>>32692290
‘That was probably the most entertainment we’ve seen all week,’ one crewman declares, a few nod in agreement.

‘All right lads, settle down!’ one bearded crewman bellows over the clamour. ‘Let’s give the happy couple some privacy.’ Gradually the noise dies down and the crew begin to stroll off the deck, the four men who hauled Nyra up planting her roughly down so she practically falls into you. The grins they all sport make you think that it was on purpose, not that you’re about to complain.

Finally it’s just the both of you up on deck in the night air. You notice very suddenly that neither of you can seem to hold each other’s gaze for anything like a comfortable time. Is this something all new couples face or is it just you? Probably you, you decide after a moment's thought, the Gods know you've got issues where people are concerned.

>That was pretty out there
>Talk about something (what)
>Nice night
>Pinch yourself

>>32692319
>Pinch yourself
>That was pretty out there

Oh boy can't decide.

>>32692319
>Pinch yourself
"Well that went better then expected."

>>32692319
>the Gods know you've got issues where people are concerned

Do they actually, or is that just an expression?

>Pinch yourself.

>>32692816
(Expression, but who knows in a fantasy realm?)

>>32692290
You raise a hand to your face and pinch your cheek between two fingers, tugging at the skin. It hurts, and you can’t stop yourself yelping. This is actually happening, unless it’s all a very elaborate dream, which would be just your luck. You glance down at Nyra, who is still leaning against you and seems to find the distant night horizon very interesting. You realise that it’s up to you to break the silence. She made the big move after all.

‘That was… pretty out there,’ you say, finally.

‘The crew or…’ she trails off, and in the moonlight you can make out her forehead colour slightly.

‘Both,’ you tell her. ‘You know when I… shouted back then, I thought you’d probably turn me down on principle alone… I mean, I probably would have,’ you mumble. That’s twice you’ve suitably embarrassed yourself in front of the crew and her. Nine above why on earth are you so dumb?

She doesn’t respond for a few minutes, and eventually you tentatively raise your own arms to encircle her. She doesn’t say anything to dissuade you; perhaps she’s content to just embrace you for a while, and for a few, wondrously slow minutes, that’s all you do. Basking in each other’s warmth.

‘Can we just… can we stay like this for a while?’ she asks you quietly.

You don’t see any reason why you can’t.

‘Yeah.’

And so you remain propped up against each other, until after enough time passes, you decide it’s been long enough and give her a nudge. She doesn’t respond. She’s fallen asleep. You can’t stop a chuckle escaping your lips and you set the two of you down against the wall by the door to the crew quarters. Still holding her, you lean your head back and drift softly off to sleep.

For once, your dreams are good.
(cont)

>>32692904
Morning is opened by a prodding sensation on your cheek.

‘Hey, little bro? You in there at all?’

The voice is familiar, and as you force your heavy eyes open, you find a face staring at you. Sleep blurs your vision, but those ears look strangely pointy and familiar–

–oh Nine it’s Kyd.

‘Sleep well?’ he asks, barely suppressing a grin.

You don’t reply, suddenly very conscious of Nyra whose head leans against your shoulders. It must be showing pretty clearly because Kyd snickers and shakes his head.

‘Relax little bro I heard the news last night. What you did up on deck was the talk of the town, so to speak. Unfortunately, celebrities still have to work too, and so does the little slacker there,’ he says, motioning to his sister with his head. ‘Come on, up you get.’

With a bit of fussing, he wakes Nyra, who, upon seeing you, turns a deep shade of red before stammering something unintelligible and rushing away. The two of you stare after her retreating form.

‘Did I–’ you start, before Kyd interrupts you.

‘She’s new to all this, give it time. In the meantime, you’re coming with me.’

>Okay
>What for?
>You are actually okay with this, right?
>Just follow him

>>32692974
>>You are actually okay with this, right?
I know he is but it's good to ask

>>32692993
>>32692974

What if he isn't? Ask.

>>32692974
>Okay
>What for?

>>32693080
I am.

>>32692974
You spare the older elf a wary look. He seems cool but you feel it’d be better to clear the air just in case.

‘Hey, you are actually okay with this, right?’ you ask, bracing yourself for the eventuality that he isn’t.

Kyd cocks an eyebrow at you before viciously slapping you upside the head.

‘Ow! What the–’

‘You remember what I said yesterday?’ he asks you. You nod.

‘Then it’s fine. You don’t need to worry,’ he pauses, before adding: ‘Besides, if Feyn knows she’s spoken for she might just stop trying to molest her every time she sees her.’

Ah, yes. Feyn. You’ve still yet to meet her, but with all that’s happened recently and what Kyd’s told you, you’re not looking forward to it. In fact, you’d rather not meet her at all.

Kyd snaps his fingers at you before strolling into the crew quarters. You follow on, and the two of you pass through the crew quarters and descend deeper into the ship, until finally you reach the hold, finding a nice, wide open space free of containers and crates.

‘Well Cown, I think it’s time I started teaching you how to handle yourself in a brawl. You’ll need to pay attention now, because what I tell you will be important. Any questions before we start?’

‘Just one: does everyone do stuff like this in the hold? I mean just yesterday Julian took me down here for shooting practice.’

Kyd shrugs. ‘Some do, some don’t. That all?’

‘I guess,’ you reply, with a shrug of your own.

‘Good. Now, I want you to come at me.’

‘What?’

‘I want you to try to hit me.’

‘Are you serious?’ you ask, glancing at the sling and cast encasing his right arm.

‘Don’t look at me like that little bro, I could take you with only the one arm anyway. Besides it’ll give me some indication of how well you stack up and what I think you’ll need to work on. Now stop acting like a girl and come at me.’

>d20 for unarmed combat

Rolled 20

>>32693360
>inb4 20

Rolled 5

>>32693360
And here comes the 1

Rolled 5

>>32693360
how's this

>>32693399
OH!

>>32693399
We're wrecking shit on these training montages aren't we?

>>32693399
>>32693490

Technically the in before text came after the twenty.
How unfortunate for you.

>>32693562
>Technically
The words were in place before the random generator made the 20, so the words came first

File: 1371565343759.png (108 KB, 224x205)

108 KB PNG

>>32693399
>three 20s for training
Well, looks like you've made Cown a socially awkward natural-born warrior. Wonder what the rolls will be like when we reach some proper life-or-death situations

>>32693360

You frown, but oblige, planting one foot forward before racing towards Kyd like you’ve been shot from a gun. One moment, you’re a good dozen paces away, the next; you’re practically in his face. Kyd’s expression changes from one of easy confidence to complete surprise in moments. He spins on the ball of one foot, pivoting out of your way as you crash through the space he previously occupied.

Immediately, you plant a foot forward and grind to a halt, twisting sharply in Kyd’s direction before throwing a savage hooking punch at his midsection, trying to avoid his cast. You’re suddenly and brutally put off-balance by a savage kick to the shin from Kyd and your blow plummets to the deck. You yelp and cuss, shaking your aching knuckles even as Kyd dances away from you.

‘That was pretty good,’ he breathes. ‘Try again.’

You launch yourself forward again, throwing a flurry of punches that Kyd seems to just ease around, though you notice with satisfaction that he’s working for it, clearly not expecting you to be as fast as he anticipated. You’re a little surprised yourself, but you don’t have the focus to expend noticing that, concentrating on trying to land a solid one on Kyd, who suddenly sidesteps and extends a leg before pushing the palm of his good hand against your back and pushing.

