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>>2035568
"Interesting that you would choose something related to your past, considering your choice of Court," the Lord of December points out, not unkindly. He straightens up in his chair, long fingers steepled together (behind him, his court of shadows wheels and dances in silent revelry). "The logic is sound, of course. The Freehold exists in a time where it has little information and craves more, where enemies might come from common citizens with unknown motivations, and the problems we must solve are delicate and fragile. Forum's report makes you out as a master warrior, but war is a blunt tool, a hatchet. Our situation would not survive it."

"Thank you, Lord Monroe. I...shielding the weak is noble, but being a Knight isn't just the fight. It's how you live your life. A Knight should be educated, courteous, insightful..."

Misery nods and gestures to you, palms and fingers pressed together. "Very well. As I see it, there are two ways in which I might fulfill my obligation to you. The first is, perhaps, the most simple. I will bring you the texts from which I learned certain relevant Contracts, enabling you with the same opportunities I took, along with my notes on those subjects. You need never be bothered with me or mine again unless you choose to be,"

You furrow your brow. "And the other?"

Misery Monroe smiles, and the shadows behind him go from cavorting to full, poised attention, each of them staring at you from their long places behind his chair. "I teach you in person, devoting my time and attention to you. You would have access to me on a regular basis, granting you the burdens and opportunities presented to those who speak with kings on a regular basis. But, Warlock Knight, this means burdening you with something far more powerful and dangerous - my secrets. The friendship of Winter is not without cost or condition."

"Am I supposed to choose?" you ask, eyes on Misery's dark, unreadable expression.

"You are the second oathbreaker in as many years that I have had the dubious pleasure of treating with personally, Warlock Knight," Misery says, with a certain amount of amusement. "The first surprised me. You, I believe, intrigue me. Yes, I rather think you should choose. Do you want what you paid for, or are you prepared to accept the friendship of a king?"

> Take the books
> Learn in person

>>2035652
>Learn in person
Trying to person is what Colors is all about, when you get right down to it.

>>2035652
> Learn in person
Oh shit niggas, we's about to be schooled by the scariest motherfucker in faerie town.

But seriously, Misery is such a cool character. Him and Raven are definitely my favorite monarchs. Also, Rook is going to be SO butthurt that we have the ear of yet another Crown.

>learn in person

>Learn in person
Let's take the challenge, and let him see just how intriguing we can be!

>>2035652
>>2035789
Oops, forgot to link

>>2035652
> Learn in person

We are already trusted by our Queen.

Also Rook is gonna shit a brick

>>2035710
Eventually end up with us being the head of the Mundane Court. The Court that handles Mortal affairs. Because we're gonna handle mortals by having affairs with them.

We're a dirty mudblood fucker.

>>2035710
>>2035826
You may want to read what Misery said again and re-evaluate your expectations about the Rook's feelings.

...Depending on your own, of course.

>>2035837
Shush you.

Besides, we can't lewd the white rabbit. We haven't rescued her from a tall, forbidden tower after slaying the (insert villain and/or monster here). It's all written down in the Deluxe Edition Knight's Handbook!

>>2035844
Nah, I know what I said. I think.

Misery, as both Winter and as a Monarch, has to deal with a lot of Shit (tm), some similar and some very different from what Arthur and Ramona have had to on their plates. Likewise, he will probably have a different manner of teaching than what we're used to seeing.

But more than any of that, we get to see the man under the Mantle and Crown. I imagine its been a while since he opened up to a (relative) stranger, and we have to respect the knowledge and secrets he's promised to share with us.

If none of this is making sense, I apologize. I am about twice as drunk as I should be on a work night.

How I read that, it seems more like Rook's gonna pity us for having personal time with Misery to teach us

>>2035844
>>2035844
I don't think the Rook will be mad.

I think he'll be excited and start plotting on how to help us fully utilize our new position for out own good - and also his own goals. Justifying it as being "best for everyone".

>>2035652
>> Learn in person

>> Learn in person

Friendship is the real treasure.

