>>2402636

No you're what you are because I wanted my cake and to eat it to before all this became real. Still, that's also as true as what you said....I shake my head and just ruffle her hair under her hood, making her yelp. Eh no reason to worry about confusing things.
I have tombs to raid and crypts to defile. And this is my first knightly duty, so better think about how to make myself sound better later

"I will, just don't hurt yourself to protect me" I say, my voice sounding oddly noble even to myself "it'd break my heart"

"My duty is mine, and your command means as much to me as any priest" Erret says dully "But I will not suffer you the same fate"

"Good girl" I sneer as I start down the hill "never respect authority"

"EEeeeh?" She gasps as I laugh

"Now lets get to exploring!" I shout

What do I do?
[] delve into the tomb
[] shoot the shit with Erret to calm her down a bit
[] explore the field/meadow real quick
[]Pray to the crone....just in case
[] I know I've been here before in the game...1d20+learning
[] Ask Erret what she thinks will be down there
[] Hope the little kids aren't breaking anything I'd like to keep back home
[] ask erret what she thinks about her new housemates
[] write in

only had 30 minutes to write this

Rolled 2 (1d20)

>>2402639
>[] delve into the tomb
>[] shoot the shit with Erret to calm her down a bit
>[]Pray to the crone....just in case
>[] I know I've been here before in the game...1d20+learning
>[] ask erret what she thinks about her new housemates
Afternoon HM

>>2402639
>[] shoot the shit with Erret to calm her down a bit
>[] Ask Erret what she thinks will be down there
>[] Hope the little kids aren't breaking anything I'd like to keep back home
>[] ask erret what she thinks about her new housemates
>[] delve into the tomb

Evening HM, hope you're feeling better

Rolled 2 (1d20)

>>2402639
>[] delve into the tomb
>[] I know I've been here before in the game...1d20+learning
>[] Hope the little kids aren't breaking anything I'd like to keep back home

>>2402692
Guess it means it wasn't anything special back then.

Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>2402639
[] delve into the tomb
[] shoot the shit with Erret to calm her down a bit
[] explore the field/meadow real quick
[]Pray to the crone....just in case
[] I know I've been here before in the game...1d20+learning

>>2402692
>[] explore the field/meadow real quick
Probably should check it out later for alchemy ingredients.

"as you wish" Erret says softly, following by my side nearly hidden under the grass around us, its funny and kinda cute.

"Well its still a bit of a walk there, so if I can ask....away from who I'm going to ask about" I say, leaning towards her and pulling her closer to me with my armored tail "You know, our new housemates. what do you think about them"

"I might not like them much, for how....rude they are, but talking behind their backs is a little" She says, her brow wrinkling with annoyance as she gets a conflicted look in her eyes

"Gossip. We're both girls, its like second nature for us to do stuff like this" I laugh, punching her shoulder slight as I snicker like the devil sitting on it "Come on, you know I won't rat you out"

"They're insane, most of them. The one with the green dyed hair and his ilk more than the rest, they seem constantly drunk or worse" Erret says dully, adjusting her scarf "But they seem lucid enough to respect one as blessed as you, so I will tolerate them until they misstep one too many times"

"Damn" I say, patting her on the back as I step away from her "And what about the rest of them, eh?

"Elrond is still the coward he always was, but I like him, he doesn't make much noise from experience so he won't disrupt either of our work" She continues, sound relieved just to ge this all off of her chest.

She pauses and leans against her scythe, her eyes going distant as she thinks about what shit to say about the others. We're close to the tomb now, root and tiny vine covered stone pillars with worn down carvings of two women leading a man from childhood to his grave. Fucking creepy but cool. Most of them are collapsed around the entrance to the actual tomb. Stone doors that are opened into a near perfect darkness.

