>>4213296
>Duty

>>4213296
>Duty
On our honor.

>>4213296
>[ ] Duty. You made a oath to someone important and that unfulfilled vow still drives you, even after death. If only you could remember what that duty was...

>>4213352
>>4213350
>>4213339

Seems unanimous.
Writing now.

>>4213339
>>4213350
>>4213352
>>4213355
EVEN IN DEATH, WE SERVE

The burning shame of a broken oath and the determination to restore your honor drive you to turn fully, wrenching yourself away from the journey with a sense of finality.

There's an immediate shiver as another soul slides right through yours, then another and another as you begin to travel back towards wherever you came from. As you journey for an unknown time, the oncoming souls begin to solidify and take on more diverse forms than just floating humanoids.

There are more arm-winged figures, some figures with tails, some beings with extra legs and some with none at all. You notice that depending on the type of being, there's another feeling that only increases as you slide through them. The Winged beings feel like an icy wind as you slide through them, with other beings feeling like slipping through wet cold mud, swimming through frigid waters or leave a numbing tingling as you slide through them.

You meet resistance at this point, so instead of just sliding through a soul, you slide around them, both of you deforming to allow the other to pass. Thankfully the path widens at this point as you squeeze past a being that appears to be half-horse.

The scenery has begun to improve as well, the void beyond the path now has a grainy texture with slight lumps in it and the omnipresent black has started to fade to a muted dark grey.

Looking down, at yourself, you can see that you too have begun to reform from the brink of oblivion, with finer details beginning to reform.

>> What race are you?

> [ ] Human (Standard, capacity for everything, slight resistance to magic.)

> [ ] Elven (Magically inclined, but physically frail. Bonus to Earth Magic & Casting, Penalty to Endurance)

> [ ] Salamander (Strong, but less magically inclined, except with fire. Bonus to Fire Magic & Strength, Penalty to Casting (Ignored when casting Fire Spells))

> [ ] Naga (Suprisingly fast, but stand out and aren't very trusted. Bonus to Water Magic and can breathe underwater, Penalty to Charisma)

> [ ] Harpy (Fast and can fly, but are often airheaded causing them to miss things. Bonus to Air Magic and Speed and can fly. Penalty to Concentration and Perception)

>> Magic to follow.

>>4213466
>> [ ] Elven (Magically inclined, but physically frail. Bonus to Earth Magic & Casting, Penalty to Endurance)

>>4213466
> [ ] Human (Standard, capacity for everything, slight resistance to magic.)
The best and most NOBLE race

>>4213466
> [ ] Human (Standard, capacity for everything, slight resistance to magic.)
What if we take that "slight" magic resistance, and make it big?

Magic and the elements:

The world itself has four 'Primal' elements (Fire, Water, Earth, Air) , with two 'Astral' elements (Light and Dark)

Each race has an inclination towards a certain element, with humans being so lightly aligned with earth as to be basically neutral.

Many places throughout the world are also aligned with one element or another, with certain locations throughout the world being so heavily aligned to an element that a prolonged stay in that location will alter any being that stays there. A special ritual can speed up and enhance this process.

Each element has it's own strengths and weaknesses.

Fire: Good for attacking and big flashy effects. Can also improve strength and speed, but fire-based enhancements will damage the user over time. Bad at being subtle, and long-term effects.

Water: Good at healing, as well as all sorts of utility effects and buffs/debuffs. Exceptionally poor at direct offense.

Earth: Best at defensive buffs and healing. Direct attacks tend to be slow, but powerful. Plant-based magic is also earth magic.

Air: Best at speed and stealth buffs and making lots of attacks in a short period of time. Poor at making powerful attacks to finish opponents off. Air magic also covers sound and illusions.

Light and Dark are rarely found on their own and are often woven into spells of other elements.

Light: Enhances healing effects and buffs, as well as increasing damage of offensive spells. Light enhanced spells are more powerful, but far more taxing and obvious.

Dark: Enhances negative effects and causes spells to linger. Dark enhanced spells can also draw from other sources than the caster and tend to be 'slippery'.

>>4213511
That's certainly doable. You could basically juggernaut your way through fireballs and curses would just slide off you.

>>4213523
I've always had a thing for magic resistance in settings with magick

I'll consider votes called for Human, unless an objection is voiced in the next 5 minutes and begin writing.

>>4213481
+1

Looking down at yourself, you don't appear to have any extra arms or legs from before. You definitely feel more solid though and more grounded, despite the dark and alien nature of this place. Moving further along the path, the other spirits are also more solid now, and are beginning to form identifying features such as eyes and ears.

In the distance, you can see a grey light on what passes for the horizon. As you walk closer, you make it out to be a walled town by a pitch black river, with a steady procession of souls leaving through the only gate. A smaller light bobs along the top of the wall. Perhaps a guard of some sort? The world around it looks solid, but dead with slight ridges and furrows dotted with dead trees reaching upwards into the blackness above.

Something on the other side of the river calls you, resounding with your sense of duty.


>Walk into the town through the gate.
>Look for another way into the town. Perhaps where the river meets the wall?
>Strike out on your own and find some other way to cross the river.


> Human traits gained!
> Earth Mastery 0.5: You can feel when someone is using earth magic nearby, as well as the elemental alignment of the local area.
> Magic Resistance 1: You are hard to target with magic and therefore gain a + 10 to rolls against spells that target you. Half the bonus applies to spells that include you in the area.

>These traits will be upgradeable in the future, as well as the possibility to gain new ones.

>>4213650
>Look for another way into the town. Perhaps where the river meets the wall?
Gotta make sure that guard doesn’t send us back

>>4213650
>>Look for another way into the town. Perhaps where the river meets the wall?

Votes Called. Writing.

Taking care to stay out of sight of the guard on top of the wall, you take your first step off the path and onto the barren wastes beside it. There's a moment of panic as your foot starts sinking , but you hit something solid after sinking up to your ankles in the dry sand. It's hard work trudging through the sand and making sure to stay out of sight of the light, but eventually you make your way around to the river. The water appears to be pitch black, but it gives off a bone-chilling coldness and there are impressions of objects moving under the water. You look up to see if you can spot the far side, but the river extends further across than you can see.

Looking back towards the town, you can see that the wall only extends slightly into the water, and that you could probably swim around and into the town. Beyond the wall, all you can see is a single wooden wharf extending out into the river. As you watch a single boat floats up to the wharf and a mass of souls are thrown out onto the wharf by the hooded figure steering it. Several other figures round up the souls, divest them of their belongings and herd them out of sight. There's a muted splash as the confiscated belongings are thrown into the river, where they sink without a trace.

Moving along the riverbank, you make it into the shadow of the wall and prepare to swim the few metres around the wall, but the aura of cold and the strange nature of the water gives you second thoughts.

>Swim around and into the town anyway.
>Sidle along the wall in its shadow to find another way in.

>>4213794
>Sidle along the wall in its shadow to find another way in.
Try to find any cracks that we can push in. I for one do not want to be pulled into the cold dark waters, no thank you.

>>4213794
>Sidle along the wall in its shadow to find another way in.

>>4213794
>Sidle along the wall in its shadow to find another way in.

Called. Writing.

Deciding not to risk the water, you decide to instead sidle along the side of the wall to look for another way in. As you slink alongside the wall, the sound of footsteps get closer. You pause as the light moves along the wall towards you. When it stops above you, you can feel your pulse quicken and you feel compelled to hold your breath. Looking up, you can see a clawed hand holding a lantern that emits a dull grey glow. The lantern swings side to side for a bit, as if searching for something or swinging in a nonexistent breeze, before the hand pulls it back and gradually moves onwards.

Letting out a sigh of relief, you resume slinking along the wall. As you come around, you notice that some of the stones in the wall stick out slightly. Double-checking that the guard is moving away from you, you quickly scale the wall and lower yourself down on the other side. Rather than the soft sand outside, your feet hit well-worn cobblestones.

Looking around, you appear to be in an empty alleyway between two stone buildings. A couple of the robed figures move past the end of the alleyway, herding a group of souls into a large building opposite.

Realizing that you each moment stay there, the chances of you being found increase, you need to make some kind of move.

>Search for where the robed figures keep their weapons and armor. You feel almost naked without them.
>Head straight for the ferry. You don't have time to waste.
>Ambush one of the figures and take their robes as a disguise.
>Write-In (always an option)

>>4213985
>Search for where the robed figures keep their weapons and armor. You feel almost naked without them.

>>4213985
>Head straight for the ferry. You don't have time to waste.

I'll wait 20 more minutes, then barring a tiebreaker, I'll just flip a coin.

>>4213985
>Head straight for the ferry. You don't have time to waste.

>>4214073
Sweet. Tie Broken. Writing.

>>4213985
>Search for where the robed figures keep their weapons and armor. You feel almost naked without them.

Rather than waste time looking around for some gear, the ferry seems like a much better idea. Poking your head out from the alley, you see that many of the buildings are cramped together, creating twisting passageways. Perfect.

Slinking from alley to alley, you make your way slowly towards the river, listening out for footsteps to help you avoid the robed figures as they make their way about their mysterious errands. Several times you have to dive into an alleyway as a door in front of you opens suddenly or the twisting passageways muffle the footsteps until you almost round the corner into a group.

The twisting passageways are their own hassle and, you almost immediatly lose any sense of direction, resulting in finding what you swear was the same spot several times and once finding your way to the gate out of town instead of the river.

Eventually however, you find yourself peering out from around the side of a building, looking at the lenghthy wharf and wondering how to make it all the way along the wharf to the ferry without being spotted.

>Wait until the opportune moment and make a break for it.
>Try and climb underneath the wharf and sneak that way.
>Make a distraction elsewhere, then circle back while the robed figures are distracted.

