Still, having a teacher taking such a close interest in your life can be awkward, especially since you're:

>A gifted student with a promising future
>Something of a loner
>A bit of a troublemaker, with a colourful history.

Rolled 2 (1d3)

>>41582448
>Moloch
sounds familiar, but I don't think I've actively participated in any of your previous quests.

rolling on the choice because I never cared for this sort of chargen right off the bat.

>>41582448
>A bit of a troublemaker, with a colourful history.

>>41582448
>A bit of a troublemaker, with a colourful history.
I'm gonna go for Chaos as hard as I can.

Rolled 3 (1d3)

>>41582481
Ditto. Personally more of a 'first to X' I find more enjoyable, but no harm in rolling. Random chance and all that!

>>41582448

Gifted

Rolled 2 (1d3)

>>41582448
let the fates decide

>>41582496
>>41582500
>>41582512

Truth be told, you're a bit of a problem child. Although your days of ferocious playground fights are behind you – mostly – you've still got a talent for getting in trouble. No doubt the good Professor is hoping to steer you down a brighter path.

Alignment shifts slightly towards Chaotic.

Well, either way, you've just got to get this over with and you can enjoy the rest of your weekend. As you arrive at Saint Sebastian's, you're reminded how much it looks like a university campus. On a warm Summer's day, it's a nice place to lounge around but not with a low mist clinging to the ground. You hurry to Professor Carnby's office.

“Ah, Amelia. Welcome,” Carnby says when he sees you enter. The Professor is perhaps forty, with a youthful light in his eyes that takes years off him. His office is as cramped as ever, with stacks of books leaning against the walls and spilling out onto the floor. The lights are dim and the heating cranked up high, just as he likes it.

>>41582557

“So, have you been attending the sermons lately?” he asks, taking you by surprise. You expected a lecture about your behaviour (again) or some such matter, not a question about your religious practices.

>Of course!
>Of course! (Lie)
>I don't really go in for that stuff these days.
>Is that really what you wanted to talk about?

Rolled 3 (1d3)

>>41582557
>>Of course!
more for security than out of faith
>>Is that really what you wanted to talk about?

>>41582574
>I don't really go in for that stuff these days.
Attitude.

>>41582574
>>Is that really what you wanted to talk about?

>>41582574

You aren't going to play out every damn line of dialogue, right?

I'm already seeing red flags.

>>41582695
Pretty sure it's initial MC building.

>Of course! (don't lie)

>>41582721
>>41582591
>>41582666

You nod quickly before assuring Carnby that you're as dutiful as ever. It's how you were raised, after all. Even so, though, the question seems so out of place you have to ask about it.

“I was just wondering,” he says after a brief pause, “I'm not much of a choirboy myself these days, believe it or not. What I was really wondering about was your future. Do you have any plans? Anywhere you see yourself in a few years?”

That's a loaded question. You wonder if your mother put him up to this – she's been asking those sorts of questions herself lately as well. You think carefully before giving your answer.

>I was thinking of joining the church actually.
>I'm going to take each day as it comes!
>I've not thought about it, to be honest.

>>41582695
Do you not see the fact that he's doing the ONLY sort of chargen that's acceptable? (Ie character gets built based on choices Made by the players rather than flat out listing options. )
I get it that you're salty about something but go back to spooky pls.

>>41582781
>I'm going to take each day as it comes!

>>41582781
>>I've not thought about it, to be honest.

>>41582781
>I've not thought about it, to be honest.
I'm getting a deja vu here. Innocent Sin much?

Rolled 3 (1d3)

>>41582781
Fuck it. Let's take it to chance again.

Rolled 1 (1d3)

>>41582781

>>41582781
>>I've not thought about it, to be honest.

>>41582798
>>41582824
>>41582917

“That's not uncommon for people your age,” the Professor nods to himself, “And not a bad thing. Sometimes, you make all manner of plans only for everything to be taken away from you.”

Okay, you really don't like the sound of that. Is he talking about your past history? You're never going to get a job, just because you've been in a few TINY fights? That's ridiculous!

“Like I said,” he continues, “Nobody knows what the future holds. The world can change in an instant, and you'd be wise to remember that.” You both fall silent as his words sink in. They have the vague air of a threat about them, but you can't bring yourself to believe that Carnby is the one threatening you.

