This is where your story begins. The Realms are a vast place, filled with adventurers of all kinds. The origin of every legend begins with an identity. What is yours?

>Sam Shadowswift - Halfing, Rogue. Your hair is graying, your children are adults, and you thought you'd retired from your life of larceny to settle down as a greengrocer... but money is tight, and the business may not survive next winter. 'One last job.' That's what your old friend Willard proposed, and you'll be taking him up on his offer.
>Jezyrene Delyl - Dark Elf, Fighter. Entangled in a conspiracy woven by your sisters, you were forced to cut a bloody swathe through your homeland and made a desperate escape to the surface, a world that is both hostile and alien to you. If you are to survive, you must first find a way to defeat your scheming siblings.
>Lael Lathalas - Half-Elf, Wild Mage. Wild magic flows fast and free through your body. A Midsummer drinking spree turned supernatural disaster has led to your exile from your home in the High Forest. Left with nothing, you venture forth to uncover the mysteries behind your lineage and the calamity that has befallen you.

>>5258208
"One last job" is a juicy hook, but Halfling? Look, I'm not racist, I just don't loike 'em. Simple as.

>Lael Lathalas - Half-Elf, Wild Mage

>>5258208
>Lael Lathalas - Half-Elf, Wild Mage. Wild magic flows fast and free through your body. A Midsummer drinking spree turned supernatural disaster has led to your exile from your home in the High Forest. Left with nothing, you venture forth to uncover the mysteries behind your lineage and the calamity that has befallen you.

>>5258208
>>Jezyrene Delyl - Dark Elf, Fighter. Entangled in a conspiracy woven by your sisters, you were forced to cut a bloody swathe through your homeland and made a desperate escape to the surface, a world that is both hostile and alien to you. If you are to survive, you must first find a way to defeat your scheming siblings.

>>5258208
>Lael Lathalas - Half-Elf, Wild Mage. Wild magic flows fast and free through your body. A Midsummer drinking spree turned supernatural disaster has led to your exile from your home in the High Forest. Left with nothing, you venture forth to uncover the mysteries behind your lineage and the calamity that has befallen you.

>>5258208
>Jezyrene Delyl - Dark Elf, Fighter. Entangled in a conspiracy woven by your sisters, you were forced to cut a bloody swathe through your homeland and made a desperate escape to the surface, a world that is both hostile and alien to you. If you are to survive, you must first find a way to defeat your scheming siblings.

>>5258206
>Lael Lathalas - Half-Elf, Wild Mage. Wild magic flows fast and free through your body. A Midsummer drinking spree turned supernatural disaster has led to your exile from your home in the High Forest. Left with nothing, you venture forth to uncover the mysteries behind your lineage and the calamity that has befallen you.

>>5258208
I'll switch to
>Jezyrene Delyl - Dark Elf, Fighter. Entangled in a conspiracy woven by your sisters, you were forced to cut a bloody swathe through your homeland and made a desperate escape to the surface, a world that is both hostile and alien to you. If you are to survive, you must first find a way to defeat your scheming siblings.

>>5258208
>Jezyrene Delyl - Dark Elf, Fighter. Entangled in a conspiracy woven by your sisters, you were forced to cut a bloody swathe through your homeland and made a desperate escape to the surface, a world that is both hostile and alien to you. If you are to survive, you must first find a way to defeat your scheming siblings.

It seems that a vote switch gave Jez a minor lead just before I cut off the votes. Writing.

Shucks. Still better than a dirty halfling, though.

captcha: K2SRY

>>5258214
>>5258265
>>5258297
>>5258298
>>5258321
>>5258336
>>5258341
You make a mad dash for the light, your acquired athleticism effortlessly carrying you up the cavern's steep incline. Cool wind brushes up against your exposed skin - not an uncommon phenomenon back home, but there is a fresh taste to this air that gives it a perplexing, fresh quality that you could never hope to experience underground. You take one final glance behind you to ensure that your pursuers have lost you before you relax your pace.

At last. Your boots press down on the most peculiar substance, like long strands of bladed moss sticking up from the floor that extends infinitely in every direction. Surrounding you are spires of brown and green, like mushrooms with odd protrusions that each carry hundreds of miniscule flat structures. These must be what the Rivvin call 'trees.' Above you is a spectacular sight; glimmering lights like crystals suspended in the night air. You had heard of, read of the sky and its stars, but nothing is so liberating as to finally behold it. An intoxicating revelation fills your thoughts.

There is no roof over this world.

File: jes.jpg (94 KB, 751x1063)

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These are your Attributes. Assign one value from 14, 12, 10, 8 to each, with 14 being the best, and 8, the worst. Note that all Attributes will be useful for every character in and out of combat.

>Strength - Brawn, constitution, physical power, and durability. Your Health is equal to your Strength score + 10.
>Agility - Quickness, poise, and reflexes. Your Defense is equal to your Agility score, modified or replaced by armor.
>Intellect - Cunning, wit, memory, and education. Your Perception is equal to your Intellect score. Add half your Intellect to Power.
>Will - Courage, discipline, and sense of self. Your Power is equal to your Will score plus half your Intellect score, which is used for various special abilities.

You are a dark elf, a race selectively bred to be agile and quick-witted. Choose one racial Attribute increase.
>+2 Agility
>+2 Intellect

Lastly, choose one Feat.
>Art of the Blade - You are remarkably deadly when holding a bladed weapon. +3 bonus when attempting to strike or kill with swords or knives. You learn three maneuvers, special abilities which cost Power to use: Power Attack, Sword Dance, and Commanding Presence.
>Remarkable Athlete - Even among the martially inclined, your physique is magnificent. +3 bonus when attempting to lift, push, pull, or grapple a creature or heavy object. You can effortlessly scale surfaces with handholds, jump long distances, and break certain doors or objects. At any time, you may choose to spend 3 Power and regain Health equal to half your Will.

>>5258397
>Remarkable Athlete - Even among the martially inclined, your physique is magnificent. +3 bonus when attempting to lift, push, pull, or grapple a creature or heavy object. You can effortlessly scale surfaces with handholds, jump long distances, and break certain doors or objects. At any time, you may choose to spend 3 Power and regain Health equal to half your Will.

We should wrestle our sisters into the ground while wearing our half-naked elf armor. Maybe in the mud.

>>5258397
Strength - 14
Agility - 12
Intellect - 8
Will - 10

>+2 Agility

>Art of the Blade - You are remarkably deadly when holding a bladed weapon. +3 bonus when attempting to strike or kill with swords or knives. You learn three maneuvers, special abilities which cost Power to use: Power Attack, Sword Dance, and Commanding Presence.

>>5258397
Strength - 12
Agility - 14
Intellect - 8
Will - 10

>+2 Intellect

>Art of the Blade - You are remarkably deadly when holding a bladed weapon. +3 bonus when attempting to strike or kill with swords or knives. You learn three maneuvers, special abilities which cost Power to use: Power Attack, Sword Dance, and Commanding Presence.

Dark elves are bred for lewds!

>>5258397
>Will 14
>Agility 12
>Strength 10
> Intellect 8

>+2 Intellect
>Art of the Blade - You are remarkably deadly when holding a bladed weapon. +3 bonus when attempting to strike or kill with swords or knives. You learn three maneuvers, special abilities which cost Power to use: Power Attack, Sword Dance, and Commanding Presence.

>>5258397
Strength - 14
Agility - 12
Intellect - 8
Will - 10

>+2 Intellect

>Art of the Blade - You are remarkably deadly when holding a bladed weapon. +3 bonus when attempting to strike or kill with swords or knives. You learn three maneuvers, special abilities which cost Power to use: Power Attack, Sword Dance, and Commanding Presence.

>>5258397

Since we're a Fighter...

Str 14
Agi 10 + 2
Int 8
Will 12

Remarkable Athlete

>>5258397
Supporting >>5258435

File: jez character sheet.png (555 KB, 1295x963)

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The general consensus seems to be about:

Strength - 14
Agility - 12
Intellect - 8
Will - 10

+2 Intellect

Art of the Blade


>>5258402
>>5258404
>>5258411
>>5258428
>>5258435
>>5258442
>>5258449
You now have a character sheet. I believe I can squeeze in one more update later today.

>>5258453
This post is for those who keep track of every stat. Do not be afraid - all number crunching will be handled by the QM.

-Your HEALTH, as you have likely deduced, represents your character's physical wellbeing and overall ability to continue fighting. If your Health is reduced to zero, you will fall unconscious. This does not necessarily mean that you have died.

-Your DEFENSE represents how difficult it is for enemies to hit you. A higher number means that you are harder to hit. Equipment, magic, circumstances, and Feats can modify your Defense.

-Your PERCEPTION represents how good your senses are. It is used for following tracks, spotting hidden creatures, and finding traps, among other things. A high Perception will also offer the opportunity to passively gather information about your environment.

-Your POWER is a measure of your character's reserves of magic, self-discipline, faith in the gods, or what have you. Power is used exclusively for special abilities, or to cast magic spells, and is fully replenished whenever a character can safely rest.


Attribute tests will be covered when they become relevant.

Since it's Forgotten Realms I was kind of excited this was going to be a d&d quest like Barovian Legends, but homebrew is cool too.

>>5258670
I thought about that, I really did. In the end I felt like it would be kind of cumbersome, so I went with something D&D adjacent.

>>5258402
>>5258404
>>5258411
>>5258428
>>5258435
>>5258442
>>5258449
Your starlit reverie is interrupted by the song of a creature singing into the night from atop the forest's canopy. A reminder that time moves ever forward regardless of your wishes. And if you were to continue eluding capture (or worse), you would have to do the same. A place to rest and a source of water would be a start. You could worry about the rest later. For lack of alternatives, you pick a direction at random and walk, thinking back on the life you left behind mere moments ago.

You were never the favorite sister. That distinction was given to Vierna, your eldest sibling. More than you, she is beautiful, determined, imperious, and a priestess of Lolth atop it. The archetypal 'Matron Mother-to-Be,' she was selected as the successor to the vaunted Delyl bloodline before you had even reached the cusp of adulthood, a privilege that your mother encouraged her to exploit to the fullest. She showered you with enough cruelty to drive you to close to your breaking point. The whip scars that mar your back serve as a harsh reminder of the fate that awaits you should the agents of House Delyl apprehend you, as well as a testament to your resilience.