Its also more power.

>>2035652
> Learn in person
Now THIS feels like an amazing opportunity, with so, so much potential. It would be an absolute shame to pass it up.

>>2035844
Might as well call it here. Seems to be unanimously supported.

>>2036234
While you're not wrong, I also have to sleep so I can work tomorrow, so...

>>2036240
Sleep at work. In the Nap Nook.

>>2035652
>> Learn in person
It won't kill Colors

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>>2035652
>> Learn in person

>>2036368
I'm still kinda green to this setting but I suspect this statement is not 100% accurate...

>>2035652
> Learn in person
This is clearly going to end badly but fuck it, let's do it anyway!

>>2035652
>> Learn in person
Who ever got anything worth getting by risking nothing, eh?

So a thought I had:

What would you all want from a Vox-Changeling psuedo-dating simulator story? Say, a drunken bet is made into a drunken pact sealed by Wyrd, and now the regular, non-Lost protagonist has a year and a day to seduce every royalty leader in their city.

Extra points for there to be multiple ruling styles, like seasonal and day/night ruling simultaneously and whatever other conditions.

Thoughts?

>>2037353
...Wut.

>>2037398
"Date the Changeling Quest" or something like that. Just a regular fellow who made a drunken declaration that they now have to back up or face the Consequences.

Called, writing.

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>>2035652
It takes exactly no time to make a decision. "What kind of Knight would I be to refuse you, Lord Monroe? I have to have faith in my own honor if anyone else is to do the same. It would be my privilege and my pleasure to learn from you."

Misery Monroe nods, unsurprised by your decision. The shadows that hold court behind him move in, slipping beneath your table to spread all over the room in a fractured pool of grey darkness. "Then the practical concerns first, I should think. What I teach you becomes something you know about me; what you confess to me or desire to learn becomes something I know about you, to say nothing of what each of us gleans from sharing in each other's company and presence. I propose a straightforward pledge; you will not discuss or reveal information about my magical capabilities or private affairs except to me, to those who already know the information in question, as part of acting against a threat to my mind or person, to individuals I specifically designate as recipients of that information, or at the direct order of the reigning monarch, in which case you will make your best effort to inform me of the event and the information you were commanded to disclose. I, in turn, will not discuss or reveal your magical capabilities or private affairs except to you, to those who already know the information in question, as part of acting against a threat to your mind or person, to individuals you specifically designate as recipients of that information, or at the direct order of the reigning monarch, or else in my capacity as a lord of this Freehold as relates to a matter of the common defense, in which case I will make my best effort to inform you of the event and the information disclosed. For the purposes of this agreement, your status as my student in sorcery and mine as your teacher in the same are both public information, to be shared at our mutual discretion. Each of us will enjoy the benefits of the Wyrd's blessing upon your learning and my teaching, and the faithless party will be rendered vulnerable to violence rendered by the wronged. Do we have an accord?"

You nod and offer your hand out. "We do, Lord Monroe." The Lord of December clasps your hand, and your heart flutters with the energy of a pledge sealed.

You have sworn the KING'S SECRETS pledge

Misery takes his hand back and retrieves a card from his breast pocket, a plain white affair with a phone number printed on it. "There are names you can say to solve problems in your life," he tells you, almost pleasantly. "Once said, these names cannot be unsaid; there is a price for the dark invocations in question. Likewise, this number, called or offered a text, will provide you with my attention. You will find it not easily dismissed, once attained. Outside of this circumstance, we will meet twice weekly to carry out your instruction in the fine arts of investigation, perception, and divination. I look forward to it."

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>>2039096
"As do I, Lord Monroe," you tell him; you carefully place the card in your wallet, where you will not lose it. "If I may be so bold...?"

Slim eyebrows raise in interest.

"Why pay us in a personal favor for a matter we could easily have been compelled to do by Arthur? It's high Summer, and the responsibility to defend the Freehold and to pay for that defense falls upon the Court of Wrath. It...it doesn't make sense," you admit, after a moment.

