On a cool spring night, the master summons you to his bedchamber. It is decorated with exotic Giangrecean silks, and intricate Tanu tapestries. His beautiful woman lays motionless in his bed, mouth agape and eyes fixed on a point in nowhere. Her neck is blue and bruised. His fat frame heaves with each, furious, drunken breath.

“You son of a whore! This is your fault!” he turns to you. There is a leather crop in his hand... “You've been a curse on me for ten years... But I *hic* know how to take care of you...” He raises his hand to strike you...

What do you do?

>>17733901
'No more master. No more.' We grab the riding crop and take it away from him.

'I have paid my debt to you far longer than I should. Grant me my freedom or I shall report you to the authorities. I may be a slave, but you cannot pay off every guard.'

You grab the riding crop from him. “Haha! Boy...” He wipes the slurring wine slobber from his lazy fat lips. “Think you're a man now eh? With your... muscles. You impudent toad.” The fat noble throws his weight at you, his flabby tits wave as his arm and open hand swing back to strike you. The blow lands across your lantern jaw. “YOU DO AS I SAY! I AM YOUR MASTER! AND YOU ARE AN OVER PROUD SELF IMPORTANT BITCH!” With this, you step aside, grab him by the wrist, pull his arm up around his back and you hear a crunch in his shoulder. Your other hand grips his throat and your nails sink into his soft flesh. You know that there is no coming back from this... that this is not a man who can be reasoned with... If you release him, he will have you killed. According to this nation's law, he was in his right to kill his woman, and certainly you next, at his whim.

What do you do?

>>17734043
Let him go and suffer the consequences.

>>17734043
The World Conquerer, killed many men in order to began an era of peace. But what does it mean to murder this man? A hurdle to pass for simple freedom? A means of escape from a life of cruelty only to merely used as a tool.

We have so much more to offer to this world. But this man, does not. He has wasted his life, with these petty squabbles against his so called 'enemies'. We could easily write this off as an accident, in his drunken stupor he could have fallen or merely choked on his own vomit.

We shall kill him yes, but quickly and painlessly as possible. And then we shall make it look like an accident. We've done it many times as his assassin before.

>>17734074
As an assassin surely we could make it look like he bled to death from a stab wound suffered from his wife? As they struggled she grabbed a weapon and fought back. She died, but then he shortly did thereafter.

In his will, found in the library written in meticulous legalese, he frees all his slaves upon his death.

You move your hand to the back of his head, plant a foot between his legs which stumble for purchase, and force him to trip. As he falls, you fall with him, guiding his head with your large hand which palms the back of his skull. His head crashes into the hard tile, cracking open like a melon, blood and brain matter spewing out in a chunky splatter. You get to your feet. You take his wine bottle and pour it around where his feet lay, and drop it, shattering it near his hand. “That should do it...” you reflect to yourself. The sweet smell of burning incense comes to your nose and your mind is cleared. Other man, in moments of stress like this, might buckle, their facalties arrested by the many dangerous outcomes. But not you. Your thoughts are clear. You could gather some of his things, leap out the window and into the street. Maybe they'll think it was an accident, and that he dispatched you... as he did so often. It would give you hours, maybe days ahead of anyone looking for you. If you robbed him, you would have to take a small sum, or raise suspicions. Alternately, you could take everything you can carry and abscond away, still with several hours ahead of your inevitable pursuers. The sweet smell of wine mixes with the incense and you realize, that after tonight, you may not know this sort of luxury again for some time. Maybe ever.

What do you do?

>>17734112
And his wealth spreads perhaps to his family, with enough to go to his slaves for a good start.

We've probably signed many things for him, and due to our schooling, we could easily replicate his hand writing.

Close the woman's eyes. Whoever she was, she does not need to stare outward in death. Pity we could not save her.

Let us take minor things. Our weapon, some money and small amount of non-perishable food. Perhaps we should head to our homeland? Or to the lands where the World Emperor is said to have originated. If we wish to follow in his foot-steps, no better place to start then there.

>>17734125
start a Fire and run

Why look for him and his slaves if they all died in a fire he caused while he was drunk?

take as much as reasonable.

>>17734198
Starting a fire could cause more casualties. No. Fire can rage and kill innocents. When we kill, its controlled and directed, much like a surgeon.

The calls of comfort and luxury swarm your mind. You give honor the dead woman, and close her eyes. Yes, perhaps I could forge a document, to free his slaves and inherit his wealth. You rifle through his papers, as you often dictated them for him. Ah, his will. Despite the draconian Edagnian laws which prevent this sort of thing, it is worth trying. You burn his old will, which you had written for him, and begin drafting a new one. You declare that all his slaves are to be freed, and his wealth distributed among his family and his retainers. The barristers who will examine this will surely find it suspect, given his terrible greed and avarice. Well, we'll try. You allot yourself a small sum, and a distant holding, and arrange for a barrister to coordinate how you will be able to retrieve it, should you not be present, and away on some assignment he tasked you with. You place the new will, freshly signed, back into his folder. You gather some Edagnian crowns, the local golden currency and tie the pouch to your belt. You return to your room, walking like a panther stalking, and gather up your sword and cape. You climb into the window and take a fresh deep breath of the city air. Awful. To the woods, and maybe south.
….. cont.

You run through the streets, buy sensible things... some bread, some dried meat. The night is a blanket of weariness across the city, very little activity traffics these normally bustling streets. A few carts here, and a whore there. You stick to the alleys, and through lesser visited areas, and move north.

Two weeks later you are deep in the heart of the tall temperate forests. Civilization behind you, the air you breath deep is cool and refreshing. You still have some of the food from the city, but you've supplemented it by making rudimentary traps and hunting large animals. You killed an Elk just yesterday. The sun has set, but its dying gasps of light still hang like wispy fingers in the sky. While coming down a deer trail, you notice three half naked light skinned women slip from behind the trucks of the large fir trees. The are beautiful, and young... somewhere around their mid twenties. No hags, but certainly witches...? Or is this some trick? You've read about this sort of things in the books of fantastic stories and beasts. But there were no Barbarians tribes that roamed this far south. Nor any bandit gangs... you've made sure to scout for those. Strange...

The lead woman, a raven haired woman with exotic purple eyes reaches out an open hand and approaches you, her hips swinging with each dramatic step. “Man creature...” she says in a broken Edagin tongue. “Will you dance with us...?”

What do you do?

>>17734336

That depends, why are you dancing?

>>17734336
"Your dances, are they safe for my kind?" Best not to insult them, but at the same time, stories are rife with monster women eating menfolk. But stories are just that, stories sometimes blown up in order to frighten children.

>>17734336

"My ladies, forgive me if I ask your names first. I have never seen your kind before"

Hand on sword-hilt, just in case

pic related

You watch these women, who slink out, their lithe bodies shifting to some sort of hidden, and primal rhythm. “You.. are a fine thing... dance with us.” The three of them circle you, and paw at your large, well developed chest. Their hands slide down your muscular arms, and their touch is warm, and comforting. The raven haired woman traces your neck muscles, her long and soft fingers excite you. If they had evil intent, they could have casted some magics on you. Wicked though they be, they seem harmless....

What do you do?

>>17734545
>Do the monkey with me! Hee-ha-hoo!

Simply dance with them. Talk to them, ask them who they are and why they live in the wilderness.

----------------------- ೋღ☃ღೋ--------------------------
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Repost this if ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~you are a beautiful strong black woman ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ who don’t need no man ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
---------------------- ೋღ☃ღೋ----------------------------

“What manner of dancing do you mean?” you ask cautiously. A second woman, with flaxen hair and orange eyes slides behind you, and puts her hands aside your hips. She pulls at you gently, inviting for you to follow her primeval rhythm. The third woman, of a dark, ox blood red colored hair slips into your embrace. You dance. You sway and move with them, like a shadow to a leaf caught in the window. At first it is awkward, but eventually, it gets more comfortable, and smoother. You join them, and lose all sense of inhibitions. As you swing, and bend with them, the three of them complete forms and figures around you that cast a beautiful shape. The four of you look like a burning fire, each arm and flicking through the air like a yellow snap of a bonfire. The world seems to slip away, the forest, the cooling night. You are warm, happy and satisfied. Time disappears, and you hear the beat, the rhythm of their wicked ways. The red headed woman slips before you, and places her face infront of yours. The flaxen girl pulls at your hips. The red headed girl darts like a snake, and kisses you. Her arms slide over your shoulders and into your embrace. Then as quick is it began, she slips out of your hold. The next two do the same. As you dance, and hold them.. the night crawls over the forest and the world darkens. They pull you to the ground, and the three of them make fantastic love to you. The twisting mass of limbs, hot breath and pleasured bodies writhes on the forest floor. Some time later, they pull you up, and guide you back to their camp, near a cave that you had never seen in this area before.... they start a fire and take up lounging positions on rocks like sated cats. The look upon you with love in their eyes. The woman with golden hair whispers across, “I am Eleive, she..” she points the red haired woman, “Is Nythiemee and she,” she points to the midnight haired woman, “is Laeylyea. Won't you stay with us?”

What do you do?

>>17734657
"Unlike many men I am inclined to stay. You are the first taste of my new freedom, and how sweet has it been. Why don't you come with me? See the world, and all of its wonders?"

>>17734575
Let's prove her otherwise! UNF UNF UNF UNF

>>17734678

"But first, pray tell me more about yourselves. Your appearance is exotic indeed; I'd wager you found yourselves unwelcome in the so-called civilised society because if it"

>>17734678
>Young warrior who seeks to the role of messiah with a small harem of wives.

We are starting out nicely..

Eleive takes to petting your back, “We are wild women. The men of the villages and town call us witches, but that is nonsense.” She speaks with a think, harsh accent, something akin to... a forest people from the north west. “Our ways are ancient. We roam the forest. Normally we do not come this far south of the river.”
Laeylyea adds, “We just though we'd come south and see what we can see. Normally we live much far north of here. Where the Orc clans roam.”
Nythiemee rubs your chest, “It is dangerous where we go, and we have been chased by many an awful thing. Most recently a band of foolish god hungry crusading men in armor.... They accused us of cursing their crops.”
“Fools,” Eleive finishes for her friend and lover. “Would you travel with us? Explore the northern forests? Keep us safe? We are... excellent company. We promise.”

What do you do?

>>17734750
"Very well. If I where one to believe in fate, I'd say this was destiny. I shall join you in you're venture. Perhaps I shall find what I'm looking for. What I am looking for, I am unsure of yet. For now I will enjoy my new freedom, with all of you. I am Jamithan, I am no longer bound by a master, but my own will. Hm. I do wish I had something to toast with."

>Gang, I'm actually at work.. and I have a meeting of sorts in a few min for a half hour. So I can probably do another two posts.. maybe new art. (drawing as we go). and then in about 2 hours, i'll be good for several hours. Anybody else plan to be around?

>>17734780
I can sleep when ahm dead!

Traveling with the coven is a pure joy. The happiest time you've ever known in your life. You roam north of the great river, the Canambri. You do battle with Orcs, slaying many of them. The women's talent with knives seems to be just as studied as their talents with love. You spend weeks traveling. You encounter fantastic vistas, massive canyons torn in deep forests, babbling brooks lit by a golden sunrises, wide fields which expand beyond eyesight. You guide the group over hills and mountains, to see vistas and old battlefield's from the age of the world Emperor. You eventually, after two months, meander to the north west, into the dark, foggy forests of the Aetrae people... A light colored people, with wild and exotic purple, red and orange eyes. They are men and women of the forests who live in low mossy homes. They are much more accustomed to the ways of your coven, and are warm and inviting. You are hosted, toasted to and entertained. The coven guides you to a temple in a hillside, and to a library. “We wish to teach you our ways... the ways of magics....”

What do you do?

>>17734820
"I would trust that your magicks would not be an enemy to my bladework. Should this be the case, I would be pleased and honored, as your companion."

>>17734820
"If you would have me as your student, I would be honored."

> I'll be back in about an hour and a half. And then, will spend about... 4 or 5 hours working on this.

>>17734964
I will keep this thread alive, my dairy heir!

>fuck. brb in 40 min

>back

You begin your elementary understanding of magic. You are taught that there are different arts of magic. Some even consider the mixing of chemicals, and the effects that produces a form of magic. There is a form of magic, where you force your soul into the afterbirth of creation, and pull back these arcane powers, bending reality itself to your will. But these witches, your coven, are students of Rote magic. The study of arcane, is scripted spells, which can be invoked. You return to this cavern, and study with them every day, for a week, then two weeks. It is hard for you to separate your mind from the reality of what should happen, and expect what you want to happen. Divorcing your perception from that which it sees, to what it feels... Understanding the magical alphabet, the construction of magical phrases... and four weeks later, you manage a simple spell... you invoke a fire in your palm.

What do you do?

catching up, wait a sec

>>17735988
We still don't know much about these people.
Ask around, talk with people, get to know their history and such.

>>17735988
How does the magic work here? How much can we cast before becoming exhausted.

>>17735988
Continue learning more magic while asking about the culture and history of the Aetrae.

You remember back to your studies, those many nights alone in the masters library. The Aetrae were rumored to be one of the original eleven tribes of man.... they lurk in the northwestern wild forests of the world. They are a fair skinned, and fair haired people with beautiful women and handsome men. The Aetrae have oval faces, square shoulders, and are fairly tall. Men often wear a range of beards. They are known for their strange eye coloring, mostly blue but sometimes orange, purple, occasionally red. Men and women often wear their golden hair long. They value conservation, nature, rural simplicity, open spaces and alone time.
They are a highly superstitious people. They both fear and worship the forest. Most still live among the woods, some as savages, and others in small hamlets of low, mossy wood buildings. They are distrusted throughout the world, for their strange and superstitious affinity for the woods. Their voices and accents are eerie and unsettling to normal men. They are good sculptors, calm people. Almost everybody in the society could survival as a ranger in the wilds. They often hired as scouts and assassins to serve around the world. They have a questionable faith to strange and ancient spirits. They proudly tie their values to their ancient barbarians. Because of this, they have a strange understanding with Orcs.