Phaere, your younger sister, is no less malignant than Vierna, though far more insidious. At the fundament of her being, she is an intrigant, pretending coquettishness and innocence when it suits her while demonstrating a haughty perspicacity when tearing others down, another attitude which your mother rewarded. It was no secret that she harbored a desire to usurp Vierna's role as successor, and she saw you as an obstacle that needed to be removed if she was to fulfill her ambitions. In fact, you strongly suspect that she singlehandedly designed the plot that would have been your downfall, had you not been so diligent in your training.

As for yourself, you never did successfully integrate into the clergy. There was something about submission to a higher power that never sat well with you. Perhaps this headstrong attitude of yours is why you fell in love the first time you picked up a weapon for instruction. The idea that your life was dependent on your skill and willpower alone made so much more sense than placing everything in the hands of a distant, disinterested entity. At least, at the time it did. Was it not the fate of the weak to perish, and the mighty to prosper? As for the rest of your family...

>>5258774
A passing breeze carries with it the fragrance of life and industry, returning you to the here and now. Over yonder, you spy a dull glow contained by well-maintained fortifications jutting out from the earth. Easily, you deduce that you are within walking distance of a community, an entire city of surfacers. Urban luxuries would be a welcome change of pace from the savagery of the uninhabited Underdark, though the fear of being hunted persisted at the back of your mind. Would it be better to remain in the wilderness just a while longer to guarantee that the trail goes cold?

>This city of surfacers shall be my next destination. I have money, I can afford sustenance and consider my course of action in comfort and safety.
>I must not let my guard down. Vierna's lapdogs could still be tailing me. For now, I shall take my chances in the wilderness.

>>5258775
>This city of surfacers shall be my next destination. I have money, I can afford sustenance and consider my course of action in comfort and safety.

Man, I remember a certain Vierna. Still bummed I never got to see her put those maces to use.

>>5258775
>>This city of surfacers shall be my next destination. I have money, I can afford sustenance and consider my course of action in comfort and safety.

>>5258775
>This city of surfacers shall be my next destination. I have money, I can afford sustenance and consider my course of action in comfort and safety.

>>5258775
>I must not let my guard down. Vierna's lapdogs could still be tailing me. For now, I shall take my chances in the wilderness.

>>5258775
>I must not let my guard down. Vierna's lapdogs could still be tailing me. For now, I shall take my chances in the wilderness.

Our pursuers will come up, see the first sign of civilization, reach out their tendrils to determine if we came this way and then retreat back underground disappointed that they mistakenly thought we came to the surface this way. We are hardy enough to survive in the wilderness and it'd be good to familiarize ourselves with the nature of the surface. I'm certain if we wander into the city we'll end up blundering our introductions somewhere and outing ourselves as some super obvious foreigner which will make us easier to track.

>>5258775
>I must not let my guard down. Vierna's lapdogs could still be tailing me. For now, I shall take my chances in the wilderness.

>>5258775
>I must not let my guard down. Vierna's lapdogs could still be tailing me. For now, I shall take my chances in the wilderness.
Too fast, too soon. Let's keep living in the wild, find either a caravan or adventurer, join them, so it'll shuffle cards and mess up trailing us.

>>5258775
>>This city of surfacers shall be my next destination. I have money, I can afford sustenance and consider my course of action in comfort and safety.

>>5258775
>>This city of surfacers shall be my next destination. I have money, I can afford sustenance and consider my course of action in comfort and safety.

It seems like everyone has voted and nobody plans on switching, so I will call the vote here. Writing.

Rolled 16 (1d20)

(Perception 10)

But what does Jez see with her special eyes?

This is an Attribute test. The idea is fairly simple. When a test is required, a d20 will be rolled. If it is the same as or lower than the relevant Attribute, it is a success. Otherwise, it is a failure. Normally there would be a steep penalty for trying to see in the dark, but as a Drow elf, Jezyrene can see just fine.

>>5258778
>>5258779
>>5258793
>>5258933
>>5258937
>>5259315
>>5259460
>>5259471
>>5259540
A furious internal debate takes place within your mind. Tempting as the prospect of a warm meal and soft blanket seemed, a healthy amount of fear forced you to give considerable thought to the matter. True, you were tired, but safety was preferable to comfort, and in your mind encountering the assassins that your sisters had deployed was a matter of 'when,' not 'if.' It was smarter to obfuscate your movements, and delay that conflict for as long as possible.

But you were not feeling smarter. You were feeling tired. Tired of running, tired of fighting spiders the same size as you, tired of subsisting on handfuls cave moss and the water that dripped from stalactites. You were liable to collapse from exhaustion before falling in battle, and the prospect did not appeal to you. You turn yourself in the direction of the city and press ever onward, happening upon a dirt road that leads to it - a welcome change of pace from the rugged terrain that you had been navigating up to this point.
"Noice noight fer a walk, innit?" A feminine voice with the texture of rust calls out to you from the shadows. A wretched, spindly specimen of a Rivvel - or in their language, 'human' - woman steps into your view. Her clothes are ragged, and the entirety of her being is caked in several layers of accumulated dirt that make it impossible to even tell what the color of her skin is. She flashes a smile filled from end-to-end with crooked teeth, and you briefly catch the metallic glint of a poorly concealed weapon in her hands. "Wo's a foine laydee loike yoo doin' out at this hour?"

Instinctively, you reach for your weapon, angling it in her general direction. Though you sincerely doubt the ability of this woman to match you in combat, you knew better than to underestimate her. "Sarn, streeaka Rivvel. Usstan uil natha bwael sargtlin," you threaten in your native tongue, yet your words simply confound her. You rack your brain, trying to recall what you managed to learn of the surface language in your years. "Get. Back."

File: wererat.png (604 KB, 698x860)

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>>5259861
"Ye fancy yerself a 'ard woman, then? I loikes 'em lean." The woman's jaw slowly extends until it portrudes to an unnatural degree. Strand by strand, her skin becomes covered with bristly hairs, and her eyes become a pair of beady orbs with a dull red glow to them. "Yer gonna make a good meal!" She exclaims, adopting a crooked hunch as she lunges at you with a speed that you conclude to be supernatural.

What will you do?
>[Agility, Attack] No time to think. I must land the first strike!
>[Intelligence] One must know they enemy if they are to attain victory. I only need a moment to think.
>Discretion is the better part of valor. The city is only a sprint away - I should be able to reach safety, so long as I run and do not look back!
>[Write-in]

You maneuvers can be found here:
https://pastebin.com/83qBqWK9

>>5259864
>commanding presence
>also attack if you can do both in a round

>>5259864
Supporting >>5259871

If we cannot do both then simply power attack.

>>5259864
POWER STRIIIIIIKE!!!!!!

>>5259864
>>5259871
This. If we can't do both,

>[Agility, Attack] No time to think. I must land the first strike!

>>5259871
>>5259882
>>5259883
>>5259884
Maneuvers don't cost a turn, but you can only use one per turn.

>>5259871
Supporting

>>5259871
+1

Votes locked. Rolls will be made.

Are We Forced to Come to Earth or Do We All Plan Our Lives? - "It's like a virtual reality game. We volunteered an signed a contract to come here, no one is forced to come here because you could've chose to go to other planets even if you owed karma, if your here it's cause you wanted to come an we agree to forget everything when we are born. The astral realm is not "the other side" it's a gateway to the other side (ghost) but your spirit guide that is assigned to you will eventually come and show you the way to other side. We choose our life an plan them out over an over until we learn all our soul needs to learn then we become a guide. I thought I hated this life I would never choose to come here until I had an out of body experience and met my guide".
https://youtu.be/XmIEL5yqA4k

>>5260366
Souv is that you?

Rolled 7, 11, 8 = 26 (3d20)

(Willpower 6, x3) - Success on 6 or lower.

Jezyrene brandishes her weapon in a manner most frightening...

>>5260387
(Agility 12, +3 Art of the Blade) vs (Agility 12) - Hit on 13 or lower.

... and moves to strike down her foe.

Attacks work a little bit differently than normal Attribute rolls. The targent number is always 10, plus the difference between the attacker's Attribute and the defender's Defense. For example, Jezyrene has an attack total of 15. The Wererat has a Defense of 12. 15-12=3, so Jezyrene will hit on a roll of 13 or higher.

However, I'll simply state the target number in each post so there's no confusion.

Rolled 2 (1d20)

>>5260392

Rolled 4, 1 = 5 (2d4)

>>5260396
And hits!

Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>5260399
(Agility 12, -3 Intimidated) vs (Defense 16) - Hit on 3 or lower.

A new foe enters the fray! Last one before writing.

>>5259871
>>5259882
>>5259883
>>5259884
>>5260144
>>5260271
You practiced practiced numerous combat styles as a girl to prepare you for the harsh reality of life in the Underdark. The one that suited you most naturally Orb Alur - 'Superior Spider.' A skilled practitioner gracefully weaves into combat, sweeping their weapon in wide arcs to strike at several foes at once. It is a technique that requires an appropriate blend of power, swiftness, and precision to use with any effectiveness, qualities which you possessed in abundance. Those of weak discipline are often confused or frightened by the showy display of combat talent, a sight which you happen to take great pleasure in.

In one sinuous motion, you close the distance between yourself and the hideous anthropomorphic rodent, relaxedly twirling your sword all the while. The bloodlust in her eyes immediately gives way to animal fear as the edge of your weapon is a split second from biting into her fleshy abdominal tissue. 'An easy kill,' you muse to yourself.

The creature's skin ruptures, its muscles tear, and a splatter of fetid black ichor is shot into the night. Yet, you find that your weapon did not deliver a killing blow. What should have been a fatal injury is instead a deep wound - dire, but not impossible to survive. From your perspective, it felt as though the beast's wiry body was made of a durable substance entirely different from mere flesh.

>>5260440
Dropping her knife, she falls on her side and frantically begins to scramble for safety on all fours, hoping to retreat into the forest. Just then, you hear the sound of panicked footsteps from behind. Two more of the rodent-people appear. Silently, you admonish yourself - you should have noticed them preparing to ambush you earlier, but you were absorbed in your own thoughts. One clumsily tosses its blade at you, its hand shaking violently with fear, which you manage to deflect with minimal effort.

You are quite familiar with the rush of a pulse-quickening fight, and manage to assess your situation in a single second. Three beasts, one fleeing for its life, all mortally afraid of you. At present, you are the one controlling the pace of battle, which means you get to choose the course it will take.

