Tallius Urist

Barter: 2/5
Streetsmarts: 1/5
Strength: 2/5
Cunning: 3/5
Charisma: 4/5
Business 1/5
Marksmanship 1/5

Inventory:

Senatorial Signet Ring (Currently hidden on the Automata in the tower."

Concealed Dagger, Inscription reads "Imperator" (Buried by Miaya, location unknown.)

Two Iron Daggers.

Crossbow, 49 bolts.

Dignity

3,870 Gold

Holdings:

Fine horse-drawn cart, valued at 500 gold.

The Clock Tower Tavern, standard configuration, capacity of 50 souls. Basic Brewery on site. Estimated sale value 20,000 gold.

Deactivated Automata, type unknown, properties unknown, sale price unknown.


Employees:

Sif: Barmaid with unusual strength and little tact. Weekly Wage of 30. Insurance pool deposit of 10.

Martellus: Burly academic with brewing and barman skills. Weekly wage of 30. Insurance pool deposit of 10. Contracted for Barkeeping lessons.

Miaya: Eccentric Painter, Cook, and Huntress, in that order. Knows Tallius is actually Marcus Sertorius, seems willing to keep this to herself. For now. Weekly wage of 30. Insurance pool deposit of 10. Contracted for Hunting lessons.

You have close cropped brown hair, and are clean shaven. You will remain so, lest someone recognize your once distinctive facial hair. Your wife used to call your eyes liar's blue. You and Lucretia were not on the best of terms at the time, but she has a point there. You are currently wearing a simple cotton shirt with some brown trousers, tied together with a fashionable sash. Classy, if simple.

>>24904629
First!

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>>24904699
Fir- aw damnit

How's the elf? Not dead yet?

Your eyes bulge as Miaya bleeds out on the floor, the cheers of your guests going silent as the cost of the rescue becomes apparent. Powerlessness fills you. Your hands turn the huntress over, but her eyes are glossy, moving with not distinct pattern or will, focusing on nothing. You know you shouldn't move her, but in a panic you aim to do just that, if only to assuage your growing sense of uselessness.

The students of the Academy are often taught medicine, and you remember Martellus treating your sparring injuries. You turn to the man as he approaches, "Can't you do anything, anything at all?" Your voice's wavering betrays your thoughts on Miaya's chances. Even with your lack of medical knowledge, you know that bolt looks to have pierced her heart. She needs a miracle.

Sif looks at her friend with a desperate look in her eyes. " Marty, come on! I know you have something..." Her voice implies she knows something that he can do, though you see that Martellus is in no hurry to do it, whatever it is.

Martellus looks thoughtful. The barman closes his eyes, as if coming to an internal decision, and nods his head before speaking, " ...put her on the table. Be expedient. Careful. I require a blade..." His voice is without tone, a seriousness filling him that stands apart from even his normally solemn manner. It shocks you.

To your surprise the Association members help you lift her, the Peddler too focused on his unconscious progeny to aid his rescuer. Rialla nods to you, apparently not too drunk to help. You cannot see Dalin, but you assume he does the same below.

One of the guards almost loses grip of her as you lift the elf. He curses, "Fuck me, so much blood..."

As you lay her on the table, you note how the taproom is dark with the windows all barricaded. You call, "Light! Get me a damn light!"

Someone lights a lantern an brings it over. You look up to see the Peddler, tears still in his eyes, his done slumped peacefully in a chair behind him.

>>24904949
Someone lights a lantern and brings it over. You look up to see the Peddler, tears still in his eyes, his son slumped peacefully in a chair behind him. Th elight glints from one of Rialla's many blades, now in Maretellus' hands.

" Hold her. Hold her securely. If she is allowed to move, and the pain will make her try, there will be nothing I can do for her." Martellus places the knife over Miaya, edge pointing towards where the bolt has entered her back.

STRENGTH, two dice.

Rolled 27

>>24904991
WE MUST HOLD!

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Rolled 67

>>24904949
All of my dice.

Also guys if she kicks it our dagger is gone forever. Hate to be "that guy" but if she regains consciousness we should probably ask her where it is....

Rolled 32, 73 = 105

>>24904991
Everything is d6s right

>>24905013

Actually, it's d100s, one per post, unless specifically indicated.

Rolled 55

>>24905008
>>24905010

>>24905013
>Asked about d6s, rolled d100s.
I need more coffee.

Threadly reminder that the updated Ebook can be found at http://pastebin.com/kbGzcbDb

>>24905032

Miaya strains against your hands, convulsions rocking her body as it responds in shock to both your rough handling and it's own grievous injuries. Though you fear she will overcome the efforts of those holding her, her fit subsides just as you feel your arms giving out, and Martellus remains uninterrupted as he probes the wound with his knife.

He shakes his head, and Miaya begins coughing up blood, the thick liquid pooling on the table and dripping to the floor of the taproom like a leaking faucet. Her eyes roll back and convulsions resume.

" She's fading!" Sif yells.

" Do it now!" Dalin adds, though you imagine that is medically inadvisable.

Martellus passed the blade to Sif, indicates a fold of flesh he had cut loose. She fumbles.

" Dammit, hold the knife right!" Martellus curses at her, the pressure getting even to him. She corrects more deftly than you would have. He goes back into the wound with his own.

There is a sickening sound and Martellus removes the bolt. This goes against everything you know, shouldn't the bolt be left in to stop the bleeding?

" It's out!" Sif yells again.

" Seal the wound." You add, trying to be useful by stating the obvious.

"She's lost too much!" Dalin cries. You fear he's right, the removal has causes Miaya to spurt her lifeblood over all present, the table almost waterlogged in gore.

