File: crhq_alchemy.jpg (100 KB, 1024x683)

100 KB JPG

=====
>Winter 57, 238 ACR
>The Alchemists’ Guild, Alnerwich
>Marcus Painel

An hour passes, then two before Claudia eventually stirs to consciousness. She moans piteously as her eyelids flutter, writhing along the bench as best she can. Then, they snap wide open, faster than you’d give someone credit for. She goes ramrod straight, lifting herself off the bed as she scans the room with furtive eyes.

The knife and whittling were already away when she first made a noise. You approach slowly, hands raised to show that you have nothing and no ill intent. “Are you alright?” You ask softly.

Her eyes widen, and a trembling finger points to you, but she doesn’t have time to answer. The hall runner comes into the room, squeezing himself through a small crack between the frame and the door itself.

“Missan Claudia!” He cries, swiftly approaching her. “You’re awake!”

The alchemist waves off the boy’s uncertain hand, muttering underneath her breath as she swivels her legs over the bench. “…Henrick…yes, I…I’m alright…”

Henrick’s relief is palpable, even from your distance. “Thank goodness! We were all so worried about you…” Then, his gaze turns to you, full of suspicious intent. “…did the foreigner try anything? If he did…”

You don’t make a move, not even a single facial tick as Claudia’s eyes meet yours. The stoic front you maintain is hopefully enough cover to hide the fact that you’re already planning to fight your way out of here if things go wrong.

Then, her eyes glance towards the table where you had brewed the Blackwater. “…no…Amadeo…he didn’t do anything…” She states, with each word more sure than the last. Her higher functions seem to be unimpaired, or swiftly recovering from the abrupt fainting spell. “…we were just…experimenting…”

And you release a breath you didn’t realize you were holding. Could that have been phrased better? Perhaps…but you’re not about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

She covered for you.

(cont.)

File: Claudia Hildegard.jpg (221 KB, 708x900)

221 KB JPG

Still, the boy’s eyes remain suspicious. “Are you sure? Missan, if he’s pressuring you…”

Claudia’s next breath is an exasperated sigh, one born of longsuffering. “I am fine, Henrick. Truly. Amadeo…he would not try anything strange or untoward. He is…” A small bit of emotion plays in the corner of her eyes, that doesn’t quite reach the smile on her lips. “…an honorable man.”

…ouch.

“Now…don’t you have work to do? Messages to ferry, ingredients to note? You’ll never get bronze if you just stand around there and dawdle. Henrick…I’m fine, and I do appreciate you for staying to see that I was alright.”

Henrick’s face is still sour when he departs, caught tight in a grimace as the girl bids him farewell. The runner stiffly bows before shooting a glare at your direction. If looks could kill, you’d certainly be six feet under. Or dissolving in a cauldron of acid, given the current location. The door closes with a resounding CRASH, once more leaving the two of you, Crownguard and Alchemist all alone by yourselves and a silence thick enough to cut with a knife.

“…he’s a good lad.” You break the silence first, offering her a rueful smile. “He reminds me of myself when I was his age.”

That gets a repressed chuckle from her. “…indeed? Or is this another fabrication of your…mask?”

She has you there. “No, truly. Fiercely loyal to friends and loved ones, always trying to intimidate their elders…” You shake your head. “It’s a miracle I managed to stay alive for as long as I have. Still…”

You shift in your seat. “I must ask: why did you cover for me? I mean…I’m not ungrateful that you did. Far from it in fact. But…”

There is a moment before she responds, exhaling deeply as she pinches the bridge of her nose. “…in all honesty? Curiosity. Just simple, inquisitive curiosity and an alchemists’ desire to know the truth. Irrational? Perhaps…” Her cheeks color. “But I think that if there’s anything that you owe me before an apology…it’s an explanation as to why you had to come here in that…disguise…” By now, her face is completely crimson.

>Choose one:
>The assassin’s trail points to her father. She needs to know how deadly things could be for the Guild.
>You just need to access her father’s records. She does not need to know the depth of the situation.
>Custom option.

>>1154244
>>The assassin’s trail points to her father. She needs to know how deadly things could be for the Guild.

>>1154244
>>You just need to access her father’s records. She does not need to know the depth of the situation.
I'd trust her with it, if she'd shown a better aptitude for dealing in secrets. Also, there are other places that make the Fire; we have no reason to poison their relationship needlessly.

>>1154244
>>The assassin’s trail points to her father. She needs to know how deadly things could be for the Guild.

>>1154227
I CAUGHT IT LIVE

>>1154337
GOOD JOB. NOW FIX YOUR CAPS LOCK AND VOTE!

Oh, and one other thing to get out of the way. 10 minutes is the time after my post where you can vote. At the end of that period, I start writing based on the choice with the most votes. Never officially stated it, so better late than never, I guess.

Writing...

>>1154337
Last time I caught your quest live was TF666 and the kelpie mission. Greekfag here.

Anyway
>>The assassin’s trail points to her father. She needs to know how deadly things could be for the Guild.

>>1154258
>>1154329
>>1154387
“…what do you know about the attempt on Princess Ellana’s life?” It’s a simple enough question. As far as you can remember, Palme never let it slip beyond the royal family and the Crownguard that Alchemists’ Fire had been the primary tool the assassin had attempted to use.

Claudia frowns. “The attempt on her life caused a great stir among the smallfolk. There’s not been an attempt on their lives for a very long time.” Her face betrays no deception as she thinks about it further. “But as to the actual act itself? I have nothing that I can say that is not based on groundless rumors and gossip.”

“Rumors?” You raise an eyebrow. “What kind of rumors?”

“Nothing more than wild speculation by drunkards and dullards who’ve had too much to drink. They wagered silver coins on how the assassin tried to come in, and how it was taken care of. They run the range from trying to sneak up a privy’s piping or using magic to disguise themselves to get around the guards.”

She pauses, eyes casting an uncertain look across your Crownguard badge. “Although considering your…revelation about who you actually are, something tells me that you’re about to reveal the actual details of the event…”

You nod, face set in a grimace. “Aye. The assassin disguised himself as one of Lord Kieran Pullman’s knights to gain entry into the feasting hall. When the princess had to be excused, he chose that time to strike. He was armed with a dagger, nothing out of the ordinary. But what does worry Lord Commander Palme and Prince Emeron is the fact that he had a flask of Alchemist’s Fire on his person.”

That certainly gets her attention. Her eyes go wide, and a hand goes over her mouth at the implications of your statement. “Does that mean…?”

“The trail the culprit left leads to Alnerwich,” You finish for her. “And I’ve checked the records your father has submitted to Lord Mazur’s archives. The local guild has seldom made errors or discrepancies in the production of the stuff, but what is most unusual...”

You pause, eyes flickering towards the door. Underneath the heavy wood, the scant light that peers through is devoid of any sort of obscuring shadow. You are not being spied upon overtly. All the more reason to be careful with what you say and where you say it.

(cont.)

Kaz ga shinda

>>1154515
Had to use the restroom.
Writing...

“…is that only scant weeks before Prince Emeron set off to quell the bandits, the report for the production of the Fire stated that five vials’ worth of the stuff had been lost due to ‘complications’ in the process. Clumsy apprentices, perhaps? Do you know anything about this?”

She shakes her head. “Again, no I don’t. I’ve only recently become a journeyman…” Her eyes narrow. “Are you accusing my father of being a traitor?” Her voice is low, but her words are as sharp as any one of your blades. “Or that any one of the senior members of the guild is in collusion with the rebels?”

“Nothing of the sort,” You quickly state, holding up a hand for peace. “I don’t have enough evidence for that conclusion. But what I do have is enough grounds to make speculations…speculations that might put your father and the Guild in a dire amount of trouble if this were anyone else.”

There’s a moment of silence that extends before Claudia manages to find her voice. “So is this meant to be a threat?”

You snort. “Not that either. It’s just a statement of the truth. I have no intentions of telling anyone.” Except for Urath, but the Ingulan can keep a secret better than Emeron. “But the sooner we resolve this, and the quicker, the better for the both of us. And for that, I’m going to need your help.”

She blanches. “My help?”

