>>5046025
"As much as the Darkwood permits..." -- Eos unexpectedly responds. -- "Why did it become like this, plagued by dark magic and darker spirits? I've heard some legends on my travels, but haven't heard the Church's answer yet."
"I'd be happy to indulge your curiosity. However, there likely isn't anything particularly different from the stories you've been told. In the old times, the Darkwood was a regular forest, populated by its usual denizens, flourishing in spring and shedding its dress in winter. However, due to its remoteness, over time, it became the gathering place of outlaws. Not just bandits, though, these were scholars and mages scorned and hunted by those nearer to the shore. As they practised their foul spells here, the ground and manaflow of this area became tainted, and after several centuries you have what you see now. That's all there is to it." -- the abbot looks at the Sol amulet handing from his wrist. -- "Sol wishes to reclaim this place. It is our job to assist our God in this endeavour. We have already spread light to the lands surrounding the monastery. Once the war monks start building their settlements, we may begin taking over further lands. But that's the future, not history, yet."
"I see... You mission is quite curious." -- Eos responds.

Silence hangs in the air after her reply. You decide to break it as an idea pops in your mind.
"Fers, I have a mana stone. Could it somehow be inserted into the Sol gauntlet, so that it may recharge by itself over time?"
"Sure, ask our smith for it. This wasn't included in the promised reward, but I believe you deserve this much for saving us from the monster."
The abbot leads you to the smithy, where a stout dwarf is working on something. After a short discussion, he hesitantly accepts your request. Taking finer tools, he carefully makes a little indentation on the gauntlet, and inserts the mana stone there, fastening and protecting it with some iron wires. The stone lights up a bit, evidently transferring energy into the gauntlet.
>There is something else you'd like to do/ask while you are here... [write-in]
>Begin your journey out of the forest and towards the city of Tefar. It is time to report about your job to the alchemist.

>>5046025
Forgot to add to the inventory, you also have
Sol Gauntlet, blessed by the Sun God. Emits flame on command, recharges with mana.

>>5046027
>There is something else you'd like to do/ask while you are here...
Can our mana also be tainted? If so, how would that impact us?
>Craft the Recharging Sol Gauntlet
4 stones to go.
Can we assist the blacksmith to get more experienced with metallurgy?

Welcome back, QM. That is a very sexy OP image.

>>5046028
Which one of our hands has the Gauntlet, again? These special body parts should have their own category, desu.

>>5046027
Neat, this made it to a second thread.

>Begin your journey out of the forest and towards the city of Tefar. It is time to report about your job to the alchemist
Time to bring it all home.

>>5046027
>There is something else you'd like to do/ask while you are here... [write-in]
Can we ask about Sol and the religions? Beliefs, if there are pantheons, enemies and allies and the like.

>Ask about tainted mana and its possible impact
>Ask about Sol and other religions
You approach the abbot once more.
"I see the common folk of the cities and countryside alike are mostly Sun worshippers. This got me curious, could you tell me about your beliefs?"
"It is delightful to know that you're interested." -- Fers responds with a gentle smile. -- "We worship Sol because he protects us, gives us warmth to survive the winters, and light to grow our crops. He is not the only god, however. We believe the twin moons, Junithe and Kumanur, are his children, watching over us at night. The Cosmos that houses them and the stars is an ancient being, yet detached and usually not meddling in mortal affairs; we pay him homage chiefly to escape his rare anger. That's about all the gods there are. For us, at least."
"For you? Do you recognize other deities?" -- you inquire, a bit confused.
"Other ones exist, yes, for how could we explain the miracles that happen to those of other religions?"
Why not worship whoever can give you a blessing right now, then? Why limit yourself with a single faith? -- Eos interjects, oddly enough, with a bit of annoyance in her voice.
The abbot laughs.
"You could. However, consider this: would a faithful wife sleep with other men because it's "convenient" right now? No? There you have your answer. To devote oneself to a single god, or pantheon -- that is true faith."

>>5047030
Eos falls silent and seems to ponder Fers' explanation. You continue your inquiry.
"While we're on the topic of other religions, which ones are there?"
"Good question, albeit a hard one. There are myriads of varying beliefs and faiths around the world, I can name only a few. The Sol worship is practised on the southern shore of the Sun Sea, in the kingdoms of Neruem, where we currently are, Erslied, to the east, beyond the mountains, and Veresca, to the west. To the north of the sea they have a great pantheon of gods, with 20 main ones, and dozens, if not hundreds, of minor deities overseeing various crafts, natural phenomena and places. The elves are alike. The dwarves have a strange faith, both paying homage to the stars and idolizing Gods from Stone, not like I know what that means. The orcs and goblins, if I recall correctly, revere their ancestors. There are other faiths, but I am not too knowledgeable about them."
"I see... Thanks for sharing your knowledge; it's really helpful for a living armour that's been asleep for a hundred years." -- you reply.
"Ah, don't mention it." -- Fers laughs. -- "I'm always up to speak about our god with strangers. Anything else you'd like to know?"
"You mentioned that magic may taint the earth... Could it taint me, as well?"
"I think not, unless you deliberately stay in places surrounded by malicious magic for a long time, or fall victim to a particularly powerful spell."
"Alright, I see. Thank you, then. We'll be on our way now. Good luck on your mission to reclaim this forest."
"Goodbye. May Sol bless your travels."
As you leave the monastery grounds, you feel heavy, stiff. Moving your body parts has become harder, and the movement itself is odd. It seems the battle with the regsin and the hex it tried to place on you have taken their toll.
>Insert a Mana potion into your inner cavities to absorb its contents and recover
>Keep on the road and hope not to meet any adversaries

>>5046043
>Can we assist the blacksmith to get more experienced with metallurgy?
If you want to get better at metalworking, it's best not to catch a random lesson here and there, but work in the smithy for a while as an apprentice. If you want to, you can do it as a write-in once you get back to the city.
>Which one of our hands has the Gauntlet, again?
The right one.

>>5047031
>Insert a Mana potion into your inner cavities to absorb its contents and recover

>>5047031
>Insert a Mana potion into your inner cavities to absorb its contents and recover
Maintenance, people. Maintenance.

>>5047032
Did we get that recharging upgrade or nah?

>>5047066
You did, I wrote it in the main post here >>5046027.

>>5047068
Oh right, my bad. Sorry OP.
Must've skipped it and went directly to the choices. I also just assumed it was optional and up to the players since mana stone was a consumable.

>>5047088
Ye, I should've made it optional now that I think about it. Whatever, I guess.

>>5047091
Still my fault for having an attention span of a goldfish.

>>5047062
>Insert a Mana potion into your inner cavities to absorb its contents and recover

>>5047031
>>Insert a Mana potion into your inner cavities to absorb its contents and recover

>Insert a Mana potion into your inner cavities to absorb its contents and recover
The moment you place the mana potion inside, you feel a wave of energy washing over you. The contents of the bottle vaporize, thickening around the arcane strings making up your inner structure and reinforcing them. With this, you are ready to take on any foes you may meet on your way.

Leaving the monastery grounds behind, you are once again travelling with river banks of one side and dense, unwelcoming woods on the other. To somewhat liven up the journey, you strike up a conversation.
"You looked a little annoyed when we were talking to Fers back there. What gives?"
"For the most part, I was a bit exhausted and still nervous from the regsin fight... but also, I don't really like church people. Their devotion makes me suspicious for some reason. It seems like it consumes a large part of what constitutes their life."
"Aren't you confusing devotion with fanaticism? For all we know, the abbot may have been a master craftsman, or a musician, or whatever else. It just didn't come up in the conversation that he's a multifaceted person."
"Touché. I guess I didn't phrase it correctly; to me, giving a large part of your life to a single purpose sounds not particularly negative, but limiting. That's why I get confused, even a bit irritated maybe, when talking to dedicated people. What do you think? If I remember right, you served a king for a long while; do you want to have a purpose such as that again?"
>"I do. Though I haven't yet found what to dedicate my life to."
>"Not really. The freedom I obtained is too much to give up in exchange for purpose."
>"I don't know yet."
>Write-in

Regarding the Sol Gauntlet, I forgot to tell anons that with the mana stone inserted, it recharges at a rate that lets you use it once per day.