You topple forwards, slamming your head on the ground. You cry out as your nose smashes itself against the cold, steel floor, and you can feel blood stream from it.
(cont)

>>32693680
(cont)
‘Okay,’ Kyd says, ‘lesson one: expect pain. Even pros like Feyn and Limwitz take a few hits in any fight they’ve fought. If you take a hit and don’t know how to deal, well then little bro, you’ve just lost the bat–’

He’s interrupted when you throw yourself back at him with a feral snarl. He steps aside and trips you up again, this time, however, you put a hand out to stop your face smacking against the deck.

‘Okay, looks like you have that more or less covered. Onto lesson two: weak spots. Everyone has them, for us guys, it’s the spot between our legs, but there are others too. Joints – the back of the knees and the like – eyes, nose, throat, even your fingers.’

‘Fingers? You ask, stopping, ‘Why are fingers–’

Kyd snaps forward and snatches the index and middle fingers of your right hand in his good hand; in the same movement he bends them back at an angle. Not enough to break them, but enough to give you an idea of why he considers them a weak spot.

‘Look at that right there,’ he says as he releases you, ‘all I need to do is grab and twist and unless you’re not afraid of losing your digits, or you’re quick enough with a knife or gun, I control you.’

‘Lesson three,’ he continues, ‘you’ve got more than just your hands and feet. If those are occupied, you’ve got a set of perfectly good chompers that can REALLY ruin a guy’s day.’ You throw a jab at Kyd’s face but he snaps to the side and delivers a swift side-kick to the flank of your kneecap that drops you.
(cont)

>>32693920
(cont)
‘And lesson four: anything goes. You see some loose dirt? You snatch it up and toss it in his eyes. You see an opening to crush his nads? You crush his nads. His throat wide open? You go for that son of a bitch and if you can’t choke, then you tear it out with your teeth. In a fight, the only rule worth a damn is survival: your enemy’ll be making damn sure it’s him and in most cases he doesn’t play fair, so why in all eight layers should you?’

You try for him another five times when he finally finishes talking, but it’s obvious that he’s won. Even when you decide to throw all thoughts of consequence to the wind and try to strike his bad arm he just dances out of range before knocking you down. By the end of it, you’re panting, bruised, and your nose streams blood, but Kyd doesn’t look that much better himself with his ashen, sweaty face. You realise that he was probably jostling his bad arm more than a little with every sharp, sudden move he made.

‘Final lesson: fight’s never over until one of you can’t. And as I’ve suggested earlier: you do whatever it takes to make sure that it’s not you who goes down last,’ he says, his breathing laboured at the amount of work you’ve made him do just to keep out of your grasp.

‘Gotta hand it to you though little bro,’ he pants, ‘that was a pretty damn fine effort there. I think you might just be a natural.’ He strolls towards you and offers his hand to help you up.

>Go for him
>Accept his help
>Stand on your own

Rolled 9

>>32693934
>>Accept his help
we cool

>>32693934
>Accept his help
>Go for him

Rolled 9

>>32694042
This ones smarter I'm changing to this

>>32693934
You reach up and clasp his hand in your own, and then, as he pulls back, you spring your trap. Kyd is taken completely by surprise and you land atop him with a fist pulled back as if preparing to punch. Your aggression almost compels you to attack further, but Kyd’s already straining from the weight of you on his bad arm.

‘I wasn’t done,’ you breathe before stepping off him and offering him your own hand. Kyd grimaces and rubs his cast gently before taking your outstretched hand.

‘Yeah, so I gathered,’ he says with a grimace as you pull him to his feet.

‘You okay there?’ you ask, glancing at his injured arm.

‘It’s nothing but a bit of pain, it’ll go away sometime soon,’ Kyd replies with a dismissive wave. ‘Nice trick.’

‘Sorry,’ you say sheepishly.

‘Don’t be, that’s the kind of stuff that’ll keep you alive – make an opponent think he’s got it in the bag and then bam! That was smart Cown. Real smart.’

You grin at the praise and wince at how doing so sends sharp pinpricks of pain through your face. You realise that your nose is still bleeding.

‘Don’t worry I’ve got some handkerchiefs somewhere we can use to plug the bleeding. You think you’ll be good to go again after that or ready to call it a day? I won’t mind, I’ve always got something I can do on this ship.’

>Practise more unarmed combat with Kyd
>Call it quits

>>32694255
>Practise more unarmed combat with Kyd
We'll get more 20s... right?

>>32693667

Unfortunate that it wasn't displayed that way.
Who's to say Loki didn't make you type the "inb4" already knowing it would be a 20?

>>32694255
>Call it quits
Tree man will kill us if we hurt kyds arm

Rolled 2

>>32694286
>>32694487

[1] - more sparring
[2] - call it quits

>>32694255
>Call it quits
We done good. Let's go get some bacon.

>>32694599
>>32694591
I am laughing more than I should

Rolled 13

>>32694255
Spar more

>>32694255
(Sorry guys but I'm going to enforce a bit of a timeskip here, plot needs to move if I'm going to get this done in the next week and a bit)

You ache pretty much everywhere, and even more importantly, you’re half starved.

‘Thanks for the session Kyd but I think I’m good for now. Besides I’m feeling like a little breakfast, I’m pretty hungry.’

‘Yeah, I am too, now that you mention it. Well, I don’t have to report to the bridge anytime soon so I guess we could go up together.’

‘Okay,’ you reply, and Kyd leads the pair of you to the canteen. You smell bacon and feel your mouth water as you remember the taste of those delightful strips of meat. Much to your disappointment, however, you don’t see Nyra; she’s probably already eaten and gone.

You ignore the whistles some of the crew give you as you line up for your food. Even the two twins give you shit-eating grins and suggestive wiggles of their eyebrows as they dole out the grub. You find a nice quiet spot to eat with Kyd.

‘Ah, don’t worry so much about it little bro,’ Kyd says in a reassuring tone, ‘they’re just happy for the two of you, and the nicknames will probably die off in a week or so.’

Somehow you don’t feel very reassured at that, but you don’t give it voice as you greedily devour your food.

The next two weeks are a tense affair of making sure you don’t wreck anything in engineering as Balfour and Nyra, around whom you gradually grow more comfortable, teach you the knowhow to keep the ship up and running and not crashing and burning. Finally the Lady Fortuna crosses the border into Protectorate territory.

The differences to your home are immediately obvious, with the geography as hilly and mountainous as Balfour said it was. Indeed, you can hardly go a few miles without seeing some gargantuan peak stretching skyward. Some have great, walled cities built out of the side, appearing like growths sprouting from the rock.
(cont)

>>32694902
>tfw we will never get to spend real quality time with nyra

>>32694949
(There will after this stretch of plot and the choices are done, then back to adventuring)

>>32694902
(cont)
Finally, Ryder calls a general meeting of the crew, during which you learn precisely what it is you’re after.

‘It’s a castle,’ Ryder says, pointing to a spot on a map which looks to be set in a valley between two great mountains allegedly named after two Protectorate folk heroes. The knowledge becomes decidedly more grim, however, once you learn that both their names are associated with much brutal death.

‘Allegedly this little castle housed an ancient family line that practised some sort of great magic. Some time ago, however, they fell out of grace and were wiped out. Theodoric’s been pushing troops to find this place, so it’s probably safe to guess that whatever these people used to practise, he wants. Why is anyone’s guess, though I’d lay my money on him being a greedy, power-mad tyrant-in-the-making.’