“I need access to your father’s personal records, as well as the log of customers you’ve taken before the prince’s expedition. I have no idea where that is, and I would very much like to avoid having to…break in and risk harm to any of the guild members.”

For a moment, it looks like she would refuse. Already, you can see the beginning of an angry retort, and you can likely figure out what’s on her lips. That you were just using her, taking advantage of her naiveté to flirtation in order to gain access to the records. In a certain light, that might be true…

But you did really mean those earlier words when you said that she was both skilled and beautiful. Truly, you did.

>Roll 1d100 + 40 Social (+10 Social, +30 Circumstance)
>Best of three

Rolled 4 + 40 (1d100 + 40)

>>1154561

>>1154561
oh boy

Rolled 22 + 40 (1d100 + 40)

>>1154638
>>1154561
Egad I'm so retarded I've forgotten how to roll dice.

Rolled 64 + 40 (1d100 + 40)

>>1154561
>>Roll 1d100 + 40 Social (+10 Social, +30 Circumstance)
here we go

>>1154570
>>1154644
You can't fool me dice, everyone knows you crit when it comes to Marcus and women.

>>1154674
>>1154570
>>1154644
Welp, I hope Claudia /really/ liked Marcus, because otherwise that's the first time we failed sweet-talking a girl in this quest.

>>1154727
>104

>>1154727
We broke 100 man. We are fine.

>>1154730
>out of possible 140
What if the DC was 110?

>>1154736
What if I won the lottery?

Don't put stock in what ifs.

>>1154744
I'm just..metagaming, I suppose. Claudia seemed pretty shocked at the whole thing, which would suggest a higher than average DC.
I guess it's probably fine, though.

Is anyone else even still around?

>>1154754
even if it was a skin of the teeth failure, that would just mean she'd prefer to ask directly.

And at this point, it wouldn't be the worst course of action. Better than causing bad PR.

ded quest?

>>1155385
Still here.

>>1155062
And even in that case we could tell her to be discrete because the Vascielli are possibly connected too.

File: Claudia Hildegard Smile.jpg (249 KB, 500x500)

249 KB JPG

>>1154570
>>1154644
>>1154674
“…very well.” She puts her hands together, exhaling deeply. “Let it not be said that Claudia Hidegarde was uncooperative in aiding an investigation into a royal assassination attempt. So…Marcus, was it? I will help you as best I can to find the answer you seek. However, I do have one condition.”

“Go on…” A condition? You frown. Hopefully it won’t be an unreasonable demand.

Blue eyes meet yours, staring hard and unyielding. “I want you to give your word that if traitors are to be found, the rest of us are not to face censure. The relationship between the local lord is bad enough as it is without this news. Lord Mazur would find any excuse to bind the entirety of the local alchemists underneath his direct authority and take power away from the guild.”

Reasonable enough, you suppose. “I will do everything within my power to enforce that no harm will come to you,” You state. “Or your colleagues.”

“Only ‘within your power?’” She raises a sharp eyebrow.

“I will speak out on your behalf and how you cooperated should this be brought to a formal trial. And personally use the weight of the Crownguard to enforce it.”

“Though the capital is only a few dozen miles away, we are still very far from your Lord Commander Palme. I doubt that Mazur would defer to a Crownguard’s word unless it was Ser Palme himself.”

“Ah, but you forget.” You gesture towards the door, towards the exit of the building. “That beyond this disguise, I stand right beside Princess Ellana, and all her siblings of the Crowmond family. And as high of a noble as he is, Mazur must bend the knee to his betters upon the hierarchy. The Crowmonds will see justice done.”

>Claudia approves.

The tension in the room immediately relaxes, and you can breathe easy once more as the girl returns to her bench. “I cannot argue with that,” She admits, directing you a wry smile. “Though it certainly took you a long time to go about it.”

“Infiltration is a delicate art,” You respond. “Where one false move can spell disaster. Rushing is not the way to go about it. A good spy takes his time to analyze the given situation and gently tease out the desired results as best they can. Especially when it comes to, ah, the fairer sex.”

She flushes at that. “…you’re not unlike any knight I’ve ever met before, Marcus.”

You snort. “Whoever said I was a knight?”

“No, clearly you aren’t,” she retorts, before adopting a more serious demeanor. Her cheeks are still a slight shade of crimson, but her eyes are still as serious as they could be. “So what is your plan now? How do you wish to proceed in this…infiltration?”

>Head to Silvera’s office now while there’s still daylight.
>Return come nightfall, where the darkness is your ally.
>Custom option.

>>1156327
>Return come nightfall, where the darkness is your ally.

>>1156327
>>Custom option.
Ask her about security day vs night, and her ability to assist.

Night is the obvious option, but we should make sure there aren't any surprises.

File: Key.jpg (56 KB, 600x600)

56 KB JPG

>>1156356
“What can I expect by means of security?” You ask. “Beyond the patrolling runners and other alchemists of the guild, who roams the halls of the building during the night?”

“At the very least? The city guard patrols the outside, both around harbor and underneath the docks. The Alchemists’ Guild has their own special unit of guards to protect us, sworn to oaths of silence and compelled to obey our orders. It is too much of a risk to rely on the assurance of the city guards for them not to overhear or copy formulae on the sly.”

Clever of them. “And what is the extent of your assistance…?”

The words die in your mouth as Claudia fishes out a ring of keys at her belt. They jingle, catching the passing light as she rattles them around her fingers. “As a journeyman, I have access to several rooms and spaces that many cannot even dream of entering. And because I am my father’s daughter…”

She plucks out a golden key from among the lot, unhooking it from the ring to lay on the table. “This is a duplicate of my father’s key to his personal quarters, where we keep all of our papers and formal accounting. It’s no Grand Master’s key, but it will get the job done.”

You’re almost tempted to take it, but you keep your hand in check. Your lockpicks may not see action in the very beginning, at the very least. That’s easily ten minutes you’ve shaved off of your allotted time. “And when can we expect your father to return?”

“Tomorrow morning at the earliest. He’s been known to strike camp in the middle of the woods to test his wilder theories far from the walls of the city.”

Now if that isn’t a disquieting thought. “Then is there anyone else that might be in the space? An assistant, perhaps your mother?”

Even before she winces, it was the wrong choice of words for you to state. “…don’t worry…” Claudia eventually speaks. “We…we don’t have to worry about that at all. There’s not been anyone in my father’s quarters in the evenings for the last couple of years.”

Shit. You of all people should know how sensitive the topic of dead parents might be. “I’m sorry.” You offer. “I didn’t mean…”

“It’s all in the past. It’s fine. Truly…” Claudia looks uncertain before she speaks. “But if we’re caught, I’m not sure what we are to do…”

Indeed. You must plan for that inevitability. Not that it’s difficult to do so. “That is simple,” You answer. “Your extended family already sees me in a negative light, no? We can exploit that to our advantage. Thus, we must be caught as if we were in some sort of sordid tryst or passion play. The Opranian Alchemist has simply seduced the Guild Master’s daughter.”

A strangled noise accompanies the sight of her face turning a complete and utter crimson.

>Any other questions?

>>1154363
EDIT: I meant to say after the first vote. The voting time starts ten minutes after the vote is cast. After that is when I start writing.

>>1156435
I got nothing. Good to go?

>>1156435
nope, lets go

File: Alchemist's Guild.png (1.11 MB, 1280x640)

1.11 MB PNG

>>1156490
>>1156514
You decide to quickly make your escape before she can mouth off on you. “Then if there is nothing else to discuss, then I shall see you at sundown. Perhaps at that bakery just in front of the shop? We’ve still yet to eat dinner there, after all.”

Bowing politely, you leave a steaming Claudia to herself, gathering your equipment and the bottles of Blackwater that you’ve brewed. Your brisk pace takes you past more than one individual who scowls at your direction. Older men and the odd woman alike direct suspicious looks as you exit through the front gates, shivering slightly both from the rush of cold and the daggers they glare into your back.

She truly must be one of a kind to solicit that kind of response towards your person.

Outside of the gates, the sky is overcast, but the sun is bright enough to give you a rough estimate of the time. It’s just about to be midday, but you’ve got about…at least a good six hours before you have to return to your arranged meeting point. Night falls earlier in winter, after all.