>>4214082
Sorry, I'd started writing by the time I noticed your post, and didn't check back until I'd finished.

>>4214117
> Try and climb underneath the wharf and sneak that way.

>>4214117
>Try and climb underneath the wharf and sneak that way.

Also could everyone roll 1d100 for endurance.

Rolled 68 (1d100)

>>4214170

Rolled 24 (1d100)

>>4214170

Looking at the wharf, there's no way that you could possibly get to the ferry without being seen, and the idea of trying to outrun whatever magic or weapons the hooded figures might have doesn't hold any appeal. You briefly toy with the idea of creating a distraction somewhere else, but you have no tools with which to do so. It's then that a truly desperate idea comes to mind.

Waiting for more of the figures to finish herding another group of souls off the wharf, you quickly dart over to the edge of the river and slip underneath the wharf. The icy cold of the river immediately starts to sink into your bones as you wedge yourself between the pillars and pull yourself up such that your fingers can wrap around the sides of the wharf and cling on, while you swing your legs up.

It's definitely not a comfortable position and you are acutely aware of the fact that your fingers and feet are sticking up slightly over the top of the wooden planks, but you start to make progress. Every time you move one arm forward, you can feel the strain on the other one, and you have to awkwardly shimmy your feet along, as the only grip they have is by squeezing the planks between them.

At one point, your foot slips, and your body swings perilously towards the water. Both arms cramp up as you haul yourself upright through sheer force of will, gritting your teeth against the pain and the numbing cold emanating up from the river.

You shuffle along to the next set of pillars, arms burning and just manage to wedge yourself between them before your arms give out entirely.

As you sit there, sweat slowly starting to freeze against your skin, you hear footsteps from above. Looking upwards between the planks, you see the pale face of an elven soul staring back at you briefly, mouth locked in a silent scream as one of the figures drags them along the wharf. You briefly lock eyes, before they are violently yanked out of sight.

With your arms no longer flopping around like wet noodles, you decide to start moving again before your legs seize up completely.

You have to wedge yourself between the pillars several more times to avoid further patrols and to prevent your arms from giving out, but eventually, you make it to the end of the wharf, just in time for the ferry to come back.

The ferry itself is a wooden longboat that should in no way hold the number of souls that are pulled out of it, but the thing that catches your attention the most is the faceless figure lazily steering it.

The ferryman must be at least twice the height of the other robed figures and doesn't react as the souls are hauled out of his ferry and dumped onto the wharf.

[1/2]

[2/2]

As the robed ones start to get the souls moving, an oar slides into the water, next to you as the ferryman prepares to make another journey.

You don't know if the ferry will be back before your body gives out, so you reach for the wood of the ferry and...

>Haul yourself aboard. The ferryman doesn't seem to notice anything, so you should be fine.

>Cling to the side of the ferry, taking care to keep out the water. Hopefully your weight won't destabilize it too much, and your arms won't give out.

>Cling to the Rudder, and only keep your head above water. You don't trust the water, but this is the best way to keep hidden from the ferryman.

>>4214378
> Cling to the Rudder, and only keep your head above water. You don't trust the water, but this is the best way to keep hidden from the ferryman.

I'm falling asleep now, and will check votes in about 8 hours.

>>4214478
Sleep tight OP.

>>4214378
>Cling to the Rudder, and only keep your head above water. You don't trust the water, but this is the best way to keep hidden from the ferryman.

>>4214378
>Cling to the Rudder, and only keep your head above water. You don't trust the water, but this is the best way to keep hidden from the ferryman.

I'm awake. Votes called.
Could you guys roll 1D100 +15 for willpower (+5 magic resistance, +10 Duty)
DC 80. (Hard)

Rolled 17 + 15 (1d100 + 15)

>>4215216

>>4215269
Oof. Writing.

Rolled 88 + 15 (1d100 + 15)

>>4215216

>>4215327
>>4215269
wtf

Not wanting to be seen by the ferryman, or attract the attention of the robed ones, you drop into the water. The cold hits you like an avalanche, and you let out an involuntary gasp as you struggle to breathe or even think.

Thankfully nobody appeared to hear you dropping into the water, or your frantic flailing as you struggle to stay afloat.

Once you can think again, you turn to see the ferry has started pulling away from the wharf. With a feeling of desperation, you move your feet to meet the pillar and push off with all your might.

There's a brief feeling of floating in an endless void, with unknown things sliding past you, sizing you up, before your outstretched hand crashes into something solid. It takes you a brief second to realize that you've hit the ferry, but you then feel your way along it until you can grab onto the rudder, which you cling onto for dear life.

It's at this point that the whispering begins. "All who cross must pay a price." "Let go and all your troubles will end." "You failed in your duty, let the river swallow your shame." "The Lady demands her due"

The sapping cold conspires with the whispers and slowly your death grip loosens and you can feel the rudder begin to slip away as your vision begins to blacken...
You are snapped out of your fugue by the feeling of an oar colliding with your skull. You can see the ferryman looking over the side at you.

A voice echoes inside your skull.

I CAN SAVE YOU IF YOU ARE WILLING TO PAY MY PRICE.

OTHERWISE, THERE'S NO TELLING WHERE OR WHEN YOU MAY END UP.

>Grab the oar.
>Push away from the oar.

> Note: I will not offer a choice that will end the quest, without warning.

>>4215549
>Grab the oar.
Fucking hell get out of the water.

>>4215549
>Push away from the oar.

As this is a fairly important decision and I have D&D, I'll call votes in 4 hours. If the vote is still a tie, then I'll flip a coin then.

>>4215549
>Grab the oar

>>4215549
>Push away from the oar.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

D&D took longer than expected.

Vote called:
1 - Grab on.
2 - Push off.

Writing...

Wordlessly, you reach out for the oar and grab on as the ferryman pulls you in.

Once you are safely in the boat, the ferryman turns to you and it's words etch themselves into your brain.

LONG AGO, BEFORE THE RACES THAT DIE TODAY, I TOOK ARMS AGAINST THE LADY OF SHADOWS.

I RAISED A MIGHTY ARMY TO CHALLENGE HER, BUT SHE STRUCK THEM DOWN. FOR MANY YEARS, I WOVE DARK MAGICS INTO THEIR BODIES IN AND BROUGHT THEM BACK TO FIGHT HER ONCE AGAIN.

WHEN I BROUGHT MY ARMY BEFORE HER AGAIN, SHE LAUGHED AND THANKED ME FOR MY SERVICE. ENRAGED, I ORDERED THEM TO ATTACK, BUT THEY WOULD NOT LISTEN FOR THE DARKNESS I HAD WOVEN INTO THEM WAS HERS.

SHE LAUGHED AGAIN AND TURNED THEM LOOSE ON THE LAND AS A WARNING FOR THOSE WHO DEFY HER. SHE THEN BOUND ME TO THIS CRAFT FOR ALL ETERNITY.

I WILL HELP YOU ACROSS, BUT YOU MUST BRING ME HER CURRENT CHAMPION IN RETURN, SO THAT THEY MAY TAKE MY PLACE AND I MAY FINALLY REST.

THIS IS MY PRICE.

>Accept the price.

>Refuse the price.

>>4216455
>Accept the price.

>>4216455
> Refuse the price.

>>4216455
>Accept the price.

Votes called. Writing.

If I don't update in the next half-hour, it's because I've fallen asleep.

With the words ringing in your head, all you can do is nod.

The Ferryman's voice echoes in your head again.

GOOD.

The ferryman then reaches into the water and pulls a sword out of the river, the blade glowing faintly blue. A shrouded hand offers the blade to you.

THIS SWORD WAS ONCE ASSOCIATED WITH YOU. I RETURN IT AS A SYMBOL OF OUR BARGAIN.

Picking up the proffered blade, inspect it closer. A pair of stylized wings form the guard and a diamond is inset into the pommel. Despite the distinctive features, the sword feels alien to you.

Wrapping your hand around the hilt however, you can feel your fingers instinctively adjust to better grip the blade, and you feel compelled to give it a few practice swings.

You spend the rest of the journey practicing with the sword, feeling your muscles instinctively move as you try a variety of flourishes.

Eventually, something changes in the water and the next thing you know, there is a rocky ceiling above you. Suddenly the ferry lurches and looking down, you appear to have made landfall on a gravel beach.

You step out of the ferry and start to turn to thank the ferryman, but the only sign he was there is the faint furrow in the gravel where the ferry presumably was. Lifting your eyes up from the beach, you can see the cave walls surrounding the underground lake.

Looking around the cavern by the dim light of your new sword. There are three caves leaving the cavern. One has cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, malicious snickering noises echo from the second and the third is perfectly round with a faint breeze coming from it.

>Go down the left cavern with the spiderwebs. Something faintly urges you north, regardless of any obstacles.

>Go down the middle cavern with the snickering. Snickering means people and you want to find civilization as soon as possible.

>The right cavern is angled slightly upwards and has a faint breeze coming from it. That's good right?

>Gained 1x Mysterious sword!

>Thanks to your dip in the river of the dead, you gained Dark affinity 1. Dark magic comes slightly easier to you than most. It has left a mark on you that can be seen by the astute though.

>I'll post your character sheet and talk mechanics in the morning.

>>4216868
>The right cavern is angled slightly upwards and has a faint breeze coming from it. That's good right?
I think we’ve had enough of the darkness let’s go find light

>>4216868
> Go down the middle cavern with the snickering. Snickering means people and you want to find civilization as soon as possible.

>>4216868
>The right cavern is angled slightly upwards and has a faint breeze coming from it. That's good right?

