>>238474
Sex with dragon.

> (Love) "I want to prove myself to my love. Protect her and show that I am worthy to marry her."

>>238480
Let me rephrase,
> (Lust) I want to have sex with a dragon."

>>238474
>> (Divinity) "I want the abominations to be brought to light through steel and prayer"
DEUS VULT!

>>238474
(Skill) "I want to test skill at arms. I wish to hone my talents with the blade until none can rival me. What better way than this?"

>>238508
>>238506
>>238500
>>238489
Roll a d4?

Gonna leave it up to vote except for the dragon sex one for ten minutes, if theres no clear winner I'll roll for a response.

Or

>(Grim) "There is little in my life worth staying for. I hope to find a purpose, or die trying."

>>238474
>> (Divinity) "I want the abominations to be brought to light through steel and prayer"

>>238515
I change my vote from love to this.

>>238515
This

>>238515
Sure

>>238515
>>238523
>>238529
You consider your current state. The inheritance laws of your land has created thousands of feudal estates with small plots of land, your own land claim being a quarter the size of your founding ancestor. Whereas your father had twenty squires, you only have four, none of whom will reach knighthood within the next couple of years. Though you are young, your parents died of illness and you have no siblings, and lack of any close relatives has rendered you cold and callous.

You tell the King in a grim manner "There is little in my life worth staying for. I hope to find a purpose, or die trying."

The King ponders the uneasy truth to your words, but ultimately nods in satisfaction.

"Find comfort in the knowledge that you still have the willingness to live, young knight. Perhaps experience in the battlefield will bolster the purpose you seek."

The king calls out to the guards, who bring in another chest, larger than the one your squires initially stored your items in. "I have populated this chest with 1,000 gold coins. I trust in your lessons in coin have given you enough sense to distribute the money carefully. You can use this money to obtain a location for your headquarters, as well as bringing knights and equipment into the field. Report back here with receipts or your purchases or trained knights you wish to employ, and I will bestow the burden of your expenses".

As you turn to leave, your uncle quickly rushes up to you. "Some advice before you go nephew. I'm not sure how familiar you are with the kingdom around here, but you may find trouble in recruiting soldiers. Keep in mind you do not have the authority of the crown to order men into your service, and most would rather settle in their lands and farm than face another demon in battle. As far as I can tell, you have three options to find soldiers: The Prison, The Southern Wall, or The Iron Mines.

As for land, you can either choose to purchase a fully furnished castle or buy unclaimed land and build up from there. Unclaimed land will take a while to build up, but you will have full control over the features of the base. However, there are limited unclaimed plots, and you may have to haggle with other buyers."

You thank your uncle for his wise advice as your squires refasten your cloak, armor, and sheath. You decide afterwards that you will travel to:
> The Prison
> The Border Wall
> The Iron Mines
> Scout for Castle Location

Reputation: [The Grim Knight] - You are seen as pessimistic, but very practical. Men doubt you ever barge into a situation unprepared

>>238616
>The Border Wall

>>238616
Sorry for the poor grammar, I will try me best to improve my writing.

>>238616
>> The Iron Mines

>>238616
This looks fun
> The Border Wall

> The Prison

>>238628
Thanks anon, this is my first time QMing a quest like this, it helps to hear!

I will give five more minutes before I post an update.

>>238630
Seconded, Army of criminal underdogs that become good men under your instruction ftw.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

1.
>>238656
>>238630
2.
>>238628
>>238622

>>238616
Prison. Take the worst of life and make them the best.

>>238670
And they fit our motive chosen earlier

>>238670
Already writing for Wall, you can do prison afterwards!

>>238682
Cool first the wall THEN hardened criminal redemption time.

>>238700
We can use the wallies we recruit as nutritional fodder for our criminals.

>>238724
Ha! Wallies. Figure they would probably be good scouts at least.

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>>238622
>>238628
After a comfortable night at the palace, you leave with your squires down the path towards the border wall. As you recall from history lessons, the border wall is a twelve foot tall manned stone wall built in the aftermath of Incursion to serve as a permanent political border between Adderlund and the High Wastes, a formation of wide plateaus where the demons were last seen fleeing too. Although no demonic trouble has reached the wall, many in Adderlund believe in its strength and protection, though in recent years due to the quietness on the front the men grow lazy, and word gets around that being a walled soldier is easy pay.

You approach the Commanding Officer and ask for him to offer any soldiers willing to enter knighthood into your order. Initially skeptical of your claim, he shifts his attitude once glancing at the color of your cloak and orders the men to bunch towards the common areas.

You wait alongside the Commanding Officer while he attempts to make a convincing oratory to join your new ranks as a knight. Among the fourty or so soldiers massed, its very clear that the promise of knighthood and glory does not tempt the soldiers, who are used to their fat salaries sitting at the wall, doing nothing.

After the speech, most of the audience disperse except for three figures.

The first introduces himself as Wallace Barenby. He was a veteran in the Incursion who was awarded a large plot of land near the wall, but was heartbroken and enraged to witness demons rip apart his wife and newborn son while he was away woodcutting. His primary motive is revenge. Although his sword arm is damaged with age, he is proficient with his shield and his shield arm is in perfect condition.

The second introduces himself as Maynard Greenfield. You can tell he is fresh, and can't be more than a couple years younger than you, though probably with less experience as you can tell he is no noble. He joined the wall in hopes of attaining glory, but he was disappointed in finding that the soldiers did not fight against any enemies lately...at all. His primary motivation is glory. Though he is very eager, he is not the best experienced at any weapons, but has the advantage of youth.

The final man speaks few words, and is a tall, wide beast of a man in simple clothing. The Stablemaster stands besides him and intriduces the man as Aurochs. Nobody actually knows his name or origin, but he mysteriously came upon the wall one day and didn't object when the soldiers asked him to enlist. Due to his clumsiness handling equipment, the Commanding Officer found him fit as a stableboy, though its clear the Stablemaster isn't particular on him either. Aurochs has no motivation, but he can't object to your proposition and can be easily convinced to join. Its unknown what combat skills he has, but you can easily imagine him dressed in full plate and wielding a great-sword for intimidation.