>>5048054
>Tell Eos that before you gained your own agency, serving the king was the only thing you had on mind. It felt perfectly normal and brought you pride and satisfaction. Now, that your mind is unbound, however...
>"Not really. The freedom I obtained is too much to give up and I couldn't go back to mindless servitude."
50/50 because I can't write dialogue for shit. Dialogueless options are the way.

I 100% agree with Eos on this and the single god worship.
They sounded way too devoted to one god if he went as far as to say "to us there's this one god and the rest might as well not exist". Borderline "fuck you" to other deities and could actually create unpleasant situations should they stumble upon those nonexistent deities or their worshippers.
Also comparing worship of multiple gods to cheating was absurd. God worship isn't equivalent to getting railed... unless we don't know something about their religion.

>>5048054
>What I had wasn't truly purpose. Purpose is something that you dedicated to, out of your own volition, I never had a choice.
>I say that those with a purpose are as free as those who wander. They chose where to go and what they do, for there is no binding force that makes them march where they want.
>But to answer your question, maybe I will find something worthy in the future, aplace or someone that respects freedom, duty and fairness, be it a deity, a community or a lord. But first, I want to wander to world, and enjoy this freedom I never had before.

>>5048093
+1, good post.

>>5048093
+1 top tier post

>write-ins
"What I had wasn't truly purpose. Serving the king was the only thing I had on my mind, yes, but purpose is something different. It can only come from choosing to dedicate yourself to something with your own, free will. In that sense, those with a purpose are as free as those who wander. They choose where to go and what they do, for there is no binding force that makes them march where they want. But to answer your question, maybe I will find something worthy in the future, a place or someone that respects freedom, duty and fairness, be it a deity, a community or a lord. But first, I want to wander the world, and enjoy this freedom I never had before."
Eos remains silent for a while, but eventually speaks.
"That's... deep. It seems I've forgotten that before choosing to dedicate themselves to something, people are free. So that means they aren't bound or limited by anything but their own will, in a way... I'll have to think this over a bit more, I guess. Thanks for sharing the viewpoint, Mordragon."

As your conversation ends, only the sounds of your cluttering plates and the whispers of nature -- the riverflow and rustling leaves -- remain. And... Is that?.. Something catches your attention. Between the trees, it seems like branches littering the forest floor are breaking under someone's feet...
>Call out to whoever is (may be?) in the forest
>Keep on the road, but raise your vigilance
>Attempt to follow the sounds

>>5049851
>Call out to whoever is (may be?) in the forest

>>5049851
>Call out to whoever is (may be?) in the forest

>>5049851
>Call out to whoever is (may be?) in the forest

>>5049851
>Attempt to follow the sounds

>Call out to whoever is (may be?) in the forest
You turn towards the woods and loudly raise your voice.
"Who's there? Show yourself, we mean no harm."
After your cry, everything is silent for a few moments. Then, you notice a figure appearing between the trees, taking off a cloak. It looks like a human of a feminine, slim build from afar, but as she approaches you, it becomes clear the stranger is something else. Feathers jut from under her sleeves, and hair is replaced by them as well. A beak-like growth is in place of her nose. She is clad in tight clothes, likely to prevent branches from clinging to her form. Worn over a shoulder is a sash filled with potions and strange, alien things.

Having left the trees' cover, the stranger maintains a vigilant, protective stance while answering your call.
"Hey there, strangers. I mean no harm as well; simply curious about your little duet."
"My name is Mordragon; I am a suit of living armour. Will you share yours?"
"Ah, yes. I am Ceslyn, pleased to make your acquaintance."
"Well then, mind telling why you were following us?"
"I am a sorcerer; as I said, I was curious who would've had enough strength to defeat a regsin stalking the nearby woods. Not only that, I detected some mana stains nearby, that got me even more interested. That's all there is to it. Hoped to inconspicuously analyse your energies from afar, but, well, you discovered me... -- Ceslyn's eyes light up as she pauses. -- Would you perhaps be willing to let me study you? Promise I won't do anything harmful, just a little research."
As she finishes speaking, Eos gets closer and whispers to you.
"Don't agree. The Darkwood is a foul place chock full of suspicious mages. You agree to let them study you, next thing you know, you're dissected and powerless." -- she says, frowning.
>Agree to let her study you, for a price
>Reject the offer
>Pretend to agree, only to attack once she gets closer
>Write-in

>>5050588
>Agree to let her study you, for a price
Her research.

>>5050588
>Agree to let her study you, for a price

>>5050588
>Agree to let her study you, for a price
>Eos, if she does anything weird, blast her

>>5050588
>Reject the offer

>>5050588
>Reject the offer
We're not one of the display unit. She can find our old castle and study the offline models if she wants to.

>>5050588
You fear not the mages and their low tier magic, as Eos does.
The energy that shackles you to the armour is beyond their comprehension and utilisation.
Mages surround themselves with artifacts, relics and magic infused trinkets to increase their powers.

Maybe get ya hands on a cursed Sword.

>>5052221
>>5050588
>Agree to let her study you, for a price

>Agree to let her study you, for a price
"Just blast her with ice shards if she does anything funny." -- you whisper back to Eos.
"Leaving a weak little nymph to fend for herself, are we? Don't blame me if there's too little water around her house."
Taking a step forward, you answer the witch's question.
"I agree to take part in your research, for a price. What would you be willing to offer me in exchange? A manuscript of your works, perhaps?"
"Ah, that's secret; wouldn't have come to the Darkwood if I desired publicity about my studies. Not like there's anything malicious about them, mind you, just..." -- Ceslyn smiles. -- "They're strange, let's call it that. I could, however, give you info about anything I learn from studying you. That sounds good?"
"What are the other options?" -- you answer; no need to hastily agree.
"Let's see... I have some trinkets you could use as an adventurer, if I've guessed you occupation right... Maybe spell scrolls -- read them, and the contained magic is cast wherever you please... I could also tip you off about a likely location of a Silver Eye hideout in Reannesca. That's about all I can offer that I reckon would be of interest to someone like you."
"The Silver Eye? Who are these? Also, what is Reannesca?"
"You're really clueless, huh?" -- the witch responds with a chuckle. -- "Reannesca is a country to the west of Neruem, which, just in case you don't know even that, is where we are right now."
"I know this much." -- you respond in an attempt to preserve your intellectual dignity.
"Good! About the Silver Eye, I won't blame you for not knowing who they are. It's an organisation of necromancers with a twist of specialising in imprisoning souls in silver golems. Thought about raiding their base myself, but I'd be willing to pass on this for a bit safer research."
You think for a while, before making another inquiry.
"About the rewards you told me of earlier, what kind of trinkets and scrolls do you have?"
"Well, I've got amulets for minor protection against each one of the various magic types, a set of two chains for telepathic communication between holders, a ring locating living things within a short range, and a minor casting power amplifier ring. For scrolls, I'll let you pick two since they're one-use only. I've a magic missile scroll, simple, but effective, a teleportation scroll, a short-time invisibility scroll, a slowness hex scroll... and others like that. So, what's you pick?"
>"I'd like a trinket..." [write-in which]
>"Spell scrolls sound good..." [write-in which or propose your own]
>"Tell me about the Silver Eye."
>"Share the research results with me."
>Write-in

>>5052375
>>"I'd like a trinket..." [write-in which]
Telepathy CHAINS. Like the gold chains gang people wear? Jail chains? or just loop chains?

>>5052375
>"Share the research results with me."

>>5052375
>"Spell scrolls sound good..."
Invisibility and Teleportation
*teleports behind you*
*echoing metallic voice* N o t h i n g p e r s o n n e l

>>5052375
>"Share the research results with me."

File: images.jpeg-24.jpg (50 KB, 581x528)

50 KB JPG

>>5052375
>Write-in
>party invite.
"Bitch please, without me, your research is nothing special; their are many mages lingering in the woods who have 'research', all presumably with similar source material.
A study of the magic that bounds me to this armour and you will have vast insights into weave of magic forces.
To truly learn, you will need time to study... why don't you join us, for a time atleast"

>>5052490
Like a necklace.

>>5052375
>"Share the research results with me."