I rub my nose as erret begins to speak, seems like the kind of place a crappy horror movie would be filmed at

"Oda, is a good man for a foreigner it seems, Blackinor is loud, obnoxious and feels like a dangerous brute to me. the one called steve is....well he's a shy sort I think, feel like he's been bullied by Blackinor but I do not know. But all of them are strange" Erret sighs "I will have to wait to figure out if I like them being around so constantly....the others, I've only seen in battle, and they may be weird as well"

"And the kids?" I ask as I approach the crypt doors

"Oh, they're wonderful....what do you think about them?" She asks happily "because I got some conflicting"

"I don't want them breaking things I'd want to keep back home" I say bluntly as my shield starts to glow with a faint white smoke....freaky. Man, that is a long staircase down into the unknown, shit.


It makes me feel uneasy, so I quickly push my shield in front of me and grab onto its back as I kneel. As I do so I try to remember anything about this tomb from the gamer but
-
4+7= 11= mild success
-
cont

>>2402715

Well it wasn't dangerous, it was more just a tutorial for how dungeons and raids would be later on, and a good little place for farming and pvp. Really wasn't that dangerous unless you ran into one of the special undead, hivers or one of the randomly spawning boxes. Or if some jackass opened the wrong crypt, like I did for fun, and unleashed one of the former, like I did for laughs. Place turned into an actual graveyard with all of them open and that may be a problem

"Pray with me" I say as I close my eyes, feeling erret kneel beside me

What do you say?
[] Oh wise and mighty crone, watch my path and lead my hand
[] Mother of tragedies and sorrows, guardian of the den. I am thy blade, use me well
[] Oh Maiden crone, hold us close and protect us from evil
[] Oi old bat, don't ditch me now
[] My lady of the final rest. I have come here to drive the heathens and monsters from your domain. I swear I will purify this church of yours
[] Sister of life, hear my call death, I am your servant, forged in your cold flame. To repay my debt I walk forth into darkness, and beg your guidance in my holy work
[] write in

also Roll 1d20+learning again (perception check)

Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>2402726
>[] My lady of the final rest. I have come here to drive the heathens and monsters from your domain. I swear I will purify this church of yours

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>2402726
>[] Oh Maiden crone, hold us close and protect us from evil

Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>2402726
>[] Mother of tragedies and sorrows, guardian of the den. I am thy blade, use me well
>[] Sister of life, hear my call death, I am your servant, forged in your cold flame. To repay my debt I walk forth into darkness, and beg your guidance in my holy work

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbUM0HpxdBI
-

I breath in, my lungs burning from the icy air around me, and when I breath back out, frost gathers on my lips and over my fingers as my breath slowly fades on the gentle winds. I take another breath in and my lips are already feeling numb, like I just chugged a whole bottle of cold medicine or some stupid shit.

Erret bows her head as I breath out on last time, and start my prayer, feeling like I'm being watch but that may be because of how awkward doing this makes me feel.

"Sister of life, hear my call Death. I am your servant" I say, pressing my forehead on my cold as hell shield "Forged in your cold flame. To repay your debt, I walk forth into darkness and beg your guidance in my holy work"

I take another icy breath, my heart swelling with confidence as my smile cracks the ice over it

"Mother of tragedies and sorrows, guardian of the end, I am thy blade" I say bowing my head back down, clanging it against my shield but I manage to bite my lip and not yell out in pain "Use me well, My lady of the final rest"

I take another breath, my chainmail rattling as my chest rises up before I fall back down to continue "I have come here to drive the heathens and monsters from your domain. I swear I will purify this church of yours"

"Oh maiden crone" Me and Erret say, suddenly in unison which nearly makes me giggle "Hold us close and protect us from evil"

I nod and stand back up as Erret slowly does the same, looking pitiful and guilty for things she didn't do again

"Hey, don't be like that, you're by my side enough the gods will have to notice you" I say, sweetly before something catches my eye
-
17+7= 24= success
-
its a small map, held down by a rock with a sort of backpack next to it....the starting back pack for most characters, just a simple leather thing that I usually use for fuel to burn shit. Now that means a newbie was hear but....the map is ruined and tattered, waterlogged. It must've been laying here for days. And not even a brain dead moron would leave their only bag here unless they had another, better one. Like my kick ass bottomless one.

