This is my first quest, criticism and questions are welcome.

>>6126111
>They Delve deep into the earth to feed the flames that light there world.

>a broken army, last of a fallen empire, led by the last princess of a millennium long bloodline.

>>6126111

>They Delve deep into the earth to feed the flames that light there world.

>a broken army, last of a fallen empire, led by the last princess of a millennium long bloodline

>>6126112
Update will be tomorrow afternoon.

With no other votes I’m going to update early.

How the mighty had fallen.

Once my family ruled a dozen cities.

Once we ruled 5 cities.

Once we ruled one-

Now, we rule none.

Now- all that’s left is me and 20 warriors.

I remember the fall like it was yesterday, a army of barbarians laying siege, the frantic escape through the most ancient of tombs of my forefathers, long looted to fund the war that failed to protect the bloodline, my father and brothers charging at the barbarians that found the entrance so that I and some others may flee…

That was weeks ago, reduced to petty banditry, until one early morning just down the mountain there’s a bright light of some kind.

we moved to see what that light was until we are looking down at what was once a empty spot of land by the shore- now there’s a… strange thing- 5 measures in diameter as if the land of one area was neatly scoop up and set down here. With the center of it containing a town with no walls. There is something strange about it

(Role D20 to make observations, higher the role, the more you notice, first 3 roles are counted)

What do you do?

You have 20 trustworthy men plus yourself, some need to stay in camp to protect what little there.
How many will you send out? If you do send people out Do you;

scout; (role a D20)

there are 4 points of interest,
- a massive building with 3 chimneys of immense size, smoke had just stop bellowing from it this is on a way from the town but to get to it would require to get close to several houses.
- 2 massive buildings next to each other, one is white, the other is blue, both surrounded by a kind of black courtyard with, strange huts or carts on it. This is right between you and the town.
- a large red building with a flat roof, large yellow, huts?, are around it. There seem to be some kind of monument next to it.
- The town itself; the town is massive, with a strange black road spreading out from it and several tall buildings- some 3 or 4 stories tall while other have points that aim for the sky. Strange lights can be seen.
- A outskirts house (role a D20 for events)

Raid; select a mention target

Wait a bit to see what happens (between 1-6 hours. Role a D10 for events)

- Write in;

>>6126270
To add; you can send out multiple parties or even yourself, they will be doing there activities concurrently but the actions of the party not being followed will have fewer choices- the other choices done via roles and narrative.

IE; if normally the red building would have 4 choices- only one would be presented while you scout the white and blue ones.

Rolled 2 (1d20)

Rolling for observation

>a large red building with a flat roof, large yellow, huts?, are around it. There seem to be some kind of monument next to it.

>>6126342
Observation role 1/3;

You can’t make out much more- tho one of your men- Quietus- a half Ork from a far off land, swares one of the huts just moved a little bit.

The entire area seem so- foreign- that you in general are having a hard time figuring out what you’re seeing from a distance. (-1 to the other 2 observation roles)

Rolled 15 (1d20)

Rolling for observation

>- 2 massive buildings next to each other, one is white, the other is blue, both surrounded by a kind of black courtyard with, strange huts or carts on it. This is right between you and the town.

Observation Role; 2/3

Cora of House Maria, Princess of Histresmos- a empire that now consists of a cave, 20 soldier’s sharing the armor of 9, their wives and children of 5 total, look at the strange large buildings.

It seems like she is looking at the back of the buildings, 2 impressively massive but unimpressively bland buildings- perhaps they are a fort of some kind. 3 hut- no not huts, some kind of large wagons of 16 wheels are in view, one is to the front of the building on the patio- the other 2 are each backed into the building at what looks like some kind of gate.

Both buildings have large letters on them, of a written language that looks similar if altered to her own

The smaller wagons are of 4 wheels, with a half dozen seen and 3 black ones leaving the road and entering the patio, wagons without horses- magic had been on the rise but its one thing to throw fire- another to move what looks like a very heavy cart.

Speaking of the patio- it seems to have lines that neetly makes 3 sided squares with every cart neetly parked within these squares.

Taking a good look the Princess feels that she can slip into these odd buildings, seeing multiple doors and ladders.

