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>>370138

Last Time on Hero Guardian Quest: Chao was revealed to be the replacement for Team 2’s open spot in the wake of Kun’s death. He is also to act as a leash holder for Raubtier on missions. Team 2 set out to the western village that lies only a few kilometers away from the barrier where they are to meet one of Rushi’s Captains to be further briefed on their mission on the Western Front.

In the meantime, Aiguo and Jiao decided to explore the large house at the top of the flat hill villages, but they got themselves locked in there with the company of masked men and women. While trying to gain a means of escape, the two came upon an oval room where hooded women prayed around a burning corpse. The last room they found had 4 Awoo corpses strung on meathooks. They had been bled dry. Aiguo also found a living Awoo and set her free.

In the middle of a mishap between Jiao, Aiguo, and the Awoo, the trio was discovered by the white-haired twins. Jiao was burnt alive by one of them and the Awoo was cut down with a woodcutting axe by the other. The twin with the axe, Sedgwick the Mad Dog, contemplated Aiguo’s fate!

____

Upon reaching the village that was but a dot in the distance this morning, the sun has already passed the highest point in the sky. After dismounting the Obo, you thank it gracefully and it bows in response before heading off to the stables to get fed before they will not doubt return to the deeper parts of the forest. The village turns out to be livelier than you had previously imagined, with more Guardians than actual villagers walking and running about on tasks and errands alike. To your utter surprise, you even spot Guardian trainees here and there. What they are doing so close in proximity to an active front line is a mystery to you. Granted, they’re still behind the barrier. However, if it goes down, and the Tree forbid it, but if it does, they will be cattle sent to the slaughter at best. Still, you’re not an instructor so you don’t have any real rights to judge an Instructor’s intuitions, lessons, or intentions. However, something strikes you as weird after walking about for a short while…

>Continued

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>>370149

“Where’s the contact?” You mutter out loud. You thought he would meet you once you arrived, but on a second thought, he couldn’t know for certain when you’d arrive. Heim catch on quickly.

“Maybe he’s at the Inn or by the Market?”

“Yeah, and I’m a Human Knight-Commander.” Chao reply is dripping with sharp sarcasm, “If anything, he’s waiting in the local guardian quarters.” Heim gives him an angry glare, but the other Awoo outright ignores it. The two of them used to be closer, but over their time apart from each other, they’ve both changed in different ways.

“We could split up?” Mei suggests offhandedly while Jin is looking to you for a decision.

>Check the Inn and the Market. Whichever is closest comes first.
>Check the Guardian Quarters.
>Split up and check all three locations and then rendezvous with the rest of the team, with or without the contact.
>Write-in.

>>370155
>>Check the Guardian Quarters.

>>370155
>>Split up and check all three locations and then rendezvous with the rest of the team, with or without the contact.

>>370155
>Check the Guardian Quarters.

>>370157
>>370191
>>370194
Vote has ended!

Writing momentarily.

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>>370155
>Check the Guardian Quarters.

Even though it goes against every fiber in your body, you agree with Chao. If Rushi’s contact is anywhere, best bet is where most of the higher ranked Guardians are. Heim is not happy with your decision, but Mei and Jin is indifferent to it. They just want to start the mission. Chao thinks nothing of it because frankly, he doesn’t see Heim as a rival. Had it been an argument over choice of direction between you and him, things might have taken a turn for the worse.

Most guardian quarters are located on the northern or southern edges of villages, but since you came from the north and it was nothing but forest until the village, the quarters are just south of here. You imagine the market to be in the middle like in the previous one, but you’ve never seen an Inn before, only heard of them. Maybe it’s located in a tree closer to the market? It would fit right in there.

On the way you mainly pass by other Guardians of various ages, ranging from your own to older and even the young trainees. There are of course also Creatures of the Forest about, but they’re scarce, as you imagined they would be. You don’t spot any fully grown Oni or Moths, but you catch a glimpse of a dwarf Oni or two running about with wooden cases filled with colourful vials and herbs.

The Kenshin Company must be using this village as the main headquarters and the staging area for the Western Front. All sorts of healing potions and salves are needed for anyone wounded. The fighting on the Western Front hasn’t become an all-out war just yet, but patrols still come back with wounded team members all the time. The Humans must have patrols of their own scouring the woods to keep any and all Awoo away from their main encampment.

Upon reaching the southern part of the village, your eyes train themselves on the lonely, yet tall Tree close to the outskirts. The Guardian Quarters. You always wondered why it’s placed almost outside the village and not in the smack middle of it, but you never thought to ask why. You can ask Jin about it later, away from the prying ears and mocking remarks that is Chao. Packs of guardians are seen entering and leaving the quarters, but most of them are your age. They’re running errands for their captains or for officers higher up on the chain of command.

>Contnued

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>>371980

Fortunately, you don’t have to venture inside to find the contact. He left the quarters to meet you. Your arrival to the village has already caused a small commotion that you didn’t take note of until now. Probably because you were too indulged in your own thoughts on the way. Most of them throw silent glances your way while others whisper your other name to each other as you pass by or upon seeing you.