I frown and stomp over to the map and Look over it....yeah I know this map. its the one you get for the first quest in this crappy dungeon, but it has more marks on it. Someone must've been exploring here while everyone else was checking out new content. don't blame them but....still this is kind of sad.

What do I do?
[] look through the bag
[] just go into the crypt
[] Try and get a better look at the map 1d20+learning
[]take their things with me for explosion fodder and in case they're still down there
[] write in

Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>2402807
>[] Try and get a better look at the map 1d20+learning
>[]take their things with me for explosion fodder and in case they're still down there

Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>2402807
>[] look through the bag
[] Try and get a better look at the map 1d20+learning

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>2402807
>[] Try and get a better look at the map 1d20+learning
>[]take their things with me for explosion fodder and in case they're still down there

I though you would have went with the highest rolled prayer. My mistake.

>>2402828
>[] look through the bag

Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>2402807
>[] look through the bag
>[] Try and get a better look at the map 1d20+learning
>[]take their things with me for explosion fodder and in case they're still down there

"Master?" Erret asks, sounding confused since I just walked away in the middle of complimenting her and trying to make her feel like less garbage. But I ignore her and begin to dig my way through the bag, throwing it open and cackling. Ah yeah, this is a newbie's bag, I can tell just from a glance. Its filled with cash shop items and Maiden's apples. Can't afford real healing can we? I frown and start to sift through the contents of the bag a bit more thoroughly, humming to myself as I do. Lets see, they bought a mask. Good choice for looking creepy, a wooden goat mask. Should've gone for the top hat. Now there's a deed here to and don't tell me you wanted to claim a part of the dungeon as your home base? Amateur. What other goodies do you have in....Oh. My hand shoots back, as a sense of dread and panic stabs into my heart as I feel something that for a second feels like a waterlogged burlap, and then feels like soft...warm skin.Is that one of those....YEP! that's a warm doll. Why didn't she use it already? fuck that's creepy. Shuddering I put my hand back in as Erret whimpers, probably scared her or worried her. Ah well. Lets see what else and....wait a manual of fairies and guide of the dead? These are....

"Dumbass, you could've looked online for these....still" I whisper under my breath, rocking my head back and forth "they could be useful. since I can't really rely on guides now"

"Master? why'd you scream" Erret whines as I shrug and hook the back pack around my shoulder

"Just found something surprising" I say, well maybe she wanted the books so she could skip the start of the fairy and undead race change quests? Who knows "but nothing to be scared of....make sure nothing comes out of the crypt"

Yeah if nubcakes is still alive, I can give her shit back to her. But I am probably going to just use it as fuel to cast explosive sacrifice as much as I can

I glance back at the ruined map and frown, peeking over it for a closer look
-
17+7=24
-
Wait, those red Xs.....they're away from the path whoever had this map drew. And I know these rooms, they're spawn....were spawn rooms for hivers and other nasty shit. Were they avoiding mobs? I think they had to be, because the route is going just outside of the aggro range of the dried corpses and dust wraiths. And then there's the note, the only one I can still read that mentions leaving food for the "scary bugs"

this is impressive work, and judging from the RIPs covering it, they had a lot of trial and error before we got pulled into Da'ta for real. But even so this is....I didn't even know about this route. if followed exactly you'd be entirely safe....well maybe not now but undead don't wander most of the time unless commanded to if they don't have brains, and hivers....well that's a bit more difficult. but they'd probably eat rotting flesh rather than someone who's been feeding them.
cont

>>2402865

At least until they stop. if whoever drew this map followed this path fast enough....they could still be alive down there but where does the path go....oh, to the center room. Where edgelords used to frequent. and where a boss would usually spawn. Crap.