>"Share the research results with me."
>party invite
"Share whatever you may learn by studying me." -- you state the desired reward.
"Alright then. No need to wait; follow me, I will show you to my house."
The trek through the woods takes a couple of hours. The witch moves swiftly, if not particularly stealthily. You just barely keep up with her pace. Finally, you approach a mighty tree on the banks of a stream flowing into the main river, which you followed initially. Ceslyn stretches out her hand, and with an arcane incantation, a sphere of light begins spreading out of her palm. Touching the tree, it lifts what is, apparently, a kind of illusion, displaying a house nestled between the branches, a hanging ladder the only way in.
"Come in." -- Ceslyn beckons you.

A short climb later, you enter the treehouse. The inside is rather clean and orderly, if a bit cramped. A bed stands in the corner with a little bedstand nearby. Shelves occupying most walls are filled with all manners of magical contraptions, simple crafting tools, bottles and flasks both full and empty, and a few art tools. A table in the corner opposite from the bed is stacked with papers, given light by a nearby window.

Ceslyn lets you take in the surroundings for a few moments.
"No need to lose time. For now, just stand in the middle of the room, I'll tell you whether you need to do anything later."
The witch immediately gets to work, using magical mechanisms to measure you. Their operation gives you funny, ticklish sensations. Sometimes, she asks you to remove one of your plates, and with a powder similar to what Argo used, bares your inner structure, documenting it in one of the papers. The whole examination and putting the results down on paper takes a couple hours. Eos opts to remain outside quite soon, evidently feeling safer near the water.

>>5053729
As she puts down the last instrument, Ceslyn exhales.
"That's about it. Thanks for your assistance. Wait a bit outside while I make sense of what I've seen, will you?"
It takes another hour for her to come up with immediate results. You patiently wait, and eventually, the feathered witch comes out carrying a handful of papers.
"I won't bore you with details of how I came up with this conclusion, nor will I share some of the more specific results. What I learned from studying you, is that you have quite a robust arcane structure. So robust, in fact, that it can be overcharged with magical power and split off a fraction without damaging itself too much. I devised a prototype version of a spell that allows you to do that; finish it by yourself, and you'll be capable of creating arcane copies of yourself, which is pretty nifty in my opinion. I've also written up some ways in which you can strengthen your magical strands further, but it's a tough ritual considering how strong you already are. That's about all I can share. Thanks for cooperating, Mordragon. Anything else you'd like to ask me?" -- as Ceslyn finishes speaking, she hands you the papers she's carrying.
"About the Silver Eye... Would you show us their lair, if we took you with us and split the loot? Also, I reckon you'd be able to learn more if you observe me in action, wouldn't you?"
"Oh... Maybe. I could use some help in this endeavour. Do you really want me to accompany you?"
>"Yes. Although we may take a detour to accomplish tasks already given to us."
>"Actually, on second thought, I probably don't. We're more like wanderers, so it'll probably be a while before we arrive at the hideout."
>Write-in

>>5053730
>"Yes. Although we may take a detour to accomplish tasks already given to us. Opportunity for you to study more, I guess"

>>5053730
>>"Yes. Although we may take a detour to accomplish tasks already given to us."

>>5053730
>write in.
"Other tasks" Ceslyn
"Why don't you try the 'Soul Splitter Spell' I just worked so hard to formulate. I am genuinely curious to see if it works... ahem.
Fracture and split clean an Arcane duplicate of yourself. Eos and the double can proceed to address your other tasks; although a fraction of your strength, im sure it will suffice.
Meanwhile you and I will seek out those silver scum bastards. I can really see what power you have -we can rendezvous in a few days. At which time you can join once more with your other self; gaining his experiences as rightfully are your own."

"Eos won't like this, but it would save some time and it would be fun to explore myself... I mean my powers"

>>5053730
>"Yes. Although we may take a detour to accomplish tasks already given to us."
>"It may even be more opportunities for you to see new things for your studies."

>>5053730
>Yes. Although we may take a detour to accomplish tasks already given to us."

>"Yes. Although we may take a detour to accomplish tasks already given to us."
>"It may even be more opportunities for you to see new things for your studies."
"Yes." -- you reply after a brief consideration. -- "Plundering the Silver Eye outpost aside, you may stumble upon something that'll advance your studies as we travel. It's a win-win situation. Although we'll have to take a detour to Tefar to finish tasks already given to us, I hope that's okay with you?"
"Um... Sure, but I'd prefer to wait outside the city when we get there." -- Ceslyn pauses for a while, as if judging whether to say something or not. -- "Alright... Let's depart tomorrow morning; the sky is growing dark, not much time left to travel. Will also give me the time to prepare, finish all the business I have. This is rather unexpected, you see, I've some matters left unfinished."

Night comes soon, indeed, and as Eos and Ceslyn settle down to rest, you remain awake, vigilant against any threat that may appear, but none come. It is not uncommon for you to stand in silence, awaiting the orders, however, the time when they came to direct you is long past. After a couple of hours in silent darkness, you approach the nearby stream and observe the rare fish swimming by. The twin moons reflect from the flowing water, swaying on the surface of the stream. Their reflection... it pulls you in. Dipping your fingertips into the water, you, quite surprisingly, feel upon a coin of silver, engraved with two circles on each side. A strange find; you decide to preserve it in your arm cavities. You try to search the shore for more coins in hopes that someone dropped a purse here or something, but there are none. The rest of the night passes as you watch the water flow and occasionally check the woods for anything suspicious.

>>5055665
The morning arrives, and your companions, both old and newly acquired, awaken, and soon you are on the road again. It is a long walk through the Darkwood and to the city; you decide to strike up a conversation once again.
"Ceslyn, you're the first person I've seen with such an appearance. The feathers and the beak, I mean. Were you born like that or?.."
"A side effect of a spell to increase intellectual capacity. Worth it, if you ask me." -- she replies dryly.
A weird silence hangs after her response.
"What made you decide to go into the Darkwood? Not a welcoming place, that." -- Eos asks the witch.
"I thought I mentioned it, didn't I? My research... No, my methods are deemed strange. Most mages seek perfect, clean spells, I craft those that are just good enough. That's all the difference there is."
"Oh, I get you. Well, I think I do, at least." -- Eos replies with enthusiasm. -- "It's tough explaining why you're doing something differently, or even living differently than others. Tough living among those who're settling on something while you cross the boundaries."
Your soul stirs...
>"No reason to become a hermit. Just ignore whatever they say and do what you want."
>"I'm sure their attitude is not that radically opposite. Explaining what you do may be boring, indeed, but your opinions will get through and get accepted eventually." keep true to what you said earlier, for a little buff in the next check.
>"I get you as well. My voice, my nature as a whole is unusual to the common folk, I always get puzzled, even scared glances. Makes you a bitter, if only a little."
>Write-in

>>5055666
>>"I'm sure their attitude is not that radically opposite. Explaining what you do may be boring, indeed, but your opinions will get through and get accepted eventually."

>>5053821
It's implied the spell works only on magical beings, and ethereal copies are controlled in close proximity. You can't just make a fully functional clone of yourself and send it wandering about. At least, not on your or Ceslyn's level of magical experience.

>>5055666
>"I'm sure their attitude is not that radically opposite. Explaining what you do may be boring, indeed, but your opinions will get through and get accepted eventually."
>I mean, they accepted me, and my voice sounds like tge coming death.
>People are afraid of what they don't know, so make them know.

>>5055666
>>"I'm sure their attitude is not that radically opposite. Explaining what you do may be boring, indeed, but your opinions will get through and get accepted eventually."
>Although, we're sentient and rejection hurts, it's better to overcome difficulties than abscond and dodge them

>>5055706
Whoops.
Sorry, first time doing this.

>"I'm sure their attitude is not that radically opposite. Explaining what you do may be boring, indeed, but your opinions will get through and get accepted eventually."
>write-ins
The DC for next check will be 5 points lower.
"I'm sure their attitude is not that radically opposite. Explaining what you do may be boring, indeed, but your opinions will get through and get accepted eventually." -- you reply. -- "Take myself as an example. My voice is like that of coming death itself, but once my acquaintances talk with me for a while, they relax and ignore this oddity of mine. It may hurt that others aren't accepting at first, but it's better to stick around and overcome difficulties than abscond and isolate yourself."
"You just don't know the magical community, Mordragon." -- Ceslyn replies with bitterness in her voice. -- "You go beyond what the consensus allows, and get bombarded with disapproval and fears that what you're doing will bring about the corruption akin to Witch Kingdoms. It's just... It's better to hide."
It seems like keeping silence is best after her reply. The witch's response makes your mind wander for a bit. So far, you've met reasonable, trustworthy, accepting people, but will that always be the case? When your demeanour brings failure, what will you do? Bend and change or stand firm? You'll have to answer these questions sooner or later.

