign of one who has just woken up, and are trying to rearrange their intellect into order. "Are you all right?"

> "I require your assistance in dealing with bureaucracy."
> "Two are needed to transport the ring. We are now two."
> "If you do not go back to the Watch House with me right now, I am going to fall over at your doorstep."
> "Come with me if you want to live."

>>37372978
> "Two are needed to transport the ring. We are now two."
> "If you do not go back to the Watch House with me right now, I am going to fall over at your doorstep."

>>37372978
>> "I require your assistance in dealing with bureaucracy."
> "If you do not go back to the Watch House with me right now, I am going to fall over at your doorstep."

>>37372978
> "Two are needed to transport the ring. We are now two."
> "If you do not go back to the Watch House with me right now, I am going to fall over at your doorstep."

>>37372978
>"I require your assistance in dealing with bureaucracy."
>"Two are needed to transport the ring. We are now two."

>>37372978
>"Two are needed to transport the ring. We are now two."
>"If you do not go back to the Watch House with me right now, I am going to fall over at your doorstep."

>>37372978
>"I'm sorry to wake you but-"
> "I require your assistance in dealing with bureaucracy."
> "Two are needed to transport the ring."

>>37372978
> "Come with me if you want to live."
I knew it ! We were a T-800 all along !

Uh oh, Nicole is scary when frustrated.

We're finally showing our demonic golemish mindbroken senility onset by innumerable years of solitary existence, our body slowly deteriorating without maintenance until one day we became rogue and gained sentience.

>>37373095
That or the longer she stays on this plain the more she adapts to it. She really is becoming human.

>>37372978
>"Come with me if you want to live."
I wish this would have won. I'd love to see if Marianne is even bothered at all by death threats or just thinks it's cute.

Words bubble up in your consciousness, and you shuffle them around in your mind until they make some version of sense. "Two are needed to transport the ring. We are now two."

Marianne continues staring at you blearily. "Uh, why don't you come in for now?" she says, running on ingrained good behaviour. "I'm not sure what I'm doing back home, actually. Last I knew, I was still at the-"

"Marianne, if you do not go back to the Watch House with me right now, I am going to fall over at your doorstep," you say, quite evenly.

You can even see the realization dawn across Marianne's face as the events of the past several hours catch up to her. "Oh no, I am so sorry, Nicole!" she exclaims. She flaps her hand, beckoning you inside. "I'll be ready in just a bit. Um, where did I put that raincoat..."

Marianne does not bother changing out of her rumpled uniform, simply pulling on her boots and shrugging on her raincoat, still wet from the previous use not too long ago. "I take it your original duties for the day have been re-scheduled?" you ask.

"Uh, yeah. The Commander told me to take today off. I have plenty of leave saved up anyway. I'm not sure how I ended up back home, though," Marianne says, puzzled. "I was going to wait for you at the Watch House, but, uh, that didn't work out, it seems." She peers at you. "Did you get any sleep at all, Nicole?"

"Some," you admit truthfully. About two or three hours. "Not enough."

"Right! Let's get that ring, and then you can go back to sleep." Marianne's hair is a mess. You resist the urge to help her brush it down; you're not sure you can delay any further without keeling over completely.

>[1/2]

You let Marianne lead the way back to the Watch House. She makes much better time than you did, having walked this path just about every day for a year. You try to note the landmarks and directions, so you don't have to repeat the same fiasco should such a situation arise again in the future. You're not sure how much of it penetrated your addled consciousness.

Back at the Watch House, Marianne drags you straight to Bertie's office, pausing only to shuck her raincoat at the entrance. She helps sign for all the handover forms while you sway gently on your feet. Thankfully, Bertie's disapproval at Marianne tracking mud and rain into his office remains only that, and he relinquishes possession of the evidence case.

You check that the ring is still inside, which it is. Having satisfied your paranoia, you follow Marianne back out to the entrance, where you both don raincoats yet again.

"I'll walk with you back to the palace," Marianne says. "Then I'll go see if I can help out some more at the Watch House." She laughs, a little guiltily. "It's not really a day to go out shopping, anyway. And I've had enough sleep for now."

> "All right. Thank you for your help, Marianne."
> "Actually, I can handle this myself for now. It'll be much quicker, too."
> "If you're not going straight home, I'd suggest combing your hair, at least."