>>4216868
>>The right cavern is angled slightly upwards and has a faint breeze coming from it. That's good right?

Stats:
HP: 20/20
MP: 5/5


Stats:
Each rank beyond 1 in a stat gives a +5 bonus to rolls involving that particular stat.
Stats are ranked 1-10, with 2 being human average and 10 being mortal maximum.
Levelling up a stat takes (x^2) + x xp , where x is the level of the stat after advancement. (so upgrading
Skills will add to rolls of the chosen stat when aplicable (so swordfighting rolls are at +20) and cannot be upgraded beyond the level of their parent stat.
Physical:

Strength: 3 (How strong you are. Determines damage.) (+10, 12xp to upgrade.)
Speed: 3 (How fast you are. Modifies to-hit and dodge.) (+5, 6xp to upgrade)
Endurance: 3 (How tough you are. Adds to HP, and reduces incoming damage.) (+10, 12xp to upgrade)
Casting: 2 (How good you are magic. Adds to MP and casting rolls.) (+0, 2xp to upgrade.)
Charisma: 2 (How persuasive you are. Applies whenever you interact with people.) (+5, 6xp to upgrade)
Notice: 2 (How observant you are. Also applies to crafting.) (+5, 6xp to upgrade)

Skills:
Skills cost 5xp to level up per level.
Swordfighting (Speed): 3 (+10, 20xp to upgrade)

Magical:

Fire Mastery: 0 (5xp to upgrade.)
Water Mastery: 0 (5xp to upgrade.)
Earth Mastery: 0.5 (3xp to upgrade.)
Air Mastery: 0 (5xp to upgrade.)

Light Mastery: 0 (5xp to upgrade.)
Dark Mastery: 0 (4xp to upgrade.)

Masteries:
Masteries cost 5xp per level to upgrade (So 5xp to reach mastery 1, then 10 to reach mastery 2 and so on), but have special unlock requirements. (Usually learning enough spells).
Mastery 1 allows you to do parlor tricks with the chosen element. (Such as D&D Cantrips)
Mastery 2 allows you to sense when magic of the chosen element is being used near you, as well as cast minor spells of that element. (e.g:Lv 1 & 2 spells)
Mastery 3 allows you to perform major spells with the chosen element (e.g:Fireball), as well as counter spells of the opposite element.
Mastery 4 allows you to perform miracles with the chosen element (Meteor storm), as well as counter spells of the chosen element. At this point you can ask naturally occurring manifiestations of that element to do your bidding without casting a spell.

Each Element has it's own magic tree, which unlocks when you reach mastery 1 with that element.

Spells:

Earth:
Sense alignment (1mp): You sense the elemental alignment of the local area. Can be focused onto an item to check for enchantments.


Feats:
Feats are aquired through special events. You can upgrade them, the same way you upgrade masteries. (5xp per feat level).
Magic Resistance 1: You are hard to target with magic and therefore gain a + 10 to rolls against spells that target you. You get half this bonus against spells that include you in the area of effect. (10xp to upgrade.)
Dark Affinity 1: Dark mastery and spells costs 10% less xp to learn. Dark Element spells cost 10% less mp to cast. Spells infused with Darkness get half this discount to learn and cast. (minimum reduction 1.) (10xp to upgrade.)

You have 20xp to spend.

If the xp system is too complicated, then I will change it, It's just something I want to test.

I'll do an actual update later (probably about 6 hours time.)

Any thoughts on the system are appreciated.

>>4218625
If we have 20 xp to use right now then I would say upgrade to make our stats even so Charisma, Casting, and Notice then upgrade Earth Mastery leaving us with 3 xp left.

>>4218613
>Casting add 2 xp
>Earth mastery add 3 xp
>Dark mastery add 4 xp
>Notice add 6 xp
>Dark affinity feat add 5 xp
All 20

>>4219217
Supporting.

Okay, lets take this in...

> Leveling up a stat takes (x^2) + x xp , where x is the level of the stat after advancement.
> Strength: 3
Okay, so if we wanted to buy the next level of Strength we'd need to spend: [4^2]+4 = [16]+4 = 20xp.
> Strength: 3 (How strong you are. Determines damage.) (+10, 12xp to upgrade.)
> (+10, 12xp to upgrade.)
Wait, what...
Uh, maybe you used the meant multiplication instead of power of.
[4*2]+4 = [8]+4 = 12xp.

Fair enough, but then what's the deal with Speed?
> Speed: 3 (How fast you are. Modifies to-hit and dodge.) (+5, 6xp to upgrade)
Unless I'm overlooking something, Speed should cost the exact same amount to upgrade as Strength, but its not.

>>4219277
I changed Swordfighting to use strength/ speed at the last minute and then upped your speed to allow you to have 3 ranks in it, then forgot to update the text in brackets for speed. It should be equal to strength.

I also made things start at 1, rather than zero, then increased stats to compensate and then forgot to update costs appropriately.

Looking back over the costs I posted, I appear to have applied the wrong costs to most of them.

I'll let you puchase these starting upgrades at the accidentally discounted price, and will fix future costs.

Writing by the way.

You look over the three caves leaving the cavern, searching for clues for which one leads closer to the surface. Reasoning that the breeze must come from somewhere, you pick the right cave and start walking slowly upwards, footsteps echoing in the dark. Every so often, you come across a section of the wall that glimmers slightly in the dim light of your sword.

As you travel further upwards, you find less and less of the glimmering patches, and instead find that significant portions of the otherwise rounded wall have been scraped away and replaced with wooden support beams.

As you travel further upwards, more tunnels join your current tunnel and at each intersection, you pause and head up whichever tunnel has the strongest breeze coming from it. Eventually, you are rewarded by the sounds of voices echoing from further above. Quickening your steps, you towards the voices and soon you can see light coming from one of the tunnels.

Turning the corner, you are blinded by the white light coming from the exit. Before you can adjust, a crossbow bolt whizzes past you, from beyond the dazzling light.

A quivering voice from the entrance yells "Stay back Fiend!", then says in a much quieter voice "I told you it was Devils."

As your eyes adjust to the light, you can make out two men standing just beyond the exit, sihouetted by the sunlight.

One of the men pushes the other one's crossbow down and shouts "That's a person stupid! Next time, identify your target BEFORE firing, or I'll shove a bolt where you'll have to ask a healer to find it.

The shouty one continues "You find anything strange down there? We're looking for a missing elf. Blond, tallish and looks exceptionally punchable.

>Offer to help

>Ask questions (What?).

>Push past the two.

>If you want to say anything in particluar, then write it in.

>Casting up to 3. MP increased to 15.
>Earth mastery 1 purchased. You learned the spell Bloom. The following spells have been unlocked: Calm Animal, Healing touch, Harden and Choke.
>Dark mastery 1 puchased. You learned the following spell: Nightvision. The following spell has been unlocked: Blur Vision.
>Notice up to 3.
>Dark affinity 2 purchased. Reduction now increased to 15%

>The following combination spell has been unlocked: Blight (Earth + Dark)
>The following combintation spells are still locked: Black Flames (Req. fire 1), Ice Shards (Req. Water 1) Call Fog (Req. Air 1).

>Spell descriptions to follow, along with amended costs.

Spells:

Earth:
Sense alignment (1mp): You sense the elemental alignment of the local area. Can be focused onto an item to check for enchantments.
Bloom (1mp): With a touch, you can cause a flower to bloom or a fruit to ripen.

Unlocked, but unlearned:
Calm Animal (1xp to learn, 1mp to cast): With a reasuring sound, you can instantly calm any animal. Range: Short
Healing touch (2xp/2mp): Close simple wounds, and stablize more serious ones. Can only be cast once on any given wound. Range:Touch
Harden (2xp/2mp): Cause an object to become temporarily stronger, but also heavier. Range:Touch
Choke (5xp/5mp): Call upon the plants nearby to restrain a target. Range: Long

Dark:
Nightvision (0mp): You cause the targets vison to instantly adjust to the current light level. Sudden light increases may become blinding. Range:Touch

Unlearned:
Blur Vision (3xp/5mp): You cause the targets vision to blur, giving them a significant penalty to everything involving sight. Range: Long

Combined:
Blight (Earth + Dark) (3xp/5mp): Forcibly suck the life from a target and push it into the earth. Range: Short

Locked:
Black Flames (Requires Fire 1) Shrouds your weapon in dark flames that burn magic and flesh alike. Range:Weapon
Ice Shards (Requres Water 1) Flash freeze the water in the air into razor-sharp knives and fling them at an area. Range: Short
Call Fog (Requires Air 1) Create an obscuring fog cloud around an area. The fog lingers in place for 10 minutes, then acts like a normal fog bank. Range:Sight

Amended stats & Costs:

Stats:

Strength: 3 (How strong you are. Determines damage.) (+10, 20xp to upgrade.)
Speed: 3 (How fast you are. Modifies to-hit and dodge.) (+10, 20xp to upgrade)
Endurance: 3 (How tough you are. Adds to HP, and reduces incoming damage.) (+10, 20xp to upgrade)
Casting: 3 (How good you are magic. Adds to MP and casting rolls.) (+10, 20xp to upgrade.)
Charisma: 2 (How persuasive you are. Applies whenever you interact with people.) (+5, 12xp to upgrade)
Notice: 3 (How observant you are. Also applies to crafting.) (+10, 20xp to upgrade)

Skills:
Skills cost 5xp to level up per level.
Swordfighting (Speed): 3 (+10, 20xp to upgrade)

Magical:

Fire Mastery: 0 (5xp to upgrade.)
Water Mastery: 0 (5xp to upgrade.)
Earth Mastery: 1 (10xp to upgrade. Upgrade locked)
Air Mastery: 0 (5xp to upgrade.)