‘Raubtier’.

“I see ya’ made it here safely.” One Awoo distinguish himself from the crowd before meeting you in your march. You quickly take note of the thick beard he has grown a white shenandoah beard, reaching from one jawline to the next, covering his chin. He shakes your hand enthusiastically with a smile, without fear or any prejudice. This is Rushi’s man all right. “As ya’ can see, yer already pretty infamous in the Kenshin Company, alright. Especially after everyone found out what happened up North.” He eyes the small stream of guardians coming and going while they throw an eye or two of their own your way. You’re a little bit thrown off by the small, but noticeable accent from the contact. Maybe it’s a western accent?

“Gratitude, Captain.” You thank him and return the handshake presently. It’s the first time a fellow Captain treats you with some form of respect.

“It be me pleasure, Raubtier! The name’s Chen’dao, but you can call me Chen. or Dao. It rightly don’t matter to me, see.” He flashes a grin while shaking the hands of everyone else in your team, “What say you folks take a gander at the village before we meet in a few hours and sit down?” - A strange fellow to say the least, but if Rushi trusts him, you should as well.

>Start discussing the nature of your mission and receive the second part of your information from Chen’dao right now.
>Explore the Village in its entirety first. Maybe pick up some supplies for your mission.
>Write-in

>>371982
>>Explore the Village in its entirety first. Maybe pick up some supplies for your mission.

Really more interested in 'supplies' than exploration, but eh.

>>371982
>>Explore the Village in its entirety first. Maybe pick up some supplies for your mission.

>>371982
>>Explore the Village in its entirety first. Maybe pick up some supplies for your mission.

>>372004
What'd ya have in mind Anon? Some healing potions?

>>371982
>>Explore the Village in its entirety first. Maybe pick up some supplies for your mission.

>>371982
>Explore the Village in its entirety first. Maybe pick up some supplies for your mission

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>>372004
>>372021
>>372038
>>372080
>>372097
Vote over!

Do you have any particular supplies in mind you'd like to put on a list and look for or do you just want to walk about generally and pick after you've browsed everything?

>>372126
Healing stuff, camping stuff, camouflage stuff, canteens and hard tack, blade maintaining stuff.

>>372130
With no other input, you'll be primarily looking for these things, or versions of them.

Roll for Knowledge Check
Roll 3d10
Best out of 3
DC: 6
>Knowledge [++] = +1 to the dice.

Rolled 5, 10, 3 = 18 (3d10)

>>372233

>>372248
DC Reached!
2 more are still allowed to roll to aim for Critical Success/Failure.

Writing.

Rolled 5, 5, 9 = 19 (3d10)

>>372233

Rolled 1, 5, 2 = 8 (3d10)

>>372233

Rolled 1, 7, 8 = 16 (3d10)

>>372233

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>>371982
>Explore the Village in its entirety first. Maybe pick up some supplies for your mission.
>Healing stuff, camping stuff, camouflage stuff, canteens and non-perishable food.

Starting the mission in earnest might be your desire, but if truth should be told, you still need to restock on a few things and add essentials to your collective inventory, especially if you’re going to stay on the other side of the barrier for a week. You’ll need salves made from a Dwarf Oni for infections, proper leaves drenched and dried in the excrements of Horned Rabbits for open wounds, and various potions that can help your team’s internal wounds and sicknesses. Aside from that, there’s the need for food that won’t perish after a few days. The forest might be filled with game, berries, and roots, but there’s always good to have something on the side just in case. You have your own wooden canteens and anything used for camping or camouflage can be found out in the forest.

“Alright. We’ll come back here in a few hours.” You accept Chen’s proposition with a nod at your team.

“Ya’ free to that, but I won’t be here in a few hours, see?” Chen’dao replies, walking past your team, motioning for you to follow suit. “Me be staying at the lovely Inn, Raubtier. A pleasant little home just short ways from the market. See ‘own yonder?” Upon reaching the downsloping hill, the Awoo points his crooked finger at a Tree further down the valley that is this village. Your eyes land squarely on the Tree filled with lights where groups and packs are entering and leaving, but mostly the former. You’d wager it’s an Inn with at least four to six floors with wooden corridors lined with rooms. At least that’s what you’ve imagined an Inn to look like all this time.

“Then we’ll meet you there in a few hours. Which room are you staying in?”

“Aight! Ya all find me at the bottom floor, drinking me sorrows away and laughing me arse off. ‘Ave yer share o’ fun, fellas!” And with a distorted laugh, Chen leaves, making his way down the hill. He already appears pretty drunk, even though you didn’t notice it on his breath.