‘Seems a safe bet,’ Balfour murmurs.

‘We’re going to land a small incursion force and look around for anything that might connect it to Theodoric. If we don’t, then we’ll burn it to the ground and deny him his prize. Any questions? No? Good. Our navigators suggest that we’ll arrive in a few weeks, and Lady Julianne tells us that she’s spotted what might be Visan ships making a beeline for the castle as well. I’d suggest you use the time to brush yourselves up and get yourselves psyched for payback. That’s all.’

With that he turns and leaves the room, leaving you wondering how best to use your time, as you file out of the chamber with the rest and head back down towards engineering, however, you find the captain waiting.
(cont)

>>32695153
‘Cown,’ he says curtly, ‘I’ll be brief; you’re coming with us when we go to look this place over. If there was a family of warlocks that made that place their home there may potentially be a magic threat. I want you along to sweep aside anything that pops up. You understand?’ He seems tense, his nerves frayed, and his eyes seem constantly bloodshot these days. You don’t reply, simply nodding.

‘Good, we’ll call you up when it’s time. Until then, keep yourself sharp.’ He turns away and strolls down the corridor before stopping, ‘and make sure you keep her happy. Kyd and Julianne are far from the only ones you’ll answer to if you muck it up.’

With that, you’ve got some thinking to do with how to spend your time before the arrival. You aren’t looking forward to telling Nyra the news, even if it did come from the Captain himself.

>>Current bonuses:
>+1 to all marksmanship rolls with pistols
>+1 to all unarmed combat rolls
>+2 to any roll

>Brush up on your unarmed combat with Kyd (+3 to all unarmed combat rolls)
>Brush up on marksmanship with Julian (+3 to all marksmanship rolls)
>Balance your time evenly (+2 to pistol marksmanship and unarmed combat)
>Find Eoin and have him teach you about bladecraft (+2 to all evasion rolls)

>>32695231
Arglblargl the +2 bonus is the one-use modifier you got when you visited the chapel.

>>32695231
>Brush up on marksmanship with Julian (+3 to all marksmanship rolls)
Cown love guns, LIKE HE THINK HE LOVE NYRA

Rolled 14

>>32695231
>Balance your time evenly (+2 to pistol marksmanship and unarmed combat)
BALANCE!

>>32695231
>>Brush up on marksmanship with Julian (+3 to all marksmanship rolls)

>>32695231
>Balance your time evenly (+2 to pistol marksmanship and unarmed combat)

+3 and +3 is better than +4 and +1 I think. Though the evasion would be really nice.

>>32695231
>Brush up on marksmanship with Julian (+3 to all marksmanship rolls)
Wizards ain't nothing to fuck with

Rolled 7

>>32695231
Dose us blocking magic with our arm count as evasion or unarmed?

Rolled 1

>>32695524
It just means we won't auto die from magics

>>32695524
(I'm going to say it depends on the situation. Up close it'd certainly be unarmed, while at a distance I guess it'd more fall under evasion seeing how there's reflexes n shit involved.)

>>32695231
After some consideration, you decide that, in the end, you’re more of a shooter than a brawler, and if anyone gets that close anyway then you’ve got that fancy vambrace with the sneaky eight-inch blade hidden inside that’ll certainly give them a surprise. You decide you’ll hit Julian up for some more in depth practice, and maybe he’ll let you play with some of the bigger toys in the armoury.

Until then, however, you’ve got to let Nyra know what’s up.

There’s no doubt she knows the overall situation, Ryder liking to make sure his crew is as in the know as he is in order to ensure they’re prepared for anything they go into. What she most likely won’t know, is that you’ve been roped into going down with them.

You think deep about your lovely elf. She’s taken to growing her hair out a bit longer recently, though she still does those strange braids. She’s also been spending some more time with Julianne when she’s not too busy, she doesn’t take you along with her though, and when you asked her mother figure in person, she just gave you a mysterious smile and told you it was just “woman talk” that was going on. You figured you shouldn’t butt in.
(cont)

>>32695827
You reach the belching generator and find Nyra slaving over it. Balfour is nowhere to be seen, either he realised what you’d no doubt want to do and is giving you some space to do it, or he’s got something more important to be doing. It doesn’t matter either way, and you give Nyra a friendly whistle and silently delight in the way her eyes light up when she sees you, and how her ears appear to perk up a fraction whenever you’re around.

She pulls her dirty gloves off and throws herself around you in a deep, passionate hug before giving you a cute peck on the lips. For a moment you say nothing, and despite your being very happy to see her, something makes her frown.

‘What’s wrong?’ she asks.

‘Well…’ you begin. When you finish explaining the situation to her she appears noticeably concerned. She looks away from you and bites her lip worriedly.

‘Well, I guess the Captain knows what he’s talking about, and I guess if there is any magic stuff down there you’ll probably be able to handle it,’ you blink. She’s taken it better than you imagined she might.

‘Just promise you won’t do anything daft down there; that you’ll come back, okay?’ There’s the worry you were expecting.

>Not a problem
>You know what I’m like

>>32695859
>Not a problem
As long as we don't have to talk to our enemies we will be fine

>>32695859
>Not a problem

Rolled 4

>>32695859
>You know what I’m like
Lets not lie to the poor girl

>>32695914
>lying
Are you implying we aren't coming back? Get out. Get out, and never come back to this house, you aren't welcome here anymore.

>>32695859
>You know what I’m like
We're rolling nat 1s the second our lives are in danger anyway so might as well get her ready for it while we can still make it a joke.

>>32695859
>Not a problem
I will kill our own party before we are unable to come back to our waifu

Rolled 17

>>32695931
in almost every single fight we have had, we have gotten injured in some life threatening way. Just saying

>>32696075
>fights
You mean the couple of times we got ambushed? And were without training or weapons? Yeah that counts, totally

Rolled 6

>>32696124
didn't we get ambushed like twice or something, either way we do have a rep for getting injured (i think) anyway on other topics should we get some like condoms or whatever advice from Balfour about women or whatnot

>>32696167
no, we fuck nyra after all this political bullshit is done with

>>32695859
You think for a moment that you should tell her you’ve been making daft mistakes ever since this crazy shit started, but that probably wouldn’t help. Instead, you look her in the eyes, try to put on your most comforting smile, and say: ‘Not a problem.’

She stares up at you, perhaps trying to search your eyes for any trace of a lie. She won’t find one. You want to come back. To the ship. To her. Finally she nods ever so slightly as if satisfied, and gives you another kiss, which you return.

‘So anyway, how’s it all faring?’ you ask, turning your head up to the generator. She turns but remains pressed against you, taking your arms and lacing them around her waist, you rest your head on top of her maroon hair.

‘Oh it’s all fine. I don’t mean to brag, but I could probably keep this thing running in my sleep, even without Balfour’s help.’

‘I’d rather you didn’t try to test that little theory,’ you mutter.

‘Relax, I’m not like you. I’m a sensible person,’ she says, shooting you a cheeky look. You mumble something incoherent about getting better but then Balfour strolls back in.
(cont)

>>32696365
(cont)
‘Ah look at you two. Do I need to keep an eye on you just to make sure you get some work done instead of flirting with each other all day?’ he says, throwing his arms up in the air as if petitioning the Nine for an answer. Neither of you are fooled by his attitude, both of you can see the way his eyes appear to twinkle.

