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Character and setting info: http://pastebin.com/u/MagicalPrincess
Archives: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Start+Over+Quest
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MagicalMarquise
Ask.fm: http://ask.fm/MagicalMarquise
Collection of character descriptions (WIP, courtesy of anon): http://pastebin.com/pzYffs0R

>>38469612
>>Ask Tahenohan what she can do about the undead

>>38469612
>Hur Bryld
>Ask Tahenohan what she can do about the undead
>Ask Susanna what she can do about the undead
>Ask the arachne what they're going to do
>Suggest you should all stay together
>Hug Bryld
damnit I need sleep, oh well I'll have to catch up later, thanks for running MP

>>38469715
>>Hur
Hug*, I hurr derped

>>38469659
Changing from this to >>38469715

>>38469612
>Ask Tahenohan what she can do about the undead

>>38469612
>Ask the arachne what they're going to do
>Suggest you should head back to New Royo as soon as possible

>>38469612
>Ask Tahenohan what she can do about the undead
>Ask Susanna what she can do about the undead
>Ask the arachne what they're going to do
>Suggest you should all stay together
>Hug Bryld

>>38469612
>Hug Bryld.
>Ask Tahenohan what she can do about undead.
If Tahe can actually do something about the undead then maybe we should go, otherwise stay back: we won't be much use if we get attacked by zombies.

There are two things you must do first.

The first is to hug Bryld, she really looks like she needs it, her eyes are wide with fear, and you can't say you don't really need some comforting yourself. Of course you have to play the fearless and in-control leader type or the situation will simply degenerate, but that doesn't mean you actually know what you're doing.

"Tahenohan. Susanna", you ask the both of them as you hold your cartographer's quivering body in your arms as she grasps your back tighter than you expected she could, "What can you do about the undead?".

"Not much", Susanna admits, "I can return them to their state of actual death if I get my hands on them, but on a scale this large? I wouldn't know where to begin. I command a different kind of magic".

"Well, if I had my hands on the same catalyst whomever did this used", Tahenohan claims with dreamy eyes, "I could do something myself". After a while, she adds "I don't know what, but I'd do something".

Well that's reassuring. You look at the two arachne, "What about you?".

"We're going to stay here for a while", Leiana declares before Arianna can even think about answering, "At least until the situation clears a bit. We'll go fetch some goods and tools at Arianna's place when we feel a bit safer, but if it's the undead I don't think they'll do wanton destruction on inanimate objects".

"Yeah. Nah", Tahenohan shrugs in agreement, "They'll try to rip living beings apart, but not inanimate objects. I don't think so".

“Regardless, we should stick together”, you suggest, “This isn't the time to split up, whatever we decide to do”.

“Ah, that's smart!”, the half-elf compliments you with a manic and surprised look on her face, “The undead don't rest and don't sleep, so we'd never actually outrun them if they catch wind of us”.

Oh, right. They don't sleep. But you do.

>You should all stay here at Susanna's place
>You should all head to New Royo
>Other?

>>38470063
>You should all head to New Royo

>>38470063
>>You should all stay here at Susanna's place
There's not much we can do, and I don't know that Susanna or Leiana can be convinced to help just yet.

>>38470063
>You should all head to New Royo

I figure evacuating to a more populated area is better sooner rather than later.
Although they might not appreciate how much food they need.

>>38470063
>Ask them all where they think they should head.

>>38470063
>>38470111
Supporting asking them, favoring Rojo.

>>38470063
>You should all head to New Royo

>>38470063
>perduafe the spiders to form an adventuring band and go after the first boss
ADVENTURE

"We should all head to New Royo", you suggest, "There's not many people but the Reconquista has a station of militia there and captain-".

"No", wow, it didn't take Susanna much to refuse the offer, and the tone she's using is making it sound as definitive as it can possibly get. "We should stay away from humans".

"But-".

"Last time there was a war, nearly all of our siblings were killed by both sides in the conflict", Leiana continues, as if the two are sharing the same thoughts, "When in danger, humans become paranoid of all outsiders and will kill regardless of the actual danger they present".

