>>44309400
>D

>>44309400
>B) To the library to study

>>44309400
>>B) To the library to study

>D) To the barracks where her guards train

>>44309400
>D) To the barracks where her guards train

>>44309400
>>B) To the library to study

>>44310550
>>44310490
>>44310190

Promising yourself to go visit the library after, you quickly hop out of the foyer and head down into the courtyard. People passing by you wave politely if they recognize you, but ultimately leave you to your own devices. As you draw near you hear the sounds of loud shouting, steel against wood and steel, and the laughs of men. These guards, while not Paladins, are excellent soldiers from what Gwyn has told you.

After knocking on the door it opens and on the other side is a young man with a strong jaw and happy simple face. "Oho, what have we here? Is little Sig skipping on his studies?" He pats your head with his heavy hand, which you shake off in disagreement. "I'm not skipping out, Harmon, Gwyn said that when I was done with my time, I had the rest of the day off until Tranquils. I want to see you guys training." He chuckles and lets you in, closing the door behind you.

You are lead through the barracks compound and brought out to the pitch. In the middle of the ring are three men squaring off against another. The three men have swords and shields, the other man has a spear and a larger shield. Cheers of encouragement fill the air as they face off, occasionally one would lunge at the spearman, who would quickly fend him off and keep his distance.

Harmon leans against the fence surrounding the pitch, which you quickly climb to sit atop of as he asks, "So, Sig, you're going to fight one day, I assume? You've always been a fan of watching us fight. Which man do you think is going to win? The spearman, or the swordsmen?"

>A) The spearman, he's got reach and a better defense. Defense is more important.

>B) The swordsman, they can get into the spearman's reach and make his weapon ineffective. Offensive is more important.

>C) The swordsmen, there are three of them against one, normal men can't beat those odds. Knowledge and preparation are more important.

>>44310746
>C) The swordsmen, there are three of them against one, normal men can't beat those odds. Knowledge and preparation are more important.
Know when to attack, when to defend and when to run, kek.

>>44310746
>C) The swordsmen, there are three of them against one, normal men can't beat those odds. Knowledge and preparation are more important.

>>44310746
>>A) The spearman, he's got reach and a better defense. Defense is more important.

>>44310746
>C) The swordsmen, there are three of them against one, normal men can't beat those odds. Knowledge and preparation are more important.

If there's three men, then it'd going to be very difficult for him to avoid being flanked. If he gets in a corner then he can get a draw, perhaps. He probably won't win except by luck.

>>44310746
>>C) The swordsmen, there are three of them against one, normal men can't beat those odds. Knowledge and preparation are more important.

>>44310746
>B) The swordsman, they can get into the spearman's reach and make his weapon ineffective. Offensive is more important.

>>44310746
>The spearman
>He is clearly a Hero Class unit

>>44310825
>>44310798
>>44310832

"It's not fair for the spear guy, he's being ganged up on. How can he win?" Harmon nods and shrugs, "Sometimes it's not a neat little one on one, and you've gotta do the best you can. But, lucky for you, Paladins can handle more than one opponent pretty well. I've seen Gwyn fight ten of us off at once without much of a problem."

You shrug, "Well, maybe, but still, I think it's better to just stay out of those situations, right?" The man nods, "Yeah, I can agree to that much." The two of you watch until, eventually, the spearman is indeed overwhelmed and the heft sergeant calls out in his bark of a voice for the next group to get ready. Harmon pulls on his helmet from his belt and taps a post in the fence with his knuckle, "Wish me luck, kiddo."

He and seven other men head down and are handed white or black cloths to wear around their necks. They form up into teams, one man with a crossbow, two men with sword and shield, and one man with a pike. They clash and square off for a while as you watch on with excitement. The match goes on for some time with Harmon eventually winning with his team.

He returns, covered in sweat, and wipes his brow off you pat his back. "Thanks, little man. So, I see you're already thinking smart. But, tell me, what do you know about what kind of a Paladin you want to be?"

>A) Not much.
>B) I want to be (QM's suggestion)
>C) What are the kinds of Paladin?

>C) What are the kinds of Paladin?

>>44311166
>>C) What are the kinds of Paladin?

>>44311166
>C) What are the kinds of Paladin?

>>44311241
>>44311355
>>44311378

"What are the kinds of Paladin?" Harmon shrugs and rubs his neck, "Well, I don't know all of them. There's like four Paths and they each lead into three Disciplines. I only know the Paths. There's the Minister, unarmored and most focused on Faith, the Vanguard, the most lightly armored Paladins who hunt and pursue evil most aggressively. There's the Sentinel, the middle armored and most flexible of the Paths, and finally the Warden, heavily armored protectors. Each of them have a ton of choices, maybe more than three Disciplines, I can't remember. You could ask Gwyn."

You thank him for his time and head back up to the castle after another hour of watching fights and chatting with the pleasant man. You head back up to the library and great Master Durmon, the librarian, and look around, eager to learn more. What do you want to learn more about?

>A) Minister
>B) Vanguard
>C) Sentinel
>D) Warden
>E) History and Duty of Paladins

>E) History and Duty of Paladins
>C) Sentinel

>>44311652
>A) Minister

>>44311652
>Sentinel

>>44311652
>>D) Warden
>>E) History and Duty of Paladins

>>44311652
C

Sentinel!

>>44311652
>>D) Warden

>>44311652
>E) History and Duty of Paladins

>>44311652
>>A) Minister

>>44311816
>>44311762
>>44311786

You first head to the section on the history of Paladins and draw forth the large tome you were reading from earlier. Placing it on the table you flick through the pages until you find the section and begin to read,

"Paladins were initially kept in large groups, bound by holy bonds to one another through Oaths, and collectively were called Bonds. Each Bond of Paladins controlled massive swathes of land, despite numbering fifty at most each. This level of autonomy allowed each Bond to get rapidly independent and out of control with each passing generation until, inevitably, the Paladins held their Bonds at higher loyalty than the Hierophant or the Temple of the Seven.