Martellus closes his eyes again. "Yes, she has. I need a bigger knife." Your eyes widen. What is he thinking.

" What?!?" You vocalize your doubts, joined by most of the others present.

Martellus silently pulls Miaya's long, curved knife from where she keeps it, against her leg. He examines it, and finds is acceptable. He looks you in the eye.

" There is only one way to do this now, Master Tallius. It will require abilities I both abhor and possess, and may well cost us two lives if I fail."

He closes his eyes once more, struggling with himself. " Though I have not the right, I promise you, I will not fail."

>>24905238
Sif looks at the barman. "What do we need to do?"

He cannot meet her eyes. " Only one of you. I will plunge this knife into her through them, and your life will buoy hers on the stormy seas it now attempts to stay afloat in. It cannot be me, I must preform the preparation. Choose, or let her die, mundanity can do nothing more."

>>24905291
Well we can't ask anyone else to do this. So I guess we're doing it ourself.

Rolled 14

>>24905291
Let's do this ourselves. It was our choice to go after the boy so it's our fault she was injured.

>>24905340
And that's the story of how we ded.

>>24905340
"I will be the buoy."

Captcha: Calm yosulf

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>>24905340
>>Let's get stabbed in the chest.

Yea... what the fuck. I guess all the other awful choices we've made are making this a good one.

Alternatively, do we have time to drag a dying soldier inside and use him? Not exactly the most heroic thing but we've got priorities here.

>>24905386

You can look, but Miaya may well be dead by the time you return, she has lost a catastrophic amount of blood. Martellus cannot raise the dead, only bend the rules.

>>24905386
Muh name.

>>24905404
Not saying it's a great plan guys, but I'd really like to avoid getting stabbed. Any input?

>>24905404
Well then, time to get stabbed.

We must look on the bright side, if we die, all the people looking for us will waste years scouring the world and never find us.

Trolling from beyond the grave.

>>24905404
Fuck it, let's get stabbed. Tullius' whole life has been one long parade of terrible ideas and disgrace, may as well try and do something noble for once.

>>24905455
>>24905437

Alright I guess, supporting this. Let's think happy thoughts and hope the dice gods don't hate us tonight.

>>24905431
I mean, I suppose we could throw someone in the tavern into the line of fire. Not exactly a good way to keep friends though, lest we repeat the prior political failures ALL OVER AGAIN.

Rolled 12

>>24905431
We could get the old peddler to do it but he would likely die. So we could try that if your comfortable sacrificing someone else.

>>24905506
The old peddler probably wouldn't be comfortable with that, you know.

>>24905523
We saved his son's life I think he would do it to repay us.

>>24905523
Is there a polite way to ask somebody to make themselves a living sacrifice in a heretical blood ritual? Because really that feels like the most square solution. We did save his son and all.

I say we ask him, and if he won't, we do it.

>>24905569
Not really fair to ask though.

If he steps up and offers, sure, but otherwise, we'll do it ourself.

>>24905404
Let's do it, it's our fault Miaya ended up like this after all.

>>24905291
...Considering the way our live has shaped out, there are much much worse ways to die.

It wouldn't hurt to ask if anyone volunteers, otherwise let's do this Tallius.

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>>24905569
We can use that later. We should just do this ourselves. Might be a psychedelic experience.

It might attract more business if customers hear about the brave tavern owner risking his life to save both a child and an elf.

>>24905608
>Let's do it, it's our fault Miaya ended up like this after all.

I still don't accept this proposition at all by the way. But fine. Supporting >>24905627.Ask for volunteers (stare conspicuously at old man) then do it ourselves.

Tallius Urist is a construct, a ramshackle collection of ideas and falsehoods and indistinct goals. A construct built from the ruins of a different man entirely. A simulation of an ordinary man, meant to hide a extraordinary coward.

Marcus Sertorius was real man. He did things that mattered. People knew him, loved him, remembered him. He was not worthy of any of that. He lived for himself and his, never aspired to more. Yet, when the time came, he ran even from those he told himself he could never abandon. He ran, and continued running. He never fought, never confronted his foes. He was not brave, or good, or noble. And he died running, coming apart at the seams and falling apart like some child's doll pretending at humanity. And through this action, this cowardly flight, he lived even as he perished. Marcus Sertorius died so that Marcus Sertorius could escape.

But Tallius Urist, as fake as he may be, was born for another purpose. A nobler one.

It is time to stop running.

" I will be the buoy." The words fall form your mouth, but you do not hear them. Everything in your gut tells you this is the end. The final mistake. The punchline in the joke of you.

Martellus looks at you gravely. Sif is outraged, screaming her opposition. You cannot hear her. Rialla nods, a look of respect on her face. Dalin looks confused, as if he cannot understand what you are doing. The peddler is slack jawed, in awe.

At Martellus' instruction Miaya's now limp form is lifted from the table, and held in front of you. Her heart is lined with yours, her back to your chest and Martellus begins chanting as he holds the knife in both hands, one palm bracing the pommel to drive it home. Color drains from the room, and you shiver as Martellus' eyes shine red, impossibly vibrant against the gray of the world around him.

>>24905743
You close your eyes, and take a deep breath. Someone is crying, you note, as your hearing returns. It may even be you. You almost laugh instead. There are worse ways to die, you suppose. You open your eyes just as Martellus ceases his chant and drives the knife into Miaya. She twitches as it passes through her. The sound of rending flesh rips through to your ears, and your vision goes black as your chest catches flame.

STRENGTH, four dice.