Light Mastery: 0 (5xp to upgrade.)
Dark Mastery: 1 (8xp to upgrade. Upgrade locked)

>>4219407
>Ask questions
Who are you? Where are we?

I like the idea of using a earth (healing) magic and a sword for our MC.

>>4219425
Supporting.

We have an affinity for dark so I think that should be our focus. Learning the basics from the other elements is still probably a good idea though.

>>4219454
Indeed air and fire seems nice to get at the moment. But wonder what kind of crafting we can do except for the ordinary traps and potions.
Stats that seems important is notice and casting and probs speed if we don't want to tank hits

>>4219425
Support
Also ask for nearby inn or church
We have not seen a blonde elf

You yell back, while approaching slowly. "I'm afraid I haven't. That's not to say that they aren't down there though, It's like a maze down there. Speaking of which, where are we, and who are you? I've been wandering down there for days."

Once you make it out of the mine, the leader of the two extends his hand. "I'm Dillon, and this is Kris. We're guardsmen from the town of Goldmire, just down the valley there. Who might you be?"

There's a brief pause as you struggle to remember your name, but eventually a name comes to mind "Cyrus." You say, and the name feels right somehow.

"Well, thanks Cyrus," Dillon says, turning to Kris. "It looks like we'll have to look ourselves. Lets just hope that she hasn't got too far. You did remember the charcoal right?"

Kris replies, "Of course, Sir. I don't want to get lost in there any more than you do."

Just before the two depart, you ask them one last queston. "Is there an inn or church in town, by any chance? I'm in need of a place to stay."

Dillon replies, "There's an inn in town called the Knight's rest. As for a church, the nearest one is in Westbrook. Just ask the townsfolk for directions."

>Any further questions, or should I skip to town?

>>4220808
>skip to town and try to remember

>>4220808
>Offer to help them

>>4220816
I’ll change to this we can try to remember stuff later.

"Actually, how about I help you and you show me yourself?" You say.

"That would be appreciated," Dillon remarks. "There's rumors that fiends and other creatures of the dark lurk in the depths of the mine. Another sword would be helpful."

You ask, "Any leads on where she might have gone or why she headed down there?"

Kris pulls three torches from out of his pack and hands one to you, saying "She told the innkeeper that she was looking for a special mineral that used to be mined here. Apparently, it has special accoustic properties when forged properly. Anyway, look for markings where the tunnels meet. I'm hoping that she had enough sense to mark her way back, but seeing as she went down here, who knows.

The three of you light your torches, then head down into the mine. At the first intersection, you stop, cast Nightvision on yourself and look for any traces that the elf may have left, while Kris marks the tunnel that you came from with a piece of charcoal.

After five minutes of searching, you state, "I can't find any markings here. How about you?"

"None here," Dillon replies.

"She couldn't have made it easy, could she?" Kris complains. "I don't suppose you have any ideas, do you?"

You think for a bit. "I saw something glittering in the wall on my way out. You don't suppose that was the stuff she was looking for, do you?"

"I don't have any better leads, so lead the way." Dillon replies.

>Roll Notice to find your way back to the glimmering patches. (1d100 +20) DC50, Bonus at DC80.
>Because I forgot to mention earlier, rolls will be best of first 3. I'll roll any extra dice needed when I call votes.

Rolled 31 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

Rolled 7 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>4221311

>>4221311

Rolled 89 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>4221311

Rolled 96 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>4221311

File: images.jpg (5 KB, 259x194)

5 KB JPG

>>4221969
Noice

>>4221971
? Idk how it got posted but its a mistake my bad

>>4221977
Damn, what are your rolls?

You confidently lead the way, pausing at each junction for Kris to mark the way you came. Eventually, you find your way back to the tunnel with the glittering walls.

Looking closer at the wall, the glittering appears to be caused by some kind of crystal formation in the wall. A small chip out of the formation catches your eye. You call the two over, "It looks like she's been this way."

"Good spotting," Dillon remarks. "Lets keep moving, She shouldn't be far."

You follow the tunnel further, keeping an eye out for more of the chipped crystal formations. You follow the trail until, after one of the junctions, the trail stops. "It looks like she didn't come this way. Let's check out the other tunnel back there," Dillon suggests.

You backtrack to the junction and peer down the other tunnel. It looks identical to the tunnel you've just left. The three of you start walking, and after five minutes, you feel a faint shiver in the ground beneath your feet. You break out into a run and after rounding a corner, you come face to face with five imps surroundind a blond elf and tossing dark flames her, laughing as she dances out the way.

Without a sound, you raise your sword and charge.

>Combat! Roll me swordfighting(strength) (1d100+20), then speed (1d100+10) to dodge any attacks that the survivors launch your way.

Rolled 72, 5 = 77 (2d100)

>>4222757

Rolled 30 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>4222757

>>4223006
Gotta roll for speed too.

>>4223037

Rolled 48 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>4223171
Fuck messed it up

Rolled 51, 22 = 73 (2d100)

>>4222757

Rolled 32 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>4222757

Rolled 68 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>4222757
2nd roll for speed

Rolled 15 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>4222757

Rolled 3 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>4222757

Swordfighting (92), Speed (73)
>In the future, I'm just going to apply the modifiers myself when dealing with multiple rolls. It's surprisingly hard to interpret rolls with differing modifiers.

The imps don't even notice you as you charge, focused on their cruel entertainment. Suddenly, you are amongst them, sword flashing in the flickering torchlight. One of the imps falls to the ground, flesh sizzling from a cut in its side. Another Imp falls as a pair of crossbow bolts slam into its head and chest, courtesy of the guardsmen behind you.

The three remaining imps turn to face you, and toss dark flames in your direction. You manage to twist out of the way, but one of them cuts a little close, and you can feel the heat singe your face slightly, leaving you with a slight feeling of exhaustion.
> 1 damage taken (19/20hp), -1mp (14/15mp).

Moving into the midst of the remaining imps, you block an incoming claw with the flat of your blade. A flare of light flashes up as the claw makes contact, blinding the imp and making it an easy target for a reposte. A second pair of bolts whizzing past convinces the two surviving imps to turn and run, cackling as they flee.

Fight over, the elf slumps against the wall and slides to the ground, breathing heavily, her clothes still smouldering from where the imp's flames.

Concerned, you run over to her and ask, "Are you hurt? Do you need a hand?"

It takes a minute for the elf to catch her breath enough to talk. "I can walk, but that's about it. I would heal myself, but those foul flames have burned away my magic, as well as my dignity."

You slowly make your way back to the surface, following Kris's markings while Dillon carefully explains every mistake that the elf made in detail.

"I still maintain that my decisions were sound. The only creatures that should've been down here are the bugs," the elf complains.

"If you'd have talked to the townsfolk, then you would have known about the rumours," Dillon replies.

"In hindsight, I may have misstepped there. Nevertheless, as soon as I sell this harmonite, you will be compensated for rescuing me," the elf says. "Until then, I may be forced to rely on your protection."

Eventually, the group of you make your way into town, pausing every couple of minutes for the elf to catch her breath again. The elf immediately makes her way to the inn and books a room, while the guards immediately order drinks. This leaves you free to explore the delights of Goldmire, but seeing as the only other buildings in town appear to be a few farmhouses, and the farmers are inside drinking and playing cards there's little reason to head outside.


>4xp gained.

>Talk to the Guards.
>Check up on the Elf.
>Talk to the locals.

>I've created a stats/abilities pastebin https://pastebin.com/zbFLdkwk

>>4223576
>Check up on the Elf.

>>4223576
>Check up on the Elf.
Learn Healing Touch too if we can.

>>4223891
Support
Could also ask for common knowledge about the world and basic knowledge about magic

>2xp spent, Healing touch bought.
>Mending unlocked (6xp/6mp) Heal deeper wounds. Healing is doubled on targets stabilized first. Does not heal ailments.

Concerned, you follow the elf up to her room and knock on the door. The elf answers, "Who is it? I'm trying to rest here."

You reply "It's Cyrus, one of the people who helped rescue you from the mine. I have some minor skills with healing magic, and thought you might want a hand."

"Very well Cyrus, come in." She says, "Know that Syllanas stonesinger is grateful for any assistance you might provide."

When you open the door, Syllanas is sitting on the bed, covered in angry-looking burns. You put your hand on one of the burns, eliciting a wince. Slowly you channel healing energies into the burn, watching as the burn heals slightly.
>-2mp (11/15)

You ask Syllanas as you work on the other burns, "Mind talking as I work? I'd like to know more about magic and the world, and you seem knowledgeable about both."

She smirks slightly. "You've come to the right elf." What would you like to know?"

"How about we start with the world," you suggest, healing another burn.
>-2mp (9/15)

"Very well," she says. "As you may know, the southern part of this continent is home to several different civilizations, from the mostly-human kingdom of Caewen - where we are now, to the endless forest of the Windless labyrinth, where my elven cousins live, the Nagas who trade across the continent from their city in the Mirrored Depths and the Harpy clans who make their homes in the Skyclaw Mountains that divide the continent in two."

"What about the northern half of the continent?" You ask.

She continues reluctantly, "Only two things are found north of the Skyclaws, pain and suffering. Most of the northern part of the continent is covered in the Shadowlands, a vast wasteland devoid of magic and populated by wretched fiends. The only respite is the portion known as the emberlands, where the Salamanders and other lizardfolk are said to live."

"Anything you'd like to hear more about, or should I move onto Mmgic?" She asks, lightly poking one of the burns and wincing slightly. "You've done a good job, and I'll heal it fully in the morning, when my mana has recovered."

>Any subject catch your eye, or should I continue onto magic?