‘Ah well, it’s good that the both of you are here. I need you to take these up to the lads up on the portside gunnery,’ he says, patting two small crates. ‘It’s all stuff for their guns, might need them when we close on this haunted house of ours, especially if that Theodoric’s got Visan ships making for it.’

You both get underway, hauling the boxes up to the gunnery decks, whereupon Limwitz receives your gifts with open arms and a rare smile before breaking them open and sharing the contents with his gunners to get it wherever it needs to be. Without much else to do, you decide to head back down, only after a few turns, Nyra tugs on your sleeve, stopping you.

>What’s wrong?
>If it’s about earlier, I told you it’d be fine

>>32696383
>What’s wrong?
Don't assume, even social retards know that one

>>32694476
That highly unrealistic, if anything, Loki saw me type "inb4" and made the dice come out as 20.

>>32696383
>What’s wrong?

>>32696383
>>What’s wrong?

>>32696383
‘What’s wrong?’ you ask. She doesn’t reply, in fact she almost seems distracted.

‘Look,’ she starts, ‘what you said earlier…’ she trails off and shakes her head. ‘Actually, no, forget it. Doesn’t matter.'

>Pursue the matter
>Drop it

>>32696565
>Pursue the matter
no, you don't just start saying things and then stop, we're the social idiot here

>>32696565
>>Pursue the matter

>>32696565
>Pursue the matter
"If it's enough for you to mention it, it matters."

>>32696383
‘Excuse me; I thought I was supposed to be the moron where people are concerned. You can’t just start and then stop all of a sudden. Tell me what’s on your mind or I’ll…’ you think for a moment, ‘I’ll steal your bacon.’

The distracted look is replaced by a mix of horror and fury. It keeps surprising you just how much she loves the stuff.

‘You wouldn’t dare,’ she hisses.

‘Not an awful lot you could do to stop me,’ you smirk.

‘Oh yeah? Well…’ eventually she makes a frustrated noise and launches herself at you, tackling you to the deck. You brace yourself for a few soft blows but nothing comes. Nyra’s atop you and her frustrated expression is replaced by one of deep fear.

‘What’s this about?’ you ask, placing a hand to her cheek. ‘Really. If it’s enough for you to mention, then it matters to me.’

‘I just… I don’t– I don’t want to lose you,’ she says finally. ‘Look, when I was still working at Julianne’s home with Kyd, my brother took a lot of flak from a lot of people. He doesn’t know that I know this, but he did it to make sure I never got any of it, or as much as I would have if he hadn’t been there. Sometimes it got so bad that… oh Nine it was awful. I thought I’d lose him so many times and then when we ran, after a month they caught flu; they were so sick they could barely move. We’d survived that house and because of us – because of me – the one person I cared about as much as my brother almost died…’ she stops to take a big gulp of air, you notice that there are tears forming at the corner of her eyes.

‘I don’t want to feel like that again. Not again. I wouldn’t…’
(cont)

>>32696928
(cont)
Ah. It makes sense now. You’re now seeing the worry you’d expected when you first broke the news to her that you’d be heading down as well. You cup her face with both hands and look her dead in her emerald orbs.

‘I meant what I said up there. I know I’m stupid and I’ve got no idea how to talk to people, but whatever’s down there… if there even IS anything down there, I’m coming back. We’re going to finish this nonsense and I’m coming back. Does that sound alright?’

‘More than alright,’ she breathes, and she kisses you. Lightly at first, but then she gives you another, and another, until she’s practically attacking your mouth with her own. You can feel your own desire for her welling up within you and you start returning her kisses with equal ferocity. You’ve heard plenty about this from various crew to know this is quickly going somewhere, and it’s up to you whether or not it goes any further.

>Stop her
>Let it happen

>>32696946
>Stop her
Save it for when we get back

>>32696946
Aren't we on the floor in the generator? Isn't there a chance Balfour will be back any second?
>Let it happen

>>32696946
>Stop her
Kyds a bro, and I really don't want to piss him off by fucking his sister in the middle of the hallway

>>32696946
>Let it happen

What's the worst that can happen?

>>32696946
we are kind of in the middle of doing work.
save it for the last night before the mission.

>>32696946
>Stop her
I am not dealing with a "I thought if I did it you would come back/stay"
No, no, and a triple no

>>32696946
>Let it happen
We're already pressed for time. Fuck it.

>>32696946
Her brothers really going to appreciate it if we die and leave her with a kid alongside a broken heart.

>>32696946
>Stop her
Oh god, after that emotional spill there we are not doing this, we can fuck after we get back and she isn't being overly emotional

>>32696946
You want nothing more than to melt into her, to feel her against you, to be in a world where, for a time, there is nothing but you, her and the blazing feeling between you.

But not now.

She’s practically out of her mind with worry, and going further than this, even with her consent, wouldn’t sit right with you. The time will come, of that you’re certain, but it isn’t now.

With more strength than you knew you possessed, you manage to remove your hand from her back and press a finger against her lips. She looks at you in confusion as you steadily push her head away. Both of you pant and gasp for breath.

‘Not now,’ you tell her, then you force a smirk on your face, ‘and not here either.’

Then Nyra seems to realise exactly what she was about to be doing in the middle of a hallway and colours, burying her face in your chest. You’ve done a similar song and dance before, she’ll pull herself out when she’s no longer redder than a tomato in three… two… one…

Ah, right on time. Up she comes.

She picks herself off you and helps you up on your feet, avoiding your gaze. You pull her close and wait her out.

‘I’m sorry about that,’ she mumbles.

‘Don’t be, it felt nice while it lasted,’ you reply.

‘Not that you dunce,’ she says with an exasperated sigh.

‘Yeah, I know. And it’s fine. It’ll all be fine, you’ll see. We’ll go down, find ourselves whatever we’re hoping to find and be back before you notice we’re gone.’
(cont)

>>32697469
(cont)
She doesn’t reply, but she tightens her hug a fraction as a form of acknowledgement. She doesn’t speak for the rest of the day, and over the next few days you busy yourself with Julian’s teachings, learning the intricacies of your pistols and getting progressively better until, by the day before the landing, you’re exchanging shots and bets with him on a firing range as equals. You even win a few times.

Despite your assurances to Nyra though, you can’t fool yourself. If Ryder thinks he’ll need you (or more precisely, your magic-eating leftie), then chances are things might get hairy down there. Despite Ryder’s best attempts, there is nothing more than cursory, almost token information on the castle, and though no one likes it, the fact remains that a search must be carried out.

You sit on the edge of your bed cleaning your pistols and checking over the bulbous metal autoloader that gives these weapons such a fearsome reputation in the right hands, when you hear a knock at your door.

>Answer it
>Ignore it
>Who’s there?

>>32697499
>Answer it

>>32697499
>Answer it

Rolled 20

>>32697499
>>Answer it

>>32697578
>Nat 20
Hooray it's not the she devil!!

>>32697578
>its the dyke trying to kill us
>she gets a gut full of lead
>sweet sweet victory

>>32697499
Curious, you set your cleaning kit and your pistol aside and get up. When you open the door, it’s Nyra who greets you. This time, however, she is not wearing her greasy overalls. Instead she wears a simple grey blouse and baggy brown trousers. She’s fidgeting as you take her attire in.

>That’s certainly new
>What’s up?