(Contd)

You do not spend any money on men per say, but keep in mind food costs for every man in your order (including yourself and the four squires) is 50 gold. No, you cannot fire your squires, they need to help the potential knights in your order and are your ancestral birthright. You can also leave these men and return after scouting the other locations if you wish. Keep in mind as well costs for castles and equipment, as the army will not let these men take with them equipment paid by the king's army.

>Total Gold: 1,000 (with food costs 750)

> Choose men (50 gold)
> The Prison
> The Iron Mines
> Scout for Castle Location

>>238786
So we can take Wallace and then head to the prison?

Friends, I fear I must sleep soon, but I promise to continue this quest tomorrow! It has been fun, and I hope to see how this character develops!

Feel free to vote on the next actions and a name for our character as well!

>>238786
I want Wallace and Auroch,
And then off to find our prisoner finale!

>>238847
Sounds good figure Wallace can help whip the prisoners into shape. Was on the fence about Auroch but hey he could be a beast.

Follow me for updates on twitter @Ser_OP

>>238786
>>238828
I think we should go with Wallace and Aurochs and head for the Iron Mines. As for a name for our character, I think Sir Alexandre Cazal works.

While OP is away,what do we want to call our new order, and how do you think we will structure it?
Humble suggestions: Hellguard for name, and as for internal structure maybe having a core of knights supplemented by men-at-arms/sergeants,with each knight having a squire. Commoners would be drafted as men-at-arms with a chance to get promoted to knighthood, while nobles would be automatically squired. Knights would have the option to take commoners as squires if they want to of course.
Or maybe OP already has this figured out

>>239163
That structure sounds good to me.

File: Coat.png (1.15 MB, 685x862)

1.15 MB PNG

>>239163
Structure sounds good. Can live with Hellguard
>>239016
Knight name is cool.
What type of heraldry do we use?

>>239199
I say we use something similar to the one on the chart for Sterich.

>>239218
I can dig it.

>>238515
Just started reading. Glad you guys picked this

File: Knights of Morr.jpg (1.01 MB, 1500x1201)

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>>239163
I like your layout.

If I may suggest, divide it as such:

(1) Knight (fully annointed, armed and armoured). Some sort of trial would be suitable, given our disposition I imagine it would entail something that forces the aspirant to confront the reality of death.

(2) Squire. Every knight must have one.

(3) Yeoman/Archer. A paid commoner not on the path to knighthood. Any full-fledged knight is compelled to have one in his service. This will give our Order the flexibility it needs, both in having a ranged component tactically and in giving us scouting and reconnaissance capabilities.

(4) Page (or more squires depending on seniority). Basically a servant not intended to accompany the knight directly in battle.


-------------------------------
ALT (depending on how redemption-tier we go with this prison recruitment)

(5) Pentient. Equipped as a common soldier, this convicted criminal forgoes their punishment. Instead they are to accompany the knight into battle . After 10 years service their bondage is over, their knight may take them on as a squire if they so choose, regardless of their crime (I'm assuming serial killers and the worst of the worst would either already suffer the death penalty).

>>238786
>Wallace
>Maynard

Both seem likely enough. I'm voting against Aurochs. We want men who -want- to be here for one reason or another, or at least want to be here more than the alternative.

>>239541
Actually, changing that to just Wallace.

test

>>239531
>>239163
I wouldnt mind some kind of mixture of both

We need a main line, the Men-At-Arms

We need range, Yeomen/Archerd

We need cavalry; Knights. They will have squires for battle and Pages for regular duties

I really like Penitent...

>>239531
>>239666
I agree with devil trips, I really like the pentient idea.

We do obviously need several different groups, but I think we should offer everybody the chance to ascend to knighthood (or an archery equivalent).

If we're recruiting from prisons, with our grim philosophy, redemption and proving oneself deem to be important themes. Whilst nobles with appropriate training might make obvious candidates to be fast tracked into being knights of our order, I think merit should allow anybody to climb the ranks.

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> Not being Sir Donald Trump

>>239833
>>We will build a wall, and the demons will pay for it

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>>239894
I keep forgetting this isn't /tg/

>>239896
>>If they get over your first wall, they'll see a second wall. Surprise!
Ay caramba

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>>239909

Op is back! Gonna confirm Wallace and Maynard as members of the order and >>239016
name unless theres any other suggestions.

Writing now!

On your return journey, you ride alongside Wallace on horseback towards the City Prison near the palace grounds. The squires follow mostly on foot, though they soon get carried by a lumbering Aurochs as he strides to keep up with the horses. His demeanor reminds you of a pack animal, but you are surprised by his endurance.

"Where do you hail from milord?" asks the grizzled veteran.

"Terrance, north of these lands but west of the mountains"

Barenby nods and inquires "And who looks after your lands in your place?

"An old tutor of mine," you reply absent mindedly. You find it an odd question, but your mind returns to your temporary castellan, the Nestor Arnau. He was your primary tutor through most of your life and you owe much of your noble lessons to his wonderful teachings. Being well liked, he was the ideal choice to run the estate in your absence, unless you sought to protect the lands, but then again the fractured states of Terrance didn't look towards your boggy marshlands the same way they looked at the golden fields. You remember that you should probably write a letter to Arnau after your encounter with the prisoners.


The rest of the way is relatively silent, due to the somber nature of both yourself and Barenby, as well as the small speech from Aurochs. You expect to reach the prison before dusk.

(1/2)

Word must have gotten around to your approach into the city, as you find your uncle at the entrance of the dungeon smiling and ready to greet you.

"Alexandre, I see your cloak is bathed with the gift of travel! I made sure especially that I would hear of your visit before you enlist men into your ranks!"

You shake your head annoyingly, but cannot deny the common courtesy and smile meekly. Your uncle stretches your neck over your shoulder. "My, you got a big beast over there! And an old hound it looks like, but I suppose you can't be too picky from the ranks of the wallmen, eh? Anyways, before you enter the King's Dungeon theres some things you ought to know.

