>>39962761
You set out into the featureless, blazing sand of the desert. Your destination? A town to the northeast, marked on the crudely drawn map you borrowed from your town's comatose trader. You traveled for some hours, the heat causing you to sweat profusely, which only further stings your already achey wounds. But you press on for some hours longer, until the sun dips low beneath the horizion and the stars emerge. Beneath the twinkling carpet above, you pitched a crude tent with your hoe and the cloak you acquired from the Hellspawn's remains in your house. Beneath the black felt of your makeshift tent, you enter a dreamless sleep, too exhausted for even that.

You awaken the following morning, your mouth dry and your stomach empty. You disassemble your tent and shoulder your baggage once again.

What will you do?

>Continue on. You'll find something eventually, right?
>Eat a pepper and/or onion of the precious few you have remaining.
>Search for food
>Search for water
>Write-in

>>39962767
Continue on, I'd imagine peppers aren't that great when you're sweating like this. Probably have water there too.

>>39962767
>Search for water
water is much more important than food

>>39962767
Investigate that jug we got.

>>39962793
Carry on.

>>39962836
Search for water.

>>39962944
Examine jug.

Anyone else got some input? If not I'll do the jug one and then roll for which of the top two.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>39962767
You pull out the clay jug that you received from the trader. You never did give this thing much more than a glance after you purchased it. You didn't exactly have time, what with how quickly things escalated in the last few hours, so you may as well do it now before you carry on.

Withdrawing the jug from your bag, you examine it from every angle. The merchant said it was of invaluable use to anyone in the desert, but he could have just been spewing salesman nonsense. You wonder whether you could trust anything he said after what happened with those crystals, but that's a different story.

The jug is a simple clay color, chipped and scratched in places, but mostly intact otherwise. Peeking inside reveals no different, though sticking your hand inside sends a slight tingle down your arm, the telltale feeling of magic. But what kind? You're unsure.

Unable to determine a purpose for the jug, you stow it once again, a mystery for later. You then weigh your options to decide on what you should do.

1 for continuing, 2 for searching for water.

Fucking... You just posted this while I had to go to bed.

I'll vote for eating and investigating the jug before I go. Night.

>>39963208
Sorry anon, I get home from work pretty late. It's no fun working 6 days a week, and my only free day has a game which I GM, so I'm a busy busy man.

>>39963193
Water is most important. Whatever and wherever it comes from, you need water. After all the sweating you've done over the past two days, you're likely heavily dehydrated. It would be best to fix that before you wander deeper into the sands with nothing but this crude map to guide you. You don't even know how much further the town is from where you are now.

You can always use the stacked ruins of the layered city in the distance as a waypoint to orient yourself on the proper path, so that isn't a big issue. Your Farmer's Intuition has never steered you wrong, so you see no reason to doubt it now. Sniffing the air and following your gut, you set off to discover a source of water.

Roll 1d20 for searching.

Rolled 3 (1d20)

Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>39963303

>>39963344
This is the third challenge in a row that you people have rolled a 20.

You are unstoppable. Tell me you're not the same anon who did it last time.

>>39963344

Farmer's intuition confirmed to be best intuition.

>>39963372
I am not. I usually have bizarrely good luck though, at least with d20s

>>39963303
True to its name, your Farmer's Intuition steers you in the right direction. You walk for a little over an hour before you spot it sparkling in the distance: a small pool of crystal-clear water, simply sitting there in a concave crater of sand. It's curious how it doesn't sink into the sand, but you're not too concerned about that right now.

You get on your knees and drink your fill, splashing water across your face and bare skin. Despite being out in the sweltering heat, the water is surprisingly cool. You suspect there must be some magic keeping the place as it is, but with no way to determine the source, you simply bask in your good luck.

Once you've had as much water as you can drink, you decide to fill both your bucket and the jug with water. While filling the bucket, a bit of sand enters along with the water. Unavoidable, and harmless. You set the now-full bucket aside, and proceed to fill the jug as well. While filling the jug, however, you notice something strange. The sand that entered the jug with the water begins to dissolve, leaving nothing but the water in its wake.

Curious, you decide to experiment. You shovel a small handful of sand directly into the jug, and watch as that too dissolves into nothing, raising the level of the water in the jug slightly. You have a small sip from the jug, and determine that it is perfectly pure, drinkable water, not a grain of sand to be found.

Maybe that WAS a good purchase.

[1/2]

>>39963587
You decide that this place is too valuable to leave unknown, and go about marking roughly on the map where it is. Pricking your finger on the prong of your hoe, you dab a small amount of blood onto the map at about where you are now. It's not perfect, but it'll do.

With that settled and your body refreshed, you pack up and head towards the town. It's growing dark by the time you arrive, and look the place over properly.

Behind it in the distance is more sand, though these appear more as bumpy dunes than flat plains. The town seems to be built among the ruins of some old structures, including some wooden docks jutting out into the dunes. You see old signs on the buildings indicating them as "Fishery" or "Shipping" companies. A bit of deductive reasoning leads you to believe the dunes used to be an ocean, untold years ago.