"I suppose it does not," Misery agrees. "Winter's services are not free. We demand our payment, half up front, like clockwork for even tasks relating to the common good. We can be clannish; we are often selfish. I confess to all of this. But in this time of strife and uncertainty, when each of us alone would break and die, I wished to remind the Freehold both that it has a genuine friend in Winter, and that our services can indeed be bought, and are in fact on offer. Winter takes what is owed and pays what is owing, and we will neither cheat nor be cheated."

You nod. "Thank you, Lord Monroe. When may I expect you next?"

"Meet me at the Humane Society tomorrow. We're going to learn about tracking."

* * * *
You have free time aside from your lessons with Misery. You...

> Ought to take the Rook and Forum up on their offers to teach you more about what you missed out on (Academics [0/3] and Politics [0/1])
> Should double down on magical learning; the world's eyes are open and in times of trouble they expect a Lost to know what she's about (Occult [0/1])
> Have a standing offer to train with Erin Peters... (Melee [0/3])
> Should spend more time with your mortal friends, and keep an even keel (remove HORROR, Contacts (New Avalon entertainment venues) [0/2])
> Could lend Vickie a hand with her new job while she's getting started up (Court Goodwill (Autumn) [0/1]

>>2039112
>Should spend more time with your mortal friends, and keep an even keel (remove HORROR, Contacts (New Avalon entertainment venues) [0/2])

Can't help anyone if we go mad.

>>2039112
>> Should spend more time with your mortal friends, and keep an even keel (remove HORROR, Contacts (New Avalon entertainment venues) [0/2])

>>2039112
>> Could lend Vickie a hand with her new job while she's getting started up (Court Goodwill (Autumn) [0/1]
And we still have a pledge to fulfill. Frolicking around with Fancy now for another long time is at our own risk.

>>2039112
> Should spend more time with your mortal friends, and keep an even keel (remove HORROR, Contacts (New Avalon entertainment venues) [0/2])

>>2039112
Damn. I'm kinda torn between working with Rook and Forum, and spending time with Fancy and the Millers.

>>2039181
This is true as well. Need to complete that project for Ms. Maggie after she agreed to give us that info.

Maybe we can invite Fancy to watch us work again, describe how she assisted us and now we're making something for her in payment of her services?

>>2039112
> Could lend Vickie a hand with her new job while she's getting started up (Court Goodwill (Autumn) [0/1]
We should support best girl.

>>2039207
>Maybe we can invite Fancy to watch us work again, describe how she assisted us and now we're making something for her in payment of her services?
Sure why not. Do remember that Fancy is not our only mortal contact tho

>>2039181
>>2039207
Pretty sure this is the character advancement bit Vox was talking about

>>2039396
>this is the character advancement bit Vox was talking about
Every route is chatracter advancement (well, except maybe the overlong boring talks with Fancy)

>>2039502
In the narrative sense, yes. In the hard mechanical sense this is indeed part of what I'd alluded to earlier with getting opportunities to improve Colors' sheet directly during downtime.

I'll try to update sometime after 10 PM EST. I gotta hit work.

>>2039112
>> Should spend more time with your mortal friends, and keep an even keel (remove HORROR, Contacts (New Avalon entertainment venues) [0/2])

>>2037353
Lots of humor. The Lost are all insane.

>>2039112
>> Ought to take the Rook and Forum up on their offers to teach you more about what you missed out on (Academics [0/3] and Politics [0/1])

>>2039112
>> Have a standing offer to train with Erin Peters... (Melee [0/3])
Let's keep our niche high, anyone working with us in a fight will be expecting us to Git Gud.

>>2039112
Does the 0/X mean we'll go up X points or we'll end at X or what?

Update's gonna be delayed or possibly canceled tonight. Co-worker is in critical condition, and may die. You have my apologies.

>>2041387
Today in things I should have explained at the time but I was trying to crawl into bed.