It came to blood, in a violent clash of holy warriors, the Bonds feuded against each other for control over land. This went on for a length of time until the Hierophant eventually stepped in and dissolved the Bonds. Now, he said, Paladins were to be no more than two to a permanent union. Oaths, he said, were too vital to lose from his warriors, but no longer would groups of Paladins hold land. Instead, he devised the Hold System, where a Paladin controlled a large area of influence, but only owned a castle. This kept the Paladins apart and from feuding constantly. This is the current system, and it has worked well."

You nod and put a mark in the book to keep your place before investigating the book on the Path of the Sentinel.

[cont]

>>44311974

"The Sentinel is the most flexible and is seen by many of the Innocent as the archetypal example of what a Paladin is. Often seen astride a steed, the Sentinel is capable of wielding all weapons save for the Lawbringer-type hammers and swords which require intense mystical reinforcement to properly wield, a right allowed only to the Wardens.

Sentinels serve as either roaming errants, doing justice and righting wrongs, or as first-response soldiers to fight any uprisings of Horrors.

A Sentinel, after serving his term for a few years, can study under a Master who can impart the knowledge of a Discipline. While it is possible to hold two Disciplines, it is rare, and only one Paladin has managed to hold three at once. The most common Disciplines for Sentinels are as follows,

The Templar- Protector of the Temples and Holy Ways, Templars patrol tirelessly and defend pilgrims and others seeking refuge in the holy places from the wild. They are famous for their unflagging endurance and ability to bestow it to their steed, granting them the ability to ride for weeks without stop.

The Avenger- Often the worshipers of Lorkan, Father of Retribution, Avengers swear themselves to holy Oaths of emnity against one of the Horrors. They are commonly called other names by the Innocent, such as Hexjager for those who despite witches and magic users. Their life is a crusade against their nemeses.

The Marshal- Many flock to the words of the Paladin, and soldiers are no different. The Marshal has studied the art of war and leads legions of the Innocent in his holy war against the Horrors and the Cavaliers. He is a master of battle, and his holy powers can shape the field of war.

The Lector- Taught the most ancient of hymns, Lectors sing in an unearthly voice that can stir man and beast with equal strength. Lectors of true power can sunder stone under the force of their war cry and can even rouse the bloodied and beaten to vigor for one more heroic stand."

(cont)

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>>44312189

The Inquisitor- The Innocent are not aware of their transgressions against the Faith, for most are not as fervent as we. Inquisitors hunt the weakness in the Innocent and prevent their corruption or the interference of the horrors in the lives of the Innocent.

The Crusader- Sworn to never rest until the Cavaliers are dispelled, the Crusader hunts the most hated enemy of the Paladins and is tireless in his fight against them. He is a master of one-on-one combat and is trained in all Zielrand styles of combat, and mixes his powers with his Zielrand.

Though this is a brief overview of some of the Disciplines, these are the most common for Sentinels to become."

You lean back and take it all in before breathing out. You reach to read something else as a voice interrupts you.

"Master Wagner, her Ladyship calls for you." The voice belongs to Merea, Gwyn's handmaiden. You stand up and put the books away before heading to the Cathedral.

The doors are being closed as you enter the room and Gwyn kneels in prayer before the altar in the middle of the room. A pale light washes over her as she whispers her prayers and bows her head before standing and nodding at you.

"Hello Sigmund, did you have a good day?" You nod and bow your head to her, "Yes, Lady Gwyn."

She walks over and inspects you, "I can see that you were studying. Good. Your birthday approaches soon, and I want you prepared to know what Path you wish to begin on. Do you have any idea?"

>A) I have an idea. (Write in your Path)
>B) I'm still working on it.

>>44312377
>B) I'm still working on it.
Need to learn more about the otthers first.

>>44312377
>>B) I'm still working on it.
MINISTER please

>>44312377
>>B) I'm still working on it.

>>44312377
>>B) I'm still working on it.

>>44312377
B) brah

>>44312470
>>44312421

"It is a difficult choice. I'm still deciding." She nods and walks past you, gesturing for you to follow her upstairs to her study. As you walk you ask, "What do you think of becoming a Minister?"

She pauses and thinks, "Ministers are extremely useful. Their connection to the True Faith is something that I can only get close to when I am singing. There are many Disciplines for them to embark upon, but among the most useful and common is the Oathkeeper. He alone is the one who can tie the strands of faith and word together to power two Paladins' Oaths."

The two of you reach her study where she removes her breastplate and cloak, standing in just her tunic. She sits opposite you and looks into your eyes. "It's that time again, Sigmund. I am going to attempt to look into your mind more for the source of the Ulvenacht." You nod, feeling your discomfort growing, but you attempt to quell it with your focus.

You extend your hands to her and she grips them firmly and orders in a familiar tone. "Close your eyes, Sigmund." You obey and she begins a soft song, which settles the weight of sleep on you, but does not bring your consciousness to darkness fully...

~~~~~You dream whilst waking~~~~~

A burly man, bearded and tall, with large arms, a woodsman, calls out, "We can't just ignore this! He has the Mark on him, he'll damn us all!" Loud jeers and voices fill the air as your vision flicks up to the tall adult holding your hand, a blurry faced woman. "You can't!" One voice calls out through the din, "Perhaps we can just exile him? He won't bring it upon us!"

The vision begins growing cloudy as your vision blurs around the edges. The sensation of warm water runs down your cheeks as you look up at the woman again who kneels next to you and whispers, "Sigmund....it will be ok."


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[cont]

>>44312671

The vision breaks and you gasp sharply. Gwyn has stopped her song and looks at you with a mixture of pity and apology. "That will be all for this week, Sigmund. I know we can't push you too hard for this." You nod and whisper an apology. She reaches her hand up and rests it on your small shoulder. You meet her eyes and she gives you a very slight smile, which cheers you up a bit.

"I'm sorry again, Lady Gwyn. I wish I could be stronger to keep the connection." She stands up and walks away from you, awkwardly it seems as she paces for a bit and then settles into a chair. "It's fine, Sigmund. The visions are difficult to endure for adults, I ask a great deal of you."

>A) What are you looking for in the visions?
>B) I want to try again.
>C) Can we stop the visions?

>>44312714

>A) What are you looking for in the visions?
>B) I want to try again.

>>44312714

A and B.

"I hate the waiting, Lady Gwyn. I want to try again."

>>44312714
>>A) What are you looking for in the visions

>>44312799
>>44312745

"Lady Gwyn, what are you looking for?" She sighs and rubs her forehead before speaking, "I'm looking for the one who caused the Ulvenacht. I know what happened, but when I arrived it was already well into beginning. I want to know the cause, what brought them there. Someone got marked and brought the beasts to your village. That person is dangerous, and I want to know who they are so I can look for them."

You pipe up, "I hate waiting, Lady Gwyn, these sessions always loom over me, please, can we try again?" She blinks a few times at your words and eventually gives a resentful chuckle, "You are a brave young man, Sigmund. As you wish, I will continue until either I find the solution, or you tell me to stop."

Your hands rejoin again and as they do you breathe deeply in and out, trying to calm yourself....


