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Character and setting info: http://pastebin.com/u/MagicalPrincess
Archives (Episodes 1-59): http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Start+Over+Quest
Archives (Episodes 60+): http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Start+Over+Quest
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MagicalMarquise
Ask.fm: http://ask.fm/MagicalMarquise
Collection of character descriptions (WIP, courtesy of anon): http://pastebin.com/pzYffs0R
Collection of quest art (NSFW): http://imgur.com/a/2nEyB/layout/grid (NSFW)

>>316654
>”Yes, but first we must ensure your safety”.
Hello

>>316654
>”Yes, but first we must ensure your safety”.
Right-o.
Afternoon, MP!

>>316654
>"Yes, that's what I'm here for."

>>316654
>”Yes, that's what I'm here for”.
>”Yes, but first we must ensure your safety”.

"Yes", you assure her, "But first we must ensure your safety".

"Safety?", she repeats the word as if it's some concept she has to wrestle with, "I am safe".

You give her a long look. You can't deny that she has a rather secure abode, but you wouldn't consider being in this kind of place safe for anyone, especially with both kobolds and vampires around, and who knows what else that you still haven't encountered. "You'll be safer with us, I promise nobody will try and hurt you", you explain.

"Oh trying isn't enough, they'd have to try a lot harder to get rid of me", she chirps with a certain amount of self-satisfaction, "Not like people haven't tried before, but I'm tough".

"Yes, okay", you decide that contradicting her is neither wise nor useful, "It's still better if you come with us, you'll be with people that don't want to hurt you and will stop other people from doing the same. Please, do it for Leiana and Arianna's sake".

She studies you for a while with an indecipherable expression. She has a sort of ingenuity about her that you can't quite put your finger on, but it's the sort of simplicity that comes with youth. "Lillith, was it?".

"Yes".

"I'm Tama".

"Nice to meet you, Tama", you give her a smile, "I insist we move as quickly as possible, we have to get out of the jungle".

"We'll be sitting ducks outside the jungle", she shakes her head, "Besides, those creepy fellows get more active at night".

"Creepy fellows?", you suspect she's talking about the vampires.

"Yes, creepy fellows. They have sharp fangs and claws. It hurts but they're dumb so unless they're banding together they're not really dangerous. Problem is, they often band together at night", she quickly explains, as if it was just a minor concern.

It is, instead, quite a predicament. The sun is about to start setting and you will never, ever make it out of the jungle before nightfall. You have no idea how far the vampires will push Southwards, but even if they're not a problem, the kobolds are.

"Our settlement is outside the jungle, in the plains to the South", you explain, "We won't be sitting ducks there, but it's a bit far".

"Oh, so why not leave in the morning?", she excitedly offers, "We can sleep safely in my house, no one will dare disturb my domain".

You sincerely hope she's right, and you don't have many doubts about it, but you wonder how you're going to sleep there, considering you're going to get stuck in the cobwebs and it won't be too comfortable for you. Nor for the rest of your party.

“It's just you, isn't it?”, Tama gives you a strange look with a strange smile, “Pity you're not a cute boy...”.

>”I don't think that's a good idea”.
>”Actually I'm not alone”.
>”Thank you but we'd rather camp outside your cobwebs”.
>”I don't think this place is safe at all”.
>”How did you survive alone all this time?”.
>”What can you tell me about the kobolds?”.
>Other?

>>316703
>”Actually I'm not alone”.
>”Thank you but we'd rather camp outside your cobwebs”.
>”How did you survive alone all this time?”.
Uh, maybe we shouldn't have brought Julio with us...hopefully Tama can take no for an answer.

>>316703
>"Can your abode fit in like five people? I'm all up for it, but I don't think we'll fit without breaking it."

>>316703
>”I don't think that's a good idea”.
>”Actually I'm not alone”.
Also supporting >>316716

>>316703
>”Actually I'm not alone”.
>"If you can house five people, I can be a boy for you."

>>316728
How indecent! Better hope she doesn't think hard about it though.

>>316731
>hard about it
Heh.

"Actually... I am not alone at all", you confess. At that moment, you hear the soft footsteps of Carrera behind you, as if she decided to step on the grass like a corporeal being just now, likely bored of being a ghost.

"Oh!", Tama looks surprised for a moment, until you remember that arachne are supposed to have terrible eyesight, which is why she didn't notice the rest of your party who was, now that you turned around for a moment, within normal human sight. Strangely, Bryld was in front of everyone, as if she was prepared to do... Something. You have no idea what she could possibly have done, but she quickly joins your side the moment you acknowledge her presence. Julio and Tahenohan are staying behind a little, trying to help Parvaneh approach without getting stuck, but she's understandably iffy about coming much closer.

You hope that wasn't Tama's stomach growling, by the way.

"I... Don't think you can house six people?", you try with a smile, "It's better if we camp outside, if they don't dare approach your domain they will certainly steer clear if they see you've got friends".