What do I do?'
[] tell Erret to follow me, and try to remember the path from the map 1d20+learning
[] go down and find the hivers
[] time to purge some undead
[] look for the rooms i know have sick loot 1d20+learning
[] tell erret to come here and draw the map on her arm in ink
[] put on my second eyes and top hat and turn on celebrate death
[]....wait I still have my own deed don't I?
[] Wonder how race changing would actually work/feel like
[] mess with erret a little
[] write in

Rolled 9 (1d20)

>>2402876
[] tell Erret to follow me, and try to remember the path from the map 1d20+learning

Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>2402876
>[] tell Erret to follow me, and try to remember the path from the map 1d20+learning
>[] time to purge some undead
>[] put on my second eyes and top hat and turn on celebrate death
May as well see if we can find this wayward noob

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>2402876
>[] tell Erret to follow me, and try to remember the path from the map 1d20+learning
>[] tell erret to come here and draw the map on her arm in ink
>[] Wonder how race changing would actually work/feel like

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>2402876
>[] look for the rooms i know have sick loot 1d20+learning
>[] Wonder how race changing would actually work/feel like
>[] tell erret to come here and draw the map on her arm in ink

"Erret come here real quick" I say as I quickly flip around my red back back and top the copper lid it has, frowning as it opens up and I see all of the junk I've been carrying around....put no ink "Also do you have any ink or any thing I can write with on you?"

"Oh? and of course I do. the grandmaster asked me to since you never take any notes in the field" Erret says, making me feel a wave of nostalgia, and remember back in school when I'd steal other kids' pens because I forgot mine "Besides its always good to be prepare yes? but I don't have any paper on me..."

"Then give me your arm" I say, holding my hand out for her to drop the ink and whatever I'm writing in on my hand

".....Oh you're going to use the bandage! brilliant!" She says with a smile as I remember she does wrap her limbs in bandages

"Uh yeah, just hold your arm out, sleeve up please" I say trying not to miss a beat as she stares at me

"you were going to just use my arm weren't you?" She asks bluntly, disappointment in her eyes

"Yeaaah, now hold" I say grabbing her arm, she winces and jolts, I look up at her and sigh "still"

"sorry" She squeaks as I tap the quill she handed my on my tongue, and glance back at the map "You're putting the map down on my arm right?"

"yes, and the route someone left on it" I say, as I start to carefully write on the top of her arm, so I don't draw blood and make her freak out "it should keep us away from any nasties and....maybe find them, if they're still alive"

"if not, I praise their work and sacrifice" Erret says softly as I grunt "yeah"
-

"Alright I should be done" I say as she holds her arm out to her side "be careful to not smudge it till it dries"

"Of course, but you'll have to lead the way then" Erret says with a nervous laugh as I stand up and feel the books shifting around in the map makers backpack

Hmm...I wonder what it'd feel like to change races now? I know being tainted would be horrible, but turning into a fairy? that'd give me a lot of magical powah, not to mention make me somewhat safer from being tainted, and just being dead, while it'd be a good joke, would also make it me a lot more durable. And both would make me live a long time....as would some kinds of advance taint but. But well there's the problem. How does it work, would I still be...Me? and I know being undead would put me up shit creak without a paddle. Not to mention the other assholes in the manor would never let me live it down if I became a frilly fairy or something. But still, its....interesting, what would it feel like to become an entirely different race. To be cold and dead or...you know a girly fairy. I wonder how different it'd be or

"Master? Are we going inside or not?" Erret asks as I laugh and nod

"yeah just wondering about....well nothing" I say as she lights a torch to make it easier for me to see the map I drew on her
-
16+7=23 + 2 from the map = 25= great success
-
cont

>>2402958

"Oh and thanks for that, I think I know which way we should go first, down the stairs on the right I think" I Say as she nods and holds her arm into the tomb's open door

"Well I am going to just follow you" She says as I shrug, and try to remember if the path takes us by hivers or undead first. Because if its the former we're going to have some problems

I put my googly eyes and top hat on, making sure my hood is down as I turn celebrate death on with a clap of my hands....lets see, shrieking and fiery end are the soup of the day. and with that done, I take my first step into the cold slimy darkness