(+1 to scouting the Blue and White buildings, +1 to deciphering the text of the unknown language)

Rolled 20 (1d20)

Still rolling the third observation right?

>>6127171
Yes- just pick a location to use that Nat 20.

Town, Big chimney big building, or a outskirts house

>>6127177
Solid. Big chimney big building.

>>6127193
The princess, look from the 2 box of buildings and at the large chimney building- and see that oddly- 2 of the massive white chimneys are set away from the main structure, with a thinner and slightly shorter chimney right next to the building-

The building itself is surrounded by a fence of some kind of mesh, and is full of activity, people running around it, ontop of it, and on walkways that run along side pipes with the building itself being made up of a large squat square with a rectangle risen in the center, Cora is not a architect but even she can see things that are at, odd scale- those chimneys should have falling in on themselves, those walkways should have fallen on there thin supports, this strange gray metal must be stronger than bronze and lighter than stone.

Looking around she can see a trail of some kind made from 2, lines of something, that leads all the way out to the edge of the unnatural border between the vally that was and the hilly terrain that is. Where the trial starts by the structure is several large wagons with a black rock, Coal most likely, in them.

The rail trail is not the only trail, leading out of the structure is a straight line of forest that been cleared cut- in the middle of the cutting as equal lengths is towering skeleton structures made form a gray metal, faintly black liens can be seen going from one skeleton to another until the clear cut ends again at the edge, where several people can be seen gathered around the now dropping black lines. To far to make out much.

The princess feels more comfortable looking at all these- confusing things.

(Point of interest added; Clear Cut Edge. +5 scouting the chimney building, +2 to all other scouting checks, +1 to checks with handling these unknown devices)

The Princess take in what she seen so far- these are a strange people- with many strange things, this entire, town is strange- where did it come from, yesterday this was a flat shoreline between the Herculean Mountains and the Great Sea, now there’s a city- a wall-less city with many strange things even form this distance.

‘’The longer we wait- the longer these people have to do what they are doing’’

(Nat 20 Bonus)

‘’And the longer that they clam down, it seems like these people are, panicking, and use those horseless wagons to move around, so we should stay away from the roads.’’

the young princess turns around to look at her men

‘’If we must act- we should act sooner or later- to see if they are friend, or foe, and maybe, see if these people can help us reclaim our glory’’

The men was about to cheer at glory when the princess cut them off so they may not give away their position.

There are 5 points of interest that can be seen.

-Blue and White buildings (D20+2)(D10 event dice)

-red building (D20+2)(D10)

-Town (D20+2)(D10)

-chimney building (D20+3)(D10)

-clear cut edge (D20+2)(D10)

-one of the houses on the outskirts. (D20+2)(D10)(D5 for what kind of house)

You have the option of;

- raid

- scout

- write in.

Raiding you will approach with hostile intent, you will try to not be seen but if seen, most likely someone will recognize that your hostile or that a member of the party would reflexively harm or kill the person that discovered you. Hostility is not locked in until combat

Scouting: you will approach with the intention of seeing what’s going on up close or to make contact (or anything else that comes to mind). If discovered intentions can be more ambiguous, and your other party members won’t try to harm the person that discovered you.

Write in: if you got a better idea- or wish to add to the presented choices.

You can send out your party of 4 with;

Unarmored: only with the cloths on their backs and their personal weapons. Faster, quieter, and less conspicuous but more risky in combat.

Armored: full plate, slower, louder, and stands out more, but better protection.

Write in.

>>6127245
Chimney should be (D20+6)(D10)

Rolled 9 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>6127245
>- scout the Chimney with Unarmored
So Princess and gang takes a trip through time it seems. If we don't have magic any 'raid' could be pretty messy lol.

Might as well put that nat20 bonus to work and see what we can learn from the big point of interest.

I’ll update tomorrow afternoon (Thursday 24th)

>>6128072
Votes are not counted yet BTW

>>6128074
Gotcha ORTH

>>6128066
Also none of you know magic- you know of magic- when the princess was a child the most powerful magic known in general was a spell that allow one to heal wounds by laying hands (tho dose nothing against infections, won’t save you from a cut artery)

By now- when she is 20-something. And combat magic is spreading, with no means to tell who can and can’t use magic until happenstance happens

Vote counted

1/2?