"You make a fine point my dear", from her tone and cadence, you suppose she's quoting someone else, who has a higher linguistic register than she does, "But for some reason I don't trust the rest of your party as much as I trust you".

"Oh it's okay, I can guarantee for them", you hastily explain.

"Oh then it's fine", she smiles. You find yourself dumbstruck at how easily she conceded.

"Since you're so friendly with her", Carrera whispers at your ear in the meantime, "Try to keep her in that tunnel for the night. If any creature gets the wrong idea she'll be safest there".

"You're very... Different from the other arachne", Bryld comments, looking Tama up and down.

"Different families", she explains. She doesn't actually explain anything more than that, but to her you guess that makes all the sense it could possibly make. You suppose arachne genetics are much easier to understand if you're an arachne yourself.

"Can you house all of us?", you then ask Tama, "I think we'll just get stuck in the cobwebs though".

"Well you can- Oh", and she blinks, as if she considered the fact you're going to stick there like flies just now, "Oh. Oh that's true you can't".

Everybody holds their tongue in regards to how obvious that was. "Dare I say, as if treacherous footing was not enough of a challenge...", you hear Parvaneh lament not far away. It would seem like she's having a few problems fitting through without getting stuck anywhere. You definitely can say that Tama chose a pretty defensible location to build her house, funny how this is obvious only because she's actually surrounded by hostiles.

>”How did you survive on your own?”.
>”What can you tell me about the kobolds?”.
>”When did those creepy people arrive?”.
>”How are you doing? Are you hurt?”.
>”Are you not scared of humans?”.
>Other?

>>316764
>”When did those creepy people arrive?”.
>”How are you doing? Are you hurt?”.
>”Are you not scared of humans?”.
She's cute

>>316764
>”When did those creepy people arrive?”.
>”Are you not scared of humans?”.

>>316764
>”How are you doing? Are you hurt?”.
>”Are you not scared of humans?”.

I doubt Lil' knows that spiders can also weave nonsticky webs, since they can also get stuck to their own sticky threads. And I at least hope the arachne knows this~

>>316764
>”How did you survive on your own?”.
>”When did those creepy people arrive?”.
>”How are you doing? Are you hurt?”.

>>316779
Maybe for arachne it's just or something.

>>316786
Just magic, I mean.

"How are you doing?", you ask to keep the arachne occupied as Carrera scouts the perimeter to make sure you won't have bad surprises while stuck in unfamiliar territory as you get ready to camp, "Are you hurt?".

"I'm fine!", she proudly shows her body off, even though the cuts and rips on her clothing is evident. You can't tell if she has similar signs on her spider body, but there's no obvious wounds there, "It would take much more to do me in".

"But are you hurt?", you insist, "We can heal you, you know...".

"Oh it's okay I heal fast", she minimizes. Well you can't see much of her skin beneath the ruined parts but, again, there are no obvious, visible wounds, not even scratches and stuff.

"Okay", you agree. It seems quite pointless to insist with this fellow, "By the way you don't seem to be scared of humans".

"Well I'm not sure what to expect from your friends but if you say it's okay... And besides you know Leiana and Arianna, so you can't be bad", she smiles brightly, "And I haven't really had problems with humans".

"You haven't?", you wonder, it's quite a different story from Leiana.

"No. Well, the rest of my relatives maybe did? I don't remember, I was little when bad things started to happen. I was left alone soon enough, had to part from the rest- Well, even further I mean. But it's okay, it's safe here, but lonely", she admits after speaking of the violent death of her entire family as if it was a footnote of sorts, "I'd rather risk with people that know my friends than stay here and be bored and besieged".

The besieged part does not, in fact, sound like a desirable situation. Not that being bored is, but there's a quite strong difference between the two.

"Well you won't be disappointed, I promise", you try to not show that you're actually not sure how people will react to seeing a giant spider skitter their way when you return to Maner. Centaurs are one thing, but arachne aren't relatively peaceful and useful herbivores, this one in particular is a trapper and quite carnivorous judging by the way she keeps glancing at Parvaneh.

It's no surprise the centaur, at some point, decides that she's actually fine where she is and she does not really need to get any closer and will just guard this area thank you.

“When did those creepy people arrive?”, you then ask.

“Lately”, she answers, “No more than a month ago I guess. I haven't found them personally until recently, but I did find some kobold corpses drained of blood before then. They're more resilient than they look but not strong enough to take me on. But they're damn bloodthirsty”.

You don't think she meant to make a pun, she doesn't even seem to realize she did.

>”How did you survive on your own until now?”.
>”Any tips on how to deal with vampires?”.
>”Do you know anything of this area?”.
>”Want to share some food with us?”.
>Other?

>>316816
>”Any tips on how to deal with vampires?”.

>>316816
>”How did you survive on your own until now?”.
>”Any tips on how to deal with vampires?”.