It takes several days for you to reach Tefar. Ceslyn splits off from your group, opting to remain in the nearby forest. You agree on a rendezvous point before once again passing through the gates, immediately going to the alchemist's store. Leo recognizes and greets you.
"Hello! How was your journey? Did you get the essay?"
"We did not." -- you answer, to Leo's slight disappointment. -- "The book was nowhere to be found, but we obtained a kind of crest in the library, perhaps we could identify who took the essay by determining to whom the crest belongs?"
"Sounds like a plan. Mind showing it to me, just in case I can recognize it?"
You take the crest out of your inner cavities and show it to the alchemist, who frowns as he looks it over.
"Nah, I don't know that. You should go to the library, find an encyclopedia of some kind that documents badges and crests, flip through the pages and you'll likely find it there. I've a store to run for a few more hours, then I'll join you, if the library hasn't closed yet, that is."

>>5057210
A big city like Tefar has several libraries; asking for directions, you arrive at the nearest one and begin your search. The librarian quite helpfully points you to the book you need, and soon enough, you find who the crest belongs to. It is an alchemist guild based in Erslied. This complicates things, for it is a long way from here. Since Leo hasn't imposed any time limitations on your task, it seems prudent to first pay a visit to the Silver Eyes than bring Ceslyn with you on a huge detour across different countries. However, do you want to do anything while you're still in the city?
>Write-in
>Nah, you're ready for anything as-is.
Which direction do you go in, eventually?
>Begin your journey west, to the Silver Eye hideout.
>Actually, you didn't agree on any time constraints with Ceslyn either. Go east, to Erslied.

>>5057031
No worries, I'd say it's my fault for not explaining it in detail right away.

>>5057211
>We should go see the priest and tell him we helped the monks, to ease his worries.
>Does the wizard still need help? The may be nearby or even on the way.

>>5057238
Oh, and this for the next big step.
>Begin your journey west, to the Silver Eye hideout.

>>5057238
>>5057239
Support

>>5057210
Supporting >>5057238 and>>5057239

>>5057211


>>5057239
>>5057238
+1

>We should go see the priest and tell him we helped the monks, to ease his worries.
>Does the wizard still need help? The may be nearby or even on the way.
You pay a visit to Sirius, telling him that the monks are now safe thanks to the defeat of the regsin at your hands. He is delighted to hear that they're doing well. Leaving the temple, you approach the wizard's tower once more. After a couple hours of waiting to be admitted, you meet Diodorus, the mage himself. He is an venerable old man with a great beard and often smiling eyes. Something about him inspires calmness in you. As you close the door to his study, he greets you.
"Ah, Mordragon, was it? How was your expedition into the Darkwood; if I recall correctly, that's where you were headed last time we talked?"
"Successful, for the most part. Helped some monks rid themselves of a malicious being. However, that's not what I've come to talk about. We're departing for Reannesca soon, so I thought I'd visit your once more in case you needed something done there."
"Reannesca, hm?.." -- he responds slowly. -- "I do, actually. Have you heard of the four Winged Valleys?" -- as you shake your head, he continues. -- "You see, in the southern, lesser developed reaches of Reannesca there goes around a legend of the four valleys where all kinds of birds gather due to some unseen power. Not only that, the mountains themselves reshape, only displaying these valleys in full every few years. The locals worship them and leave offerings in hopes that the spirits dwelling there will bless their land with fertility and protect their fruit and crops from being eaten by birds. I have reasons to believe that each of these valleys houses a separate spirit, and I'm interested in what they can offer. You see, I'm developing an advanced variation of the common levitation spell, and who knows more about levitation than bird spirits? What I want you to do is to placate these beings somehow and convince them to give you some kind of object that holds a part of their power. Collect one item from each of the four Winged Valley spirits, or, well, however many you manage to procure, and return to me."
"What about the reward?"
"I have a vast knowledge of magic. Perhaps you'd like to enhance yourself somehow? Attach new parts to yourself? I could strengthen you like that. I may also craft a magical artifact for you; a cloak of invisibility, a ring to alert you to danger, a whip to silence anyone it wraps around, or something else? I could write some magical scrolls for you, if you wish. So, what's on your mind?"
>"Actually, I've already got prototype spells for strengthening myself. Perhaps you could use them to extend the reach of my magical structure?"
>"An artifact sounds good..." [write-in which]
>"Magical scrolls are intriguing..." [write-in what kind, e.g. magic missile, long-range teleportation to anchored place, roots to immobilise enemies, etc.]
>Write-in

>>5058785
>Is there a way to be properly introduced to magic without the stigma of being a slef-learned pratictioner? I've been repeatatly warned about it's dangers, it because of my nature it seems to I've been developing magical abilities whether I would want or not.
If there isn't than, or we would need to go to magic school to get our wizard degree, than just go with
>"Actually, I've already got prototype spells for strengthening myself. Perhaps you could use them to extend the reach of my magical structure?"

>>5058890
+1

>>5058890
+1

>>5058785
>>5058890+1

>Is there a way to be properly introduced to magic without the stigma of being a self-learned practitioner?
"Is there a way to be properly introduced to magic without the stigma of being a self-learned practitioner? I've been warned of its dangers, but due to my nature as a warrior I find the ability to wield it to my advantage useful."
Diodorus smiles at your request.
"Becoming a mage is a hard goal, but I could teach you, yes. There's no stigma in self-education in itself, but it's easy to get the widely accepted fundamentals wrong, which would make you a fool to any respectable mage."
"Thank you for this opportunity to learn." -- you reply. -- "I'll be on my way then. Since the valleys are shifting around, the only way to know where they are is to ask locals, is that correct?"
"Yes, that is right. Ask around the villages in the southern parts of Reannesca, and they shall direct you to them. May luck be with you."

The night is settling in by the time you leave the city. While you meet up with Ceslyn in the forest you've agreed upon, it takes until the next day for the girls to rest and be ready to go, and so your journey to Reannesca begins. As you pass through various settlements, you notice the locals are partaking in some kind of celebration, burning bonfires, singing songs, decorating their houses with warm-coloured ribbons, and going to baths en masse.
"What's the cause for this celebration?" -- you ask Eos.
"It's Jamyn's days. They're warding off the cold of winter. I actually thought I'd ask you to stop for a while; I wanted to participate. Need to get rid of the stress I got from the Darkwood trip."
"Sure, I guess. But who is Jamyn? First time I've heard that name."
"Jamyn is a kind of folk hero." -- Ceslyn answers instead of the nymph. -- "The legend goes, her whole village froze in a blizzard, and so she went on a pilgrimage to devour the heart of winter and reclaim those she loved from ice. On the way, she protected a child from cold by sacrificing her own body, forgiven a criminal, proving she has a warm soul, and, well, eaten the heart of winter, thus restoring her village at the cost of herself becoming a spirit. It's said that if she is appeased, the winter will be mild. The Neruemians and the Sunshore people in general like it this way."
"I see... A curious legend."
"Want to go with me?" -- Eos proposes to the both of you.
"I'll pass." -- Ceslyn replies coldly.
Your soul stirs...
>"Sure. Sounds fun."
>"I'll just watch. I don't think I have it in me to celebrate, although this seems interesting."
>"I'll pass, too. I don't quite get what this is all about."

>>5059693
>>"Sure. Sounds fun."

>>5059693
>"Sure. Sounds fun."
>Do you want us to get anything for you Ceslyn? Any food or trinket?

>>5059693
Sure, sound fun

>"Sure. Sounds fun."
"Sure. Sounds fun." -- you reply to Eos' proposal. -- "Ceslyn, do you want us to get anything for you? Any food or trinket?"
"I suppose a wooden trinket of your choice would be nice. Always good to have more materials for my work."
With this, you part your ways with Ceslyn, for now. As before, you agree on a meeting point in a nearby forest.