>>32697630
Oh hey, the insecure murderhobo is still here.

Rolled 19

>>32697646
What's up

>>32697658
When we roll a bunch of 1's and 2's and die a virgin we will remember these wasted rolls.
>>32697646
>That’s certainly new

>>32697646
>What’s up?
>>32697655
Oh hey, its the guy who isn't terrified of the one person on the ship with a reason to want to murder us
I was actually the guy who talked about dicking her straight because thats my fetish

>>32697646
>Compliment her
Last I check women liked it when you complement them whenever they wear new clothes

>>32697678
>>32697707
>>32697646

Changing my vote to compliment her.

>>32697707
shhh, let the autist roam free

>>32697686
>dat spoiler
While I agree with such desires
Her death may be a detriment to the crew seeing how she's pretty fucking ard boss

>>32697707
This

>>32697646
"I've never seen you out of your overalls before"
>What’s up?

>>32697646
>>32697707
Supporting. We must have also leveled up our boyfriend skills over the timeskip.

>>32697841
>we can only talk to elves, dwarves and guns now
>everyone else destroys our tiny little brain

>>32697646
‘I think this is the first time I’ve seen you out of your overalls,’ you say. ‘It’s nice.’

‘Really?’ she asks, her voice muted.

‘Yeah,’ you say with a nod.

She smiles and motions inside with her head.

‘Can I come in?’

‘Yeah, sure,’ you reply, ‘just let me clean up this stuff,’ referring of course, to the mess of parts and cleaning materials.

Once you place the assorted items on the small desk at the corner of your quarters you sit down next to Nyra on your bed, who glances around at it.

‘It’s strange,’ she says, ‘this looks exactly like my own room, like everyone else’s room aboard, and yet for some reason it feels so different.’

‘Well, you know, different people are… different,’ you offer weakly. Nyra giggles.

‘I’m glad,’ she says. ‘I’m glad I have a brother like Kyd. I’m glad I met Julianne. I’m glad we came aboard this ship. I’m glad I met everyone here…’ she looks up at you, her emerald eyes fixed firmly on you, and you feel your breath hitch. ‘And I’m glad you came to my rescue.’

‘Hey,’ you say cautiously, ‘if you’re still feeling worried about tomorrow–’

‘Oh I’m worried. I’ll be worried until the boat comes back and I find out you’re safely onboard, but that’s not why I’m here tonight.’

‘So… why are you here?’ you ask, and you can’t help feeling anticipation rise within you.

‘Partly because Feyn’s been drinking lately and stopped outside my room,’ she says. You gawp at her, completely shocked.

‘That’s–’ you start, but she pushes a finger to your lips, shushing you.

‘It’s fine, despite whatever I’m sure Kyd’s told you, it’s not just me she goes after. She just happened to collapse outside my room; and I just don’t want to be there when she recovers,’ she says, shuddering scant moments later.
(cont)

>>32698067
Based dyke

>>32698067
we are gonna wake up with the Feyn busting down our door aren't we?

>>32698067
(cont)
‘Right…’ you say, not entirely convinced that she’s right not to be as worried as you feel. ‘And what about the other part?’

A slow smile spreads across her face, simultaneously, she starts to colour. ‘I can’t wish my boyfriend luck?’

You gulp audibly; she’s never looked more attractive to you than she does now. ‘I certainly won’t stop you,’ you answer.

‘Good,’ she says before crashing her mouth against yours.

(I'm on the fence as whether or not to go into saucy details, reason being that my only submission to the weekend smut thread some time back was... cringe-worthy at best. If you guys think you can handle that, I'll oblige, but in case you do want to read up, I'll warn you now to keep your expectations low)

>>32698107
>teegee
>turning down smut
>ever
hahaha
also
I have a feeling us fucking in the hallway would have led to Feyn "comforting" nyra, I'm really glad we didn't fuck her then and there

>>32698107
Go for it, no matter how bad it is we've had worse.

Rolled 2

>>32698107
give it a shot

>>32698107
On the bright side, the awkwardness will reflect first timers.

>>32698107
Hmm to smut or to not smut that is the greatest question.
Well lets see
bad smut is bad
Good smut is great
No smut is debatable
I've had too many
>YOU HAD SEX! IT WAS GOOD YOU WERE GREAT!
To be able to vote on this

>>32698107
>>32698150
>>32698193
>>32698200
>>32698207
So smut goes into a pastebin or can it be posted on /tg/?

CAPTCHA : comeing ksproce
Ohh my

>>32698249
pastebin is usually better. Lets the quest master keep running and post it at his pleasure later

>>32698107
I like poorly written smut the best, that's my fetish.

>>32698249
Smut stories posted in the ERP threads are typically posted in pastebins. For quests there's nothing wrong with posting smut in an update, it's not against the rules or anything.

>>32698650
>Rules
Wait there's rules?

>>32698669
It's a blue board. You can't post porn images but written smut is not against the rules.

>>32698690
I thought it was just a general set of agreed No go's hmm go figure

>>32698107
(Whatever, Papa-N posted his on the thread itself, most others seem to as well, guess I'll just follow suit then)

You’re completely unprepared for her assault, and you quickly yield ground as she pushes you down onto your bed. Reaching up, she undoes her braids and lets her shining maroon hair fall. It’s mesmerising, and you can’t help but stare.

You’re distracted, however, by the way Nyra’s probing tongue dances across your lips, prying and seeking entrance. Hellfire take it, you decide, and open your mouth to receive her. There is no finesse to the way your tongues coil around each other, or the way the both of you tear and grope each other like warring beasts, all either of you feel is the burning desire to feel the other.

With reaching arms, Nyra raises your shirt over your head, breaking the deadlock between your mouths. It turns out to be a boon for the both of you as the two of you gasp for air as soon as you break contact. You have little doubt that you might both potentially rather have suffocated yourselves with each other rather than break that kiss for a moment. You reach for Nyra’s blouse and pull it over her head, exposing a simple, inelegant brassiere that contains her modest breasts.

You don’t bother with the straps; instead you growl and reach for it, simply ripping it off her like an animal, exposing her to your eyes. Like a more impetuous youth you dive in, palming her left breast while taking the nipple of her right in your mouth and sucking. Nyra gasps and wraps her arms around your head, practically forcing her breast into your mouth, a parody of child feeding. After a frenzied moment, you pull away and resume kissing her, letting each other’s hands explore your bodies.
(cont)

>>32698776
(cont)
With a swift movement, you lower your trousers. She removes hers scant moments later, and the two of you sit on the bed, both of you topless and clad only in your underwear, your length straining the fabric of your undershorts. Nyra stares at your crotch, her face flushed red, but she doesn’t back away. Tentatively, she removes your underwear, and catches a good look at your straining rod. She says nothing, her breathing as heavy and laboured as yours as she carefully wraps a hand round your length. The warmth of her hand is almost too much and you groan as pleasure courses through you.

She looks up at you, studies your face as she gently moves her hand along you, she grins a little before reaching inside her underwear and pulling it down, exposing herself completely to you. Your eyes widen at the wondrous sight. She’s so slender you find yourself wondering if she’d break if you squeeze too hard, but mostly your eyes are drawn to the pink lips that lie between her legs.

She crawls atop you and keeps hold of you as she gradually lowers herself. Not having much else to do while she goes about her work you take soft hold of her and try to keep her steady. Then she slips, and suddenly you’re engorged in a slippery, wet warmth that is simply indescribable. Nyra yelps and throws her arms around you, her face a mask of surprise and… pain?