>>316816
>”Any tips on how to deal with vampires?”.
>”Do you know anything of this area?”.

>>316816
>>”Any tips on how to deal with vampires?”.
>>”Do you know anything of this area?”.

>>316816
>>”Any tips on how to deal with vampires?”.
>>”Do you know anything of this area?”.

"Any tips on how to deal with vampires?", you hope you won't need any of them.

"Punch them", she confidently proclaims.

"... Didn't you say they're extraordinarily resilient?".

"Punch them harder".

Well, there you go. How dumb of you to not have reached the same conclusion.

Before the shame settles in and you start questioning your choices in life, you decide to change approach and gather information of a different sort, "Do you know anything of this area? We're also explorers, and would like to know what landmarks are there here".

"Hmmm...", Tama goes in deep thought as she collects her eight legs and sits down a bit in that strange way you've seen the arachne do, "Well there's a swamp to the West of here", she even points, though the direction is less useful than it might seem considering you're in a jungle, "I don't usually go there because I don't like water, but there's some ruins there in the only part that has a bit less rancid water".

"Ruins?", you wonder.

"Yeah. Stone or whatever on the ground", she adds. That doesn't add much but you get the idea. "And then there's the kobold camps to the East. I think they have something in there, though, I can feel a bad vibe from there".

"A bad vibe?", that doesn't sound good.

"Yes, like when the ground itself is wrong, you know?", she taps her front legs. Unfortunately you have no idea what she's talking about.

"Anything else?".

"There's a giant, black tower to the North... Don't go there", she immediately adds.

"Why not?".

"It's creepy".

Bryld gives you a glance, "Creepy... How?".

"One night, an army of skeletons came out from there", Tama explains, "I hid in the canopy, most of them passed by but some tried to get me; they hacked away at my cobwebs mindlessly all night and would never stop nor get away. I had to crush them with the largest stick I could find or I could never have slept again".

If that wasn't enough to send a shiver down your spine, she continues, "Oh, and before that happened, I've been there once... There's stone devils too. Once they get your scent they never stop chasing. There's nothing but bad in that tower. Bad and evil".

You and Bryld exchange worried glances. You now know what area to avoid at the very least. You have no idea what those stone devils are, but if it's true that once they start chasing you they literally never stop...

And you thought the outbreak of the undead was bad.

“... Anything else?”, you ask, though you're starting to wonder whether you actually want to know.

“I remember hearing some story about there being symbols on the ground that were left from the giants before war came to these lands”, she focuses, but to no avail, “... But I was just a little spider cub and I don't remember anything else”.

How unfortunate.

>”Let's share food and rest now, we have a long trek tomorrow”.
>”Tahenohan, what do you think about this tower?”.
>”How's the perimeter looking, Carrera?”.
>”Got any notes, Bryld?”.
>Other?

>>316877
>”Tahenohan, what do you think about this tower?”.
>”How's the perimeter looking, Carrera?”.

>>316877
>”Let's share food and rest now, we have a long trek tomorrow”.

Tahe would be aaaall over that tower.

>>316888
Well she'll just have to be satisfied with being all over Lillith's tower for now.

>>316877
>>”Let's share food and rest now, we have a long trek tomorrow”.

>>316877
>”How's the perimeter looking, Carrera?”.
>”Let's share food and rest now, we have a long trek tomorrow”.

>>316877
>”Tahenohan, what do you think about this tower?”.
Adventure!

As much as you'd love to continue talking with the new arachne, who in turn seems to be quite enamoured with your party and has this constant half-smile plastered on her face and keeps skittering in place as you move around to set up camp... You have to admit it's getting dark, and late. You're certain Tahenohan and Julio can still see and hear quite well even in the twilight, but you don't have any of those powers.

It's actually kind of terrible to not have any special demonic powers, every time you compare yourself to that kind of half-breed you can see that the benefits they get seem to completely overshadow yours. The fun thing is: unfortunately that's how real-life is, and you bet if this was just a game there's no way it wouldn't have been balanced in the rules, somehow.

But you can't really complain, at least you have this exotic charm that gets monsters on your side. Well, the intelligent, friendly sort of monsters at least, you doubt those stone devils she was talking about would be interested in hearing what you have to say about love and peace.

"How about we share food and rest now? We have a long trek tomorrow and we might need to be ready to escape from the attention of some... Less than friendly people", you suggest.

"Capital idea!", again, Tama sounds like she's quoting someone.

You find out a few things in the following moments.

The first is that Parvaneh is still very uncomfortable in approaching the area more than absolutely necessary, and that's because she has a hard time turning around, since she has a quadrupedal body, and while the ground isn't too treacherous for you, it might be very impractical for a centaur; and on top of that, she risks getting her butt stuck in the cobwebs every time she does try and turn.