What do I do?
[]Tell Erret what I was thinking
[] go slowly and sneaky
[] Just follow the path confidently, I want to get into a fight after all
[] tell Erret we don't need the torch
[] explain the map to her
[] Whistle to pass the time
[] put on my headphones and sing a taunting song
[] Keep an eye out for hidden doors and shit
[] write in

>>2402971
>[] explain the map to her
>[] Keep an eye out for hidden doors and shit

>>2402971
>[]Tell Erret what I was thinking
>[] go slowly and sneaky
>[] Keep an eye out for hidden doors and shit
>[] explain the map to her

>>2402971
>[] explain the map to her
>[] go slowly and sneaky
>[] Keep an eye out for hidden doors and shit

"Now" I say, as the stone walls around me take a yellowish red glow from the torches light and I stop half way down the stairs, carefully pointing over Erret's arm at the minature map I scrawled over it "See this blue line? We're following it and are staying away from the black branches from it"

She nods and watches my finger point at one of the Xs I dabbed over her arm, looking up at me as I lean closer to her arm.

"Because they lead to these red Xs, which are where the map maker encountered trouble" I say with a smile as she frowns

"But what if the trouble moved?" She asks as I frown and scratch my neck

"Well generally, from the notes I found in the pack" I lie through my teeth as my mind drifts back to what it'd be like to be a fairy of some kind or a vampire "most of the trouble here is natural undead, they don't tend to wander but"

"buut?" Erret asks dully yet curious

"there appears to be a hiver family down here as well" I say quietly as I take a step down the stairs backwards before I turn around, the markings on the wall covered in dust and dried up moss "And they're probably hunting"

"Oh....well lets hope not" Erret says hopefully, pressing her hand to the back of her head as we step past long melted candles and tattered bibles left to rot on the feet of statues of hunched, old women

I nod as my googly eyes bounce up and down as I peek down the open wooden door at the bottom of the stairs, ignoring the pool of water straight across it as Erret whimpers and holds her head again.

I put my finger to my lips and look back around, seeing a spidery thing around the sizer of a large dog dart behind one of the corridors to the right and....see the faint outlines of a door on the wall, painted in silver.

A hidden passage? Erret fights back another whimper as a low, weak dry crying echos down the halls with the dripping of water

what do I do?
[] see what's wrong with erret
[] just follow the path before hiver's smell us
[] check out that hidden door
[]Stay here for a little while to make sure its safe 1d20+learning
[] tell erret to wait here, and scout ahead
[] write in

>>2403053
>[] see what's wrong with erret
>[] check out that hidden door

>>2403053
>[] see what's wrong with erret
>[] check out that hidden door

>>2403053
>>[] see what's wrong with erret
>[] check out that hidden door

>>2403053
>[] see what's wrong with erret
>[] check out that hidden door
>[] just follow the path before hiver's smell us

Yep, creepy as expected. But I can't really ignore Erret since it sounds like she has the mother of all migraines right now. And While I've never had a hangover, I imagine it'd be something like the noises she's trying not to make, since they're giving me a headache and heartache. And sure I may not give a damn about most people, but dammit she's my friend and I don't need her suddenly collapsing and foaming at the mouth due to something in the air or that she ate. She deserves better than being ignored, especially since we've both basically just jumped into the lion's den.