Both her and Susanna's expressions are rather grim, "If we show up there, they will inevitably think that we're part of what caused this undead plague. We'll be treated like enemies, me in particular. They will think I am a Fomor".

Although Arianna's expression isn't as grim, she too nods in agreement. It seems that nobody from the monster side wants to go anywhere near human settlements. Ordinarily, you would understand their sentiment: while peaceful relationships between humans and monsters aren't unheard of, they are more of an exception to the norm than anything, really. That, and Susanna, being a giantess, could really spark the fear of Fomor involvement, which is not what you need to defuse the situation.

“Ah, well, that's a pity”, Tahenohan scratches her cheek idly, “I mean we could probably make a break to New Royo and ask for help, I'm sure that the autarch wouldn't mind giving you a hand. What was her name again? Astrid?”.

“Astreya”, you correct her. And your half-elf friend has a point, which is kind of surprising. Not much because she's right but because it's actually something that common sense would agree with.

Still, you don't have any means of getting to her except to head back to New Royo or hope she will decide to come.

>Stay at Susanna's place
>Split and bring your party back to New Royo
>Insist to bring everyone to New Royo
>Other?

>>38470408
>Insist to bring everyone to New Royo
If they absolutely don't want to:
>Split and bring your party back to New Royo

We can't stay here forever, we also do have a job or three to do.

>>38470408
>Insist to bring everyone to New Royo

>>38470408
Shit
>Stay at Susanna's place

>>38470408
>>Insist to bring everyone to New Royo

>>38470408
>Split and bring your party back to New Royo

>>38470408
>insist on at least bringing one of the siders
Man, it took us a long time to reach this place, I'm not leaving without at least one souvenir or starting work on the mosnter-human relationship issues.

>>38470408
>Insist to bring everyone to New Royo
Friendships and allegiances are formed quickest on the field of battle. Helping the humans now will improve relations.

Bryld clutches you even tighter as the monsters declare to not want to have anything to do with humans in times of crisis. You suppose you're an exception, both because of your divine connection and because you've proven to be willing to listen to them and help them out, and be helped in return. You could stay here if you wanted, but this isn't the sort of satisfactory outcome that you would deem right for the circumstances.

"Please reconsider", you insist, "If we remain split up right now, we're only going to be easier targets for the undead".

"I am no easy target", Susanna frowns, crossing her arms and standing tall. Well, she is, considering her impressive size, but you're perfectly aware of what she's talking about, and as a matter of fact you can't say that her sword couldn't chop a whole tree asunder, surely a few walking corpses won't be much of an issue to her. "Being with humans will only give them more enemies to deal with".

You look at the two arachne, and only Arianna answers, with a sigh, "I would come, but... After all the years it took to be with Leiana again, I don't want to leave her right now".

Leiana herself gives her a strange and deeply embarrassed look, which you kind of understand considering the brutal honesty that just happened in front of you. Even Tahenohan goes "Awwww", at the sight.

"We still need to head back to New Royo", you tell them, "We have to reunite with the rest of the populace and warn my employers that it's dangerous to explore in these conditions. And we need to tell Astreya about you".

“How are you going to?”, Leiana doesn't look so sure about your claims, “You're slower than I am at covering ground, it might take you up to a week to return to your settlements, assuming you don't get lost”.

That, and the threat of the undead. Mostly the latter.

>”Don't worry, we will manage”.
>”Actually, if you put it that way, it's better if we stay here”.
>”Can't you accompany us? At least halfway?”.
>Other?

>>38470408
>Split and bring your party back to New Royo

>Be told that the monster people don't want to go to New Royo for very legit reasons
>Try to get them to go anyways
Come on, guys. Now is NOT the time to try to mend bridges.

>>38470841
>”Can't you accompany us? At least halfway?”.
Might as well see if they're willing to save us a few days of travel.