>I'll mock up a map in MSPaint later.

>>4225300
>“What do you know about the races other than humans? I don’t really know a lot about them.”

>>4225345
Supporting.

>>4225362
>>4225300
We should ask for more info on the Shadowlands as well.

"Mind explaining more about the Shadowlands?" You ask.

Syllanas replies, "There's not much more that's known about them for sure. Legends say that they used to be a series of warring kingdoms and that in their wars, they drained the life from the earth to fuel their magics. Now all that's known about them is that anything living there gets slowly warped into foul mockeries of their previous life. That and that the fiends are always trying to drag people back there for some reason." There's a pause as she tries to remember something, her mouth starting to form words, then stopping. Eventually she gives up and says, "There was someting else that was on the tip of my tounge, but I can't quite remember it. I'll tell you when I do."

"I'd be grateful for that," You say. "Now what do you know about races other than humans? I know less about them than I'd like."

Syllanas takes in a deep breath, then launches into a teaching voice. "Starting with my home, the Windless Labyrinth is home to many forest-dwelling races, from my own noble kin, to the kindly mothfolk who provide many valuable medicines, powders and silks. Then there are the Arachne who live deeper inside the forest and mostly keep to themselves. They are deeply territorial and don't take kindly to strangers, so we tend to leave them alone. Occasionally one of them will get tired of all the squabbling and head out on an adventure. If you see one of those about, don't get in their way, as they tend to be exceptionally determined when faced with direct opposition."

There's a pause for breath, then she launches into another lecture, "Moving onto the Kingdom of Caewen, it sprawls out amongst the vast grasslands of the Varantane Expanse. While most of the population is human, beastfolk still make up a significant portion. Just be careful to differentiate between 'Civilized" and 'Feral' beastfolk. While the City-dwelling Centaurs, Minotaurs, Leonin and Ainok (Catfolk and Houndfolk) are hard-working, and basically human - apart from a few minor quirks, there are those who resent the humans taking over 'their' land and will accost travellers in a petty form of vengeance. Thankfully, these pests tend to get driven back to the remote parts of the Expanse whenever they start causing trouble."

[1/2]

While you are struggling to absorb the stream of information, she moves onto the next topic. "Next up, we have the water-dwelling races of the world. The Merfolk, Lamia and Naga can be found wherever there is a river with which to do trade. While Lamias and Nagas are amphibious, the merfolk can't leave the water for long. I have to admit that beyond knowing not to confuse a Lamia with a Naga, I don't know any more about them."

The words continue to flow out of her mouth in a mind-numbing stream, "After that, we move on to the Skyclaw mountains that thankfully separate us from the shadowlands. The main race living there are the Harpies. They are flighty, impulsive and prone to bouts of wanderlust, but excellent friends and couriers. It's not uncommon to find harpies anywhere on the continent, except for the Windless Labyrinth as they hate being unable to fly. Several other races live amongst the snow and ice, but since they tend to stay there and not much has been written about them, I couldn't tell you much about them other than the fact that there are rumours about some kind of fox-folk and Ice Spirits that have adapted to their harsh environment. The mountains are also riddled with caves and many creatures of the dark have moved in from the shadowlands."

"Finally, we come to the Emberlands. The Emberlands is a hodgepodge of races, who fled there from the Shadowlands. They are home to all kinds of lizardfolk, some kitsune, the remaining dwarves and probably several other races that I've forgotten," She says. "That's all the ones I know of, barring the occasional visitor from the Verdant Isles, Elementals and Elemental Mutations."

>Anything else?

[2/2]

>Also as a bonus challenge, the world was inspired by 3 old /tg/ quests, and a game. Can you guess which ones?

>>4225937
>”what can you tell me about magic?”

(monster girl waifu in the future?)

>>4225937
>to the kindly mothfolk who provide many valuable medicines, powders and silks
>We must challenge the sun

>>4226109
After all, we do have void magic, and did just crawl out of an abyss...

>>4225975
Support

"I think I got all that," you say. "Now how about Magic?"

"To talk Magic, first we have to start with the elements," she says. "There are the four Primal elements, Fire, Water, Earth and Air. These elements form our world and everything living in it. Next are the two Astral elements, Light and Dark. These two elements warp the other elements and are rarely found on their own. By providing payment in the form natural energies that we call Mana, a mage asks the element to appear, or for an existing manifestation of the element to do as the caster asks. Most of what we call spells do a combination of both, with the motions of the spell invoking an exchange that the element is known to accept."

"Why I can cast Earth spells, but not Fire spells?" You ask. "If it's all just conjuring and controlling energies, then shouldn't all spells be equally easy to cast?"

"Each element has it's own 'personality'," she replies. "The mindset required to conjure forth and control Earth differs from the mindset required to control. Each race finds it easier to cast spells of certain elements that others, due to being more heavily aligned towards one element than others."

You ask, "What's different about the Astral elements?"

"The Astral elements are much harder to handle than the Primal elements, mostly being infused into spells of other elements, to impart their own properties. Spells comprised of only the Astral elements tend to be weaker, or much more expensive than those of a single Primal element, but when combined with a Primal element, their potency increases significantly," Syllanas replies. "Some Scholars theorise that the Astral elements were introduced to the world after it was formed, while others insist that they were there before."

>Any more questions for Syllanas? Either way, choose one of the following.
>Chat to the guards.
>Book a room and skip to morning.

>5xp gained due to your newfound knowlege of magical theory.
>Basically, each of the elements has a personality and will accept Mana in exchange for performing effects. Spells are just pre-determined exchanges that always work. The more a particular element 'likes' you, the better the deal is, while more knowlege of how to handle the element allows you to cast bigger spells. You can always ask the element to develop a new spell, but results are not guaranteed. Dual-element spells work either by entreating multiple elements to work together, or by asking a second element to alter a spell of the first element, depending on the spell. For example, Blight works by first casting a healing spell, then asking the darkness to alter it.

If nobody votes in the next 30 mins, I'm just going to timeskip to the next morning, as I want to get the plot rolling.

If anyone has any more questions about the world, then I'm happy to answer with greentext between updates.

Using magic for the first (?) time, as well as listening to Syllanas's lecture has left you feeling rather tired, so you thank Syllanas for the information and head downstairs to book a room.

There's a brief moment of panic, as you wonder if you have any coin, but a brief investigation of your person turns up a coin pouch with five large gold coins in it. When you give one to the innkeeper, he investigates the coin suspiciously, before picking it up and weighing it in his hand. After a moment of consideration, the innkeeper hands you seven significantly smaller silver coins, each stamped with a crown on one side and a wheat sheaf on the other.

In addition to the coins, he serves you a delicious smelling stew, and tells you that the third room is all yours.

After polishing off the stew, you head to your room, doing your best to ignore the sounds of carousing from the main hall.

Your room is sparse, but it has a bed in it, and that's all that matters right now. You hang up your tunic and collapse into bed, the dragon emblazoned on your tunic, the last thing you see as your eyes drift closed.

You dream of protecting a faceless figure from waves of faceless attackers, until your body suddenly stops working and the attackers shred the one you were protecting.

You awaken, completely refreshed (15/15mp), to the sound of a knock on the door, followed by the innkeepers gruff voice. "Breakfast is ready Milord," he says.

As you make your way over to collect your breakfast, you see Syllanas stagger out of her room, looking like she hasn't slept at all.

"My mana hasn't replenished at all!" She grumbles, sounding panicked. "Those black flames must have done something to me!"

She slowly takes a bite of her porridge before saying, "I need to head to Westbrook, so the healer there can fix whatever the imps did to me. If you are heading that way, I'm in need of an escort there, as in my current condition, I fear that I might not make it. I can offer you payment when we get there."

>Agree to escort her to Westbrook (Towards the center of the kingdom.)

>Find the guards and get them to do it, then head off in a different direction. (Will trigger a vote on which civilization to head towards)

>>4227546
>Agree to escort her to Westbrook
>Learn Blur Vision

>>4227555
+1
We don’t actually know how much time has pasted since we have been dead, we should ask the elf while we are traveling if she know anything about our gear.

>>4227546
>Find the guards and get them to do it, then head off in a different direction
Didnt we want to go north or something?

"Alright, I'll escort you to Westbrook," you say. "While we are travelling, I've got some stuff you I'd like you to look at."

"I'm always interested in learning new things," Syllanas replies. "What have you got?"

"I'd like to know about these coins I found. Same with this sword and the design on my tunic," you say.

"The only thing I can tell you now is that you should ask the church about the sword. It appears to have a Light enchantment on it, but I can't know without spending mana to confirm," she says.

Having finished your breakfast, the two of you purchase rations and hit the road.

>Roll 1d10 for travel events.

>Blur Sight Learned
>Unlocked: Darkvision (7(5)xp/5(4)mp) You alter how the target's eyes interpret light, allowing them to see in pure darkness. This sight is slightly grainy and in shades of grey. Lasts 10 hours. Range: Touch
>Unlocked: Blindness (10(8)xp/ 12(10)mp) Stop light from reaching the target's eyes, blinding them. Lasts 1 minute. Range: Short.

Rolled 2 (1d10)

>>4228834

>>4228834
We should probably head to a church before we invest more in dark magic, and they probably know a lot of stuff too.

Setting out along the road to Westbrook brings with it a feeling of nostalgia as you stretch your legs and begin the journey, traveling companion at your side. However, you quickly have to reign in your steps a little as you spot Syllanas struggling to keep up, leaving you feeling slightly guilty.

The pair of you slowly eat up the miles, stopping every hour or so to check up on Syllanas's burns and let her rest a bit. Every time you take a break though, you find yourself starting to pace, eager to get moving again after a couple of minutes.