The dungeon is split into the Commons and the Towers. They're both just nicknames, all the cells look alike. The Commons are on the west end and host most of the city's scum: murderers, thieves, deserters, you know the like. But the interesting bit is the Towers on the east, they hold the higher end prisoners that don't belong with them others. Usually, these are deranged men, but I found two profiles that you might wanna look into. I won't spoil it for you now, but I cleaned the west end of all the mental patients so you can find them immediately. Ah, don't give me that look boy, you won't find any soldiers among them mad lot! But if you want knights, then well, take a look at them's west end.

You open the cell doors and find the hallway split in two directions. You decide to first head

> East
> West

(2/2)

>>241501
East

>>241501
>But if you want knights, then well, take a look at them's west end.

I assume that these are supposed to say east rather than west. If so, then:

>East

>>241501
east pls, SirOP

>>241501
>East

East first, common men after.

>>241516
Oh dammit, thanks for pointing that out

>>241509
On the east end you find two men in two adjacent cells. The first cell is sheathed by silks, covering the silhouette crouching on his bed. Once you bang on the cell wall with your pommel, he lifts the curtains to reveal a bearded but youthful face. You can tell the man is a noble, and beckons you to listen to his tale eagerly. His name is Quincy Farraday, and he was the son of the infamous Lord Auster Farraday of Adderlund. You learn from Barenby that the Farradays were accused of conspiracy against the crown, once the then young king established his rule. The rumors came upon from numerous jealous nobles, until the King was ultimately convinced that the Farradays must be taken care of. But while his family was executed by beheading, Quincy was still too young to behead, and the morals of the land prevented an execution of such a youth. The king sympathetically put Quincy away in the cells of the Prison, leaving him there forgotten by all, even himself.

Quincy grew up reading numerous stories, ranging from stories of adventurism and morality. You find him a man aching for adventure and escape, but still extremely loyal to authority to make up for what he believes is his family's sins. His primary motivation is honor, and he wishes to glorify the Farraday name once more. His noble upbringing gave him few lessons in horseback riding and sword and shield, but also provides him with inherited lands unclaimed and the softer skills of the noble class. You can probably make use of his inherited lands and his knowledge of proper horseback riding is nothing to shy away from either.

The second gentleman hides in the shadows of the next cell. Through some forced whispers, he declares his name as simply Lynx. He was accused, rightfully so, of the murder of a high ranking corrupt officer respected by the king, and would've been hung had it not been for the intelligence he provided to the City Guards. Lynx is a member of an assassins cult that operates throughout the known realms, but having been fed up with their immoral practices he betrayed them after his mission. He was granted life, but was still imprisoned. His motivation is boredom, similar to yours, and he is extremely skilled at archery, sword combat, and acrobatics.

You wonder why your uncle told you these men would be premier knights. Perhaps he sensed their strong sense of honor and skill that the role of a knighted warrior demands. Or, perhaps, he was being entirely ironic and misled you in his own twisted humor. Either way, you ponder whether you should bother yourselves with these men

> Choose men (50 gold)
> East Prison
> Exit Prison

>>241661

Take both, they've got solid motivations, the young Ser Farraday should be quite impressive once trained and blooded and Lynx is a good leader of rangers and outriders

>>241661
Let's go with both Quincy and Lynx and head for the other side of the prison.

>>241681
Seconding this. I think both are fairly compatible with the knight order we're going for.

>>241679
Yup

>>241661
>You can probably make use of his inherited lands
Wouldn't a family convicted of conspiracy have their lands and holdings confiscated by the crown?

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>>241661
I did it again, meant exit west
>>241679
>>241681
You instruct both men to wait in their cells before you take them, as you fear riling up the prisoners on the west end of the prison. A lot of loud clanking noises are made before the guards beat the cells loudly and the noise settles down.

The prisoners are divided into many groups, but only two groups seem to host willing volunteers. There are the petty thieves, many too weak to fight with the exception of a trio of brothers, named Randolph, Oscar, and Nelson Radley who vow to join on the condition that you take all of them. They make up an infamous band in the countryside of horse thieves, prodding you to consider their equestrianism, though its clear they don't have very many skills other than that-- maybe teamwork? Their motivation is boredom as well.

The other masses are the deserters, all of whom's motivation is redemption. Barenby scowls at them, disrespecting all known cowards, but you still have hope that a few good men will want to turn their honor around and redeem their mistakes. There are a huge number of men, and you can select how many ever of these former soldiers you want. They are adept at sword, shield, and polearms.

After your decision to permit Quincy and Lynx, your potential budget shrinks to 650 gold. You are unconcerned with property costs as you believe Quincy can donate his castle as a base, but equipment is costly and the more men you recruit, the less equipment you may have left to purchase.

> Choose men (50 gold)
> Exit Prison
> Total gold: 650

>>241735
In an ideal kingdom, probably

>>241735
Don't complain lad, all his base are belong to us now.

Maybe on some technicality they're still technically owned by the family, but the individual isn't allowed to own them, meaning he'll have to pass the land on to us in order to get any use from them at all, I dno.

>>241772
I'd take two of the deserters to build up our manpower and then exit the prison.

>>239531
>>241772
Leave the thief trio, but take on 7 deserters in the "penitent" role discussed earlier.

This should bring the amount of people in our order (excluding squires) up to 12, a number generally regarded as having heavy divine connotations

>>241772
I don't think we should take the brothers. They'll stick to each other rather than our order, and boredom is a poor motivator. What happens when they get bored of their new work?

I think that we should stick to a small group for now. Maybe pick up the most promising individual, to bring us up to a total of 5 knights accompanied by 5 squires?

If people want bigger numbers, maybe another 5 on top of that, but that leaves us with very little cash for equipment.

>>241801
I think this is the best option. We're going to need some cash to actually equip these people and set up our order.

I'll wait 5 minutes.

