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>>28405701
-LAST TIME IN SALEM-
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/28328254/

You, Natalia Jean-Louis, a young american witch of afro-caribbean descent have started your first year at the Salem Institute for Witches and Wizards. Your first few of school went much differently than you expected. Between you losing all your hair due to a classmate's indiscretion, finding out a fellow Housemate passed away under mysterious circumstances, and getting a letter from your parents with a strange postscript (apparently redacted by The Society). It’s been an eventful few days. On the upside, you’ve made a few friends, including Todd and Angela, Housemates of yours also in the first year. Also, there’s Allen, the older Housemate of yours. He’s really nice. He gave you a really cool bandana after that hair thing. He also taught you how to use the smiths in the great Forges under Eel House, and even taught you how to enchant a magic rune onto items to make them less weighty. He seems to know a lot about that stuff. He’s so smart. Where was I? Oh yeah. So you met a few cool people. Angela, Todd, and yourself tried unsuccessfully to break into Starfish House to investigate your Housemate’s death. Afterwards you headed back to Eel House to check the student’s room.

Keep updated here: twitter.com/Salem_Institute

This quest uses a ROLL-UNDER system. I'll usually take the best of the first 3 1d100 rolls that are linked to my post. Critical fails are 98-100, Critical successes are 1-5 and take precedence.

There is an -ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED- Fate point system in which for every THREE achievements Natalia unlocks, you get ONE Fate Token which can reroll ONE die-roll. If someone expresses a wish to use a token, I’ll call for a y/n vote on whether to use one based on consensus.

Current Fate Tokens: 1
Achievements Needed to next Token: 1

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>>28405725
August’s oppressive heat washes away as September roars into view, with October nearly on the horizon. Once you start getting into the groove of your classes the weeks pass by in a blink of an eye. Your classmate’s begin dressing in heavier clothes in the anticipation for fall. Leaves shed their former shade of brilliant green to slowly adopt colors of amber and red.

How did you fare in your classes during these past weeks?

Potions couldn't have been too rough on you, right?

I’ll be taking the average of the first three rolls of 1d100 for each of these to see how well you did in class.

Rolled 22

>>28405810
>Did Todd tell us what happened that night a few weeks ago?

Rolled 12

>>28405810
Ha ha, time for failure!

Rolled 25

>>28405810
Please tell me that you understand that 3d100 is a fairly tight bell curve and are taking that into account.

Rolled 51

>>28405810
I wonder if the merc quest thing holds.

DAKKADAKKA

>>28406139
This is a roll low system, so it's all good.

>>28406179
We had about a 3.25% chance of getting a result this good, I want that represented in our scores.

>>28405936
>>28406108
>>28406139

>Average: 19.66(etc)
Good Job. Writing.

>>28406139
>>28406195
I grok statistics, don't worry.

>>28406219
Being paired up with Rakshmi, while daunting initially, has helped you significantly in potions. You recall just a few days ago when the two of you were tasked with making a cure for boils potion. Rakshmi was still a bit controlling over the whole situation but you did make the one of the best potions in the whole class. You remember how much Rakshmi’s face lit up when the teacher praised you….and the satisfaction you felt by seeing Sophia scowl in distaste at your clearly more successful potion.

+2 to Potions

What about flying?

Roll 1d100, please

Rolled 36

>>28406313

Rolled 72

>>28406313
Eh, flying isn't all that important.

Rolled 32

>>28406313

>>28406317
>>28406333
>>28406341
>Average: 46.66

It was….okay. Maybe it’s a bit surprising for a pure blood witch whose family has been riding on brooms for centuries, but you aren’t taking to it that quickly. Your real problem has been with balance, which seems to be Todd’s problem as well. Maybe you can improve if you decide to buckle down and practice hard in the next few weeks.

And dueling? You did have a rocky start....

Roll 1d100, please

Rolled 90

>>28406434

Rolled 72

>>28406434
Oh shit, this is gonna suck

Rolled 65

>>28406434

>>28406459
>>28406507
>>28406510
DIIIIIIIIIIICE

Wrote that went downhill quick

>>28406459
>>28406507
>>28406510
>Average: 75.66

It seems that you are still struggling with dueling. When you had learned ‘expelliarmus’ it took you several tries to get it correctly. You remember getting frustrated with the whole thing, wanting nothing more than to give up while your classmates seemed to be doing much better than you.

Squall must have seen this because she approached you while you were practicing with Angela. She watched the two of you practice the spell back and forth a few times before stepping in.

“Your problem, Natalia, is that you are thinking too much of the physical.” She took stance in your place, facing Angela. “Eels have this trouble. You need to think more abstract. Just because you can not see the spell working it’s full course does not mean that it is impossible.”