>>17736187
Alright. Though I still wanted our character to talk with people, socialize and make friends or something.

Continue training with magic. Are the 3 women here with us, btw? What were they doing while we studied magic?

>>17736187
Being that spirits are ALL UP IN THIS SHIT, and they're likely interested in an outsider ALL UP IN THEIR SHIT, maybe try talking to the fire we invoke, if we're alone. See if a spirit talks back. We might learn/get some cool shit. At the worst, we're talking to our own magic fire, and honestly, it's probably going to be our travel companion for a while if we go. At best? We form a mostly benevolent pact with an awesome spirit and go on to kick the SHIT out of everything. But we should probably talk to it...y'know...alone. In case people see and think we're nutters.

The Aetrae people are a very reserved people. They do not chat often, but you try. Eleive, a native of Aetrea introduces to you to people, and shows you the customs and greetings. “Walk with the shadows,” you bid someone farewell. The three witches continue your magical training. The tell you that the world of magic is broad, and deep. The 'rude' magic, as the call the form that Elves, and.... 'the enemy'... uses, is too taxing for humans. While you can invoke it, and summon fantastic things spontaneously, it can also go instantly wrong. Doubling your desired effect, or halving it. Maybe it changes the target? Maybe to you? You travel with Aetrean rangers on hunts, and learn the deepest arts of woodcraft. They welcome you in, as a friend. As you get to know them, especially the older rangers, they inpart to you, what would be considered secrets. One night, while laying with your three woman coven, as you did every night, a whispered voice calls to you. “Jamithan... You are needed.” It was the voice of Renwalf, a Thajat ranger in his fifties, who wore a trimmed white beard, and gazed with eerie orange eyes. You follow him, while the women sleep... you take your sword and hike through the woods. Two miles later, you come to an unsettling grove... something feels eeire. Renwalf steps back. A bulk of shadows slides before you, and then pull apart. It is a man, with ebony skin, and small fangs. He has a sickly yellow slicked back hair and piercing red eyes. “Jamithan,” the stranger whispers. “I am Kalecot, it is a pleasure to meet you.”
What do you do?

>>17736350
(are the 3 women elves?)

Greet him and ask him politely who he is and why you have been called here

>No the women are a mix of human races. Aetrae, Thane and Onnish. The blonde one is Aetrae. They are just witches.


“Tonight, is the hunt,” Kalecot, who is dressed in a intricately carved steel breastplate and black leather armor. “We hunt our god, the Blue stag. Kurrald, lord of the darkness and gloom which haunts the deepest forests. It is his way. We will seek him out, and he will show us our prey. We would wish that would join us in this, and become one of us, a man of the wild.”

what do you do?

The Thajat Rangers, well, they are an unorthodox lot. “I am Kalecot, a Thajat Huntmaster. I have walked these woods for two-hundred years as a ranger in this order. Not all are like me, for instance, Renwalf here. But some are. Please, pay no mind to it. This is not an initiation ritual, we would just like to share our culture with you.” Kalecot smiles, revealing pearl colored fangs. But he seems genuine. The moon is high, but barely penetrates the inky, and dense forest canopy.

What do you do?

>btw, does anyone care if I keep cranking out these doodlefag illustrations? We could go faster if I didn't.

>>17736510
>btw, does anyone care if I keep cranking out these doodlefag illustrations? We could go faster if I didn't.
They are very nice and I applaud your speed-drawing abilities. Though if you can post faster without them, please do.

>>17736473
Accept the hunt. Ask them if there is anything you must know or need to do.

>>17736510
It sounds dangerous if we refuse.
I say let's accept.

>>17736510
You don't really have to, leave it to a proper drawfag when this gets SUPER AWESOME.

>>17736473
"To become one of you...to participate in this hunt...to even catch what we are hunting...what will become of me? Tell me more, that I might know that which I hunt to aid me in hunting."

He turns and breaks into a sprint into through the forest. The old man Renwalf also moves at a speed fit for a much younger man. You follow. You race through the woods, over fallen trees, down gullies, through streams. Occasionally, the moonlight pierces the dense forest above and stabs the earth with a pillar of ivory moonlight. You continue on, and according to your running pace count, you travel for at least three miles. Out of the corner of your eyes, you catch glimpses of other shadows running with you, keeping a fierce stride. After noticing it, and what must be two more miles, you can tell that there are at least a dozen of you charging through the terrain. Up over hills, by waterfalls, you stumble a few times over branches and brambles. You curse and will your eyes to be keener. And in response, your vision sharpens and the world turns to a more luminescent blue. You invoked some sort of magic, without a rote. Dangerous. After four more, much easily traveled miles, your thighs ache and your lungs burn. You come up to a crouching Kalecot, who is at the lip of a small cliff edge, looking down below. Your fellow rangers have also stopped at this point, and have drawn their bows. You see a massive blue elk standing below. It must be nine feet high at the shoulder, and its horns are a large chaotic mess, no less than six feet long themselves. It's eyes burn an angry red and a wisp of steam streams from its nostrils. Their god, Kurald. And as soon as you see it, its off. The entire hunting part takes off again, following the beast...

>>17736658
>dangerous
Goddomot guys, maybe we should -ask questions- before leaping into ancient, god-hunting rituals that involve killing other things. I thought we were supposed to be a bitchin' assassin dude.

>>17736658
follow it

>>17736679
> I thought we were supposed to be a bitchin' assassin dude.
We were?

>>17736684
First post. Baron employed us as his stabbity guy.

Also, I assumed he's writing, being that we're already part of the hunting party, and bailing now would kind of herp the derp furiously. Might as well tag along and pray we don't invoke rites that get us -fucked up-. Or break some taboo or something.

You follow the bounding beast, and the terrain gets more dangerous. Less game trails move through here, and the trees bend and twist with an unnatural wickedness. Where are you going? You wonder to yourself. Kalecot is ahead, his cloak flowing behind him like a banner in the wind. Under a fallen tree, over a mound, through a canyon, and up an ankle deep stream. The beast stops, rears up silently, then breaks off again into the woods. This time, your dozen strong hunting party does not follow. Instead they get low and crawl on their elbows to the top of a hill, above the stream. You follow, not knowing what else to do. As you crest the top, and peer down, you see nothing. Kalecot readies his bow, and you again scan. It is a road, or at least an improved trail. To the left, traveling at a cautious pace, you see the prey. Four cloaked men, walking silently, striding through forest. They are coming your way. Kalecot gives you a nod, indicated that you have the lead...

what do you do?

>>17736701
Is the beast still running or standing?

>>17736701
...might be best, if they're moving towards us, we split the hunting party around them, then collapse into an ambush. We just spent the night running, let's make this quick and vicious so we don't have to burn stamina we might not have. That is, if the hunting party will follow our commands and such.

>>17736712
>the beast took off.. it reared up to indicate the location of your prey, the four men.

>>17736730
The god was -leading us- to who we're supposed to kill. We have the guys. Now we need to kill them. Seriously, who hunts and kills gods regularly like this?...that's actually a sorta awesome idea.

>>17736739
So we go in for the kill now?

>>17736701
Who are we going to kill?
I'd at least like to know what kind of trouble is going to come down on us for killing 4 men who have apparently done no crime as far as we know.

>>17736748
I would imagine, being that we're a hunting party, and people started stringing up bows. But we're assassins. Efficient hunters of men. We have a whole hunting party, so why charge in from one direction when we can fence them in and bring them down with an omnidirectional strike? Quick and clean, assuming the archers are good, and if their first volley doesn't do it, we close and get to stabbin' like we were taught!

You use what knowledge of hand and arms singles that you've learned in your weeks with the Aetrae, and silently instruct half the hunting part to break off, make a bold flanking maneuver back and to the right, to come up from the otherside, onto the high ground, and prepare a V shaped ambush. They hose indicated nod, and take off, swiftly and silently. They move around and take up positions. Your prey halt. One pulls down his hood, and rocks his head back, smelling deeply of the forest wind. You know that you are down wind from them and should be safe. What? You squint harder, and the blue world glimmers for an instant, like a lightning flash. Ears. Pointed ears. Elves. Your prey is elves? Immortal, masters of the forest? You hunker down, sword in hand. They continue their approach, although much more cautiously.

What do you do?

>>17736759
Well, I don't think it'd be polite to walk up, and ask the dudes how their days were and what they do before we -stab them dead- considering that's kinda part of what we agreed to do without asking questions here.

>>17736761
>Your prey is elves? Immortal, masters of the forest?

Doesn't matter. We will finish the hunt with no reservations in mind.

>>17736761
Hmn...call in the archer strike from the side opposite of ours, then have any of their melees start to close range. When the elves turn, our archers fire and we close. We need to abuse surprise hard if these guys are as wicked as we're thinking they are. Other than that...comes down to the favor of the god of the hunt and shadows blessing our strike I guess. Not much to do this far in. Also, dicks.

>>17736767
For all we know they have been send to hunt for us to.

>>17736798
THEN WE FUCK THEM UP BEFORE THEY FUCK US UP! CHAAAARGE!!

>>17736808
Whoa whoa. I admire the passion but lets be more sneaky about it. We are hunting after all.

The trap is sprung, though your legs ache like a timber cracking under its own weight, you throw yourself over the edge, in a cat like silent spring. Sword in a high swing, you bring the silver blade down into the shape of the nearest figure. A black ink sprays suddenly from the man, covering your exposed chest in its hot blood. The other hunters, unleash a flurry of arrows. The elves spin, facing them. One goes down in a hail of a half dozen arrows, which pierce his chest with a thud, his thighs with a meaty splash and smash through his ocular cavity with a loud crunch. Kalecot joins you by leaping over the lip. One elf, turned to face the arrows around him, and with an out reached hand, summoned some nature of violent energy, which intercepted the arrows with an invisible shake, making them fly off with twice the speed in random directions. Kalecot and you each take an Elf. You know realize, how much smarter it would have been to go with your initial plan, and just finish this in volleys of arrows. But here you are, now, fighting... an ancient thing. This elf may have witnessed the dawn of creation, and here, now, in this unholy forest, only one of you will live to see the dawn. You raise your sword and attempt a feint attack to his right shoulder.

He sees it, you must be telegraphing something, and doesn't flinch. An arrow is loosed from behind him, he turns his head, and one hand leaves his two handed sword, and like a biting snake snatches the arrow from the air. Ah, but his quickness will do him no good against your strength! With all your strength in your arms and back you pull down your sword in a rapid arc, it smashes into the hilt of his, cutting his fingers and forcing him to drop his blade. You allow him no moment to think, and just as quickly rip the sword in an upward arc, catching his dodging face, and the two inches of your swords tip swim through the flesh and bone of his features.... exposing his brain, mouth and nasal cavity. His hands go to his face, but he falls over writhing in pain. Two more arrows sink into his neck and spine. You turn your attention to the survivor.

>>17736852
> You turn your attention to the survivor.
Pew pew pew them with your bow if there are a bit farther. If not, finish them off quickly with your sword or distract them enough so that other can arrow them down.

>>17736852
If writer is not writing, again, let's try and close with him, abuse our strength to keep him locked down. Hunting is a pack effort, and if we can pressure him into a mistake to earn someone else a kill, so be it.

>>17736896
If writer -was- writing...POST MOAR, I want to see if we live through our clever ploy to get the glory for it!

ou and Kalecot square off against the lone survivor. He takes careful steps back. Your compatriots stand, and lower their bows. Kalecot takes a step back, and gestures that he is yours to kill. The Elf pulls down his hood. You can see its actually a woman. A beautiful, tall, slender woman. There is no hate in her eyes. No resigned doom either. She merely fixes her gaze to yours, and leans back into a defense stance, drawing her weapon above her head. She is silent in every movement.

You raise your weapon into a high guard, and take note of her features. She has long blonde hair, a thin nose, high cheeks and brilliant blue eyes, like the most valuable gems. You leap forward in a bold attack, she blocks, responds, you block, and your swords dance into a flury of clashing silver licks, causing the forest to echo in a rapid series of metal clanks. But as soon as it started, it was over. She lay crumpled and bleed on the ground, and your thigh and shoulder are both deeply cut. You are bleeding heavily, and your friends race to you for medical attention. Kalecot bites his finger, which seeps out a smattering of blood. He wipes your cuts with it, which seem to close themselves up.
“This is excellent,” he says to you.
Renwalf places his hand on your shoulder, grips it tightly. A sign of affection not generally exchanged by these reserved people. Someone suggests you head back...

what do you do?

>>17736904
Well, head back them.

Ask them if they have to do this thing often and if they prey are always the elves.

>>17736904
If she's alive...check on her. She may not like us...but her gaze didn't show it. It cannot hurt to find out -why- she did not despise us, why they were here at this time...and if need be, we can fulfill a final request, or bring her up alongside us, if the hunting party is not adamant for her death. But warily, if she's not dead yet, she may intend to take us with her.

If she is dead, then we head back, after checking if they'd have anything of use to us. Hunting and wasting what you catch is bad form.

>>17736928
Why leave without looting the corpses? We could get just as much information from their bodies as from the folks we're with. And possibly a bitchin' companion elf.

>>17736955
>>17736945

Maybe it's bad form to do that? Check with others before trying to loot anything.

Kalecot looks to you, “You have done very well.”
“I don't know, if I entirely understand what has just happened.”
“Ah. Well, I will tell you this one bit of advice, as that I am so old, and that you are so young... it is my place after all, yes?” he smiles. “You need not understand everything, all the time. If you try to, you will paralyze yourself in indecision. Tonight, you demonstrated your ability to act. And you did very well. This hunt was not for us, it was for you. Do not try to know everything there is to know in any situation, instead, use how little your opponent knows against him. Take the chaos of the unknown, and wield it like your sword. Though you may have a grand plan, you must thrive in the chaos, limber, able to handle the unexpected. Thrive in the Chaos my friend...” Kalecot looks up to the sky, “The sun will be coming soon, and I must not be here to greet it. Fare thee well, I know we shall meet again,” And with this, Kalecot walked off into the forest. He pulled his hood around his head and faded like a blur of shadows.
Renwalf is standing next to you, “Come, let us return.” CONTINUED....

