As you approach Disler Outpost, conversation naturally eventually progresses towards your brief time in Odo.

"So..." Asra says as she converses with Irene, "you... Befriended these bandits."

Irene nods. "Lloyd here turned them against their leader. A subordinate of Lupus', he actually was!"

"Yeah, but... They're still bandits," Sheena says uncomfortably.

Une sips from her flask like it's actually filled with anything hard, wagging her finger, before putting it back away in a fluid motion. "It's an ally, anyway. And it's not like we're doing anything with them besides passing through..." She then shoots you a look before returning her attention to Sheena. "Way I heard it, that was all Colleen's idea. Lloyd just tagged along."

"Colleen, huh... That's the, uh, shy girl from Captain Impostor's crew, right?"

Irene nods, giving Sheena a brief summary of the mission in question.

"Surviving a hit like that, facing her fears, coming up with ideas like that... She'd do good as more than a sailor!" Sheena exclaims.

>A. This is not a life for everyone
>B. Wouldn't have convinced them without you...
>C. Yeah she's pretty cool
>D. No response
>E. Write-in response

>>44253637
Vote time renewed, unless this is beaten to the punch.

>>44253637
>C. Yeah she's pretty cool

>>44254063
"Yeah, definitely," you say, feeling left out of the conversation. "I'd say she's-"

The conversation carries on without anyone really acknowledging your statement. You mean, it was just sharing sentiments everyone else had already stated, but...

You miss having other guys to talk to.

Great, now you're thinking about Yone. Quickly, you throw your mind onto a different topic.

You wonder how Ansi's doing. This surprises you, as your friendship just sort of... Snuck up on you both through a lot of needless intensity and his screaming about Jolie.

Your thoughts are jarred away as you reach the outskirts of Disler Outpost.

"Hold a moment!" A Groznyi archer shouts from a recently-rebuilt guard tower. Sights aimed at Sheena and her pegasus.

From another tower, another says, "state your purpose, travelers!"

Sheena and Buccaneer, her pegasus, look uncertain, and you can see Asra reaching behind her back. Une just looks amused, while you and Irene look at each other.

>A. Let her handle this
>B. Remind these guys who your lot is.
>C. Sudden change of plans: take a slight detour to eradicate the Groznyi
>D. Intimidate them with a show of magical prowess (ideas optional but recommended)
>E. Write-in response

>>44254376
Another renewed vote time.

>>44254376
>B. Remind these guys who your lot is.

File: FatesWitchPortrait.png (206 KB, 382x432)

206 KB PNG

>>44254837
You step forward, calling out, "uh, hey, remember us? Helped you kill Nail and the people loyal to him? Called a truce? We're Marrius' Group!"

"Ah... Didn't recognize you from way up here, but... Yeah, we remember ya!"

"Great!" Irene says. "We were just... Passing through, is all. Figured this was a safe place, so... Stop aiming those at Sheena!"

"Oh, what? Sorry 'bout that!" One of them chuckles sheepishly as they both lower their weapons. "Didn't even realize we still had 'em up..."

Sheena looks uncomfortable at the Groznyi Group's amusement with this situation.

"Don't worry," Irene tells her, "we won't be here long..."

>A. Skip your time in the area
>B. Portray at least some of it (if you have any ideas, do say so, but it is, again, optional)

>>44255068
>B. Portray at least some of it (if you have any ideas, do say so, but it is, again, optional)
Anyone want to leave a life of banditry? We have some openings....

>>44255104
"So... You guys are still going at all of this bandit stuff?" You ask that trio of swordsmen you and Colleen met, joining into their apparently-weekly card game along with Une (you were desperately craving guy time, even from this... Disreputable source, while Une just wants to show them up). You're familiar with this, but you're certainly not about to show them that, often asking Une stupid questions about the rules on purpose between turns.

You're... Genuinely not particularly good at this, but you might as well see how much mileage deliberately underselling yourself can bring.

But that's just a backdrop to this conversation anyway. The man with an eyepatch responds, "well, when you kill a murderous idiot Necromancer's murderous idiot cousin, you feel a sort of... Camaraderie with your fellow man, you know?"

"We didn't do any of that," the one with zero defining characteristics said. "Just sat here, smoking and playing cards..."

"And that helped get him killed!" The swordsman with an eyepatch responds. "Little contributions, doing what we can, you know?"