~~~~~~You dream again~~~~~~

It is later in the same day. You can still hear the adults yelling in the background as you walk beside the woman, your hand in hers. "Siggy, I don't think you need to be there. It's not proper for a boy." You feel your eyes grow warm again but shake it off, "But why are they doing it? Why do they want to kill him?" She sighs and kneels in front of you.

"Well, Siggy, you must understand that the forest is big and scary. It is full of monsters and demons, things that want to hurt you badly. So, we stay in our village, which is safe. But, if someone, an innocent person like you, gets a Mark, which is like a drawing on his skin, and comes into the village, the evil things can find us."

You feel your stomach warming up as sickness and anticipation floods through you. Something tells you that this is the night of your village's demise. You look around and hear yourself ask, "But who, mama? Who is marked?"

She begins to speak but a loud scream pierces her voice and the two of you turn to face the noise. A massive wolf, easily the sound of an ox, rips apart a nearby man like he's made of straw.

[cont]

>>44312971

The you in the vision falls to his knees and immediately vomits. Your skin crawls and grows wet from sweat and hot from fear as your mother drags you along, and starts running. The sound of more and more wolves and screams fill the air as she calls out, "Manfried! Damn you, Manfried!"

Manfried, you remember, is your Father, and you hear a voice call out, a male voice, calling out for you, and you turn to face it, calling out for him. Then your vision goes absolutely red.

Red, red, red, red, red, black.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You open your eyes and are looking up at the ceiling. You feel higher off the ground and look and see Gwyn holding you in her arms, a worried expression on her face. "Sigmund! Are you ok?!" You weakly nod and feel your stomach lurching from the sensations of the vision.

"I knew I shouldn't have done it. Still, that is something, the first something I've been able to get from it this year. Thank you." She says and lays you down on her bed. It is firm and smells pleasant, you think as you lie down.

She turns to get water from the basin and you say,

>A) Again, I can do it again
>B) Manfried is my father.
>C) Other

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>>44312971
A mark that draws monsters huh...

>>44313054
>>A) Again, I can do it again
>>B) Manfried is my father.
I'm the marked one aren't I?

>>44313054
>>A) Again, I can do it again
>>B) Manfried is my father.

>A) Again, I can do it again
>B) Manfried is my father.

>>44313149
>>44313124
>>44313104

"Manfried...was my father." You mutter out as she gets closer and places a freezing cold rag against your forehead. She nods, "I will remember that. I think that's enough tonight, though, I'm afraid any more will send you into shock."

You shake your head and grab her sleeve firmly, "No. I want to do it more. We're so close." She looks at you seriously for a moment and sighs, "Rest for a bit first, then we will." You nod and relax into the increasingly comfortable bed, keeping your eyes firmly open as you watch her pull out a small journal from her desk and write in it.

An hour passes and you sit up, feeling much improved as you call for her. She returns to the bedside and sits beside your legs. "Alright, Sigmund, we can do this one more time. After this, no more, ok?"