She swirls her hand in a quick motion while commanding ‘Expelliarmus’. Angela’s wand flew out of her hand and landed halfway across the field behind her.

“Keep that in mind when you are practicing.” Squall said as she departed to tend to her other students.

You thought about what she said as Angela retrieved her wand. You try to imagine the spell like a machine working through the air and disarming her.

“Expelliarmus.” You utter as you swish your wand in a similar way to Squalls. Angela’s newly retrieved wand flies out of her hand and lands a foot in front of her. “Hey! Not fair!” She frustratedly scoops up her wand for the second time in a row.

How about Herbology?

Roll 1d100, please

Rolled 78

>>28406780
You'd think we'd do well in this, but eh.

Rolled 36

>>28406780
Let the failure keep on rolling in!

Rolled 60

>>28406780

Rolled 95

>>28406780
We haven't had a critical failure all thread.

Time to fix it.

>>28406829
Good thing he's only taking the first three rolls, then.

>>28406796
>>28406808
>>28406824
>Average: 58

The vague nature of your teacher does not change on the day he sends you to search for ‘Sleepers in the Leaves’. When you show up to your class he simply shows you how to send a simple flair up with your wand and eagerly turns you out into the forest.

“But Mr. Christofferson?” Samir asked. “What do these things even look like? What are we supposed to do?”

He pauses before deciding to actually teach the class something more than how to send up flares. “Oh, well, Sleepers in the Leaves are these creatures that live in the canopies. Really big, you can’t miss them. They’re like the size of a five year old.”

He continues, “To stun them, so we can collect the finkle berries growing on their backs, you simply shoot a flair into their faces. They are flame resistant, it won’t hurt them. To revive them from their stunned state simply stroke the bridge of their noses slowly.”

Various other kids try to ask Mr. Christofferson more questions only to be hushed and then told to go into the forest. The class breaks off into groups of three and you found yourself paired with Todd and Samir. Samir loudly talked (mostly about himself) to your group as you walked through the forest. You almost missed the creature because of this and Todd sent a flair up into the canopy when you pointed out a large shaded figure.
-CONT-

>>28407280
What fell out of the trees was a very large, sloth like animal covered in thick green leaves. It made a strange chirping sound as it tumbled down to the ground. Todd and Samir were able to move out of the way but you, unfortunately, were taken down to the ground with it. After pulling the strange part plant part creature off of you, your team harvested the small black berries from underneath the Sleeper’s thick back leaves. You took an index finger and began stroking it’s nose slowly to revive it from its stunned state.

It’s tightly shut eyes begin to stir and then open. Large and orb like, it’s eyes were completely colored in a dark midnight blue. It makes a chortling sound as it regains its composure and slowly begins climbing back up into the forest ceiling with it’s strange wooden claws.

Charms?

Roll 1d100, please

Rolled 98

>>28407380
Perhaps I can redeem myself.

Also, DAKKA DAKKA

Rolled 84

>>28407380
>>28407428
The fuck you can.

Rolled 44

>>28407380
>>28407428
That is not what "redeem" means.

Welp, looks like Potions was a fluke.

>>28407440
Welp, no more rolling for me tonight.

>>28407428
>>28407440
>>28407445
Charms has been a bit rocky. When learning Wingardium Leviosa you somehow were able to burst the silk scarf you were given clear in half when you tried use the spell. You did better with the second one the teacher gave you but you don’t think you’ll get over the embarrassment that easily. You think back to what Squall told you during dueling class but you don’t understand why you can’t get a simple subject like ‘wingardium leviosa’. It was something physical, shouldn’t you have an easier time understanding it?

Maybe you are simply overthinking everything.

Transfiguration?

Roll 1d100, please

Rolled 59

>>28407784
Even more failure awaits.

Rolled 79

>>28407784

Rolled 2

>>28407784
pls, better learnings?

>>28407813
>>28407828
>>28407846
Average is under fifty, which for us is gonna have to suffice.

>>28407813
>>28407828
>>28407846
>Average: 46.66

You are a bit relieved to remind yourself that transfiguration went pretty well. Mr. Adams is a bit cautious in his teachings, being a novice teacher and all, but he begins to get a bit more daring. After a few lessons of learning how to turn a matchstick into a needle he begins gives the class glass bottles to be turned into a collection of small rocks. You run your hands along the bottle, feeling how heavy it is, and then you set it back down onto the table. Your wand swishes in the air and taps the top of it causing it to irrupt into a mound of pebbles. The transformation is not perfect, some stones are larger than others and you notice one pebble made of glass.

You still feel pretty proud of yourself though.

Finally, how did you do in your best subject, History?