So! In general, you need to train and/or be taught to get better at certain tasks or attributes. Connections have to be made, techniques learned, practice invested. During interludes and other periods of downtime, you'll have the chance to work on this directly.

When you invest time to train in something, you tag a point into it representing your progress towards better understanding of the subject and techniques. Advantages like Contacts etc that you can deliberately cultivate, as well as your Wyrd, can be improved in the same manner. When you've got points equal to your current training (minimum 1), you tick over to the next level.

A word to the wise: this is deliberately simplified and gameified both for my convenience and because I am not gonna fuck around with gaining and spending XP. It may be subject to change if it turns out I've somehow fucked up into another dimension without realizing it.

>>2041932
But why Academics, especially when hat will take so long to learn ? We're not a bookish Autumn or Winter Courtier, In fact we have that base coverd in our Motley with Rook and maybe even Forum.

>>2042437
Are you asking me why people are voting for Academics, why it's an option, or what it represents?

>>2042437
Knowledge is but another sword we'll need to properly wield to defend the Freehold.

>>2042443
What it represents, and why it is a option. Sure, Colors can be a all-rounder, but why ? If she wants to know stuff she has contacts and allies who are years ahead of her in that field.

Politics seems much more a useful investment, with how a etiquette brach can get you in deep trouble.

>>2042885
Academics is the generalized body of knowledge you have for, basically, livin' ya life and having an education. Specialties refine it with further expertise, but the TL;DR is the average member of a first-world nation knows a shocking amount of facts, math, and science when you think about it, and Academics covers that shit as well as one's ability to solve problems through rote memorization, having the knowledge, or extrapolating from known facts.

I also made a mistake in its rank-up, that should be 0/2

As for why it's an option Colors missed out on a shitload of time that took place between 1984 or so and 2001, including a shitload of her own culture that these days is just unquestioned common knowledge. Playing catch-up with the Rook and Forum inherently involves learning shit she missed out on.

>>2037353
This is a terrible idea. Not a bad fetish though. Done better with Monster Hearts.

>>2041932
Oh shit, what happened? Workplace accident? Random scary sickness? Car accident?

>>2044348
We got her a ride home on Monday because she was too impaired to drive. Not drugs or anything like that; her grandfather is dying, and "dying" isn't dead enough for American businesses to give you time off. She was strung out on grief and insomnia, falling asleep where she was standing. Her department was covering for her, trying to help out; no one wanted her fired because her grandfather was dying and the fucking soulless machine that is retail employment still demanded its pound of flesh.

She got a ride home Monday. Tuesday morning, her parents let her behind the wheel. If she survives, she will be blind for life, and will never walk again.

>>2044925
Jesus h. Christ, I'm so sorry vox

>>2044925
What the fuck?! RETAIL!!!! REEEEEEEEEE!!!!

I REALLY hope they can press for something against the employers, because that is ludicrous and that poor girl did nothing wrong to deserve that.

FUCK.

>>2044925
She has my sympathies and condolences.

I hopes someone is keeping an eye on her - that kind of damage on top of her already bad situation can put someone on a suicide watch list. Speaking from experience.

>>2045565
>grandfather dies
>so poor you have to work retail even while grieving
>You'll be blind and disabled for the rest of your life
Honestly if she wants to die, OP should let her. who would want to live such a shitty existence just to die later

>>2047226
Me. Life is worth living and can be reclaimed even in the worst of things.

>>2045233
> Tuesday morning, her parents let her behind the wheel.

Tragedy, the gift that keeps on giving.

>>2041932
So . . . How are things? Ya'alright?

>>2048528
My shit's in order again, at least. I'll post an update tonight after work, roundabouts 10:30 PM EST or so.

Called, tallying, writing. Thanks for your patience.

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>>2051458
Pic related. Blech. I'll get on this tomorrow.

>>2051672
Pic related?

>>2054783
The filename is "I Lied", anon.

Writing, at long last.

>>2054783
Watch more RWBY

>>2054783
don't watch RWBY, it's awful

>>2054823
>>2054864
Please don't start this. Please. I am begging you on my fleshless knees.