So, with that free time on your hands, you decide to…

>Explore the city of Alnerwich. (Chance encounters, shops, etc.)
>Return to the Crowmonds. (Go straight towards the fortress)

>>1156575
>Return to the Crowmonds. (Go straight towards the fortress)
may as well tell Archer that we could possibly land ourselves in hot water.

>>1156575
>Return to the Crowmonds.

>>1156575
>Return to the Crowmonds. (Go straight towards the fortress)

Make sure we are not followed though, we have attracted suspicion today, best not to reward it.

>>1156575
>>Return to the Crowmonds. (Go straight towards the fortress)

>>1156583
>>1156585
>>1156611
>>1156622
It takes you the better part of an hour to return to the gates of Mazur’s fortress. While the gates themselves remain only twenty minutes away through the slog of the road and peasant traffic, you take your time to duck through the more crowded areas and quiet alleyways. You’ll not risk it, being followed straight to the gates of Mazur’s fortress.

As it stands, you’re already under suspicion for being too close to Claudia. The fact that your disguise was Opranian may have made it worse. On top of seducing the girl, the alchemists would have to be idiots to not speculate that you just might be a spy from the Kingdom of Light. Claudia would be close enough to ensure no errant or wayward copying of formulae, but beyond the walls…

You’ve spent your entire life vanishing into crowds at a moment’s notice. Thus, it’s an exercise in simplicity to find a mass of shivering smallfolk and join them in their rush to get midday meal. You’re careful not to escape too quickly, but to linger just in time for the man following you to give up the pursuit when you turn the corner and make your way down another side street.

He would have simply lost you in the crowded mass of the market square. You’d certainly loose someone in this cacophony of pressing bodies and clamor for dried fish, warm soup, and aphrodisiacs imported from the Confederacy.

Upon reaching the gate, your arrival is greeted by two stern-faced guards of Mazur’s house. But their suspicion quickly retracts when you flash them the symbol of your office and pull down your cowl. No further evidence is required for you to pass through the smaller wicket gate within the guardhouse.

An inquiry into the location of the royal family leads you towards the main hall. They seem to have only finished luncheon, and have moved on towards pursuing other trivialities. You smile, envisioning the torment of Ellana and Allanus at having to study under Adrianna’s strict supervision-

“Ah. Ser Crownguard...Painel? There you are.”

You turn towards the source of the voice that cuts through your thoughts. Klara Mazur approaches from the other end of the hallway, an otherwise pleasant smile on her face. Beyond enigmatic and holding that vulpine quality that only women with a plan could hold, she stops before you, returning your polite bow with a small incline of your head.

"And how may I help milady?" You ask. What business could she possibly have with you?

She maintains her smile. "A talk, and nothing more. It seems that you've been taken with Alnerwich, going into town whenever you've the time. I hope that you've found everything to be as hospitable as Karthmire."

(cont.)

File: Klara Mazur.jpg (55 KB, 500x367)

55 KB JPG

“…yes, I have,” You slowly respond, unsure of where the discussion is going. “Other than the persistent smell of fish that clings to my jerkin, I find Alnerwich to be quite welcoming.”

“Then you’ve had no issues?” She returns, all the while smiling. “No problems or other inconveniences? The smallfolk are insular, and are slow to trust outsiders. You’d think they’d all come from south of the Midlands from how they keep to themselves.”

Other than that Ingulan hag and the suspicion of the alchemists, you wryly note. “No, I’ve had no problems. If they knew I was not from around here, then they did not show it.”

“Then I am glad to hear it. That you are a Crownguard and have not been mobbed by anyone speaks to either the prowess of the smallfolk…or your own skills at staying hidden and out of notice.”

...you suddenly have a bad feeling about this. And your gut is never wrong, especially when it comes to women.

>“Milady, if you will excuse me…” (Break of the discussion and go to Ellana)
>“If I may ask milady where she is going with this…” (Continue the discussion)
>Custom option.

Finding consistent art is hard, yo

>>1156752
>>Custom option.
"I wasn't always a Crownguard milady. Walking amongst the smallfolk is pretty natural to me and I try not to advertise my position unless I need to."

>“Milady, if you will excuse me…” (Break of the discussion and go to Ellana)

>>1156752
>“If I may ask milady where she is going with this…” (Continue the discussion)

>>1156752
>>“If I may ask milady where she is going with this…” (Continue the discussion)

>>1156774
>>1156779
>>1156798
“…I wasn’t always a Crownguard, milady,” You slowly answer. “Walking among the smallfolk comes as natural as breathing. And I would make a poor bodyguard to advertise my position if I did not need to.”

Klara seems to be oddly satisfied with that. Her smile doesn’t widen, but her eyes…twinkle. Emboldened, you decide to go further. “If I may ask milady where she is going with this…”

She gestures with an imperious hand. “Yes, of course. Simply put, I have a task that needs…taken care of. And it requires nothing short of the utmost discretion.”

She doesn’t seem to notice how you’ve stilled. In any other situation, you might be willing to listen, if not just brush off politely. “Taken care of”…three words that imply a need for both death and secrecy. Gods know how many times Lucien himself used it whenever he left to take care of a job, one that usually left the slums abuzz with how some important somebody off somewhere had been killed.

Just how much does Klara know? It’s no secret that you’re neither a knight of accomplished means or an Ingulan champion. A commoner you may be by birth, but it’s impossible for her to know that you were, in another life, a killer.

Alas, she apparently does not know much. Still, she seems to pick up on your line of thinking quick enough. “Do you think that I would request for you to kill someone? Goodness, no! Far too dirty for me to even consider. Not to mention treasonous for stealing away a Crownguard for my own purposes.” You remain silent at that, face betraying nothing whatsoever. “No, Painel. What I need is for you…”

She trails off as a group of servants pass by, two scullery maids and an elderly man carrying bedsheets and clothing. Their eyes widen at the sight of the two of you before they bow politely and scurry off as quick as they can. Even before they turn the corner, you can already hear them speculating as to the reason for Lady Mazur and a Crownguard to be talking in a random corridor.

“…where was I? Ah, yes. I would respectfully request that you use those skills at staying out of sight to simply verify something for me. There will be no need to kill anyone, and this can be done so as long as you remain here in Alnerwich. Rest assured that I have no aspirations for treason. I’m not nearly as stupid as those rebels.”

“Then what is your concern, milady?”

Klara’s vulpine smile turns dangerous. “Can you keep a secret?”

“That would depend on the nature of the secret.” You retort. “And why you require discretion in the first place.”

(cont.)

“Oh, it’s simply a matter of family concerns. You may not know this, but my father has been courting a woman from the Hinterlends. They are a near perfect match, my father and this Lady Sofia Rudnick, daughter of Lord Trevor Rudnick. They’ve already begun negotiations.”

“…congratulations.” You flatly offer. “But I have yet to see how this requires my assistance-”

“The woman is a slantern,” Klara snaps. “A lying slut whose legs open up for any man to strike her fancy at any passing moment. How do I know this? Woman’s intuition. But I cannot do anything about it, save for bringing rumors and hearsay from the Hinterlends to my father’s ear. The man’s absolutely smitten.

“The lady is in town, Painel. She only arrived a few moments ago while you were out and has taken residence in the other cells. I believe that she is having a tryst with her knight escort, the imbecilic Ser Royce. You are not known, even to a majority of my staff and the realm as a whole. I cannot rely on the other Crownguard for this. No, you are the only one that is capable of securing evidence that this…this southlander tart is unworthy of her station and of my father’s affection.”

>“Find someone else to do your dirty work.”
>“I will try to do what I can…”
>“What can I expect for this service?”
>Custom option.

>>1156981
>>“I will try to do what I can…”
"What kind of...evidence do you need exactly? Is my word good enough or do you want something more concrete?"

>>1156981
>“What can I expect for this service?”

>>1156981
>What sort of evidence?
>If it does not interfere with my duties we will see.

>>1156981
Dont give an answer now.
>“What can I expect for this service?”

And ask our princess her opinion on this job.
End of the day, we are her guard, and since this is outside of our interest and current goals. etc etc.