"Anyway," the hot-blooded one says, putting his cards on the table in frustration as gold is passed to Une, "we're... Not TECHNICALLY out of the bandit game, not really looking to be."

"Oh boy," Une says, "calling it..."

"Decided we'd become freedom fighters, see!" The generic swordsman says, trying to hide his amused look at his hand. Une rolls her eyes, muttering something under her breath as he continues, "the Odo Oligarchy's young, but hell if it ain't greedy as all getout! So we'll stick it to 'em, provide to those who would support our little club! This outpost's the perfect place for the job, too."

Une rubs her temples.

"Something the matter? Too much to drink?" The eyepatched one asks.

>A. You have bad experience with "freedom fighters."
>B. Oh, she doesn't drink
>C. You think this is a foolish idea
>D. Pretty good idea
>E. You're still just bandits
>F. Be silent
>G. Write-in resposnse

>>44255411
Again, renewed vote time (?).

>>44255787
Renewed again. How time flies.

>>44255411
>A. You have bad experience with "freedom fighters."
>Well good luck with that.

>>44256155
"Just... Bad experience with so-called freedom fighters," you admit. "More nonsense with associates of that same necromancer."

"Ugh..." The eyepatched one says, "yeah, though, I understand where you're coming from. Damned impossible to tell who's for real and who's just making an excuse to wreak havoc." He groans and Une collects another poor sap's money. You gain a small amount in earnings of your own, ending up with about 550 gold more than you started with. 27,000 gold total in your name now.

Learning that Irene is ready to leave, you wish your... Acquaintances good luck, you and Une picking up your things, her finding her bael.

Despite the night still being young in the Malvan capital of Ennase, the streets are primarily empty, guards and knights patrolling in decent number.

"This is... Different from what I remember," Sheena reveals. "I mean, people were out, mostly enjoying themselves, and now..."

Asra speaks up once more. "This... They have reason to be suspicious of something, someone."

"No shit," Une replies.

Irene gives her a stern look. "I'm... Gonna head up to the palace now. Come on, I feel like we shouldn't be wasting time out here."

>A. Waste time out here
>B. Don't waste time out here

>>44256476
>B. Don't waste time out here

>>44256582
You listen to Irene's suggestion, all of you quickly following.

Then you're stopped at the gates by two rather heavy-looking individuals with axes.

"Halt!" One of them exclaims. "What's your business here?"

"We've been called here by Duchess Victoria." Irene fishes Victoria's letter out, holding it up.

"Give me that." The man who spoke swipes it from her, examining it and calling over his partner to do the same. They whisper awhile before he shoves it into Irene's hands again. "Fine, you can pass, but... we've got our eyes on you."

They eye all of you with suspicion as you enter the building, in particular Asra.

Inside, a servant leads through the halls, leaving you in a rather nice room with fresh fruits and the like laid out, the long walls adorned with lovely portraits of scenery and buildings.

"Thank you for your patience," she says sincerely. "Duchess Victoria is in a meeting at the moment, but will see you all shortly."

With that, she leaves you all in there.

>A. Talk to someone (specify)
>B. Snoop around
>C. Wait patiently and uneventfully

>>44256913
>B. Snoop around
Well, Asra can snoop around instead of us.

>>44256985
You find yourself looking around for guards briefly before slipping out of the room...

...and jumping in surprise when Asra is already standing in front of you.

Your cries of surprise are muffled by her mouth, and she says, quickly, "you wish to eavesdrop on this meeting too. I am familiar with this place."

You blink, turning around and glancing back into the room you just left.

Irene, Une, Sheena... Okay, good, no Asra, so this probably isn't a chameleon. She just.. Is really good at slipping around undetected, as you've heard but never actually... Well, not seen is the more accurate way to put it. Anyway, you're able to avoid the notice of the apparently-more-on-edge-than-usual guards with Asra's guidance. You don't even know if you need to avoid their sight or if you're just being paranoid, but you certainly feel cool sneaking like this.

Eventually, you hear a woman's voice. "Y-you're withdrawing now?!"

A man responds, "yes. I... Apologize for the timing, sincerely, but..."

"We can still pay you, Mahavira. Why are you being so vague as to why you're withdrawing?"

"Look, the Wulf Company has... Prior engagements. Our client would prefer we not disclose them at this time, but this takes precedence."