“But, shouldn't we.... take the fruits of our kill?” It was accustomed for you, as an assassin, to often rifle through the body's of your victims. Usually searching for some specific item, as you Baron was a greedy man.
“No, we leave them to their own. They offer us the same respect.”
“Alright,” you agree. “But, why the hunt? Do you always hunt Elves?”
You begin a slow, and long trek back. “No,” Renwalf replies after awhile. “Not always Elves. Sometimes, we hunt the enemy. But we shall not speak of them here. It is... There are worse things than Elves in this forest.”
A packmate from behind smiles, “Like us?”
In an unusual display for Aetreans, they all smile and belt out a hearty, honest laugh.
Hours later, well after the dawn, you make it back to the temple cavern where your women were staying. You are exhausted, and collapse.
You awake several hours later, nearing the return of night. The women implore you, that it is time to leave this place, the winds have changed, and you are beckoned to the east.

What do you do?

>>17737018
It feels like such bad form to let elves and their things be left like that. Nonetheless, ask the women of what they know that might lie to the east, and if they would like to impart anything on us before we take to the winds! We have a world to conquer after all, every bit helps.

>>17737018
Ask the witches what they know of the ritual hunt we took part in as we prepare to leave.
Let us move east as the wind takes us.

>“The sun will be coming soon, and I must not be here to greet it
I thought he was a vampire, now I'm sure of it.

>The women implore you, that it is time to leave this place, the winds have changed, and you are beckoned to the east.
Well, I was also thinking that we should leave. Good thing that they asked us that. We can use that as the reason leaving. We might want to show a little reluctance, so that the people here don't feel we are fleeing them or something.
Thank them for their hospitality and tell them you'd want to visit them in the future.

Collect our stuff and leave with the Women. If it is possible try to learn more about the magic on the road.

>>17737033

“What lies to the east?” you inquire honestly
Your crimson haired vixen Nythiemee's lips curl into a smile... “Plenty my sweet.” Her eyes trace your figure and she places a finger on your chest. “The wind carries us to the east. Now that you have learned a small grasp of arcanism, we will pursue other things,” her finger slides down your chest to your stomach, and below. “There are others you should meet, and things you should see. Hidden libraries, carnal dens, the wild's own ale houses... we shall travel,” she pushes herself on top of you, and kisses you, “to wherever the wind shall will, and know passion all the while...” She takes you there, but not before the other two women notice, and join in.... two hours later, the women are asleep, and it is a cool night. You reflect on the little magic you have learned, and the prospect of more libraries, and the good company you currently enjoy. Shall you leave in the morning?

What do you do?

>>17737088
>Shall you leave in the morning?

Sure.

>What do you do?
Well... this >>17737058

>>17737088
Let's also take a swing at thanking the spirits themselves for their hospitality and hopefully their blessings. Long road ahead and all. But other than that, >>17737058

You put your face outside the cavern, and it catches the bitter wind. Yes, you shall leave in the morning. You return to sleep, amongst the warm pile of beautiful women that you left.
In the morning, the four of you rise, and gather your things. You notice that your coven women have obtained warmer clothes, tight fitting leather, and long black capes. They certainly know how to cut menacing figures. On your way out, you notice Renwalf whittling on a nearby fallen log, just outside the village. He smiles up at you.
“Well my friend, we're off,” you smile back at him.
“So you are.”
“I would like to thank you, and yours for all the warm friendship and hospitality you've offered.”
His face straightens, and he nods solemnly. “Jamithan, remember the words of our friend. You have an inquisitive, and analytical mind. This is as easy to tell as it is to see that you are stronger than three men.” He looks down at his knife. “Pay heed to the words of our friend.”
You nod. “Please tell all the people of the village how thankful we are. Walk with the shadows my friend.”
“And may the wind carry your heart.” With this farewell from Renwalf, you turn and join your three women and begin hiking over the hills and to the east. CONTINUED

You hike and trek for two weeks. Every night, you warm yourself by the bodies and love of your women. You share stories, you sing, you laugh, and laugh and laugh. A common routine is a long walk in the morning. Pause for a lunch in the midday. Maybe a passion, if anyone is feeling up to it. Then another walk for a few more hours. Two of you would try to hunt something, while the third gathered some roots, berries or some spice, while the last made a fire and collected water. You would eat, one would try their talents at a pan flute, another may sing and you all just basked in the love of each others company. It was a good life. It was an easy life. You were happy, and could not imagine a life otherwise.

At the end of the fortnight, the girls draw into a cave, behind a waterfall, in a particularly remote portion of forest. You had not seen any Orcs or Goblins in days. It seems they knew this place. The cave wandered two or three hundred feet back and down. When it opened up, it formed a large bowl shaped cavern, with a very large fire pit in the middle. You checked the ventilation, and it seemed fine. The women place their packs, in seemingly designated places. “Welcome home” they share with you. “Rest now dear, for tonight, we speak with Velinaetyss”.

What do you do?

>>17737209
Ask who Velinaetyss is.
After that, rest for a little bit. Then try to practice your magic if there's some free time.

>>17737209
Welp. Ask them to cough up about the joint, and whoever it is. Lovingly~ of course. Ask if there's anything specific you're needed to do.

“Silly,” Nythiemee giggles. “It's not a person we can explain, but it's someone who I'm sure would want to meet you. We will show you another kind of magic. You want to help? Meditate, and focus on the idea of separating your thinking mind, from your knowing mind.”

The women place their collected spices, and bones, and various items very particularly around the cavern. With chalk they draw designs on the walls, and the floor around the fire pit. Hours later, the sun goes down and they start a fire. The three of them sit equally opposite from each other, and disrobe. They close their eyes and let their shoulders fall into a natural rhythm. This time, unlike the first time, you can feel it in your bones. It is a swaying, like a tide, pulling and pushing, and their perfect naked bodies flowed with the invisible current. Their mouths opened, and out poured a song, a slowly paced chant. It had few notes, but they repeated, with the force and steadiness of the unseen song which surrounded them all.

>>17737335
(are we supposed to make suggestions?)

>>17737335
I guess we take option A. Get unloaded, nice and comfy, and do as they say. Meditate. Focus. Separate our minds and all that.

welp, seems op is gone

>>17737620
which is truly unfortunate, as this is really good.

>>17738454
yeah... I liked the quick, yet big updates.

So what is our plans for magic? Shall we continue to train with fire?

Perhaps we could somehow inscribe that onto our sword. If trolls in this world are like in other fantasy worlds, a fire sword would be handy.

tesst

>Ah. So last night, while posting an update.. it gave me some message about, posting a URL or some jazz. either way, i got banned. Complete nonsensical. So... That is why i disappeared suddenly. I will be willing to resume in about an hour.

>>17743436
Oh joyous joy!

>>17743436
no update? perhaps banned again?

>test ban check

>So I tried to post the same wall of text.. and banned again. I have no idea. let me redo the block, as so not to get banned again, and be able to keep this going reliably for the next 8 hours.

Oh question. Since our character has knowledge of engineering, mathematics and structural design, could we say...help people with any housing problem? Say to fortify them better against attack or something?

Or if he ever learn earth magic, we could build impromptu houses with it.

I have no knowledge of this technical stuff, but I feel our character shouldn't waste ten long years of learning these things.

>>17744603
>Yes, he could design and engineer houses easily. His technical background is extensive. He worked as an assistant building temples, manors, forums etc. And by assistant, he did all the work, as the Baron was a lazy slob, who just gave up and let him do all the work, then took the credit and money.

>MAGIC: There are at least two types of Magic. Rote magic, which the witches have begun to teach him, where you learn and recite specific spells, which are very practiced, rehearsed. Then there is rude magic, where one invents spell on the fly, based off a deeper feeling and connection. But rude magic, for humans is very dangerous. Which leads many of older humans who try it, to go insane. Jamithan though, has a mysterious affinity for it. Such as, when he ran through the forest, and MADE himself see better in the dark. As far as rote mastery or "Arcanism", he can now reliable create fire, and probably turn his sword to fire.

>>17744759
So rote magic wise, say we plan to build like..a wall of earth or something against an attack. We'd have to pre-plan it, and then like map it out. We could use architectural designs like they use for construction if need be.

>>17744787

> that's very feasible.

>>17744787
>>17744899
Thats thinking small.

We want to follow in the path of the World Conquerer. But instead we shall become the World Constructor. Reworking the very world to fit the image of peace and solidity. Of course we need to learn the various crafting of other cultures before we do so, to truly unite all races we'd need to take processes, discard the useless and reforge the world.

A great many things happened that night. The ritual summoned something that claimed to be a demon queen. According to your reading, and understanding of the occult and arcane, she was a succubus. The women claimed that you were their lover, protector and soul. The demon, Velinaetyss was impressed by this. She spoke of your future... and a wonderful thing it will be...” As the hours passed, she taught you things, black things, the names of forgotten gods and better forgotten unholy princes. She taught you the powerful nature of invoking foul spirits to serve your will. And she taught you, the secrets of how a succubus can allure and please a partner. She made love to you all through the night, and when the dawn came, she whispered in your ear, before she stepped back into the fire and returned to her black realm, “To be a god, is to be chained...”

The girls have passed out from exhaustion from maintaining the ritual. Your brain is worn and tired from all the knowledge, names, invocations, arts and secrets you have learned. You collapse. When you awake, it is the next morning. You have slept for a whole day. You are insatabily hungry, and crave meat, though you have none with you now.

What do you do?

>>17744944
We we're raised in a holy order until we where bought into slavery. Perhaps we should begin to learn all, not just things from the darkness, but from the light as well. We have an insatiable hunger for knowledge, correct?

This power is appealing, but we should not limit ourselves, a craftsman knows that if he ignores things simply because they look bad, it could cause the building to come tumbling down.

Oh and as for our aching stomach, we should let the...'wives? girlfriends? mates' know that we intend go for a hunt.

You sit on a rock at the mouth of the cave. Your heavy head resting on your massive fist. Many thoughts. You have been shone a road... but, if one dedicates oneself to any path, then you are a slave to those ways. No, while what you were exposed to last night is certainly interesting, and instructive, it is not the only way. What would Atreal the world conqueror do? Well, he didn't rely on magic. … And neither will you. But you will use it, as the situation needs. This magic, is but a tool, to fix a problem. But if you rely on it, you will rely on the tool to fix all problems. Indeed, you will not be 'chained' by anything. Lords! You starve. You go into the cave and tell the women that you are going to get something to eat, and to think. They smile warmly and wave to you as you leave.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17745113
Realize we need a bow. All we have to hunt with is our sword right? Or did we get one from the hunt earlier?

You sit on a rock at the mouth of the cave. Your heavy head resting on your massive fist. Many thoughts. You have been shone a road... but, if one dedicates oneself to any path, then you are a slave to those ways. No, while what you were exposed to last night is certainly interesting, and instructive, it is not the only way. What would Atreal the world conqueror do? Well, he didn't rely on magic. … And neither will you. But you will use it, as the situation needs. This magic, is but a tool, to fix a problem. But if you rely on it, you will rely on the tool to fix all problems. Indeed, you will not be 'chained' by anything. Lords! You starve. You go into the cave and tell the women that you are going to get something to eat, and to think. They smile warmly and wave to you as you leave.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>oops.

You stalk about the forest in the early morning. It is a crisp and cool day which promises a warm and lovely sun. You consider how much easier this would be with a bow. You decide you should make one. From what you learned from the Thajat Rangers, you know what is needed, and from your engineering knowledge, you know how best to go about it. You search the wood for a fine sapling. You rig a few traps while you search. A good tree presents itself and you take it down and strip it. Passing back through your traps you collect three rabbits that were caught. You pause by a creek, clean the animals and reflect upon what you've done, what you've seen, and how a few months ago, while you were still a slave, you never could have imagined that you'd be here today. Have men known happier lives? Could all the wealth of that Baron have bought this sort of joy and satisfaction? Absolutely not. After five hours in the woods, you pack up your catch and sapling and return back to the cave.

You see smoke coming from over a hill, where your cave is located. You break into a sprint and see plum of smoke pouring out of the cave. At the mouth of a cave is a butchered red headed woman, strewn like a raggedy article of clothing over a rock. She is motionless, with several deep cuts which expose her ribs. Blood is smeared around her...

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17745312

Ahh fuck.

search for tracks and blood trails

>>17745312
wait, is she one of our *ahem* ...mates?
if yes, someone's got hell to pay.
if no, *phew*, check inside the cave

You run up to Nythiemee. Her gaze is wide and filled with frozen terror. Her wounds are grievous, leaving her chest broke open like a shell, and her lungs exposed and innards falling out. Instinctively you scour for tracks. Yes, boot tracks surround this place. Dozens and dozens of them. You dash into the cave and find the other two in a similar fashion with all of their belongings in a smoldering heap of burnt leather. On your companions forehead is a burn mark resembling a circle with an open hand in it. Their bodies are equally treated, bruised, broken and carved up. Someone took their time here. You race back to the mouth of the cave and take a survey of the scene...

You see that the tracks lead off to the south. They are heavy, and deep, as if the party who committed this massacre was weighed down. But they are certainly humanoid, all wearing the same style of, military cut boot.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17745387
all three of them are dead?!?
Cold murderous ragetime!
can demons/devils make deals or pacts to resurrect the dead? perhaps we can do this. one man versus dozens, while brave, is unlikely to succeed...

>If its possible, its beyond your knowledge. But such things... you've never even read of. Maybe in some ancient library, in a eldritch black tome... but this certainly isn't anything you've ever heard of.

>>17745452
>can demons/devils make deals or pacts to resurrect the dead?