>>41582974

So, creepy proclamations aside, is that it? Can you go now? Somehow, you'd prefer another scolding - at least then you'd know exactly why you were getting lectured. As much as you don't dislike Carnby, you can think of several things you'd rather do on a Saturday morning.
“There is one thing,” Carnby says, “You have a phone, don't you? I've seen you playing with it in class often enough.”

Huh? But he's always had his back to you! You almost blurt this out before biting your tongue. Instead, you reluctantly take out your smartphone. It's a few years old now, but it's as reliable as ever. The case is metal, something you bought off the internet (It can survive being run over by a tank!) a while ago for far too much money. You couldn't help it – something about it just cried out “tough guy”.

“Wonderful,” your teacher announces, snatching it out of your hand and poking at the screen before you can shout out an objection. You think about the password for a moment as you see Carnby doing SOMETHING with the device. Teacher or no, you'll wrestle him to the ground if he starts reading your private messages.

“All done!” he passes the phone back to you a moment before you can raise the suggestion of violence. At first, nothing seems different but then you notice two new apps at the bottom – DevilSP and Oracle, or so the names claim. What do you do first?

>Look at DevilSP
>Look at Oracle
>Quickly put your phone away and demand an explanation.

>>41582994
>What the heck, Prof?!

>>41582994
>Quickly put your phone away and demand an explanation.

>>41582994
>Quickly put your phone away and demand an explanation.

>>41583007
>>41583024
>>41583045

“When you leave this building, the world is going to be a very different place. A very dangerous place. The Devil Summon Program is going to be your most important tool, and your most potent weapon. Oracle will allow me to help you, no matter how far apart we are.” Carnby's face turns grave here, growing pale as – somewhere off in the distance – you feel the faintest of rumblings.

“You've got questions, I know, but I don't have the answers you want,” Carnby holds his hands up, as if he's expecting you to try and strike him. God knows you're tempted right now, with all this ominous babble about weapons and danger. The world INSIDE this building is going to become dangerous if you don't find out what's going on!

Carnby falls back into his seat and lets out a defeated sigh. “Then leave. Go and see things for yourself. Just remember your weapons, and we should meet again.”
Leave? Just walk out? It's tempting, but you're not sure...

>Stay with Carnby and ask some more questions.
>Leave. You're getting nothing useful out of him.

>>41583146
>Leave. You're getting nothing useful out of him.

>>41583146
>Leave. You're getting nothing useful out of him.
I know where this is going and I have things I want to say to Carnby, but let's not get all meta and do the obvious thing instead.

>>41583146
>Stay
>"Devils? What the heck? How is this phone app a weapon? Don't leave me hanging, prof. What's happening?"

>>41583146
I really want to start rooting through his office like a klepto out of spite, but
>Stay with Carnby and ask some more questions.
Just who is he, whats his relationship with mom, etc

>>41583146
>Stay with Carnby and ask some more questions.
"Being vague and cryptic won't help anyone, what exactly is going on?"

File: Ripper.jpg (246 KB, 745x1000)

246 KB JPG

>>41583191
>>41583195
>>41583269

“I'm an old friend of your mother, but you should ask her about it. You deserve the truth, although soon I fear it will no longer matter,” Carnby takes out a smartphone of his own and listlessly flicks a finger across the screen. “Devils...” he sighs.

Yes, devils! You can't just give people strange phone apps and start talking about weapons and devils like it's some normal day to day business. You look down at your phone and, out of spite perhaps, stab a finger at the “weapon” he mentioned. It opens up a blank screen that quickly separates into four quarters, only one of which is filled. The corner bears a silhouette of a Victorian gentleman, complete with coat, top hat and knife.

“Soon, this world will fall into the hands of those long since banished, creatures that men call devils and angels. The streets will turn into a battlefield and humanity will be devastated,” he bites his lip nervously, glancing down at the phone in your hand as though you were pointing a gun at him, “As has been planned for generations.”

>>41583334

“I had nothing to do with this!” he cries out suddenly, protesting against an allegation you are yet to make, “I only learned of it recently, too recently to do anything about it!” He scowls petulantly, “Although I could have been born a hundred years ago and it would have been too late. You see...”

No, I don't see, you want to cry out as another rumble, closer this time, shakes the room. A thin layer of dust falls from the tallest stack of books in the room.