"'Precedence...' Your company has been serving the nobility of Noba for decades! What could have come before that's so..."

"Confidential," he says. "Come now, your own knights have shown great improvement in recent years. At least consider that still paying for our services is-"

"Like I said, this is the worst possible time for you to be doing this! We're still not sure what this threat IS!"

"Come now, you must have known this was coming. Why else would you have written for Marrius' Group?"

>A. Interrupt this
>B. Keep listening in
>C. Head back to wait with the others

>>44257302
>B. Keep listening in

>>44257363
You and Asra continue to listen in.

"Hrg... Who told you?"

"What reason do I have to tell you?" The man, Mahavira presumably, responds. "I would call myself honorable, not stupid."

"Leave, then, if you're going to do nothing for this place! Guards, show him out, and tell the Wulf Company that, if they plan on abandoning us here, they've an hour to pack up all their things and be on their way out of Ennase!"

With two completely unremarkable fellows in the same armor as those guards, a man with thick, curly black hair and an impressive beard walks out of the room the voices were coming from. His rough face tells a story in and of itself, one of a long life filled with difficult decisions and declining faith in himself and the world.

His body tells the story of someone who is very much in shape.

Asra pulls you out of their view, and the still-open doors lead to a view of a round, middle-aged woman with silver-blue hair, sitting at an intricately-made table with her fists clenched, teeth gritted. You presume this is Duchess Victoria. Looking down at a paper on the table, you don't THINK she's noticed you or Asra.

>A. Speak up (word choice appreciated but optional)
>B. Approach
>C. Return to the others
>D. Stand there and do nothing
>E. Write-in action/response

>>44257741
>C. Return to the others

>>44257777
You turn around and opt to return to the waiting area for when you're called.

Asra seems to disagree with your course of action, not following you, and once you're sufficiently away, even heads in to speak to the duchess herself.

Yeah, you don't even particularly bother with sneaking this time around, and the guards don't seem to care. You and Asra were just being overly-cautious.

"...so yeah, I do appreciate. All of this." Une finishes saying with unusual amounts of openness to Irene and Sheena just before you enter the room.

When you enter, she jumps a bit, then aims her one eye judgementally towards you, posture stiffening up defensively before returning to its usual level of lax.

Irene and Sheena see you next, the latter asking, "where were you?"

"Where's Asra?" Irene asks next.

>A. You were eavesdropping
>B. Be silent
>C. Tell everything
>D. Write-in response

>>44258001
Vote time renewed. I keep being late to notice that.

>>44258001
>C. Tell everything

>>44258317
In short, you summarize all that you heard.

"Duchess Victoria's letter said that nobody would know we were coming except for her own knights..." Irene says, tapping her chin. "Could she have had a leak somewhere in her own number?"

"It's the... Only thing that makes sense," Sheena says.

"Sure about that?" Une responds.

"What are you implying?" Sheena responds.

Before this line of conversation can escalate further, the woman who led you here returns. "Duchess Victoria will see you now. Right this way, if you would."

She leads you through the route you've just familiarized yourself with anyway into that same meeting room, where she and Asra are already discussing personal somethings or anothers over tea.

"I am. Glad to hear that they're doing well," Asra says, a hint of relief in her voice.

"Fathom isn't far from here, Asra," Victoria says before moving onto a suggestion. "If it's safe to do so, perhaps you should visit them."

"I... Might. But I am here as a member of Marrius' Group, not as someone on personal business."

"Ah, of course... Still, though. Devon would be delighted to see your return. She's been so... Wrought with anxiety since her daughter vanished."

Noticing the rest of you, Victoria perks up. "Oh, sorry for keeping you waiting this entire time! Come, have a seat."

>A. Immediately mention Riga's status
>B. Put it off until you've heard Victoria out
>C. Don't mention it... just yet, anyway

>>44258532
>B. Put it off until you've heard Victoria out

>>44258625
You remember learning that that Riga woman had worked for Duchess Victoria before what happened, and remind yourself to mention her fate if no one else does.

"Now, the information I am going to impart to you is... Sensitive, somewhat vague still."

You all nod, and Irene says, "we'll certainly treat it as such."

After that, Victoria nods. "A little while ago, Ennase endured an undead attack. Standard fare, Entombed we slayed without too much hassle..." She looks at Sheena, who looks suddenly somewhat zoned out. "Is... She alright?"