Finding her target- the Princess calls out her most trusted warriors.

‘’Quietus, Perkus, Dares, Thorax, With me, everyone else protect the camp’’

The 4 warriors approach-
Quietus- a half Ork spearman form the lands of the Itals, Perkus- a human swordsmen from a land to the far north, same lands as many of the barbarians that had conquered the kingdoms of this land, Helliac, with the red hair and pail skin to match
Dares and Thorax, Bowmen human twins from Helliac- nobleman who themselves was displaced by the wars.

The princess looks at the men who been with her since the faithful night her world ended ‘’Men, we will go scout the large building with 3 chimneys, of all the things I seen that is the most- strange, perhaps it’s a forge, or a temple, or something else all together. If there’s anyone important, they’ll be there.’’

The track down the mountain takes only a few moments, it’s not even mid day when they reach the edge of the, displaced territory. And what a strange sight that is-

It’s as if someone take a razor to the ground itself- stone, dirt, wood of trees, the strange black- mortar like material that makes up the roads of these people, cut so fine that they are glistening, creating cliffs that go around in a perfect circle.

Perkus poke at the polished dirt, seeing it causing a tuff of it to fall to the ground
‘’ I have seen much in my life- but this- this is new.’’ Says the red headed warrior.
‘’I don’t think anyone ever seen anything like this’’ says the princess ‘’maybe not even these strange people’’.

The group find a point where the 2 terrains levels and go through the brush and bushes to reach their target.

It reaches mid day when the 5 get close to the building, seeing more strange sights along the way, glass bottles made form a glass so pure that it’s clear tossed aside like rubbish, poles with coated wire attached to the tops, connecting themselves to homes and other buildings for some strange reasons- with them seemingly originating from the strange building, a with strange livestock with long necks and coats like that of sheep, and the people- of those seen every so often they would just be looking at the twin moons in disbelief.

They approach the building from a side where the brush almost reach the building (Nat 20 Observation) where Quintus was able to find a large strange box and several skids.

The building seems to be half metal, more of that strange gray metal, pipes- paths- even the mesh fence is made from metal wire connected to metal poles.

‘’even if this metal is as good as bronze- we could had fitted every last man, woman, and child with metal armor and given them all a metal chamber pot’’ says Dares.

>>6128935
2/2?
The princess nod as she looks at the flagpoles as the wind kicks up, the higher flag have 13 stripes of red and white, and a blue square with 50 stars on it in the top-right corner. The lower flag- oddly more complex yet the placement suggests that it’s a subservient lord- have a blue border around a white background, with the center having a seal containing 2 men surrounded by a yellow decoration, itself surrounded by a green plant with red berries and a red banner above it with strange letters.

On the black square patio that these strange carts seem to like to park at is quite a few of them, but the ones that stand out is 4 black carts with a blue stripes on it’s sides, covered with more letters.

The gate for the strange fence is being guarded by 2 men in a uniform, black clothing with a strange black Gambeson. Both are carrying a strange tube weapon with wooden handles.

Quietus wispers: I think we can use that box and skiff to get on the roof of this building- maybe a way to sneak in

The Princess thinks… these are a strange people of a strange land- she orders her men to-

- approach the gards peacefully, these gards seen tense but keep looking at the twin moons, they are not worried about invaders most likely. (2D20, first role is to approach, 2nd is to establish a diolog, Easy and hard respectively)
- Sneak into the building, made easier by the scouting and observation- but there’s lots of people here, who knows how many inside (2D20, first to get in, easy, other to not get discovered instantly, unknown)
- Assault the building, these are strange people with strange weapons, but we have trusted bronze blades. (1D20, Hard, enter combat)

Rolled 4, 2 = 6 (2d20)

>>6128952
- Sneak into the building, made easier by the scouting and observation- but there’s lots of people here, who knows how many inside (2D20, first to get in, easy, other to not get discovered instantly, unknown)

We ball and see what we can find.