>>1156981
I personally think it's probably for the best if we stay out of politics, if only from a professional standpoint. At best we get a money or a favour, at the cost of putting ourselves in needless danger, if we get caught or it otherwise comes out it could land us in serious trouble with Palme and the others, and there is of course the potential that the target could find out and hold a grudge. It would be very very bad if a Crownguard gets caught spying on other nobles amd taking sides in their squabbles, as what we do reflects very heavily on the crown since we are basically an extension of their arm.

>>1156981
>I am a Crownsguard before all else, milady. I need to confirm that this.....matter, is one done for the security of the Royal Family.

>>1156981
>>1157037
forgot to add my choice
>“Find someone else to do your dirty work.”

>>1157037
The problem we face here is that if we outright reject, we could anger the lady as well.

So i say we put it to the princess, inform the other crown guard for their take and then go on their suggestions.

>>1157049
When in doubt, turn it from a request to us personally to a request to the crown guard. That way we take refuge with our colleagues.

>>1157041
Backing

File: Klara.png (179 KB, 381x409)

179 KB PNG

>>1156993
>>1156995
>>1157012
>>1157029
>>1157041
>>1157044
>>1157070
Politics and drama between the nobles of the Empire appear to be no different than the daily grind of life in the slums. People are always paranoid about who’s fucking who, and whether or not that means a simple preference or power play to one’s coin purse. Gang wars have certainly been started for less, with more than one poor sod getting caught in the mess.

The more things change, the more they stay the same, it seems.

“First and foremost,” You begin, “I am a Crownguard before all else, milady. Princess Ellana has my loyalty before all others, and I fail to see how this…issue is relevant to the security and welfare of the royal family.”

Not to mention the whole world of trouble this would land you in if you got caught. Palme has enough headaches as it is with the Vasceli and dealing with Empress Melianna. She seemed hard pressed to be swayed to let the children be sent away from Karthmire.

“With that said…” You are quick to placate her as her eyes flash dangerously. “I will take the matter to the Princess. If you’re willing to let your…concerns with the match be heard by the rest of the royal family…I cannot promise anything. But I can at least try to get them to listen. It might even be a petition to the Crown for aid.”

Klara scowls, but the inferno her temper might have become abates into a smoldering pile of ash. “I suppose that is not completely unreasonable…” She cedes begrudgingly. “Yet I am not a fan of appealing like some farmer to Prince Emeron whose lands are being raided.”

Your tone is firm, but not unkind. “I am afraid that is the best I can do. I’m a Crownguard, not a miracle worker or sycophant who promises false things. Still…in the event that they permit me to carry on with your request…what kind of evidence would be satisfactory?”

“…either walking in on the act itself…” she says with disgust. “Or physical proof. Perhaps a kerchief on his person or some other token left lingering on either of their persons.”

“…and the reward?”

The vulpine grin returns to her face, albeit with a bit of a challenging jut of her chin. “See? Who says that the chance of reward does not open all doors? There is considerable political favor to be dispensed with. Aside from a sore ego, father will not forget the act of saving him from a bad marriage. As well as a bit of monetary gain from my own personal stipends, discrete of course. A fee, perhaps, or maybe even the favor of a true noble lady? The choice is yours…but only if your masters choose to help.”

With that final note, she leaves. Her shoulder brushes past your side as she steps around you, continuing on her way down the hallway of the fortress. Plotting and scheming, planning and adjusting. Her eyes are sharp and determined to get what she desires.

It is a mask she wears well underneath the detached persona of a vapid noblewoman.

(cont.)

File: Princess Ellana Crowmond.jpg (25 KB, 256x300)

25 KB JPG

>Ellana's Quarters

“Marcus!” Ellana waves from the table, visibly perking up from her books. “You’re back! Here, I had the cooks save some bread and sausage…over there. Just beside the botanical book.”

You smile at the princess, pulling up a chair beside her. The bread is soft to the touch, and the links are still warm. Just the smell of it is enough to get your stomach to rumble. Flushing as she giggles at the faux pass, you clear your throat and gesture towards the book at her lap.

“And what has milady been working on?” You inspect the title of the concerning article. “I see that you’ve been reading your treatises and law.”

“Adrianna was…insistent that I read them. But unlike the botany books or the history of the continent…” She pauses, scrunching up her face to find an appropriate word. “They’re…um…”

“Boring?” You offer.

“…I was trying to find another word, but yes. They are incredibly dull.”

The links have some sort of pepper baked into them. Your mouth tingles pleasantly as you chew on the impromptu meal. “A necessary evil, I’m afraid. And your sister would have you learning so that you’ll be better-learned than any other girl your age in the realm. You are very wise, but knowledge is just as equally prized.”

Ellana pouts, closing the book of laws as she reaches for the botany book. “I know they are complicated and nuanced so that no man may try to find a cheat in the system. But could they not word them to be less…dull?”

“Perhaps if we had Magister Ansell here…or even Palme, from what he says. Something about…story time voices?”

Her eyes brighten. “That’s right! Orici is such a wonderful storyteller! He can do a great imitation of Drathil, Brynn the Breaker, and all other characters from the epics and histories. His voice for Malifaax once sent Allanus shrieking across the room.”

You chortle. “Remind me to be present when he performs another one of his renditions. That must be quite the sight to behold.”

“I promise…but here!” She opens up the book, fumbling towards the indexes. “We need to continue our studies. I did everything Adrianna told me to, so now I can have a brief break.”

>Continue her teaching on healing plants.
>Start tutoring her on poisonous plants.

Gonna take my dinner break now. Be back in a bit.

>>1157267
>Start tutoring her on poisonous plants.
Just enough to know not to cure a stomach ache, with, say Goddess' Tears. Diagnosis type knowledge.

>>1157267
>Continue her teaching on healing plants.

>>1157267
>Start tutoring her on poisonous plants.
Just so she'll be able to spot poison in her meal or the like.

>>1157267
>Start tutoring her on poisonous plants.

>>1157267
>>Continue her teaching on healing plants.

>>1157267
>Continue her teaching on healing plants

>>1157267
>>Start tutoring her on poisonous plants.

>>1157267
>>Start tutoring her on poisonous plants.
She's got the fundamentals of post-damage fixing, lets give her some pre-damage prevention.

>>1157267
Due to weather complications wreaking havoc on my wifi, I'm gonna call it quits for tonight. We will resume tomorrow. Will try to post before I go to school.

>>1158519
Aw, and I'd just caught up again.

>>1159103
Man, /qst/ really killed a lot of quests.

>>1159914
It's been a slow death, but yea it did, just like we feared. The 4chan questing community was never large enough to be self sustaining, and as old people leave, new ones aren't filling in the gaps.

>>1159979
Maybe we should start recruitment threads in /tg/...
Yeah, that wouldn't really go down well.

File: Ellana Sunset.jpg (157 KB, 1024x768)

157 KB JPG

>>1157297
>>1157346
>>1157438
>>1157585
>>1157726
Surprise blossoms on Ellana’s face when you flip to a different chapter of the book. “Being able to identify medicinal plants is fine, but it can only get you so far in the field of botany. What do you know about poisonous plants, milady?”

“Hmmmm…all I know about them are…poison ivy and…poison oak.” She eventually says. “Because I remember Uncle Alistair telling me to stay away from ground plants with five leaves and tree vines with three leaves. I remember my cousin Kastal spending a weekend confined to his quarters after contracting a horrible rash on his foot.”

Basic knowledge, one that most common folk outside of a developed city would know from their walking days. Still, you can hardly fault her. The closest forest to Karthmire was a good few miles away. The immediate land around the capital had been cleared and turned into fields of cornstalks and wheat.

You nod. “Milady is correct. Those are indeed the common identification markers for plants within the toxicodendron genus of flowering plants. We can begin there, and work our way through the first few pages of the book, if you’d like?”

“I have no objections…but I must ask.”

“Go on.”