The second is that while she does have food she can share with you, about half of what she eats you can't eat, and vice-versa; you have little meat other than salami and dried jerky since it spoils quickly but Parvaneh can't have any of that, and likewise you can't eat hay nor some of the berries and mushrooms she instead does carry around, which Carrera confirms would be poisonous for you.

Tama, on the other hand, is no herbivore and undoes a few cocoons where she hid her meat reserves. Plenty of birds and even a few monkeys. Her cooking is okay, but rough, and does absolutely nothing to get the taste of wilderness away from the meat, which isn't to Bryld's taste.

The campfire is, now, pretty much your only source of light. Being inside the jungle, what little starlight there is does not filter through at all, and the thick cobwebs hide the rest. There are, fortunately, plenty of partially-hidden spots Carrera has designated for all of you to rest, and Tama has her own cobweb tunnel.

>Make one last perimeter check.
>Try and practice with your wand.
>Talk to someone (who?).
>Other?

>>316934
>Try and practice with your wand.
The magic one!

>>316934
>>Make one last perimeter check.

>>316934
>Try and practice with your wand.
This can't end badly.

>>316934
>Try and practice with your wand.
>Talk to someone (who?).
Chat with Tama some.

>>316934
>Try and practice with your wand.
>>Ask Tahe to watch over you

>>316948
Are you saying her regular wand isn't magic, anon? Preposterous.

>>316974
You're right, I clearly worded that poorly.

You decide it might as well be a good time as any to practice with your wand.

You're tired from the full day of tense travel through the jungle, after seeing corpses of fortunately non-human creatures, and this is even more taxing than physical exertion alone. Much more so.

But still, a spark of excitement fills you as you pull the wand out from your backpack. You feel that strange tingle when your fingers run over its brass etchings, and the gemstone at the tip shines bleakly in the light of the dying campfire.

Since it contains some kind of fire magic, or so you guess, you decide to try it on the firepit, to see if you can extend its light even for just a little longer, or make it brighter. You clutch the wand tightly and point it, and focus.

You don't feel anything. Nothing at all.

You received no instructions either, you were told just to point and feel it, but you feel nothing. You try and try without being sure of what to try, or what to think, or what to do, and after a while you start feeling stupid, as if you're pointing a stick at something and expecting it to do magic. You have no idea how magic works, but common sense dictates it takes more than just pointing and willing something to happen.

"Bet you're feeling very stupid right now", Tahenohan helpfully comments as she watches over your shoulder. If anything, you can say you were so focused you didn't notice her.

"A bit", you admit, sighing and examining the wand. You even wonder if it's magic or if the tingling feeling was all self-delusion to begin with, "I have no idea of what I'm doing, nor how to do it".

"I know, that's how it is for everyone. Except for a very, very select few lucky bastards who are born with magic", her manic expression remains as she sits next to you and stares at the wand, "Ooooh. Fire magic".

"So it is magical?", you ask with a wry smile.

"It is indeed", she grins widely, "Pity you can't use it".

You sigh again. "... You don't happen to have any tips for me, do you?".

"My master taught me magic on scrolls, not wands", she explains, "An old schooler, he was. Well, we all are, it's just you people from the East who are so... Weird about everything". It sounds rich, coming from her.

"Do you think learning magic from scrolls is easier?".

"It was for me! Reciting formulas and words of power makes you feel less stupid than just waving a stick around and hoping for the best".

“Maybe it's just that you had a master following you, while I have nobody?”, you guess.

She stops to think about it, “... Say, you might be onto something”, she admits with her trademark manic smile.

>”Since I'm already an apprentice, why not be my master?”.
>”You don't happen to have any scrolls with you...?”.
>”Want to try this wand?”.
>”I heard a story about a tower to the North...”.
>Other?

>>317001
>”Since I'm already an apprentice, why not be my master?”.
After all, she's already proficient at directing Lillith's wand.

>>317001
>”Since I'm already an apprentice, why not be my master?”.
>>"I even have an extra wand if you want to teach me how to use that as well."

>>317001
>”Since I'm already an apprentice, why not be my master?”.
>”I heard a story about a tower to the North...”.

>>317017
They're a magical pairing alright.

>>317025
You might say they make magic together!

>>317001
>>”You don't happen to have any scrolls with you...?”.

>>317001
>”Since I'm already an apprentice, why not be my master?”.
>”Want to try this wand?”.
>”I heard a story about a tower to the North...”.

>>317023
>>"I even have an extra wand if you want to teach me how to use that as well."
Not sure if magic or lewdness...

>>317017
>>317023
Always imagined Lillith having more of a staff

Question is, will Tahe be a responsible master teaching us general magicness or will she just start off making us dig up a skeleton for some necromantic reanimation?

>>317062
Hopefully we start with the staff and wand.

>>317057
Well we wouldn't want to hurt anyone while using it...

"Since I'm already an apprentice, why not be my master?", you offer her. You're half joking, but only partially. You're too tired to even feel disappointed at your own failure, even though Parvaneh herself told you it's normal and that it took her years to "get" it, but even from just this first, perfectly normal wall you're already facing you can tell that you're only going to benefit from having a master.