>>241772
Take the brothers, they seem easy to control, as we can always hold one in "ransom" when sending them on risky missions.
Also, try to steal equipment.

>>241804
I could deal with this. Perhaps the pentients will have to chop wood and hunt for us or some shit as both training, and to earn some of that cash back.

how much does standard equipment cost, anyway?

>>241818
The brothers are clearly fiercely loyal to each other...I don't think they'd take holding one of them ransom very well and would plan to turn on us asap.

Also, coercing our own men to fight by holding their loved ones hostage wouldn't sound like a noble policy for a knightly order, just saying.

It's effective...but too ruthless/brutal

>>241813
I'd also be cool with this. Keep our numbers low-ish.

>>241818
Strongly against all of this, sorry anon. We're not going to be able to make something out of a band of criminals if we're immediately encouraging theft from allies.

We could ask if there are any old or unused guard equipment that our uncle wouldn't mind lending to a good cause though.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>241843
>>241813
>>241801
Seems this wins! Writing now

>>241850
ignore roll

Among the masses of deserters, you choose who you believe are the best, judging from their health and size. The two men call themselves Ben Kasering and Dylan Rumm, and assure you they are top performing soldiers, despite their previous desertion history.

With your party relatively finalized, you ask the guards to free these men into your custody, which they do with oversight from your uncle. You have a few options now, which would you like to choose?

> Purchase Equipment
> Assign Party Roles
> Travel to Castle Farraday

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>Could've had knightly order of 12 paralleling the Arthurian Knights of the Round Table, Apostles of Christ, Tribes of Israel, or Signs of the Zodiac
>Save money instead

Cash can be made later. Beginnings only happen once though

>>241873
Purchase Equipment

>>241873
> Purchase Equipment

>>241873
> Purchase Equipment

>>241873
Purchase equipment I guess.

>>241880
They wouldn't have all been knights though. Besides, we can still do cool things with 10 guys, and we don't know whether any of those things exist in this world.

I appreciate that cash can be made later, but if we'd gone into battle with 12 men and with rolling pins and rusty swords, we'd very quickly have a party of less than 12 anyway. Armouring knights costs a fucking fortune.

>>241873
>Purchase Equipment

>>241910

Yeah, really at this point if the king ever complains about our performance we should just tell him he got what he paid for. 1,000 gold to set up a Knightly Order? and made up of the cast offs of the realm (save maybe 3 of the poor souls). It's like we're founding the Night's Watch, to fight a threat that is just as legitimate, but with the in story level of respect.

>>241873
Purchase equiptment

>>241880
If we should mirror anything, wouldnt it make sense to mirror something in-universe?

purchase equipment

I like this quest OP

You arrive at the city's premier smithy. The blacksmith turns around and smiles at the look at your dark cloak

"Welcome kind sir, are you looking into my wares? If you wish, I can forge fresh weapons suited to your needs, or offer you a glance into some of my works most fellows buy from me."

Freshly forged equipment are in better quality but will take a few days or weeks to complete. Pre-forged are immediately available and cheaper but limited in quanitity and variety.

Preforged List:
> Short-sword with sheath: 60 gold
> Shield: 65 gold
> Chainlink Cuirrais: 65 gold
> Bow: 100 gold
> Arrows: 30 gold by the bundle (bundle has 50 arrows)

Fresh Forged Options:
> Greatsword
> Plate armor (including helmets, boots, and gloves)
> Axes
> Polearms
> Other Requests (?)
> An additional service fee is charged for these purchases

You remind yourself later to gouge the king's eyes out for putting in such a tight budget. Perhaps with in the future, your order's fame will allow nobles to be willing to give charity to your organization? You keep the thought in mind while you make up your mind on equipment.

> 450 gold (-550 for 11 members including squires)

Keep in mind I'm not an expert on medeival economics.That being said, 1 gold is enough to feed a man full meals for a week, and 50 is enough to feed him for a year. That means getting a sword would be forfeiting a little more than a weeks worth of food

>>241949
Thanks friend!

>>241956
I did it again, I meant a YEARS worth of food

>>241956
we basically have 8 swords worth of money left. At least our home is accounted for.

>arm our ranger dude with a bow and a bundle of arrows.
>our aurox can have a door as a shield or something

five short swords. Three chainmails for our knights.

Hopefully we can get some gear through donations.

>>241960
Does Wallace have his equipment from the wall? If so, get 3 short swords, 1 bow, 1 bundle of arrows, and 2 sets of chainmail for a total of 440 gold.

>>241956
Right now, I'd go with five short swords, a bow, and a bundle of arrows. That should leave us with a little bit left over.

Nobody has any armor or weapons save for you, who has 1 cuirass and 1 sword with sheathe. The wallmen's equipment belongs to the King's Army, so when they leave their post the equipment is left behind. The prsion should be obvious as to why theres no equipment.

>>241988
This'n

>>241988
>>241987
Those are both good choices. I don't really kno :D

>>241988
>>242004
There's no reason to have five swords though -- we have four squires, a giant autistic foreigner, a ranger, and only four people capable of using them.

>>242010
This guy has a point. A couple of swords, a bow and arrows, and spend the rest on chain mail. We can hack up some cudgels and fire hardened wooden spears for free hopefully.

I think the big guy might do better with a giant cudgel anyway...

>>242010
That's a good point. I'll back your option then.>>241987
The ranger is capable of using the sword, but since we'd get a bow, he could just use that.

>>242010
>>242035
Going in with the consensus then lets do this shit!

>>242035
>>242038
Well, since Wallace doesn't have a weapon, we'd need to do 4 swords, 1 bow, 1 bundle of arrows, and 1 set of chainmail instead for a total of 435 to keep all of our knights armed.

>>241987
Wallace does not have a sword, would you like to purchase 4 swords, a bow, arrows, and 2 chainmail?