‘Are you okay?’ you ask breathlessly, entirely unsure of what’s happened.

‘I’m… fine,’ Nyra says through gritted teeth. Her embrace is so tight you can’t break away to check her face but you’re certain there are tears. ‘Julianne said it’d probably hurt the first time we did this.’
(cont)

File: image.jpg (42 KB, 420x315)

42 KB JPG

>>32698776

>>32698811
(cont)
First time?

‘So you mean there’ll be other times as well?’ you ask, injecting a note of hopefulness into your voice to try and take her mind of her very obvious agony.

‘Not if you don’t shut up,’ she grinds out.

For what feels like aeons, you remain connected like that, waiting for her to feel alright again, waiting for the pain to go away. Finally she slackens her death hold on you and pulls back a fraction, glancing down at the spot where the two of you connect. She has a small fit of laughter that almost sounds like relief.

‘We did it… we’ve really done it.’ Then she looks back up at you.

‘I love you,’ she says.

That does it then.

You smash your lips against hers, forcing her on her back, and even as the war between your tongue and hers resumes once again you start to move, pulling back before slamming back in. All there is; is the warmth, and the pleasure, and you wonder to yourself if this is what heaven is like. Nyra gasps and moans into your mouth as you plunge in and out of her, until you feel a never before felt sensation tighten in your crotch like a coil wound so tight it’ll snap before it springs. With one last thrust the feeling explodes, and you see nothing but white as you groan in rapture as you spill your seed into her before falling slack atop her, utterly spent and more than a little confused as to what you just felt exactly, but utterly and completely satisfied.
(cont)

>>32698871
>Not if you don’t shut up
nyra a best

>>32698871
Crown you wore a condom right bro? Right?
Dis gun be good

>>32698931
>we just got the elf pregnant
oh god, kyd is gonna kill us

>>32698948
Good he was taking this annoyingly well.

>>32698871
(cont)
You look at Nyra’s flushed face, dripping with perspiration as she pants for breath.

‘You good?’ you mumble, feeling inexplicably tired.

‘I’m good,’ she replies breathlessly before tugging herself out from underneath you, pushing herself into a comfortable spot next to you.

‘I’ve…’ she starts, but trails off, unsure of how to finish.

‘Yeah,’ you reply.

She takes your head in one hand and gives you a soft, chaste kiss before pulling herself close to you. You can smell her, and Nine above is it intoxicating. Her physical closeness, her scent…

“I love you…” she said that. She actually said that. To you.

You feel yourself harden again, and Nyra’s only warning comes when you’re buried inside her once more. She yelps in surprise and locks her legs around you as you feast yourself on the gorgeous creature beneath you. For the rest of the night, all that exists in the world is you and her. All your worries and all your considerations are forgotten absolutely.
(cont)

>>32698931
As soon as I wrote this I had this scenario come into my head
>The dice hate us
>They want our blood
>Two Nat 1's at the end
>We get captured by Thoedric
>Experiments and totures us to find out about our null arm field
>We escape 3 years later
>Nyra moved on
>We didn't

>>32698985
(cont)
Morning comes irritatingly soon, and a knock on your door and a voice calls for you. It sounds familiar but where…

‘Hey, little bro, come on and wake u–’

Kyd strolls inside, and is immediately frozen by the sight of you and Nyra, both completely naked and looking rather worn, in the same bed together.

>I can explain
>Prepare to die

Rolled 2

>>32699020
zippo?

>>32699034
>Prepare to die
"Give me a moment to get dressed"

>>32699041
no

>>32699041
Nah that was another anon

Rolled 9

>>32699034
>I can explain
"things got a little heated and things were said and huh..."

>>32699034
"This... is exactly what it looks like.

Rolled 6

>>32699068
oh sometimes zippo loses his name so yeah sorry guy.

>>32699034
>I can explain
>Prepare to die
>Spaghetti

Rolled 1

>>32699137
changing vote to this

>>32699034
>I can explain

>>32699034
‘I… Kyd, I can explain…’ you start; before realising very quickly that there is very likely nothing you can do that will spare you.

‘Really? Because from where I’m standing it all looks pretty easy to understand,’ Kyd says, his eyes dangerously narrowed and his good arm folded beneath the other.

‘Okay… this… is exactly what it looks like.’

‘That’s what I thought,’ Kyd sighs heavily and turns away, running a hand through his hair. ‘By the Nine and all their Saints this is JUST what I needed to see in the morning. Just… just tell me you at least used protection.’

‘Protection?’ you ask, completely confused.

Kyd turns his head towards you with malice in his eyes and a look that can only be described as malevolent.

‘Say again?’ he says, disturbingly quietly. Your mouth clamps shut. You very much feel like a mouse caught in the headlamps of an oncoming steamcoach.

A painful silence passes between you before Kyd points at you. ‘Get dressed. Now.’ His tone brooks no argument and though you don’t really want to leave Nyra as she is, you have a feeling that any move you make on her will have dire consequences for you. You hurry off the bed and slip your clothes on. Nyra murmurs sleepily but doesn’t seem to wake. Goodbye, you think to yourself as Kyd frogmarches you out of your room.
(cont)

>>32699382
>we didn't wear a rubber
>we fucked his sister
>we didn't wear a rubber
>WE FUCKED HIS SISTER
I DON'T WANNA DIE

Rolled 20

>>32699410
We also came inside

>>32699410
>Panic
We're too young to be a dad.

>>32699495
>20
AND WE GOT HER PREGO OH GOD DAMN IT COWN

>>32699495
Role for fertility

>>32699495
Fuckkit I'm done rolling you take the reins now

>>32699382
The pair of you travel to the cargo hold, to the spot you use for combat practice with Kyd. You know what’s coming, and your gut sinks. You hear what sounds like something being carved and turn to face Kyd to find that he has taken a knife to his arm cast.

‘Kyd what are–’ you start, but he interrupts you with a finger.

‘Shut up and let me work,’ he commands, brow furrowed in concentration as he continues plying away at the cast until eventually, he frees his arm. He rolls his shoulder around and gives his newly freed arm a few test swings. He winces, but makes no sound signifying any discomfort he might be feeling.

‘Should be fine,’ he mutters to himself before turning his gaze back to you. ‘Little bro,’ he says to you, and you almost snap to attention as he addresses you, ‘you and I are going to have a little heart-to-heart with our bare hands. First one unable to move loses. You ready to start?’

You gulp audibly, unwilling to do this, but without much choice in the matter. So you nod and try to raise your hands against someone you’ve rather grown to like.

‘Best of luck kiddo,’ Kyd says, before he charges at you.

>d20+1 for honour duel (1s still crit fail)

Rolled 8 + 1

>>32699537
Honor fight!?

Rolled 13 + 1

>>32699537
use the godly modifier now pls

Rolled 2 + 1

>>32699537
Oh god, why did we have to fuck his sister?

Rolled 13 + 1

>>32699537
+2

>>32699558
>>32699585
16 not bad. Should stop any bones from breaking.

Rolled 18

>>32699688
should we use the +2?

>>32699585
>>32699688

You know these are what the rolls are going to look like when there is magic and bullets and blades coming at us. Do you really want to waste the +2 against somebody that probably wont kill us?