"Eeeeeh I don't know...", she idly kicks her legs as she's sitting, you're beginning to suspect she's teasing you like she often does, "Magic is hard, you know? And there's unwritten rules all over the place".

"Like what?", you wonder.

"Don't step in between a master and an apprentice", she lists, "Don't start by teaching your secrets, don't take more apprentices than you have eyes, and don't teach necromancy to the uninitiated".

All of this just leaves you with plenty of questions, but you decide to focus on the important and simple parts first, "Parvaneh is not my master, she just... Gave me this wand".

"Oooh, a gift eh?", she chuckles, "Mh, was she self-taught? If she learned from but a wand, she might just be...".

"Self-taught?", you wonder.

"Yeah, you have an easier time finding truffles than self-taught wizards", she laughs, patting your thigh, "But I don't know, I guess centaurs don't have wizardry schools, or long traditions of apprentices".

"I haven't asked her", you admit. Not that you were expecting the gift in the first place, you were quite surprised yourself and not reasoning fully; that's why you lost your chance.

"Regardless... I don't have magic scrolls with me, or tomes", she explains as she sits on your lap and into your arms, her back pressing comfortably against your breasts and her wild hair tickling your neck and nose, "So I can't teach you anything. I'm already an advanced user and without proper tools nothing I can show you will be of any use".

That's disappointing, but she phrased it in a way even a newbie like you can understand, "I see".

"But!", she smiles as she grabs your arm, holds it close to her and gently takes your hands with both of hers, her slender fingers helping you point the magical wand, although you don't know if she's on to something or just fooling around, "You can always help me with skeletons!".

You blink, then frown, "Didn't you just say something along the lines of “Don't teach necromancy to the uninitiated”? Or are those unwritten rules just for show?".

She turns her head around and to the side to look at you, then her manic smile returns, with the kind of half-elven intent you've learned to detect after being with her for so long. "How do you think people get initiated?", her grin is real and very Tahenohan-y.

>”I don't think I'm interested in necromancy”.
>”This is not what I asked you”.
>”Alright then, skeletons it is”.
>”Can't you just procure some scrolls?”.
>”Can't you just help me with this wand?”.
>”I'd rather you help me with my Wand”.
>Other?

>>317083
>”I don't think I'm interested in necromancy”.
Lilith already has all the bone she needs between her legs.

>>”I'd rather you help me with my Wand”.

>>317083
>”I don't think I'm interested in necromancy”.
>”I'd rather you help me with my Wand”.
This innuendo must end somehow. Why not in her end? O. Fuck.

>>317083
>”Alright then, skeletons it is”.
>”But can't you just help me with this wand?”.
>"I will even help you with my other want if you do".

>>317083
>”This is not what I asked you”.
>”Can't you just help me with this wand?”.
>"And if not, I've got another one you might feel more comfortable with...".

>>317083
>>”I don't think I'm interested in necromancy”.

"That's not what I asked you...", you sigh, "Look I know it's your field and everything but I don't think I'm interested in necromancy".

"Aaaaw, shucks", she complains with a chuckle, "But nah, it's okay, necromancers aren't really sociable, you can't have two in the same place unless they have a very specific reason".

"Why is that?".

"It's difficult to explain, but... While magic users can and do cooperate, a necromancer's field makes him... Mh... How to put it...", she bends her neck again to look at you and smile, "A sociopath?".

"A what?".

"Well, skeletons are a limited resource, you know, so you can't have two people competing for the same resource without hating each other. It's master and apprentice, and once the apprentice learns the master kicks him out because fuck you go get your own bones you fucker", she laughs, still sitting comfortably in your lap, "I was separated from my master before that time came but I never went back to look for him because I knew I wouldn't have stayed for much longer anyways, so I just took up and left".

"I see", you hadn't considered that issue, "So that means we'd need to part ways if we both studied necromancy".

"Yes", she confirms, "This is a trade where you don't want to have colleagues around".

You suppose you have to consider yourself lucky that necromancy isn't very widespread, or that necromancers themselves are quite solitary and this helps keep their numbers low. Besides, you have a certain appreciation for living things and are already quite comfortable in dealing with living monsters to want to tackle undead problems. Whatever they might be.

"Can't you just help me with this wand?", you sigh, twitching the one you're still gripping.

"It's not that easy", she lightly shakes your hand, "It's magic I'm unfamiliar with, it would take me some experimentation before I could use it".

"And you can't do that?", you wonder. You know very little about magic, of course, but even just observing her reaction is useful in giving you more and more clues on the theory at the very least.

"I might explode the firepit and send red-hot shrapnels flying all over the place", she nonchalantly states. You take a brief look around; Tama is deep in her cobweb hole and can't be seen, Carrera and Julio are hidden behind the roots and uneven terrain, and Parvaneh is a little further off, where she can actually have some decent footing. It's still too risky.