>>242045
yes Sir

>>238474
https://soundcloud.com/fecshrooms/a666s

>>242045
We couldn't afford that unfortunately. We'd need to do >>242043

>>242051
Aww yiss

>>242043
The blacksmith's scribe writes down the receipt of your purchase and the blacksmith lazily signs it, as most illiterate tradesman do. You ask the squires to watch over your band, until you realize how silly that sounds and decide to ask Wallace instead.

As you march into the palace again, you meet face to face with the king, reading a script to the bickering of two courtiers. The sound of the open doors brings his attention.

"Ah, Sir Cazal! To what do I owe the honor of your return?"

You offer him your receipt, and while he is reading, you wonder if you should bring something up that's been bothering you...

> Why the small budget?
> Why me?
> Why create the Order now?
> Say nothing

>>242065
>> Why create the Order now?

>>242065
3

>>242065
>Say nothing
He's got his reasons, and I don't know that we care enough to find out.

>>242065
> Why create the Order now?

>>242065
"Your Majesty, don't get the wrong idea, but I've been wondering why---why bother creating the order now? If you fear another demon incursion, why not raise your banners again?"

The King lowers the parchment and looks curiously at you. The two courtiers murmuring in the back stop talking, and quickly leave once the King nudges his head at them to go.

"Sir Cazal, these lands are foreign to you, and I trust you just reached your manhood?"

"I am six years past manhood, 22"

"You have not, say, seen a demon before have you?"

"I can't say I have your grace, no"

"They are terrible abominations. Ten feet tall, long horns and devils eyes, no nose, forked tongue, boggy odor. They are no fair demons you know? They are all males. They are unnatural creatures, only wrought to destroy, rape, and consume mankind."

The King shouts towards the guards, who close the wooden doors loudly

"Young sir, the demon threat never ended after the Incursion. And the truth is it never will; it took all the armies of Adderlund, Terrance, and the Gutter Clans to push them away from human lands! But I will be damned if my kingdom will know no peace."

He sighs and sits on the humble polished throne.

"This order must exist for Adderlund's sake. Armies will never march with an unextinguishing force, but the people will never fear fighting the hordes if there exists heroes who do. Your existence is beyond protection---its symbolic. You must burden the horrors of battle to preserve the hope of our race."

(1/2)

You think the King's voice begins to tremble the tiniest bit, but your body shivers with the sudden commanding outburst.

"Now! I've heard you have a secure location and proper forces and equipment; that is all well and good! I have approved your purchase and you can find your equipment in the chest outside the palace grounds. I've lent you a carriage to carry the chest to your keep. Once the preparations are made, you can begin training your knights until you believe they should be knighted, at which point you should notify me and I will come to knight them in ceremony. By the way, have you given much thought of the Order's name? I've begin to think 'The Order of the Rose' but it sounds a bit prancy, dontya think? I'll leave it to you, but before you leave talk to your uncle about your Order's name so that we can authorize your purchase. Now, is there anything else?"

You shake your head no and leave in solace. As you arrive at the Palace Grounds, you see the chest of equipment already hitched onto the carriage, pulled by four horses. Next to them are two horses, yours and Wallace's. You can choose who you want to ride the carriage, horses, etc, though the carriage space left can probably carry all the squires or two of your recruits.

Your uncle taps your shoulder. "Dearest Nephew! To whom should I write this order purchase to?"

You only need a moment to think before you tell your uncle "Put down the Order of ___"

> the Light
> the Devoted
> Water
> Repent
> Write in (probably most popular but whatever)

And with that, I end tonight with you! Feel free to plan moves (or shitpost memes, whatever) till I return tomorrow, same time as today, or maybe different (who knows). Follow me on twitter for updates! (Link posted above somewhere)

Thanks for the feedback, QMing this is fun so far!

>>242123
>Solace
The theme of our order is grim determination, and perhaps a bit of redemption. I think this would communicate that.

>>242123
Hellguard was suggested as a name here>>239163, but if we have to go with the Order of ___, then I'll go with what>>242137 said.

>>242137
And to the rest of the land, we provide solace by slaying those who seek to do them harm. I like it.

>>242161
>>242137
THE ORDER OF SOLACE! huzza!

>>242123
Ye I'll stick with Hellguard if i can, Order of Solace is pretty dope though

Order of Solace or Hellguard would be good.

>>242137
I agree, Order Of Solace

We'll also need a banner

>>242602
I've been in the habit of drawing shit up for /qst/ threads recently, any ideas for what it should look like?

>>242663
Draw all the knights nigger

>>242683
Sheeeeit, I'm better at graphic design shit like banners, but maybe I'll give this a try too. I'm sure there are better actual drawings than me lurking, but if none emerge I guess I can give it a shot.

>>242663

I think we should wait and see what the seat of our lands looks like, might be we can get inspiration from that. Off the top of my head though the field should be black (we're quite grim after all) and perhaps just a candle and a weapon rampant. We aren't like to be one for much ostentation.

>>242693
Nice good luck drawfriend

Test post

>>243861
Dammit, id changed, oh well.

>>242123
"...the Order of Solace" you proclaim with conviction. Your uncle jots down s-o-l-a-c-e, and directs you to the cart.

"Driving the cart is simple, just hold the reins tight and pull in whatever direction you want to go. You'll figure it out anyways, you're a smart lad. Now! You better hurry, the journey to your lordling's castle is long I fear, any delay and you'll be travelling in the dark!"

You follow your uncle's advice and order your knights-in-waiting to move out. The squires sit in the back of the cart, facing a lumbering Aurochs and the two former deserters. You sit in the front, with your horse being ridden by Quincy and Wallace on his own horse, both on opposite sides of the carriage. Lynx was offered a place on the horse behind Quincy, but he chooses to walk instead. He surprisingly keeps up pace with the horses.

Midway through the journey, you see the sun high in the sky, and the road is filled with conversation in the back with the squires and others, all poking fun at the oblivious Aurochs. You realize that your companions in the front haven't said a word, and consider opening dialogue. You turn and choose to speak to

> Quincy
> Wallace
> Lynx
> Lets just get to the castle

Might be on and off every now and again

>>243927
>> Wallace
'Something bothering you Wallace? A distracted mind wont aid in turning these men into able warriors.'