Golden orbs meet your own brown in a questioning look. “Won’t this be considered…improper? Adrianna is already begrudging about the medicinal herbs and plants. This might give her cause to confiscate the book. Because…” She lowers her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “…Emeron once told me that poison is for ‘honorless blackguards and spineless curs’. No offense to you of course,” she quickly adds, eyes flickering to your alchemy kit. “…but…”

You chortle, much to her surprise. “…I have no intention of showing you how to brew poisons, nor healing remedies. That much I made clear when we first started the book. Your uncle showed you how to identify poison oak and ivy? That is all I’m going to do here. If you are playing in the woods or traveling with an escort through the wilder places of the Empire, it is best for you to know which of the wildberries are safe to eat, and which patches of grass are ill to lie in.”

Not to mention which mushrooms could be possibly used for poison, or how the extraction of the Widow Flower can create one of the deadliest poisons on the continent. Of course, all you are doing is making distinctions and identifications, so that the Princess might both be a little more careful about playing in the woods. Maybe even able to identify poisoned food or Slennush mushrooms in her stew.

Her paranoia about Yaya’s prophecy seems to have abated. You have no desire to stir up a whole new set of troubles for your charge, questioning every meal and offered drink. You’re the only one that’s going to be paranoid, not her.

(cont.)

“Did you know, milady, that when a farmer disposes of poison ivy or oak, he must not burn it?” You begin, pulling yourself closer to the book. Calloused fingers trace the image on the parchment, highlighting the diagrams of leaves and stems to Ellana’s wide eyes. “It is not the leaves that causes the reaction, but the oil it secretes. Fire does not cause its destruction; in fact, the smoke acts as another conduit for dispersing the chemical. Its inhalation causes severe scarring of the nasal and respiratory tracts…”

>Princess Ellana approves!
>Princess Ellana gained Poisoner 1.
>+ 2 to Intrigue

The sun completes its arc and begins to set across the Whrelzwth by the time you reach the tenth page of the first section. You have covered the commoner plants that can be found in the Empire. Beyond poison oak and ivy, you show her how to identify belladonna, water hemlock, oleander and the beginning of white snakeroot before the sky turns a bright orange.

Ellana yawns, stretching in her seat as the lesson comes to a close. “Will you be going out again, Marcus?”

“Yes,” You answer, grabbing your cloak from the foot of her bed. All of your knives are where they should be, with the magic dagger at your hip and a mundane blade in your boot. The tooled leather containing your picks and tools brushes gently against the inner fabric of your tunic, tinkling as you set everything in order. “I won’t be out long. Just some lingering business with the Alchemists’ Guild to take care of is all.”

“Okay…” She manages to stifle another yawn, even as she waves. “Have a good night, then. And come back soon.”

“I promise. Goodnight to you as well, milady.”

You nod respectfully to the guards by the door, who straighten as you withdraw from the guest quarters of the fortress. The windows are small, too small for anyone to even fit an entire arm through, and even then, this length of the tower drops straight down into the river. No climber would be able to scale the walls save for magic. Very noticeable magic.

Ellana will be safe.

>You have time for one more task:
>Ask Adrianna about Klara’s request.
>Visit Urath and Allanus in the courtyard.

>>1160617
>Ask Adrianna about Klara’s request.

>>1160617
>>Visit Urath and Allanus in the courtyard.
I'm not keen on getting wrapped up in politics, and we've got all the favor we could need in the royal family.

>>1160617
>Ask Adrianna about Klara’s request.

>>1160617
>Ask Adrianna about Klara’s request.

>>1160617
Wait, that's not supposed to be Intrigue.
>+2 to Destruction

Carry on.

>>1160665
Aww, I thought we might've started on the path to getting an apprentice, as unlikely as that is.

>>1160617
>>Ask Adrianna about Klara’s request.

File: Adrianna Crowmond.jpg (296 KB, 850x1020)

296 KB JPG

>>1160643
>>1160653
>>1160659
>>1160710
Adrianna is not hard to find. All it takes is a few pointed inquiries from some passing servants to give you the directions to where the elder princess is. She sits in an empty room, humming to herself as she works at a needle and thread with a deft hand. From the way she moves, it’s clear that she’s long-practiced the skill of needlework. There is no hesitation, not as much as a pause as she works around the embroidery hoop.

She starts at your sudden arrival, but relaxes when you move into the light. There is still enough of the sun over the mountain that you would not have to light any of the nearby candelabra.

“Milady.” You bow from the waist as custom dictates, and in turn, you receive a slight nod from her. “I apologize if I startled you.”

Adrianna sets down her hoop, brushing a few errant strands of hair out of her face and straightening out her dress. A light flush dusts her cheeks at her apparent disheveled appearance, but it quickly fades once she’s appeared decent again. “No, it’s quite alright. It’s just that I’m long used to Bellatrix and the others knocking before they enter.”

You smile wryly. “I’ll make note of it, then.”

“Be that as it may,” She continues, “I was under the impression that you were to be absent for the entire day. My sister said that you were…in town for alchemical supplies?”

Not entirely false, considering your new requisitions. “Yes, that is correct. I just merely stopped to check in on Ellana and the rest of you before I returned. As skilled as Urath is, I carry on easier with periodic checks.”

“I see…then that implies that you are returning, no?”

“Aye. But there’s been an…ah…an issue that’s been brought to my attention.”

>You explained to her the situation that Klara presented to you.
>You explained the conundrum of Sofia Rudnick minus the expletives.

By the time you finish, Adrianna’s brows are furrowed, deep in thought. “When I met the lady at the morning meal, she seemed nothing but the epitome of proper upbringing. And Klara…she was very sure of this?”

You nod. “Quite so. And she does not strike me as much of a liar as much as one angry that their close family is being swindled or made fool of.”

“So you have come to me for permission…” She folds her hands together in her lap, exhaling deeply. “…you were wise to bring this to my attention. While Emeron and Palme are without our company, the authority of the Crownguard cedes to the eldest sibling present. In our case, that would be myself.”

(cont.)

She pauses, taking a sip from a nearby decanter of water before continuing, “But with that said, I doubt that this is a case that puts our lives in immediate danger, as you mentioned before. This seems to be an issue of interfamily politics.”

“Correct.” You answer.

“But she mentioned rewards, both political and monetary…” Adrianna muses, before turning to meet your gaze. “What do you think of this? As the one she petitioned for aid?”

>“We should accept her petition.” [There is no such thing as unwanted political favor.]
>“We should not accept her petition.” [This is beneath the authority of the Imperial Crown]
>Custom option

>>1160793
It will be helpful, as favor and money could be useful. However this sets an ill precedent if word were to get out, and possibly engender ill will. I myself am not versed in politics, that is your arena, not mine.

>>1160799
>>1160793
I'll support this. Marcus with his skills should be able to do this without any complication, but there is always that risk (nat 1). Whether that risk is worth the reward is not something we can decide. We'll defer to whatever Adrianna decides here.

>>1160793
>>“We should not accept her petition.” [This is beneath the authority of the Imperial Crown]

Any gains we might make from this are fairly small; we have no need of favors or currency while in service to the crown. And the punishment for failure is steep. Moderate risk for low reward? No thanks.

>>1160799
>>1160817
>>1160891
Eavesdropping is a task that you’re well-versed in. It not only has applications in finding the right position to pick the tumblers of a lock, but picking out the locations of certain individuals within a crowd. Compared to the more esoteric and dangerous exercises that Lucien had you do, listening on a noblewoman is an exercise in ease.

“I’m confident enough in my skills that being caught will not be an immediate concern,” You assure her. “I don’t know much about the politics and games the nobility plays with each other, but I don’t suppose one can have too many favors owed?”

Adrianna nods. “Correct.” Then, she pauses, thinking before saying, “Though we would have to ensure that Klara would be silent about your involvement. I must be the one to present the evidence. There will be no suspicion in my intervening in a disadvantageous wedding to my father’s bannerman.”

Underneath the lengthy sentences, you understand what she’s saying. A Crownguard’s duty is to protect their charge, and to remain stoic and impartial in all other things. The only one who had even the right to actively advise or give counsel to the nobility on a daily basis for running the realm is your Lord Commander. For the mere companions to the royal family, only silence lay in that field.

“I understand,” You state, completely understanding of the situation.”Now, if milady will excuse me…”

“Hold on a moment.” Her voice stops you in your tracks. “The Crowmonds will benefit from this greatly, as well as the Mazurs in avoiding scandal in their household. Klara promised you a reward, did she not? It must be a great one for daring to petition directly to the Crownguard.”