"Okay let's not do that", you lower the wand-grasping hand, and instead place your free one on the half-elf's flat belly, pulling her closer to you, "We have other wands we can play with".

"Is this some kind of magic?", she excitedly asks.

"Oh, I will gladly school you on that...".

>"... But not here, let's get some distance".
>"... But let's be quiet, the others are about to go sleep, or sleeping already".
>"... But not now, we have to rest first".
>Other?

>>317150
>"... But let's be quiet, the others are about to go sleep, or sleeping already".

>>317150
>"... But let's be quiet, the others are about to go sleep, or sleeping already".
Distance sounds like a questionable idea with nasties around.

>>317150
>"... But let's be quiet, the others are about to go sleep, or sleeping already".
No being loud this time.

>>317150
>"... But not here, let's get some distance".

>>317150
>>"... But not now, we have to rest first".
>Rapist spider

>>317150
Some interesting info on master/apprentice relationships though. Honestly, while on the surface it makes sense and especially if you're a necromancer actively using your 'mancy to make a lot of undead...Tahe doesn't really seem to actually use many corpses in daily life. She raised a few that one time, and had them follow her around, but that would hardly make a dent in the number of skeletons around. Guess she's either got plans, or necromancers can just be very territorial about skeletons.

>>317165
I'm sure the spider won't notice.

>>317150
>"... But let's be quiet, the others are about to go sleep, or sleeping already".
Stealth blowjobs, woowoo

>>317190
What about Tahe, anon? We can't just not return the favor you know.

You figure that getting some privacy with all sorts of nasties around might be a bit of a tall order. Unfortunately, Tahenohan did order something tall by rubbing herself against you and now you have to deliver or else you're going to get negative reviews. And you can't have that.

Therefore, you have no choice but to get as close to the tree with the least amount of cobwebs there is as possible, as hidden between the giant, visible roots as you can, and hold Tahenohan down not because of some kinky play but because if she starts doing what she usually does you can say goodbye to being quiet, and it's going to be your fault.

Some part of your brain tells you it's not a good idea to initiate sex between peers while in the company of a possibly very sexually frustrated giant spider girl who belongs to a clique that wants to get their spidery hands on male genitalia in order to keep their species from going extinct in these lands. Then another part tells it to shut up because arachne have terrible eyesight and it's night so Tama will never know she can rape you.

It takes some focus and control and all of your attention to be as quiet as possible, especially because you're constantly on the lookout for Tahenohan going wild and doing things to you. Despite your body wanting them, brimming with erotic tension at the mere anticipation of what her hands can do, you can't let her, not this time.

And then, at some point, she stops, and squeezes you until you stop too. You can almost hear her pointed ears twitching.

"... What?", you whisper, and it was just getting good...

"Didn't you hear?", she whispers back, then puts a finger to your lips and focuses again.

You can't help but try and keep your ears as open as possible yourself, trying to detect any sound, and the only thing you notice is that the calls of the many, many insects that live in the jungle are getting a little less overwhelming now that you think about it. You think you even hear a few nocturnal birds in the distance.

"Hear what?", you then ask, and some concern starts to build up, which quickly drains your libido.

"Get up. Slowly".

You do, and make room for her to stand and peer in the distance. You can only see her vague outline in this darkness. You feel the tension in your ears as you do your best to hear any suspicious sound but you can't pick up any. You also find yourself to be on edge, unsure of what's going on, and you can't bring yourself to care that you were stopped halfway in the act and are still sticky and moist, for your survival might be at stake.

“I heard some shuffling up there, something or someone passed by us and went up North”, she whispers, and you think she's making some kind of face but you can't see it, “I'm going to take a look”.

>”No you're not, stay here”.
>”I'm coming with you”.
>”Let's warn the others first”.
>”If it's going away we don't have to chase it”.
>Other?

>>317227
>”I'm coming with you”.

Better chance for at least one to report back.

>>317227
Awww man, what a buzzkill!
>”Let's warn the others first”.

>>317227
>”I'm coming with you”.
>”Let's warn the others first”.

>>317227
>”I'm coming with you”.
Is this innuendo?

>>317227
>>”Let's warn the others first”.

>>317252
Sadly, for the first time it might not be.

>>317227
I'm gonna laugh if it turns out to just be one of our party being a huge voyeur. And also relieved.

>>317264
Whoever it is, they're gonna deserve whatever they get for interrupting love time.

"Wait", you whisper back, grabbing her hand because it's the only way you can be sure of where she is, "Don't go alone, I'm coming with you".

You think she's making an expression but you can't actually distinguish it. "Let's warn the others first", you then add.

"Okay", she goes, and you both trot to individually wake up the rest of the party, starting from Carrera and Julio, who are the most competent adventurers and probably know what to do in situations like these.