At first, you feel awkward among this amount of people, especially so due to your voice and unordinary appearance. Over time, however, the folk get used to you, as it was in previous villages you've visited, and soon you are engaged in some kinds of festivities. While you may not be able to sing very melodically, Eos and some other girls teach you to dance. Putting away the books you've gathered for greater mobility, you twist and turn and jump and swing your arms in an awkward and somewhat noisy manner, to the amusement of locals. With evening approaching, you help the men prepare firewood for bonfires, a much more fitting work for you. With activity decreasing, the focus of the holiday shifts toward a feast and storytelling, and you sure have some tales to share. The kids especially enjoy listening about your adventures back when you still served the king of Erslied.

It takes until deep night for the celebration to end. Eos opts to stay in the village as a guest, and the locals offer her a bed to spend the rest of the night. You, however, do not need rest. Walking through the streets alone, you reflect on what you've experienced. While the festivities brought you joy, they were also somewhat disturbing. You are used to being calm, and experiencing fun is still a novel, if pleasant, thing for you. It raises some concern deep inside. What if you get addicted to this? Wouldn't it be better to stay distant? To maintain your state of mind in a kind of equilibrium? Your soul stirs...

>>5061104
With these thoughts circling around in your head, dawn arrives. The nymph wakes up, and together you enter the forest where you've agreed to meet with Ceslyn. You bought a couple of trinkets for 3 coins in total. The witch thanks you for the gift, putting them in her rucksack. You also purchase a bag for yourself for the price of 5 coins. While it is possible to carry all your inventory inside your inner cavities, the dancing session has shown that it somewhat limits your movements. Carrying the books, coins, and other things in the bag that can be taken off at any moment gives you much greater mobility.

Days pass as you walk the long roads west. With Ceslyn now in your group, you travel slower due to the need to set up camp and forage or hunt for food once in a while. It takes a couple of weeks for you to reach the Reannescan border. The last reaches of Darkwood are here; it seems like the shortest way is through the accursed forest. A surprising encounter awaits you as you make your way through the woods: you stumble upon an ironhide boar! Not only that, it seems like it's moving towards you. With all three of you crouching down immediately, you hear Ceslyn whispering.
"I can cast an illusion; though we'll have to move back a bit."

Roll 1d100 Bo3 to see whether the boar finds you. DC: 60

Rolled 32 (1d100)

>>5061105

Rolled 68 (1d100)

>>5061105

Rolled 98 (1d100)

>>5061105

File: knight-thumbsup.gif (2.69 MB, 356x200)

2.69 MB GIF

>>5061256

File: yes 2.jpg (111 KB, 980x1376)

111 KB JPG

>>5061256

Anons, I know it's been 2 days and the update should normally be out, but lately I've been busy and tired as a result, so I'll push it out sometime tomorrow. Sorry for the wait. This is, however, a nice time to ask for feedback. How are you enjoying the quest so far? Any lore questions? Do you like the little "deep" talks that appear sometimes or do they look out of place? etc.

>>5063024
I'm enjoying it all QM.

>>5063024
I enjoy it well enough. Try more experimenting with QM tools.

I got fucking rangebanned.
>98 - Success
Slowly and carefully backing away, you watch Ceslyn whispering some kind of incantation. As she finishes and makes some kind of gesture with her hand, the space in front of her begins to distort, until it settles and looking through it becomes akin to looking through ice -- the picture is reflective and twisted. The witch stands up.
[i]"It doesn't see us anymore. Let's go, careful not to cross the barrier."[/i]
You keep an eye on the pig as you rise, the creature seems somewhat scared, now backing away in the opposite direction rather than coming to you. Following the edge of the barrier, you quickly lose sight of your adversary and keep travelling as normal.

You meet no more enemies on your way, emerging from the Darkwood and heading into the vast plains of Reannesca. You notice that villages start becoming more common. It seems like you're in a rural country, where most of the common folk live in a dispersed manner, as opposed to great cities of Neruem. The vast fields you constantly see stretching all around are being harvested by peasants, and the rare forests you happen upon are already touched by the yellow and red of autumn.

It takes a few more days to reach the destination of your journey -- an abandoned mining town amid untilled hills, distant from other lights of civilization. The roads leading to it are now barely visible behind the sprawling grass, and the buildings once housing the workers are now half-ruined.
[i]"The only way in is through the mine entrance. There shouldn't be a lot of them, but they're likely competent mages."[/i] -- Ceslyn briefs you on a hill overlooking the town. -- [i]"We're going to have to fight no matter how we go in. We could just attack right away, or I could cast a spell of invisibility on you so you can enter and catch them by surprise. You'll be in the middle of the hornets' nest though. We'll try to help you as soon as possible, me and Eos, but you'll be on your own for some time. So, what'll you do?"[/i]
>"Let's just charge in and wreck them."
>"The plan with the invisibility sounds good."
>"Actually, I've got a toxic gas flask left from my previous mission. Let's smoke them out of their hiding hole."
>Write-in

>>5063611
>I've got an unused toxic glass flask, let's see if the cave has any cracks where it can let air escape, if plug them and drop it in, and them ambush them while they flee.

>>5063611
>"Actually, I've got a toxic gas flask left from my previous mission. Let's smoke them out of their hiding hole."

File: Coom.png (125 KB, 390x348)

125 KB PNG

>>5063611
>>"Actually, I've got a toxic gas flask left from my previous mission. Let's smoke them out of their hiding hole."

Gassing time

>>5063611
>>5063624+1

Alright anons, sorry to tell you this, but I'll be putting the quest on hold since it's a pain in the ass to post from phone due to the rangeban. Once this issue sorts itself out I'll continue and post a notification in qtg. Until then, thanks for playing. See you (hopefully) soon.

>>5066096
That's a shame QM. See you later then, thanks for running so far.

>>5066184
That's a shame QM. See you later then, thanks for running so far. good wordplay.
Dont let the curse get you QM. remember us

>>5066096
Ill keep an eye out man, its promising

File: 1605502534128.png (177 KB, 501x663)

177 KB PNG

Alright anons, one router reboot later and I'm back. Update will arrive tomorrow, I'll post in the /qtg/ about it, but I'd appreciate it if you indicated that you're still here checking the thread. testing if formatting still works

>>5074870
Still here

>"Actually, I've got a toxic gas flask left from my previous mission. Let's smoke them out of their hiding hole."
"Actually, I've got a toxic gas flask left from my previous mission. Let's smoke them out of their hiding hole." -- you reply. -- "But first, are there any shafts in the ground leading to the mine that air can escape through?"
"I doubt it." -- Ceslyn responds. -- "But let's check just in case."
A short search yields no results. It seems like the mine wasn't deep enough to need ventilation shafts or anything of that kind. You let Eos pull up some water from the town well and wait for the witch to prepare some spells before finally taking the toxic gas flask from your belt and throwing it through the entrance. It explodes into a green mist that spreads itself deeper into the mine, and after a few moments, you hear shouts, footsteps and the clanging of metal from within. A mighty gust of wind unexpectedly blows some gas out of the mine, and you grip your mace tighter as four of your enemies emerge from the underground, weakened and coughing, but accompanied by several golems of steel with an eerie light shining through the eye slits.
>Do you want to use any of: Arcane Unbinding potion, Ethereal Hand spell, Sol Gauntlet?

File: 1638808916219.jpg (18 KB, 250x179)

18 KB JPG

>>5075755
>Try to ignite the gas with Sol Gauntlet
Bet jew didn't expect this.

>>5075780
+1

>>5075780
Support

>>5075780
Support!

>>5075755
>>5075780 Worth a shot

File: 1591692998993.jpg (97 KB, 500x333)

97 KB JPG

>>5075780
Guess what, I was wondering if you'd figure it out.

>Try to ignite the gas with Sol Gauntlet
Roll 1d100 Bo3 DC: 30.

File: Spoiler Image (100 KB, 500x333)

100 KB JPG

Rolled 49 (1d100)

>>5076712
Based?
Gas goes boom.

Rolled 48 (1d100)

>>5076712

Rolled 95 (1d100)

>>5076712

>>5076920
Not the roll we deserve, but the one we needed.