Rolled 70

>>24905786
>inb4 crit fail

Rolled 75

>>24905743
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoBFhdeR9PE

Rolled 30

>>24905786

Rolled 16

>>24905786
>>24905743


My god, barkeep, that was amazing. rolling.

Rolled 22

>>24905786

>>24905799
>>24905803
>>24905807
>>24905808
I hope two successes was enough...

Rolled 95

>>24905786
.

Rolled 48

>>24905786
Could this be the end of Tavern Quest?

>>24905786
Being the hero the tavern industry deserves.

>>24905838
If we even got two.

Rolled 12

>>24905844
muh roll

If we die, our last words should be "I just...wanted to run a tavern."

>>24905862
There's no point in rolling, we already have our 4 rolls. Fate is sealed.

>>24905842
>>24905808
>>24905833
Yes.

Yes it could.

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Rolled 100

>>24905833
>>24905808
>>24905807

...All I wanted to do was run a tavern.

>>24905874
Thank the dice gods, that was terrible on my part.

>>24905907
The dices confirm that you wanted to run a tavern.

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Rolled 47

>>24905907
>>24905841
Why didn't you roll sooner?

>>24905907
Looks like you'd have run the best damned tavern there ever was, with a roll like that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fQC3FsUmC8

This basically summarizes my late rolls.

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>>24905907
Voting to blame everything on Wrong Knight.

>>24905799
>>24905803
>>24905807
>>24905808

The pain is all you can focus on. But you choose to focus on it. Denied options beyond enduring or submitting, you choose to fight. It is the worst you have ever felt, no, that's not right. This is the worst physical pain you have ever felt. But having a knife thrust into your heart seems less terrible when the organ in question has already been hurt in so intimate a fashion.

So you endure. You endure though time itself conspires against you, all efforts to quantify your torment falling away into the mists the pain has called to your mind. You fight, you endure, you push, you rage against the darkness. Tallius Urist will not settle for the easy way out, the path of least resistance. His name is worth something, he has dignity, and he will fight with all his being along the path he has chosen.

The darkness splits, replaced by the light. You can see, but your mind cannot make sense of what your eyes are viewing.

******************

The city is burning. You don't know what city it is, nor why you are here, but you can tell that it will soon only be a place frequented by the dead and those that have killed them. Ornate marble litters the streets, bodies crushed and rended scatter the stones, and the screams of those dying and those wishing for death echo through the air. The buildings all around are ruined, burned out. There is no single cause, it seems every structure has been attacked thrice in order to make sure of it's desolation.

This must be some hell, you think, your misdeeds have caught up with you, just as you decided to stop running. What is your life but one cosmic irony after another?

>>24906076
Maybe we're seeing some of Miaya's memories, instead of being in hell?

>>24906076

There is a path to the north. The smoke seems thicker that way. Alternatively, you could go through the ruined buildings. It may be safer. But you know not what you seek. The other streets are blocked, by fallen buildings, bodies, and the parts of both.

In your hands is, Father's dagger? Odd. Where to?

>>24906118
NORTHWARD. For to the North lies salvation. Also, if this is hell we can probably secure a sweet gig as Satan's personal assistant if we torture enough people.

>>24906118
Go through the ruined buildings I suppose, no sense blundering into danger without even knowing what we're supposed to do here.

>>24906138
Seconded. We're fucking dead, how can it get worst than that?

>>24906138
Or we could open a tavern in hell.
Imagine the business!

Rolled 78

>>24906138
>Agreed
Maybe he'll let us start a tavern here.

>>24906138
North it is then.

>>24906118
It's never a good idea to go closer to the fire.

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>>24906155
Pic related.

Also, this: >>24906138

>>24906076
I'm gone for a ridiculously small of a thread and already everything has gone to hell?

I'm just going to jump on the bandwagon and say north.

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>>24906288
That's not fair, we aren't sure this is hell yet. Fair odds though with all the fire.

>>24906147
>>how can it get worst than that?
Maybe we should stop asking this.

>>CAPTCHA: Fricasseed ordinaro.
Well that's not encouraging...

North. The inky smoke fills you with dread, but you think, somehow, that whatever has brought you here lies at the source of the flames. After all, if this is hell, what can they do? Kill you again? You are only a man!

You press forward, examining the bodies as you go. The vast majority are civilians, in fine and vibrant colors. A few soldiers in ornate masks lie about, but they are few, and seem to have fallen protecting the defenseless. Their failures litter the streets.

You pass an alley where three lumps lie. Bundles of rags, varying in size. Thinking the bundles may be worth carrying along, you approach.

It is a good thing all you can smell is smoke. You manage to keep your bile when you notice the bundles were once children. What could be their mother lies deeper within the alley. Her face is twisted in abject horror, frozen in the grip of death, her throat savagely cut. The state of her clothes tell you many things, the least terrible being that she was a long time dying.

Most of the bodies, you note, have been Elves. Though there were humans and dwarves spread around, wearing much the same as the other dead. All are butchered equally, it seems.

After too long, and too many sights like that alley, you pass into another square. This one appears to be some sort of palatial square, judging by the quality of stone and clothing upon the dead. The smoke is but another block away, by your judgement. Time to get moving...

CUNNING, 3 dice.

>>24906076
North. Towards our home.

Rolled 57

>>24906353

Rolled 86

>>24906353
Goddamnit.

Rolled 42

>>24906353

Rolled 12

>>24906353
Brutal cunnin time.

>>24906370
Of course.

>>24906353
Let us pray that Satan does not deign to sodomize us with his seven foot spiky red cock.