"Hey erret, what's wrong?" I ask, turning my back to the door, putting a hand on her shoulder as she groans again and smacks her head, glancing up at me and trying to act like that didn't just happen "Don't give me that look, you were just moaning like you had a nail shoved through your skull for ch..gods sake"

"I...I'm just hearing voices" She says, wiping drool with her scarf "whispered conversations, a dull, grinding hunger"

And as soon as she says that she stumbles forward and falls against me, and shakes her head

"Lot of hunger" She grumbles as I pick her back up "and voices, like a village packed into my brain"

"That would be the hivers?" I say, without thinking. Oh good thing I studied more as Belua then I did as Sadie, score. anyways "Anyways, they're tainted like you, but they share their thoughts like a bunch of blogging cunt"

"Whating what?" erret asks as I shrug

"Eh, slang" I say quietly "But that's going to be going on as long as we're close to them"

"Errgh, well I can ignore it. I just need a moment to adjust and I'll be good to go" She says happily as I frown

"You sure you can?" I ask "I can go alone you"

"Noooo" She snarls, her purple eyes narrowing before she smiles again "I'm fine to continue"

"Alright, don't bite my head off" I say as she wipes her mouth with her scarf then "Alright, after me, the hiver seemed to fuck off already....and go"

Quickly and hopefully quietly, I power walk past the door and over two long since raided and devoured corpses and their broken coffins, stepping around a gnawed skeleton to the shimmering outline of the door.

And....how do I open this thing?"

"Crawling? scratching?" Erret murmurs under her breath "....I don't thin there are only larval hivers down here my.."

"and that means there's a queen, crap" I say, biting the back of my thumb in thought "Well lets hope she hasn't been popping them out like crazy"

How do I open....Oh...a rope under the floor connected to that old skeletal hand shaped lever over there, holding a mostly rotten torch. And its just a corridor across from here....with two other paths in front of it.

Crap, I'm already feeling nervous just looking down there

roll 1d20+speed

Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>2403131

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>2403131
Something tells me Little Green and Errat are going to have a weird relationship if they ever meet

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>2403131

Rolled 9 (1d20)

>>2403131

"Erret, stay here and watch in case anything starts coming or thinking near me" I say, putting my hand against the wall, careful not to raise my voice to much as I point my other one down the corridor "I think the switch to open the door is back there, so just keep an eye out"

"I'd never let you down, especially with some much danger around" She whispers "Just, try and be quick, for my nerves sake"

"I make no promises" I say, taking a deep breath or two before I try and sprint across the corridor. Not sure why but I lower myself down like I saw the runners do before, not sure how to actually do it but it feels like it makes a difference.

Of course I'm just stalling now, since I don't think I can run very well as Belua. Since the scales were hard enough to get used to, but having a tail? I just feel like it'd slow me down and oh yeah all the fucking armor I'm wearing godammit, that's the biggest problem but if I wait any longer I might run INTO a hiver.

Fuck it. I sprint down the corridor, lifting my tail up as high as it can go and resist the urge to curl up as I get to the lever. I pull it, and run back in the same motion, spinning around panting like a dog. God! its hard to move fast in all this crap! Its much more noticeable when I'm trying to run rather than just kick somethings ass. I can hear stones grinding open as I get back to the intersection of corridors and see the wall slowly sliding up with a cloud of dust. And resist the urge to dive inside as the door opens up.

Erret whines and covers her face with her hands.

What do I do
[] hide inside and check out the secret room for her
[] grab erret and leave the room for later, going back on the path
[] Just raise my shield and wait
[] go into the room, and make a wall of ice...1d20+magic -30mp
[] wait! HIVERS HATES THE COLD! 1d20+magic -50 mp
[] write in

>>2403249
[] Just raise my shield and wait

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>2403249
>[] wait! HIVERS HATES THE COLD! 1d20+magic -50 mp

Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>2403249
[] wait! HIVERS HATES THE COLD! 1d20+magic -50 mp

Which means hivers. Which means we should run into the room and hope they're retarded. Except they're probably larva, babies. babies that want to eat me, but still just babies. I can take a baby, hell I could probably take like ten of them even before I got magic and...I'm an idiot. How could I forget!

"HIVERS HATE THE COLD!" I yell to myself as I raise up my shield, a church bell ringing as it begins to glow brilliantly with pale blue light. Frost grows from the symbol of the crone set in the middle and turns to ice, covering my personal sigil in a second. There's a loud crack as the air turns frigid and cold as balls
-
16+3= 19= success
760 mp remaining
-

And with that crack, lashes of bright blue light swing out, snapping and popping against the walls, covering the old forgotten stone work in ice and keep the air cold as it expands outwards like its alive. It spreads as I pour a bit more magic into it.