>>37373641
>> "All right. Thank you for your help, Marianne."

Here's hoping she soon buys us the frilliest dress

>>37373641
> "All right. Thank you for your help, Marianne."

>>37373641
>> "All right. Thank you for your help, Marianne."

>>37373641
>> "If you're not going straight home, I'd suggest combing your hair, at least."

>>37373630
> "Actually, I can handle this myself for now. It'll be much quicker, too."

>>37373641
> "All right. Thank you for your help, Marianne."

>>37373641
>"All right. Thank you for your help, Marianne."
>"If you're not going straight home, I'd suggest combing your hair, at least."

>>37373641
>"All right. Thank you for your help, Marianne."
>"If you're not going straight home, I'd suggest combing your hair, at least."

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>37373641
> "All right. Thank you for your help, Marianne."
I feel like we should be making dice rolls to stay awake at this point now

You've gotten this far following the rules. You should go the rest of the way as a good, normal citizen of Alvar. After all, if you bend the rules for a good reason, you will soon find ways to bend them for less good ones, and then there will be trouble.

Besides, despite the temptation of taking the direct route back to the palace, you're not sure you want to do so while sleep-deprived and in the slippery rain. You briefly entertain the thought of carrying Marianne on piggyback to fulfil the letter of the law, but that would be even riskier. You're not even sure whether you can do something like that; having to carry a burden the size and weight of another person would severly limit your mobility.

"All right," you say, meekly. "Thank you for your help, Marianne." It is extraordinary how well-disposed you feel towards the world now, despite your exhaustion. It must have something to do with the evidence case nestled snugly in your pocket.

"I am very sorry about leaving you like that," Marianne says, as the two of you exit the Watch House. "If there's any way I can make it up to you, just tell me."

Now that you are brimful of goodwill towards all, you accept this fulsome apology with mild embarrassment. "It's all right, Marianne. It's not your fault. I shouldn't have been late, myself."

"I know!" Marianne says, clearly not listening. "When we go shopping, I'll pick out the best dress ever for you! It's going to be absolutely perfect! And I'll pay for it, so you don't have to do a thing!"

"Really, you don't have to-"

"The best dress ever!" Marianne insists.

>[1/2]

You wobble, buffeted in this blast of enthusiasm. "Will it have frills?" you ask weakly.

Marianne looks at you, confused. "Why wouldn't it?"

"I don't look very good in frills, Marianne."

"Oh, nonsense," Marianne says dismissively. "You just haven't had the right type of frills yet. And lace and ribbons. It'll be great!"

You are not sure when this potential shopping trip has turned from a gift to a punishment.

"How long will you keep that ring?" Marianne asks, curious.

Elise had said that the analysis of the ring would be finished by the time the delegation to Whiteford will depart. "In about a week or so. Probably less." Wait, no, that's just when the analysis would be finished. You still need to find the time to transport the ring back to the Watch House, with all this rigamarole once more. "Actually, I'll be out of the country around that time. So if I don't get the chance to return the ring, you can pick it up from the palace. Ask for the court wizard, Elise."

"Elise, right." In lieu of taking out her notebook in the pouring rain, Marianne elects to memorize the name instead. "Any surname?"

You're pretty sure Elise does have a surname, but you've never actually asked. It never came up. "She's the court wizard, so she's fairly well-known," you evade.

"All right." Marianne does not seem to have the usual reaction of most non-mages to any mention of magic, viz a startled look and a faint suspicion. Maybe she deals with magic all the time, in her occupation as a city guard.

You're almost sure you had something else you wanted to ask Marianne, but you can't quite remember what it was.

"Is something the matter, Nicole?" Marianne asks.

> "It's nothing, Marianne."
> "Do you happen to know someone named Hugh the Liar? He said he was Finn's right hand man."
> "... oh, that's right. I wanted to ask you about Escavila the Golden."

>>37374287
>> "... oh, that's right. I wanted to ask you about Escavila the Golden."

>>37374287
>"... oh, that's right. I wanted to ask you about Escavila the Golden."

> "It's nothing, Marianne." In which world would we deny our desire to know more ?

>>37374287
> "Do you happen to know someone named Hugh the Liar? He said he was Finn's right hand man."

The golden's in the palace afterall.