>>24906366
>>24906369
>>24906370

Six figures enter the square while you consider your situation. Luckily, you are alert, and dart behind some rubble before they notice you. You push aside a soldier's corpse as you do so, attempting not to gag as you note the corpse's lack of lower jaw, and feel it's sagging tongue brush your hand as you move the body.

You peek over the rubble, and raise an eyebrow. Those men are in standard Protectorate military kit. They appear to be casually moving throughout the rubble, checking bodies for signs of life. It is apparent this is not their first pass through the area, they appear inattentive even to your layman's eyes.

Their presence perturbs you. The last urban fighting on any scale was the Sylvan Supression. Father talked of it often, in the sense of a tactical showcase. Maybe this isn't hell, or at least, not the unearthly kind.

Thinking about how to continue, you could announce yourself and your identity, or attempt to sneak by. Perhaps the ruins would hide your passage.

>>24906482
Sneak by, I'm not up for getting gutted by bored soldiers today.

>>24906482
>sneak by
This is obviously the elven genocide that our father ordered.

>>24906482
Sneaky even though we're gonna fail.

>>24906482
Well, if this is some dream-quest recreation of the Sylvan Suppression, as I suspect it is, then we should be looking for past-Miaya. So let's sneak by.

>>24906554
>>we should be looking for past-Miaya. So let's sneak by.
>>Implying we -aren't- past-Miaya.

>>24906581
I feel like we might have noticed if we were now a female elf.

>>24906607
We never checked.

Rolled 35

>>24906526
We may be him since we are holding his dagger.
>>24906482
But we should try and sneak by.

>>24906607
>>24906648
Well then, Bartender, what's the official word from a quick glance at our personage.

Are we still ourself?

>>24906664
Also how about our facial hair?

Still clean-shaven?

>>24906554
>>24906544
>>24906526
>>24906502

You resolve to sneak by the men, It should not too difficult considering their lax discipline. You doubt they expect to find anyone else in the city, and are simply following an overly-cautious commander's orders.

The ruins seems your best bet, so you leave the rubble and bodies behind, entering the ruined structures. For some time you run into no trouble, before you enter another ransacked room, and nearly collide with a surprised Protectorate soldier, who staggers back with a shocked expression upon his face.

You can attack, evade, or bluff. Or surprise me.

>>24906664

You look like you as much as you can tell.

>>24906725
Well, we already know we can't fight worth a shit, we sure as hell aren't going to beat a trained soldier.

So bluff, because it's what we do.

>>24906725
Bluffing all the way, we're not fighters.

>>24906725
bluff our dagger alone should give credence to whatever lie we come up with.

>>24906725
We seem to suck least at bluffing, so go with that.

>>24906754
I'm not sure past experience bears this out but sure, let's bluff.

>>24906725
>>24906725
Bluff. Ask for a status report and show him our dagger.

>>24906786
>>24906774
>>24906764
>>24906754

Bluff seems to be the consensus.

I'm not writing it for you, this time. If it's especially good, I'll give you a bonus.

>>24906814
"Oh thank god, I've been stumbling through this shithole for hours!" Show him the Imperator symbol on our dagger. "Which way to the barracks from here?"

Rolled 67

>>24906847
That'll work.

>>24906847

Charisma, five dice.

Rolled 97

>>24906909
Damn.

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Rolled 88

>>24906909
Here comes the failtrain.

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Rolled 73

>>24906909
HAHA HERE WE GO

Rolled 64

>>24906909

Rolled 46

>>24906909
Rolling for hope that we succeed a social roll

>>24906937
Of course.

...Hopefully it's still good enough.

>>24906916
>>24906927
>>24906928
>>24906933
>>24906937

You think quickly. Quicker, even, than you thought you could. Surprising, and pleasantly so, for once.

"Oh thank god, I've been stumbling through this shithole for hours!" You say, making the presence of your distinctive weapon obvious.

Before you can finish, the soldier sputters, "L-legate! S-sir, please get to the execution ground, t-they're waiting."

Legate? No matter. The man indicated the direction you were heading to be the execution ground. You cannot help but feel you are being guided. Something wants you to proceed to that smoke, but it's too late to turn back now. It's time to put an end to this madness.

The 'execution ground' was once a market. Now it is a charnel house. Hundreds of soldiers preside over dozens of prisoners, their numbers dwindling as they are summarily executed, and they bodies thrown upon the great pyres that burn in the center of the market square.

Those being killed appear to be soldiers, some wounded, some unharmed. A line of political prisoners is waiting, as of yet untouched. They wear berets and vibrant capes rather than armor, signs of their status and wealth.

The Protectorate troops fill in behind you, following in formation. The knife finds it's way into your hands.

The first among them is a young woman, black of hair. A paintbrush decorates her beret, and she wears an emerald cape. Her eyes pierce you. Miaya.

You suspected before, but now you know. This is no hell, it is but a memory of hell on earth.

Suddenly, you are not standing before her. You are watching, a detached observer, floating in the black skies. The man before her is nonetheless familiar. He looks just like you, in fact. Legate. It makes sense now. Legate Nero Sertorius.

" Miaya, how are you?" That faux-warmth you have so often heard. A trap many have fallen into.

He is met with silence.

" Not talkative? That is fine, you need not speak, not to me." Mocking now, no pretense. He enjoys this.

>>24907246
Our father was truly a Racist dick it seems.

On with the excecutions of the prisoners I say.

>>24907246
So how does she get out of this?

I'm pretty sure she wasn't a g-g-ghost.

>>24907433
I don't thinkk she's being executed, she's part of the army.

>>24907433
My money is on either he slit her throat but she survived by just being TOUGH AS NAILS, or he was going to rape her or some such and she escaped.