>95 - Success
Before doing anything, you give your enemies a quick glance. They are human; you'd expect them to be wearing some kind of concealing, long-sleeved robes given they're part of society practising accursed magic, but they're relatively normal to the outside observer, with comfortable yet tight garments. The only odd thing about them would be several talismans hanging from their necks and bodies, likely meant to either protect or further their control over the golems. The golems themselves are quite imposing, chunks and plates of metal at the core forming a vague bipedal figure surrounded by an array of blades ready to slice through the enemy.

Swiftly running up to the Silver Eyes, you lift your Gauntlet and once again feel warmth spreading from your hand. A moment later, fire blasts out of your outstretched hand, and once it reaches the gas, the combustible mist explodes with a BOOM, engulfing your enemies in flames and collapsing the entrance to the mine. Two mages immediately fall on the ground, flailing and wailing curses as they are consumed by the fire. On the other hand, two of them remain standing, and in spite of horrible burns, manage to extinguish the fires they caught with another powerful gust of wind.

The golems start moving towards Eos and Ceslyn. The nymph slowly backs down, calling up water from the reserves she gathered to haul brittle chunks of ice at the enemy, and not without success, for several blades bound to the constructs fly away and dig into the nearby earth. The witch also somehow manages, but she has to deal not only with the golems, but also another mage. Locked in a fierce battle of magic, with projectiles of energy loaded both with sheer power and malicious hexes, it doesn't seem like she'll hold out for long.

You remain faced against the other standing mage. As quick magic missiles fly toward you, you're left with precious few moments to react and attack him.
>Pull out your sword engage the wizard. He is unencumbered, so a more nimble weapon than a heavy mace is needed.
>Try and help Ceslyn by throwing the Arcane Unbinding potion at the golems advancing towards her. This will help her out, but you'll be exposed to attacks by your own opponent.
>Weaken your adversary further by casting the Ethereal Hand on him. With the burns he already has, it'll probably kill him.
>Write-in

Ah, damn it, the formatting is fucked. Readable enough, I guess.

>>5077028
>Weaken your adversary further by casting the Ethereal Hand on him. With the burns he already has, it'll probably kill him.
Ah hell, I don't wanna keep hoarding a one-time use spell

>>5077028
>>Weaken your adversary further by casting the Ethereal Hand on him. With the burns he already has, it'll probably kill him.

>>5077028
>Weaken your adversary further by casting the Ethereal Hand on him. With the burns he already has, it'll probably kill him.

>Weaken your adversary further by casting the Ethereal Hand on him. With the burns he already has, it'll probably kill him.
Roll 1d100 Bo3 DC: 48 for taking damage from the mage

Rolled 27 (1d100)

>>5078105

Rolled 44 (1d100)

>>5078105

Rolled 5 (1d100)

>>5078105
>>5078105

>44 - Failure
It takes you a few moments to approach your enemy and cast the spell, but a few moments is all he needs to carry out an attack. Arcane wind flows out of his hand with such force that parts of your inner structure are blown away, weakening your form; luckily, not in a drastic way. Powering through the gale, you outstretch your hand and invoke the spell that your first acquaintance, the guard ghost, passed to you. An ethereal hand flows out and, piercing through the arcane wind, grips the mage by his neck. Immediately, life starts drawing out from his features. At first, he struggles and tries to counter your spell with his own, but soon enough, your adversary's movements stop, and as the hand vanishes he drops on the ground, lifeless.

With your enemy dealt with, you look how your partners are doing. Both of them are struggling. Eos is pressed into retreat. While she has defeated one of the golems by a relentless bombardment with ice shards, there are two more, and she already looks exhausted. It seems like binding souls into iron frames instead of simply animating them with magic somehow bolsters their integrity, making them a fair bit harder to deal with. Ceslyn appears to have cast another of her illusions, creating fake versions of herself. However, as golems and the mage crush one after another, the moment her real form becomes apparent to the enemies quickly approaches.
>The other mage seems dedicated to killing the witch; carry out a surprise attack on him
>Throw an Arcane Unbinding potion at one of the golem groups (which one?) (may be taken with other actions)
>Grip your mace tight and charge the golems advancing against Eos
>Write-in

>>5079175
>The other mage seems dedicated to killing the witch; carry out a surprise attack on him
>Throw an Arcane Unbinding potion at one of the golem groups
At the Eos ones

>>5079175
>>5079309 +1

>>5079309
Sure, I'll support.
Also holy shit, I thought this was dead, glad I decided to check the catalog.

>>5079175
>>5079309
+1

>The other mage seems dedicated to killing the witch; carry out a surprise attack on him
>Throw an Arcane Unbinding potion at one of the golem groups (Eos)
Roll 2d100 Bo3 DC: 30 & 65

Rolled 54, 66 = 120 (2d100)

>>5081658

Rolled 76, 32 = 108 (2d100)

>>5081658
ready to fumble

Rolled 27, 60 = 87 (2d100)

>>5081658

Rolled 91, 39 = 130 (2d100)

>>5081658
Late to the party, rolling for showing interest

>76, 66 - Success
You take the arcane unbinding potion from your belt and throw it at the golems advancing against Eos. The bottles shatters on the ground near the golems and a ripple of arcane energies goes through the air with a flash accompanying it. The golems remain standing, but their movements become noticeably slower and clumsier. You're confident it'll take far fewer blows to shatter them now. Eos must understand it too, however, she still retreats deeper into the town. She's probably missing water to deliver the finishing blows, and seeks the well that's a bit farther away.

Switching your attention to other enemies, you swiftly cover the distance between yourself and the mage, and approach him from the back, trying to soften the clanging of your plates as much as you can. You are apparently successful in this, as the mage keeps his full attention on Ceslyn. Once you're within striking distance, you make a lunge with your sword, however, it is as if a kind of wall stands between your weapon and your enemy. A talisman hanging on one of his hands shatters, and your adversary finally turns back, intent on counterattacking. But you are quick to rebound and strike again, and as your sword sinks into the mage's chest, you know he has no more arcane trinkets to protect himself with.

While the mages now lay dead, the battle is not over. The last wizard must've issued an order to the golems seeking Ceslyn to instead protect him, for they are heading towards you now. Caught in a tough battle against several robust opponents, you switch to the mace and become a whirlwind of steel, smashing apart blades that the constructs try to use against you. The blunt damage you inflict slowly, but surely turns them into a mess, and with Ceslyn backing you by bombarding the enemies with arcane missiles, soon enough you emerge victorious, with bent and crushed metal all around you.

>>5082828
It is now that you truly feel the weight of exhaustion, accentuated by the damage you've sustained while resisting the magical wind. Still, you pull yourself up and follow the nymph deeper into the town to make sure she's okay. Soon, you find her standing by the well, melting ice and remains of golems around her. Rejoining with the witch, you note that the girls are just as weakened by the fight as you are.
"Tough battle, wasn't it?" -- Ceslyn comments, wiping sweat from her forehead.
"Yeah, the golems were such a pain to deal with..." -- Eos replies. -- "Guess that's forbidden magic for you... They're binding souls to these golems, aren't they? Then... what happens to souls when the golems are destroyed?"
"...They dissipate as well." -- Ceslyn responds after a brief pause.
"That's... bad." -- you reply, and Eos nods, a troubled expression on her face.
"Don't blame yourselves too much about it. I'm not really okay with it either, but it takes a lot of time and effort to unbind souls, we had neither in the middle of a battle." -- the witch pauses for a while. -- "We've got a hideout to loot, either way. Once you've rested, let's start clearing up the mine entrance."

A couple days pass as you regain the strength lost in the battle and excavate the site. As arcane strings restructure themselves within you, you take the leading position, digging tirelessly with your great reserve of stamina. During one of the few breaks, you have a little dialogue with Eos.
"About the souls back then... No offence meant, but didn't you say you won't help unless repaid? What made you sad about them being lost, then?"
"I did, yes. I guess it's not true, though. Now that I think about it, it's more like... people have a certain amount of time and effort they're ready to give in exchange for something or nothing at all, and for me this kind of ratio is skewered towards more reward for less pay. And I may feel sad they're gone, but that's how life is, sometimes there are losses to be suffered."
"I see what you mean. I think so, at least." -- you reply.
"Alright. Alright. Let's get back to work then, shall we?"