>>38470841
>”Actually, if you put it that way, it's better if we stay here”.
Noooo, my monstergirls ;_;

>>38470841
>”Can't you accompany us? At least halfway?”.

>>38470841
>”Actually, if you put it that way, it's better if we stay here”.

>>38470841
>”Don't worry, we will manage”.

We can also press this "fast forward" button. If we're just travelling, I don't think we need multiple threads per day.

I swear I already posted this?

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>>38471175
>we can also press this "fast forward" button.

But anon, no fast travel when there's enemies in the area.

>>38470841
>"Don't worry, we will manage."

>>38471210
Where is my daily reminder pic?

>>38471306
Ah, the tie-maker, good work anon.

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You just split your votes three-way.

All three options are mutually exclusive, anons. Please don't do this to me every time.

>>38470841
>>38471078
I'll switch to
>”Don't worry, we will manage”.
Then.

Leiana does have a point. Your plan makes sense but it has two big flaws. Well, just one, really: you can't fight.

Sure, you guess you could handle yourself in a random scuffle without coming out too badly injured, but that's assuming no weapons are involved and nobody has the intention to kill. If there's anything you can confidently claim about yourself is that you're absolutely not ready to face the armies of the dead.

At that point, travelling quickly is pivotal: the faster you go, the better you can evade encounters with the undead, especially since, as it's already been pointed out by none other than Tahenohan, the local necromancer, the dead don't sleep and never stop to catch their breath. They are as relentless in their pursuit as they can possibly be.

You don't think you can walk four or five days straight. You're confident in your travelling stamina, but you're not that tough. That's crazy tough anyways, you don't think anyone in your party can pull that off. Maybe Tahenohan, and that's a big maybe.

But you can't ask the monsters for help. Not this time. They too are in danger, even if they're a lot stronger than all of you combined. They too have homes and lives to defend, especially Susanna, with her school and everything. Well, actually, harpies should be relatively safe if they take to the skies so you probably shouldn't worry about them.

"Don't worry, we will manage", you confidently reassure them. You try to not look at Bryld who's frozen in terror and staring at you, wondering what's gotten in your head.

“If you say so”, Susanna sighs, “But you're not leaving earlier than tomorrow. Travelling at night is going to be suicide”.

“If we travel at night, we won't be able to see the undead coming”, Tahenohan points out, “Well, I would, but not you”.

>”Can't you use your magic to protect us at night?”.
>”Do you have anything to help us in our travel?”.
>”Any shortcuts you know of?”.
>Other?

>>38471525
>”Do you have anything to help us in our travel?”.
>”Any shortcuts you know of?”.

>>38471525
>>”Do you have anything to help us in our travel?”.
>>”Any shortcuts you know of?”.
Ugh. This idea is looking worse and worse.

>>38471525
>”Do you have anything to help us in our travel?”.
This is retarded. Our plan sucks.

>>38471525
>”Can't you use your magic to protect us at night?”.

>>38471525
>”Can't you use your magic to protect us at night?”.
That's what we're paying her for!

>>38471648
We're not paying her, though. Unless her using us as a pillow counts as payment.

>>38471688
Of course that counts as payment!

>>38471525
>What about the other monsters? What will happen to everyone else here?

>>38471525
>”Do you have anything to help us in our travel?”.
>”Any shortcuts you know of?”.
I'll support >>38471791 as well.

"Tahenohan, can you use your magic to protect us at night?", you wonder. That is your main concern, if you can prevent walking corpses from chopping your heads off while you sleep you can take as long as you want to return to New Royo. Well, not really, but at least you won't feel like you're sleeping under a loaded and unsafe guillottine every time night comes around. Besides, travelling at night means you risk tripping and falling, and you don't want to break a leg or get lost, neither of these two outcomes would be beneficial to you.

"Uh. I guess so", she seems to ponder for a moment, hopefully mentally browsing all the spells she knows, "But I would need two things...".

"Which ones are that?".

"Some kind of ground where I can draw a chalk circle, or a salt circle. I need it clear and even, or as clear and even as possible", she explains, "Or... A human skull".