>>24907466
Oh, good point.

>>24907246

Miays closes her eyes, her face softening. She expects the knife, it's written on her face, she's at peace with it.

Nero smiles. " Oh, you mistake me. I have use for you, yet." He turns to his men, "Untie her. Bring what I agreed." Several men disappear for a moment, while two others untie Miaya and hold her arms in place. Her eyes widen, confusion coloring them.

" I have, Miaya, so enjoyed our time together. I thought I might take one final keepsake, if you would be so very kind." Nero's men bring something. It takes a moment before you realize. It's an easel, paint, a brush.

Nero smiles his rictus of a grin.

" I told you I would have a commission from you before I left. I am many things, but never a liar." Your father is a man of his word, as he would never stop telling anyone who listened. You knew he did bad things in the past, but this, this is nothing but the basest cruelty. It disgusts you. There is no purpose to it.

A tear falls down Miaya's cheek. Her face remains defiant nonetheless.

You don't want to watch, but you do. You watch as her family is killed before her. You watch as a young soldier begs her by name to save him as they cut his throat. You watch her as she records it all with her brush, her face impassive despite the horro.

At the end of it all, Nero has his men escort her out, to inform the other cities. The painting he takes. You remember it well. It hung on the walls of Father's office.

As she rides away with her captors, Miaya begins to scream. They ride through the smoke, the remains of her city wafting through the air.

The scream grows louder, and louder, and louder...

***********

The screaming continues. You open your eyes. The Tavern. You recognize everyone crowded around you, concerned. Realization strikes. You stop screaming.

Miaya is unconscious, laid over you in much the position the dagger had been thrust through the both of you. The pain in your chest is dull now, but still very much present.

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Rolled 18

>>24907433
Fellatio I imagine.

>>24907466
What? No she's a diplomat for the sylvan states. We learned that last wednesday, well like two of us did.

>>24907497
Blood covers you, from whom, you cannot say. Martellus is nowhere to be seen.

Sif leans down. "Tallius, are you okay?" Her face is red, but it seems more from rage than sadness.

>>24907497
I forget, were we framed for killing our dad, our our wife's dad?

Rolled 62

>>24907539
Wife's Father

>>24907539
Our wife's dad.

>>24907539
Lucretia's father Marcel, probably by our father the way things are looking.

>>24907535
"Get me a drink. Are the elves and the slavers gone yet?"

>>24907510
Barkeep has it in a word doc, and it'll also be in the ebook as well for hose who missed it.

>>24907535
I'm fine, considering.

How's she?

>>24907580
*Those
and muh trip

Rolled 13

>>24907573
>This.

>>24907573
"Get me a drink. Are the elves and the slavers gone yet?" You say, your voice scratchy and dry.

Sif runs to follow your directions, grabbing a nearby pitcher of wine from the table belonging the party from the Association. She brings it to your lips, as you are still failing to bring life to your limbs, and you are not certain if you should move Miaya just yet.

Rialla returns from a window. "They done. Have heard no sound of battle in long time." Well, she sobers fast.

"Good, how's Miaya?" You can feel her breathing against you, and the blood seems to have dried, foe what that's worth.

"Marty said not to move her, or you, for a few more hours." Sif says, still miffed at you by her tone of voice. "But I think she's fine. Not that it's an excuse for what you did." She scolds.

You find it hard to care. Pain aside, you feel good. Like you've turned a corner, done something worthwhile. This is as good as you've felt in a long time. You ignore the admonitions.

Martellus steps over, his eyes looking haunted and reddened by veins. He looks like a shadow of himself. "Sleep here tonight, we can move you in the morning." You nod.

He looks down. "What happened tonight cannot happen again, Master Tallius." On that, you agree.

Your vision begins to fade as he turns back to the others, and you let sleep take you. The night's activity has left you exhausted.

*************

You awaken in fresh clothes, in your own bed. They must have moved you once they felt it safe, you are glad. The floor was hardly comfortable, and Miaya makes a poor blanket.

You move your limbs. They are sore, but functional. The window tells you that it's midday outside, you must have slept for a long time. Your being alive tells you that no one burned down the building last night.

The sounds of activity make their way up the stairs. Sounds like business as usual, somehow.

What to do, then?

>>24907950

Go check on our employees

Rolled 62

>>24907950
Lets head down and see check on everyone.

>>24907950
1. Check out manly scar.
2. Make sure everybody is ok.
3. Talk to employees about their being a berserker, terrorist, and necromancer respectively.

>>24907950
Check on everyone and then go outside to inspect any damage to the tavern.

>>24907950
We need to apologize to Sif at some point for worrying her. We need to apologize to Martellus for forcing him into that situation. We need to apologize to Miaya for accusing her of endangering our bar, and then make it clear she owes us big time.

>>24907950
We need to figure out why our tavern was not put to the torch, Lets find Miaya and ask what happened, and if the elves might return to finish the job.

>>24908118
I'd imagine Miaya knows that without us telling her. Let's not appear crass by stating it.

>>24908118
We don't need to apologize for shit, I think us sacrificing ourselves marks exactly whatever the fuck we had to say.

>>24908118
Yea again.... she totally endangered our bar! Not that it's the most important thing or tactful to mention but seriously. We acted in good faith with the best information we had, and trusted her entirely. She lied to us and withheld information.

Feels bad bro.

>>24908195
But dude, she DIDN'T. We endangered our own bar by housing those slavers without prying further into what exactly they do. She ran off into the forest to try and hold off the elven terrorist. We already had this discussion.

>>24908215
She knew they were coming and didn't alert us.