“…monetary or political,” You reply. “But it would be best not to disclose that to the public.”

“Yes, of course. But since we are the ones that are benefitting the most out of it…” Adrianna pauses, chewing on her lower lip. “…it would be remiss to not give you a suitable reward for this task. If you succeed in this task, a boon directly from the Crowmonds will be yours. Kept behind closed quarters, of course, but that does not diminish its worth, I hope?”

You try not to stare or stumble over your words like an idiot. “…milady, I’m…you are very kind.”
She seems to take pride at that. “Of course. It is only natural that we properly reward loyal retainers for their actions to benefit the crown. Anything less would be remiss on my part. Emeron would be furious.

“But with that said…do you have any boon that comes to mind now?”

>Another magical item to compliment your returning dagger.
>A monetary reward to increase your pool of expenditures.
>Detailed information on any one within the realm.
>Custom option.

>>1160928
>>Another magical item to compliment your returning dagger.

>>1160928
>Access to the intelligence network of the kingdom.
If that is not feasible
>Another magical item to compliment your returning dagger.

>>1160928
What are our weak areas we need to shore up? A magic items is nice, but I suspect we'd get more milage out of something less orthodox.

>>1160938
Nope, that's not unreasonable. Instead of being spoon-fed information at set intervals, you can just go straight to the source whenever the mood strikes you.

>>1160938
Not a bad idea, though I'm not sure what we'd be asking the network.

anything we need when we need it

>>1160938
Backing.

>>1160938
I have the strangest feeling we're gonna end up using/needing this alot for the little princess

backing if that wasn't clear

>>1160963
I meant more concretely examples. An intelligence network is usually a spy net, and would be used for things like nobility gossip, general gossip, and military movements. Any specific requests would take time to propagate through the network, and couldn't be done often. We might be able to use it for dead drops during infiltration? Access to rare books/plants?

To be clear, I'm not opposing it; I'm just trying to figure out how to actually get use out of it.

>Intelligence Network

Writing...

Oh, and Aderaveth is an Empire, not a kingdom. :-)

>>1161015
For you to mistake the terms, your intelligence network must not be very good :^)

>>1161019
I think the root of the mistake comes from my calling Melianna "queen" for the first couple of threads. Then I did some research and looked up that apparently, one can be king-emperor and queen-empress. Isn't the UK still an Empire on a technicality? And they're ruled by a king and queen. A mistake I own up to, but one that I can correct unobtrusively.

>>1161015
>An Empire on the other hand, is a large multi-ethnic state ruled by a central authority, often through military force. It could consist of multiple kingdoms and other political entities, but they must all be subservient to the emperor.

So, is the family we're guarding the emperor's family, or just /a/ royal family?

File: Burnt Kaithe.jpg (4.17 MB, 3300x2400)

4.17 MB JPG

>>1161034
Emperor's family. When Aedric the Conquerer united the eastern half of the continent and kicked off the Age of Crimson Reckoning, it was like he was the MC for a Mount and Blade campaign. All the petty kingdoms and lands had to bend the knee and become high lords/houses or be destroyed. Then he shit the bed thirty years later, went insane, dabbled in blood magic (hence his moniker, the Crimson Tyrant) and got overthrown by Ellana's ancestor Maxvell Crowmond,

The Ingulans are their own ethnic people who have accepted Imperial authority, and there's sub-branches of the Vethics (Gnuryllians, Eucarics, etc.) much like there's the Celts/Goths with their respective sub-branches (Visigoths, Scottish-Gaelic, etc.). Everyone has racial slurs for each other. It's so wonderful.

The map is still a work in progress.

Writing...

>>1160938
>>1160987
>>1161007
“The Empire has its own spy network, am I not correct?”
That certainly takes her off her guard. “Y-yes, we do. Our spymaster is Jory Armand, and he is in charge of all the intelligence that we receive. He reports directly to my brother and Orici on the Imperial Council.”

You sense that something is off from the way that she describes the man in question. “…is this Armand fellow…an untoward character or unsavory? From what I’ve seen of your brother, it seems that he has a low tolerance for the cloak and dagger.”

“…Emeron is very…headstrong, and prefers to use force as opposed to the subtle blade. But he does rely on Armand’s intelligence to create strategies and other plans on the battlefield. As for Armand…” She shudders. “No, the man is as pleasant as one of his…position can be. He’s polite enough, but…his very presence is unnerving. As if he knows all of your secrets…”

You make a mental note about Armand. “Then I’ll be sure to be careful around him.” Very, very careful. Palme knows the full extent of who and what you are. You can trust him to hold a secret. Not so much with this Imperial Spymaster. “And as for Lady Sofia Rudnick…where is she at the moment?”

“…I believe that she is currently in her quarters. Do you intend to start your…investigation now?”

“Not yet. Perhaps tomorrow,” You answer. “Now, if you will excuse me…”

The two of you exchange a bow and curtsy before you make your way towards the gate. Everything is all in order, obscuring cloak, magic dagger and enough weapons to take on a rebel garrison. A common saying among thieves and other back-alley gangers is that no plan survives initial contact with an enemy.

It’s a good think your back-up plan is just as covert and quiet as your primary one.

>Sundown
>The Tavern

“I wasn’t sure that you would show up…” Huddled in the corner of the shop, Claudia morosely chews on her bit of bread. The dimness of the tavern only accentuates her disguise, aiding the cloak in obscuring her face from the patrons of the establishment. “I was half-tempted to leave and return to my business if you’d not appeared within another ten minutes.”

“And for that, I apologize.” You offer. “And I’ll pay for the meal as well. I had to make sure that your extended family or their guards didn’t recognize me.”

She directs a look as her eyes track you up and down. You’ve abandoned your alchemist’s uniform for the favored black and unmarked leather armor. All of it hidden underneath your own cloak, of course. The night is still young, and all around are dockhands and fishermen readying themselves for a horrible headache in the morning. Best not to be mistaken for some sort of pickpocket or thief in their intoxicated state.

(cont.)

Claudia winces as an irate patron smashes the teeth out of another customer for no discernible reason whatsoever. “So do you have a plan?”

>Enter disguised. Claudia has invited Amadeo for a late-night experiment.
>Split up. Enter the guild building through an alternate side entrance or opening.
>Stay together. Follower her from the shadows so that you won't be separated.
>Custom option.

>>1161177
>Stay together. Follow her from the shadows so that you won't be separated.

>>1161177
>>Stay together. Follower her from the shadows so that you won't be separated.

>>1161177
>Stay together. Follow her from the shadows so that you won't be separated.

>>1161177
>Stay together. Follow her from the shadows so that you won't be separated.

>>1161177
>Stay together. Follower her from the shadows so that you won't be separated.

>>1161177
>>Stay together. Follower her from the shadows so that you won't be separated.
Us being seen together, even in disguise, may generate ..unsavory rumors about her. No need to cause her grief.

File: Marcus Painel.jpg (41 KB, 636x900)

41 KB JPG

>>1161197
>>1161234
>>1161415
>>1161634
>>1161698
>>1161967
“We stick together,” You answer, gesturing for her to rise. “I made sure to take note of every nook and cranny that the building has to offer, and all of the high beams that keep the roof from falling on our heads. Getting inside after you may prove to be difficult, but I’m a practiced hand at this art.”

She stares at you, before coming to a definite conclusion. “You are definitely not like any Crownguard I have ever heard of or read about.”

“Claudia, I’d honestly be surprised if there was another like me. Now let’s go. I need to get into position…”

The sun is completely behind the Whrelzwth by the time you are ready. From your vantage point atop the tiled roof of a nearby building, you can make out the distinct figure of your contact. The light that flickers from street braziers and comes down from the clouded moon is more than enough to tack the grey-cloaked figure amidst a throng of lingering smallfolk. The wind is beginning to pick up, but many of the dockworkers and other laborers continue to loiter near the entrances of warm taverns and bakeries, working on small cups of grog and cheap beer as if they held all the secrets in the universe.