Neither of them jumps when you touch them, but you think Carrera had something in her hands as you touched her to shake her awake. "What, the light went out?", she whispers with barely contained surprise, "It shouldn't have".

"There's probably a draft running here, it's no surprise considering how tight the spaces are, thanks to the webbings too", you suggest.

"It still shouldn't have extinguished the flame this quickly... Damn it, I have to light it again- Julio".

"Yes", he gallantly answers as he hops up, ready to go.

"I'll keep the camp, let the people with the amazing night vision go take a look, we'd be found immediately if we carried some light with us", Carrera explains, "I'll be more careful with the fire building, this needs to last at least until dawn".

"Roger that!", Tahenohan goes, and she starts to pull you with her. You didn't explain that you actually have no night vision, or at least not that developed, but you don't have the time and you don't want to concern Carrera. Besides, it's better to leave the defense of the camp to her, and entrust Bryld's safety to those that can actually fight. Plus, you promised to go with Tahenohan and you'd be a bit of a coward, not to mention unreliable, if you were to pull back at the last moment.

Unfortunately this means a lot of tripping and hitting underbush and scraping your clothes against trees you didn't spot. The bleak kaleidoscope of darkness surrounding you makes no more sense when you leave than when you suddenly stop. You fortunately aren't running or anything, but rather sneaking carefully, or rather the two half-elves are for you can't even see where you're putting your feet.

But at some point, you do.

Tahenohan pulls you down at the edge of a tiny hill which overlooks over a small area that features several dead trees, forming a kind of impromptu boulevard where the remains of an ancient paved road can be seen, green with moss and overgrowth. Lit torches hang in scones attached to the dead and hollow trees, and about ten figures in dark cloaks stand in front of another similarly dressed figure, holding a torch and standing in front of a ruined statue of which only the pedestal and the feet remain.

No one seems to have noticed you, which is unsurprising since you still can't see where you are, nor more than the vague outlines of your companions. The half-elves remain amazingly quiet as they watch the scene unfold in front of you.

>Continue.

>>317321
Well that's spooky.

"In the beginning, there was darkness".

All of the robed figures cover their faces with both of their hands. Even the one speaking so solemnly drops the torch to do so. They remain frozen in place for a few moments, you can't really count how long because your own perception of time is altered by the tension you're feeling in your heart. These people can't be friendly, they're not just shady in how they're conducting themselves, but they're so far away from civilization that they can't be anything but trouble.

When the hide-the-face ritual is over, the leader nonchalantly picks the torch back up and resumes his solemn tone, "Children of the night, we have been blessed with bounty again. From ages untold we have hidden in the dark; the light-craving have taken over the world, hunted us, and think they have exterminated us".

"We are the unforgiving night", the small crowd chants in answer.

"Children of the night, we have been blessed with invisibility again. The light-craving are blind as worms and hide behind walls and doors; while we are one with the darkness".

"We are the chastising night".

"Children of the night, we have been blessed with bloodthirst again. The gods of the light-craving have taken the lifeblood from us; but we do not waver, and will take back what is rightfully ours".

"We are the night".

"Go hunt, my children!", and the leader smashes the torch apart against the edge of the statue's pedestal, explaining the strange scorch marks you've noticed before. The other robed figures do the same with the torches hung against the dead trees, bashing them with abandon and glee; they cackle and yelp like excited dogs, some tearing away their black robes and revealing the shape of ordinary human beings, just very pale and with strange eyes. In short order everything turns quite dark again, except you can see even less than before because now your eyes have seen light and adapting to darkness once again will require time.

But before that happens, you're already being pulled up and Tahenohan is already leading you back towards where you suppose the camp is.

"What was that?", you whisper as you go, once you think you're relatively safe.

"A vampire commune?", Tahenohan guesses.

"A vampire meeting?", Julio adds in.

"A vampiromantic evening?".

"More like a vampiboring speech am I right?".

And they laugh at each other's jokes. “I've never seen anything like that before!”, Tahenohan sounds more excited than anything.

“Do you think they bleed? They sound like they have no blood”, Julio idly wonders.

“I don't know, but I know skeletons don't have blood! Aha! Suck it, zombie fans!”.

>”Do you think they're coming for us?”.
>”We must leave immediately”.
>”We must defend the camp through the night”.
>”They're probably going to the kobolds, they don't know about us”.
>Other?

>>317389
>”Do you think they're coming for us?”.
>”We must defend the camp through the night”.

>>317389
>”They're probably going to the kobolds, they don't know about us”.

>>317389
>”Do you think they're coming for us?”.
They sounded pretty nerdy to me. Like LARPers.

>>317389
>>”We must defend the camp through the night”.

>>317389
>”We must defend the camp through the night”.
Well, shit.

At least Tahe and Julio don't seem overly concerned, so it can't be too bad
bad. Right?

"Do you think they're coming for us?", you wonder. They did seem to be about to go out on a rampage, after all.