>[Strength, Attack] I move in to cut down the one that meant to attack me whilst my back was turned. Without its weapon, it is easy prey.
>[Dexterity] Finish the injured beast-thing off before its compatriots can react.
>Get ye gone, creatures, and pray that I never see you again!
>[Will] I shall spare you all... after you have answered a few questions for me.
>[Write-in.]

>>5260441
>[Dexterity] Finish the injured beast-thing off before its compatriots can react.

>>5260441
>[Will] I shall spare you all... after you have answered a few questions for me.

>>5260441
>>Get ye gone, creatures, and pray that I never see you again!

>>5260441
>>[Will] I shall spare you all... after you have answered a few questions for me.

>>5260441
>>[Strength, Attack] I move in to cut down the one that meant to attack me whilst my back was turned. Without its weapon, it is easy prey.

>>5260441
>[Dexterity] Finish the injured beast-thing off before its compatriots can react.
Can't loot if we let them rout.

>>5260441
>>[Will] I shall spare you all... after you have answered a few questions for me.
>>[Write-in.]
>and hand over the loot, while you're at it, curs.

>>5260441
>[Dexterity] Finish the injured beast-thing off before its compatriots can react.

>>5260441
>>[Dexterity] Finish the injured beast-thing off before its compatriots can react.

(Dexterity 12, +3 Art of the Blade, +3 Melee vs Prone) Success on 18 or lower.

They won't know what hit them. Writing.

Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>5261041

>>5260455
>>5260481
>>5260511
>>5260558
>>5260636
>>5260650
>>5260785
>>5260956
>>5260966
Your weapon flies from one hand to the other as you run down your quarry, allowing the momentum to guide the sword's arc. This time you direct the killing stroke toward the creature's upper-back to ensure its swift end. The cut is once again far more shallow than it should be - but that matters little, as you still manage to sever the damn thing's spine, causing it to collapse into a heap. Unfortunately for her, the attempt to escape your wrath ended in her untimely demise.

This act of death-dealing, however, provided the other two the brief window of time needed to coordinate. Communicating via some form of infernal squeaking, both the armed and unarmed rat-beasts break into a sprint, fleeing in opposite directions that lead to the woodland on either side of the road. It seems that you'll only be able to pursue one of them now.

>[Intellect]... or can I? Could I think up a way to somehow catch both of them?
>Let them flee. They are no longer a threat, and my path is free of obstacles.
>[Strength, Attack]It is not the best outcome, but I can settle for finishing one more of them. (Which?)
>[Write-in]

>>5261094
>[Strength, Attack]It is not the best outcome, but I can settle for finishing one more of them. (The one that threw its blade at us)

We'll capture this one and interrogate it.

>>5261094
>>[Intellect]... or can I? Could I think up a way to somehow catch both of them?

>>5261094
>>[Intellect]... or can I? Could I think up a way to somehow catch both of them?

>>5261094
>[Intellect]... or can I? Could I think up a way to somehow catch both of them?
Try to track them. They're bound to meet up again somewhere.

>>5261094
>[Intellect]... or can I? Could I think up a way to somehow catch both of them?

>>5261094
>[Intellect]... or can I? Could I think up a way to somehow catch both of them?
time to put our completely average intelligence to use

>>5261094
>[Intellect]... or can I? Could I think up a way to somehow catch both of them?

Rolled 10 (1d20)

(Intelligence 10, +3 ???) Success on 13 or lower.

Jezyrene tries to think up a bold strategy. Let's see if it works out for her.

>>5261966
looks like we have wits.

>>5261966
Any particular reason as to why success is below and not above the DC?

>>5261975
It's either that or the stats have to be lower to be better or you have to add a bunch of inelegant nonsense to the system to make both rolls and stats better when higher

>>5261142
>>5261154
>>5261160
>>5261213
>>5261249
>>5261394
>>5261442
You'll admit that you were never the studious sort. It was Phaere who demonstrated that a sharp mind can conquer any matter when properly applied, always playing allies against one another or employing some new arcane secret that she borrowed from House Delyl's mages to her advantage. Such things were, regretfully, far beyond your ken, though learning to apply your wits to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat was nevertheless a valuable lesson.

And right now, your mental acuity was to be put to the test. You had a second, perhaps two or three, to prevent both of the belligerent rodents from disappearing into the night. Your eyes scan the environment, working diligently to pick out something - anything that you can use, before settling on the putrid black sludge coating your weapon. Every successful warrior builds up a strong resistance to the stench of carnage, but even you could barely tolerate the putrid odor wafting from whatever terrible substance flows through the veins of these creatures.

It truly is impossible to ignore.

You give chase, momentarily lowering your frame to retrieve the knife that was thrown at you mere moments ago from the dirt road to turn the weapon on its former master. Elegantly, you pitch the tool with a measured combination of strength and care, sending it soaring through the air. With a satisfying 'thwap,' the edged implement digs its way into the unarmed beast's left thigh, hobbling it. The stream of inky fluid leaking from its body informs you that the monster's fate is sealed - between the blood loss and its now diminished mobility, any attempt at a clean escape is hopeless, while the trail of acrid stench that it will leave behind shall lead you directly to it.

>>5262129
This allowed you to take your time with its cohort. Truth be told, you were mentally prepared to engage in a desperate struggle against a cornered animal, only for the encounter conclude in an anticlimax. The pitiful thing would gamble on its speed rather than turn to face you, leaving you free to do as you pleased with its exposed back. Cut by cut, you inflicted naught but superficial wounds until finally managing to pierce one of its lungs - an agonizing and messy death, necessitated by whatever unnatural force that was working to blunt your weapon against these beings.

https://vocaroo.com/1dLNruWJs0Fj

Once the killing blow is struck, the battle quickly winds down. Opting to walk at a leisurely pace as you track the last of your prey, you find yourself whistling a melodic tune that you were quite fond of as a girl. True, it could give away your position - but the taste of victory was sweet enough that you felt it would be a waste not to enjoy it fully. The haunting reverb afforded by the vastness of the surface world provided an experience that would not be possible in even the greatest caverns of the Underdark.

The adrenaline rush subsides, and with so too does the chemical augmentation of your thoughts. You are once again very aware of how fatigued you are. Your body is covered in a dark, adhesive substance, and you reek like a mound of day-old rothé excrement. Had you not known any better, you would swear that following the bloody path left by the rat-person would take you an eternity.

>>5262132
There he is. Sat up against a tree is a humanoid man - probably in his early thirties, by their years - covered in layer after layer of filth, his breathing labored. He must have shed his beast form and reverted to whatever he was prior, you think. Stepping up to him, you take note of the knife lodged in his leg, which he has thus far failed to remove, and clear your throat. You have him exactly where you want him.

Choose no more than three questions.

>What ARE you, creature?
>Just where in the world am I?
>Tell me about that city over there.
>Have you seen others of my kind skulking about recently?
>Suppose I want to pass as a surfacer. What do I need to do?
>[Write-in.]

And what do you intend to do with the man-rat once you've finished interrogating him?
>Kill him. The world is better for the absence of such a monster.
>I pity the miserable wretch. He may live another day, for all I care.

>>5262134
>Tell me about that city over there.
>Have you seen others of my kind skulking about recently?
>Suppose I want to pass as a surfacer. What do I need to do?

The local situation and locale will allow us to determine where in the world we are later with further digging, knowledge of the passage of our kind, and help blending in.

>Offer to bandage his leg and save his life in return for honest and helpful answers. He can keep his coin and belongings too, but we are taking the stuff of his compatriots.

>>5262134
>Just where in the world am I?
>Tell me about that city over there.
>Have you seen others of my kind skulking about recently?

>Kill him. The world is better for the absence of such a monster.

Fuck witnesses, and fuck chaotic good drow.

>>5262134
>>5262140 +1

>>5262134
>>Just where in the world am I?
>>Tell me about that city over there.
>>Have you seen others of my kind skulking about recently?

>Kill him. The world is better for the absence of such a monster.

One thing to keep in mind is that leaving him alive may let our sisters track us down slightly more easily.

I'm more interested in getting info so we can be less of a wish out of water and am hoping he'll sense our honesty. We probably aren't the best at deception despite being a drow given our stat build. I doubt he'll give us useful answers unless incentivized.

>>5262148
fish out of water*

>>5262142
Supporting

>>5262134
>What ARE you, creature?
>Just where in the world am I?
>Suppose I want to pass as a surfacer. What do I need to do?

>Kill him. The world is better for the absence of such a monster.

>>5262142
Support

>>5262134
>Just where in the world am I?
>Have you seen others of my kind skulking about recently?
>Suppose I want to pass as a surfacer. What do I need to do?

>Kill him. The world is better for the absence of such a monster.

>>5262148
Since this might become relevant if we reach a level up, I think I should clarify now.

Spinning convincing lies or trying to make an argument using logic fall under Intellect. Making credible threats or appealing to emotion fall under fall under Will, though the former can sometimes be Strength.

Next update is probably in five or six hours.

>>5262134
>>5262140
+1
I like the implication that Jez neither knows nor cares why the guy turns into a rat thing.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

It seems we have a tossup between

>Tell me about that city
and
>Suppose I want to pass as a surfacer

>>5262140
>>5262142
>>5262144
>>5262147
>>5262170
>>5262200
>>5262249
>>5262259
>>5262734
"Vel'klar zhah nindol k'lar, rivvil?" You ask, casually tracing the tip of your sword against his chest to add some weight to your inquiry and prevent him from getting any foolish ideas. "Usstan knan inalarn." He looks to you defiantly, answering with a voice that is equal parts determined and weak. "How's about you stop speakin' that demon language an' say somethin' in common, Drow?"

'Dhaerow.' You hated that word. It meant 'traitor' in the tongue of the surface elves, as though your people had consigned their ilk to over ten millennia of life in the Underdark. Applying pressure to the hilt of your weapon, you thrust it forward just enough to dig into his flesh while you try to construct a sentence. This is bad; you'd need to strengthen your command of their language if you were to have any success up her. Clicking your tongue, you try again. "Where. Am I?"

His rebellious smirk gives way to a grimance. Gritting his teeth, he begins. "You're in the Silverwood, Drow. But askin' that means you're probably fresh off the boat, aren'tcha?" A skeptical glance is all that he receives for his inquiry, though he seems to find that sufficient. "You're in the Silver Marches. Lands ruled by Alustriel Silverhand herself - daughter of a goddess, an' such." He chuckles bitterly. "Load of crap, that is. The People of the Black Blood rule these woods, an' more 'n' more orcs keep comin' down from up north every day. 's only a matter of time before--"

You jiggle the hilt of your weapon, causing him to groan in agony. He could stand to skip the exposition. You are in the surface nation of 'Silver Marches,' 'Alustriel' is Matron Mother (or some rivvil equivalent), and claims to the land are contested by orcs and other such beasts. That told you plenty enough of what to expect. The revelation that a woman is the most prominent figure in the region comes as a welcome relief to you - if nothing else, it was good to know that the natural order of things applied even here.