>>32699722
Do you want the guy whos sister we just fucked to turn our head into meat paste?

>>32699724
>we didn't wear a rubber
>we fucked his sister
>we didn't wear a rubber
>WE FUCKED HIS SISTER
he's going to kill us

Rolled 19

>>32699755
he might break a few bones but not kill us...I hope.

>>32699756
That's not the fucking point. He's not going to kill his sister's boyfriend. Don't waste the +2.

>>32699537
No +2

>>32699778
also why do i get the good roles when it doesn't matter?

>>32699778
>First one unable to move loses.
Thats a fight to the death if I've ever heard one

>>32699792
I told you earlier man. We're going to remember those rolls when we're suffering in real combat. At least you shut your dice off.

>>32699799
Nah, just a pounding into submission.

>>32699822
Yeah man ok.

>>32699799
I assure you he doesn't mean first one to die.

>>32699826
I don't want to get pounded into submission just before we're the anti magic human shield for the whole crew.

>>32699860
This, we are about to go into a real fight, we can not be injured for that shit

>>32699892
we work better injured

>>32699537
You follow Kyd’s movements all the way through the fight, if you can really call it that. You suppose that if there’s a silver lining to all this, it’s that Kyd hasn’t gone for your soft bits.

Instead he just pummels you.

He wasn’t joking when he said his disabled arm was a handicap. He was brutal before but with both arms you can barely touch him. He’s not as fast as the Scythe, but even though you’re following every move he makes you can’t do a damn thing about it. He jabs, pulls back and lashes out with a vicious kick. A minute in and you can barely stand, but you do so anyway.

You hold on for another minute before finally you collapse. You actually managed to land a few punches and Kyd now sports a livid bruise on his face, but the end result is your defeat. Kyd pants and sweats, exertion having taken its toll, before he walks over to your prone form. For a moment you think he’s going to hit you again, but instead he plops himself on the floor next to you.

‘Sorry ‘bout that… got a bit rough with you. Guess it bothered me more than I thought it did.’

You reply with a wet cough.
(cont)

>>32699948
Is this where Nyra shows up?

>>32699948
>16
>he destroys us
I'm have to ask how?

>>32699995
he's pissed and remember we never agreed on using the +2 at least not unanimously.

>>32699995
Because any lower and he'd have done lasting damage.

>>32700022
>this
>not lasting
ha
haha
HAHAHAHA

>>32699995
I thought the consensus was not to use the +2 modifier

>>32699948
‘I’ve been taking care of little Nyra for nearly all my life now. I’ve taken a lot for her, tried to keep her from all the shit life can throw at you… tough job being the eldest brother, but I’ve never complained. It’s just how it goes… you know when I saw you two in there; I didn’t hate you for sleeping with her. You’ve been together a while now, it was going to happen eventually, I’m not stupid.

‘No… what got me was the fact that you’re going down to what could well be a very, very dangerous place today, and you had unprotected sex with my sister… if something goes wrong down there and you don’t come back? What if she gets pregnant? Were you really going to risk leaving her alone with a kid at her age?

‘Then there’s the damage it’d do to her, she puts on a tough face but she’s a pretty brittle girl. When Julianne and I caught flu, we nearly died, and that almost killed Nyra. You’re a whole new different kind of special to her. You die down there; I can’t imagine the damage it would cause her… I don’t WANT to imagine the damage it would cause her.’

Kyd puts his head in one hand and sighs deeply.

‘All right, I guess I’ve had my tantrum. Come on, let’s get you up to see the Doc, he can get you fixed up.’

He should, a part of you thinks, because Ryder wants you down there when you go in. Fortunately, despite his grousing, Doc prescribes you some self-made pain tablets and utilises some minor magic to reduce the bruising and swelling. Naturally your arm acts up, preventing any healing of the damage done to it, but the rest of your body proves receptive. When you inquire, the tree-man gives you a dirty look and tells you to leave.
(cont)

>>32700031
I thought it was. I like this outcome better, forget wasting it on something like this.

>>32700031
Does crown know about condoms?

>>32700057
>'Protection?' you ask, completely confused.

>>32700094
Kyd might think we were just having a mind fart at getting caught, I don't know if we actually do know if crown knows about condoms.

>>32700123
though I suppose the example proves well enough i guess, we should tell kid

>>32700147
kyd fucking auto correct

>>32700147
We should ask kyd what he meant by protection, just to anger him

>>32700200
he seems to be over it, besides it would not be that far out there for Crown, and Kyd did get his anger out on us earlier.

>>32700031
‘Why doesn’t he use that magic of his all the time?’ you ask Kyd as he leads you out of the infirmary, wincing at the way your face stings when you open your mouth.

‘Because every time he does, he shaves off some of his own life,’ he replies.

Oh.

A few hours later you’re gathered among thirty other crewmen – primarily armsmen and gunners (and you notice one group headed by a particularly hungover redheaded girl about your age, the illustrious Feyn, you presume) – headed by Ryder, who gives a speech you’re sure was quite heroic and stirring, but you weren’t paying attention. You were too focussed on what Kyd told you down in the hold. You haven’t seen her since you woke up, and you won’t even get to say goodbye. That doesn’t seem like a particularly fortuitous omen.

Eventually you board the little airborne scout ships and, with the Lady Fortuna hidden in a mountain range a short distance from the castle, you descend. The castle looks ominous and completely foreboding; with its ancient architecture appearing almost slumped as if the place feels some sort of deep regret.

‘Look lively folks,’ one crewman calls, ‘those are Visan ships down there.’

Looking down at the entrance, you see the voice is correct. Three small Visan airships – Marauder class, if you recall correctly, scout ships, albeit significantly larger and more well-armed and armoured than the little boats you and the other ride on – are parked on the overgrown lawn before the old castle. The boats are set down and the crew disembark, drawing their weapons in anticipation of a fight. You take your pistols in both hands, and check to make sure the blade function in your vambrace still works – it does.
(cont)

>>32700301
(cont)
Cautiously, the force moves forward, every instinct of yours is screaming at you not to get any closer to that dark place, but you push forward anyway, despite seeing similar discomfort in the other crewmen. Finally, you reach the three Marauders, and a quick search and sweet confirms that none of them are occupied.

‘They must be inside,’ Ryder deduces, ‘but why all go in?’

In the end, it doesn’t matter. You have to find whatever Theodoric is looking for inside this edifice and the only way to do that is to go in, much as you’d rather not.

‘Cown, stick with me,’ Ryder commands, and you do as you’re told. ‘We’ll split up into two groups of ten. Feyn, you take your mob and take one way, Limwitz, you’ll take another group and another way, I’ll take the last.’

The assigned leaders nod and with bated breath, you enter the castle. A chill passes through you like a wave, and your left arm begins to itch, and a quick check confirms that the tattoos have appeared again. You look around wildly for any signs of witchcraft but there is nothing. You keep on your guard, but a small voice in the back of your head is telling you that your arm is reacting to the building itself.

You reach what appears to be the main hall. An old, crumbling staircase descends into darkness, while another equally battered staircase leads up. A set of large, charred oak doors sit at the end of the hall, they are open.

>Doors
>Go up
>Go down

>>32700402
>>Doors
no one leaves doors open without a reason, proceed carefully

>>32700402
>Doors

>>32700402
>Doors

>>32700402
Ryder stares at the open doors warily.

‘Limwitz, you take the staircase up, Feyn, you go down. The rest of us are going straight through those doors.’