>>243946
This is fine.

>>243927
> Wallace
I don't think we should pry into the brutal murder of his family in our first real conversation, so I think we should just talk about our plans for the order and ask for his advice.

>>243927
>Wallace

Him first but we should really address what >>243966 suggested with all the knights of the order

>>243966
Trust building and mind clearing before we have this guy training our men I say.

>>243982
I just think it's a topic that he won't want to talk about. Better to build up a rapport before delving into someone's psyche.

What exactly is the agreed plan you guys have of organizing the order first of all?

>>244010
This: >>239531 seemed like a popular option, but I don't really know.

>>244021
Thinking this was the plan as well

>>244010
Might want to shorten the years on knighthood for the Prisoners though maybe?

>>244010
>>244021
I'd go with this, but make room so that Penitents can potentially have special gear. If Lynx is some super assassin then maybe he shouldn't be equipped with a battle axe.

>>244034
Depends on how long prison sentences generally are. It would have to be somewhat less than they'd face otherwise.

I also think the third tier should be broadened to allow just general men-at-arms from the populace. I don't know if it's the best idea to exclude non-criminals from our front lines.

>>244047
>>244050
Agree with these

>>244050
I agree with this guy too, civvies shouldn't just be recruited as bowmen.

You turn to Wallace. You explain an sketched out plan of where you want the organization to go, complete with knights, squires, and men-at-arms recruited from the common rabble. You also specify that for the prisoners you want a system where they pay for their sentence through their service. He scoffs at many of your suggestions.

"What, you expect cowards to fight for the crime of cowardice? Please! In any case, how would your system apply to Sir Quincy? Is he knight or penitent? If you ask me, the only worthy knights I see are Sir Quincy, but only due to his heritage and certainly not due to ability. But how will you convince these men your promised knighthood to take up a role as demon fodder? Hah!"

He stops for a brief moment, before indulging in another lecture of criticism. "I mean not to be rude, but your selection of weapons is maddening! Only one set of cuirasses? And not a single shield? We'll be struck down if we miss the first blow lad! How do you honestly hope to save these pathetic fools from demonic purges?"

>"Naturally, you'll help train them"
>"Through cooperation, of course. Teamwork is the most powerful weapon an army can host. Everyman has skills that in conjunction can lead to victory"
>"I hope to employ better men and equipment when the funds are appropriate, but for now this is the best we have."
>Write in(?)

>"Naturally, you'll help train them"

>>244135
>"Naturally, you'll help train them"
I also think we should be upfront with him -- we got 1000 gold from the king to perform this task. At best we could have gotten two people to start a whole order of knights and outfitted them with a sword and armor, but then our numbers would be too low. There's hope of more money and equipment later down the line.

>>244165
Actually, we could of had three fully outfitted people. Maybe we really did fuck up our budgeting.

I'm divided on whether we really want to admit that fact.

>>244165
Yeah we need more monies guess we'll figure that out while we get our keep together.

>>244135
I feel like "you'll help train them" would be a detriment to our men. He seems to hate them. I'd go with
>"Through cooperation, of course. Teamwork is the most powerful weapon an army can host. Everyman has skills that in conjunction can lead to victory"

>>244173
I mean, it's not like we were told upfront how much gear costed in tandem with the cost of hiring men.

>>244177
You're right about that, I'm changing my vote to this.

>>244165
This

Gotta do what we can with what we've got.

>>244135
>"I hope to employ better men and equipment when the funds are appropriate, but for now this is the best we have."
In the meantime
> "Naturally, you'll help train them."
>>244165
I think we may have bitten off a bit more than we can chew, at least numbers wise. It may have been better to start with only one or two actual knights, in the future I strongly encourage us focusing the knights themselves for now. We need a solid core of actual knights (I'd say at least half a dozen) before we consider fleshing them out with the attendants and hangers-on.


As for the Pentient sentence, medieval punitive sentences were generally punished summarily. A rapist would be gelded for example rather than rotting away in prison. It makes sense that the length of servitude to the Order of Solace be proportionate to the crime. A thief might only spend a year but a murderer must spend 10 or even longer. The -biggest- motivation we have for people to not desert is that they have a fesh start should they complete their service. Maybe their kin and neighbors would never welcome them back to their home village, but they would not be marked or branded as criminals so often were in those days. Sort of how criminals in Australia can lessen their sentence by helping catch crocodiles in the remote territories.

>>244177
2 years worth of feed for a single ready-made bow does seem a little off.

Back and two time zones behind!

>>244148
>>244452
>>244557
Correct me if I'm wrong, but this seems to be the consensus? Gonna write after around 10-15 minutes!

"Naturally, you'll help train them."

Barenby scoffs. You begin to doubt being able to say anything that will flatter him. "I can train in combat if you wish milord, I have no quarrel with that. But to think I'd make warriors of shieldless men, well, needless to say it'd be quite a feat."

"These days, everyone thinks war is swordplay and arrows. But if you learn anything from me, Sir, its that war isn't about the fightin' ."

Quincy, who has been overhearing the conversation, interjects
"Isn't the goal of battle to win?"

"No milord," Wallace replies, "its to survive."

You concede with Wallace that training will commence with shields once you have the funds necessary to purchase the equipment. He insists that training be done daily for extended periods of time once you reach the keep. He can teach sword combat and shield defense, as well as some tactical foot maneuvers for one-on-one encounters. You look forward to his training.

As you march along the grassy path, the trees seem to emerge again. The stars begin to shine, and though you haven't thought about it, Lynx emerges from ahead of your party declaring he found a suitable campsite. Nobody even noticed he was ahead of them.

Lynx leads you to a triangular path formed by three trees. You set up a fire there and exchange nightwatching shifts. Wallace and Lynx offer to keep watch, both men having been used to little sleep themselves. You dream imagined monsters fitting the description of the King's demons, and hope that the real foes you face are not half as fearsome as they were.