You nod and thank her for letting you keep trying. Begrudgingly, she reaches out for your hands again and you relax into the sensation.

~~~~~~Your sense of unrest grows~~~~~~~


Black, red, red, red, red.

Your father's body is cleft apart by a swipe of vicious claws and fangs. Your mother screams out in fear and turns away from the monster in front of her and runs for your house, carrying you in her arms.

Once inside she nearly throws you to the ground before pressing herself against the door and putting a heavy bar of wood across it, moving all the furniture she can. When you try to help she screams out at you to go hide.

You oblige her order and head into a closet, leaving just a bit open to watch. The howls and screams go on for a while as your mother sits against the door, holding the fire poker and praying.

Eventually the noise dies down a bit as the majority of the villagers are dead. Barks and howls sound outside the door as your mother shakes, standing up and facing the door bravely. The windows give and two large wolves fill the room, but they do not attack your mother, instead they bite the wooden beam in half and allow it to be pushed open.

[cont]

>>44313293

A massive creature, a wolf on two legs with long wiry arms ending in massive bloodied claws, fills the room to the ceiling. It is so large that it must hunch over to fit in the room, and its furry shoulders struggle to pass through the narrow doorway. Your mother kneels and whimpers in fear, shaking her head and abandoning her poker. "Please...no...."

The standing wolf picks her up and places her on the back of a waiting wolf which runs off with her. It sniffs the air and faces you for a moment, filling you with dread as you see it drawing closer. It snarls and the wolves with it begin to yip in excitement. However, its approach is ended as a piercing note, clear and pure like the greatest bell in the world, shatters the night air.

Hooves thunder through the streets and the man-wolf turns away, growling out instructions as its wolves flee, and the sound of the music draws closer. You call out for help, and a horse stops outside the doorway. A woman steps through the door, young and beautiful. She carries a blood-soaked spear and opens the door. You bury your face into her armored thigh and she steps back a bit in shock and puts her hand on your head. "It's ok, you're safe now."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You return to the present with warmth on your face, but this time it is not tears, but the hand of Gwyn, who looks into your waiting eyes with a sad expression. "I'm sorry, Sigmund, I'm sorry we had to learn this way."

Your own mother...the words seem almost unreal to think about as you look at her and the dark expression she wears. "What's wrong, Lady Gwyn?"

She sighs and regards you, "Nothing, Sigmund. But....I'm going to have you meet a few people before your birthday, ok?" You nod, unaware of what she means by that, "Of course, Lady Gwyn, I'd be happy to." Eventually she has you go back to your chambers and you settle into restless sleep.

[The next morning]
[cont]

>>44313383

You wake up, surprisingly, not to the sight of Merea, who usually is there with your morning orders, but today instead Harmon stands there awkwardly with his helmet under his left arm. "Good morning Sig. Sorry to interrupt the routine, but today you're going afield with me and a few of the guards. We're due for a meeting with another Paladin this evening, and Lady Gwyn recommended that you come with us."

You stand up, excited at the prospect and quickly dress yourself for the day and clean as best as you can, quickly. In five minutes you bounce up in front of him and give a salute. He returns it, his armor clanking audibly as he laughs, "At ease, Recruit." You stand at ease like the soldiers usually do and he leads you down the stairs to the stables. "So, you want to ride your own horse, or do you want to ride with me?"

>A) Ride with Harmon
>B) Ride alone.

>B) Ride alone.
I-I am a big boy a-already

>>44313454
>>B) Ride alone.

>>44313454
>>B) Ride alone.

>>44313476
>>44313503

"Don't worry Harmon, I'm a good rider. Gwyn made sure to teach me." He nods and puts his helmet on. "Alright then, you stay behind me and ahead of Laurence." You climb onto the back of the waiting horse and grab the reins. The seven of you set out riding at a brisk pace down the road away from the Castle.

The group draws near the forest and Lawrence calls out, "Whoa, Harmon, hold up." He stops his horse and the group mills around Harmon, who removes his helmet. "What in the Forger's name is it?" He says and frowns at Lawrence, "this is my mission." Lawrence raises his hands defensively, "Easy, Captain, it's just that do you think it's smart to go through the Spitzenwold with the kid here? What if we get attacked?" The group looks at you as one and you flush red, "I can take care of myself, ok?" You assert strongly and Harmon walks over and pats your back, "See, Lawrence? He's brave, unlike you."

Lawrence grumbles and puts his helmet back on, returning his lance to his shoulder as the group reforms. "Alright," Harmon calls out, "Hiya!" The horses now take off at a gallop as you draw near the Spitzenwold.

From your studies this road leads, very briefly into the woods, and while it can be dangerous, it's not a very long stretch of road. The seven of you dash through the woods, your horses leaping over roots and objects in the way of the path. You cast your eyes around at the thick darkness of the woods, the unpleasant look of the trees here, and the feeling of some sickly sweet aroma in the air.

One of the men in the back, Calwyn you think, mutters out, "Damnable fae....I can smell their stink from here." Harmon calls back, "No fear, lads, we're nearly out!" You lean a bit off your horse to see the road ahead and see that, indeed, about a hundred meters away is a break in the trees. However, after five minutes of riding it seems no closer than it was when you looked. "What in damnation is happening....?"

[cont]

>>44313713

Harmon calls back, his voice a little strained now, "It's fine. Just a cursed fae trick on us. Nothing dangerous. We'll be through it soon." You feel the horse underneath you starting to pant harder than before, and sense that it's starting to reach the end of its sprinting ability. As you fly by the scenery, the dark woods becoming a blur of black and grey, you see a pair of red eyes keeping pace with you, remaining always at eye-level with you, about fifty paces away. A high-pitched laugh, male, comes from that direction, but none of the men seem to mention it or even hear it.

>A) Bring it up
>B) Best not to worry everyone.

>>44313812
>>A) Bring it up

>>44313812
>>A) Bring it up

>>44313812
>Bring it up

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>>44313836

"Harmon," you call out, "I heard a laugh, and I see eyes, on our right." He stops his horse suddenly and the rest of the group forms up around you, lowering their lances as they fasten their helmets. The laughter starts again and this time the rest of the figure appears.

Sitting on a broken tree is a thin figure, extremely lean for a man, and with a pair of long stretched ears that go backwards. He wears armored leggings and greaves, and wears a red robe around his shoulder. "Well, I didn't exactly expect a boy to see me. You must be some sort of Paladin, child."