After a while, you notice that a cloud of dust on the horizon has been following you for the last half hour.

As you continue to watch it, the dust cloud turns towards you and a pair of centaurs armed with spears emerge out of it. Judging by the uncared for look of their weapons, they are far more likely to be feral than civilized.

>Run
>Fight
>Hide
>Talk
>Magic

One thing I forgot to add:
If there's anything that you think I could be doing better, then let me know. I feel like at the very least, I should be giving the characters more personality than I have been doing, especially Cyrus.

Any other feedback on anything from post length to update frequency is also helpful.

>>4229386
>Talk
ask them who they are, at the same time bring a hand to our sword and prepare to fight.

>>4229403
Your writing is fine. I do agree that the characters could use a more personalty, for example the elf was basically just a lore dump, which was helpful but not not really explained why she knew all this and why she was so willing to speak, perhaps if she was introduced as a teacher or scholar it would be less wonky. Also I would think Cyrus would seem suspicious to her having almost no knowledge of the world.

>>4229460
Supporting.

Yeah, it did seem a little weird how accepting she was of our strange questions.

>Sorry for delay, D&D + Family ate the entire day.

As the two centaurs approach, you draw your sword. Syllanas moves behind you and says, "I remember reading that if a centaur isn't wearing armor, then they it's probably feral. Depending on what they want, we are probably in for a fight."

The leader of the two continues barrelling towards you, while the other one begins circling around behind you.

The leader then barrels past you, but you hold your sword firm and steady. After circling back around and approaching at a more reasonable pace, he says in a cruel, mocking voice that makes your blood boil. "You're a brave one aren't you? I like that. How about we have a little race? If you can get to that town of yours before we catch you, you get to keep that sword of yours and the pretty one gets to keep her bag. We'll even give you a few minutes head-start."

You are acutely aware of the other centaur watching from somewhere behind you, but the leader is within easy reach.

>From what Syllanas has told you, it should be about an hour to Westbrook from here.

>Fight (Cast a spell?) (Either casting (+10 ) or swordfighting +speed (+20))
>Run (Endurance + Speed (+10))

>Either way, roll 1d100. I'll apply the appropriate bonuses, depending on what choice is chosen.

Whoops. Endurance + Speed should be +20.

As for Syllanas, she's gone very quiet after the centaur started talking.

Rolled 60 (1d100)

>>4231645
>Fight
Cast blur sight on the leader and quickly move in to take him out, then we can fully focus on the other one.

Rolled 91 (1d100)

>>4231645
>>4231662
Supporting.

Rolled 49, 53, 42 = 144 (3d100)

Writing.
First dice is Syllanas, Other two are the centaurs.

You call upon the darkness to obscure the leaders sight, and a shadowy mist seeps out from his shadow and coalesces in front of his eyes. As you move forward to strike, he jabs at you, but it sails far over your shoulder. Your return swing knocks the spear from his hand and leaves a red slice across his chest. Before you can follow through properly, the thundering of hooves from behind you causes you to turn and swing. There's a clatter as you parry a spear aimed at your face, then you thrust.

The Centaur's momentum carries it right onto your sword, and the force almost wrenches your arm out of your socket until you are forced to let go of your sword. The centaur's body continues past you into the grassland, where it collapses. Picking up the centaur's fallen spear, you put it to the leader's neck. He stops moving and glares at you.

Syllanas looks on at the carnage in shock. "You aren't an ordinary guardsman are you?" She stutters.

>What do you say to Syllanas?
>What do you do with the centaur leader?
>10/15mp

>>4233463
>What do you say to Syllanas?
“I never said I was a guardsman”

>What do you do with the centaur leader?
“I’m going to give you too the count of ten to get out of here”

Pulling your borrowed spear away from the centaur leader, you say, "I’m going to give you to the count of ten to get out of here, and if I find you robbing people again, then I'll send you to the ferryman myself.”

The centaur looks at you, then turns and bolts before you can get to three.

You keep an eye on his dust cloud, while you walk over to the fallen centaur and retrieve your sword. Then you turn to Syllanas and say, "I never said I was a guardsman.”

"Then what are you?" She asks.

"A bodyguard," you say without thinking, followed up by a memory of fighting cloaked figures with knives in the dark bubbling up from somewhere in the back of your mind.

She falls silent for a bit, as the two of you continue walking.

Eventually, she breaks the silence by asking, "Mind telling me what it's like where you are from? I haven't read about or seen anything like that sword of yours, and that design on your tunic isn't from around here either.

>What do you tell her? (This will be your default story when people ask about your background, unless stated otherwise.)

>You've been wandering so long that you've forgotten where you came from, and you found the sword deep in the caves below the mine.
>You woke up in the mine with no memories. Since then, things have been slowly coming back to you.
>The truth.

>>4234418
>The truth.
Honestly I don’t see a reason to not tell her the truth, but if anyone we don’t know asks go with the mine amnesia story.

"I can't actually remember where I'm from," you say. "I can't remember anything from before a certain point."

"That's not good," she says. "Do you have any idea what could have caused you to lose your memory?"

"I think I died," you muse. "The first thing I can remember is walking along a path through an endless void. Then a feeling of an unfifilled duty caused me to turn and walk back the way I came."

There's a pregnant pause as what you just said sinks in. A complicated mix of emotions cross her face, and she takes an involuntary step back.

"What foul trickery did you use to come back?" She accuses. "To get an element to do that for you should take more mana than exists this side of the Skyclaws."

"I didn't use any magic." You protest. "I just snuck past the robed ones in the city of the dead, then clung onto the Ferryman's craft as he rowed."

"That's not possible," she counters. 'It is written that the darkness itself swims within the river of the dead and that the waters strip the soul from any who touch it."

"I can only tell you what I have felt. I only made it across because the Ferryman made me a deal," you admit.

"What could possibly motivate such a being?" Syllanas asks, pulling out a notebook.

"He wishes to pass on to the other side. He claims that a being called the Lady of Shadows bound him to his craft and he seeks a replacement."

There's a look of horror as she writes this down. "Who does he seek to replace him?" She asks.

"The Lady's current champion," you reply. "I'm just now realizing that I don't have any way of knowing who that is. Hopefully, it's the kind of being that I'll know when I see it."

There's the sound of quill on paper for a moment, then you feel obliged to comment. "You're taking this remarkably well. I thought that you'd run screaming."

"I'm still not certain if you are telling the truth, or telling an elaborate joke," she answers back. "If it's the former, then I'd like to write it all down. I could be the first scholar to record what happens after life. I'd be famous all over the continent! Besides, I still need your protection in case that centaur comes back, or something else accosts us on the road."

As you continue on to Westbrook, she asks a torrent of questions about your journey back to the land of the living. Most of them you answer with "I don't know." Eventually, the questions cease you reach Westbrook. The wooden wall around it is an immediate point of difference to Goldmire, as is the noise. The road itself lead to a gate, guarded by a bored looking guardsman.

>This was surprisingly hard to write. I'll continue writing in the morning. Can you roll me 2d100, one for Notice and one for Charisma.
>Also, thanks for putting up with my slow posting. Hopefully the other guy comes back.

Rolled 91, 11 = 102 (2d100)

>>4236095
This was a good post QM keep at it.

Maybe you could try advertising in QTG because this thread is criminally underrated right now.

Rolled 93, 57 = 150 (2d100)

>>4236095

>>4237134
Welcome.

Also Writing.

>>4236324
Will do when I've written the update. Thanks for the Idea.

Rolled 93(+10) Notice, 57 (+5) Charisma.
>Ainok = Dogfolk.

As the pair of you walk up to the gate, the guard stops slouching and asks, "What's your names, and reason for visiting?"

You respond, "Syllanas and Cyrus, we are here to see a healer, and sell some minerals from the mine at Goldmire."

"Seems reasonable. Welcome to Westbrook. Please don't cause trouble inside," the guard says pushing the gate open and gesturing you through.

Once the pair of you are inside, Syllanas blinks and remarks "I wonder what that's about? They weren't questioning visitors last time I was here."

The next thing that strikes you is the sheer number and variety of people bustling around the city. There are human merchants clad in bright colors, crowding around a storefront run by a minotaur, who is selling detailed figurines made of iron. Across the street, a leonin butcher is hawking fresh meat to passers-by. Further up the street, a group of heavily armed ainok are crowded around a table while a nervous barmaid serves them lunch. A gaggle of children of various races barrel down the street playing some kind of chasing game, narrowly avoiding colliding with people walking down the street.

It takes you several tries, but eventually, you find someone willing to give directions to the church. "Follow this street north until you hit the main square, then head towards the spire. You can't miss it," the kindly old man says.

The entire city feels like a festival, but while following the old man's directions, you see multiple guards mixing with the crowd, as well as a number of leonin paying a little too much attention to the people passing by. You file that information away in the back of your head, and continue towards the church.

The church itself is much grander than the buildings surrounding it, standing a full story higher than its neighbors and sporting an enormous set of double doors, flung wide open with easily enough space to push a cart through. The spire on top of it reaches up towards the sky and houses a large metal bell at its peak. Heading inside, you see that the interior is illuminated by a large number of strange white flames floating inside excquisitely decorated lanterns. Looking to the walls, you see a series of murals depicting light-cloaked angels performing a variety of acts - from fighting an army of darkness, to tending a garden.

[1/2]

[2/2]

"How can I help you, travellers?" an aged ainok priest asks. "Are you here for healing, absolution or prayer?"

"I'm here seeking healing," Syllanas answers. "I got burned by dark flames, and since then, my mana hasn't been replenishing."