"Why would you need a human skull for-".

"Skullwatch", she answers with a determined look and the kind of grin that someone makes when they pull out a secret weapon. Unfortunately, she does not add an actual explanation, so you have to take her word for it. Even Susanna shrugs when you look at her. Apparently this Skullwatch thing is something only necromancers know.

But of course you have no human skulls, except for those that would much prefer to stay attached to where they currently are.

"Any shortcuts you know of? Things you can give us to help out?", you have to rely on Susanna again, but she shakes her head.

"I can give you food and water", she offers, "But that's about it. I have no magic items nor other supplies that you can use".

“What about the other monsters? What's going to happen to them?”.

Susanna, Leiana and Arianna look at each other for a while. “Don't know of any other”, they answer.

Which doesn't mean there aren't any, just that they don't know.

>Accept Susanna's offer
>Decline the offer
>Ask Bryld if she'd rather stay here
>Reconsider and just stay here
>Other?

>>38471908

>Accept Susanna's offer

>>38471908
>>>Ask Bryld if she'd rather stay here

>>38471908
>Ask Bryld if she'd rather stay here

>>38471908
>Ask Bryld if she'd rather stay here

>>38471908
>Ask Bryld if she'd rather stay here
>Accept Susanna's offer
Assuming she's not vehemently against going.

>>38471908
>>Ask Bryld if she'd rather stay here
We really should stay: there's adventurers at New Rojo, they'll be fine.

"You are most kind. Thank you. We will make good use of them", you decide to accept Susanna's offer, mostly because stopping to forage for food and water while on the run from the living dead would be bad. As in, you really don't have the time to waste on that, you're really in a hurry.

You've been distractedly caressing Bryld's head all this time, but once you look down at her, still trembling from the obvious fear of having to race against relentless, unstopping pursuers out to kill all of you, an idea starts to dawn on you. Perhaps it would be safer, and quicker, if you further reduce your already small group.

"Bryld, would you rather stay here?", you ask her, "It's going to be safe, Susanna and the others will gladly protect you. Won't you?".

"It'd be safer if all of you stayed, but I understand you need to return to your own kind in times like these", Susanna nods in agreement, "Don't worry, I am not below protecting the lives of the innocent. Your companion will be safe and sound until you return".

That's great to hear, and you thank the giantess for her kindness, but once you look at Bryld you notice she's staring up at you, her eyes not as wavering as before, her grip a lot more relaxed, looking as if though she's been struck by a numb paralysis.

You stare at her eyes for a while, noticing she is blinking very little, and that her ears are perked up like when she's carefully paying attention to something.

“Are you... Are you leaving me behind?”, she asks. Her voice unsteady at first but firm later, but still partially choked by the emotion in her throat. You can barely hear her breathing, and you wouldn't be surprised if she was holding it.

>”I'm not leaving you behind, I just don't want to risk your life”.
>”It's safer here. I'll come back for you later”.
>”The less of us, the more chances of getting through”.
>”No. Come with us, we need you”.
>”Actually, we should all stay here, this run is suicide”.
>Other?

>>38472296
>”No. Come with us, we need you”.

>>38472296
>>”I'm not leaving you behind, I just don't want to risk your life”.
>>"Actually, we should all stay here, this run is suicide."
Let's not terrify the bunnybutt. Or kill ourselves.

>>38472296
>”Actually, we should all stay here, this run is suicide”.
Bryld is still a little sick and there is an undead apocalypse going on.
Just bunk with the god damned giant monsters.

>>38472296
>”No. Come with us, we need you”.

>>38472296
>"We'd be glad to have you with us, but I don't want to force you to come."

>>38472296
>”Actually, we should all stay here, this run is suicide”.

You know what would make us travel fast ? if two harpies carried us

>>38472296
>>38472372
Yeah, backing this.

>>38472296
>"I want to bring you with me, but if you prefer to stya here than risking your life outside..."