The group faces him down and keeps their lances pointed at the fae-like human who laughs and shakes his head. A long sword appears in his hand, but he simply runs his hand up and down its flat. "Now, now, gentlemen, there's no need for such hostility. After all, you're in my home now. I am Sir Yaros, Cavalier of the Eldritch Truth. It is a pleasure to meet you." The soldiers make no motion to speak, letting their horses rest as they keep their weapons aimed forward.

You wish, now more than ever, that you had a weapon available, but sadly you never were given one. Cavaliers are, in many ways, Paladins. They were once, you had read, but they took to commuting with horrors to use their power against other horrors, something the Paladins deemed unacceptable.

>A) Run away
>B) Hold and let the Cavalier talk.

>>44314013
>B) Hold and let the Cavalier talk.

>>44314013
>>B) Hold and let the Cavalier talk.

>>44314013

B

Something tells me that fleeing into the woods as a 10 year old boy is a terrible idea.

>>44314119
>>44314061

"Manners, manners. Don't they teach you rabble any when you're wasting your time trying to get talented at combat?" Harmon grips his lance a bit tighter at the jabs as the Cavalier laughs and stands up, walking towards you. "You, Paladin boy, speak to me when spoken to. What is your name?"

You remember the warnings about fae and simply answer, "My name is Wagner." He nods, "Well, Wagner, have you ever considered that if you battle so fervently against the creatures of the night that their strength is to be envied? I've been waiting here for years, ever since I felt something, a presence that calls to a part of me, enter that castle. And I believe you're that presence."

He grins and jumps, landing on Harmon's lance with a single foot and leaning forward into Harmon's face. "Now, what if I were to take the boy and train him? Would you stop me, weakling?"

Harmon throws his lance down, drawing his sword with his left hand and takes a swipe at Yaros, who bats his attack away with his empty hand. The others lean back and try to stab at the Cavalier, but as they do so, dew forms on the tips of their lances and, by the time the tips of the lances are an inch from Yaros' face, the soldiers and their horses are encased in ice.

"Harmon!" You call out and ride up next to him. As you do so, however, your reins are plucked from your hands and your horse is pulled to the ground, but you are scooped up by the collar.

"How about it, Wagner? Why don't you come and learn from me?"

>A) Refuse
>B) Accept

>>44314282
>>A) Refuse

>>44314282
>A) Refuse

>>44314282
>B) Accept

>>44314282
>>A) Refuse
he seems like a dick, power is worthless if your an ass hell being evil isn't even all that great when your just some weird guy in a forest stalking children. What a dick.

>>44314282
>A) Refuse

>>44314567
>>44314507
>>44314396


"I'm not interested! Let me go and let them go!" He laughs and throws you down. "Well now, I'm not here to menace anyone. Just thought I'd ask, I mean, your Master wouldn't let me just wander up to the castle. Fine, I'll let you all go." You blink and then, suddenly, the seven of you are at the end of the woods and your horses are walking slowly, "See? Not a problem. Just a bit of woods." Harmon says and the others begrudgingly agree, apparently forgetful of the events that just happened.

You keep it to yourself and meet up with the Paladin at nightfall. The massive man wears armor so heavy that a single piece of it looks like it has your entire body weight in metal. The armor is rich and ornate, and he rides astride a huge bull. On his back is an appropriately large hammer. Harmon dismounts with the men who kneel in front of the Paladin, who dismounts and gestures for them to stand.

"Is this the boy?" He asks, his deep voice rumbling from the armor as Harmon nods and helps you down. The Paladin removes his helmet and reveals a large white mustache and two bright blue eyes, glowing like stars in the sky above him.

"Hello Sigmund, I am Archwarden Kreutz. Would you mind showing me your left hand?" You extend the hand towards him and he holds his hand up in front of it, closing his eyes for a moment. A dull throbbing fills your hand and you keep it up as long as he has his eyes closed.

"You have good training for a lad so young. Lector Tylmarine is doing a good job with your training. Tell her that I send my congratulations for such a brave and hungry student." He gets back on top of his mount and turns, "That will be all." And with that, he parts ways and heads back down the road, away from the Castle.

The men set up a camp quickly and remove their armor, polish their weapons, do their nightly drills, set up dinner, and finally settle down for sleep and rest.

[cont]

>>44314629

Harmon is laying down on his backpack with a pipe between his teeth. You walk over and sit next to him. "Mmmm, easy trip today, Sigmund. Glad you could come along, it was nice meeting another Paladin, I haven't seen one other than Lady Gwynneau in so long." You nod and give a lazy agreement, looking up at the night sky with him.

"Your birthday is next week, isn't it?" He asks and you nod, "Yeah," you say and smile, "Then I get to start to become a real Paladin." He laughs, "Well, it's a long road. I don't think you're ready to even have that title until you're eighteen." You think about it, eighteen is a long way away, eight years.

"How old are you, Harmon?" He grunts and takes a drag from his pipe before letting a tendril of smoke escape through his nostril. "I'm twenty. So, by the time you're a Paladin, I'll be almost thirty. Hopefully I'm a bit more than unit leader then." You encourage him as he has done for you so often in the past, and he chuckles.

"Yeah....well, hey, I'll get you something for your birthday. It's a surprise." He taps out his pipe and drifts off to sleep as you head back to your tent, bidding you good night.

[The next day]

After an uneventful return home you hear the Vigors from outside of the Castle, feeling your heart stirring from its beauty.

Without anything to do in particular today, you have freedom.

>A) Hang out with the guards again.
>B) Go to the library
>C) Go hang out with Gwyn
>D) Other

>>44314730
>C) Go hang out with Gwyn

>>44314730
>>B) Go to the library
research that Cavalier, might as well tell our boss about it

>>44314730
>C) Go hang out with Gwyn
Tell her about the caviler in the forest ask her to explain the other paladin roles that we don't know.

>>44314870
>>44314807
>>44314778

You go up to the library and find all the reading material you can on Cavaliers. Sadly, the library is rather sparse on information about them, but you gather what information you can about what he mentioned, the Eldritch Truth. It seems, from your reading, that they form a pact with a fae and allow it to inhabit their body. Doing so allows them to increase their lifespan and physical attributes, meaning that man could have easily been several hundred years old and not looked a day past twenty five.

You go into the Cathedral and see the massive line of people waiting to talk to Gwyn. You patiently wait until it's your turn and stand in front of her. "Sigmund? What are you doing here? I thought you wouldn't be back until later." You sit next to her and let her do her job as you talk.