Finally, after a few more hours of work, you reach your target, a spacious room branching off from the main tunnel. It is filled with various magical contraptions, books and ritualistic circles drawn in chalk, with a small space dedicated to recreation. An adjoining room seems to be a storage for the armour and weaponry that is to be turned into golems. Besides them, by the wall there is a row of large glass vessels housing bright lights and inscribed with unintelligible symbols.
"Souls." -- Ceslyn whispers. -- "We can free these at least."
She proceeds to shatter the vessels, and the lights escape, rushing out of the mine towards freedom.

>>5082830
The witch mostly takes the literature detailing the forbidden rituals the silver eyes used and commentary on them. You take a single book, titled "Animated Constructs", since the subject is similar to yourself. Among the books you find a cryptic message. Perhaps something connected to the Silver Eye? You decide to postpone an attempt at decoding it and keep searching the hideout. sorry anons, I've been working on this update for 2.5 hours now and really tired, I'll provide a riddle later

What's left to divide are the artifacts you've found. There's not a lot of them, though. You find six talismans similar to those the mages were wearing, Ceslyn explains that all of them protect from a single moderately powerful attack, three from a magical one, and three from physical. She takes four, two of each kind, leaving you with two. You also find a small wooden plate with a strange, foreign symbol etched into it that even Ceslyn fails to decode. It feels warm and somehow... brittle? to the touch. There's also a ring with a bloody red gem inserted. Oddly enough, you feel pulled to it... This raises some concern within you. The witch senses magic within, but fails once again to identify what it is exactly.
>Take the ring. You won't use it just yet, but perhaps the wizard of Tefar can explain what it is to you.
>Abandon the ring and bury it. You've got a bad feeling about this.

Do you keep the talismans for yourself of give them to Eos?
>Give them to Eos. She deserves them for her contribution.
>Keep them to yourself. You fight in close combat and tank most hits.

With the looting finished, Ceslyn approaches you and Eos.
"Alright then. Our business here's done, and you've got other destinations to move towards, so I guess this is goodbye? Was a pleasure working with you."
>"Don't you want to explore some more? We'll be heading to the Winged Valleys, there's some spirits there that could be useful for increasing your understanding of magic."
>"Guess it is. Pleasure working with you as well."
>Write-in

>>5082833
>Take the ring. You won't use it just yet, but perhaps the wizard of Tefar can explain what it is to you.
>Give them to Eos. She deserves them for her contribution.
>"Don't you want to explore some more? We'll be heading to the Winged Valleys, there's some spirits there that could be useful for increasing your understanding of magic."

>>5082833
>Take the ring. You won't use it just yet, but perhaps the wizard of Tefar can explain what it is to you.
Burying the thing will just mean someone else will find it later. Better to identify this thing and destroy it if nescessary.
>Keep none and give the other to Eos.
>"Don't you want to explore some more? We'll be heading to the Winged Valleys, there's some spirits there that could be useful for increasing your understanding of magic."

>>5082833
>Take the ring. You won't use it just yet, but perhaps the wizard of Tefar can explain what it is to you.

>Keep them to yourself. You fight in close combat and tank most hits.

>"Don't you want to explore some more? We'll be heading to the Winged Valleys, there's some spirits there that could be useful for increasing your understanding of magic."

>>5082833
>Take the ring. You won't use it just yet, but perhaps the wizard of Tefar can explain what it is to you.
>Give them to Eos. She deserves them for her contribution.
>"Don't you want to explore some more? We'll be heading to the Winged Valleys, there's some spirits there that could be useful for increasing your understanding of magic."
>Let's not forget the wood plate

>Take the ring. You won't use it just yet, but perhaps the wizard of Tefar can explain what it is to you.
>Give them to Eos. She deserves them for her contribution.
>"Don't you want to explore some more? We'll be heading to the Winged Valleys, there's some spirits there that could be useful for increasing your understanding of magic."
"Don't you want to explore some more? We'll be heading to the Winged Valleys, there's some spirits there that could be useful for increasing your understanding of magic."
"Hmm... Alright, why not. Let's see if there is anything special about them. Besides, with more time to examine it, I could probably understand what the wooden tablet holds."
"Right. Let's get moving, then."

Dividing the spoils of your raid, you decide that it's time you finally gave Eos something. She's been helping you out during the journey, and for all her alleged individualism, she hasn't asked for a share of the loot. As you give her the talismans you've obtained, she thanks you. Regarding the ring, you decide to keep it to yourself. It still pulls you in, but the urge doesn't seem to get stronger at least, so you should be safe from it's influence for now. Besides that, during your travels, you've finally read what the cryptic note you've found contains. It reads:

"Birth of metal

Rwyon kl vdozj

Ond lkyqd wt ydzhg ok kcdyzod. zyywed wx ond Tnzhd kl Vkmxo Tkllyz fwon zjj tkmjt zxh zcczyzow kx ond zqyddh owvd. ond Twjedy Dgd fzoandt."

Looks like random gibberish, but perhaps you can make sense of it?
>Write-in solved note

Your group leaves the town behind, and as you travel along the roads to the south, you happen upon villages with shrines to a many-faced being. One day, you decide to ask your companions about them.
"Who are these dedicated to?"
"The Manifold One." -- Eos answers. -- "Most of Reannescans worship Sol, but the old faith is still strong here, especially in the countryside. They say every god and goddess in the world is but one face of a single deity, hence the Manifold God. That's all there is to it. It's a very flexible faith, in this way."
"I see." -- you reply.

You note that once, Ceslyn asks you to stop for a while and makes an offering at a shrine to the Manifold One.
"You believe in this god?" -- you ask, approaching her.
"Yes." -- her answer is short, but not unfriendly.
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why this one specifically, I mean."
"I don't know. And it's not like I'm devoted to the Manifold One, I just..." -- she sighs and doesn't continue, shaking her head.
>Keep silent
>Write-in

>>5085138
>Your family are worshippers? I won't push further if it's a touchy subject.
Oh good, a cypher. Hope it's just a modified caesar one, otherwise this will suck.

>>5085149
Ok, it wasn't caesar cypher, but the Birth of Metal and the first phrase was the hint.

Birth of metal

The forge is ready to operate. arrive in the Shade of Mount Soffra with all souls and apparati on the agreed time. the Silver Eye watches

>>5085138
>>Write-in
I have defeated many peoples long ago worshiping many different kinds of gods. Even killed a god or two myself. But I respect why people worship.

>>5085138
>Well, this bring further questions to my mind.
Who created me? Who created this world? The alchemist that binded my soul to those plates might have only been a tool in the hand of a greater smith; maybe was I done with a purpose, like helping those monks a while back as a way from their god, or maybe the Manifold one, to care about his people?

>write-ins
"Your family are worshippers? I won't push if it's a touchy subject."
"No, no, it's ok. They are... were. But that's not why I make offerings." -- Ceslyn pauses once again. -- "Sometimes I doubt why I'm going this way or another in life. Like, why study magic, why struggle in the Darkwood, why do anything, really. When I turn to faith, these worries dissipate just a bit. And it doesn't really matter which god I turn to, it's just this feeling of... acceptance that I seek. I try to find strength in myself, but I fail and come back here."
You remain silent for a while.
"I ask these questions myself. Who created the world? For what do I live? Should I dedicate myself to some god or help people? Some find answers in faith, I respect that, however, these are not for me; not yet. My conscious life so far has been a journey in search of the kind of answers I can accept. It can be for you, too. You don't have to find the meaning of everything or whatever right away. Take your time, and eventually you'll find what you seek."
"...Alright. Thanks for the words, Mordragon, I'll give them some thought. Let's get going for now."

As you travel south, the witch investigates the small wooden plate you've obtained. She determines that it's a rechargeable magical tool holding a spell. The spell itself is a mental one, it impacts creatures around the holder with fear for a few seconds. If used in battle, it could be useful to crack open the opponent's defence. It is empty right now, but can be charged with a mana potion.
>Use your mana potion to recharge the plate
>Keep the mana potion for now. You could need it to heal yourself later.