You wake up in the wee hours of the morning. Everyone is asleep save for Lynx, staring off into the corner, and Aurochs, patting the horses of the carriage on their backs. You probably have a couple minutes of private speech before you depart for the keep if you wish to say anything to these men. You choose to

> Speak to Lynx privately
> Speak to Aurochs privately
> Wake everyone up and order out to the keep

>>245252
> Speak to Aurochs privately

>>245252
>> Speak to Aurochs privately

>>245252
> Speak to Lynx privately
Let's get a second opinion on the things that Wallace said to us; ask Lynx how he would structure a knight's order -- especially given his history in a no doubt well-structured assassin cult.

>>245261
>>245272
Can Aurochs even talk?

>>245278
I don't think it has ever been stated that he couldn't. He's just quiet.

>>245252
> Speak to Lynx privately

Waiting for a tiebreaker, otherwise gonna roll.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

1. Aurochs
2. Lynx

Wanting to get a second opinion, you approach the former assassin. He turns around as you make the first step. You lay out your proposal the same way you had to Wallace the day before.

"I don't why you're asking me to be honest milord, I'm the last one anyone would expect to know about building structure."

"Right, but your former...organization would need to have some sort of structure? How were they able to sustain their society?"

Lynx slyly glances to his side. "If you ask me, their structure was a cause of failure. Too many rules. Too much oversight. Their paranoia led to terrible acts in the pursuit of power, they forgot their core beliefs."

You wait for a moment for him to explain the beliefs. Lynx doesn't seem to notice until you beckon him to continue "Beliefs?"

"Aye, my order believed the Righteous are able to determine the fate of others. But they sold out to the greedy and power hungry, and in the end their corruption ate them from the inside. Why, just take a look at me for example"

He stands up and walks towards the carriage before turning for a final thought.

"My advice to you? Never give up your core beliefs. If you believe your structure does not reflect what our order stands for, you have burned our foundation already."

You take into account Lynx's advice, as well as his demeanor. You can't help but feel the smallest bit intimidated by his arrogance.
(1/2)

Its not too far until the keep. You can see the hamlet in the distance branched off the path, though after asking Quincy about it he was afraid to admit he didnt know too much about it. The actual keep sat atop a hill with a winding path to the top.

"Quincy?"
Quincy turns to Aurochs, a bit taken aback by a lack of title. "Whats the matter Aurochs?"

"If they took everything from you in jail, why didnt they take your land?"

Quincy chuckles at the wording of the question. "My you are daft, eh? Your lands aren't taken from you while in Prison friend. Land rights run through blood, and one cannot claim claimed land while the claimant lives! Thats why while I was in jail, I am still rightful owner of this keep!"

Dylan interrupts, "It aint outta be like that though, eh? I mean, youse familys traitors n like, why would the King give land to a traitors son?"

"Shut your mouth cur!" Quincy shouts angrily, spinning his horse to face the soldier. "My father is no---I mean--- I have no father, thus no father of mines a traitor! Land is beyond feudal loyalties in any case, its holy! It cannot be claimed while a claimant exists!"

Suddenly, a volley of arrows hits the hilly walls above the band. Lynx comments, "Try convincing the squatters in your keep that dribble, young Lord."

You ride up to see several figures on the ramparts of the keep. While you see them knotching arrows, several come within feet of your carriage, injuring the hooves of the front horse. You jump out, taking cover in the back of the carriage. You can hardly believe your first battle is about to take place!

...but OP must sleep first! I'm not entirely sure how I want combat to roll out yet, but will settle on a sustem tomorrow. For now,
> select which members get what equipment
> select overall strategies in defeating archers of castle wall, you have chest equipment and two horses

See you tomorrow!

>>245424
We should take our own chainmail and sword. Wallace should take the other set of chainmail and a sword. Lynx should get the bow and bundle of arrows. Quincy and the two deserters should get the other three swords.

Lynx should go and do his own thing, trying to get a good vantage point to shoot the figures, Aurochs should huddle down wherever it's safe, and fuck knows what to do with the rest of them.

Is there a clear way into the keep OP?

>>245447
>equipment
I agree with this.

However in future we should prioritize the equipping of Wallace and ourselves until we get another one worthy of knighting.

>assault
Pull back, wait for dark, then see if we can sneak in. Hopefully Lynx can lead the way, get a side-gate open or something.

>>245424
Equipment: I'll back this >>245447.

Strategy: I'd say find some place to hide and wait for night to launch an assault, but if that isn't possible and we have to fight now, I'd have Lynx find a good spot to fire at the enemy from and ask Quincy about any potential weak spots or hidden entryways into the keep.

>>245480
>>245838
>>245447
You open the chest of equipment, handing the chainmail to the squires who assist Wallace while crouched behind the cart. Under the threat of arrowfire, the horses in the front of the carriage grow agitated. Sensing their pain, Aurochs suddenly grabs a sword and rushes to the front, chopping down the tugs attaching the horses to their cart. The horses freed, they scatter in a herd north, parallel to the castle walls. Lynx recognizes the commotion and rushes in the opposite direction, stopping occasionally to fire some arrows back at the occupants.

The distractions on both fronts draw fire away from you and your band, at least momentarily. You look ahead and see the roof of a makeshift stable attached alongside the castle. You could easily scale the roof and reach up to the enemy archers, but only have a brief amount of time before the squatters focus back on you. What do you do?

> Risk rushing up the platform with selected soldiers
> Order everyone to fall back
> Write in

>>246075
> Order everyone to fall back
We don't want to lose anyone this early, and it would be safer to come back later tonight and attack.

>>246075
Supporting
>>246092
And have Lynx go in first and kill them ib their sleep/kill sentries allowing for a more covert entry

>>246092
>>246362
"Fall Back!" you shout. You fear charging into the castle will result in far more losses than you can afford, and perhaps you can find better luck in the nighttime, where you expect the squatters won't be around.