“Mankind has grown proud and must be taught humility,” Carnby's voice shakes slightly as he continues, “That is the doctrine of the New Way, and the church that we both claim to be part of. Everything that is happening is to usher in a new age, an age of “benevolent” rule.” He shudders.

Benevolent? That's good though, isn't it?

“And I suppose you're without sin?” the professor laughs bitterly, “Nobody is, damn it! You can't reason with these things, but we're expecting their mercy?” His voice drops low, “But maybe God's chosen are better than the alternative...”

Alternative? You mean...

>>41583448

“That's right. Devils, demons and all manner of nightmares. Any man who doesn't seek the protection of the church will be easy prey for them. Convenient, don't you think?” he offers another bitter laugh before leaning back in his chair and covering his face. “Maybe I shouldn't have told you any of this. Maybe this was all a mistake...” Reaching under his desk, Carnby takes out a very unchristian bottle of scotch and a chipped glass. “Go on, go home. You should be with your mother. Times like this, family is all we have.”

If what the Professor is saying is true – devils running wild in the streets – then your mother, you realise suddenly, is as defenceless as everyone else.

>C'mon Professor, we're getting out of here!
>Screw this, I'm leaving.

>>41583534
>Screw this, I'm leaving.

>>41583534
>"Humanity's not weak. Unless you're about to tell me these things are immune to nukes..."
>C'mon Professor, we're getting out of here.

>>41583534
>C'mon Professor, we're getting out of here!
If what you say us true, there is going to be safety in numbers.

>>41583534
>C'mon Professor, we're getting out of here!

>>41583534
>If it's going to be that bad, why don't you have a machine gun?
>C'mon Professor, we're getting out of here!

>>41583563
>>41583562
>>41583565
>>41583589

“Huh, you're just like your mother,” Carnby shakes his head in disbelief but pulls himself out of his chair, “I'd tell you that an old man like me would just slow you down, but that wouldn't change your mind in the slightest, would it?”

Not a chance old man, you reply with a smirk. Funny how things change – half an hour ago you were teacher and student. Maybe you still are, in a way, but it's certainly not ethics he's teaching now. Anyway, you ask him, shouldn't you be armed, if things are as dangerous as you say?

“I'm as armed as you are,” the Professor retorts, holding up his smart phone, “These things, I don't know if shooting them would do any good. The literature is surprisingly sparse on matters like this.”

Funny. Good to see that his famous sense of humour hasn't left him. You're about to ask him some more questions – or perhaps just swap insults some more – when you barge out the main doors into the university campus. Things are... different here. Every hedge seems twisted and overgrown, while the occasional statues have become deformed. Your breath is stolen away as you look up into the dark red sky, lit from within by a constantly changing pattern of lightning.

“It's worse than I expected,” Carnby gasps, before shaking his head, “No, we've got to do this. Lydia's going to be waiting for us!”

It's strange hearing your mother's first name coming from your teacher's lips, no matter how many times they've traded greetings over the dinner table. Once again, you're left wondering about their relationship.

>>41583692

Contrary to what Carnby told you, the streets were not, in fact, a raging battlefield between angels and demons. They were simply empty. If it wasn't for the hellish sky above and the looming shadows cast by no mortal light, you could almost convince yourself it was a normal morning.

“It'll get worse” Carnby seems to read your mind as he hurries along, struggling to keep up with your brisk pace. His smartphone never seems to leave his hand, looking more like an extension of his arm than anything else. “The New Way Doctrine claims that the majority will simply vanish from the new Earth, leaving only the chosen few to survive in the new world.”

A moment of silence later, and the teacher murmurs something under his breath. “The living will envy the dead.” It has the air of a quotation about it, but you're hardly in the mood to demand a citation. No, you're focussed on the sight of your old apartment building growing close in front of you. You never thought you'd be so glad to see that dump.

Ignoring Carnby's urge for caution, you barge through the front door and start towards the elevator, only to stop when you see the ruined device, flames leaking from the shattered doors. The first sight of genuine damage leaves you feeling shaken.

“The stairs, then?” Carnby offers.

>Yeah, I guess so.
>Shut up! I should have been here!
>Say nothing, but take the stairs.

>>41583775
>>Yeah, but quietly.

>>41583775
"Yeah. Let's hurry!"

>>41583802
>>41583775
This. Things just got more urgent.