>>5087520
Finally, after several days of travel, mountains come into view. As you gradually ascend, asking the locals for directions, the villages become sparser and less populated, however, eventually you find the first target of your journey. A valley amid mountains, with trees and ground covered in birds, and yet many more soaring through the skies. Ceslyn opts to keep some distance from you, observing the surroundings and making notes in her journal. You use the planescrossing powder Diodorus, the mage of Tefar, gave you, and call out to the spirit of the valley. Suddenly, the birds become more agitated, flying rapidly around a single place. Among them, a figure begins taking shape; a birdman of great height. Once the figure becomes apparent, the flock disperses, leaving behind its master. His feathers are light in colour, his large yellow eyes are studying you as the spirit flexes its arm-wings
"Hello there, stranger." -- he greets you. -- "My name is Avejyr. Why did you call me?"
"Hello, noble spirit, I am Mordragon, here on a mission from the mage of Tefar. I seek an object; an artifact containing a portion of your magical power. Would you be willing to give it to me?"
"Hmm... I could give you a feather of mine, however, there is a price to it."
"What price?"
The birdman smiles (you think? he has a beak, after all, not a mouth) at your question.
"Entertain me for a bit. Then I'd be willing to part with a part of my plumage."
>Dance. You've got some practice from participating in the festivities with Eos.
>Tell the spirit a joke. [write-in]
>Let Eos sing.
>Write-in

>>5085173
Correct. Good job, anon.
>>5085239
You've killed monsters, but slaying gods is far out of your reach.

>>5087521
>Let Eos sing.
>Dance. You've got some practice from participating in the festivities with Eos.
Either we succed and give him an odd show, or we fail and make him laugh.

>>5087561
>Keep the mana potion for now. You could need it to heal yourself later.
This one, we gave the extra protection to Eos, so better to have healing.

>>5087520
>Keep the mana potion for now. You could need it to heal yourself later.

>>5087520
>Keep the mana potion for now. You could need it to heal yourself later.
>Dance. You've got some practice from participating in the festivities with Eos.
>Let Eos sing.

>Dance. You've got some practice from participating in the festivities with Eos.
>Let Eos sing.
Roll 1d100 Bo3 DC: 55

Rolled 35 (1d100)

>>5089811
https://youtu.be/Nw8F2_jnuKw

Rolled 12 (1d100)

>>5089811

Rolled 54 (1d100)

>>5089811

>>5089853
are you fucking kidding me

>>5089820
>>5089848
>>5089853
Well shit, hope the spirit finds us falling on our face amusing atleast.
>>5089855
Alas, the Dice Gods giveth, and they taketh away.

>54 - Failure
"Eos, could you sing something? I'll dance." -- you ask the nymph.
"Sure. Let me think for a bit which song..." -- she pauses for a while.
And then, a pleasant, ethereal voice floods the valley. The melody is rather tame, but not completely incompatible with dancing, and so you recall the moves you were taught, and begin replicating them... It goes horribly wrong. You stumble and fall, and your plates clang, obstructing the singing. A shamefur dispray! It goes on for a few minutes, and as the song draws to a close, you actually manage to pull off some impressive moves, but it's not enough. Looking at the spirit in hopes that he's been amused, at least, you find Avejyr shaking his head in disappointment.
"Bo-o-oring. You failed the test. But, well, it wasn't completely bad, so I'll tip you off about the location of my sister Forcine as a pity prize." -- he stretches out his hand, pointing at one of the mountains. -- "See that mountain? Beyond it, there is a ridge, find a pass through it, and you'll find her valley. Also, tell your companion that it's bad manners to treat me as a lab rat."
Looking around, you see the witch fiddling with some kind of magical machinery. She freezes in place, then begins hastily packing up all the contraptions. Avejyr laughs, then blows up into a flock of birds.

You journey forth according to the directions the spirit gave you. Encountering a chasm in your way, you take a detour which takes an entire day, but eventually arrive at the place you're seeking. The valley is larger, yet still covered in birds, like the previous one. Again, you pull out the pouch of planescrossing powder and throw down a handful. The world subtly changes, and, like previously, a spirit appears amid a frantically flying mass of birds. Forcine's body is slimmer, more gentle than her brother's. She has a thin beak and short, curved wings. Her radiant yellow eyes observe you.
"Greetings to you, stranger. I am Forcine, the spirit of this valley. What do you seek here?"
"Hello to you as well, Forcine. My name is Mordragon, I am here on a mission from the mage of Tefar. I seek to obtain an object containing a portion of your power, would you be willing to grant such a request?"
"If you prove yourself worthy. Answer two of my riddles, and I shall give you a feather from my plumage. Is this a fine deal to you?"
"Yes. What are these riddles, then?"
"Listen carefully...
When blankets riddled with holes cover the earth
A watercolour painter comes forth
To spread a choir of hues over the great divide
What is this painting that sets the land alight?"
>Write-in answer

>>5089981
I'll go with dawn?
>Blanket covered of holes is the night
>Dawn start with the green flight, then red, blue and yellow comes up, thus the choir of hues

>>5089981
Is the painting the Sky, specifically after it rained? The blankets with holes are clouds, the watercolour is the raindrops, the painter is the sun, and the hue of colours is a rainbow.

>>5089981
>>5090455 makes sense to me

>Sky
>Dawn
"Sky, perhaps? After the rain, specifically."
"Wrong. But I'll give you another try."
You think a bit more.
"Is it dawn?"
"Correct. Dawn, or sunset. Now, for the next riddle...
One day they're cliffs, next day they're plains
A watchman oversees these lands
And guides lost strangers through the haze
With an unfaltering gaze.
What is this watchman?"

>>5091255
The sun?

>>5091255
The wind?

Sun is honestly more likely given the previous answer and unfaltering gaze but the wind is still the one who decides how clouds move

>>5092143
I was thinking that the sun can help guide strangers because as long as you can see it, and it's not midday, you can find out the cardinal directions.

>Sun
>Wind
"Is it the sun? Guiding strangers during the day." -- you guess.
"Wrong. Try again."
"Wind, then?"
"Wrong, again. Way off."
As minutes pass with you thinking, the spirit sighs.
"Giving up yet? I've got all the time in the universe, but it's better spent flying with my friends than waiting for an answer."
>Give up. You can still collect 2 artifacts from the remaining spirits.
>Write-in answer
I'm going to drop an announcement in the qtg to see if anyone wants to help you.

>>5092454
Mountains?

>>5092464
Just read it, her brother gave the mountain as the reference point, and the lore of this valley is tuat they reshape.
So maybe point to the same mountain her brother showed us?

>Mountains
"Is it the mountains? Your brother, Avejyr, used this mountain" -- you point to one in the distance. -- "to guide us to you. And the valleys reshape, hence cliffs or plains?"
"Wrong. With three tries expended on a single riddle, you failed the test. But, well, you guessed one of them, so, like my brother, I'll guide you to the next valley. Mine is nestled between two ridges, through one of which you came. Go through the opposite one, descend into a chasm, and follow the mountain river upstream, and you'll find Muntharon's domain. -- she pauses -- "Ah, right, almost forgot. The answer to the last riddle was 'lighthouse'"

Already blurry due to planescrossing powder settling down, Forcine's form explodes into a flock of birds, which rises towards the sky. You hear Eos sigh as she rises up from the ground. She seems to have rested while you were thinking on the answer.
"That's two failures, huh? Let's hope we get the next two feathers, at least." -- she says.
With that, you continue your journey...

--------------------

And that's going to be the end of the thread. The next one won't arrive for a while since I want to try my hand at running a multiplayer civ quest. I'd ask one of you to archive the thread once again. If no one does, I'll eventually do it myself, but I'm not the best at giving concise descriptions. Thanks for participating, hope you enjoyed the quest, even if the latter riddles were a bit hard to guess. If you anons have any questions or feedback, I'd be happy to hear it and respond.

>>5093361
Thanks for running QM; will watch the catalogs from time to see if the armor stories come back.
Will also keep the thread open. With a bit of chance it will arrive before this one expiration as /qst if heckin slow nowadays

>>5093361
I archived it QM, see you later.

File: i love you.png (248 KB, 498x489)

248 KB PNG

>>5093389
Thanks, anon. The description is brilliant.

>>5093674
Btw, you might wanna link this thread's archive at the beginning of the next thread, QM.