"So, we ran into a man who called himself a Cavalier." She stops the prayer in mid-sentence and then quickly finishes it for the woman in front of her before standing and saying that her services were done for the day. When the room is clear she faces you and repeats what you said, "A Cavalier? In the woods?!"

You nod and explain the situation, which she listens to carefully before sighing. "Damnit, that's all I need. I'm surprised he was so accommodating. Cavaliers are craven monsters."

You answer all of her questions and then ask her about more Paladin roles. She starts moving to the armory and gestures for you to come along and keep talking.

"Vanguards? They wear very little armor, usually only enough to protect the most key places. They use spears a great deal and some of them become Dragoons, who toe blasphemy by imitating the foul dragons our ancestors hunted to extinction with their radiant wings."

You nod and ask next about Wardens..

"Well, you met Kreutz. Wardens are like him. They wear huge heavy armor and use big heavy weapons and strike with the force of the gods themselves. Wardens are terrifying to fight against."

[cont]

>>44314979

As she talks she starts having her servants put armor on her. Her hair is tied up in a knot and her red cloak is wrapped around her armor. The spear she so often carries is placed in her hand and she takes you with her to a small room you've never seen.

The enclave has a series of small statuettes lining the room in representation of the Seven Gods. She kneels before them and asks you to read the inscription on the ceiling for her. "Read it slowly, and say it with your heart, Sigmund. Reflect on the words."

"You who bow before us," you begin, as she offers her spear up, "Girded and prepared receive our blessing, the Seven pillars of the world and heaven. Go forth with courage and justice, strike against our foe, the enemy of mankind, our dearest creation."

The inscription finished she stands up with fire in her eyes. "I will have your decision now, Sigmund, choose your Path, and I will arm you as my Squire and we shall vanquish the Cavalier who taints our land."

>A) Choose your Path
>B) Gwyn, I can't.

>>44315065
SENTINEL
OF
JUSTICE

>>44315065
>Sentinel

>>44315065
>A) Choose your Path
Vanguard

>>44315065
>Warden

>>44315065
>>Warden

>>44315065
>>44315144
Changing my vote from warden to Sentinel

>>44315065
what is Gwyn?

>>44315198
>Lector
She is a Sentiinel

>>44315118
>>44315106

"I want to be a Sentinel!" You say with excitement as she takes you back to the armory and orders the waiting servants there to prepare you. You are dressed in a chain hauberk, a helmet placed atop your head, armor on your legs and feet, and finally, you are given a weapon, a sword, glimmering and bright. "Carry it with pride, Squire Sigmund, you ride to battle with your Master today." You bow your head and nearly sprint to the horses.

The two of you ride out and by the time you reach the forest night has already fallen. At the edge of the forest she stops her horse and thrusts her spear up into the sky, the tip of it bursting into flames and then blossoming into radiant light as she sings a single powerful note. She directs her voice at your sword which, amazingly, also glows white hot with flame and light, but feels simply comfortable in your hand. "Be on your guard, young one."

You keep your senses on high alert as you ride, her in front of you, leading the way. As she rides, you get near the straight run where you were waylaid last time, and this time, a root lifts slowly from the ground and shoots towards Gwyn's neck.

[Brawn Test: Required 5 to stop the Root. You enjoy a +2 bonus from the blessing of her song. On our character sheet we are listed at d6. You roll a number of d6 equal to your Might, which for us is 1. So, 1d6+2 trying to get or beat 5. First three rolls are considered and the best result taken.]

Rolled 5 + 2 (1d6 + 2)

>>44315252
Seems interesting
FOR THE IMPE... I mean... FOR THE SEVEN

>>44315252
dice+1d6+2
Cut that thing apart!

Rolled 6 + 2 (1d6 + 2)

>>44315252

>>44315330
dice go in the options field mate

Rolled 1 + 2 (1d6 + 2)

>>44315252
Thanks mate. Sorry I am kinda new here.
>>44315252

>>44315424
>>44315342
>>44315326
hohoho so we are playing this game?

>>44315424
And that roll scertanly reflects that.... Emperor damn it!

>>44315326
>>44315330

You lash out with the best warlike cry you can muster and slice into the root. Your sword parts it as if it weren't even there. She whips around and sees you in action. She laughs, the first time you've seen her do that in a long time, "Excellent! I see that I have chosen my Squire well." She rears her horse and the light from her spear grows brighter as the trees seem to recoil from its brightness. "Come out, you damnable Cavalier! Face me!"

As if on call, the man appears seemingly from thin air. "You were mistaken to come and fight me in my home, Paladin!" He lunges forward at incredible speed, his sword aimed straight for Gwyn.

[Brawn Test: Required 15 to stop Yaros' attack on Gwyn. Impossible.]

You can't even move your sword by the time the two of the make contact. It is amazing to watch as the two of them trade blows, her spear meeting his sword. A low rumble builds, audibly, in her breast as she opens her mouth when the two meet in another clash of steel and a thunderous explosion fills the air as flesh tears off his chest from the impact and he is blown backwards into a tree. Blood drips down his lips as he snarls, his red eyes growing redder and redder. "YOU DAMNABLE PALADIN!" He roars and the two of them meet again, but this time, a sweet and wailing song comes from her lips.

He twists his left hand, black and purple energy flowing around it as the trees nearby start to sway and shift, standing up from the ground and walking towards you and Gwyn.

[Brawn Test: Roll 1d6+2. The top two rolls will be combined for your Flurry of Attacks.]

Rolled 3 + 2 (1d6 + 2)

>>44315504

Rolled 1 + 2 (1d6 + 2)

>>44315504
Damn this is pretty cool.
SQUIRE SIGGIE ON THE JOB

Rolled 5 + 2 (1d6 + 2)

>>44315504
Hmm.

Rolled 5 + 2 (1d6 + 2)

>>44315549
>>44315547
Fug

Rolled 3 + 2 (1d6 + 2)

>>44315504
FEEL MY HOLLY FURY XENO SCUM

>>44315558
>>44315547
like rolling two 4s, not bad.
Adds up to 12

>>44315568
>>44315558

[14 Total.]

You slice wildly at the trees, thankful for the gift Gwyn gave you as their dark wood warps and peels away from the touch of your blade. The movement of your horse under you feels natural as it brings you close just in time to strike at the next advancing tree as the two of them battle against one another.

It eventually, like all things, is settled. Gwyn's song reaches a fever pitch and a lance of sound smashes into Yaros' chest, but just before it pierces him he bursts apart into scraps of purple and black, vanishing into the darkness. As soon as that happens, however, the air becomes more natural, the trees shift from gray to brown, and the land almost seems to sigh in relief. His sword rests, vibrating from the note Gwyn gave, embedded into a stump. She draws it out effortless and hands it to you.

"Perhaps this would be a fitting gift as well. Keep it, Squire, as a trophy." You smile and thank her profusely as the two of you return, a smile on her face and the biggest smile you've ever had on yours.