>>24908225
Except she did. She told us outright we were endangering our bar by hosting the Rose fellows.

>>24908225
She warned us that bad shit would happen if we let them stay. Just because she didn't flat out say it doesn't mean we weren't warned.

>>24908215
I'm just saying, that's a pretty serious trust deficit right there. We can't afford to have her going off to solve things the Miaya way whenever she feels like she can't trust us. This is the last time she gets away with it.

>>24908251
After telling her who the fuck we were I don't take half-truths as something trust-worthy, she shouldn't have withheld any single detail.

>>24908273
Well let's at least see if she's okay before we start screaming in her face about how much she owes us.

I would hope Tullius is a bit classier than that.

>>24908282
We are classy as shit, but we should make it clear that isn't going to be how things are done from now on.

>>24908282
We're gonna leave it at that, we're not gonna give her shit, but we're not gonna take shit from her.

>>24908273
You know, we told her who the fuck we were because she held a knife to our throat after finding out some clues as to who we were.

It wasn't exactly motivated by a desire to be truthful, it was motivated by a desire to not get our throat slit by a crazy-ass elf.

>>24908308
We could've kept saying lies, but we didn't.

>>24908324
Now you're just grasping. Tullius panicked and spilled the truth. I'm not even remotely surprised that Miaya didn't tell us everything, considering she still didn't fully trust the guy she'd known for less than a week, who also happened to be the son of the guy who ruined her life.

Odds are, this will make her trust us a lot more, so let's not sound too mercenary by telling her that she's in our debt. She's probably feeling pretty shitty about the whole thing already.

>>24908354
I refer to what I said >>24908305

and add, panicked? The fuck? We went balls deep on that, it was a leap of faith not a panick attack crying and peeing ourselves.

>>24908382
Panicking with dignity is still panicking.

Tullius is not a hardened badass, having a knife to his throat is not a situation he would be at all comfortable with.

From the archives.

>" Tallius, if he's here for Insurgents this is likely the last trouble you shall have from his hands. Best he and his men get on their way, as soon as possible."

>"Tallius, you have to run! Go back to the Tavern and shut the doors!" Her voice is strained, desperate even. Miaya's normally unflappable demeanor is utterly gone, and that scares you more than you care to quantify.

>" I tried to stop them, Tallius, I tried to tell them to wait..." Miaya is breathless, words coming in bursts.

>She looks at you incredulously, still shaking. "Who did I bring!?! You brought them when you billeted slavers, you damned fool of a man! I tried to stop them, to tell them to wait, I told them things and gave them things I shouldn't have, all to keep them away from this place, from our new home. Don't you DARE put this on me!"

It's not hard to conclude that she knew the elves would come for the slavers after we agreed to house them. The next day when she went out to hunt she probably ran across their hunting party and tried to persuade them to wait, and to hold off on the attack until after the slavers left. Then she couldn't get back to the tavern in time to warn Tallius properly because we met her in the woods.

>>24907981
>>24908003
>>24908059
>>24908079

You resolve to check on your employees, after all, its been a stressful night. You close your shirt, hiding the jagged wound over your heart. It doesn't bleed, doesn't feel like it could bleed. The wound is black instead, as if it were a gap to your heart itself. Running you finger over it, it feels like a normal scar.

Heading downstairs reveals business as usual. Martellus chatting it up with customers, Sif darting about balancing drinks. You even spy Miaya peeking out of the kitchen. She nods at you before heading back to work.

Martellus first, then. You find the barman talking to the peddler's son. The boy blanches at your approach, disappearing into the day crowd. Martellus looks at you. "Master Tallius." He sounds exhausted. You do not feel you have ever seen the man tired before now.

" Martellus, I am sorry for pushing you to that." You say, voice still a little weak. Your chest aches as you speak, but you think nothing of it.

Martellus looks at you, slowly nods, and changes the subject. "The boy's father left us three hundred gold for his son. Wouldn't take no for an answer. I put it with the rest." He returns to tending the bar. Seems he doesn't want to talk.

You move to talk to Sif, but she is both angry and busy. "Sorry Boss, don't have the time. Not like you'd listen to a damn word anyway." She says, barely giving you an aside glance as you pass.

You pause before entering the kitchen. Miaya acted strangely beforehand, but she helped you save that boy, and if that vision was accurate her anger at your family is justified. How much of this is her fault? How much yours? You cannot claim to know.

I'll wait till you decide how you are going to do this.

>>24908406
He didn't panick, he entrusted her with the truth instead of lying.

>>24908416
My problem is she didn't warn us BEFORE she went on to their little parade to stop the insurgents.

>>24908452
The point is, she DID NOT leave to stop the insurgents she left to HUNT and then CAME ACROSS the insurgents in the woods where they were preparing to attack. Reading comprehension, learn it.

>>24908425
Well, I'm for just asking if she's alright, and asking her if she can keep us in the loop in future of any groups who might attempt to burn our establishment down, before they're on our doorstep. Don't be bitter or irritable about it though.

>>24908452
>>24908462
We'll fucking ask her in character, okay? Now shut the fuck up and quit with the off topic.

>>24908425
Walk into the kitchen and ask her to tell us what happened.

>>24908462
Well I'm gonna leave it at that since this is going to de-rail hard into a shit-flinging fest.

>>24908425
We shouldn't have apologized, I stand by what we did was the right thing. We're a tavern, we just fucking serve food and drinks to anyone that comes, we don't do politics/war so I blame it on the fucking insurgents.

>>24908425
Nothing like almost dying to make everyone mad at you.

Oh well, go check on Miaya, ask her if she's okay, and if there's any other people nearby she knows of who might be inclined to burn down our tavern.