>>41583802
This

>>41583775
>"How does it work. Whatevers here, I want to know how to kill it."

You start to race up the stairs, hissing a demand to move quickly to Carnby, who nods immediately. Still, the older man doesn't take long to start lagging behind as you leap up the stairs, the desire to find your mother lending new strength to your limbs. You barely notice him falling behind, vision fixed ahead of you in a burning stare.

Finally, the fourth floor. Your eyes grow wide as they land on your ajar front door. Not just ajar, your realise, but hanging at an angle as though it had been violently kicked in. There are deep scores in the cheap wood, like someone went at it with a fist full of knives, but that's not enough to stop you from bursting into the small apartment and casting a wild eye about.

The place is trashed, no two ways about it. The kitchen table is overturned and drawers have been pulled out, their contents scattered. It looks more like a case of looters than any demonic invasion, but that does nothing to calm your nerves. Of your mother, there is no sign. No, there is a sign after all, some evidence that points to her fate.

On the edge of the kitchen counter, slowly drying and turning dark, blood gleams in the faint light. Sick to your stomach, you force yourself to take a closer look and see a few dark hairs, much like your own, adhering to the tacky fluid. Someone fell down here – or was pushed – and cracked their head. Yet, there is no body to be found. Before your mind can be filled with hideous explanations for that little fact, you realise that Carnby is nowhere to be seen.

>He'll catch up. You need a moment here.
>Go look for him. He should be here.
>Other

>>41583997
>He'll catch up. You need a moment here.
Fuck demons.

>>41583997
>>He'll catch up. You need a moment here.

>>41583997
>He'll catch up. You need a moment here.

It's red blood, isn't it? There's gotta be a trail of even blood droplets trailing out of the room someplace else?

>>41584013
>>41584077
>>41584127

To hell with Carnby and his slow, old man ass, you think angrily to yourself. Your temper, a familiar thing, starts to boil up until you can barely control it. Hands clenched into fists, you storm into your bedroom and pound your fists into your pillow, cursing all the while. The moment of rage passes quickly, leaving you with a sudden despair.

You can't quite believe it – your mother, gone. Vanished, perhaps into the gullet of some random demon. No, you shake your head, forcing the images out of it. You can't focus on that now. Think of something – anything – else! Then, a thought occurs to you and you find yourself walking back through the apartment, examining things carefully.

What are you looking for? You ask yourself, not quite sure what the answer is. The apartment was ransacked – why? Were the demons looking for something other than their latest meal? But you can't think of anything that a pack of monsters might want to steal. All the valuables are still here, albeit mostly broken.

No other bloodstains either, nothing that might form a trail or offer some other clue. It's all enough to make you want to sob, out of frustration as much as anything else. This shouldn't happen to normal people like you! It is then, just as you feel the first hot tears forming in the corner of your eyes, that you hear a thump from outside the apartment and remember Carnby.

File: Ghoul.jpg (57 KB, 546x1256)

57 KB JPG

>>41584240

Hurrying outside, struggling to think about how you'll break the bad news to your teacher, it takes you a moment to realise that the hunched human figure standing in the corridor is not, in fact, Carnby. What is it that tips you off first? The greying skin, elongated teeth and fangs, or perhaps the scent of the grave clinging to it like a funeral shroud. Whatever it is, you are quick to fumble out your smartphone and stab your finger at the “weapon”.

The DevilSP app hums slightly as it powers up, the light in the corridor growing dull and hazy. A shadow without a body forms in the middle of the hallway, growing darker and more solid with each passing moment. It is a human figure, with inhumanly long, slender limbs and the absurd costume you saw in the picture. A knife gleams like crystal as the figure produces it from under its cloak, and a sinuous voice echoes in your head.

“I am Ripper, the phantom of murders unsolved.”

Jack the Ripper, you think to yourself with numb wonder. You're confronted with a demon, and the “weapon” that Carnby gave you was a serial killer? A serial killer that you can summon and unleash upon your enemies. That's... actually pretty cool.

>>41584352

For a moment, Ripper seems to size up the ghoul, cold white eyes glinting from the hazy darkness of his unformed face. He seems unimpressed, shrugging his shoulders in a gesture of haughty exasperation before lifting his knife.

>Roll 1D100 to attack. Average of the first 3 rolls.