"In that case, follow me," the priest says. "We've got a skilled healer working out the back, just don't be offended by his language, he's had a busy week." The priest then leads you to a door at the back of the church and through to a series of living quarters behind. He then accosts a young ainok wearing similar robes and says, "Lucas, would you mind tending to these travellers?"

Lucas turns to you, and upon seeing that you are armed, he starts yelling angrily. "Of course, another one of you guards managed to injure someone again! If you would use words, rather than swords, then maybe, just maybe we wouldn't have this problem. I'll help you, because I have PRINCIPLES, but let your captain know that the next time one of his men gets injured, then they will be helping me for an entire month in return for healing."

The priest says calmly, with the air of one who has said this before, "Lucas, child. You need to cool that temper of yours before it gets you in even more trouble. These two are merely travellers seeking aid, as the elf has been burned by tainted fire."

Lucas takes a deep breath, then turns to you and says with forced calmness, "Apologies. I'll tend to your wounds then. I'll find a room for you to rest in, and once I've managed to regain enough mana, I'll call upon the blessings of the light to cure what darkness has wrought."

"How long will that take?" you ask.

"I'll perform the blessing tomorrow morning, assuming that nothing more serious happens before then," he says. "Until then, feel free to make use of these rooms, and please consider a donation to the church when you are better."

Syllanas moves over to the bed and says, "I'm going to rest here until I'm cured. Feel free to explore the city, or ask the priests about that sword of yours."

>Keep an eye on Syllanas. You said that you'd escort her to a healer, and that includes waiting for her to be healed.
>Ask the priests about the sword & the elements.
>Go and see why the city is crawling with guards.

>>4237560
>Ask the priests about the sword & the elements

Wandering back to the main hall, you track down the priest from before. "Excuse me sir, but I was wondering if you could explain some things for me?" You ask.

"Why, certainly child. What do you want to know?"

"I was wondering if you could tell me about the elements. I have to admit that I'm not familiar with the precepts of your religion."

The priest walks you over to a mural depicting four spheres with a fifth one glowing above the others. "We believe that the light will join us in this world and lead us to an existence free from pain and death, but that it will only be able to do so when the peoples of this world have put their differences aside and joined together in worship of the light. For now, it simply waits above us all, content to guide us gently to the correct path via the teachings of the angels," he says launching into a clearly practised sermon.

"What role do the other elements have in this?" You ask, angling for information.

"The other four elements form the shells of our mortal bodies and the world we live in. Each one performs a vital service while waiting for the light to join them. Fire keeps us warm, while Earth feeds our mortal bodies. Water quenches our mortal thirst, while we breathe in the Air we need to live."

"What about Darkness?" You inqure.

"Darkness exists to show us the glory of the light. For is it not said, that men are only aware of what they have when they risk losing it?" The priest recites. "That being said, the darkness does have several uses in this mortal world of ours. For example, most enchantments use darkness to draw mana from their surroundings. Just be sure not to rely too heavily on the darkness and for each mana given to the darkness, give to the light threefold. Once for balance, and twice for atonement. Doing such will help the light triumph over the darkness when the time comes."

"Speaking of enchantments, I have a sword with a light enchantment that I'd like you to look at," you request. "I'd like to know more about its history if possible."

"I'm no expert on weapons, but I might be able to tell you about its enchantment," the priest says. "Let me have a look at it." You hand the priest the sword, and his eyes widen. "Where did you find this?" He demands.

"I woke up with it in the mines beneath Goldmire. I take it from your reaction that it is important," you respond.

"If what I suspect is correct, then very." He replies, moving to another mural of an angel battling the forces of darkness. He then holds the sword up against the angels, and the pair of you stare in shock at the perfect match.

>Mysterious sword has evolved into Angelic sword!

>Will continue in ~8 hours, I'm falling asleep at the keyboard and this seemed like a good break point.

>>4237869
If we have enough xp we should invest into light mastery 1 as I seems pretty important for our past.

>>4237875
Indeed

I'm back. Writing.

Light Mastery 1 bought.
0xp remaining.

"I suddenly feel the need to learn more about Angels," you declare. "What can you tell me about them?"

"They are holy creatures, formed when a pilgrim travels to a holy place and prays for several days. If the light deems them worthy, then they come back as an Angel. They are bound by a set of rules that they must follow, but in return, they gain the gift of flight, as well as newfound abilities with Light magics," the priest lectures.

"Are there any around?" You ask.

The priest answers, "There are only two alive today. One serves as head of the church, and advises the Queen on religious matters. The other one spends most of her time patrolling the border of the skyclaws, looking for -"

The next thing the priest says is interrupted by the sound of several guards carrying in a badly bloodied Leonin. One of them shouts, "Father Gerald! This man needs healing now!"

"Duty calls," the priest says, turning to the guards. "There are bandages in the cabinet over there. Help me bind his wounds, so Lucas can heal them later."

There's more shouting from outside, and one of the guards swears "Shit! It sounds like the situation in the square has gotten worse. Sorry father, but we need to go. Now."

"It's alright," Father Gerald says. "Go and do your duty. I'll handle the wounded."

>Stay and help the priest heal the wounded.
>Go and see what the problem is in the square. Maybe you could help prevent further injuries.

>Magic to follow.

>Light Mastery 1 purchased. 0xp remaining.

>Learned: Illuminate (2mp) Summon a glowing orb to light up the area. Lasts 1 hour.
>Unlocked: Dazzle (5xp/5mp) Let out a flash of light, blinding everyone around you.
>Unlocked: Holy Shield (Light + Earth) (5xp/5mp): A barrier of light springs into being to protect the target against physical attacks.
>Unlocked: ??? (Light + Dark) (8xp/?mp) Mix opposing elemental energies. Who knows what will happen?
>Locked: Holy Fire (Requires Fire 1). Infuse a fire spell with light magic. Spell deals 1.5x damage, but costs 2x mana.
>Locked: Purify (Requires Water 1) Cure lingering adverse effects from a target. More powerful curses and poisons may need higher levels of mastery to cure.
>Locked: Lightning (Requires Air 1) Call down a bolt of lightning from the sky on a target. Range: Short

>Stay and help the priest heal the wounded.
>Go and see what the problem is in the square. Maybe you could help prevent further injuries.

>Light Mastery 1 purchased. 0xp remaining.

>Learned: Illuminate (2mp) Summon a glowing orb to light up the area. Lasts 1 hour.
>Unlocked: Dazzle (5xp/5mp) Let out a flash of light, blinding everyone around you.
>Unlocked: Holy Shield (Light + Earth) (5xp/5mp): A barrier of light springs into being to protect the target against physical attacks.
>Unlocked: ??? (Light + Dark) (8xp/?mp) Mix opposing elemental energies. Who knows what will happen?
>Locked: Holy Fire (Requires Fire 1). Infuse a fire spell with light magic. Spell deals 1.5x damage, but costs 2x mana.
>Locked: Purify (Requires Water 1) Cure lingering adverse effects from a target. More powerful curses and poisons may need higher levels of mastery to cure.
>Locked: Lightning (Requires Air 1) Call down a bolt of lightning from the sky on a target. Range: Short

>>4238775
>Go and see what the problem is in the square. Maybe you could help prevent further injuries.

Leaving Father Gerald to tend to the injured Leonin, you sprint after the guards, fighting against the current of people racing away from the square.

Eventually, you manage to push your way to the square, where five heavily armed and armored Ainok mercenaries are staring down several guards, who are in turn protecting another leonin guard who is on the floor with a clearly broken nose. The leader mercenary is yelling, "Fuck you! That asshole was trying to steal our coin. He had it coming!"

"That doesn't excuse you from striking a guardsman," one of the guards says. "Now put down your weapons and nobody needs to get hurt."

"Like hell we are! I'm telling you that your friend there was helping that thief escape, and now you have the guts to try and arrest us?" the lead mercenary shouts.

The mercenaries draw their swords as the guardsmen move to surround them.

>Attempt to break up the conflict. (How?)
>Take a side (Guards or Mercenaries)
>Something seems off. You can feel dark magic somewhere. Look for the source.

>Regardless of what you choose, roll 1d100. I'll add the appropriate modifiers.

Rolled 38 (1d100)

>>4239443
>Something seems off. You can feel dark magic somewhere. Look for the source

>Rolled 38 (+10 notice +5 dark mastery.) = 53 - fail.

Something seems off. You can feel the faint chill of dark magic, and you look around the square for the source. While you are looking for the source, there's the smack of a crossbow bolt hitting flesh. One of the mercenaries shouts in pain, crossbow bolt sticking out of the shoulder joint in their armor. "That's it. Get them!" one of the mercenaries shouts and the clash of metal on metal rings out, as the two sides come to blows.

>Attempt to break up the conflict. (How?)
>Take a side (Guards or Mercenaries)
>Go and find the guard captain.
>Wait the conflict out and heal the injured.

>>4240435
>Wait the conflict out and heal the injured.
Not our fight

Rather than pick a side, you keep out of the fray in an effort to minimize casualties. The mercenaries are putting up a valiant fight, despite being outnumbered three to one. The guards, however are handicapped by trying to subdue their targets, rather than kill. There's a brief flash of red and a yelp of pain as one of the mercenaries blades catches a guardsman who moved slightly too slowly. The offending mercenary then collapses to the ground with a resounding thunk, as another guardsman takes the opportunity to bash their helmet in with the pommel of their sword.

With one of their number down, the difference in numbers turns out to be too much for the mercenaries, and the other three are quickly bludgeoned to the floor.

Sensing that the fight is over, you approach the guards, hands raised in a non-threatening manner. "That looks like it was a nasty cut," you say. "I'd like to heal it before something gets into it."

"Who are you?" One of the standing guards asks, looking at the sword at your hip. "If you care so much, then why didn't you help?"