>>24908425

walk into the kitchen and ask if she trusts us.

>>24908416
And my response was....

>>Also finding out why these guys have so much cash and are willing to blow it here (we HURRR DURR'd on the skill check) would be nice.
>>tell her about the situation with the mercs. Maybe she could help us filch that letter.
>>And at some point we really do need to bring Miaya fully up to speed regarding the mercenaries and their charge from the capital.
>>Still think we should find the contents of that letter.
>>we should keep working them for information.
>>This reinforces my belief that we should really put more effort into starting up an information network and learning the contents of that letter.
>>Learn more about Mercs' intentions.
>>Find Miaya. Talk to her about keeping an eye on the Mercs and learning more about them.
>>Let's talk to Miaya and enlist her help spying on some of our more questionable guests.

Look, I'm with you 100% on that, I never liked the slavers. What's done is done. We don't have to be a dick about it. But she clearly has horrible (if entirely justifiable) trust issues could continue to present a threat to everybody around her unchecked. Let's start with a leading series of questions and circle in.

"Miaya, that night in the forest. What would you have done if I'd lied to you?"

>>24908542

You were apologizing for making a guy who is against using magic do just that. Intentions aside your actions did lead to Miaya getting shot, which led to the use of Martellus' abilities.

>>24908425
Just ask her to tell us what happened in the woods that morning.

>>24908570
I don't remember us asking for her help, gotta have to check the archives then.

>>24908604
The entire point is that the action of housing slavers led to this whole shitstorm. Ignorance to the fact that they were slavers does not exempt us from fault in this matter.

...ermm

>>24908425
I really think we should avoid the drama and just keep going without mentioning anything, if the conversation has to pop up it will, and if not, well then we didn't need to anyways.

>>24908604

You didn't. She went of her own volition. Which does not change the fact that no one would have been at risk had you remained inside.

All of you people are painfully dense when it comes to basic social interactions like these.

>>24908629
If they pay they're customers, we don't have to run background checks on anyone that steps on our tavern. Seriously what the fuck we're not playing "militia quest" we're just a fucking tavern owner.

>>24908635
If she did it because she wanted then it's not our fault. We were endangering our own life, she wanted to tag along it's her problem.

We're kinda spinning our wheels here. Let's vote for a response and go with it. I unsurprisingly vote for >>24908554

>>24908650
>>24908661
Used to be that if you hosted niggers in a bar in the south, the KKK would burn your bar down. That's why you didn't let niggers in your bar, regardless of whether they could pay. Well in this case, the slavers are niggers and the elves are the KKK.

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Rolled 21

Let just go into the kitchen ask this: >>24908554,
and be done with this retarded "who's fault it is" shit-fest.

>>24908425
Just ask her to explain the god damn situation in full, without any exemptions. This arguing is tedious.

You fucking people, I swear.

We just did something heroic as hell, and saved her life, exactly the sort of action that will make her trust us and be more truthful with us in the future.

So you promptly want to start bitching her out and demanding debts.

That's a good way to destroy any trust we've built.

>>24908701
Fucking THIS exactly. It's not that hard to understand people.

>>24908681
Well we don't fucking bow our knee to any of them, we hate anyone who brings trouble to our tavern and we love everyone who brings coins to it, again, we're not doing politics for shit, we're just serving food and drinks, stop the freedom fighters already.

>>24908554

thirding

>>24908425
I say we just ask how she is holding up and tell her that we saw a memory of hers and if she wants to talk about it.

>>24908701
I want to let it slide, but I don't want to fucking apologize, what the fuck guys? We even sacrificed ourselves I don't think we need to apologize for shit.

>>24908752
So then we just ask if she's okay.

It's as simple as that.

>>24908764
Okay, but not going full "abloobloobloo I'm sorry for getting customers".

>>24908786
Fine by me, we could be playing the "who's fault is it" game until the end of time.

Best to just move on.

>>24908764
I have to agree.
Let's keep it simple.

>>24908800
That's reasonable and I agree.

>>24908816
I'll agree if we can move this along. Frankly I'm a lot more worried about Martellus, our mute blood mage. At least we know what Miaya's issues are.

>>24908884
No doubt we'll find out someday.

When our tavern is being attacked by angry mages.

>>24908907
>Implying we're not gonna get fat stacks from mages because our tavern rules.

>>24908554

You find Miaya cutting some meat into pieces, as yet uncooked. She turns her head while continuing to work, a wan smile crossing her face. She looks as tired as you feel, which you suppose makes sense. " Good afternoon, Tallius." She says, her voice barely a whisper.

You nod a greeting as you approach. "How are you feeling, Miaya."

She places her knife down, and holds her hand to her heart. " I feel..." She thinks for a moment. " I feel alive. I have you to thank for that, Tallius. You barely know me and you risked your life on a long shot just to bring me from the brink. It means a lot, and I want you to know I will not forget it."

You look her in the eye until she turns around, unsure of how to broach the subject you wish. Eventually, you decide. "Miaya, that night in the forest. What would you have done if I'd lied to you?"

She smiles. " Back then? I would have killed you. The man who would lie in that situation is one I would have no problem ridding the world of." She takes some steps forward, coming very close, and whispering, "You have showed yourself to be the better man, of the two men you have been. As long as that remains true, I will be your friend. I'd swear on my heart, but I feel I'd need to ask your permission for that."

Not able to help yourself, you snort and laugh a bit. The action pains you, but you persevere.

She looks at you for a moment, and neither of you can think of what to say, before it becomes actively uncomfortable she speaks, "Tallius, this is going to sound very strange. Who was Lucretia to you?"