Roll 1d100, please

Rolled 92

>>28408001

Rolled 56

>>28408001
All the Past!

Rolled 35

>>28408001

Rolled 97

>>28408001
This is just cruel.

>>28408016
>>28408039
>>28408265
>Average: 61

Every day that passes by you learn more about the school’s history. You learn about Turtle House’s founder, Rosalinda, the fierce Spanish dame whose ship was ransacked by The Black Storm while in transit to the New World so that she could fulfill her wealthy father’s wish for her to become a nun in a missionary instead of funding her desire to learn alchemy.

The Black Storm fell in love with her when his eyes first laid on her, she did not feel the same and rejected his advances. That was until he bought her a fine alchemy kit and dedicated part of his ship for her studies.

The two plundered the ocean for many years until Tituba and Anne’s unexpected arrival on the ship. They had arrived because of the rumors of a strange ship that lead other’s to it’s doom. They had stowed away on a merchant vessel in hopes of being robbed by the notorious pirate.

They were in luck.
-CONT-

>>28408462
Of course Rosalinda and Storm’s first instinct was to fight these strange newcomers, they quickly halted when they realized they were indeed like them. When Tituba tried to convince the couple to join them at the school they resisted, but when Tituba revealed to them that Rosalinda was with child (the first of twelve) the pair decided it would be best to settle down for the saftey of their children.

You then learned about Matilda, your own house founder. Daugher of a french fur trader in Canada, she fled at an early age when her family discovered her creating small golems out of clay, fabric, and scraps of metal to help her with chores. She desired to learn the art of blacksmithing but was forbidden because it wasn’t considered a proper occupation for a woman.

So, she disguised herself as a man and took up an apprenticeship in New York. This did not last as she was discovered to not be what she claimed two years into her studies. She was thrown in prison and was awaiting trial when the mysterious Tituba whispered her away in the night.

Finally you learned about Evelyn, a bandit from the west. Origins vastly unknown. She was known to be fair to her crew, incredibly brave, and quite a riot at parties.

Now how are your friends doing? Todd was shaken up a bit after he left Allen’s room. He told you and Angela about what happened.

Did you believe him?

>No. That’s not like Allen at all. Clearly Todd is exaggerating or there is something he’s not telling us.
>I don’t know. Allen has never behaved that way towards me. His friend did just die mysteriously, maybe that’s what caused him to behave this way.
>Yes. Allen is clearly unstable.

>>28408571
I don't think we have any reason to doubt Todd, but we might think that maybe it was someone who was just magically impersonating Allen at the time, or he was put under a spell or potion or something.

Denial is a powerful thing.

>>28408571
>>I don’t know. Allen has never behaved that way towards me. His friend did just die mysteriously, maybe that’s what caused him to behave this way.

>>28408571
>I'm sure there's a totally rational explanation for this.
>>28408604
>>28408625
Both of these are good

>>28408571
>>I don’t know. Allen has never behaved that way towards me. His friend did just die mysteriously, maybe that’s what caused him to behave this way.
We probably will hold a candle for Allen for some time.

>>28408625
>>28408726
>>28408772
>>28408604
“So you don’t believe me!?” Todd’s dark eyebrows furrowed at this news.

“No, it’s not that.” You explained, “Allen’s just never behaved that way towards me, there has to be something else going on.”

“The guy’s a psychopath that’s what’s going on!” Todd exclaimed waving his arms about.

“There is a reasonable explanation to what’s going on.” You do your best to remain calm.
Angela remains fixated on Todd’s robe pocket. “Hey, what do you have in there?”

“Nothing.” He quickly mutters before excusing himself to go to bed.

Speaking of Todd how did your friendship fair overall during this time?

Roll 1d100-10 please.

Rolled 90 - 10

>>28408916
This is one of the cases where high=good?

Rolled 57 - 10

>>28408916
I believe you mean 1d100+-10.

Won't work otherwise.

Rolled 89 + 10

>>28408916
amidoinitrite?

>>28408952
AH. I mean +10. Sorry.

>>28408916
Jesus, our rolls are fucking balls this evening.

Rolled 97 + 10

>>28408972
Oh well then I'd say a redo is only fair.

Rolled 11 + 10

>>28408916
>>28409060
Forgot to link it, doesn't count.

Rolled 47 + 10

>>28408916
And one more maybe?

Rolled 7 + 10

>>28408916
We're re-rolling?

>>28408966
>>28409060
>>28409075
Taking these, apologies

You do your best to reach out to Todd to show him that you still value his friendship and opinion. However, he’s incredibly distant. More and more he spends time with Samir instead of Angela and yourself. When he comes back from classes he’s quick to retreat to his dorm.