Lynx comes running back, while you manage to make Aurochs, Kasering, and Rumm pull the cart, filling in the horses roles. You manage to escape outside the range of the arrows, at the bottom of the hill. Lynx is the last one to come, informing you that none of the squatters are chasing after you outside the keep.

"You bloody idiot!" Wallace yells. For once, his criticisms aren't directed at you. "Why would you set loose the horses! Do you have any idea how much a carriage costs in this land!"

Aurochs looks at his feet dumbly. "The animals were hurting."

Lynx jumps in, "Settle down old man, he saved us from death, I'd say you owe the oaf his life."
He turns to you, "On the other hand, we had the perfect opportunity to storm the castle! They can't fire at you if you're against the wall you know!"

"It was too risky, ranger. I will not risk a man's life given our limited resources. We will return at nighttime."

Wallace chuckles, "What makes you think they'll sleep now, lad? Nighttime won't be any different from the daytime if ya ask me"

Lynx shakes his head in disapproval. "It'll be a moonless night tonight, the dark shall be our shield." He turns to you. "Milord, you can send me inside, I can open the gates for you to rush if you wish."

You stroke your chin, "Could you possible eliminate the leader?"

Lynx smiles, "If I find the time, but I know not what he looks like nor how to do so with a woke guard."

"There is another option, Sir Cazal". Quincy mounts his steed and motions down the path. "The village at the bottom of the hill is bound to be loyal to my house, you would surely find men to help us on an assault in the morning."

"I'd support that manner milord." Wallace moves over to stand next to Quincy. "Besides shields, the next best tactic against arrows is more men."

You look back and forth between Lynx and Wallace. You know that you must make a decision.

"What are we to do, Sir?" Ben asks curiously. You sense the two penitents are likely to follow whatever you decide.

>(Sabotage) "We'll return under the stars. The night will shroud us better than any shields."
>(Assault) "We'll scout the village and recruit men under the Farraday banner. First light of the morning, we will take over the keep."
> Write in

>>247993

>(Sabotage) "We'll return under the stars. The night will shroud us better than any shields."

>>247993
Combine the two. Recruit a mob, and have Lynx open the door for them. If we can't manage it tonight, try for tomorrow night.

>>247993
>(Sabotage) "We'll return under the stars. The night will shroud us better than any shields."

>>247993
>(Sabotage) "We'll return under the stars. The night will shroud us better than any shields."

>>248012
>>248024
>>248004
"We'll return under the stars. The night will shroud us better than any shields." Wallace sighs but concedes to your decision. You decide to set up camp and attack at midnight. Wallace and Lynx take quick shifts, awaking the rest of the party for the attack.

You wake up to a cold night, choosing to not light a fire that may alert the guard of the castle. Wallace has his chainmail on, and the squires rummage through the weapons chest, handing swords to each man.

You elect to leave the carriage behind, hidden in a ditch off the dirt path. The only noise heard is the clinking of chain and the scuffle of boots.

You keep distance from the castle, the portcullis in sight. Lynx nods off in silence and travels lightly towards the stable, vaulting up and over to the top of the wall while the night guard's backs face him. You don't see him for a while, and grow agitated, until you see a figure emerge from the top, slinging an empty bow. The signal to get ready to charge into the keep.

The sound of metal breaks the silence of the night. Shouts come left and right, and you hear struggles from where you believe you last saw Lynx.

Rushing into the keep, leading the band along with Wallace, you find yourself in the small courtyard. There are a set of stairs to your right, and the entrance to the castle proper lies ahead. You see three figures emerge, two in chainmail, but all with swords similar to your own. Wallace leads the charge into the crowd, followed by the hesitant but determined penitents. You find yourself with Quincy and Aurochs. "What now milord?"

> "Run up and help Lynx, I'll lead the charge into the keep!"
> "Drive the bastards in, I'll get Lynx!"
> Write in

Roll a 1d6 when you choose your action. More rolls can generate greater chance for success!

Rolled 3 (1d6)

>>248155
> "Run up and help Lynx, I'll lead the charge into the keep!"

Rolled 4 (1d6)

>>248174
Supporting this

Rolled 4 (1d6)

>>248155
Going with this as well >>248174

"Run up and help Lynx, I'll lead the charge into the keep!"

Quincy flashes a charming smile and dashes up, Aurochs following behind. You hope they manage to turn Lynx's luck around.

You rush up towards the three swordsmen. Wallace makes a strike, and the power seems to throw back both one of the chained men and Wallace's sword arm. The sword cut looses blood from the enemy's sword arm, and he saunters backwards.

The two penitents skip around, trying to find a point of weakness in the men.

You charge up when the unchained men facing Ben Kasering and stab him loosely through the left side of his back. Wounded, your victim spins around and retreats into the keep. The two chainmails, sensing numbers to their disadvantage, kicks Wallace in the stomach and follows the wounded man.

"Wallace, how do you hold friend?"

Wallace grimaces. "I need a moment to catch my breath milord. I'll join you in a couple minutes." He attempts to stand, but falls down again, breathing heavily. You sense his lack of training in the wall has rendered him in this state more than his age.

The penitents stare at you for direction.

> Continue into the keep with the penitents
> Send the penitents to fetch the squires and tend to Wallace
> Send the penitents to assist Lynx and bring them before you
> Write in

>>248370
>> Continue into the keep with the penitents

>>248370
> Continue into the keep with the penitents
Wallace wasn't hit by the enemy, so his treatment can wait.

>>248370
>continue into the keep

He's not wounded, just out of shape. Lets see what these pentients are made of.

>>248370
Keep one of the penitents with Wallace and go into the keep. Don't want him to somehow get cornered alone somewhere.

File: up1.jpg (75 KB, 650x650)

75 KB JPG

I guess we're going into the keep then.

Pic related, Sir Cazal about to lead the charge on the keep.

Sorry it's only a scruffy first draft, hence him having an anon face, and no colour/shading. May refine it tomorrow.

>>248828
Hell yeah nice work bruh

>>248828
That looks good.

>>248828
Thats pretty swish

The adventure continues!
>>251924