File: Spoiler Image (1.17 MB, 708x1000)

1.17 MB PNG

>>5263386
Next question. "That city," you gesture vaguely in its direction. "Tell me more." Glancing nervously at the object lodged in his chest, he obliges. "Everlund? Nice place, or so I've heard. 's a trade city. Lots of folks from all over come this way. We've been tryin' to crack their defenses for years now. No dice." Dice? What are dice? Not important. "Gotta have a good cover to get in at this hour, when our kind like to go about our business."

Resting the index finger of your free hand on your chin, you pondered the information that you had been given in silence. A city filled with a diverse variety of travelers, nigh-impossible to infiltrate during the hours which your sisters could feasibly attack. You've never seen the sun, but you knew about as well as any that your people would never send a raiding party to the surface during the day. This 'Everlund' would make an excellent place to lay low for a tenday - the trouble would be getting in at this hour, if you are still committed to the idea.

Speaking of diverse travelers, another pertinent line of questioning came to mind. "My people. You have seen any? In Silver Marches." He looked to you quizzically, coughing twice. A smattering of black blood lands on your boots. "Yeh, I have. Adventurin' types, mostly. Folks 'round here don't hate 'em or nothin'. 'cept us - we've been fightin' the cult of that damn naked goddess of yours for real long time."

He's talking about Eilistraee, the dark elf goddess of dance, swordwork, and the hunt, among other things. Where you are from, speaking of her is strictly forbidden, and material pertaining to the subject is heavily censored. No matter how drastic the measures employed by Lolth's clergy, however, there was always idle gossip of dark elves freely embracing worship of Eilistraee on the surface.

You sincerely doubted their existence as a matter of principle until seconds ago, but this world evidently did not operate on the same truths as the one you emerged from. Supposing you could find these Eilistraeans, then mayhaps they would offer you refuge? They were still your people, if incredibly unorthodox in their ways, and certainly not aligned with your enemies. Something to consider later.

>>5263389
This man-rat has given you a lot of valuable information. It was high time you decided his fate. Looking him up and down once more, you were struck by an odd whim; this pitiable man-thing had assisted you, despite everything. You could stand to let him go as a reward for his obedience. It was not as though he knew anything about you...

... but why should you? He ambushed you in the hope that he and his fellows could dine on your flesh. The man before you did not deserve your pathetic sentimentality, but instead a bloody end. In fact, a good deed was about to be done here today. Exterminating vermin was a thankless task, but a necessary one. Dexterously, you puncture the fibrous thews of his chest, and split open his heart in doing so. The surprise on his face is palpable. "B-but I told you everythin'...!"

"Oloth plynn dos," you offer in return, setting off once more for Everlund.

>>5263391
Before you is a fortification wide enough to allow two wagons passage - entry and exit at the same time, most likely. There are two gates - one of fortified wood which remains open, likely only to be shut in the event of a siege, and another made from a grid of iron bars, which prohibits entry. Through it you can see two men in mail shirts, both carrying spears, standing at attention. Their bearing suggests that they are trained professional soldiers.

One of them momentarily wanders off, returning with a lantern. He directs its light toward you, appraising you with a wary eye before speaking at you with a practiced, authoritative tone. "Hold, friend. We don't usually let folks in at this time of night. Why don't you identify yourself, and if we think everything checks out, then maybe we'll open up the gate for you. And if we don't, you'll have to wait till morning."

They wanted something convincing. Thankfully, the knowledge that you extracted earlier was already paying dividends, and you now knew enough to fabricate a convincing identity for yourself.

My name is...
>Veldrin Duskryn. An abnormally normal, remarkably unremarkable androgynous dark elf name.
>Sindiira Torani. The name of one of my erstwhile comrades that went missing a decade ago. Nobody from my past will suspect that I am not her unless they see me in person.
>[Intellect] Try to think of a believable surfacer name.
>Who I am is not important. I refuse to answer.

As for why I am here...
>My business is my own and no other's, male.
>I am a refugee, a worshiper of Eilistraee seeking asylum here in Everlund. I am told that your people tolerate those such as myself in these lands.
>I am a mercenary. Rumors of orcs and monsters abound have brought me to the Silver Marches to seek my fortune.
>[Blade Dance, Power 4] I am a humble performer come from distant lands to entertain you.
>[Write-in.]

>>5263394
>Sindiira Torani. The name of one of my erstwhile comrades that went missing a decade ago. Nobody from my past will suspect that I am not her unless they see me in person.

Sounds like a plot hook for later when someone who knows Sindiira meets us and knows we aren't her.

>[Blade Dance, Power 4] I am a humble performer come from distant lands to entertain you.

We should have 8 Power left after this, enough to get in another fight or do another dance in order to earn money.

>>5263394
>[Intellect] Try to think of a believable surfacer name.
>I am a mercenary. Rumors of orcs and monsters abound have brought me to the Silver Marches to seek my fortune.

>>5263394
>>[Intellect] Try to think of a believable surfacer name

>[Blade Dance, Power 4] I am a humble performer come from distant lands to entertain you.

>>5263394
>[Intellect] Try to think of a believable surfacer name.
>I am a mercenary. Rumors of orcs and monsters abound have brought me to the Silver Marches to seek my fortune.

>>5263394
>[Intellect] Try to think of a believable surfacer name.
>I am a refugee, a worshiper of Eilistraee seeking asylum here in Everlund. I am told that your people tolerate those such as myself in these lands.

>>5263394
>[Intellect] Try to think of a believable surfacer name.
>I am a mercenary. Rumors of orcs and monsters abound have brought me to the Silver Marches to seek my fortune.

>>5263394
>Sindiira Torani. The name of one of my erstwhile comrades that went missing a decade ago. Nobody from my past will suspect that I am not her unless they see me in person.
>[Blade Dance, Power 4] I am a humble performer come from distant lands to entertain you.

>>5263394
>Sindiira Torani. The name of one of my erstwhile comrades that went missing a decade ago. Nobody from my past will suspect that I am not her unless they see me in person.
Now this is a plot-hook if I've seen one.
going with a surfacer name seems a bad idea since MC knows next to nothing about the surface - it'll be suspect.

>I am a mercenary. Rumors of orcs and monsters abound have brought me to the Silver Marches to seek my fortune.
Coin is always good to have

>>5263394
>>Sindiira Torani. The name of one of my erstwhile comrades that went missing a decade ago. Nobody from my past will suspect that I am not her unless they see me in person.
>>[Blade Dance, Power 4] I am a humble performer come from distant lands to entertain you.

>>5263394
>Sindiira Torani. The name of one of my erstwhile comrades that went missing a decade ago. Nobody from my past will suspect that I am not her unless they see me in person.
>I am a refugee, a worshiper of Eilistraee seeking asylum here in Everlund. I am told that your people tolerate those such as myself in these lands.

given that she was the only goddess of the drow i can see the mc worshipping her

The thing I worry about with the refugee story is that while Eilistraee may be tolerated here and it may be a good cover story for us, I'm not sure refugees would be appreciated. They may just deny us entry.

Whereas either being a performer or mercenary fits with our appearance given our 'armour' in our character pic could either function as genuine albeit scant armour or as ornamental bits meant to titillate, plus we'd be demonstrating that we actually have in demand skills and aren't just some wanderer down on their luck looking for charity.

Though, admitting to being a worshipper of Eilistraee may go better with using an obvious dark elf name since it would fit and we wouldn't have to worry about explaining our foreignness, whereas faking a surfacer name may be better for throwing our sisters off our scent or being less suspicious to the guards.

>>5263394
>Sindiira Torani. The name of one of my erstwhile comrades that went missing a decade ago. Nobody from my past will suspect that I am not her unless they see me in person.
>I am a mercenary. Rumors of orcs and monsters abound have brought me to the Silver Marches to seek my fortune.

>>5263394
>Sindiira Torani. The name of one of my erstwhile comrades that went missing a decade ago. Nobody from my past will suspect that I am not her unless they see me in person.
>I am a mercenary. Rumors of orcs and monsters abound have brought me to the Silver Marches to seek my fortune.
This one is honest enough if we don't spend all our time fighting our sisters.

>>5264006
Thing about this Siindra character is that it feels like she might have escaped to the surface and pretending to be her will blow up in our face if she's around and we pretend to be her.

>>5263394
>Veldrin Duskryn. An abnormally normal, remarkably unremarkable androgynous dark elf name.
>I am a refugee, a worshiper of Eilistraee seeking asylum here in Everlund. I am told that your people tolerate those such as myself in these lands.

>>5263394
>[Intellect] Try to think of a believable surfacer name
>[Blade Dance, Power 4] I am a humble performer come from distant lands to entertain you.

>>5263394
>Sindiira Torani. The name of one of my erstwhile comrades that went missing a decade ago. Nobody from my past will suspect that I am not her unless they see me in person.
>I am a mercenary. Rumors of orcs and monsters abound have brought me to the Silver Marches to seek my fortune.

>>5263394
>Sindiira Torani. The name of one of my erstwhile comrades that went missing a decade ago. Nobody from my past will suspect that I am not her unless they see me in person.
>I am a mercenary. Rumors of orcs and monsters abound have brought me to the Silver Marches to seek my fortune.

More votes than usual, though I did let it go on for longer so I'll let it slide.

You are Sindiira Torani, professional monster masher. Update later today.

>>5263681
>>5264113
wdhmbt

>>5264401
fucking kek

>>5264100
I know, hence my comment regarding plot hooks.

>>5263399
>>5263413
>>5263472
>>5263494
>>5263511
>>5263528
>>5263572
>>5263602
>>5263681
>>5263987
>>5264062
>>5264064
>>5264116
>>5264128
>>5264155
>>5264230
"I..." you hesitate. It may have been wiser to create an identity for yourself before seeking to enter Everlund. Too late. You briefly weigh the possibility of making up an appropriate surfacer name, but the prospect is far too risky. You settle on the name of an acquaintance that you once knew who vanished under mysterious circumstances several years ago. A lengthy story, which you did not have the luxury of harking back to right this moment. Another time, maybe.