Angela hasn’t taken this well and has tried to conspire with you several ‘pranks’ to ‘win’ his friendship back.

Speaking of which, how about your rough and tumble type of gal, Angela?

Roll 1d100-5
(yes, minus is intentional this time)

Rolled 1 - 5

>>28409203
Damn.

Rolled 19 - 5

>>28409203
>>28409230
...That's a straight up negative number.

Watch the next rolls more than make up for it.

Rolled 71 - 5

>>28409203
Dice gods are still angry?

Rolled 1 - 5

>>28409203

Rolled 97 - 5

>>28409203
>>28409246
Afraid to roll, even.

>>28409263
>>28409269

Damnit, so close to ultimate BFF.

I guess 25.33333333333 will have to do.

>>28409230
>>28409246
>>28409263

Because of Todd’s cold shoulder to the two of you, you find that your friendship with Angela has only grown. Sure, she’s kind of odd but she’s truthful and surprisingly level headed in times of need. You’ve even taken her down to the forges to show her some of the things that Allen has shown you. She seems interested in the magical symbol you were taught, saying that she hasn’t seen anything like that before. She wondered if there were more of them and if so, how many.

You can’t help but wonder the same.

What about Allen? Did you reach out to him during this time?

>Yes.
>No.

>>28409356
>>Yes.

>>28409356
>Yes.

Because we're an eleven year old girl who just found our first crush.

>>28409356
>Yes.
But carefully. He may be a bit unhinged, as we discussed with Todd. Try and get him to teach us more forging stuff?

>>28409375
>>28409391
>>28409569

Roll 1d100, please

Rolled 40

>>28409590
I don't even know whether low or high is good, since high rolls might make us trust Todd more.

Rolled 90

>>28409590

Rolled 76

>>28409590
Not that it matters, since we're rolling high.

Rolled 19

>>28409590
>>28409636
Clearly he only likes us when we're bald. Time to get out the shears.

>>28409622
>>28409636
>>28409667
He is often found in the forge, working day and night on various projects, producing more than anyone would think possible at his age. His classmates are clearly impressed and you would be lying if you said you weren’t. Allen even lets you help him on a few projects, letting you spend even more time together.

You are amazed by how capable he is, there seems to be no end to what he knows.

Not to mention that he is easy on the eyes too.
However, Allen is incredibly distant during this time. He is no longer warm and talkative like he was when you first met him. Still, you take his welcome of your company a good sign.

All of these thoughts whirl around in your head one Wednesday at breakfast. Angela is talking excitedly with you about building mechs but having them based off of various pets. You laugh a bit at this image, but as you do so you feel something pull at the back of your mind. You feel strangely uncomfortable with the idea for some reason. You shake your head back and forth to clear it. You’ve felt a bit under the weather recently.

Allen walks past the two of you and you both exchange ‘good mornings’, but as he departs to his group of fifth year friends he leaves a small white envelope by your plate. You stare at it in disbelief. What on earth would he be writing you letters for? Isn’t that your job? Maybe he thought you were cool too!
-CONT-

>>28409963
Angela raises an eyebrow at it but then sees the look on your face.

“What are you doing? Open it!” she babels excitedly.

You try to contain your excitement as you open the letter. A small white piece of parchment is folded up delicately.

Natalia,

I think I found out what happened to Oliver. You were right, there is something suspicious going on. Meet me in the clearing just north of the Herbology fields after dinner tonight.

I can explain everything, but you must come alone. You’re the only one I think I can trust right now.

Sincerely and without Haste,
Allen

You feel your face flush, this is what you’ve been waiting for. Both answers and recognition from Allen. You’ll meet him under the starlit sky after dinner. It’ll be perfect!

You sneeze, startled.
“Bless you!” says Todd from down the table.


-NEXT TIME ON SALEM-
-OJ gets Chugged!
-Free-time gets spent!
-A romantic evening under the stars!

ALL THIS AND MORE, FRIDAY NIGHT ON:
-SALEM INSTITUTE QUEST-

Q&A starts now!
As always, stay updated with twitter:
twitter.com/Salem_Institute

Any comments, critiques, suggestions etc are welcome!

>>28409986
B-But we never heard about Snowball's adventures with socks...
Can we do the extra lessons thing with Squall, or is she not staying out during those times anymore?

>>28410084
The extra practice thing will be addressed next thread, don't worry.

As for Snowball, you'll be seeing more of both him AND Sir Ferdinand at a later date, I promise.

>>28409986
My only critique is that this thread relied quite heavily on dice. /tg/ dice are fucking nuts.

>>28410694
They ARE nuts.

...If only >>28409263 hadn't rolled, I wonder what a total friendship score of 2 would have netted us.