IF they can, that's gonna come with one hefty ass price tag...

We use the dark magic we learned to heal them.

If we can't. Well it is time for justice. Invoke the dark spirits, and have them find the men, and delay them.

We are Jamithan, and we have experienced true loss. Time to return the favor.

>>17745387

these men ambushed women that weren't expecting a fight, they are weighted down and drunk on victory.

We will track them until they make camp or at such a time that is opportune.

None shall be spared

>>17745478

IT IS BEYOND YOUR UNDERSTANDING

>>17745490
So there all three dead? We checked? Alright then. Let us take what we can, and perhaps a memento to remember the girls. They where our first experience with freedom, we should honor them accordingly.

If we can, let do whatever burial method is needed for the body.

As for the men, its obvious they where the 'men in chain and armor' who stalked the witches. Paladins and their like.

We should not kill them, but we should show what they did was wrong. We will one day control this world, and we will not fall to petty things like revenge.

Revenge. What awful things will you be able to do? New doors of agony will open to this world, that you will introduce to these butchers. Your neck and back throb with rage, and your vision blurs. You fall to your knees, and mourn. Do you weep? What does it matter? What was a beautiful life, is now destroyed. You are alone again, as you've been for most of your life, except these precious last few months. What if you didn't leave? You could have protected them, or died trying. What if you had made it back just an hour earlier? What if you didn't try to find a sapling for a bow? No, there is no fruit in these thoughts. You clear you try to clear your thoughts, but it is futile. If these are men, you will choke them with the ropes of their intestines. If they're Elves, you will show them their own beating immortal hearts... Even if they're children, you will hack their heads and put them on your wall. No one, will stop this revenge. You will paint the walls of their homes with their family's bloody stumps.

You cautiously handrail the tracks through the forest to the south.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17745547
> Hey man, I love your posts. Sorry I posted before you included your thoughts. I'm just trying to speed fuck this, (thus why I stropped doodling in support of it. I've got a lot of story to tell. Please don't be discouraged if I repost, and it seems i'm ignoring your suggestions. I really do enjoy it. Again, I'm just trying to reply as fast as possible.

>>17745587
track them down, if they seem like too much for us to handle, perhaps we could ask the Thajat Rangers to help you exact revenge.

>>17745624
Seek vengeance alone or not at all. This was a personal affront. Provide quarter to those who beg.

>>17745587

Where will it end, this vegeance of ours? Will he kill these people's family too, kill the people associated with them? Keep going until nothing is left and we live in agony?

No. We where a tool for that bastard and used for killing, and whether we wish to spite him after he had passed, we will not simply murder these people. Whether they think what they did was right.

No we will show them the error of their ways. And they will have to live with it. Because what fate could be crueler then being denied a quick death?

>>17745673
>. Yes, boot tracks surround this place. Dozens and dozens of them.

there are many of them, we are one. how can we get vengeance if we are dead because we were heavily outnumbered? the culprits are likely foreigners "crusading against the heathens" which means they'll probably go after any other natives, if left unchallenged.

>>17745704
Vengence is good, but we also need knowledge. We must know why they sought our coven.

You gaze from a safe distance in the wood line. Five men, in chain armor, and wearing muddy white tabards. On their chest is the emblazoned golden out stretched hand, with what appears to be rays of light emitting from the center. They are resting. On their gloves and boots is the drying blood of your friends. They are of mixed age, some young, younger than you. And one particularly old, wearing two days growth of a snow white beard. You notice his tiny blue shifting eyes. They are reckless. No security, or even regard to the dangers of the forest around them. They appear to be armed with swords, maces and spears, with small shields. They plop down around their ruck sacks and begin rifling through for jerky and other things to eat.
“That bitch with the knife was a true devil,” the older man announces. He wipes his mouth with his forearm and takes another drink of water.
“They were all devils,” one of the younger boys reply. “That is why we do Hosts' work.”
“Yes, yes. Good work for the Good Host. But please, save your dogmatic battle for your studies. I'm already a Justicar, I don't need a lesson on it boy.”
The boy nods and looks away.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17745722
They are new to the land, we are not. We have learned the way of the hunt and understand traps. If we are calm, we can have the lot of them.

>>17745737
Begin setting our trap. It must be as if the forest itself consumes them. If we can get a survivor for questioning or to warn others away, all the better.

We should approach them as a traveler but that will only be our trap setting.

Also since we where raised in a holy order, do we have pre-knowledge of this host?

We should use rote magic, and our construction knowledge to create stone walls around them to seperate and capture them.

Then we speak with Justicar, one on one. Readying our blade. We will not kill him, unless he has stubborn as our master was and refuses to speak with us. Then we will move to the disciples.

The five men sit around lazily. The old man tells one of the younger men to stand watch, and that he is going to take a well deserved rest, the least of a reward for his hard work in the Host's service. Two others join him, and they drift off to sleep, laid up against their rucksacks. The two boys kick rocks and wander around, with their spears at their hips, and spears in hand. Any kind of trap work would require anticipating their movement ahead, and preparing something there. If you attack them here, you gamble the time it would take you to slay the guards, before the others muster, then you are expecting one versus two, then one verses three. Dangerous either way. Your mind boils with rage, and you feel an otherworldly hand crawl across your skull. Some sort of magical connection is trying to fuse itself in your brain...

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17745704
You pause and reflect the sense of justice revenge would bring. Will you murder their children, their wives, their friends, their dogs? Will each throat slit make you feel more whole? Not likely. But these men, will suffer. They will survive this, but they will certainly meet justice. Let us see how well they can serve their god without fingers, toes or eyes....

>>17745728

How did they find your coven? Hrm. Well, there will be plenty of time for questions. They should be still a few days from any kind of civilization... but maybe there is a larger force that they have been dispatched from? You must take caution, for the closer they get to their home, the more dangerous this becomes.

Also since we where raised in a holy order, do we have pre-knowledge of this host?
>> Yes, they are the Temple Knights of the Sovereign Host. A loose paladin order. Nothing like the Empyrean Order, which is almost everywhere and respected widely. The Temple Knights are a smaller organization, with a loose affiliation with between temples. They are not generally well trained, but they make up for this in zealotry. However, they have been known to raise a great crusade, and "judge" many villages or cities... leveling an awful 'justice' to them. For this reason, they are sometimes very much appreciated in small towns as fair arbiters, but feared in masses, due to their terrible ability to "purify" a place.

>>17745838
Kill if necessary, incapacitate if possible. If we have magics to help in this all the better. Leave one whole to watch. Be sure to collect information on the knight's present disposition. If we can obtain information to take the tip off of the spear of a crusade, all the better.

>>17745912
Make them question their god and their duty. Nothing destroy a holy man more than questioning his beliefs.

You must act. One of the boys goes into the wood line opposite of you, across the clearing. With all the catlike grace your body can muster, and the smart footing learned when you traveled with the Rangers, you silently stride around the clearing at a panther's pace. The young boy, clad in chain turns after he is done, and like an extension of the forest itself, you reach out and snatch the young man, yanking him into the woods. One hand over his mouth, and and your bicep and forearm around his throat, you apply pressure to the veins in his jugular. After a few quick seconds, which seem much longer, he falls limp in your grasp. You lower him to the ground quietly. You take his spear and pace the through the woods. The other young man is suspicious, you can see he is scanning for his friend. With all your might, you toss the spear. It sails through the air and catches him from the side deep into the shoulder. He falls to his knees, trying to scream, but it appears you punctured his lungs. Blood begins to flow out of his mouth, as he tries to cough out an alarming scream. You dart forward to the sleeping men. A heavy sword blow comes down across the ankle of the nearest man, swiftly removing his foot from his body. He wakes up screaming. You do the same to the stirring man across from him. The old man's eyes become alert and you can see him begin to scramble. You push yourself off the ground in a mighty leap, and land on his chest, knocking the wind from him, and probably crushing some of his ribs. He gasps in terror. You take your sword and stab violently through the bulk of his shoulder, and into the ground. Pinning him to the earth.
CONT

Amid their screams and curses, you stand menacingly above them, cutting an intimidating figure.
“... You noble, noble souls.”
The old man spits blood, hacks and weezes, “You dog fucking * Spit * Son of whore!”
“Entirely likely,” you add. You examine your powerful hand in front of you. You look at the open palm, turn it over and regard the backside, with strong outstretched fingers.
“I presume, you did what you did, in the name of your god?”
One of the footless men, while rolling around grasping at his stump screams. “FUCK! FUCK! FUCK YOU! AGGHHIEEE”
The old man, a little more collected now, “No, not our god. The Host. The Sovereign Host of Holy Light. The five gods of justice, purity and righteousness.... I'm sure your barbarian shit ears would burn and blister at the names of their divine glory.”
“Blister.... interesting,” you turn your outstretched to him and push all the fire which burns your mind through your hand, and onto his face. The old man's face turns red, smokes then blisters. Yellow sores pop and puss. He screams in agony.
“Were your gods there with you, when you murdered my women? Where are your gods now?”

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17746022
"Unlike your Gods, however, I know mercy. Tell me why you have come, honestly, and I will leave you to hobble home. Lie to me, and I will murder everything you love in front of your eyes."

>>17746022
Where were these 'good' men while you lived in slavery?

Where were these 'good' men while you're master beat you to an inch of your life?

Where were they when you saw just as much suffering to good people while greedy evil men did what they wanted?

These men deluded themselves by killing what didn't look human or what didn't conform, rather then seeing the evil in man's own heart.

We have killed, we are no saint. But these men believe they are, and that our difference.

Take from them their things. If the gods are on their side, then they will survive the forest without them.

>>17743436
this kind of shit happens from time to time. No one even knows what the fuck triggers it. It's fucking annoying.

>>17746032
Combine this one with this:
>>17746034

>>17746022
"Gods of Justice, Purity, and righteousness? pfah! your Gods are nothing but false Idols. what you truly worship is Greed, deceit, and Murder!"

kill all but one, let the last one go without his weapons.

>>17746071
Eh. We should patch up the injured ones, showing mercy also shows that we held their lives within our hands and we allowed them to live. That is true control.

Something perhaps we learned from the baron himself.

>>17746084
>>17746071
They'll come back after us, you know, with a bigger and better equipped group.

Frankly, I don't think we should show any of these men mercy, and should just torture the information on how they found the coven before killing them.
Maybe we can use their lives to fuel a spell that can restore the women to life.

>>17746101
Who said that wasn't the plan?

We are going to be World Constructor, and these religions are going to be a hurdle that we're going to need to cross eventually. First we take this zealot religion, either destroy it or take it over and actually do some good with it, then we'll go onto the main religion. We'll merge them and cast away the useless bits. Reforge it as we will reforge this world.

>>17746084
why would we be merciful to those who MURDERED the ones we loved? "true control"? i don't think so.

if you really want them to live, then we should cut off their index fingers, middle fingers, and thumbs so that they can never hold a blade or bow again.

>>17746101
>Maybe we can use their lives to fuel a spell that can restore the women to life.

do i sense an exchange with a certain demon queen in the making?

“Where were you, as agents of justice, when I was beaten as a slave? Where were you when my masters choked the life from violated innocent women barely old enough to bleed? Where were you, and your gods when babes are killed in their cribs?” You glower over your broken enemies. “Tell me why you have come honestly, and I will leave you to hobble home. Lie to me, and I will murder everything you love in front of your eyes."

The old man, who paws his blistered face with his free hand, while his pinned arm tries desperately to sate his pain blubbers out, “Our seers felt the darkness you invoked in that cave, you unholy wretch! We sought to cleanse the earth of your vile and wicked stain. I am glad we killed your women, and only regret we did not spend more time enjoying their filthy bodies...”

You stare down at him. “Then this shall be a powerful lesson to you. That your gods do no work on this earth, only the crippled fingers of their maligned agents. And as I strike you, I strike your gods.” You give the blistered old man a violent backhand across his oozing face, which forces him to scream in an awful agony.

You spend some time to do your butchery. You remove their fingers, toes, tongues and an eye from each. You put this tiny mass of severed pieces in a pile at their feet.

“Know that no demon came to you, and did this. That no cosmic injustice was caused here... merely the work of a man. Not a man lead or guided by demons. But a man guided by revenge. Let your hollow faith find you home, and may you forever remember the revenge which was visited upon you. I curse you, not in the name of any of the black gods, but in the name of man.”

You wipe you bloody fingers off on their tabards and saunter back into the forest. It is a beautiful warm day, which remains unmarred by your brutal work. You continue south, considering your future, and how this little act of savagery did little to fill the void of your loss.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17746142
Return to the cave. Bury the bodies of our beloved and eat the rabbits that cost us the lives of the first real thing we had. And then head out.

>>17746071
>>17746084
>>17746101
>>17746123
>>17746131
>>17746140
>>17733889

> Hey gents, I apologize that I didn't include your suggests in my reply. Again, I'm going for speed. I greatly appreciate your interest. And everything you suggest and advise fuels the future encounters. Thank you gentlemen for your participation.

> this is only my second quest. the prior one being the Oregon Coast Horror. So I appreciate your patience with me.

>>17746172
yes, give them a proper burial at least.

Also, bah, I think we should have killed them.

My suggestion to post when the cut off period is.

>>17746142
Attempt contact with Velinaetyss and barter for the lives of three women. How many lives will she want in return, for we're going to be killing a lot anyway.

>>17746180
It is frustrating, though, that by the time an idea that people like is developed, that you've already posted something else.

>>17746180
no need to apologize bro

>>17746216
this is a good idea

>>17746217
seconding this

Contacting Velinaetyss is what brought the templars in the first place.

I think we should find a way to block our magic froming becoming a virtual light house, signalling their seers.

We're a architect, and while we know the basics of magic, we can come up with something!

>>17746217
If we are to try to resurrect them then we need to preserve the bodies somehow.