As Claudia reaches the gate, it’s your turn to move. The clasp at your neck comes loose with a single touch, letting the threadbare cloak be taken by the winds of winter. You hold out your arm, comparing the black and dark blue leathers on your body to the infinite void of the winter sky. It would take either the sharpest of eyes or a fatal mistake on your part to be seen/

Your body shifts, legs tensing before they push off from the surface of the roof. For a blissful moment, you are in flight, with naught underneath your feet save for the rushing air and the sheer drop to the cold mud of the main road. Then, your feet hit the stone of the next building over, knees bending to accommodate the inertia of your jump, then pushing off once more into the next jump.

There is no energy wasted, no pause in your movement. You leap over the alcoves and partitions that jut from the roofs, making your way towards the edge of the block. There is no obstacle that can stop your advance, no high jump or distance from one point to the next that even elicits hesitation. To anyone somehow able to see you performing these great feats of acrobatics, they would assume that you had spent years practicing this particular run.

They could not be further from the truth. All it had taken was once cursory inspection to find out all the little spaces and obstacles that you had to avoid or turn to your advantage. Fingers long-since calloused from years of training seek out holes within the brickwork and the edges of tiled alcoves, gripping tight to haul you over their edges. Your steps are light, and there are many falls that turn into tumbles to better diffuse momentum and force of impact throughout your body.

(cont.)

>>1162781
She has a point. We're the furthest from the whole 'knight-protector in shining armor' image in the entire company, when that company includes a bow-using savage and at least two more assassins. :^)

File: 1486770954195.png (101 KB, 501x747)

101 KB PNG

>>1162802
Bellatrix is p good, so is the ingulian smug faggot.

>>1162781
Claudia is almost at the front of the queue. You have only seconds to reach the bridge that connects the city of Alnerwich to the Alchemists’ Guild.

You land on a sloped roof, hand splayed to control your descent down the ice-slicked tiles. Once you reach the bottom of the incline, you will need nothing short of the most absolute of timing. Too late, and you risk plunging into the frozen waters of the Anosar river. Too early, and you’re going to crash into that fishmonger’s stall.

But that is not what worries you. You’ve leapt across further distances in Karthmire, and made them all without little more than a bruise at the best, or a sprained finger at the worst. What does worry you, however, is the possibility of attracting attention. Crashing into stone, leather armor or not, is definitely going to attract some attention.

You have prepared for this. Reaching into your pocket, you pull out a stone, taken from the Mazur’s gardens. It’s a river stone, smooth and polished by the waters of the Anosar over a course of countless years. It weighs as much as bag of coins, loud enough to cause a loud splash in the water…or heavy enough to knock a man out stone cold.

The target in question is the fishmonger whose stall you aim to leap over. Muttering an apology underneath your breath, you take aim, carefully keeping track of both your position on the incline and Claudia’s as she reaches the front of the line…

>Roll 1d100 + 30 Ranged
>Best of three

>>1162802
Palme and Bellatrix are the closest to knights, and Palme is the only Ser on the entire Crownguard. So that's two knights, two mages, one savage champion and three rogues of questionable training. But hey, as long as you're competent, a cloth cut above the best warriors of the realm and loyal to the Crowmonds, then you're in the Crownguard.

>>1162835
Bellatrix and Palme are the only real knights, and Bellatrix is at least one part "something else" as well.

File: guard_by_wlop-d9kmnxu.jpg (275 KB, 1600x894)

275 KB JPG

Rolled 17 + 30 (1d100 + 30)

>>1162840
We're not gonna be re-enacting this image anytime soon, is all I'm saying.

Rolled 24 + 30 (1d100 + 30)

>>1162840

Rolled 14 + 30 (1d100 + 30)

>>1162840

Rolled 14 + 30 (1d100 + 30)

>>1162840

>>1162858
>Knife-ears

>>1162859
>>1162860
Whelp.

Writing...

Good start.

Seriously though, getting lower than a 25 on a best of three has really low odds. It's impressive.

File: 015.png (457 KB, 1550x1200)

457 KB PNG

>>1162866
At least we hit 50 right?

>>1162869
I'll put it this way. Nat 100 starts a fight and keeps the guards holed up for the duration of your infiltration. Nat 1 beans Claudia.

>>1162872
Aye. So it's a pretty mediocre roll with the bonus. Not good, but not exactly too bad either. Definitely could have been much worse.

File: 1487103744259.png (467 KB, 1151x734)

467 KB PNG

>>1162858
>elves
You know what they say about elves.

File: ...Elven women..png (164 KB, 1375x1022)

164 KB PNG

>>1162884
I've heard rumours.

File: Keyboard Tears.jpg (18 KB, 315x362)

18 KB JPG

>>1162892
>Steve
It still hurts

>>1162899
Sweet dreams, good prince.

File: df2f1b78cb27c07b28ec40ab5(...).gif (28 KB, 600x335)

28 KB GIF

>>1162858
>>1162859
>>1162860
As far as throws go, it isn’t your best one. Far from it. You could either blame it on the bump in the tiles, or the fact that the stone is far from one of your smoother, streamlined throwing knives.
Regardless, it does its job well enough. The stone flies out of your hand as you leap from the roof. Man and projectile soar over the street, coming down over the heads of the smallfolk. And just as you clear the stall and continue on your way, the stone finds its target.

The fishmonger, a balding man in his early thirties, has only a scant moment to look up before a stone the size of an apple catches the man right in his shoulder. He is cry of pain turns into a storm of curses as he drops the crate of iced perch onto his foot, cursing everything from someone’s mother the very gods themselves.

The noise draws the attention his fellows, and some of the nearby passerby. Some of the guards turn their heads towards the source of the noise, but quickly return back to minding the gate when they see the vitriolic vendor.

It is more than enough time for you to reach your destination. The wooden beam that juts out from the cliff face creaks in protest underneath the sudden weight of your body. But the yew holds, still as whole and hale as they day its workers applied a seal of caulk and hot pitch.

And no one is the wiser to your little escapade.

Claudia begins her walk. In the openings of the bridge, she occasionally glances out towards the underdocks, perhaps hoping to catch sight of you, and make sure that you’re still there. Not that she could see you, and not just from your armor. No, it is because you have now begun the second part of the infiltration.

You leap from post to post, lingering on one beam only for the scantest of seconds before you push off onto the next one. Clotheslines and festival string tremble at every interval, each vibrating like a minstrel’s lyre gone out of tune. Or a bowstring, you muse as you watch a bit of clothing fall onto an unsuspecting peasant. The woman shrieks as someone’s shawl envelops her, ranting on about how the ghost of her husband has come to haunt her. The poor lady’s bound to be the butt of many a tale and joke for a long time to come.

The final leap takes you directly to the bridge, and you grab onto to the voussoir with a tight grip. The stone is cold, almost enough to drive the feeling from your fingertips. But it is not nearly as bad as the climb you made with Urath at the Midbridge, and at least it is not snowing.

You quickly move to catch up with Claudia, scooting along ringstone arches and keystones with nimble dexterity. The guards who open the door for her fail to notice you haul yourself up onto the bridge, pressing yourself tight against the buttress connecting the entrance to the structure proper.

(cont.)

>>1162983
Now all that’s left to do…

As the gates pull open for her, you make your move. The noise of the chains masks your approach, and you bypass the guards without as much as a twitch or questioning look in your general direction. From your belt, you pull a length of silk rope, from where a fishing weight dangles at the other end. You quickly build momentum, spinning it in your hands before you let it fly towards the first crossbeam of the ceiling.

The weight catches, wrapping around the wooden beam and holding fast. From the high capstone, you swing through the entrance. No sooner does your hand make it onto the beam do the gates finally begin to close. They slam shut with a resounding BOOM by the time you finish undoing the loop of your impromptu device.

“…” Claudia looks uncertain, tapping her foot restlessly and glancing around before you break her out of her trepidation.

“Keep going,” You hiss from the rafters. She starts, but quickly relaxes, schooling herself back to her pleasantly unassuming demeanor. “Try not to stop for anyone or anything.”

>Stealth, Rank 1: You gain a +10 to Rolls made to keep out of sight

>Roll 1d100 + 40 Stealth (+10 Skill, +10 Circumstance)
>Best of three.

>>1163017
EDIT: That's supposed to be +30 Circumstance. Goddammit.