>>38472296
>>38472526

Also:

>Hug everyone

>>38472372
>>38472534
That's not answering her damned question. It's just being wishy-washy and making a rabbit decide between joining a suicide run to town and staying with a bunch of monsters alone, without her two friends that are supposedly protecting her.

>>38472583
The question as she posed it is unanswerable. It doesn't apply to the situation.

>The person we're meant to be protecting is still somewhat sick
>Literally everyone is saying to stay put
>There are undead roaming the land, and our character cannot fight
>We are just as safe, if not safer, waiting it out with the monsters.
>The PC has flat out admitted that they would not be able to make the journey.

>People still want to go.
Man, this was a fun quest before the TPK

You find yourself staring at Bryld for longer than you thought. There is an intensity to her eyes that you haven't seen before. She usually has this way of not staring directly at people unless absolutely necessary, and other than you and Tahenohan she hasn't done so with many others. Well, Luna too, now that you think of it...

You've been with nobody but each other for a few days and you already forgot what little you've learned about her before departing.

"No. I'm not leaving you behind", you answer in a steady tone, "We need you, you're part of the team. But it's going to be dangerous and I don't want to force you. We might end up dying".

It's obvious that the mere thought of risking her life is enough to nearly send her reeling and she tightens her grasp on your clothes to force her to stay close. She takes several long breaths, as if she has been holding her own for quite a while.

"I... I know", she finally claims, "But if... If anything happens to you while I was staying here I wouldn't be able to live with it".

That's rather surprising, even Tahenohan looks amazed. In her own, manic way.

"I know I can't do much", she continues, "I know I can't fight and I know I'll just run away screaming if I see some undead coming for me, but... If there's any chance I might be able to do something to make us all come back home safely instead of just having the two of you die and not even have a chance of being buried, I...".

"I get it, I get it", you tell her, patting her back. Her voice was getting unsteady, you had to stop her, "We'll be leaving tomorrow. It's going to be tough".

She nods, “I know”. And that's all she says.

“Ehehe”, Tahenohan looks very happy, for some reason. “You two are really something. Now let's pack our things and then rest before any of you accidentally utter a death flag”.

Right, those things are just a big no-no.

>Go to sleep
>You still need to do something before that (what?)
>Other?

>>38472637
Bullshit. "Are you leaving me behind" is answered with "Yes, because (reason)", "No, because you're coming with me", or "No, because this is retarded we're all staying because we're NPC class levels except maybe Tahe".

>>38472718
>Go to sleep
Soon, adventure!

>>38472718
>>Go to sleep
Okay, since we're going off and doing something dumb, might as well cuddle the bunnybutt and elfbutt.

>>38472718
>Go to sleep

>>38472721
I dunno why you're limiting it to just those three replies. I didn't want to say a yes or no in the first place because leaving her behind in the sense she meant was never an issue. If I was forced to use them though, my reply would probably be something like, "No, but we're offering you an out if you want to take it."

>>38472718
>Go to sleep

>>38472718
>>Go to sleep

>>38472869

We can still chose to not go tomorrow

Frankly, we would be more useful helping our half-elf get her hands on whatever control those undeads than running the wilderness like an headless chicken.

>>38473013
Well, to get there we need to run through the wilderness like a headless chicken. Then get up the mountain like an undead chicken. While being inept in combat past a bar fight. And with a frightened bunnybutt. It's basically a reverse escort mission.

>>38473112

Alright, then let's stay here and fortify the place as much as we can

>>38473150
Nah, fuck it, we had four votes to regain wisdom, might as well see where it takes us.

>>38473150

Also, we could train to git gud in something while here

>>38472718

Changing my vote here>>38473013

to:

>Pray Ishtar
>Then go to sleep.

You have no other options but to go to sleep. Packing your stuff doesn't take much time: it's mostly the gear you've been carrying all the time already and the food you're being given, which is enough to get you back to New Royo and not much more. You need to travel light if you're going that far and need to do so as quickly as possible.

You try to quell your doubts and just rest. You're going to need all the strength you can muster if you have to be on the run from the undead and you won't be getting it by worrying until your liver falls out.