You return to your cave, and the sun begins to set. You take care of your dead, offering them a ritual that they would find fitting. You kiss each of their foreheads, and ignite a pyre. You offer a prayer to their gods, offering them a safe passage and comfortable place for them in there thereafter.

The rabbit you prepare is tasteless. Your senses are dulled and your mind aches. You've spent so much time in these forest. The great Wildernesse. Perhapse it is time to return to civilization? Advance the knowledge of these dark arts? Learn more of the powers of those who claim just gods? Maybe just pick a direction and walk?

Apathy consumes you and you just lay next to the burning pyre and wait. It is not rest. Maybe, if magic can start fires, and discern the locations of people... perhaps it can guide the dead back to the land of the living? Velinaetyss seemed like a powerful creature. She also appeared to love your women. As much as a demon can love, you reckon. Well then, you shall discover how to summon her. The women knew, but that was the first and only time, and you did not note all the particulars of the ritual. It is something that can be learned however. But you must make sure, that if you were to do it, you cannot do it in some clumsy fashion, which may attack an entire crusade of these Sovereign slaves. Tomorrow, where should I go?

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17746268
Too bad we don't know transmutation, we could just...place them in rock, transform the rock into air-tight crystal and hide them away.

>>17746280
Doesn't matter, it seems we burned the bodies. lol.

>>17746270
We are going to learn more magic and dark arts and will will destroy those "just" organization!

>>17746268
>I don't have a wiki to point to... but in this world, ressurection is extremely difficult, if not impossible thing to do. But our hero doesn't know that. And he very well may struggle and seek out a way. Maybe... he'll make a way? But you can be sure, that the preservation of their bodies, will not be a necessary component. If their souls have passed on... what other forms and ways can they still exist?

>I'm going to go burn one, so please pile in some ideas about what our anti-hero does next.

>>17746270
Well shit. We just destroyed the bodies.

We need to learn demonology and summoning, so we will need to either find another coven, a wizard, or return to civilization and head towards a city with a reputation for evil.

Does our character know of any of the latter two, such as a famous wizard, or a city known for demonic magics.

>>17746280
We have affinity for Rude magic. We could invent shit on the fly at the risk of becoming insane.

>>17746297
Oh, alright.
That's what we are going to do. In this cruel world those were the only ones to show us love and companionship without asking much in return. We will go that path and gather knowledge and power necessary to learn those rituals. Even if that takes years.

>>17745478
>Maybe in some ancient library, in a eldritch black tome... but this certainly isn't anything you've ever heard of.

Any ancient libraries nearby?

>>17746270
head north east, into the mountains, find a place which would be suitable for us to study on how to summon Velinaetyss, mark it down(if we have a map or paper, if not, memorize the location), then head to civilzation, and look for information on demon summoning.

>>17746308
>We need to learn demonology and summoning

Perhaps we can find other ways than dealing with devils and demons? OP is very vague on how resurrection works. There might be several ways to do it.

We should also learn angelogy (godology?) so we can summon these gods down and smack their shit for being so reckless with this world.

Perhaps we will be the first to use both spectrums of magic? Along with rude n rote.

The next day you awake to a cold morning. With all your strength, you rise and force yourself to begin walking. You drag your sword, in a haphazard, and self hating wreck. You carry one for several hours, and resolve to quit pittying yourself. You put your sword on your should and continue on. Days later, you keep walking. Weeks later, you keep walking. Eventually you crest a hill and see a tall and angry mountain range before you. You take several days to close the distance. When you arrive at feet of the mountains, you appreciate their menacing height and solitude. Fitting. You climb up them. After two days of wandering the mountain sides, negotiating cliff faces and crevasse you come across a stony outcropping, with a cave. The only resident is a bear, which you dispatch and feed on. Bad weather rolls in the following morning and you stay in the large cave. You explore your mind, as is if it was a great library, roaming the halls of your memories, looking for some clue in your previous studies as to the location of a place that might help you in your arcane pursuits. And like a violent strike of lightning, Lija, capitol of Edagnia. Though there are greater places of study in the East, near the Imperial capitol, Lija is a much more seedy seat of civilization, which may have much less scrupulous people, more agreeable to this nature of things. CONT.

>>17746414
>>17746414
>bear pelt bear pelt bear pelt

How badass would that look?

>>17746432
Very.

You make a crude bear pelt out of the remains of your kill, drape it over your shoulders and you mentally catologue this cave location and head south. You fashion a crude boat and cross the great Canambry river, which at the point of your crossing is at least a mile wide. You continue south, do battle with a gang of Orc scouts without incident. You trek continues for a week, until you come across a rotten tower on a hill. It is eighty, or a hundred feet tall, and not much of a military outpost. Three great square pillars make up its front, making a large blockish rectangle. The sun is nearing setting, and before this abandoned tower is a small campfire with two persons resting around it.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17746456
Approach the campfire and greet them.

>>17746456
Make sure the bear hood is not on you're head, don't want to frighten the two. Approach them and start a conversation.

You descend cautiously, pulling your fearsome bear pelt closer around your shoulders. “Salutations,” you say in the local Edagnian tongue. Sitting at the campfire, underneath this dilapidated monolith the two figures look to you, regard you and stand up.
“Hello traveler, you are welcome to our fire. We have water and provisions if you are in need.” One of the two hooded figures say.
The other figure pulls back his hood and reveals elfen ears. But, he is no normal elf. His skin and long hair is as pale as the moonlight, and his eyes are red marbles. “Greetings,” he hisses in a graveling baritone. “Welcome to our camp.”

“Thank you gentlemen,” you approach them and sit by their fire. They also take their seats. “I am not from around these parts.”

“Ah,” the albino states. “So it is. Nor are we.”

You look up, and take an eye full of the stone relic above you.

“It's a tower of Atreal,” the Albino comments. “Not many men like him anymore.”

“The world conqueror? The emperor of man?”

He sorts a laugh, “Yes, yes. All these things. I never new him, but a friend of mine did. Where are you going, if you don't mind me inquiring?”

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17746536
You could say that I'm trying to get on the same path as the World Conquerer. Hopefully I can find this path at Lija. May I ask you the same?

>>17746559
>You could say that I'm trying to get on the same path as the World Conquerer

No. Lets not say that.
But telling them that we are going to Lija is okay.

>>17746536
" am on my way to Lija, to further my studies in magic and the Arcane. and, if you don't mind me reciprocating, where would you be going?"

> Bear pelt

>>17746589
No, let's not say that we're studying magic.
You're trusting these strangers far too much.

>>17746597
Oh yeah, that's badass

I wonder is there is anything in that tower.
Maybe we should investigate it during the day?

>>17746601
Last time we trusted three witch women, that turned out..okay?

C'mon, yes there are people out there who want us dead. Yes, this elf may be related to the elves we hunted earlier or might be apart of the fanatic templars...

But if you can't have trust, then we're just a lonely bear-warrior.

Also, for orcs, we should try uniting them under our banner or something.

The Albino regards you, “Well traveler. My name is Oetynwyth, a roaming nobody in these awful, and ancient woods. I can sense much of a man's character, very quickly. If you've lived for as long as I have, you can see that there are only so many types of men. Most are ignorant, some are ambitious and foolish. I can sense, a terrible dread in you. You are a keeper of secrets, and some awful dreams smolder in your heart like wicked coals,” He pauses and kicks at the fire. “Do not be alarmed though, I care not. Our lives have not been that... which our brothers in Ynys Terre would exactly approve of. You remind me of an old commander of mine, when I was serving in the Atrelean legion, somewhere near four hundred years after the Emperor's death. I should really introduce you to my friend, who knew him. Though, he is a much more studious figure than I. Hah. I am a cad and a scoundrel by most of my peer's standards. His name is Bradnodel, if you ever happen across him.”

“I shall take that, as a compliment.”

“As you should,” he affirms. The three of you sit silently around the fire for awhile. “You are a Marsaullan are you not?”

“Yes. But only in birth, I've never known their lands.”

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>forgot to take the lines out.

>>17746642
'What about you're companion?' We ask trying not to sound too nosy.

>>17746642
>>17746672

Also ask them where they are headed.

did op get autobanned for some bullshit again?

>>17746816
Maybe he had to step out for abit? For now lets accolate our strategy.

What is our goal? Both short term and long term?

>Sorry gang, VIP came into the office.

“What about you're companion?” you inquire, trying not to sound nosey.
“I am Ulawan, a Daen sell-sword, though I fear not many are interested in buying these days.
Oetynwyth tilts his head, “Well Marsaullan, have you taken the Red or the Purple?”
“I'm sorry, I don't... know what you're referring to.”
“Ah, well.” he reflects. “Your race of men, is one of a dialectic ancestry. Before time, before the world was known by your people, and it was born of fire as your histories recall, there were.. a people, which most call 'the enemy'. Well, some of them escaped their fate, and found their way to the Arkatos, or Antarctic. Those who renounced their previous people's ways, took the red. Embracing everything that makes them human. Those who adhered to their old people's ways... the magic, their fallen dream.. they took the Purple. They cohabit well enough, but its an important distinction.”

WHAT DO YOU SAY?

>>17746878
I don't believe in choosing between choices. When fate gives a man two roads, he should find a third path.

I am both red and purple I suppose.

And I had to choose a color, I've always loved blue. Like the sky and water.

>>17746878
I've never taken that decision before and wont do it now. I make my own path. If it takes me along one of those two or even both of them, so be it.

“Well, if I had to pick, I would I choose blue? I know nothing about those people, their dispute or their ways. Maybe some day I will make my way south to their kingdom, but it is not in the foreseeable future. I would not choose the blue or even black, to be obstinate, or foul, but as you stated, it suits my character. I know not why yet, but I can feel it in my bones. May I ask where you are headed?”
“We are heading to meet some companions in the west. A very remote tribe of barbarians.” Oetynwyth replies. “An awful sort in an awful forsaken land. If you want to sleep, as you know we Elves have no need, so I will sit watch, if you believe us to be trustworthy.”

WHAT DO YOU DO/SAY?

>>17746928
(does our path to the city Lija go the same way?)

You haven't shown anything to me make me distrust you.. If you require no sleep, why wont you travel at night too?

>>17746928
They say only a fool trusts those on the road. I've often been told I am a fool, so I shall trust you. I shall retire, perhaps in this tower, I'd wish to explore it for some odd reason.

“They say only a fool trusts those on the road. I've often been told I am a fool, so I shall trust you. You haven't shown anything to me make me distrust you,” you offer up honestly. “If you require no sleep, why wont you travel at night too?”
“Well my companion is not graced with the same immortal blood as I. And being the considerate Elfish pariah that I am, I allow him to sleep.”
“I shall retire, perhaps in this tower, I'd wish to explore it for some odd reason.” you reply.
“Ah, very good then. I hope your sleep is peaceful. Goodnight sir.”

You stand up and make your way pass the massive square pillars and enter the old tower. It is mostly empty in the great hall, save for a massive stairway in the center that goes up. You follow it and continue to explore. The structure is empty. You do happen upon one interesting piece though, a statue of the World Emperor, Atreal. His over sized likeness gazes down at you. You take a seat, and gaze back at him.... You wake up the following morning, and find your friends gathering their things, obviously waiting for you to rise.

“May your path be quiet,” Oetynwyth comments.

“And may you walk with the shadows,” you reply, testing the waters.

“And may the wind carry your heart.”

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17747016
Throw on our bear pelt, make sure our sword is secure and head out to the capital.

You secure your pelt and sword and take off to the south. You encounter some mountains and head to the west to circumvent them, then after several weeks, you see the suburbs surrounding Lija. You continue and enter the city. The worst city planning ever has created this miles wide mountain of ramshackle wood sprawl and dump all across a muddy swamp bank. Sometimes several stories high, with ramps and bridges between the ‘blocks’. Crime runs rampant. The city starts on dry land, but extends out, over the sea. Boat traffic sometimes can manage its way in through the city ‘blocks’. Occasional towers of stone erupt up through the madness, where wealthy citizens live, protected from the common rabble. Some of the giant blocks have sunk into the swamp, losing whole stories or tilting to an angle. At the center is a massive rock plateau that has been built up and surrounded in mighty stone walls; and it is here that the capitol district is, and the ruling castle lies. The top of the city is lined with windmills that are used in various mills throughout the city.

To find the arcane? Yes, a great plan. But tonight. You will find a tavern. It takes you little time, and you find a particularly nasty hole, filled with low life laborers. No bard charms this den with enchanting music, only the sound of clanking mugs, grunts and vulgar language fill your ears.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17747062
>Note to self. Redesign entire fucking city.

Well, when at a tavern we must follow the cliche of..talking to the bartender and/or any mysterious people sitting in the corners.

>>17747075
this.

We could try to gather info on where the best place is to start searching for more arcane knowledge.

Despite your very non-urban dress you approach the bar and see a fat man with a large black mustache filling mugs. You inquire for one, and he provides it without much fanfare. There are forty or so people here, and a fair amount of what you presume to be whores. It doesn't seem like anyone here would know too much about arcane studies. Wait, what is that? In the corner is clearly a group of four 'adventurers', slaves of some contract, maybe by Andraxio and Associates, who have a strong presence here. A skinny woman, in her late twenties approaches you and hangs on your arm.
“You look like a man who could use someone to keep them warm,” she quips.
Without even acknowledging her you walk across the tavern to the out of place group of four. There is a Half Dwarf with handsome black sideburns who appears to be some sort of burglar, man with pale skin and greasy black hair who could pass for a sell sword, a large man with sloppy red-brown hair and a headband, who you take to be an Elishe barbarian from across the great sea, and a beautiful Noenne woman in her early twenties, who you could wager was an Arcanist.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>noenne woman

>>17747127
"I'm not good at introduction, but I am Jamithan. I aid in locating any source of knowledge for the arcane in this city. You all seem like you know the city better than I."

Do we have any coin? Anything from the orcs we slaughtered or from the knight templars?

>>17747156
I require aid*
>>17747150
Hot damn. Wife number four, ladies and gentlemen.