>>37374287
>"... oh, that's right. I wanted to ask you about Escavila the Golden."
> "Do you happen to know someone named Hugh the Liar? He said he was Finn's right hand man."
We should also inquire about how anyone from the criminal underworld would know about you considering you've been here little less than 2 weeks.

>>37374287
>> "Do you happen to know someone named Hugh the Liar? He said he was Finn's right hand man."

>>37374287
>"Do you happen to know someone named Hugh the Liar? He said he was Finn's right hand man."

>>37374287
> "Do you happen to know someone named Hugh the Liar? He said he was Finn's right hand man."
> "... oh, that's right. I wanted to ask you about Escavila the Golden."

Another thing to consider about what we are is that the person who is backing our apprenticeship is a retired paladin.

>>37374353
>We should also inquire about how anyone from the criminal underworld would know about you considering you've been here little less than 2 weeks.
We walked into their den and said "hello" accompanied by Marianne? Remember?

>>37374429
one hello and a meal, does not mean the major players would be willing to risk sending a messenger to send some secret message, to someone we've probably never heard off.
I smell something fishy here, and i suspect there is more to this message than it seems.

>>37374397
I was under the impression that recommendation was entirely faked, by Nicole or someone else.

>>37374472
They probably know a lot about Nicole already. That she's a knight is a given, they would probably know she's a new face as well, makes sense for criminals to keep track of people like knights. Walking in there would definitely catch their attention, from there they can get a bit of information gathering done very quickly thanks to Nicole's high profile.

With that, there are several good reasons to give Nicole the message. They could have a desire to avoid their usual channel (they must have a usual channel, right), they could be wanting to find Escavila and hoping Nicole will unwittingly lead them to her, they could be doing it to test how Nicole reacts for the purpose of future schemes since she's on the radar now... and that's the best ones I have for the moment.

>>37374597
Not by Nicole. She mentions - in her inner dialooogue - that even she isn't sure why Whats-his-face chose her.

>>37374287
> "Do you happen to know someone named Hugh the Liar? He said he was Finn's right hand man."

>>37374694
Oh, I don't recall that happening. I only remember her struggling to answer any questions about him, as if she had never even met him.

"Just thinking about some strange things that happened last night," you say. "Do you happen to know someone named Hugh the Liar? He said he was Finn's right hand man."

Marianne's brow furrows in recollection. "I think... sorry, no. I don't think I've heard of that name before."

"Tall," you say. "Thin. Sort of pale. Stubble, but that might just be a momentarily lapse in grooming. Top hat, dark suit, looks a little grubby." And bad teeth, but if this man is Marianne's acquaintance, she might take offence.

Marianne is thinking very hard. "Any other identifying marks? Scars, or missing fingers, or way of speaking?"

"Scar on the right side of his chin," you recall. "His right. And, uh, he refers to Finn as 'the Finn', so maybe that's a quirk of his."

"Oh!" Marianne is enlightened. "That's Cookie."

"Cookie," you repeat weakly.

"Well, he's the assistant cook at the Hanged Orc," Marianne clarifies. "I suppose he's Finn's right hand man, in a manner of speaking. He's usually out buying groceries or something." Marianne looks thoughtful. "He's out a lot, come to think of it. The Hanged Orc must be very popular, to run out of ingredients so often like that."

You do not think any food prepared by the cook known as Hugh is especially hygienic.

"But he doesn't usually wear a dark suit," Marianne continues. "White chef's outfit, most of the time. Very clean."

Either Marianne is thinking of entirely the wrong person, or you now have something you can riposte at Hugh the next time he calls you Kitten Helper. "He gave me a message last night. It was kind of confusing." And kind of a secret, now that you think about it. You're not sure if you should pass it on to Marianne to see what she makes of it.

>[1/2]

You've arrived at the palace by now. Marianne turns to you, and lightly thumps a fist to her chest in an easy salute. "I'll see you soon, Nicole," she says. "Good luck with finding out about that ring."

"If you're not going to go straight home," you say absently, buying time for your sluggish thoughts, "please comb your hair. It's a little messy."

Marianne's hand flies up to her hair, under her raincoat's hood. "Oh. Thanks, Nicole. I should probably make myself more presentable." She grins at you. "Anyway, if there's nothing else?"