"I'm Cyrus, a wandering bodyguard," you reply. "As for why I didn't step in, it wasn't my fight, and I might not be able to heal the wounded if I got involved."

"Fine." The guards relents. "I'm still keeping an eye on you, in case you try anything funny."

"Fair enough," you say, kneeling down by the still-bleeding guardsman. You offer up a portion of your mana to the earth, and you can feel it get exchanged for earthen healing energies, which you press to the wound. The surface of the wound seals up under your hands, leaving a tender looking line, where a bleeding slash used to be.
>-2 mana (13/15 remaining).

Turning to the rest of the guards, you ask, "What's going to happen to those mercenaries?" You ask.

"The punishment for striking a guard is a month's hard labor, or a fine of 50 gold pieces," The guard replies. "Attempting to kill a citizen is punishable by five years hard labor if unsuccessful, or ten years labor or death if successful, depending on circumstances. We'll take them to the cells, before the captain decides what is to be done with them."

"In that case, I felt some strange magic just before the fight broke out. I'm not sure what it has to do with anything though."

"Mind healing this one?" Another guard asks, standing over the mercenary with the bolt sticking out of their shoulder. You carefully pull out the bolt and heal the wound. The guard next to you starts cleaning off the bolt, then wraps it in cloth and sticks it in their bag.
>-2mp (11/15mp)

While you are checking up on the other mercenaries, a clatter of hooves causes several of the guards around you to stiffen. A loud voice barks out, "What's the meaning of this? I'd thought that I'd trained you lot better than to get into fights in town. How are the civilians going to trust us, if they see you lot fighting in the streets?"

[1/3?]

Turning around, you can see a centaur clad in plate, except for the helmet, which is strapped to her side, allowing for her short-cropped hair and stern glare to be seen.

Several of the guards turn and salute the centaur and one of them barks back, "They started it by striking guardswoman Leona, Captain! We are currently in the process of tending to their wounds before transporting them to the cells for questioning, Captain!"

"See that you do." The captain states, with an aura of finality. "In the meantime, I'll be here questioning the civilians."

"I reccomend you start with Cyrus here, Captain! He's been most helpful," the guard says, before they start carrying the disarmed and de-armored mercenaries away.

The centaur turns to you and starts talking. "I'm Captain Anabel, and apparently you have information about today's incident. Tell me about what happened." The centaur orders, turning to you.

"Several guards ran into the church, carrying an injured leonin and shouting for help. Before they could properly tend to him, there was more shouting from the square amd they ran off to assist," you say.

"Why did you follow them?"

"I can cast minor healing magics, and know my way around a sword. I thought that I could help prevent further injuries," you admit.

"When you arrived at the square, what did you see?"

"I saw a group of mercenaries facing off against a group of guardsmen, who were protecting a guardswoman on the ground. The mercenaries were yelling something about a thief."

"Then what happened?"

"I felt a sliver of stange magic, and looked around to see if I could find the source. Next thing I know, there was a crossbow bolt sticking out of one of the mercenaries, and the two groups were fighting."

"That's enough. Follow me. I need to talk to the guards involved." With that, the captain trots off down the road, leaving you to sprint to keep up.


Eventually, you arrive at the guardhouse. It's a stone building, unlike the wooden buildings that make up the rest of the district. It's also horrifically ugly, as if absolutely no effort was put into making the building look nice. The utilitarian nature of the building continues as you follow the Captain inside. She then tells you to wait by the entrance while she talks to the officers involved.

[2/3]

[3/3]

A little bit later, the captain returns and directs you into an office. "After taling to the guards involved, officer Leona mentioned that she thought she saw a dark haze gather around the target's face, just before she was struck," Captain Anabel explains. "If you could sense the magic, then we could use the help in tracking down the culprit." A pained look crosses her face as she continues, "I might even be able to give you a couple of enchanted items we confiscated for your trouble. Alternatively, I could arrange for you to recieve special training with a swordmaster who will be visiting in a weeks time."
>6xp gained for healing.

>What do you want to do?
>Accept the captain's offer and help track down the mage behind the incident.
>Decline the captain's offer and wait in town for Syllanas to be treated.
>Decline the captain's offer and head north to find that angel the priest mentioned.
>Ask the captain further questions (What?)
>Write in.

>Next update is likely to be in ~ 18 hours due to D&D + Family stuff.

>>4242874
>Accept the captain's offer and help track down the mage behind the incident.
Check on Syllanas first though and tell her what we are doing.

>6xp gained for healing.
I think we should invest our xp into more spells just to make our spell backlog a bit bigger. We now have just enough to get Mending which could come in handy for after the encounter. For our next xp gain we should invest into Blight to get a good offensive spell.

File: Returned Q Map.jpg (726 KB, 2048x1536)

726 KB JPG

"I'd be happy to accept your offer, but first I'd like to let my companion know what I'm up to," you say.

"You have one hour. Once that's up, I expect you to be waiting here." Anabel orders.

"Understood, Captain," you reply.

You quickly run back to the church. On the way there, you notice that the festival-like atmosphere from earlier has gone completely and the crowds are now looking around cautiously.

It takes you about five minutes to make it all the way to the church, and a couple of minutes more to navigate your way through the building to the room Syllanas is borrowing. You softly knock on the door, just in case she is sleeping.

"Who is it? Syllanas asks through the door.

"It's Cyrus," you answer. "May I come in?"

"Please do. It's hard to talk properly through a door," Syllanas requests.

You open the door, to see Syllanas has made herself at home, and is now relaxing on the bed with a pile of books stacked beside her. "How are you feeling?" You ask.

"A little better. That Lucas fellow checked up on me earlier and informed me that I'm in no immediate danger from my burns."

"That's good to hear."

"He also informed me that since I'm stable, I'm going to have to wait longer than anticipated. He then left cursing about the guards. Did something happen in town?"

"There was a confrontation between a group of mercenaries and the guards," you say. "Speaking of which, the guards have asked me to help with something, so I won't be around for a while."

"That's alright. I have no intentions of going anywhere until my mana's replenished."

With that you say your goodbyes and head back to the guardhouse. When you arrive, a guard is waiting to lead you back to the captain's office.
A old, grizzled guardsman is waiting next to the captain, sword at his hip. "I'm Artur," he says, stepping forward. "I'll be keepin' an eye on ya, while you sniff about for the bastard behind things."

"To be clear, Artur is be there to keep you safe if whoever it was decides start something," Captain Anabel says. She then looks to Artur. "When you find them, you are to come tell me, so that I can send a squad. Understood?"

"Crystal, Captain." Artur says.

"Dismissed."

The two of you leave the office, and wander down the corridor.

"What's our first move, boss?" Artur asks.

>In case it wasn't clear, the 6xp from last post can be spent on whatever you want, you just gained the XP from healing the guards & mercenaries.

>Where do you want to start searching from?
>Start by talking to the mercenaries. They should be awake by now.
>Start by questioning the guards. What exactly happened before you turned up?
>Start from the square, where you last felt the magic.

>>4248588
>Start from the square, where you last felt the magic.

>Start at the square.

In that case, could I get you to roll notice + dark mastery (1d100 + 20)

Rolled 94 (1d100)

>>4249562

Rolled 79 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>4249585

nice roll.
>>4249562
How about a lightning spell just need air 1

>Start from the square (Rolled 114, Crit!)

"I was thinking that we should start from the square. That's the last place I felt it," you say.

"Why are we still here then?" Artur says.

By the time you get back to the square, the traces of magic have long gone. You start walking around the edge of the square, extending the strange feeling you have for magic. There's a hum of light magic in the direction of the church, as well as a grounded feeling from the guardhouse.

Barely there underneath the both of them is a faint chill coming from one of the upper story windows. You begin to move along the edge of the square, following the chill. It quickly drops down to street level and exits through a carpenter's storefront, before extending down the street, back towards where you first entered the town.

Along the way, the crowds thicken back up as you move back amongst the merchants still hawking their wares, just this time everyone seems a little on edge. There's no sign of the leonin who seemed out of place though.

Eventually the trail leads to a building marked 'Southport Trading Company', before running cold.

"You've stopped," Artus comments.

"I've lost the trail," You reply. "They're probably inside."

"Lets tell the captain. She can handle it from here." Artus says.

>Crit!
As you turn to agree, something deep below the building catches the edge of your senses. It has a feeling similar to the chill of shadow, but feels emptier somehow, before the feeling abruptly vanishes.

>Go and find the captain.
>Send Artur off to fetch the captain, while you investigate.
>Both of you investigate. There's no telling if you have enough time to fetch the captain.

>As we are on page 9, I'll start a new thread with the next update tomorrow. I'll try to stick better to at least one update a day. Thanks for playing, despite my shortcomings.

>Thread is now Archived. http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Returned%20Quest

Also, regarding dice, I think that I'll ask for a roll as part of the post in the future, then apply the appropriate modifiers myself, depending on the choice taken. (Or ignore them if the chosen course of action doesn't require dice).

So in this case, could you roll me 1d100 for the start of the next thread.

This is as good a time as any to ask for what you want to spend your 6 XP on. Choices are in the pastebin: https://pastebin.com/zbFLdkwk IF I remember correctly, the leading choices are Air mastery 1 (5xp) , Mending (6xp) and Blight. (5xp).

Rolled 82 (1d100)

>>4252667
>Send Artur off to fetch the captain, while you investigate
>Spend xp on Mending (6xp)
>Thread is now Archived.
This was a fun thread thanks for running.

Rolled 66 (1d100)

>>4252675
Roll
>>4252692
+1 Both choices
Enjoying the quest so far, keep up the good work

New thread.
>>4254628