"I'm not good at introduction, but I am Jamithan. I aid in locating any source of knowledge for the arcane in this city. You all seem like you know the city better than I."
“Ah, a common northern savage. Great. Chroi, perhapse you can talk some sense into this hysterical loon?” the woman jabs, as she waves a dismissive gesture are you.
“Listen friend,” the Half Dwarve adds, “We're not here to make any friends. I don't know nothing about any witchcraft, or dens of sin, or infantry fuck holes. We're just passing through. It was a pleasure though.”
Even though the woman insulted you, and waved you off, you catch her making a second look at you, tracing your impressive frame with her amber eyes.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17747199
Chase her down and ravish her.

>>17747211
What? No.

>>17747211
Seduce her should be in there somewhere...but this party seems important so we should stick by them.

"Is it because how I dress, that I'm referred too as barbarian? I have received ten years education in engineering, mathematics and structural design. I learn magics from cultures older then any city and have spoken to beings probably even older. Never judge a tome by it's cover. And I happen to want to read this tome before me." Referring to the woman.

>>17747199
"YOU might not. But she does." Look at her, paying no attention to the insult.

"And I know a little myself" light a small flame in your hand.
"So. Will you help me get started. I promise, I wont bother you too long"

>>17747247
>Seduce her should be in there somewhere..

I don't particularly want to get in the sack wit hthe first woman we met right after 3 of our lovers were so brutally murdered.

She wants to fuck? She damn better impress us.
Don't show too much attention to her looks and don't try to woo her, that's what I am saying. We are in pursuit of knowledge not, poon.

>>17747261
>I don't particularly want to get in the sack wit hthe first woman we met right after 3 of our lovers were so brutally murdered.

Meh, she is kind of s bitch anyway, so what if she dies too?

>>17747261
She could have the knowledge we need.

And its hard, but we're working on a way to bring them back (if they want to come back that is they may live in eternal hot loving embrace with the demoness) and if she's an arcanist, she may have some knowledge to impart on us.

And we're a man who will not be stuck in the past. We where a slave in the past, and while we grieve for our lost love, they would probably want us to be strong.

>>17747293
>We where a slave in the past, and while we grieve for our lost love, they would probably want us to be strong.

Okay, I guess this is a good explanation. Didn't think like that about our char

"Is it because how I dress, that I'm referred too as barbarian? I have received ten years education in engineering, mathematics and structural design. I've magics from cultures older then any city and have spoken to beings probably even older. Never judge a tome by it's cover. And I happen to want to read this tome before me. Though I wear this animal, and though I appear young, it does not mean I am a child savage. So. Will you help me get started. I promise, I wont bother you too long.”

The man in grey with black hair looks you up and down, “I am Jaynce. Good evening.”

“I still think he's an illiterate fool,” the woman says. The wheels of your mind hum and your snap your fingers, which sends beer boiling. A quick trick, which you've never studied, but for some reason, it felt right. “Parlor tricks,” she continues. But after the last word, she bites her lower lip. “But maybe worth of some attention. If you seek knowledge of the Arcane Arts, inquire with the Silver Chalice society, and ask to see their library. Tell them the Morning flame burns on the twilight dawn, and that should give you access to their halls.”


WHAT DO YOU DO?

> The statue of Atreal you sat before earlier.

>>17747329
"I will need to know of course where I can find this Silver Chalice society." Move next to her and whisper 'I also can do rude magic. If you wish to see me I will be at this library. Thank you.' Wish the men a good day and head on after getting the answer.

>>17747329
"Thank you. May I buy you a round of drinks?" (we have money, right?).
Then try to spark up conversation. Perhaps we could learn more about them. We could tell some tales of our own adventures to get things going. Also, inquire about their names.
But if it seems that they do not want to be bothered anymore, politely bid farewell and leave them. Rent a room in the inn and sleep, next day go to Silver Chalice society.

>>17747360

>pouches and an awesome cape

...BATMAN!

>>17747360
Great drawing!
You're an awesome drafag, op.

>>17747375

> I greatly appreciate that bro. A whole lot, really. Thanks again. Another pic of Atrael, probably from an illuminated history book.

>>17747360
>I am justice. I am the light. I am WORLD CONQUERER!

>don't mean to butcher your art. just wanted to show what I saw.

>>17747437
>>17747427

Its definitively the chin..

>>17747427
yeah, I doodlefag once in a while too but seeing how fast you draw and the quality of the drawing I can tell you have great skill.
The pictures you posted would take me several hours to draw and would look worse.

>>17747437
>http://blog.cia.edu/digitalcanvas/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/jim-lee-batman.jpg

>Yeah, its what I used as a base model. I drew it, like 4 years ago.

"I will need to know of course where I can find this Silver Chalice society." Move next to her and whisper “I also can do rude magic,” you intimate. "Thank you. May I buy you a round of drinks?"

“Yes,” the half dwarf responses quickly.

The woman does not look at you, “It's in the market district, above an old play house.”

A round of ales show up. They show you a fair amount of attention and share some stories of looting gems from the eyes of a great statue in a temple south of here. Even if their stories are made up, you appreciate hearing them. To just hear a group of people who are enjoying themselves is a you've almost forgotten. After a few hours, and many rounds later they get up, red faced and happy. They shuffle out about their way. The Noenne woman gives you a quick glance over her shoulder, as she walks away, and you are left on the rain slicked cobbled street in front of the tavern.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17747508
It's late in the night, right? Search for an inn and sleep for the night, we'll visit that place in the morning.

>>17747508
Head to Market District above the old play house.

>Morning flame burns on the twilight dawn

The next morning you awake, make your way down stairs and have a cold stew with a scrap of bread. Its a decent meal, and the luxury of not having to make your own meal is a welcome treat. You finish your meal and make your way across to the old play house. You go up the side stairs to the above loft and meet a steel door with a sliding window. Odd. You knock, and the steel rings back with a low, thud, thud, thud. The slide door opens, and you can see the very narrow eyes behind spectacles on the other side. “What do you want?”

“the Morning flame burns on the twilight dawn,” you recite.

The window slides close, and several locks are heard opening, with strong bolt noises and many clicks. The door swings wide to reveal aged dwarf, with a gold and white meticulously groomed braided beard. He adjusts his spectacles. “I thought you might be a delivery boy... What can I do for you son?”

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17747594
'I want to learn. Everything.'

>>17747594
"No. I am not a delivery boy.
I've come to learn everything of the arcane nature that you're library offers."

We can show him our magic powers so that he knows that we are legit.

>our hero thus far.

>>17747717
I'd say we invest in some magic armor.

>>17747717
Oh, that's a huge sword.

“I have come here to learn. Everything,” you reply to the stocky venerable dwarf. “I seek access to your library.”

Hrm. He growls. “Well, I would have guessed, based on how you're dressed, you're a clever hill man who is here to kill me, for some sin I've long ago committed.”

You stare at him for a moment, “I have been a slave, an engineer, an architect, run with vampires and gods, a slayer, a barbarian and an assassin. But today, I am a student, and, again, I wish access to you library.”

He stares back, “I'll just be you are.” Hrumpf! “Very well, please, come in,” he steps aside and waves his arm in a sweeping gesture, to invite you in. You accept and step in. Though only on the second floor, the outside betrays the size of this library. There are no windows, so this entire place is lit by careful lamp light. You are in a small antechamber, and there is a large opening, a double doorway. Beyond the doorway a large room with vaulted ceiling, probably two stories tall, is filled with rows of books. “Unfortunately, there is little cataloging system. So, all I can wish you is luck.”

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17747773
We can't spend the rest of our lives reading book after book. I'd say learning to absorb knowledge, via someway faster than merely reading.

>>17747773
Well pick a few that seems interesting.

>>17747796
don't suggest we try using Rude magic here, we could destroy the library like this.

>>17747773
We will start reading the books and search for the ones that interest us. Then we will study those.

>>17747819
>>17747812
We could use wrote magic, simply absorb the knowledge through a ritual magic. Design the dewey decimal system in the process, so the books are organized.

And we have made a mental library in our mind, perhaps we could transplant an actual one into it as well?

>>17747831
If that works, then we should do it.
Also, we can organize and catalog the books, we should offer that service and get payment for it. Enough money so that we can survive here why studying arcane.

The great thing about ultimate knowledge, is that many people get burnt out...

Well if you had ultimate knowledge, shouldn't you be able to handle it?

You take a stab at a random hall way. “The tax codes and treasury reports of the Salgrunda province during the reign of Salminas IV.” No. “The campaigns of Atreal.” Interesting, but still not it. “The flora and fauna of Daenmir.” No. “Undersea monsters, myth or reality?” No. “Grazing habits of Eastern Hildabeast.” No. You curse beneath your breath and scan the aisles. It is mostly empty, but you see a figure in a black cape an aisle over. It's worth a shot. You approach this man, who appears to be in his early fifties. He is extremely thin, with hallow cheeks and massive bags from many sleepless nights under his orange, haunted eye. His hair is slicked back and a mix of blonde and silver. He wears an eye patch over his right eye. Bold crows feet crawl from the corners of his eyes. His extremely thin lips are cracked, and you can see he is holding open an old tome.
“Good morning sir,” you hazard. “I was wondering if you could help me.
One of his eye brows arches without even looking towards you, “mmyes?”
“I am, uh, a fledgling student of the arcane arts-”
“I'm sorry, I'm no longer in the tutoring business,” he cuts you off.
“Well, I understand that sir. I was just curious if you could help me find a good book to start with?”
He looks up from his page, and locks eyes with you. It seems as if his orange iris swirls with an unnatural fire. Hrmmmm.
“Perhaps,” he quizzes you then and there. Asks you the ingrediants to make a quick healing salve. The first dozen emperors of the Atrelean empire. The length of the Cambry river. What is the best chalk for drawing a ritual design. Etc etc.

You prove yourself after his rigorous battery. “Well, consider me impressed. My name is Nal, and I'd be happy to show you a few things,” he hobbles away, pulling down book after book and placing them in your arms. After fifteen books are stacked high in your hands he gives himself a reassuring nod. “That should be good. Meet me here tomorrow, and we shall begin. Make sure you've read at least the introductions to all of these. You will need a working knowledge.. so good luck.” He hobbles out, and leaves the building. You shake your head. Behind you, in the corner, holding a book and watching you is the Noenne woman.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17747931
"Ah. So you came after all.
How about re-introductions? I am Jamithan. I afraid I never caught your name yesterday."

Look at the book she is carrying

“Ah. So you came after all. How about re-introductions? I am Jamithan. I afraid I never caught your name yesterday."
“I am Sayrala,” she states as a matter of fact. In her hands is a red leather bound book. You think it says, 'The expedition of the Garalanicil'. “Do you know who that man was?”
“He said his name was Nal.”
“Nal Sahlysot.”
“Maybe.”
“You don't know anything about him, do you?”
“He's agreed to teach me.”
“You really are an illiterate hill barbarian, aren't you?”
“If you mean, that I've run naked through the forests, killed my dinner, felt the cool wind rustle through an dark wood, made love under an open sky, and feared no beast, for I was the most fearsome predator wherever I strode? Then that would be fair. But I don't think you mean that.”
“Put those books down, and come with me,” she invites.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17748088
"Where do you wish to take me?"

Put the books together somewhere you can easily find and retrieve them.

“His face was tall and dominated by a strong jaw and chin with slightly hallow, but high cheeks. Though any of this was only noticed on a second study, for Atreal's entire character and appearance was defined by his eyes. Half the color, and half the trappings, his eyes rolled and darted like a busy cat. They were an icy blue, closer to silver, and yet still shadowed around the iris in an unsettling way, as if a ghostly star shown its own light from a night behind his eyes. His gaze was unnerving, as it seemed his pupils were always too small. Even at a young age, deep cracks crawled from the corners of his eyelids which were always puffy and a sort of blue-purple, and framed by bruised looking awful bags above his cheeks; for Atreal did not sleep. I never knew him to sleep more than an hour a week. Camp legends would spread, especially to the urban corners and in taverns along trade heavy roads, that some elf blood, of an ancient scandalous lineage, kept him awake while his armies slept. But Atreal was merely a man, and suffered in all of a too human of a way, with a body wracked by the awful toll of a lifetime without sleep. It wouldn't be for many years later, somewhere on the road to Alk that I would learn why he could not rest as all men do. But in all things, even giving you all of his attention (which was usually a burdensome and demanding position) it seems he was haunted by dreams he didn’t have.”
“We must walk, and talk,” she has closed her book, and continues to stare at you.
WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17748132
Well, now I am confused. Did she just read that out loud for us? For what reason? I assume the MC knows about that.

>“We must walk, and talk,” she has closed her book, and continues to stare at you.
"What do you want to talk about?"

>>17748181

>no, the page fell open, and since Atreal the world conqueror is your favorite subject, your eyes scanned it quickly, and consumed it.

"Where do you wish to walk to, and what do you wish to talk about?" you inquire honestly.

"We should discuss what you know, the limits of magic, and how to have a bit more tact when mentioning it to strangers."

>>17748210
>"We should discuss what you know, the limits of magic, and how to have a bit more tact when mentioning it to strangers."

"Hmm... alright. Lets talk about it then."

>>17748210
Let her speak then. Afterwards ask her why she is telling all of this to us and why she's helping.

You leave the library and go for a stroll. Sayrala leads, with what appears to be senseless exaggerated hip swaying.
“Look, I don't know where you came from, but you just don't go around asking about magic,” she grasps her forehead. “You know they burn people for that sort of thing? Sorcery, Witchcraft, pacts with demons... all that nonsense. They're terrified of it.”
The city is even more alive during the day. Jugglers play, kids scramble, merchants haggle and thieves... thieve. From the market area, you pass through some alley ways, and under colossal bridge networks which look ready to collapse if you stare too hard.
“You find a quiet library, and you study. You find a quieter place, and you practice. You don't go up to strangers and ask about it, and you CERTAINLY don't go showing off tricks. Besides, even if people who know see it, they may think you're a rude caster, and just as likely to ignite yourself on fire as you are to perform some parlor trick.” She stops and leans over on a rail, looking down a few stories to the busy harbor below, and the gazes up to the overhanging city work that stretches out overhead.
“I don't know who you are, or what you're after...” she pauses, “but you're going about it in an awful way.”