Trekking into town, several people spare you a glance, but none seem all that interested in you. They DO appear slightly less disheveled than any of the people in your own town, however.

>Speak to a random local. Maybe they'll be kind enough to point you in the right direction.
>Look for a bar. Bars always have rumors. Or so you're told.
>Look for an inn or somewhere to stay. A proper bed would be nice.
>Look for the shops.
>Write-in

>>39963769
>Speak to a random local. Maybe they'll be kind enough to point you in the right direction.

>>39963769
>Speak to a random local. Maybe they'll be kind enough to point you in the right direction.

>>39963869
>>39963965
Looks like a local it is. Writing now.

>>39963769
The best course of action would be to ask a local. They know the place better than you, and can probably point you in the right direction. At least, you hope so.

You look around for a short while for someone who doesn't seem to actively steer clear of you, and find someone leaning against the worn brick wall of an old structure, smoking a cigarette. You give a short wave to catch his attention, and he nods at you as you jog over. His matted brown hair and brown eyes make him fairly unremarkable, at least in appearance.

You hold out your hand, saying, "Name's Winston Hamilton."

The stranger gives you a straight-faced look, glancing down at your hand, as he says, "Well, which is it?"

You take a moment to process what he said before he breaks into laughter. Recovering himself, he switches the hand holding his cigarette and with his now-free hand, shakes your own. "Pleased to meet you, Winston. I'm Roscoe Thorley. If I may say, you don't look like you're in a condition to be walking the desert, unless those bandages are just for show."

You place your bag down on the ground, shaking out your arms while saying, "That's a long story."

Taking a puff of his cigarette, Roscoe smiles. "Stories are all we've got these days, friend. I'm all ears, if you're willing to tell."

>Tell him the whole truth. A Hellspawn attacked your town, you killed it, and it killed your crops. You're looking for a Magi to restore the land or a steady source of food.
>Tell him most of the truth. A Hellspawn attacked your town, it killed your crops, and you're looking for a Magi to restore the land or a steady source of food.
>Tell him you're looking for a Magi.
>Tell him you're looking for a steady source of food to supply a town.
>Write-in

>>39964328
>Tell him the whole truth. A Hellspawn attacked your town, you killed it, and it killed your crops. You're looking for a Magi to restore the land or a steady source of food.

>>39964328
>>Tell him the whole truth. A Hellspawn attacked your town, you killed it, and it killed your crops. You're looking for a Magi to restore the land or a steady source of food.

>>39964373
>>39964484
I'll get to work!

>>39964328
>>39964328
You said to yourself before, you're an honest type. No reason to betray that.

You sigh, running a hand through your hair, grunting, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Roscoe takes a final puff from his cigarette before dropping the butt and stomping it into the asphalt that lines the way between the standing structures. "Try me."

You lean gingerly against a beaten lamppost, facing Roscoe. "I'm from a small town some ways into the desert. We're off the route of most traders, so we don't get much foot traffic. A Hellspawn worked its way into town, killed my crops and turned the farmable land into sand. I'm looking for a Magi to restore the land, or at the least, a steady supply of food."

Roscoe gives a low whistle. "Sounds like some tough luck. What happened to the Hellspawn? You must have a Magi in town."

"We do, but it wasn't her that took care of it."

You bend down, digging through your bag as Roscoe asks, "Then who did?"

You pull out the skull, casually tossing it to him. He catches it and, realizing what it was, held it with as little skin contact as possible. You tell him, "I did."

He looks between you and the skull for a moment before he hands it back, clearly uncomfortable with having touched it. "Well, I'll be damned. A normal human offed a Hellspawn? Now THAT is impressive. You know, I might just know someone who could help, but..."

"But?" you ask impatiently.

"...buuuut, this stuff doesn't come free, friend. You said you took out a Hellspawn, did you? Then a few banditos should be no sweat for a big guy like you. A group of bandits has been harassing us, attacking incoming traders and generally making our lives hell. You take care of them, and I'll tell you everything I know. The sooner, the better. What do you say?"

>"Consider it done."
>"Consider it done, but I'll expect some more suitable equipment for the job."
>"I'm a farmer, not a fighter. Find another person to play vigilante for you."
>Write-in

>>39964891
>"Consider it done, but I'll expect some more suitable equipment for the job."

>>39964891
>>"Consider it done, but I'll expect some more suitable equipment for the job."

>>39964891
>"I'm a farmer, not a fighter. Find another person to play vigilante for you."
And
>Write-in
Unless you wanna give me a few houses to drop on them. Im not your guy for that job. Anything else?

>>39965002
Seconded. We're a simple kind of man.

>>39965094
>>39965002
We gotta do what it takes to help out our village. We're a strong guy and I figure if nothing else we can scare them off by wearing the skull and cape and saying some creepy shit

>>39965113
Plus, you have a rusty hoe. Nobody wants to be hoed to death by a burly farmer.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>39964958
>>39964999
Do the job and do it right.

>>39965002
>>39965094
I'm a lover not a fighter.