Rolled 39 (1d100)

>>41584394
Not a fan of average. It's makes everything mediocre unless you are balancing DCs for that.

Rolled 96 (1d100)

>>41584394
>Average
Welp

Rolled 88 (1d100)

>>41584394

>>41584394
>Average
Nigga, really?

>>41584429
>>41584447

I'm still experimenting with the format. What would be better? The very first result, or something like best of three?

>>41584468
Best of three d100s are usually a solid choice.

It always sucks when a really good roll is brought down by the other two rolls in the average system.

>>41584468
Best of three is what should be used if the person is competent.

>>41584468
Bo3 d100

>>41584468
What this guy said.>>41584508

Best of three is usually for the best. You could add modifiers or an extra dice roll as you see fit. Crits or no crits. Sometimes people want to forgo crits to avoid that soul crushing 1 on the 1d100.

>>41584508

>Then, changing to best of three for a result of 96. Higher is better, I should have said.

Just as the ghoul rears back to swing at Ripper, the elegantly dressed gentleman darts forwards in a low crouch, knife held out in a seemingly casual grip. He crashes into the ghoul blade first, tearing through the undead creature's flesh and practically gutting the thing.

You flinch back as a torrent of dark, unclean looking blood spills out from the wound. Ripper, on the other hand, seems to relish the fluid spilling out over him, stabbing a few more times into the ghoul just to make sure the job is finished.

When you're sure that the ghoul is dead - again - you tap the icon on the DevilSP app and watch as Ripper begins to fade out. Not long after, the ghoul's messily dissected body boils and decays away as well, leaving you alone in the corridor.

>>41584614

That was... Huh. You weren't expecting that to be so easy. Maybe that's why Carnby was so certain that Ripper would be able to protect you. Yet, Carnby had his own protection and he was nowhere to be seen. Had he fallen prey to the same fate as your mother? You shudder at the thought, unwilling to believe that you would be left utterly alone in this new, changed world.

A muted chime from your phone draws your attention to the Oracle app, which – to your amateurish eye looks like any other instant message program – has lit up with a new message:

>I had to leave, I'm sorry. I knew what I'd find up there, and I couldn't face it. Mourn later, and avenge her if you can. I need some time to think, come up with a plan. I don't know what to do. C.

Fat lot of good you are, you mutter under your breath as you reread the message. Carnby was supposed to be the one helping you, and he does this? He knew that your mother was... gone... and HE couldn't face it? You don't even know how to feel about that.

>Angry
>Understanding
>Neutral

>>41584731
>>Angry

I'm still leaning towards Neutral philosophy wise but I'd be pissed here.

>>41584731
>Angry
At first then
>Understanding

>>41584766
Ill back this

>>41584731
>Neutral
Realize that we kinda left him behind too. Kind of a dick move, though what he did is still obviously worse, obviously.

>>41584755
>>41584766
>>41584771

Damn, damn, damn! You clench your fists and curse again, unable to stop the tidal wave of scorn that builds up inside of you. You move to type back a furious reply and then notice that the Oracle app doesn't actually LET you reply. Somehow, that just makes everything worse.

Cursing and swearing to yourself, you bend down to pick up a shattered photo frame from the ground and brush the broken glass away. It was always your favourite picture - the "family photo" of you and your mother. Seeing it just brings everything back.

Yet, when you take the photograph out of the damaged frame you find a second picture, hidden away behind the familiar image. It's... a picture of Carnby, smiling and a good few years younger. Quite dashing, you had to admit, but why was it here? Unless...

>>41585006

This is probably the worst possible time to learn a few new things about your both your mother and your ethics teacher. It's not like you don't have OTHER THINGS to worry about or anything! Yet, the revelation makes it that much harder to hate the older man. Cowardly, sure, but ultimately not something you can totally blame him for. After all, he might be the only family you have left.

>I'm going to draw things to a close here for today. Possibly a new thread on Sunday, I'll post an update to https://twitter.com/MolochQM with more information later.

>Thank you to everyone who took part!

>>41585115
I'll keep an eye out thanks.

Is this setting more akin to SMT 1 or Nocturne?

>>41585153

It's probably going to be closer to Nocturne, in that there won't be a large amount of other human characters. The world, at the moment, is a very lonely place, but that will change as new beings begin to appear.

LONDON
O
N
D
O
N