~~~~~~~

From that point on, you and Gwyn trained every morning before Vigors, and every night after Tranquils. You slept for five hours, and she for three. Slowly she would teach you how to draw energy from Faith, and how to sustain and energize yourself from your belief alone. Many years passed under her tutelage, a routine developing as you grew from a ten year old boy into a sixteen year old young man.

And that is where your tale will continue.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


[And now, in the post game, we level up! In the growth from Acolyte Sigmund to Squire-Acolyte Sigmund we improve from Might 1 to Might: 2, granting us 2 dice whenever we make a Test.

Additionally, we may upgrade four stats one dice size to represent our growth. We also will gain 10 XP to spend on Focus, since this is the end of a Lesser Cycle. They're in the next post.

Finally, Sig gains Traits.

cont]

>>44315765
Wait so it's best of 3,4,5?

>>44315765

New Traits for Sigmund:

Militant: Your familiarity with the ways of soldiers and the eagerness you take to combat is clear through your manner and way of speaking. All military men and women will have a bit of respect for you, and special dialogue options will be available marked with the [Militant] indicator, thanks to your training.

Brave: You do not know fear and do not turn away from danger or hardship. Your courage is reassuring, Companions and Followers are less likely to flee combat with you present.

Additionally, spend your XP on the following Focuses.

Focuses Available-

Rush of Battle [5 XP]: On the initial round of combat, both on Attack and Defense, you may double any bonus to you rolls you enjoy from any source.

Prayer [3 XP]: You may sacrifice your initial Attack of a Combat Scene to pray. If you do so, a single Minor Wound inflicted by your subsequent Attacks can be increased to a Major Wound once per turn.

Handsome Visage [3 XP]: You are extremely favorable to look upon. All relationships with women who would be attracted to you begin favorably. It is easy for you to use your looks to get your way, if such an option becomes feasible the [Charm] Dialogue option will appear.

Scorn the Foul [10 XP]: In your studies you have found utter revulsion for the horrors, more so than other Paladins. You may suppress any effect inflicted by horrors once every other turn at will. Effects inflicted by human agents of vice, such as witches, can be removed at will at a rate of one per turn.

Purist [2 XP]: You spend a great deal of time studying the concept of Zielrand, using your soul as an edge to your sword, and through that mastering combat. Required for later Zielrand Focuses.

I Need No Shield [4 XP]: Through great ardor you have studied the difficult skill of wielding a sword in each hand. You enjoy half the benefit of a shield with a sword in your off-hand and inflict an extra Minor Wound when you inflict one.

>>44315765
How was the Flurry determined? The two rolls at the top were a 3 and a 1, unless you meant the highest two rolls, in which case you didn't specify how many rolls were considered.

>>44315781

[What is? I mean, each roll is 2d6 now, instead of 1d6 per roll.]

>>44315954
[Oh, sorry. For Flurry's it's best of all rolls given and I meant highest two rolls. For normal Tests it's the highest roll of the first 3 offered.]

>>44315947
>>Handsome Visage [3 XP]
>>Scorn the Foul [10 XP]
these look good does this route lock us or can we pick others later?

>>44315989
Best of all rolls would mean we could keep rolling until we got max
You neeed to make a cap bro.
Best of five at best.

>>44315947
Handsome Visage [3 XP]: You are extremely favorable to look upon. All relationships with women who would be attracted to you begin favorably. It is easy for you to use your looks to get your way, if such an option becomes
feasible the [Charm] Dialogue option will appear.

I Need No Shield [4 XP]: Through great ardor you have studied the difficult skill of wielding a sword in each hand. You enjoy half the benefit of a shield with a sword in your off-hand and inflict an extra Minor Wound when you inflict one.


Prayer [3 XP]: You may sacrifice your initial Attack of a Combat Scene to pray. If you do so, a single Minor Wound inflicted by your subsequent Attacks can be increased to a Major Wound once per turn.


Brawn, Brain, Piety, Learning

>>44315947
>Prayer [3 XP]: You may sacrifice your initial Attack of a Combat Scene to pray. If you do so, a single Minor Wound inflicted by your subsequent Attacks can be increased to a Major Wound once per turn.
>I Need No Shield [4 XP]: Through great ardor you have studied the difficult skill of wielding a sword in each hand. You enjoy half the benefit of a shield with a sword in your off-hand and inflict an extra Minor Wound when you inflict one.
Depending on how combat actually works, this seems like it could be a hilarious combination.

What does Purist unlock (because it seems not to do anything on its own)? What does Handsome Visage unlock?

>>44315947
>I Need No Shield [4 XP]:
>Handsome Visage [3 XP]
>Prayer [3 XP]

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>>44316061
>>44316058
>>44316049
>mfw the other anongs got the same idea as I

>>44315947
Prayer [3 XP]: You may sacrifice your initial Attack of a Combat Scene to pray. If you do so, a single Minor Wound inflicted by your subsequent Attacks can be increased to a Major Wound once per turn.
Purist [2 XP]: You spend a great deal of time studying the concept of Zielrand, using your soul as an edge to your sword, and through that mastering combat. Required for later Zielrand Focuses.
I Need No Shield [4 XP]: Through great ardor you have studied the difficult skill of wielding a sword in each hand. You enjoy half the benefit of a shield with a sword in your off-hand and inflict an extra Minor Wound when you inflict one.
Why is nobody else choosing purist?

>>44316141
Nobody knows what Purist does other than unlocking shit later on. I'm personally waiting on clarification on that one before voting either way. Handsome Visage will definitely lead to shenanigans later on though.

>>44316049
[Fair, we'll put a lock at 5.]

>>44316042
We can always step back and pick up the lower level Focuses if we want. The later ones are just more powerful, but we'll get more XP, so we can scoop them up easily.