> "Nothing else. Goodbye, Marianne."
> "Actually, I was going to ask you about Escavila the Golden."
> "Does the phrase 'the rabbit hole is not as deep' mean anything to you?"

>>37374815
> "Nothing else. Goodbye, Marianne."

>>37374815
>> "Does the phrase 'the rabbit hole is not as deep' mean anything to you?"

File: 1372268660335.jpg (26 KB, 251x201)

26 KB JPG

>>37374815
"Actually, I was going to ask you about Escavila the Golden."

>>37374815
> "Nothing else. Goodbye, Marianne."

>>37374815
>"Nothing else. Goodbye, Marianne."

>>37374815
>> "Does the phrase 'the rabbit hole is not as deep' mean anything to you?"

Cue Marianne long loving rant about bunnies

>>37374815
> "Nothing else. Goodbye, Marianne."

>>37374815
> "Does the phrase 'the rabbit hole is not as deep' mean anything to you?"
> "If not, then nothing else. Goodbye, Marianne. And thank you again."

>>37374815
>> "Does the phrase 'the rabbit hole is not as deep' mean anything to you?"
Try for a simple and quick explanation.

>>37374815
>"Are you sure you're alright to go back to work? You can crash here if you need to."

"Does the phrase 'the rabbit hole is not as deep' mean anything to you?" you ask, as casually as you can manage. You don't think Clarissa will be very upset that you are spreading around messages passed in confidence, since she had not placed much importance on it herself. In any case, what she does not know will not anger her.

Marianne looks puzzled. "Does it have anything to do with bunnies?"

You shrug. "It's just something I heard from somewhere." Which is true. "I thought you might have heard about it too."

"Mm, not really. Sorry." Marianne smiles. "But I like bunnies," she confides. "They're small and cute and fluffy."

You cannot deal with this on less than three hours of sleep. "Never mind. Thank you for your help today, Marianne." You copy her salute. "Goodbye."

Marianne acknowledges your farewell, and strolls off, comfortably well-rested. Not even the constant rain is dampening her high spirits.

You slouch back towards the palace building, stopping inside the entrance to drip for a while. You hesitate for a moment, but remove your raincoat anyway; you will handle the return of your sword to the armoury after you've gotten some rest.

Back to your room to drop off your sword and hang your raincoat. You avert your gaze from your bed, for fear of the temptation to leave everything for later.

The evidence case is your main priority now. You should give it to Elise, but you're not sure if she is still hiding from the Duke.

> Go to the wizard's tower
> See if the Duke is back, and ask him to put it inside his strongbox
> Hand the case to Victor to pass on to Elise
> Anders should be around too

>>37375086
> Go to the wizard's tower
Might as well check.
In case she's not there: > See if the Duke is back, and ask him to put it inside his strongbox

And if he's not there either: > Hand the case to Victor to pass on to Elise

>>37375086
>> Go to the wizard's tower

And I am definitely out for the night. Can't force myself awake any longer.

I don't know when the next thread will be, because I have some other obligations to deal with that require a lot of reading and research, so I may not have the time for a thread. Technically it should be done by the end of the month (specifically the 27th), but that's way too long, so I'll try to either finish it earlier, or find the time anyway.

Apologies for any sleepiness that leaked into the quest, outside of making Nicole suffer.

Thanks for joining me on the quest.

>>37375137
Thanks for running, Don't get dry!

>>37375149
What's that supposed to mean?

>>37375086
> Go to the wizard's tower

>>37374849
This.
Guys, why U no want to know more ?
I can't stand it anymore !
Who is she Who is she Who is SHe Who is SHE Who is SHE WHo is SHE WHO is SHE WHO IS SHE WHO IS SHE WHO IS SHE

>>37375137
Night, Damp.
Maybe a short thread before the 27th, like to end this in-quest-day and put Nicole to bed At last ?

>>37375165
I, wasn't expecting that.

>>37375086
> Go to the wizard's tower
If she's not there,
> See if the Duke is back, and ask him to put it inside his strongbox

>>37375137
Take as much time off as you want. I'd rather wait a month or so for the next thread than see you burn out on the quest.

>>37375137
Thanks for running damp, next time then.

>>37375086
>Hand the case to Victor to pass on to Elise
No thief would expect us to give it to the Victor!