>>6128964
Holy fuck lol, the dice giveth the dice taketh away

>>6128964
The vote will be counted on Sunday.

Vote counted, Writing.

It was simple- the skids stack easily, stacked on eachother and the 5 managed to climb ontop of the metal box, and the Princess climbs onto the shoulders of Quintus to get over the ledge of this strange building.

But no plans survived first contact with reality, The Princess Is met face to face with a surprised worker who was drinking form a strange red cylinder container, a woman of pail complexion wearing a yellow helmet, a orange and shinny silver vest, and those blue pants so common among her peoples

Her yelling of word’s started the half Ork, causing both to crash back down onto the box, a instrument of some kind sounds, like a strange town horn to mobilize the militia.

The Twins both cock there bows as more yelling is heard- the Princess looks and see 2 of the black uniformed gards round the corner, pointing there tubes at the 5 of them and yelling, and then look up to see the women pointing her smaller tube weapon as well as 2 other men in similar orange uniforms. (+1 to Strange device bonus) it seems like these weapons are some sort of range weapons, Everyone is pointing at them with the opening of the tube seen, they seem to be mainly in 2 kinds, long tubes, and boxy short tubes.

The Princess have a single moment to shout before things exculate;

- ‘’RUN!’’ Yell the princess- she is outnumbered and facing strange weapons and a strange people (D20 to flee, Medium, I will role a D20 for the strangers’ actions, you will be in combat until you flee)
- ‘’HOLD!’’ Yell the princess- telling her warriors to not make the first move as she stands up, she’ll let the strangers act first- the fact that they are yelling yet not attacking might mean that they are hesitant to attack. (Role a D20+5, the strangers recognize that they have the advantage but also are bewildered)
- ‘’CHARGE’’ yell the Princess, it’s now or never- the warriors will charge the 2 gards on there way to the next action. (Roll a D20, Medium, I will Role a D20 for the strangers, you will enter combat)
- ‘’Surrender!’’ Yell the princess- she is outnumbered and facing strange weapons, perhaps if her warriors drop there weapons - bloodshed can be avoided
- Say nothing (Make a D5 role)

(Question to the Annons; any of you got theories on when/where/what’s going on?)

Vote will be counted on Wednesday.

Rolled 10 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>6130296
>- ‘’HOLD!’’ Yell the princess- telling her warriors to not make the first move as she stands up, she’ll let the strangers act first- the fact that they are yelling yet not attacking might mean that they are hesitant to attack. (Role a D20+5, the strangers recognize that they have the advantage but also are bewildered)

Well if I had to guess from the twin moons, the horseless chariots and tubes? Rather then the Princess gang being sent into a future time its more like two realities have been joined together in some way.

>>6131033
Quite a good theory.

Counted, will post tonight or tomorrow afternoon

‘’HOLD!’’ Yell the princess ‘’UNCOCK YOUR AROWS’’ she yell at the archers- who reluctantly obey.

‘’What are you doing Princess?’’ Ask Quintus.

The strange people stand there- with their war horn blaring from a place unseen, then one of the black uniforms yell at the yellow helmets as they all lower there weapons- but ready to use them at a moment’s notice. One of them place he’s double tube weapon up against the metal wire fence and slowly approach- hands up.

The princess takes out her blade and set it up against the red brick wall of the strange building.

The 2 get within the single stride of a man, the gard speaks the strange language of these strange people.

The princess herself go through the languages she knows- and when she get to Quintu’s native language- the man hold up an hand and take out a strange, black, boxy contraption the size of he’s fist and with a thin metal rod sticking out and press a decoration on it, talked to it for a bit- then the man make the hand motion of ‘’continue’’.

‘’Hello, I am Celia, I am Princess, who are you’’ she says in a language she hardly knows… why is he holding out this black box, some ritual?

Then she hears a response but- not from the man but from the box, this is a voice of a different man all together.

‘’Hello, ——— jerr-uh-my-uh (a name it sounds like), Holyman(?),——— peace, ——-, ———.’’

It sound like a similar language, but different enough that it may take a bit to close the language gab even with Quintu’s help.