WHAT DO YOU SAY NOW?

> we seemed to have lost our players.

>>17748244
"Well, I am not exactly subtle person.... Hm, why are you so concerned about me anyway?"

>>17748258
Don't worry OP, it's the time. America is asleep right now and there are less people on /tg/.

>>17748262
Also add. "Hmm... I thought this city had more of a shady reputation and higher tolerance towards arcane. It's the reason I chose this place after all."

>>17748244
Ask her what she is. A mage, a witch or what?

>>17748244
OP, you gone?

>test Ban bullshit again. fuck me.

>second test. fuck.

>just curious, howmany quest bros are in here?

>>17748787
>>17748818
I'm here.

If you cannot post your text you could do the more inconvenient method of screenshotting your message and posting the image.

“It does,” she answers. “In that you can walk up to a library, say a few things, and walk in. Its not like you have court sorcerers, performing tricks in the damn streets. I take it you've never been to the west, where one has to go through rituals, and vetting, and join a university, and pay outrageous sums, to gain access to a library.” He turns around and leans back dramatically on the rail. “Look, if you're going to do this, you better take it more seriously. Accepting advice from a monster like Nal? Flicking fire in a tavern? You need to eek out a little place for you to practice, buy some books...” She eyes you up and down, “and some fucking clothes, lords. And study. Maybe after awhile, when you've realized how little you know, you can go searching for some old book from the last age, or meet some drunk elf who will teach you something. But right now, you're a danger to yourself and everyone else.”

WHAT DO YOU SAY ?

>>17748885
> Accepting advice from a monster like Nal?
"Monster Nal? What do you mean?.... tell me more."

"What's wrong with my clothes. They are comfortable" Smile at this.

"I understand what you're saying but all of this requires lots of time. Time and money. I don't have much in the way of funds, do you have any ideas how to earn some coin?"

>Maybe after awhile, when you've realized how little you know
"I don't need to realize that I know little. I know that I know little. It has just been few months since I started learning arcane...."
"Perhaps you can help me learn more? What say you?"

>>17748885
You haven't yet told me why do you care enough to help me.

"Monster? What do you mean?.... tell me more."
She gives you a flat look. “The less said the better. He is a terror, and he should be killed, if anyone could be summon the power to do it. The damned thing is, he's one of the two most powerful wizards alive.”
“And you?” you reply, “are you a powerful wizard?”
“I am a meddling tart, as far as you're concerned,” she turns back to face the harbor and lean against the rail.
“Why do you insult my clothing? It's comfortable?”
“Nobody could take you seriously, dressed as a cave person. You don't seem like an idiot, but you look like one. If you wish to continue your studies, you had best figure out how to look respectable.”
"I understand what you're saying, but all of this requires lots of time. Time and money. I don't have much in the way of silver, do you have any ideas how to earn some coin?"
“I don't know, you could sign up for an adventuring contract. But a big brute like you? I'm sure you could find some ready work with some undesirables in this filth pit city. Or you could steal. If your oversized muscles don't get in your way, there are plenty of rich men who leave their windows open at night. You could also kill for money. Its not savory, but its your best solution for the problem of time versus money.”
“I don't think I need to be made aware, of how little I know. I understand that I am quite ignorant. I am very new to this, but it seems I have some sort of affinity, or knack. Maybe, if I can't learn from a horrible old wizard, you can teach me?”
“And why would I do something like that?” she turns her head to face you.
WHAT DO YOU SAY NOW?

>She is concerned that a reckless arcane student will endanger her with unwanted attention.

>>17749067
"Well, you went out of your way to help me here even if you didn't have to. You wouldn't do it if you were not interested in my well-being. Besides, if you're close to me, you can make sure I wont do anything stupid". Smile.

"Of course you don't have to. I'm just wondering."

“Well, you went out of your way to help me here even if you didn't have to. You wouldn't do it if you were not interested in my well-being. Besides, if you're close to me, you can make sure I wont do anything stupid,” you say, and end with a charming smile.

“Look, I'm not temple whore, nor am I a courtesan. I don't practice seduction, or work at being a slut. But I think you're an incredibly attactive boy. A bit young for my tastes... but certainly developed,” she eyes you up and down. “No, I certainly wouldn't mind you being around. You're a nice thing to look at.”

“Well, what are we going to do?”

“Look, just leave Nal alone, and how about tonight... we go out, listen to some fool pick a lute? I'd like that.”

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17749171
"Hmm... You really seem to dislike Nal.
But I need to gain knowledge from far and wide even if that means learning from people like him.
...You shouldn't worry too much, he did say that he doesn't tutor anymore."

>we go out, listen to some fool pick a lute? I'd like that.”
"Sure. That would be lovely. Where and when do you want to meet?"
After she tells us that.
"Okay, I'll see you there. Now I'm going to go over those books I picked up, I spent weeks coming here for the knowledge, now I just need to act upon it.
Thank you, Sayrala."
After that, go back to the library and read introduction of each book at least. Spend the entire day like that and later meet with Sayrala again.

“Meet me at the Branded Boar Tavern, just down the road from the library. Tonight, around eight o'clock.” She gets up off the rail, strolls by you and gifts you with a sudden kiss. She continues walking off back to the street and out of sight. “Tonight!” you hear her shout as she disappears.

You return to the library, and pour over the books Nal instructed you to. Your mind is distracted though, with the though of Sayrala's swaying hips. Books on elemental composition, a history of some strange art called necromancy, which seemed filled with more hope than facts. Another book covered the unnatural abilities of various wild beasts. One whole book was a discussion on the concept of 'it', time and place. There seemed to be little rhyme or reason to this. But, never one to give up, you soldier on... well distracted by the pleasing shape of Sayrala's figure.

You arrive at the Branded Board an hour before your appointed time. A very lively tavern. Happy faces from a very mix social strata. Rich merchants chat with painted up whores, beggars spin marvelous stories to traveling nobles. In the corner a half elf dances his skilled fingers on the strings and frets of a shiny red wood lute. You order a tall ale and sit in the corner, with a good view of the entry way, and wait. It's a good ale. So you order another. Then another, and another, and another. Somewhere around midnight, the crowd begins to filter out. You try to count them up, you've had eight ales... the bar man asks you if you wish to get a room tonight, there is still one available. You agree, and despite swimming vision, carry yourself up the stairs and into your room. You awake, to a cold, grey morning.
WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17749336
???
Wait, what is this?
Didn't we have a date with Sayrala? Or she didn't came?
I don't get it

>>17749394
>she said meet at the tavern named the branded boar. you showed up. she didn't. You've been stood up.
>WHAT NOW? heh.

>>17749394
Well damn. She distracted from our studies and didn't bother to show up?
tsk

Anyway, hurry up to the library again. If we are earlier than Nal, then quickly go over the books again.

>>17749422

well we reviewed the material that Nel wanted.

Lets go learn from the best wizard

You return to the library the next day, and standing at a desk in the back is the 'dreaded' Nal Sahlysot. He doesn't look so dread inspiring, just old. “Well,” with a raspy voice. “Did you do your reading?”

“The thing about magic, is that nobody understands it. Rote magic, as we practice, is a very studied, and analyzed things. Sure people come up with new spells, and write them down, and pass them around. Well, fools do anyhow. Remember, knowledge is power, hide it well. But it seems really, we're drawing triangles in a circle. You can draw as big of a triangle as you want in that circle. And make another few perfect triangles in those spaces. And again, and again to infinity. But, you're still just drawing perfect little triangles inside this triangle. But there is more to magic out there,” he pauses and taps his thin lips. “It seems magic, as we humans practice it, is also geographically, and seasonally affected. I am lead to believe there are certain well springs, and invisible lines that connect them, and our proximity to them and degree of obstruction to these.. paths, affect how our magic works. I've traveled to places where when you cast a simple fire spell, you end up with a forest fire. I literally burned down a forest. Where you have to spend more of your concentration, on stopping a flood gate of power, then you do from opening it. Other places, when you cast a spell for fire, your hand barely heats. I have some theories, but you must understand these principles.” He makes you practice several mental exercises, again with the separating your mind for seeing, knowing. Separating perceiving from understanding. Through a few experiments, he helps you think-twice... perceive something and understand it, at separate times. At first it seems stupid, and hard for your very analytical mind to understand... but eventually, you pick it up.

You find the two minds do not agree, often. Which one do you trust? Neither he says. And that is the key! You spend several days with him, and it seems you are relearning everything all over again, in a new, brighter, light. Three weeks go by, and you have comprehended the basic magical alphabet all over ago, he let's you read from one of his grimoires . You start your own, and stick to very basic stuff. A light spell, keener vision spell, a small warding, a tiny scrying spell. You learn more complex spells, that affect more things in a greater fashion, require regeants. Silly toad's eyes, and king's sage etc. You focus on quick spells that you can cast by invoking a few magical words and gesturing. Especially ones you can gesture with a sword. As the days go by, you become very good friends with Nal. You share stories. He tells you about hidden temples and fallen kingdoms, which feeds your sense of exploration. He is very interested in your stories about devil women and vampires. You have debates about the role of magic in society. Nal thinks that sorceror princes would best rule people. You are not so sure. You talk about women and love, and he shows you many excellent poems on the subjects. Not since you were a slave, have you had a real friend.

One day, you show up, but Nal does not. You continue on with your instructed material. You practice a little mind exercise or two. You even try levitating. Maybe it worked? Your mind was split, and you neither perceived or knew it, but you think it did. The whole day passes. Nothing. You come back the following day, and wait. And the following day. Nothing. You were hoping that as a promising student, he could lend you a few talents or at least a few crowns, because you spent the last coin you had on a room and stew last night. You scour the city, and find a nice little warm hole near a chimney three stories up in a cave of brick and timber. You return to the library, and just page through books. The following day, at the steps of the library, you don't even bother going in.

After living in the city for over a week, you've got an idea of who owns and does what on this little corner. There is a half dwarf named Henk who operates a little fencing business in an alley not far from here. You approach him one morning, and he sizes you up.
“Aren't you a strapping fellow? What can I do you for? I'm not interested in buying swords right now.”
“Do you need anything stolen?”
“Hah! WHAT?! No I don't do anything like that,” he shifts his eyes around looking at who is standing nearby. He lowers his head, and whispers, “come back when the sun goes down.”

>>17749520
>Nal is gone
Why didn't we try to find out what happened to him? If what Sayrala said was true then he must have many enemies and could have been killed or something.

You wander the streets for a few hours. Well, you aren't one to pity yourself, so you put your chin up, and go back to the library. The little old dwarf who tends the place comes up to you. “Oh, a woman came by, and said to give this to you.” It's a letter. You open it and read it.

Its a letter from Sayrala, she apologizes for not showing up. The paper itself smells nice. She encourages your studies and says she hopes you two will meet again, hopefully soon. She has no idea when she'll come back to the city. She apologizes some more, and comments on how nice a night being held with you would have been.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>sorry for the wall of text guys. I actually wrote out her letter, but it kept saying "part of your post can't be posted". I dunno. I hope you don't find Mt. Text intimidating or railroading. I came up with some bones and notes in a lull. Thank you very much for you kind gentlemen's attention. I hope this is as fun for you, as it is for me.

>>17749567
I like big updates. They are a big rail-roady but I don't mind that.

>>17749552
>WHAT DO YOU DO?

Try to find out what happened to Nal. Shit's important. Find out where he lives and strat from there.

>>17749552
We might want to meet that dwarf too. We are strapped for cash, perhaps he has a job for us.

You ask the old dwarf own tends to the library where Nal could have left to. He scoffs and returns to his duties. You push the issue, and say that you're worried about him. Where did he live? The dwarf is dodgy, but becomes exasperated. “He lived in the manor quarter. He lived with a member of the former royal family, an absolute little bastard. “His name was Tenathin Ul-Markaaic.”

You leave the library after sundown, and return to Henk, and inquire further about work. He tells you that he could really use a nobles signet ring. How it is strange, that desire and destiny meet?

You take off immediately for the Noble quarter, high above the rest of the city, on a massive granite block. You pass through slums, markets, slave trading blocks, residential neighborhoods, parks and bazaars. You ask around about the home of Ul-Maraaic, and are guided to it fairly easily. It is a large palace, with a wide courtyard, which is particularly unusual for a town like this, with space so precious as it is. It appears to be lightly guarded by a small detail of lazy hired thugs. You decide it is best, to steal your way in. You have no business with the deposed nobility, and trying to explain it would be a great, and possibly unfruitful hassle.

You hope over a fence, up a wall and in through a window. The lamps are all lit, but seem to low on oil. The place seems empty. All the furniture and trappings are there, just no people. You snoop around, and find the palace to be completely in perfect condition. Its just as if someone left suddenly. You make you way to what could be considered a study. You poke around a bit, but find the one plaster wall in here to be quite out of place with the otherwise fine stonework of the building. You push feel around, and find a hidden door. You grab a candle and enter, through the false wall. There is a stairwell. You follow the tight stoneway down, as it curves in a neat spiral until, what must be two stories down, it opens into a cavern. Or a arbitoire would be more appropriate.

Parts of mangled bodies lay strewn about what would pass for a normal laboratory, if it were not for the gross display of carnage. Some hands are pulled apart by pins, elsewhere there are half sawed open heads. Books liter these 'experiments', with vials of chemicals and ink wells. Someone was conducting an awful study here. But the grand piece, in the middle, hanging from hooks, is a dead, flayed man, with the skin of his back stretched out by tiny hooks and chains, his eyes pulled out, his face scratched in a meticulous design, his intestines hanging down into a pool on the ground. He was puffy and stank of a hundred hells. You examine the body, and on the finger is a golden ring, with the family crest.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17749795
This must be Nel's study. Did the noble find him out and try to confront him with guards? Doesn't matter. We must collect any and all books and notes that we can find here. Snoop around a bit to find anything else of value. Take the ring from the body.
Then, make sure to close the hidden door and put the poster back. Afterwards, snoop around the mansion a bit more, try to find the Noble's room and steal money/valuables.
If there is a danger of being found out, use magic to conceal yourself. If we do not know rote magic like that, use rude magic and invent a spell on the fly.