"Sindiira Torani," you state confidently, boldly stepping closer to the soldier's light source. You took a deep breath and gathered your thoughts - getting this next sentence right was imperative. "A mercenary. I heard that you need people like me in Everlund, and Silver Marches." Was that good? You seem to have gotten it right. No strange reactions from them... "I kill orcs and black-bloods," you add, referring to the peculiar monsters you sent to the afterlife mere minutes ago.

Something you say catches their attention. They both study you quietly for a moment, this time noting the fine coat of drying gore that you now wear. In low voices they speak between themselves until one of them departs in a hurry. Over the next quarter of an hour, you grow more famished, more exhausted, in total silence. What in the Nine Hells was taking them so long to-

The iron grid slowly ascends, affording you the space necessary to enter. At long last, civilization. As you take your first steps forward, one of the soldiers positions himself in front of you, albeit in a nonaggressive fashion, and addresses you. "I was told to inform you that the Keeper of the Bridges decided to approve of your entry, Drow. We could use someone like you around here, and our scouts said that you came alone." You didn't detect anyone on your way here. An sign of reliable security, you hope.

File: everlund night.jpg (195 KB, 1688x1024)

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>>5264931
"If you're as good a werebeast slayer as you claim to be, visit the Evergreen Hall. That's the temple of Mielikki here. They can point you in the right direction." That must be a surface deity that you know nothing about. He continues. "However... if you're interested in helping us with more practical matters, you should come see the Keeper of the Bridges at the armory in the morning. Enjoy your night."

And enjoy it you shall. A tenday of fighting for your life had worn you thin, and you needed the chance to decompress. Taking a moment to inquire about nearby locales available to a wanderer such as yourself to unwind, you decide to ask for directions to...

>The Stag at Bay. A tavern catering to adventurers and hunters. Apparently it is the go-to place for surfacers that like to share stories of their bravado and brag about the creatures they've slain whilst glutting themselves with whatever swill qualifies as food and drink in these lands.
>The Phantom Knight. An inn that is allegedly known for its quality meals, quiet atmosphere, and the hot baths available in each room. There are rumors that an apparition of a warrior appears to those in immediate danger to offer warnings and pertinent advice.
>The Dreaming Dragon. A tavern with a whimsical mood where elves and halflings congregate to enjoy song and dance. Its elven wine is supposedly of the finest quality. Visiting performers are welcome and encouraged to display their talents.

And how is everyone enjoying the quest so far? Are things moving too slow, or too quickly?

>>5264932
>The Phantom Knight. An inn that is allegedly known for its quality meals, quiet atmosphere, and the hot baths available in each room. There are rumors that an apparition of a warrior appears to those in immediate danger to offer warnings and pertinent advice.

It's going great so far. All the choices are hard to choose from because of the trajectory the story may take, the world-building is fantastic, and the little descriptors really make the story come to life.

>>5264932
>The Dreaming Dragon. A tavern with a whimsical mood where elves and halflings congregate to enjoy song and dance. Its elven wine is supposedly of the finest quality. Visiting performers are welcome and encouraged to display their talents.

Kept the peepee just for this.

>>5264932
>The Stag at Bay. A tavern catering to adventurers and hunters. Apparently it is the go-to place for surfacers that like to share stories of their bravado and brag about the creatures they've slain whilst glutting themselves with whatever swill qualifies as food and drink in these lands.

These are all useful.The Phantom Knight seems like the perfect place to decompress like Jez wants to, with the possible added benefit of a ghost buddy to help us out.

The Dreaming Dragon seems like a good place to make money through performing and enjoy some nice wine, good if we are worried about money and don't think mercenary work will follow quickly enough.

I choose The Stag at Bay because it seems like the best place to learn about our professed trade, though once we gain some basic necessities in regards to knowledge we should probably trade up to a nicer inn for the sake of our mental health.

>>5264932
Oh, and the quest is going at just the right pace for me so far, good world-building, quality updates.

>>5264932
>>The Stag at Bay. A tavern catering to adventurers and hunters. Apparently it is the go-to place for surfacers that like to share stories of their bravado and brag about the creatures they've slain whilst glutting themselves with whatever swill qualifies as food and drink in these lands.

>>5264932
>The Phantom Knight. An inn that is allegedly known for its quality meals, quiet atmosphere, and the hot baths available in each room. There are rumors that an apparition of a warrior appears to those in immediate danger to offer warnings and pertinent advice.
We are covered in wererat gore.
Do we have any money on us?

>>5265116
We have 12 gold pieces according to our character sheet.

>>5264932
>The Dreaming Dragon. A tavern with a whimsical mood where elves and halflings congregate to enjoy song and dance. Its elven wine is supposedly of the finest quality. Visiting performers are welcome and encouraged to display their talents.
It's been great. Enjoying the lore and how you write Jez.

>>5264932
>The Dreaming Dragon. A tavern with a whimsical mood where elves and halflings congregate to enjoy song and dance. Its elven wine is supposedly of the finest quality. Visiting performers are welcome and encouraged to display their talents.

>>5264932
>The Stag at Bay.

>>5264932
>The Phantom Knight. An inn that is allegedly known for its quality meals, quiet atmosphere, and the hot baths available in each room. There are rumors that an apparition of a warrior appears to those in immediate danger to offer warnings and pertinent advice.

Tons of fun, pacing is ok for me.

>>5264932
>>The Dreaming Dragon. A tavern with a whimsical mood where elves and halflings congregate to enjoy song and dance. Its elven wine is supposedly of the finest quality. Visiting performers are welcome and encouraged to display their talents.
Everything is good so far. Maybe add more of Jez's thoughts on it?

>>5264932
>>The Stag at Bay. A tavern catering to adventurers and hunters. Apparently it is the go-to place for surfacers that like to share stories of their bravado and brag about the creatures they've slain whilst glutting themselves with whatever swill qualifies as food and drink in these lands.

>>5264932
>The Phantom Knight. An inn that is allegedly known for its quality meals, quiet atmosphere, and the hot baths available in each room. There are rumors that an apparition of a warrior appears to those in immediate danger to offer warnings and pertinent advice.
Food.

>>5264932
>The Phantom Knight. An inn that is allegedly known for its quality meals, quiet atmosphere, and the hot baths available in each room. There are rumors that an apparition of a warrior appears to those in immediate danger to offer warnings and pertinent advice.
Let's get clean, Jez must absolutely REEK from the werebeast gore.


>"If you're as good a werebeast slayer as you claim to be, visit the Evergreen Hall."
>"However... if you're interested in helping us with more practical matters-"
I wonder what this guy is talking about. what would be more "practical" than werebeast slaying?

>>5264932
>>The Dreaming Dragon. A tavern with a whimsical mood where elves and halflings congregate to enjoy song and dance. Its elven wine is supposedly of the finest quality. Visiting performers are welcome and encouraged to display their talents.

>>5264932
>The Dreaming Dragon. A tavern with a whimsical mood where elves and halflings congregate to enjoy song and dance. Its elven wine is supposedly of the finest quality. Visiting performers are welcome and encouraged to display their talents.

>>5264932
>The Phantom Knight.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

There seems to be a tossup between

>The Phantom Knight
and
>The Dreaming Dragon

File: dreaming dragon.jpg (206 KB, 1280x720)

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>>5264959
>>5264963
>>5264964
>>5264995
>>5265116
>>5265124
>>5265218
>>5265231
>>5265235
>>5265399
>>5265453
>>5265521
>>5265556
>>5265559
>>5265863
>>5266020
'Whimsy' was a word with no equivalent in the language of the Ilythiiri, the demonym which your people used to refer to themselves. Moreover, the society which you had been brought up in enforced a 'kill on sight' policy for Darthiir - your word for the surface elves, which translates to 'traitors.' So when the soldier casually recommended that you pay visit to 'a whimsical place where elves congragate,' your initial impression was that it was some sort of jest that failed to land.

When it was explained to you that you would neither be barred from entry nor murdered the instant you set foot inside, you were shocked, and demanded that he elaborate. None of the doctrines that you had adhered to throughout your life up to this point seemed to apply here. It was as though reality itself had suddenly, inexplicably become inverted.

The interior prominently features white stone, meticulously carved into thin pillars and fine arches decorated by local flora. For illumination, there are only the sparsely placed luminescent crystals emitting gentle light and whatever trickles through the large windows with a full view of the night sky. The scent of summer fruit drifts throughout the air, complemented by the dulcet tones of skilled harping.

>>5266207
Around you are elves of all sorts, barring your own, and a halfling family enjoying a spirited late-night dinner. You earn a few odd glances now and again, and there are assuredly conversations taking place that feature you as the subject, but no hostility whatsoever. What shall you do?

>[1 GP] Enjoy some wine and a light meal while listening to the music. I think this is a good time to reflect on my journey so far, and think about the future.
>[Sword Dance, 4 Power] I still have the stamina to put on a performance and earn money doing it. Let's see if the people of Everlund can appreciate some real culture.
>[6 GP] To the Hells with restraint! I deserve a good meal more than any right this instant. I'll have one of everything on the menu and gorge myself until I am content!
>[1 GP] I'll have a few drinks and chat with the tavern keep about the situation in the city, the latest gossip, the local authority figures, and other such things.
>I would like to take in the atmosphere for a while. Relax, and... try to... remain awake...

>>5266210
>>[Sword Dance, 4 Power] I still have the stamina to put on a performance and earn money doing it. Let's see if the people of Everlund can appreciate some real culture.

Earn more money so we can get a proper meal and rest at the Phantom Knight.

>>5266210
>[Sword Dance, 4 Power] I still have the stamina to put on a performance and earn money doing it. Let's see if the people of Everlund can appreciate some real culture.

Then...

>[1 GP] Enjoy some wine and a light meal while listening to the music. I think this is a good time to reflect on my journey so far, and think about the future.

>>5266234
This sounds good.

>>5266210
>[1 GP] I'll have a few drinks and chat with the tavern keep about the situation in the city, the latest gossip, the local authority figures, and other such things.

>>5266210
>[1 GP] I'll have a few drinks and chat with the tavern keep about the situation in the city, the latest gossip, the local authority figures, and other such things.
Maybe get some idea on who this Keeper of Bridges is before me meet them

>>5266210
>[1 GP] I'll have a few drinks and chat with the tavern keep about the situation in the city, the latest gossip, the local authority figures, and other such things.