Oh. It must have gone both ways. Damn it all.

>>24909016
Sigh.

"Someone who I cared a great deal for in another life, even if I wasn't any good at showing it, and someone who I will have nothing to do with, if I want this life to last.

>>24909094
Oops, missed a word.
Should've been:
>nothing more to do with,

>>24909016

my wife

>>24909094
We shouldn't be vague, and just tell her the whole truth.

>>24909094
>>24909114
>>24909016
This seems like a pretty good thing to say.

>>24909115
>>24909139
>>24909016
Going to have to go with the full truth.

>>24909016
"Well I heard she was married to that dastard Marcus Sertorius. I always thought it was odd, they were so lovey dovey at first but towards the end things seemed to sour. He was a very dedicated man, always focusing on his work. Then that whole... business with her father occurred. I'm sure there isn't much love left between the two."

>>24909094

Nothing? I'd hate to eat those words later. All "MAI WAIFU" aside Lucretia is probably the only person in the capital we could conceivably get to help us. The only other person is our dad, and it's looking more and more like he's going to be part of the problem.

>>24909139
Yea let's go with this.

>>24909164

agreed, she already knows a shit ton about us might as well indulge her

>>24909175
Lucretia seems to be one of the people who hates us most, I seriously doubt she's going to help us.

>>24909115
>>24909164
>>24909175
>>24909192
We should probably say Marcus' wife, rather than "my wife".

Different lives and all that.

>>24909239

sounds good to me

>>24909214
Who the fuck knows.

>>24909214
She hates her father's killer. It's probably going to be something we'll have to deal with eventually, given her terminator-esque obsession with finding us. Just sayin.

Also holy crap we totally forgot about Severina. She could already be here. For all we know she could be Rialla.

>>24909314
Yeah we know about Severina but Tallius has no fucking idea. we will worry about her a nd her sudden yet inevitable intrusion on our idyllic tavern life. right know we need to focus on getting Sif less pissed at us and our apparent desire to get ourselves killed. cause that isn't changing anytime soon

>>24909239
I think this makes sense.

>>24909239
Yeah that's probably best.

But we should make things clear that romance isn't exactly a priority.

>>24909094
>>24909139

" Lucretia was..." Everything. She was everything. "...very dear to me. She was my wife. My window to the world. Strength where I had nothing but weakness. Good where I had nothing but bad. In my old life, she was my only friend." Saying it is different from thinking it, and you have trouble keeping emotion from your voice, especially as your wound continues to bother.

Miaya looks on, sympathy apparent in her large eyes.

" You asked what she was. All of those things were true to Marcus Sertorius. The man before you, on the other hand, can have nothing to do with her. To him, she is but one thing:" A bitter smile. The pain in your heart returns, but you know, this time, it has nothing to do with a knife. "To me, now, she is nothing but death."

Miaya shakes her head. " But isn't that terribly sad?"

Yes. Yes it is. But you don't say it. You turn to leave.

" Tallius." She says. You turn in the doorway back to the taproom. " If you ever want to talk about it, about her, I'm here. It's the least I owe you."

You nod, and she returns to her work.

The Association left early in the morning, Martellus tells you when asked. The attackers removed the bodies, leaving only the ruins of the Brother's camp, thoroughly looted. Business resumed unmolested. Perhaps whatever Miaya told them did stick, despite her fears. You briefly wonder if you should have discussed it with her, but decide that now, at least, you have her total trust. If anything, she learned her lesson at death's door.

You return to the bar and help Martellus with tending bar in your own, limited capacity. Sif still avoids you, and Martellus is curt. Time will remedy both. You hope.

You work into the day. For once, nothing exciting happens. Tallius Urist is glad for the calm.


***************

That's it for tonight, guys. If you have questions or criticism, I will be glad to hear them.

Archive here, feel free to upvote:http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/24904629/

Rolled 75

>>24909239
Talk about distancing yourself.

I vote we just kind of give her a blank stare, opt to talk about it later when we don't have the chance to be intruded upon, and our composure is a bit more measured. Besides. Mysterious dark past and all that. Waifu's love that shit. Or something. Aren't we just in the kitchen? Not my ideal place to start spilling out Tulias's (past) life story. Never know how thick the walls are.

Rolled 80

>>24909651
Goddamn it.

>>24909651
We need to make Sif understand that as a Tavern Master, our responsibility is to our employees and our customers.

>>24909651
Thanks for the Thread, Ebook should be updated shortly.

>>24909737
Well if we're going to preach to Miaya about trusting people and not trying to do everything herself.... we might want to take that plank out of our own eye first.

We are a bit overly fond of our big damn hero moments.

>>24909815
Updated: http://pastebin.com/kbGzcbDb

>>24909651
Good thread. Liked the exposition. Probably have had enough of that for a while now, as the dream sequences don't provide a lot of meaningful choices for us to make. As soon as we got out of it everybody promptly went nuts arguing on the first decision they got. Not sure if that was a coincidence or if we were just spoiling for that fight but either way. See you next week.

>>24910020
Bro tier.

>>24910048

Time skip next week. I was using it partially to pad sessions and get to what I wanted to convey for the Tavern's first days. Some time will pass before next week's session.

>>24910080
Barkeep, long time lurker here, just wanted to say that your writing is fucking exceptional! Keep it up mate!

>>24910144

Thanks for reading. I am trying to improve all the time, so stick around.

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>>24910080
Ooh timeskip. Maybe we can finally get some work on the tavern done and delve into dem economics.

Rolled 79

>>24909737
We should also tell her we would do the same thing for her and Marty.