(Role a D20-1 to determine how much can you get talking to the box-man Quintus and the Decipher bonus made it from a -3 to a -1, the higher to role the more you can understand)

The Princess don’t know how much time she have to ask questions, she’ll ask first;

-‘’Who or what are you people’’

-‘’What is this place, this building’’

-‘’What is this thing I’m talking to’’

Rolled 8 - 1 (1d20 - 1)

>>6132237
-‘’Who or what are you people’’

Vote will be counted on Friday.

Question for Anon(s). How are you enjoying this so far?

>>6132321
I'm enjoying it so far, I think the setting looks neat with some mystery to it. I considered just going into the other empty houses for stuff, and perhaps that would have let the companions of the Princess do more, but getting into the meat of whatever is going on at the main building was too tempting.

>>6132396
Thanks. I got a idea from 2 different series authors

The houses wouldn’t- nessarly- been empty. Without spoiling I had a few set locations- some without an encounter that would cause issues- some with.

This is my first quest.

Tho I do wonder if it’s possible to guess what where this place it DESU. I tried to give significant hits to it. I want it to be a Mystery but one that the reader should be able to get within at minimum the zipcode before the MC had.

>>6132415
(DESU, not DSHU- didn’t know where that came from)

>>6132415
Well I am pretty sure its west virginia

Votes counted, will post update on Sunday


>>6132421

1/2
After a hour of talking, a little progress was made, there’s many things that failed to translate it seems, made more complicated by having to talk to this Jerhami, a holyman of the god of Crist, using this strange boxy thing.

These people call themselves Wesvirgnans Or Amerkans, it sounds like these people are… lost, unsure what’s going on, other than that, it’s unclear, very little got through, but there’s a sense that they are people of a greater nation.

As for what these people are- they sound and seem to be just normal people, but again it’s unclear.

Quintus smiles as he look at the princess and speak in her own tongue

‘’Princess- I think this is a opportunity, we can guide these people, they are leaderless, and need someone to give them guidance, I doubt we can be there leader, but perhaps we can be close to the top’’

‘’I don’t like this’’ says Perkus after being relayed the information ‘’These are strange people, with strange customs, maybe we can ask them if we can leave, maybe leave to find some Barbarian lord we can work under. At least we know what they are like’’

‘’What better options is there’’ says one of the twins- Deres it sounds- ‘’we are few, reduced to banditry, besides these people are clean and organized, surely they are better than the barbarians, they don’t even have walls, wherever this land came from- it surely was a peaceful land’’ ‘’unless these peoples’ weapons render walls pointless’’ interject Thorax ‘’also I noticed how they keep looking at Quietus, I’m worried how they would treat the other Oks at the camp if we join them- we don’t even know there main language- just half a tong of some foreign tong these people speak’’

>>6134909
2/2

The box speaks again, after a few attempts the holy man says that he is on he will be here soon, and with some other people, and may have time to answer one short question.

- Can we leave? (D20+1, Quintus and the princess is starting to pick up a bit on the language)
- Where are you from? Do you know where you are? (D20-1, the entire situation is strange and might be hard to explain)
- What is this building (D20-3, this is a strange building and Quintus questions if he would even understand if he knew the language)

What is the plan the Princess will have with these people (this won’t be locked in but will dictate how the Princess will respond to the information and how they will greet the arrivals and the character of the princess)

- Guide, these are strange but lost people- having someone who knows the local area and customs will be invaluable, not to mention a small group of warriors is always useful. (Cunning, helpful, principled)
- Trick, these people are lost and gullible, something that can be taken advantage of. (Cunning, trickster, opportunist)
- Leave: these are strange people of a strange land, little better than the barbarians in what counts (Xenophobic, arrogant, close minded)
- learn- we can learn from these people, to make ourselves better and maybe even help these people be better (curious, openminded, flexible)

Rolled 15 - 1 (1d20 - 1)

>>6134910
- Where are you from? Do you know where you are? (D20-1, the entire situation is strange and might be hard to explain)

- Guide, these are strange but lost people- having someone who knows the local area and customs will be invaluable, not to mention a small group of warriors is always useful. (Cunning, helpful, principled)

Well said Quintus.