>>5266234
+1

>>5266207
>>5266234 +1

>>5266210
>[1 GP] I'll have a few drinks and chat with the tavern keep about the situation in the city, the latest gossip, the local authority figures, and other such things.
This but also food.

>>5266207
>[Sword Dance, 4 Power] I still have the stamina to put on a performance and earn money doing it. Let's see if the people of Everlund can appreciate some real culture.

>>5266207
>>[1 GP] Enjoy some wine and a light meal while listening to the music. I think this is a good time to reflect on my journey so far, and think about the future.

>>5266225
Changing to this >>5266234

>>5266210
>[1 GP] I'll have a few drinks and chat with the tavern keep about the situation in the city, the latest gossip, the local authority figures, and other such things.
Especially what the deal is with the Keeper of Bridges, that weird surface god, and werebeasts/blackbloods.

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>>5267091

>>5266234
Support

So you think you can dance? Another close one. Update later today.

File: ilanis.png (506 KB, 561x632)

506 KB PNG

>>5266225
>>5266234
>>5266260
>>5266265
>>5266280
>>5266633
>>5266729
>>5266749
>>5266807
>>5266829
>>5266972
>>5267091
>>5267165
"Fair be our meeting, for our hearts are light and our swords sheathed, we hold peace in our hands and its light guides us." A vivacious young woman offers a traditional Elven greeting from the other side of the bar. A quaint historical artifact to the Ilythiiri, though the sentiment was in the right place. If you had to estimate, you'd say that you're at least eighty years older than her, perhaps ninety. Still a girl, by your metric. You give your hair a quick inspection to confirm that there are no yellow strands - the last thing you needed right now was evidence that you were aging.

Smiling coolly, she beckons for you to approach. "I haven't seen your face around here before, sister. I'm Ilanis, and you're at the Dreaming Dragon! Can I get you something?" Your eyes wander over to the harp across the room, implanting the strangest idea in your mind. You nod firmly before responding. "Vendui'usstan, dalninil. I can dance. I want to dance here."

Excitedly, the girl claps her hands and rubs her palms together, studying you up and down to judge whether you'd be up to the task before agreeing. "Well! We've never had a, uh... unique person like you, dance for us, before! But..." She bites the bottom of her lip, searching for the right way to phrase her next sentence. "Want me to douse you with a bucket of river water first?"

>>5267456
It is no substitute for a proper bath, but Ilanis saw fit to make you look presentable before you stepped onto the stage. The friendly conversations of the Dreaming Dragon give way to curious whispers as you draw the masterwork blade that has been your constant companion all throughout your quest thus far. Working together with the harpist, you meticulously weave together an impromptu show, alternating between steady, dramatic arcs paired with graceful footwork and explosive displays of muscular power combined with acrobatic deftness.

Memories of laborious hours spent learning precise, rhythmic movements bubble to the surface of your mind. It was a prerequisite to learning your preferred fighting style, and as such you gave it your all. Yet even after you first saw battle and developed the skill at arms you now possess, never did you give up on practicing the performance arts. To this day, it has been a staple of your training regimen.

Why is it that you invest so much effort into dancing? If you could only pick one reason...
>It is purely practical. I need to manage my physical health and exercise regularly to maintain the martial art that suits me best. The dance is merely a facet of my training that helps fulfill these conditions.
>For me, it is skill. Pushing my mind and body to the limit, climbing higher and higher toward the apex of mortal ability. Nothing can compare to the delayed gratification of pursuing true mastery.
>Dance is art, a way to free my spirit, and a means to express myself in a way that I cannot with words. Contrary to what many would assume, I possess a sensitive and cultured soul beneath my lethal exterior.
>I loathe to admit it, but I relish the attention. The covetous and lustful gazes of the audience, the way that the crowd marvels at my excellent physique and superior talent, and the praises offered to my noble name. Glory is a rush, an addiction even.

>>5267460
>Dance is art, a way to free my spirit, and a means to express myself in a way that I cannot with words. Contrary to what many would assume, I possess a sensitive and cultured soul beneath my lethal exterior.

>>5267460
>I loathe to admit it, but I relish the attention. The covetous and lustful gazes of the audience, the way that the crowd marvels at my excellent physique and superior talent, and the praises offered to my noble name. Glory is a rush, an addiction even.

>>5267460
>I loathe to admit it, but I relish the attention.

>>5267460
>>>For me, it is skill. Pushing my mind and body to the limit, climbing higher and higher toward the apex of mortal ability. Nothing can compare to the delayed gratification of pursuing true mastery.
SIGMA GRINDSET GO

>>5267460
>Dance is art, a way to free my spirit, and a means to express myself in a way that I cannot with words. Contrary to what many would assume, I possess a sensitive and cultured soul beneath my lethal exterior.

>>5267460
>Dance is art, a way to free my spirit, and a means to express myself in a way that I cannot with words. Contrary to what many would assume, I possess a sensitive and cultured soul beneath my lethal exterior.

>>5267460
>>Dance is art, a way to free my spirit, and a means to express myself in a way that I cannot with words. Contrary to what many would assume, I possess a sensitive and cultured soul beneath my lethal exterior

Get cultured, loser.

>>5267460
>>Dance is art, a way to free my spirit, and a means to express myself in a way that I cannot with words. Contrary to what many would assume, I possess a sensitive and cultured soul beneath my lethal exterior.

>>5267460
>>I loathe to admit it, but I relish the attention. The covetous and lustful gazes of the audience, the way that the crowd marvels at my excellent physique and superior talent, and the praises offered to my noble name. Glory is a rush, an addiction even.

>>5267460
>I loathe to admit it, but I relish the attention. The covetous and lustful gazes of the audience, the way that the crowd marvels at my excellent physique and superior talent, and the praises offered to my noble name. Glory is a rush, an addiction even.

I'll eat my hat if this isn't being samefagged to hell and back right now.

>>5267627
If it helps ease your paranoia, I’m >>5266020. I’m just stuck on cat-sitting duty tonight.

>>5267627
can't speak for the rest but I'm >>5263494 . Was replacing my modem and it changed my IP

>>5267627
I also can't speak for the rest, but I'm >>5266234

My ID just changed due to a power outage.

>>5267460
>>For me, it is skill. Pushing my mind and body to the limit, climbing higher and higher toward the apex of mortal ability. Nothing can compare to the delayed gratification of pursuing true mastery.

>>5267460
>It is purely practical. I need to manage my physical health and exercise regularly to maintain the martial art that suits me best. The dance is merely a facet of my training that helps fulfill these conditions.

>>5267460
>Dance is art, a way to free my spirit, and a means to express myself in a way that I cannot with words. Contrary to what many would assume, I possess a sensitive and cultured soul beneath my lethal exterior.

>>5267460
>It is purely practical. I need to manage my physical health and exercise regularly to maintain the martial art that suits me best. The dance is merely a facet of my training that helps fulfill these conditions.

>>5267627
Dunno about others but I'm >>5265556
my IP tends to change on it's own sometime and I really wish it didn't change for this post

>>5267460
>I loathe to admit it, but I relish the attention. The covetous and lustful gazes of the audience, the way that the crowd marvels at my excellent physique and superior talent, and the praises offered to my noble name. Glory is a rush, an addiction even.

>>5267460
>>I loathe to admit it, but I relish the attention. The covetous and lustful gazes of the audience, the way that the crowd marvels at my excellent physique and superior talent, and the praises offered to my noble name. Glory is a rush, an addiction even.

>>5267460
>>Dance is art, a way to free my spirit, and a means to express myself in a way that I cannot with words. Contrary to what many would assume, I possess a sensitive and cultured soul beneath my lethal exterior

>>5267460
>Dance is art, a way to free my spirit, and a means to express myself in a way that I cannot with words. Contrary to what many would assume, I possess a sensitive and cultured soul beneath my lethal exterior.

>>5267627
It's a popular quest. Previous votes have gotten almost 20 players.

>>5267460
>>Dance is art, a way to free my spirit, and a means to express myself in a way that I cannot with words. Contrary to what many would assume, I possess a sensitive and cultured soul beneath my lethal exterior.

I'm going to go ahead and call the vote here so I can plan while I handle a few errands today. Now that we're getting a look into her mind, it turns out that Jez is actually something of a refined warrior-poet. I'm surprised.

>>5267627
If it makes you feel better, I try to look at the popularity of each option overall. If an otherwise unpopular choice has a disproportionate number of 1-post IDs backing it, I might choose to disregard them, but there seems to be a decent number recurring voters that support the current lead.

>sus votes
This (>>5267484) is my (phone)vote. I can start backlinking if qm wants it.

>>5268512
I don't vote all the time but i did vote for the this one but i forgotten which one was my vote i think it this >>5267526

>>5267470
>>5267484
>>5267488
>>5267507
>>5267510
>>5267517
>>5267522
>>5267526
>>5267528
>>5267575
>>5267737
>>5267837
>>5268164
>>5268214
>>5268217
>>5268228
>>5268247
>>5268287
>>5268417
Discipline, prestige, perfection. All worthy in and of themselves, and you thoroughly delighted in attaining all of them. Nevertheless, you have always had an introspective inclination, often ruminating during the fleeting periods of calm in the perpetual turmoil and strife typical of dark elf life. What is your heart's desire? How do you always manage to survive when those around you die in droves? Why is it that you fight?

Every battle, every life that you have taken, every indignity that you have weathered, you carry with you. The memories of Mother whipping you until your skin broke and salting your wounds, of fighting off four assassins simultaneously, of your first look at the crystals inexplicably suspended above the exotic world that you now inhabit, are all yours. There exists no language with a vocabulary expansive enough to properly convey the array of emotions that inhabit your heart.

That is why you dance. You can meld deadly and beauty into a single, fantastical spectacle, all at once demonstrating the highest highs and lowest lows of the mortal experience. When others look upon your art, they too can feel fear, and passion, and victory, and suffering. There are other practitioners of Orb Alur, and countless performers in the Realms, many of whom are unquestionably better than you - but there exists no one else that can dance your dance.

This is the final movement of your act. The tip of your sword rests perpendicular atop your little finger. It took you twenty years of effort before you could perform this technique without nicking yourself. Masterfully, you withdraw your hands and execute a pirouette, allowing gravity to pull your blade into its sheath, bowing deeply as the spectators erupt into applause.