Stealthy leave the mansion and bring the ring to the Dwarf. Make sure that you are getting adequately paid for it. We are a smart man and can calculate how much such a mission could cost.

Also, look for the guard's quarters, or an armory - perhaps the noble's bedroom itself. Bearing his clothing or weaponry in public might eventually come back to bite us, but selling it now, or finding some decent armor or a bow might not hurt. (pic unrelated, but awesome)

>>17749988
CLOTHES!

We should loot some presentable looking clothes.
And armor too if we find armory.

You poke around the laboratory. Nothing of use. Anything that was magically important, Nal must have taken with him. You return to the study, and repair the door. You find the nobles bedroom, and lift a few bracelets, rings, a sack of coins and necklaces. A handsome haul, all told. Still, nobody else moves in this palace. You look for an armory, or some place where family weapons may be held. You find several ceremonial daggers, a part of a set which seem to invoke the names of some ancient heroes. You wrap them in a sheet and make a sort of make shift back pack out of it. There appears to be no armor, but you have more than enough to buy some. You sneak out the way you came, shuffle down the side of the building, over the wall, and into the street.

You steal away into the night. Returning to Henk, who is closing up his shop. He nods with approval and tells you to follow him. You arrive at a place that looks like an absolute pit, but there are guards out front. They recognize him, and let the two of you in. It is a warm place, with walls covered in red velvet. You descend a stair case and meet a beautiful woman barely clothed. Henk and her exchange pleasantries. You are guided to a table in a open area women women dance, and... make love with each other on a stage. There are some very finely dressed men in the hall with you. Drinks are brought out to you, and drink hard from the strong wines. A woman pulls you to a back room, and you are quickly done with her, leaving her a tangle pile of pleased.

Then another comes and another. Eventually you are neck deep in three women all trying to take pleasure from you in a massive pillowed den. You are reminded, of previous events, what now seems like another life. You freeze, and lose all connection with the world around you. The women whimper and fall lazily over you. You pet them and say sweet things, but get up and return to Henk, who has a half elf buxom beauty in his lap. He dismisses her and the two of you talk about payment. He slides you a small purse, with what feels like four gold talents, worth forty gold coins. Enough to rent an in and food for a month, and buy some new clothes. You tie the purse to your belt and tuck it away, in what little clothes you have.

You return the next day, and Henk offers you another job. You take it, and accomplish it quickly. The next day, another. The days go by like this, then it turns into the weeks go by. Stealing about in the night, stealing this, intimidating that, spying on this. Most of the time you are drunk. You don’t even remember the last time you visited the library. You lose all sense of time. Though you make plenty in Henk's employ, you spend it on stupid and extravagant things, nights with ten whores, buying multiple rounds in taverns and such. You do acquire some clothes, which are more fitting for the town. You sneak into the bedrooms of noblemen's wives and fat, rich merchants daughters and steal their hearts. You once even stole the ring off a tax collecting provincial marshal after sleeping with his wife in the kitchen, and daughter later in the laundry area. IN THE SAME NIGHT! The weeks become months, and the months over a year. You make many friends of scoundrels and probably many more enemies of wealthy and cuckolded husbands. You must be eighteen, nineteen now?

One night, with two loving and familiar whores draped on your arms, you are providing a great time in a tavern, a round of drinks! Another! The bard in the corner picks his lute for you, and even sings a little ditty to your wit, and grace. You turn to the doorway, and see a blackhaired man with pale skin, a large red haired Elishe barbarian, and a beautiful Noenne woman who might pass as an enchanter...

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>How many bros do we have checking in on this quest?

>>17750076
>>17750084
>>17750092

JESUS! I was going to suggest to spend time practicing and learning magic after that job, using the money sparsely, enough to survive. Suddenly we are a Gangsta and a Playa?
lol.

Anyway, sober up. And approach the enchanter. This might be our favorite Noenne woman.

>>17750125
I'm here.

Sayrala looks at you from the doorway. Tela, the woman on your left arm whispers, “who is that?”
You cast off the women and make your way to the trio in the doorway. Are you at the Branded Boar? You look around. Your head swims a bit, and you concentrate all your mental energy, and you feel more stable. No longer swimming in a sea of liquid bliss, or something like it. “Sayrala?”

“Jamithan,” she replies flatly.

“I, I...”

The two men with her go and take a seat in the back of the tavern. The two of you are left staring at each other. “I don't know what to say.”

“It's okay, you don't have to say anything.”

She approaches you, and buries her head in your shoulder. Your previous company scoffs and walks off to another corner of the venue. Awkwardly, you wrap you arms around her, and hold her. She is small, and soft, and you smell the sweet fragrance you remember from her letter. “I've missed you.”

She pulls back, and looks you in the eye. “Let's sit.”

You join her and her two companions Jaynce and Chroi. They order a few pints of bitter. And sit solemnly. “Where have you been?” you ask.

“Everywhere,” Jaynce states, and takes a drink. The look mostly the same, a little wearier, and a few more scars.

“Giangreco, the colonies of Thon, the Imperial capitol, the Wildernesse. We've crossed the world, and come back again, so it would seem.” Sayrala states.

“So it would seem,” you reply.

WHAT DO YOU DO NOW?

>>17750125
Well.... more people will join later, I'm sure.

>>17750305
>Awkwardly, you wrap you arms around her, and hold her. She is small, and soft, and you smell the sweet fragrance you remember from her letter. “I've missed you.”
but we had known her only for few hours, why all the emotions?

>WHAT DO YOU DO NOW?
Dunno, talk to her.... I guess? About .... stuff....
Eh, I don't really want to talk about what we had been doing, wish we spent more time learning magic and stuff than playing around.
Ask her what she's been up to. Why she went to travel around the world.

>>17750343
>you're a little more emotionally attached to the idea of sane people. You're rather embarrassed for what you've become. A drunken rogue. She thought you had some sort of promise, and what did you do? Boozed and slept around. While FUCKYEA as that may be, she has reminded you of everything you should have been....

>As for her, well, we have no idea what she went through. And maybe, you're a striking man, who leaves a good impression?

>>17750414
Bah.
Compose ourself. We might have not done exactly what we came here to do but I assume we amassed good deal of wealth and power, at least THAT is something to be proud of... somewhat.

We can tell her that after she disappeared, we spent time studying with Nal but soon he disappeared too. Then we started working to make money and to make ends meet had less and less time left for studies and no one to tutor us. ...If she asks. If she doesn't then leave the topic be.

“So, what caused you to tramp about the globe?”

“We went where the gold would take us,” Jaynce replies. “There was some personal stuff in there too. Found my brother and whatnot.”

“Have you been working on your arcane studies?” Sayrala asks.

“I have taken a less conventional path...” you answer awkwardly.

Jaynce leans over, “Well, we're only in town for a day. There isn't much for us here, we're on the road again.”

Sayrala looks away.

“We've heard stories about a master thief who lives in Lija. A tall, blonde man built like a titan. Have you heard of him? We're in need of a fourth for our contract, and since we lost Ulvay, we've been without a good lock pick and burglar.”

You squint and a million thoughts race through your mind...

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17750473
>You squint and a million thoughts race through your mind...
>
>WHAT DO YOU DO?

If we stay here longer, we will go down the path of decadency and will never get out of it again.
Lets talk with Sayrala in the private, she wasn't apprehensive with the idea of teaching us arcane magic. Ask her to let you join their party and in return for your services as a master rogue she will teach you the arcane arts.
Before leaving, sell everything we don't need anymore (if we have holdings, sell them, if we have other non-adventure stuff like pretty clothes, useless rings sell them too). Buy good equipment for adventure, a masterwork light armor and great-sowrd (we use great-swords, right?).
Collect arcane books, buy them or take them from the library. We will need them to learn more about arcane and stuff.

>>17750473
>>17750537

Oh, also, don't forget to bid farewell to your new friends, to Hank. Tell them that you are taking a break and do not know when you will be back again.

[I didn't misinterpret, right? These guys will leave the city and wont come back again... right?]

>>17750551
>You are correct sir.

>>17750583
Alright, it's time to ditch this joint and go on ADVENTURE!

“I think I know of the man you speak of,” you say. “But he's a hopeless amateur arcanist, and needs a proper instructor. Do you know of one? I heard one has come to Lija for, only a day longer.”

Sayrala smiles.

“Alright then,” Jaynce says. “We'll go by Andraxo and Associates tomorrow, meet us there a little after noon. We will ride in the afternoon, for the coast.”

At a timely moment, when the two men get up, you lean over to Sayrala. “So, can you teach me?”

“In due time. We'll have plenty of time to talk on the road...” She sighs and gives a long blink. “plenty of time.”

Jaynce and Chroi return. Sayrala stands to join them. “Alright,” Jaynce announces. “We're off for the night then. We'll see on the 'marrow.”

“I look forward to it,” you reply.


They leave the tavern. You pay for a round of drinks for the whole bar and leave. You go to a fancy apartment you've rented and filled with many treasures you've acquired, through purchase or theft. Despite being a terribly late hour, you pack up the most valuable items and hike to to meet Henk. Tonight, he will be at his home. You sneak in through the back, as not to be seen by any men on the street, or curious onlookers. His wife greets you warmly at the back door. A former whore from you two's favorite carnal den. You go inside and see his one year old asleep in a well made crib (that you gave as a gift to them.) Henk is sitting in his living room, smoking a pipe. You drop the bag of goods at his feet. “Henk, I cannot explain, but I have to go.”

“What the hell is this?”

“There is a hundred talents worth of goods in there. You can have everything that is left in my apartment as well. That's worth another twenty talents.”

“What in all the hell and damnation on my accursed soul do you think you're doing?” he demands.
“Give me whatever you can, and that suit of light plate that you haven't been able to get rid of. I'll also need a better sword, and... something to eat.”

“Alright alright,” he puts the pipe down. “But, you're my best friend, the least you can do, is explain to me what the hell is going on.”

“I'm leaving. I don't know what it is thats out there for me, but I know something... on the road, maybe in Giangreco, maybe in the capitol... I know that there is some other life that is actually mine out there, and I need to find it.”

He hangs his head and slowly nods. “Okay, well.. let's see what we can find.” He digs up eight talents of gold, and that set of armor, and a decent, well balanced greatsword. Not much is said, but you can see its hard for him to hold back how he feels. “You know, you were like a son Jamithan.”

You smile and laugh a bit, “Henk, if you let your boy grow up to be a whoring, drunken thief, I think you'll be disappointed in yourself.”

Henk smiles back and his face turns red as he chokes back tears. He leans over and hugs you around your midsection. “Alright, be safe, and come back with all your limbs.”

You say goodbye to Henk, and his wife, and head out into the night.

>>17750706
I didn't realize they were so close.
We should have said "heh, and you were a like a father I've never had" or something like that.

You stay up all night, too excited to sleep. You pace around the city, and say good bye to many half asleep friends. When the dawn comes, you write a letter to Nal and leave it with the dwarven librarian. You get a good hearty breakfast of a meat stew, bacon, bread, and some honey butter. When noon rolls around you make your way to the harbor area, and come up to Andraxo and Associates. You enter the building and see a half dozen ruffians, with various amounts of fingers, and eclectic armor. A grey orc sword son seizes you by the shoulder. You are impressed by his elaborately braided black beard. “Hey son, I've got a map to a treasure hidden by Arrik bandits a thousand years ago... whataya say?” You nod and express that you're not interested.

About half an hour after noon, the door opens and the trio of Chroi, Jaynce and Sayrala enter. They are all smiles. You meet the contracting officer who draws their adventuring band's charter. You see the previous half dwarf's name has been lined out. The officer has you sign the contract, which entitles you to one quarter of all spoils. On any commissioned work through the company, the company takes one half of the award, and the rest is split evenly amongst the party. You pay him ten gold for funeral expenses, and sign your name. The four of you go outside, where you see four horses tied to the front of the building. Jaynce looks to you, “Her name is Bolt, and she's ever bit of her name.” A massive black charger, probably from Alk. An impressive beast to be sure. You mount the horse, which you're not particularly good at. Everyone giggles at your awkward posture on the horse. Chroi takes off, Jance follows and so does Sayrala. You take off riding, as best you can manage and leave the city. Over the fields and to the eastern coast, on cool Edagnian winters day.

SO ENDS THE CHAPTER OF JAMITHAN THE ROGUE

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17750841
>WHAT DO YOU DO?
Umm... ride further to the destination?
Or do you mean generally.

Well, we get closer to Sayrala during our journeys. She teaches us the arcane studies and magic that we have been neglecting for the past year. We will try apply magic as much as possible and use it often. But during the job, we will rely on our tried and true Rogue skills and tricks.

>An updated map.

>Its 0032 where I am at, and I have to be at work at 0730. So I think I'm going to archive this and rack out. And start back up around 0830... so eight hours from now.

>I greatly appreciate your time and attention anon. You've been a great partner these last few hours. Thank you very much. I hope you join back in tomorrow, and help me quest some adventure.

>>17750841

get riding lessons from the others, no sense in looking stupid or hurting our selves

>>17750973
The pleasure was all mine. I was wondering how long you would continue. You've been running this session for almost the whole day.
It is 00:06 here. I think I'll go to sleep too. See you tomorrow :)

I think the thread is already archived.

>>17750989

>lol. Good point. The future ruler of the world can't very well, look stupid on a horse.

bump for glory and epic quest

!!

>>17750989
>>17751069

Heh. You're right.