‘Fantastic,’ the redhead – Feyn – grumbles. ‘Send the lady into the dark scary hole.’

‘You’re scarier than anything we’ll meet down there,’ an armsman cracks as he hefts a rifle. Several other armsmen chuckle at the joke until Feyn silences them with a mean look.

‘Knock it off and get going. We don’t know how far ahead these other intruders ahead of us are,’ Ryder says.

‘What’s the plan if we meet them boss?’ Limwitz asks, his massive hammer hefted across one shoulder.

‘Take them alive if you can, but your own safety comes first.’

Limwitz nods before leading his group up the far flight of stairs.

You keep your pistols trained on the door as the ten of you approach. A crewman creeps up and sneaks a peek through the open gap. Eventually he turns back and announces that it’s clear, and you step on through.

You are greeted by a courtyard. A large and very dead white tree sits in the middle, and just before it sits a fountain that has gone unmaintained for so long the water has turned black with scum.

Ryder isn’t paying attention, he’s staring at the ground, at what look like patterns in the dust and dried, long dead leaves that coat the ground.

‘What is it cap?’ a crewman asks.

‘Something happened here,’ Ryder says, crouching down to get a better look. It looks almost like–

Then you hear a low, moaning groan. All of you freeze, then gaze around frantically trying to pinpoint the source of the sound.

>d20 for perception

Rolled 19

>>32700646
get ready to dodge people.

Rolled 16

>>32700646
My money. S on the pool of water

Rolled 19

>>32700646

>>32700678
fuck yes! voodoo luck hell yeah, might change my name.

>>32700678
>>32700696
>and people thought we would crit fail when it was important

>>32700720
I still do, but lets hope we don't alright.

>>32700720
this just means our eyeballs don't fire out of our face, there's still plenty of time to get killed

>>32700646
You glance upward and catch a glimpse of a pale flash. You don’t think, you react. In seconds a pistol is pointed up at the blur of movement and with a squeeze of the trigger, the pistol roars. The shot punches the shape into the wall and it drops, falling to the earth where it lies unmoving.

The rest of the crew turn sharply, and instantly keep their weapons aimed or poised in the thing’s direction. It looks almost human in appearance, but it’s so pale that its skin appears almost white as paper. Then it stirs, and snaps to its feet.

It’s instantly clear that it was once human. Its soulless, black eyes, bloody, drooling mouth and savage expression convince you swiftly that this thing has nothing but bad intentions for you and the crew. You fire unflinchingly, putting two shots into its skull, which splits like a ripe watermelon. The body remains upright for a moment before slumping over, now very dead.

No sooner does the crack of the shot fade when more howling groans start to fill the air.

‘Back through the doors!’ Ryder commands, but a gaggle of more of the creatures appear through the portal as if summoned by magic and charge towards you in loping, lopsided strides, arms outstretched.

>Stand and fight
>Convince them to move

>>32700842
>Stand and fight
We went shooting not evade.

>>32700842
>Stand and fight
Captians orders, just hope we don't lose to many guys in this

>>32700842
>Stand and fight
QUICK DRAW

>>32700842
Ryder bellows something over the sparse shots but you don’t hear him. You train both pistols on your intended targets and squeeze and squeeze the triggers. You notice quickly that body shots stagger these creatures, but don’t kill them outright. Only headshots seem to put them down permanently, and you’re glad to see that you’re not the only one who made that connection as those other crewmen with firearms begin to take more careful aim for the heads of the charging beasts while those without stand ready to bring down any that make it through the field of fire.

Another wave of howling beasts spills over the wall of the courtyard and you make out in alarm that these new arrivals appear more agile than the others. The alarm quickly deepens as you realise that all of them wear the red and white livery of Visan troops.

‘Well that explains the empty ships,’ Ryder snarls as he snaps off another shot from his repeater. ‘Hellfire, there’s too many of them. We push on inside, bottleneck them somewhere.’

‘What if there are more inside?’ one crewman asks in a panic as he reloads his rifle.

‘If we stay out here they can surround us. Inside we can find a thin corridor where their numbers count for nothing, now follow me!’ With that, the captain turns and sprints for a set of doors at the end of the courtyard, kicking them open with a boot. You’re hot on his heels, and you spin back towards the open doors in order to pour more fire on the charging monsters, backpedalling as you do so–

–and then your foot finds nothing but air.

A hole has been opened in the ground, torn open long ago by means unknown, and you pitch into it, capable only of watching in horror as Ryder reaches for you, knowing full well that he won’t.
(cont)

>>32701098
We're in the basement with zombies and who knows what other beasts lurking in the shadows, all we know is somewhere down here is a beast more monstrous then any other we've seen... and we just fucked the girl she's after.

>>32701098
(cont)
You slam against a rock and the impact drives your breath from your lungs, you roll aside and drop deeper into darkness, falling head over heels into the thick black nothingness, hitting more and more detritus as you fall. Finally you hit what you can only assume is ground because when you smack against it, nothing further happens. You hurt everywhere, and you think one of your ribs might at least be cracked because even breathing pains you.

You shift on the cold stone, and realise that, somehow, there is light. Craning your head up, you find that you lie at the edge of a gargantuan chamber, with walls stretching so high the light doesn’t reach them. Rolling onto your back, you can just make out the hole you fell through. You can hear gunshots echo through it, along with shouts, screams and the howls of the creatures. You gape at the distance, how in the name of the Nine did you survive that fall? Until you remember the painful journey down and realise that the sudden, painful stops likely saved you.

Gritting your teeth, you force yourself up on your feet and try to take stock of your situation. You still possess one of your repeaters, clutched in your hands somehow as you fell, and your vambrace appears scratched but otherwise undamaged. You glance around the great chamber and then you stop, struck stupid by the sight before you.

Surrounded by lamps lit by baleful blue flames, sits a great stone gate. It appears older than anything you can imagine, older than this ancient castle by far. Carvings that you can’t make out dot the great structure, and for some reason your eyes start stinging, and your left arm actually starts aching. None of that, however, fazes you as much as the fact that you recognise that gate.

You’ve seen it in your dreams.
(cont)

>>32701317
>dreams
WE ARE A PROPHET WITH THE ABILITY TO DICK MAGIC IN THE ASS
BEST QUEST

>>32701317
(cont)
‘Disgusting is it not?’ a voice calls. Your blood runs cold. You recognise that voice.

‘A great portal to another realm, carved by beings of such great power that they were like beacons to the denizens of this other realm.’

‘No,’ you choke, your voice filled with disbelief and pure, unfiltered rage. ‘I killed you. I shot you dead and you bled and died. I KILLED you damnit!’

‘So you did,’ says the assassin with the skull tattoo on his cheek, his eyes as black and soulless as you remember, his cruel, serrated blade flickering in his hand. ‘And I intend to pay you back in full for that.’

>>32701413
"Hey now, an eye for an eye and I end up dead, why don't we talk this out?"

>>32701413
asdsgdaffgdfsfha I just realised the gaff I made. Dialogue should read 'I shot you and you bled and died.'

Anyway on that cliffhanger I'll end Part 8. As always, feedback is appreciated. Thanks loads for sticking with me as long as you have, and I'll see you lot in the next few days.

>>32701456
fucking hell yes, can't wait for the next installment Zippo!

>>32701456
I DONT WANT IT TO END DAMN IT, ITS GETTING SO GOOD