"I hope so!", Julio comments with way more glee than you wanted to hear, "I want to see if they bleed".

"I have to test my skeletons' mettle against something, and I want to have them fight something they can't suck. But they're very welcome to suck against them if they want to", even Tahenohan sounds quite excited.

You're not sure whether this is normal for adventurers or not, but it sounds concerning. If anything because you can't fight and neither can Bryld, so that means two out of six people in your party are going to be useless if they come for you.

"We have to defend the camp throughout the night", you realize. You don't know what you can do, but you must do it. Or whatever it takes, really, even if it's just cleaning skeletons and other assortments of human bones until dawn.

"I hope they come, I'd feel like I wasted the whole night if they didn't", Julio complains, as if he expected them not to arrive, after all.

"Well my skeletons don't sleep so I can just take a nap until they decide to come for us", Tahenohan boasts, "Besides, do you think they'll be able to find us?".

"I don't know, they were carrying torches, right?", Julio considers, "Does that mean they couldn't see or were they just zealots?".

"I don't know", Tahenohan admits. You noticed just now they aren't even whispering at this point, and you're being carried by both of them so you can walk without having to worry about hitting your face against something, "It'd be funny if they were the night... But couldn't see at night".

"Oh no please", Julio laughs, "I don't want them to be such losers, takes all the glory away from defeating them".

"How can you be so confident?", you wonder, struck in amazement, and even in the darkness you feel their eyes lock on you and give you their half-elven smile.

"We've been through-", they start in unison, and then laugh, "You copied me!", "No you did!", as if they were quoting something you're not familiar with.

Once you reach the camp again, you can finally see again and walk on your own without tripping, though the half-elves seem to be reluctant to let you go. Carrera, while probably tired, looks ready to face any problem and she was already standing and holding some throwing weapons in hand, which she nonchalantly puts away the moment she recognizes your posse.

“So?”, she asks. You can't help but notice Bryld is still sleeping peacefully in her cot. There was no room to put up a tent, and she protested a bit, but in the end she was so tired she fell asleep shortly after. Tama is still nowhere to be seen and Parvaneh is either alert or sleeping standing like a horse, it's impossible to tell from behind.

“Vampires”, Julio explains, “About a dozen”.

Carrera sighs, checking her weapons, “Heading this way?”.

“I hope so”, he smiles. And Tahenohan still has her manic grin on.

>>317445
Poor Lillith didn't even get off, and now there's vampires on the way? This is the worst day! Or, well, night.

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Aaaand this is it for Episode 66!

Thank you for participating, as always. As I said on Twitter, I won't be able to run next week, sorry about that, but we'll resume as normal in two wednesdays from now.

Also pic related may or may not have been an inspiration for one of the characters here.

>>317455
How did you feel about the recap idea?

>>317455
Thanks for running, it was fun!

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>>317462
I'm sorry, I've been busy with stuff lately and have lost track of plenty of things. Could you remind me what this was about?

>>317455
Thanks for the thread, MP.
Had some questions. Do we know if Tahe has ever had an apprentice before? It kinda struck me she's totally lived long enough for it.
Will Tahe's skeletons be good enough warning-system to let all of us sleep, or are their senses not quite up to guarding us on their own?
You say 2/6 can't fight, shouldn't you include Tama in our party though (whether fighter or not).
Did Lillith and Tahe actually manage to stay quiet? WITHOUT Tahe's mouth being occupied too?

>>317476
Basically: At thread 70 or a milestone it would be a good idea for player activity to summarize the entire story so far and outline our current goals and relations to others.

>>317493
If MP is ending soon, I dunno if that would be worth it at this point sadly.

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>>317493
Oh, that. As >>317501 said it might be pointless if I start another quest soon (which would basically be an almost-the-same quest with a different protagonist and slightly different tone), but it depends on how quickly we're going to blaze through what I had in mind. If we're quick enough, there won't be any need for that, but if we keep doings stuff I might consider it.

>>317490
You don't know how long she's been alive, actually. Presumably long enough to have had the chance to have an apprentice, but no, she never mentioned anything like that. Just like she still hasn't gone into details about what she did in the City of Brass.

And I didn't include Tama because you should be protecting her, kind of like an NPC in an escort quest. Though presumably yes, she can fight, at least judging from what she said; she even claims to have fought vampires before.

>>317739
We don't know her exact age, but we did get an 'older than X years' at some point where X was pretty high, didn't we?

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>>317750
Yep, though it was just an estimate. It's likely very close, though.

Don't worry, even if the quest changes most of the characters will keep being recurring NPCs

>>317817
That's good to hear.

>>317817
>>317739
It feels like everything's going to end too soon. TOO SOON. Don't kill lillith or something please

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>>317824
Bu-what?
What?
Why would I do that? For what purpose? Does this sound like that kind of quest to you? After 66 episodes?

>>317840
>66

I'm surprised she didn't die here!

>>317840
More like ORDER 66 heheheh