>>2054803
Yeah I meant "You Lied about doing it today too".

Because it was technically after midnight at that point in your time zone no?

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>>2039112
Somehow, attempting to hang with Fancy and Trista has ended up with you in a prop room, with a gaggle of amateur thespians hanging on to your every word.

You should probably feel worse about giving them detailed advice on stabbings.

"No one ever just gets stabbed one time," you elaborate. "I mean...one good stab is probably enough to kill a man but not right away. Stabbings as crimes are crimes of passion; stabbings in a fight keep going until the person you're fighting stops fighting back, which can take awhile when you're high on adrenaline and any movement is an attack as far as you're concerned."

The young thespians you're talking to nod along. "Prop department'd have a hell of a time trying to get this done," Fancy notes.

"I know a guy going after his chem degree," a young woman muses.

"Pay him," you and Trista warn at the same time.

"Yeah, definitely!"

"How did we end up here?" Trista murmurs to you as Fancy gets to talking shop with some of the college kids.

"I think I was complaining about television violence," you answer. "And then Fancy started talking..."

"Sounds right." Trista sighs, fondly, and shakes her head. "Thanks for inviting me out. Your friend is...interesting."

"Yeah," you murmur. "...Hey..."

> Any more strange dreams?
> Can I borrow your sanity for a minute to ask love life advice?
> The Freehold's having a festival at the end of the month. You can come, if you're willing to play at least one game

>>2054905
I mean, yes. On the other hand I like many people tend to think of 'tomorrow' as 'the period of time between when I next wake up and when I next pass the fuck out', so...

>>2054989
>Any more strange dreams?
>The Freehold's having a festival at the end of the month. You can come, if you're willing to play at least one game

>>2054989
>> Any more strange dreams?
>> Can I borrow your sanity for a minute to ask love life advice?

>>2054989
>Any more strange dreams?

>>2054989
> The Freehold's having a festival at the end of the month. You can come, if you're willing to play at least one game

Asking about dreams is something to be done in private.

>>2054989
> The Freehold's having a festival at the end of the month. You can come, if you're willing to play at least one game

Fuck relationship drama killing threads.

>>2056390
My life kills threads, anon.

Like today! I'll be updating sometime tomorrow (Saturday). Tonight I'm closing the store and available for Q&A.

>>2054989
>The Freehold's having a festival at the end of the month. You can come, if you're willing to play at least one game


>>2058602
How do you feel about dragongirls helping publish a setting?

>>2058660
Like I have no idea what you're talking about.

>>2054989
> The Freehold's having a festival at the end of the month. You can come, if you're willing to play at least one game

>>2054989
> Any more strange dreams?

I miss you Vox. Come back. I promise to stop accusing you of being a child molestor.

>>2063174
A few days he shall need. For himself. Don't bother him untl then.

>>2058676
Poke.

Pokepokepoke

>>2063754

Does it say that somewhere on his tumblr? I can only scroll down through a bunch of political reblogged BS and the discussion link wants me to sign in or download an app so it can go fuck itself.

> Muh starving artists post

I hate that meme. There's tons of commercial application for artistic work, let alone actually producing art pieces and setting up galleries.

If you aren't making money with your art, it's not because art "isn't valued".

>>2066527
I hadn't announced anything, but it's honestly true. I'd managed to repress my memories of Holiday Retail from last year and now it's all coming crashing back. It's like a week until Thanksgiving and while my store doesn't have to deal so much with the holiday GIFT rush, we do have to deal with having endless access to cheap food & baking supplies during a solid wall of holidays In Which You Feed Motherfuckers.

I'ma archive the thread. New one will be announced on my tumblr when it's ready.

Also the thread announcements are tagged Cinderella Sanction Quest if you don't wanna deal with the rest of the stuff, anon.

>>2066640
any word on your friend?

>>2066527
It's not that easy to make money off of art because you have to spend a lot more before you can reach the point of returns.