"Entombed," Une says, as though that one word should say the answer. Sheena looks about to cry at their mere mention.

"Oh, right, she's the... So sorry," Victoria says. "Did you need a moment?"

"N-no..." Sheena says, "I'll... Just carry on, alright?"

Victoria nods. "Of course. Anyway, after the attack, in the ensuing weeks people were... Many prominent people around town have been found dead, withered. Rumors have popped up saying it's due to an illness of some sort, but... All of the fatal wounds seem to be caused by a combination of hands and some unidentified life-draining magic."

"So... Something like nosferatu?" You ask, referring to your dark tome.

"Yes, that sort of weapon. Now, word has spread at this point, so we know that you're... specially qualified as a company to face Necromancers with mysterious powers."

"What makes you so sure this is Necromancy?" Irene asks.

Victoria responds, "simply a hunch. Seems Necromancers are the bogeymen of Teege these days, but not without good reason."

So basically, you're hunting something with only a rudimentary understanding of its powers, or even what the hell you're dealing with.

>character limit, continued next post

>>44258900
But anyway, speaking of your experience, you tell Victoria about Riga's current state, now that you know what you're here for.

"Hng... Adding insult to injury by turning one of Noba's finest young fighters into their puppet after taking those she protected."

>A. Say something more in the meeting (write-in)
>B. Skip ahead a little bit
>C. Spend time with someone (specify)

>>44258912
>A. Say something more in the meeting (write-in)
>Ask about the Wulf Company and their involvement here.

>>44259106
"So, er... You work with the Wulf Company, hmm?"

Victoria sighs. "Until recently, anyway. For over two decades, ever since the late Duke Kilos of Fathom hired them during the war between... Well, most of the continent and the Dain Empire. Before that, they were loyal to Prince Lars, of Dain and Neir, but he died fighting his grandfather long before he could actually... Do anything with them. Yet they claim to have a client taking precedence over this entire nation."

"So you... Know nothing about who this client may be?" Irene asks.

"I can only speculate, and until then it is unprofessional to point fingers. Anyway, a group that is specifically skilled in acting in small parties-even smaller than I was expecting, honestly-is what I feel is necessary for this venture, moreso than entire massive companies who can afford to just throw a lot of people with a lot of weapons at everything. Our possibly-necromancy-addled culprit has already been proven proficient in avoiding large groups."

You're given a list of all known victims of this mysterious foe, even some small animals. Each of its victims are generally described as having been bigger, stronger, heartier, the chronologically later they were slain, from household pets to local fighting champions to even a few royal guards.

Here's hoping there's something the five of you can figure out that these royal forces could not.

>To be continued next thread
Now, there's two ways this can play out from here. Obviously, there's a mystery to be solved, but... I don't think I'm very good at writing mysteries, and it certainly would cut into the character development and action of the inevitable showdown with our killer.

Thread 24 is going to be another Leigh and co. chapter, so I'll have time to think it through until thread 25, but... Should we get this job's "mystery" out of the way fast to keep the pace up?

Anyway, thanks for playing. Update twitter/ask.fm are qmgrandflocto, and I'll be in-thread to chat.

>>44259423
I would like to see the mystery played out but if you don't think you're up for it then I'm fine with a quick reveal too. Thanks for running.

>>44259514
Always a pleasure.

I'm not even sure what there is TO make the mystery play out to its fullest, though.

Eh, if I figure enough of a plot out that it ends up taking up a thread's worth of searching, so be it. Otherwise, enemy reached in the earlythread.

It's not even so much mysteries in and of themselves that I have trouble coming up with (I like to think the intrigue is mostly alright in this quest), it's just that it's... Hard to make it the forefront in the work, instead of something that builds up over time in the background, then rears its head whenever something major happens.

>>44259591
I guess have us look for clues by asking townspeople and searching around? And then do a big reveal at the end if we haven't gotten the right answer.

Haven't been in many mystery quests though so I have no idea if this is feasible to pull off.

>>44259688
There's also the issue of inventing a bunch of new characters and throwaway plot devices for what'll amount to buildup for a single plot element.

MAYBE I could pull it off, but it could also turn out very... Distracting, and little else.

>>44259734
Still looking forward to however you want to play it out, either way.

>>44259787
Looking forward to running it and running the next look into the other group's adventures.