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>>5268987
Now seated in a cushioned chair, you drink deeply from the chalice in your hand. Contained within is a chilled red beverage that tastes like the fabled ambrosia of the gods, or perchance it simply seems as such because you have subsisted on an all-moss diet for a tenday. Ilanis sets a... something edible on the table before you, together with a modest sum of local currency. "Say, that was really great! Can I get you back here in a few days? The Master of Guilds is visiting and-"

She isn't given the chance to finish. Another patron, a male elf with handsome features and striking white hair flags her down, smiling mischievously at you as he does so. "Oh! Hello, I'll be right with you!" As suddenly as the girl arrived, she is gone. The youthful energy about her was something you hadn't possessed in over a century.

The Dreaming Dragon grows calmer after your show. Now, you feel, is a fine time to reflect on the past and present. Exhaling deeply, you clear your mind and allow your thoughts to wander. What do they find? You may only choose one.
>Mother, late matriarch and omnipotent tyrant of House Delyl.
>Phaere, my younger sister.
>Tatherin, my twin brother.
>The circumstances that drove me to flee the Underdark.

>>5268989
>The circumstances that drove me to flee the Underdark.

>>5268989
>The circumstances that drove me to flee the Underdark.

>>5268989
>>Tatherin, my twin brother.

>>5268989
>>Tatherin, my twin brother.

>>5268989
>Tatherin, my twin brother.

Nice quest, Ed.

>>5268989
>>Mother, late matriarch and omnipotent tyrant of House Delyl.

>>5268989
>>The circumstances that drove me to flee the Underdark.

>>5268989
>The circumstances that drove me to flee the Underdark.

>>5268989
>Tatherin, my twin brother.

>>5268989
>Father

>>5268989
>>The circumstances that drove me to flee the Underdark.

>>5268989
>The circumstances that drove me to flee the Underdark.

>>5268989
>>Tatherin, my twin brother.

>>5268989
>The circumstances that drove me to flee the Underdark.
I hoped for omnipotent tyrant, but it seems the votes are samelocked already.

>>5269535
>People are not voting for what I want, this must be the job of samefags
BTW i'm >>5268217 workposting.

>>5268989
>>Tatherin, my twin brother.

>>5269535
1 post id decrying samefriends? The irony.

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>>5269550
>>5269567
Wow you really saw through me, anons. I kneel before you as I seethe about my choice of choice not being supported. In all seriousness it was just an innocent joke since samefag paranoia (>>5267627) happened.
t. >>5268513

>>5268989
>Mother, late matriarch and omnipotent tyrant of House Delyl.

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>>5269277
Thoughtful write-ins are encouraged and I will be trying to avoid singling out any votes, but the story that could be spun from this is so minimal that I think that it falls into the category of "things worth answering that don't deserve an entire story update," so an exception will be made this time.

Mainstream Drow society is matrilineal, so much so that the identity of a male has no influence on the legitimacy of a child at all, while the concept of a 'parental bond' usually does not extend past basic survival and 'how hard my mom kicks my ass.' Jez (and many like her) do not know who their fathers are, and those who do often do not care. To her, 'father' is not even a sperm donor, just some total stranger that coincidentally shares her genetics.

As usual, the notable exception is a certain dark elf that is famous both in-character and in real life, who will inevitably become a topic of discussion at some point.

>>5269535
Luckily, there will be a chance to circle back around to these subjects later. My intent is to offer backstory and characterization piecemeal during rests to avoid meandering through exposition, so we can explore all of these ideas and more provided Jezyrene does not die a sudden and horrible death.

>>5269766
>As usual, the notable exception is a certain dark elf that is famous both in-character and in real life, who will inevitably become a topic of discussion at some point.

So, is he going to be the only Forgotten Realms Drow character in this, or are we mentioning any others from other series, like Starlight and Shadows or the Lady Penitent trilogy?

Today's update will arrive after I've gotten some work done.

>>5270022
There may be references here and there, if I think I can fit them in.

>>5268993
>>5268996
>>5269004
>>5269013
>>5269021
>>5269022
>>5269076
>>5269228
>>5269250
>>5269277
>>5269318
>>5269421
>>5269482
>>5269535
>>5269550
>>5269567
>>5269740
You voraciously take in the edible-something. Silently, you pledge to yourself that you will never partake of cave moss again. Your digestive tract thanked you profusely. The act brings to mind the incident which incited the miserable ordeal that you have only just put behind you.

"Jezyrene of House Delyl, you are being detained for-"

There was no need for the House Captain that accosted you during your exercises to say the rest. A list of accusations, every one more false than the last, were brought before you. The poisoning of a pregnant woman, the theft and sale of valuable Sorcere artifacts, fraternizing with the clergy of some surfacer god that you cannot recall the name of. By the time he had finished, you were surrounded on all sides. There were half a dozen of them, give or take, and more awaiting you should you somehow manage to escape.

Any casual observer would be able to piece together the truth of what was happening at that very moment. Vierna was Matron Mother of House Delyl in all but name, a mighty priestess and already expecting her second child. As the second daughter, a failed priestess, and worse, unable to conceive in all your years, those around you assumed that you would naturally become envious. And what better time to make your play for the title of Matron Mother than Vierna's brief period of vulnerability? You were framed as a threat, an unknown element that needed to be put down before you could become a problem.

It was a sublime display of duplicity, a meticulously spun lie. None but Phaere could have accomplished the feat - your elder sister was arrogant to a fault, and susceptible to the youngest's venomous suggestions. The scheme would have been a rousing success, had she not severely underestimated your lethality. Having never fought on the front lines of a conflict together with you, her knowledge of your capabilities was strictly secondhand, which proved to be the undoing of her insidious plot.

That day, you fled into the subterranean wilderness with naught but what you could carry in your hands, leaving behind you a trail of the dead and dying. Ahead of you is the void, a darkness limitless depth without end. Your pulse quickens as you urge the muscles in your legs to give more and more of themselves, lest your hunters arrest you. Again and again, you kill them one by one, but there are ever more. The rivers run red, and you will surely drown in them.

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>>5270596
"... omethin... ith you...?" A force beyond your comprehension shakes your body violentlly as a disembodied voice shouts into your skull. "Hey!" You are shaken again. A chilled fluid collides with your face, and the world instantaneously floods with color.

You are laid against a soft surface, draped in sheets. Around you is a humble room furnished with wood amenities, a luxury where you are from. Your eyes wander over to the doorway, where Ilanis stands, holding a half-full glass of water. "You were screaming. A lot. The 'mortal peril' kind of screaming. I tried shaking you, but..." She throws her hands up, accidentally emptying the glass' remaining contents onto the floor.

The girl goes on to explain that you slipped into unconsciousness not long after your performance. Fatigue must have finally won out against you in the end. Having been quite taken with your display, Ilanis allowed you to rest your head in her home on the second floor of the Dreaming Dragon. You are grateful that she did not throw you out onto the street, if a bit puzzled by the gesture. Conducting a quick inspection of yourself, you are currently wearing a simple dress that makes you seem more helpmeet than warrior. How shameful.

The day is young, and you will soon see the fabled sun for the first time. What will you do?

>I'll talk with the girl for a time. What I want is the perspective of a local, who can tell me what I need to know about Everlund and these Silver Marches.
>Nothing helps relieve stress like a good hunt. I think I'll take it upon myself to exterminate these werebeasts after all. Where is that temple that I am meant to visit?
>Knowledge is power, and I know precious little about this world. I will begin by doing research. There must be a library or a merchant that deals in books here.
>What task could this Keeper of the Bridges possibly have for someone such as myself? I suppose it could not hurt to hear them out.

>>5270599
>>Knowledge is power, and I know precious little about this world. I will begin by doing research. There must be a library or a merchant that deals in books here.

>>5270599
>What task could this Keeper of the Bridges possibly have for someone such as myself? I suppose it could not hurt to hear them out.
...oh hi, Sindiira! Fancy meeting you here!

>>5270599
>Nothing helps relieve stress like a good hunt. I think I'll take it upon myself to exterminate these werebeasts after all. Where is that temple that I am meant to visit?

>>5270599
>What task could this Keeper of the Bridges possibly have for someone such as myself? I suppose it could not hurt to hear them out.

>>5270599
>>What task could this Keeper of the Bridges possibly have for someone such as myself? I suppose it could not hurt to hear them out.

i may want to talk to the girl but my quest habit will be my doom

>>5270599
>Knowledge is power, and I know precious little about this world. I will begin by doing research. There must be a library or a merchant that deals in books here.

>>5270599
>I'll talk with the girl for a time. What I want is the perspective of a local, who can tell me what I need to know about Everlund and these Silver Marches.

>>5270599

You know what? Changing >>5270599 to
>I'll talk with the girl for a time. What I want is the perspective of a local, who can tell me what I need to know about Everlund and these Silver Marches.

and THEN

>What task could this Keeper of the Bridges possibly have for someone such as myself? I suppose it could not hurt to hear them out.

Maybe she can give us an idea what to expect, and what the Bridgekeeper is even like.

>>5270599
>I'll talk with the girl for a time. What I want is the perspective of a local, who can tell me what I need to know about Everlund and these Silver Marches.

>>5270599
I'll switch to this >>5270840

>>5270599
>I'll talk with the girl for a time. What I want is the perspective of a local, who can tell me what I need to know about Everlund and these Silver Marches.

>>5270599
>>Knowledge is power, and I know precious little about this world. I will begin by doing research. There must be a library or a merchant that deals in books here.

>>5270599
>I'll talk with the girl for a time. What I want is the perspective of a local, who can tell me what I need to know about Everlund and these Silver Marches.
Just to get a feel for how people do people 'round these parts.

>>5270599
>>I'll talk with the girl for a time. What I want is the perspective of a local, who can tell me what I need to know about Everlund and these Silver Marches.

>>5270599
>Nothing helps relieve stress like a good hunt. I think I'll take it upon myself to exterminate these werebeasts after all. Where is that temple that I am meant to visit?

>>5270599
>>Knowledge is power, and I know precious little about this world. I will begin by doing research. There must be a library or a merchant that deals in books here

Update as soon as I get through some work.

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>>5270616
>>5270644
>>5270706
>>5270723
>>5270754
>>5270786
>>5270837
>>5270840
>>5270856
>>5270927
>>5270943
>>5270961
>>5270990
>>5271043
>>5271187
>>5271497
"I know!" Ilanis rubs her palms together. It must be a favorite gesture of hers. "Why don't you stay for breakfast?" To act lackadaisical when you are only just finding your feet seemed foolish. Not that your body agreed with your level-headed assessment. The prospect of 'real' food was so alluring as to dominate your throughts. At the least, you reason, it would be good to chat with a local. You are a fish out of water, and your cover will not last if you failed to integrate into this entirely foreign society.