Rolled 34 (1d100)

>>1163017

Rolled 3 + 40 (1d100 + 40)

>>1163017
lets roll 'em

Also we only have stealth rank 1? huh.

Rolled 37 + 40 (1d100 + 40)

>>1163017

>>1163017

Rolled 2 + 40 (1d100 + 40)

>>1163017

>>1163024
>>1163025
>>1163026
>>1163030
We are rolling just terribly tonight, 8 rolls and the highest was 37

File: 1487126988713.png (464 KB, 500x500)

464 KB PNG

>>1163030
I should stop rolling

Rolled 21 + 40 (1d100 + 40)

>>1163017

>>1163025
For earlier character creation in the second thread, we built Marcus to be more focused on pick-pocketing/picking locks and brewing poisons/bombs/etc. Rank 1 in Stealth is the minimum amount of training you've been given by Lucien, just enough to disappear from untrained eyes and trained ones under obscuring circumstances (winter snow, darkness, etc.).

Writing...

Rolled 99 + 40 (1d100 + 40)

>>1163017
Rolling just to get the taint out of the way. RNGesus hates us today it seems.

File: 1487116098634.jpg (31 KB, 436x341)

31 KB JPG

>>1163063

File: c3bb37bca7adf5191fef78e37(...).jpg (80 KB, 455x675)

80 KB JPG

>>1163063

File: even yotsuba is disturbed.jpg (45 KB, 224x353)

45 KB JPG

>>1163063

>>1163024
>>1163025
>>1163026
The architects of the guild designed the building in such a way that the high ceilings would require great beams to stabilize the overhead stone. Reinforced by iron bolts and no small amount of magic, the support pillars and shafts keep the domed and capped roof from collapsing in onto themselves. Ventilation seems to be a main concern as well as ensuring that the top is thick enough to keep the most severe of seasonal storms from bringing the building down on top of the lot of them.

There are some sections that dip low, forcing Claudia to keep a look out as you scurry from one corridor to the next, coming down from one rafter and then leaping back onto another. And that was just the main entrance to get into the long hallway of laboratories. Doubtless there will come harder challenges.

Regardless, you’re not one to complain. From the way the beams are placed at certain intervals, and interconnected from one cross-section to the next, maintenance seems to be something that is performed here. Of course it is. Nothing is this easy.

Muttering underneath your breath, you move on, hopping from post to post and hoping that tonight is not the scheduled time to inspect the rafters and ceilings. To your supreme pleasure, it is not. And the ambient torchlight is kept deliberately low, sealed within lamps at every two dozen paces. They will not risk open flame in this environment. All the better for you.

To your complete lack of surprise, there appear to be some people that are still in the building. There are alchemists that frown at beakers and flasks of unknown substances, occasionally adding a pinch of sulfur or rock salt into the mix. Nearby, bleary-eyed apprentices hold back yawns and groans of discomfort as they copy recipes and formulae from crumbling journals onto pristine sheets of vellum. And still there are those who simply just push carts of reagents and catalysts, to be bundled and prepared for transport or delivery to a customer.

More than once does Claudia get a few waves, some of which she returns with varying degrees of enthusiasm. “I’m happy for your success, Demien. Gretta, the order of powdered oyster shell and artichoke has come in for that special request potion. No, really, Henrick, I’m fine, I parted from Amadeo amicably at the inn…”

Eventually, she manages to make her way past her family, coming to a stop at the end of an abandoned hallway. There are no guards that are posted here, and nothing of interest save for a golden door. No, that’s not right. The door itself is painted gold, but you can see inlays of silver among the iron brace, among other symbols and metals sacred to the art of alchemy.

(cont.)

File: Silvera's Labratory.jpg (139 KB, 1024x576)

139 KB JPG

“We’re here,” she whispers, fishing out the keys at her belt. She is careful not to make as much as a jangle as she inserts her key. “This door leads directly to the laboratory and quarters of the Grand Alchemist. We’ll have to go up a flight of stairs first…”

You check carefully around you before descending from the rafters. It is a controlled descent that has you rebounding from beam to stone wall until you find yourself beside the girl. At your slight nod, she turns the key, wincing at the CLUNK the lock makes as it disengages before shoving you through the door.

“Quickly!” She hisses, closing the door before pushing right at your back. “We don’t have all night!”
You quickly lose track of the number of stairs you have to traverse, stopping short of seventy three before you give up. And these are moderately sized steps! You no longer feel like you’re climbing up a magistrate’s domicile, but scaling the archetypal wizard’s tower. The Grand Alchemist must like his privacy. And space, if the protrusion from the rear of the guild building was any indication.

For a good reason, apparently. It’s hard for your mouth not to fall agape at the lab before you. The most sophisticated equipment lies before you, even more advanced than any you’ve ever seen, both in Karthmire and in the grand hall bellow. A portable stove, rows upon rows of beakers and flasks, and a set of tools that would make a priest jealous.

But it is the walls, walls upon walls of reagents and catalysts. Tiny bottles of feverdew extract, jars of pickled drakling eyes, even a bony talon of a great Whrelzwth Roc are but commonplace among the rarest ingredients you’ve ever laid eyes on.

Claudia seems to take some sort of pride. “Isn’t it wonderful? Father and I built it together a few years ago, using our own innovative designs. Careful cataloguing and more efficiency means less items and reagents needed to create a formula…”

A she rambles on, you can see a little ways to the right that there’s a door leading to what must undoubtedly be the Grand Master’s domicile. Bedchambers, personal study…and private archives..

>Search the laboratory. Claudia takes the quarters.
>Search the quarters. Claudia takes the laboratory.
>Custom option.

>>1163173
>>Search the quarters. Claudia takes the laboratory.

>>1163173
>Search the quarters. Claudia takes the laboratory.
She knows what she's looking for in a laboratory, she wouldn't in someone's quarters.
If neccessary we can switch it up anyway.

>>1163173
>Search the quarters. Claudia takes the laboratory.

>>1163173
>>Search the quarters. Claudia takes the laboratory.
She helped design it, she should know where to look.

>>1163186
>>1163188
>>1163191
You’re not sure what you were expecting when you split up to search your respective quarters. Silvera’s quarters seem to be the epitome of cleanliness. The man’s bed is perfectly made, all of the books are in order, whether they be in piles around the room or on shelves. There are no crumbs of bread or cheese on the desk, and the candle sticks on the holder are brand new.

All in all, it seems that the man’s very fastidious about keeping things in some sort of order.

…you don’t like it.

You don’t like it one bit.

There are a lot of books. Not nearly as many as the books in the Crowmonds’ personal library, but there are volumes that are as easily as thick as your fist. Old texts of alchemy, dating back to the founding of Aderaveth and the Bladebound Rebellion. And to your surprise, framed on the wall is an original formula for a hangover potion, penned on wyvernskin by none other than Treyu the Hunter, the oft rumored lover of Brynn the Breaker.

You check yourself before you get too excited at all the alchemical artifacts and relics from the history of the continent. There’s going to be time for that later. Best to start searching now and save your energy for when the bad thing happens. No, not “a bad thing”, but “the bad thing”.

It’s only inevitable.

Well, best get to searching.

"...'A Risque Repository of the most Ribald Tales'?" You shudder as you set that book back onto the nightstand. You just learned more about Silvera than you had any desire to, and not in a good way.

>Roll 1d100 + 20 Perception (+20 Circumstance)
>Best of three.

Rolled 16 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>1163249

Rolled 67 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>1163249

Rolled 46 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>1163249

Rolled 24 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>1163249
welp

>>1163256
Much better than usual. Do we know that hangover recipe? If not, and we have the time, we should memorize it. Might come in handy.

>>1163272
Yeah, you can totally do that. I'll add it to your list of formulae that you know.

I really gotta make a pastebin for BRQ someday for all of Marcus' inventory, poison forumlae and bomb recipes...

Writing...

File: 1487128796053.jpg (316 KB, 1280x1024)

316 KB JPG

>>1163272
Good thing I stopped rolling.

kaz ded?

>>1163522
is ded
>Kaz @TaskForceKaz 2 hours ago
>Running out of steam. One more update and then we resume tomorrow.