>>44316058
Purist unlocks the Zielrand style of combat. These highly traditional sword styles are the foundation of the Crusader, and each Style has a specific focus. We can pick it up later, though. Handsome Visage unlocks some fun dialogue options and some Companions who would otherwise just remain NPC contacts. It's a worthwhile one.

>>44316091
>>44316061
>>44316058
>>44316049

Seems like we're going with Handsome Visage, I Need No Shield, and Prayer.

We're also upgrading Brawn, Brain, Piety, and Learning.

Any opposition?

>>44316212
This looks good can we still use a shield then drop it and duel wield to screw with enemies?

>>44316212
Nay, may the gods bless this vote.

>>44316245
Absolutely!

>>44316245
As I read it, we can use any damn thing we want, but gain an additional benefit when wielding a sword in our off-hand (with seemingly no restriction on the main hand weapon?).

>>44316196
I figure we'll get focuses later too, but yeah I wanna know what the Zielrand stuff is.

>>44316304
The restriction comes from losing our shield bonus, which negates a Wound entirely. As it stands, we can downstep a Major Wound to Minor or a Minor Wound to nothing. The main-hand doesn't suffer.

>>44316353
https://twitter.com/AcolyteQuestQM

Here's the Quest's twitter. I'll archive this and I believe we'll be back tomorrow with the second part of Episode 0, the Pre-Paladin days!

Thanks a lot guys!

>>44316353
Wait so, with shield you negate full, with dual you can deal dual minors but only downstep one wound [half benefit]?
Seems good

>>44316422
Thanks, see ya

>>44316422
Thanks for running

>>44316458
>>44316441

Well, actually, I didn't see the time. I can stick around for Q&A session if you're interested.

>>44316465
In the case, how are wounds and so on determined in combat?

Preemptively voting for sword in off-hand, pimp cane in main hand.

>>44316465
Sure, by the way is this archived?

Anyway:
What is the Zielrand.
Do we know (IC) about any other types of cavaliere?
Are we getting more traits & focuses later?
Did you run combat testing beforehand?
Hoow do wounds wokr exactly?

>>44316465
And:
How does combat work in general?
Is there a defined order of turns?
Can write-in or different tactical choices impact roll difficulty?

What gods are there?

>>44316484
Base Humans have a specific number they can suffer.

3 Minor Wounds/ Major Wound
3 Major Wounds

So we can take a total of 9 Minor wounds, or some combination thereof. As we gain in power, and become less human subsequently, our toughness, as well as other stats, will become super human.

>>44316508
Zielrand is using your soul and faith to enhance your reflexes and sword's cutting power to its maximum. The styles help channel those resources into various effects, and as such, Zielrand is seen as the premier in swordsmanship.

We know of a few others, the Savageblood (who align with the Werewolves) the Pale (vampires), the Undying (Zombies), etc etc. There are a bunch out there, but those are the most famous and common.

We will get many more Traits, Focuses, and Feats later. When we finish the next session, assuming we get to the end and reach adulthood, we'll get a whack at Feats, which are awesome.

I had a vague idea for Combat beforehand, I don't like your guy's roll vs my roll, since it winds up taking too long and burns the thread down too quickly. So, I instead figure a good number and set a Test you have to pass.

Wounds are see above.

>>44316521
In general Combat is going to be ordered based on who has Superhuman Speed (or more of it), then whose Might is higher, then who got the drop on whom, and then finally Reflexes as the last tie-breaker.

Turn order can shift during combat, as we grow more experienced we will learn combat options.

Absolutely. As can situational factors, such as morale and good motivation.

See response to this post for Gods.

>>44316587

Gods-

Thumos and Kalephete: The Dual Gods, and Eldest God in a single body. Husband and wife who rule together as a single being that is represented by a cross, the vertical for Thumos and the horizontal for Kalephete. The two of them appeared in this world and defeated the Primordial Foe, who created all the Horrors.

Narn: The eldest child, Narn created mortals and is called the Mother of Men. She took elements from the wicked creatures, the beast-link of the werewolves, the form of the vampire, the endurance of the zombie, and the curiosity and creativity of the fae, to make her creatures.

Onoris: The eldest son, Onoris created the Paladins and is often called the Father of Faith. It is to him that most Paladins pay homage.

The middle Gods, Gella and Hamran, were killed by the next-to-youngest Goddess, the Trickster and Seducer of Men, Rashana.

She took the Paladins who refused to bow to the Hierophant's orders and seduced the Horrors into teaching her new Paladins how to use their power.


Lorkan: The youngest son, Lorkan swore vengeance and eternal hate against his elder sister Rashana.

And, there has recently been another Goddess born, theoretically to take Rashana's place. However, she is still a child and has yet to manifest her domains.

>>44316587
>3 Major Wounds
>spend first round praying to inflict an additional major once per turn when we inflict any wounds at all
>nothing stopping us from dual-wielding tower shields while we pray before dropping both and drawing our swords
I regret nothing.

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>>44316706

>>44316706
It's gonna be a fun ride, I wanna be a fucking monster of a combat paladin.

>>44316706
>carrying around two tower shields, two swords, and full armor at all times
You didn't think this idea through anon

>>44316819
Crusader is probably what you want, of the Disciplines you know.

Of course, who's to say there aren't MORE Disciplines out there known by reclusive masters who have been so wholly consumed by the Quest, or bound by Oaths, that they wouldn't be just lying around Strongholds waiting to hand out information.

>>44316854
Why do you suppose we increased Brawn?

Wait, could we have increased a stat more than once earlier? Could we have increased Brawn four times?

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>>44316938
Wut

>>44316894
Yeah that'd be interesting. And finding some secret discipline even more so.

>>44316938
No sir. It was done correctly.

>>44316982
Big world out there.

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>>44317007
We'll get there eventually.

>>44317051
Damn right we will.

Alright, it's late and I've got shit to do in the AM. So, later dudes, thanks again, and see you all tomorrow!

>>44317070
Bye! See ya next thread.

>>44317070

Oh wait, which time/timezone will it start at?

>>44317146
Around 6-6:30 EST