And hear shrieking as the hivers that heard the door open wisely fuck off from the now frozen corridor and a half. I sigh and look back to Erret who hugs me

"Scared" She says sounding embarresed "they're scared and that's making me feel"

"I get ya" I say softly, patting her on the back until the pussy hiver's emotions leaves her head.

What do I do?
[] finally explore the secret room
[] leave it for now, follow the path
[]shout insults at the hivers
[] Follow the sound of their shrieks. I HAVE THEIR FUCKIN KRYPTONITE
[] Ask erret if she could check out the secret room while I keep watch (aka read one of the two books the mapmaker left topside)
[] write in

>>2403313
>[] finally explore the secret room

>>2403313
>[] finally explore the secret room
>[]shout insults at the hivers

>>2403313
>[] finally explore the secret room

"Just....give me a second" Erret sniffles, hugging me tighter as I decide to be a bit less of a bitch and hug her back instead of pushing her away as I look past her to the now open secret door. The room is small, pretty pathetic looking, but has a few glowing stones floating in the air. From what I can see there's a few ancient books laying there, some kind of mask sitting on the altar and an amazing couch sat in front of a table. standing on my toes, I think I can see some other stuff in there to. it seems like a nice cozy little study/ hiding hole for somethings to architech didn't want found. My god is everyone around carolton just a giant...

"Alright I should be good to continue now" Erret says, wiping her face with her scarf "Sorry about that but....it wasn't my fear"

"Oh trust me, I understand" I say warmly as I walk past her into the room, which lights up nearly instantly "Must be ruff hearing someone else's thoughts in your head"

"Thank you, its just" Erret says trying to put what she's feeling into words, but all i can feel is a burning curiosity and wonder what I should investigate first

What do I do?
[] Look through the books, check the drawers and bags
[] Investigate the mask
[]Ohhoho? a hidden safe? what's in that?
[] Leave it for now, and go back to the path to find the map maker
[] take a quick lunch break here
[] write in

>>2403360
>[] take a quick lunch break here
>[] Look through the books, check the drawers and bags
>[] Investigate the mask

>DO NOT TOUCH OR PUT ON, only look at the mask

Errat is having a tough day

>>2403360
>[] Investigate the mask
>[]Ohhoho? a hidden safe? what's in that?

>>2403360
[] Investigate the mask
[]Ohhoho? a hidden safe? what's in that?

"I don't know" She says, grabbing onto my sleeve as she follows me into the room, but she lets go and turns away with a groan "the sooner we get away from the bugs, the better"

I can't help but the laugh at that, shaking my head as she pouts and pushes her back against the wall away from the books. Moth eaten red rags cover the wall, guess they used to be some sort of drape or something

"....I know I must look silly but still" Erret pouts, crossing her arms and trying to look upset but it really doesn't have the same effect when half your face is covered up by a scarf and you're here size

"Okay I'll stop" I sigh as i walk up to the alter and reach for the mask

"....don't look at the books here without me checking their contents, I don't trust the air in this place" Erret says seriously as I grab the mask and lift it up "it just looks....master!"

"What, its just a mask, nothing special" I say as I turn it around in my hands, looking at the exaggerated, caricature or kind of tumblr looking features on it, big grinning teeth, a crazy looking eye and a single gem set in the iris. The eye holes are an odd square shape....feels like the inside was oiled with something "its just an old mask....no magic at all. Must've been used for rituals or something"

"Still be careful, you don't know what could be lurking here and" erret says as I pull my googly eyes back up and grin

"Oh what's that? A hidden safe?" I ask as I set the mask down and rush for the desk with the safe behind this "Oooh what secrets do you hold my friend?"