Looks like it's time for a tiebreaker. Dice, tell us your will.

>>39965343
You consider his words, clearly unhappy with the condition. But, you've got to do what it takes to help the people back home.

"Consider it done, but I'll expect some more suitable equipment for the job."

Roscoe cocks his head. "Equipment? You telling me you took out a Hellspawn without any equipment?"

You snort. "Unless you've got a few houses I can drop on them, no, I do not have any equipment."

Roscoe rubs the back of his head. "Yeesh, you're starting to make me doubt you. But if you're capable, who am I to stop you? I'll give you what I can, in that case. Come with me." He tilts his head in a direction down the cracked and broken street as he starts walking. You gather your things and follow him for several minutes, before he stops at a metal-shuttered doorway.

Unlocking and pulling the shutter up, he gestures you inside. You nod, kick the dirt off your shoes, and walk in. Roscoe follows behind you.

The interior is dusty, to say the least. A bare, dim lightbulb occasionally flickers as it hangs from a wire on the ceiling, and worn out wooden tables and chairs are scattered around the room. It's not very tidy, but it's liveable. Roscoe heads further in, and you follow him into a room stacked with boxes. Roscoe speaks as he starts digging through the boxes, "Y'know, I don't usually do this for anyone. People doing a job should have their own equipment, I say. But you seem a trustworthy type, is what my gut tells me. So I'll give you what I can."

He pulls from the boxes a knife that looks quite sharp, along with a small gun and a magazine of rounds. Finally, he tosses a thick, padded vest at you. You pull the knife from its sheath and examine it. You notice that the blade is made of a strange metal you've never seen before. It's a light purple, almost lavender in color, and seems to shine and sparkle under a light source that is not present in the room.

[1/2]

>>39965632
Re-sheathing the knife, you take the pistol and magazine as Roscoe speaks. "That's a peashooter at best. .22 caliber, and the rounds aren't even enchanted. They're better suited towards humans than anything more magical in nature."

"And what about the knife?" you ask as you examine the gun, not entirely familiar with the concept of a firearm, but at least knowing enough about which direction is the business end.

Roscoe speaks, a grin on his face. "Now that's a special one. Made of some fancy magical metal, or so I'm told. Supposed to cut through magic like butter. I wouldn't place any bets on a human using that against a Hellspawn, but it's better than a..." he looks you over. "A baseball bat, or a rusty hoe."

You feel slightly insulted at his comments, but let them pass for now. You've more important things to be concerned with. You pocket the pistol and slip on the vest, pulling at the tattered old thing, wondering aloud, "Will this even offer any protection?"

Roscoe shrugs. "Better than what you had before. Now, you all set, or was there something else you'd like to do?"

>"I may as well visit the shops and see if they have anything else I can use."
>"I'd rather get some rest for the night."
>"I'm ready to go now. A farmer always follows the 'early bird' philosophy."
>Write-in

>>39965814
>"I may as well visit the shops and see if they have anything else I can use."

>>39965874
"I may as well visit the shops and see if they have anything else I can use."

Roscoe extends a hand, "Be my guest, most places should still be up and running by now. Before you go, I see you've got a map sticking out of your bag there?"

You nod, pulling the map and unraveling it to show Roscoe. He seems to flinch slightly at the barebones thing. "I, ah, see it's very... well, sparse. And is that blood?" He shakes his head, pulling a pencil and drawing some arrows following a rough course that ends in a circle a little to the north of the town. "Nevermind that. A few people tell me the bandits have holed up here, in the old rusted wreck of a ship. Seeing as there's no water, they won't be going anywhere. You take them out, and I'll give you all the info I've got."

You nod, taking the map back as Roscoe hands you the pencil as well. "Here, so you don't have to write in blood next time."

You nod, grunting a short thanks before heading out and towards the shops. A few in particular catch your eye.

>A small cart labeled "RINGS RINGS RINGS." The cart is filled with small, unmarked blue boxes.
>A craftsman shop, displaying various leather goods.
>A shop labeled "The Attic", which appears to house an astounding variety of trinkets, most of which are seemingly useless.
>A shop labeled "Dungeon Crawlers." Looking through a window shows a number of tamed Hellspawns in cages.
>A weapons shop, displaying a variety of weapons, from the humble sword to a series of large rifles.

>>39966148
Seems to be a little empty in here, and it's getting kind of late anyway, so I think we'll just end it here and pick up next time, assuming there's no objections? Sorry for another kind of dull thread, next one should be more exciting. I'll try and work on making more interesting content. I'm much more used to GMing than QMing.

>>39966148
>A small cart labeled "RINGS RINGS RINGS." The cart is filled with small, unmarked blue boxes.

>>39966242
I probably ought to get some sleep anyway. Don't forget to archive the thread

>>39966326
Will do, thanks for sticking around so long.

Thread's archived.

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/39962761/

>>39966148
>>A shop labeled "Dungeon Crawlers." Looking through a window shows a number of tamed Hellspawns in cages.
Might as well get a pet or something. Hellspawn vs hellspawn