Joining the other two in the basket, you all sprawl out on the cushion and try to rest. Tahenohan seems to have no problem in doing so, and insists in climbing on top of you, claiming that your boobs are better than any other cushion she put her head on and she can't sleep right if she doesn't get comfortable there, even though you're more than sure she could sleep just fine even while you weren't with her.

Bryld doesn't quite cling physically to you but it's obvious she's trying to look for your own warmth, even though it's still hot enough at night that you don't need blankets or anything of the like. Still, Bryld looks like she would rather have some and you kind of understand her feeling, for some reason it feels colder tonight, it must be either the magic or the fear of what's to come.

You spy Arianna just outside the door. Normally she'd be wandering about at this time of the night, but even she is smart enough to know she mustn't do that. You once heard that the bigger a woman's breasts are, the smaller her brain, but it's obviously a load of crap. You're a living testament of that, after all.

And now is really not the right time to wonder whether you've made the right choice or not.

>You can't sleep, talk to Bryld
>You can't sleep, go bother Arianna
>Screw this you CAN sleep
>Other?

>>38473254
>>You can't sleep, talk to Bryld

>>38473254
>You can't sleep, talk to Bryld
Bunnybutt time.

>>38473226

Nope. As long as we're not on the road and unable to come back, I'd vote to stay.

Also, did anything ever come up about the dream Ishtar send us

>>38473254
>You can't sleep, go bother Arianna

>>38473254
>You can't sleep, go bother Arianna

>>38473254
>>Other?

>Pray Ishtar

>Then go talk to Bryld

>>38473254
>Other
Pray to Ishtar. Quietly.

>>38473254
>>38473379
I like it, backed!

You quietly offer Ishtar a prayer from deep within your heart.

Despite never having received formal training in your cult, or theology in general, you know enough about gods to understand that they all have spheres of influence, or things they're good at, in layman's terms. Ishtar's is about monsters, fertility and blood bonds, not about the undead or safe travel. You'd actually need to give Lulwy a good prayer if you wanted safe travels, and Lulwy actually needs some offerings to be pleased. The more valuable, the better, too.

Which really doesn't put you in a good position to offer her any.

But you know Ishtar likes you. You know you have her favour: it's scientifically measurable since you can perform her rites and everything, so that has to count for something, right? And you're pretty sure she likes what you're doing out there, you've been recently rewarded too, although in a strange, hard to read way. Typical of Ishtar.

"Bryld?", you whisper, "You awake?".

"Neither of us should be", she answers, "We should be sleeping".

Yes. You should.

"What do you think of this? This situation".

"I don't", she confesses, "I want to wake up tomorrow and be told it was just a bad dream".

That would be nice, but you doubt it will happen, "I'm trying to make the best choice for us".

"I know. I trust you".

Silence follows.

“Whatever you do, I'm coming with you”, Bryld then adds.

“Even if it's dangerous?”.

“Yes”.

“I don't want you to get hurt”.

“I don't want that either. But I don't want you to get hurt while I'm staying in some comfortable safety. I promised not to be a coward any more, remember?”.

“Nobody will think you're a coward for fleeing from the undead”.

She chuckles, “You're right. But that's what we're doing, right? Running back to safety?”.

“Yes. And send someone to help Susanna and the others”.

“You're too kind to be left alone in this quest”.

She doesn't say anything else, and you can't think something either.

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Aaaaand this is it for Episode 24!

Sorry for the very short run but I have work tomorrow from the early morning. Unfortunately any other day would have been worse for me, so I could only run this little.

I'm afraid it's going to be like this for a couple more weeks. I'm sorry.

>>38473996
Awww, alright! Thanks for running!

>>38473996

Thanks for the thread!

>>38473918
Man, Bryld manages to grow more and more on me.
>>38473996
Don't worry MP, it's all good!

>>38473996
Thanks for running!

>>38473996
Thanks for the thread, looking forward to seeing what happens in the morning.