"All right. I think-" Before you can offer a proper answer, the girl hurries off, calling out to you from down the hall as she does so. "Great! I'll get everything ready. It should only take a few minutes!" If you understood the situation correctly, asking you to have a meal with her was merely a formality. She had intended to feed you either way.

Conducting a quick inspection of your equipment, you note that your sword is becoming a bit dull. Each individual piece of Ilythiiri equipment is a masterpiece, but even the most masterfully crafted weapon cannot last forever. Not without magic, that is. It should suffice for a time, but you'll have to maintain or replace it eventually. Now armed and armored, you join Ilanis in her homely kitchen, seating yourself at a round table at its center. Fanciful as the Dreaming Dragon may appear, her personal quarters are rather modest by comparison.

She sets two bowls of... more something down, one for each of you, and pulls up a chair. There is an anxious silence as the two of you look at one another. Nearly a minute goes by before she points a wooden spoon at you in an accusatory fashion. "You don't talk much, do you?" So Direct.

"No," you offer curtly. It was partially true. Despite being capable of surprising eloquence in your first language, the best you could manage in the Rivvil tongue was to hold a transactionary conversation. Scooping your first sample of another new experience into your mouth, the best descriptor you can assign to it is 'warm and sweet, but also tart.' "How about we introduce ourselves first? My name's Ilanis Lathalas. What's yours?" That, you could answer with ease.

Jezyrene-

>>5271818
You gulp. Hard. And cough up a few of the squishy flecks that you had swallowed seconds ago. Ilanis is sent into a panic, but you reassure her with a dismissive wave. That's right. You are Jezyrene Delyl no longer. Not here. "Sindiira Torani." You are Sindiira now, and nobody must know otherwise, lest you be found out. "I don't talk about myself."

The girl smiles warmly, her focus returning to her meal. She didn't seem to suspect you of anything. Or if she did, she was an expert at misdirection. If anything, she seemed soo vulnerable, completely unguarded in your presence. She would not last long where you are from... an odd thought crosses your mind; was everyone like this here? Is the world you hail from simply that different?

Such questions are best saved for another time. Right now, you should be submitting inquiries to her. It was, after all, a fine opportunity to extract knowledge from a surfacer.

You may ask no more than three.
>Tell me about the powers that are worshiped here in Everlund. I've heard the name 'Mielikki' mentioned, but I know nothing beyond that.
>What I want to know is, who is the Keeper of the Bridges, and what are they like?
>Who are the local leaders, and what can you tell me about them?
>Suppose I wanted to fit in with everyone. Is there any advice you can offer on how to get others to accept me?
>Where is your mother, girl?
>You did not expel me into the streets, and instead took me in as your guest. Why?
>[Write-in.]

The vote on what to do next seem split, so we'll see what happens where everybody is in a few updates when it becomes relevant again.

>>5271819
>You did not expel me into the streets, and instead took me in as your guest. Why?

Personal curiosity, learn about the different attitudes here.

>Who are the local leaders, and what can you tell me about them?
>Suppose I wanted to fit in with everyone. Is there any advice you can offer on how to get others to accept me?

Useful info, know the power structures, fit in better.

>>5271819
>Where is your mother, girl?
>You did not expel me into the streets, and instead took me in as your guest. Why?
>What I want to know is, who is the Keeper of the Bridges, and what are they like?
>Have you heard of any others like me pass through here? Ones who mentioned an "Eilistraee", who likes dancing and swordplay?

>>5271822
The QM literally says to not choose more than 3 right above the prompts anon.

>>5271822
Lemme revise this...
>You did not expel me into the streets, and instead took me in as your guest. Why?
>What I want to know is, who is the Keeper of the Bridges, and what are they like?
>Have you heard of any others like me pass through here? Ones who mentioned an "Eilistraee", who likes dancing and swordplay?

>>5271819
>What I want to know is, who is the Keeper of the Bridges, and what are they like?
>Who are the local leaders, and what can you tell me about them?
>You did not expel me into the streets, and instead took me in as your guest. Why?

>>5271819
>Tell me about the powers that are worshiped here in Everlund. I've heard the name 'Mielikki' mentioned, but I know nothing beyond that.
>What I want to know is, who is the Keeper of the Bridges, and what are they like?
>Suppose I wanted to fit in with everyone. Is there any advice you can offer on how to get others to accept me?

>>5271819
>>Tell me about the powers that are worshiped here in Everlund. I've heard the name 'Mielikki' mentioned, but I know nothing beyond that.
>>What I want to know is, who is the Keeper of the Bridges, and what are they like?
>>Suppose I wanted to fit in with everyone. Is there any advice you can offer on how to get others to accept me?

>>5271819
>>You did not expel me into the streets, and instead took me in as your guest. Why?
>>What I want to know is, who is the Keeper of the Bridges, and what are they like?
>>Have you heard of any others like me pass through here? Ones who mentioned an "Eilistraee", who likes dancing and swordplay?

i like this

>>5271819
>>What I want to know is, who is the Keeper of the Bridges, and what are they like?
>>Who are the local leaders, and what can you tell me about them?
>>Suppose I wanted to fit in with everyone. Is there any advice you can offer on how to get others to accept me?
>>You did not expel me into the streets, and instead took me in as your guest. Why?

>>5271819
>>Tell me about the powers that are worshiped here in Everlund. I've heard the name 'Mielikki' mentioned, but I know nothing beyond that.
>>Who are the local leaders, and what can you tell me about them?
>>Suppose I wanted to fit in with everyone. Is there any advice you can offer on how to get others to accept me?

>>5271819
>Tell me about the powers that are worshiped here in Everlund. I've heard the name 'Mielikki' mentioned, but I know nothing beyond that.
>Where is your mother, girl?
>Who are the local leaders, and what can you tell me about them?

Voting closed. As usual, post after I get through work.

Rolled 1 (1d3)

Someone snuck a fourth choice in and caused a three-way tie between for two questions, please stand by while I cull one at random.

>>5271821
>>5271829
>>5271837
>>5271851
>>5271945
>>5271988
>>5271993
>>5272025
>>5272154
>>5272460
The girl's devil-may-care attitude challenged everything you understood about etiquette. A person should be charming and urbane, always suspecting the motives of others while ever ready to take another being for all they're worth the moment they let their guard down. Not only did Ilanis lack these key values, all of her actions thus far have run counter to them. Curiosity builds within you, until you suddenly find yourself questioning her out loud.

"Why?"

She looks up from her meal, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Hmm?" You consider withdrawing your inquiry, but go through with it against your better judgement. "You could have taken all I have and thrown me out, or chained me up and made me dance every day against my will. I was at your mercy - and now, I am your guest. At least, you have a dangerous task that I must do to repay you."

There is something about your completely reasonable perplexity that horrifies the girl. Gasping, she reflexively cups her hand over her mouth, eyes wide. "Why would I do something like that?!"

"Why wouldn't you?"

The two of you stare at one another.

And stare at one another.

And stare at one another.

The subject needs to change. Now. An appropriate topic comes to mind; your apparent social deficiencies. Sighing deeply, you relax your posture, shaking your head. Life in the Underdark was dangerous at the best of times, and kowtowing before others had saved your life on multiple occasions, but there was something humbling about having to entreat a helpless child for aid. "I... am not from here. Can you help me act like everyone else?"

The request does not register immediately. Her smile takes its sweet time in returning, transmogrifying into a mischievous sneer as it does so. "You forgot to say please~." Your mirthless glare is enough to telegraph that you will do no such thing. Puffing her cheeks, she proceeds. "You should try being more friendly. This is a good place, with good people, and they like being treated good back. I think if you were a bit nicer, everyone here would love you. And smile more. You're so pretty!"

Objectively speaking, the girl had just vomited forth far too much insipid drivel for you to process. Her words were fluff, not information. Most probably, the true information dwelt beneath the surface. It would take hours, perhaps days of quiet contemplation to work through this and derive any real wisdom from it. Something best saved for later, assuredly. You rest your hand against your temple in a futile attempt to ward away the oncoming headache.

"What's wrong?" She asks innocently, bringing you back to reality. There was another matter that was of immediate concern to you. "I am to meet with the 'Keeper of the Bridges' or some such person. Tell me about them."

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>5273101
(Perception 10) Success on 10 or less.

>>5273105
"Hum... The Keeper is the person in charge of the city watch, and they also keep an eye on trade and collect taxes. Right now, the Keeper is Brandt Greycastle. I've only heard about what he's like - sorry." There is something abnormal about the way she speaks, but you can't quite put your finger on what. Shifting your weight, you try for more information. "All right. So what have you heard?"

"Master Greycastle is supposed to be a powerful man, but he doesn't talk with us regular folk much. His closest followers go on and on about him like he's royalty, though! I only spoke with him once. He's... different," she says, waving vaguely. It was clear that she did not wish to dwell on the subject.

By the look of things, you were both finished with your meals. Armed with this new information, it was time to decide on what to do with your day.
>I have a better picture of what this Keeper fellow is like. Now is the time to meet with Greycastle.
>You know what? I've changed my mind. I think I'll be going on that hunt after all.
>This is a lot to take in. Going for a stroll through the city to clear my mind and purchasing a few books sounds like a fine idea.

>>5273124
>I have a better picture of what this Keeper fellow is like. Now is the time to meet with Greycastle
Take the long route, though. Get some light strolling in en route if we can.

>>5273124
>This is a lot to take in. Going for a stroll through the city to clear my mind and purchasing a few books sounds like a fine idea.
Or, more specifically, to get more information regarding this "Greycastle". As momma always said, "When checking a pool for quippers, push a slave in first."

>>5273147
Replace quippers with pyrimo, close enough.

>>5273124
>I have a better picture of what this Keeper fellow is like. Now is the time to meet with Greycastle.

>>5273124
>This is a lot to take in. Going for a stroll through the city to clear my mind and purchasing a few books sounds like a fine idea.

>>5273124
>I have a better picture of what this Keeper fellow is like. Now is the time to meet with Greycastle.

>>5273124
>>I have a better picture of what this Keeper fellow is like. Now is the time to meet with Greycastle.

>>5273124
>>This is a lot to take in. Going for a stroll through the city to clear my mind and purchasing a few books sounds like a fine idea.

>>5273124
>This is a lot to take in. Going for a stroll through the city to clear my mind and purchasing a few books sounds like a fine idea.