>>6134916
Thanks-

I’m going to count the votes on Wednesday.

Also question for the Annons that was lost in copy and past; What is your theory on the Princess and her band?

>>6134931
Well if a christian priest knows a language that they both know, and with the name Quintus, I suppose its probably latin. But thats not the native language of the Princess. Quintus, or it was spelled Quietus earlier, a half ork spearman from the land of the Itals. Perkus, some ginger northman, and other barbars from that area conquered the kingdoms of this land, Helliac. Dares and Thorax also being from Helliac. So I suppose this is fantasy Greece, Cora is a Helliac Princess. If they're by a mountain thats near the shore, I suppose it might be near Mount Olympus?

Votes counted- will post a update Friday

1/2

This time when they speak to the holy man- it’s much more clear,

‘’Where did you come from- and do you know where you are now’’ ask Quintus on behalf of the Princess,

The holy man with much more ease relay that they were from a large and powerful nation, but now are separated from them by some- ‘ring of fire’ that created the smooth cliffs and polished cut dirt, with no clue where they are currently.

After this explanation there’s a strange humming that starts up from the contraption with more voices in the main language of these people

‘’sorry you kind people, I’ll be- arriving with 2 of our…. Important men.’’

For a moment the princess thinks- and she agrees with Quintus and Thorax, for to long already they had been casted low to taking form the good people of the land, perhaps now, by helping these people - something better can come from it, better than just waiting for the end of her bloodline and for the last of her culture looted by the men that even forced Quintus and Perkus to flee from there lands.

One of the yellow helmet workers walks up carrying a bag, handing everyone a strange clear bottle, it’s soft, flexible, filled with a clear water, as well as small colorful clear bag made form a similar strange material, the yellow helmeted man show them how to open these foods and drinks, they even bring out some luxurious metal and cloth chairs that can fold up as they are guided to set in-front of the strange building.

More of the workers keep poking heads out of windows or over the roof to look at the small band of warriors, tho the strange black gards keep them lightly surrounded, weapons ready.

>>6137937
After a handful of moments a boxy white horseless cart turn into the black giant patio, when it stops 3 men steps out.

The first men is in a black robe with a white and black collar, unlike most of these people this man is of darker skin. Around he’s neck is a silver necklace with a single symbol- a torture implement, one Cora remember the barbarians erecting around the besieged city when they captured message runners. Despite this symbol of death and pain this man seem at peace and calm.

The 2nd man strangely look more like Perkus- red hair but instead of Perku’s tanned skin, he’s is pale and freckled. He’s outfit is a green splotchy outfit of multiple shades- as if stained over and over again- a button down callered shirt that ends at the wrists covered in pockets, each breast pocket containing letters in the language of these strange people, and wearing strangely sowned together leggings, as opposed to the Tongas and Kilts common with men, these seem to be sowned shut and held up by a belt containing a sheathed black tube weapon. He is standing at a attention looking at the group with the eyes of a warrior trained- but not experienced- in warfare looking for threats.

A style of leg wear shared by the last man, but he’s uniform seem like those of the black uniformed gards, black with decorations on the shoulders and 2 square boxs on the chest, one center and one to the shoulder, with the center one having a glossy round dark glass thing in the center of it, like the green man this man has a belt with sheathed black tube weapon, and is not as pale as the green man and with black hair and a beard and mustache. He looks stressed but composed, like that of a city lawman in a hard situation.

The Princess with Quietus walks up, with the Princess taking the lead.

‘’Hello, I am Princess Cora, of House Maria, last of my line. How may me and the-

-Lost Blades

-Loyal Blades

-Help you in this, mutual time of need’’

With the man in robes translating, one of the them speak;

- the warrior in green speaks first.

- the lawman in black speaks first

(No further rolls required to understand the translation of the holyman, Quietus had figured out how to bridge the 2 different dialects)

>>6137938
>-Loyal Blades
>- the lawman in black speaks first

Nice. Guess its time for everyone to learn stuff

I’ll count the votes Monday morning and post a update on Monday afternoon on a new thread that I’ll post a link here.

>>6138026
Solid, that would probably be a good idea.

New thread >>6139570