"MAaaaster, at least let me finish my warning before you ignore it" Erret groans as I tug the desk away from the wall, the loose papers shifting on it, except for the ones under a heavy looking book....come to think of it, it looked like there was something next to the mask judging from the square in the dust and oh forget it LOOOOOoooot

I press my hand to it and

roll 1d20+will or magic

Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>2403428
WILL

Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>2403428
Oh fuck dammit, magic please

>>2403436
FUCK YOU MASK YOU WILL HAVE NO POSSESSION BULLSHIT TODAY!

Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>2403428

There's a flash of pale purple light. Yeah I probably shouldn't grabbed onto a safe covered in runes that if I had taken a second longer to identify would be quite similar to the ones I set up on those zombies to stop anyone from stealing them from me. Yep, seems like a basic compulsion or thought manipulating magic, judging from the sudden light headedness and the activation rune. A simple little trick that would deter any who haven't taken the time to study magic and I have no doubt I can overcome this and why the fuck am I thinking like such a fucking nerd, godammit!? Point is, God given cyromancy stronger than a hobby cultist's shit rune magic.

And I'm proving it, right now. the magic sputters against mine and fizzles out and as an odd bonus the safe's lock has turned to shaved ice. I should get a lottery ticket with this kind of luck. And I did all of this before Erret could even yell out.

"Glorious" I cackle as I pull the safe open from the hole the lock used to be and pull it open and FUCK!

"Master?!" Erret asks, sounding worried as I groan angrily

"Yeah, closed my eyes before I saw the sigils" I grumble "lemme guess, some kind of ritual summon whatmajig? or I know maybe some kind of undead creation right? Hmm? Well come on? Actually I'ma bet its a fairy calling circle, I mean we don't know this guy was evil or"

"Well they're written in blood and....there's a journal and a lot of these glyphs and diagrams but none of them seem to be corruptive... still we should burn them before" erret says as I sigh in relief

what do I do?
[] look at the notes and shit
[] Burn it, fuck it
[] Tell erret to keep them safe
[] So....was I right about the fairies
[] Ah fuck this, we're taking a five minute break. My heart can't handle anymore surprises right now
[] write in

>>2403487
>[] Burn it, fuck it
>[] So....was I right about the fairies

>>2403487
[] look at the notes and shit

>>2403487
>[] look at the notes and shit
>[] So....was I right about the fairies
>[] Ah fuck this, we're taking a five minute break. My heart can't handle anymore surprises right now

>>2403487
>[] Burn it, fuck it
>[] So....was I right about the fairies

"So was I right about the fairies?" I ask, standing back up, and blinking to be sure the magic didn't mess with my eyes

"Well....uh" erret says as those weird shadow hands begin pawing at her eyes again "Summons of the winter court uh....Call of the carmine counts. these were with the note scrawled known locations of faries but it was blank and...uh yeah"

"Well if the notes are safe let me look at them before we start a bonfire"I say as she flips through a few more notes and hands me them somewhat reluctantly.

I smile and set the loose papers down by the mask and just throw open the journals last page.

Ah yes, bloody handprint cover most of the page. That's a good sign right? All I can read is the bottom text and oh....that'd explain the square in the dust by the mask.

"Whoever brings my book to the center of my domain, shalt recieve my gift....oh gods dammit" I groan as Erret frowns

"No" She says angrily shaking her head, making me chuckle

"Yeah think someone beat us to this one" I sigh looking back at the empty space between the mask and papers "Still I should look through these papers real quick, see what they're about"

"Oh there's on studying how a dullahan functions, its kind of disapointing" Erret says dully as I set the journal down for now

"Magic right?" I ask as she nods

"I thought it was something more" She says with a shrug

And we'll end here for now

Might do another session of this thread, but for now my headache has come back with a fury

So we'll end here for now
I've archived and will answer questions if I don't just pass out

>>2403553
Great thread as always HM, thanks for running. I hope you feel better soon, get some rest and come back when you're ready

>>2403553
Thanks for Running HM

>>2402636
So many fucking years and your writing is still atrocious.