You turn to your team again, your mind back on the task at hand. You could journey around the village together and get the supplies that way. It would take longer, which also means you don’t get to leave on your mission today, but you will also have the input from everyone if there’s anything innovating about or some supplies are just not available and what’s the second best option. Another idea is to split up with individual tasks of your own. It will cut the time down immensely, allowing you to start your mission today, but then you leave it up to chance whether or not you’ll be able to acquire all the supplies you wish to restock.

>Split up.
>Stick together.
>Write-in.

>>372503
>>Stick together.

>>372503
>>Stick together.
drink at the inn when done

>>372503
>Stick together.

>>372503
>>Stick together.

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>>372527
>>372534
>>372602
>>372676
>>372503
>Stick together

A decision is reached within moments. Sticking together sounds better than splitting up. It will take longer, but at least you’ll have all the supplies covered. You and your team will also get a good night’s rest before heading out in the morning, feeling fresh rather than weary from the journey. The thought of sleeping in a soft bed rather than up in a tree or on the ground under the stars is too tempting to pass up on so easily. Team 2 make their way down upon the same beaten path reaching from the guardian quarters at the edge of the village, down the sloping hill, and eventually to a crossroad where it splits off towards the market, the Inn and further into the village - probably heading towards the trees holding the villagers’ homes and other places.

The visit to the market goes on for a couple of hours to say the least. It has a vast assortment of items - larger than the one back at the northern village - with more shops embedded in smaller trees, stands out in the open, and plenty of customers that overwhelm the senses. It’s with buzzing life, aromas of herbs and the smell of meat, fish, honeyed water, and berries filling the air, the laughter of kids and adults alike constantly ringing in your ears along with both foreign, common, and the Awoo tongue spoken all around you.

By the time dusk has set in, you and your team find yourself in front of the Inn that which is shining with the lights of hundreds of fireflies. Everyone’s carrying a share of the supplies and the luggage. Mei is even drinking from a mug of honeyed water in her almost free hand. The five of you wade through the many future and past patrons of the Inn who are coming and going. You easily spot Chen sitting at a table with two other Guardians and a Dwarf Oni, all of them laughing and drinking heartily. Before coming back down to greet him, the party of five get two rooms, one for the boys and one for the girls, where they dump their supplies and most of their gear for the evening and the night.

---

“I see ya’ made it!” Chen’dao cheers, taking a big gulp of his drink that oozes of something unknown, but fierce. He’s still at his table, but alone when you approach him at last. Mei is already fast asleep - far too tired from the long journey - and Heim is dealing with something else in his room, or at least that’s what Jin and Chao told you. The three of you take a seat each by the table.

“Do ya’ want a drink, Raubtier?” He asks, hiccuping once before his eyes wander to your companions. Both Chao and Jin shake their heads. Either they don’t drink or they’re not in the mood giving the looming mission come dawn.

>Accept a drink before hearing about the mission details.
>Decline the offer and listen to the mission details.
>Write-in.

>>372868
>Decline the offer and listen to the mission details.
>I'll take you up on the offer when we make it back, not before.

>>372871
yeah, thats good.

>>372871
Sounds good to me.

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>>372871
>>372876
>>372880
The Vote has ended.

Writing.

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>>372868
>Decline the offer and listen to the mission details.

“No thanks.” You wave your hand in front of him, declining the offer. You have no urge to get drunk for the first time while your team members withhold from drinking. You’d much rather be an example of what to strive for than what to not become for both your own team and for other guardians. Chen shrugs at you before finishing off his own mug of strange liquid with the unknown smell to it. You always imagined alcohol to be similar to honeyed water, but stronger in both taste and smell, but it turns out it smells like something else entirely. A word you can’t put your tongue on. Something unique.

“So, what did ‘e lovely leader of ours tell ya’ of the plan, missy?” He asks, half-groggily. He’s slowly, but surely becoming more drunk, but from the way he’s drinking, you assume he’s used to it and can hold his liquor to a certain degree.

“He told us this will be a scouting mission and--” Jin is about to recount everything Rushi told you, but Chen cuts him off with a laugh, slamming his mug into the table so hard you thought it would break.

“No!” His smile never dies and his unkempt beard is wet from his drink. “That’s only what he told ya’! There be another mission for you fellas.” He hiccups violently, spewing more of his drink down on his beard and loose clothes.

“Another mission?” The drunkard have caught your full attention with these news. Hopefully they bear more truth than a drunken Awoo’s lies and assumptions.

“Me said so much, ya? When word came out ‘o the Tree Guardians that ya’ be… of tha’ sort, Rushi be mighty suspicious who be running their tongues behind he back, see? What he be saying in front of ‘em, he means anotha’ thin’ behind their back, see? Until he knows who he be trusting, yea’?” Chen explains as clearly as he can with both his drunkenness and his accent weighing down his words and their meaning. Nonetheless, the three of you figure it out and let it sink in. Rushi doesn’t know who he can trust among his closest officers anymore, not after the information about you and what happened in the North got leaked so quickly to the Tree Guardians. Whatever he said in front of them, he might have different plans for you altogether away from untrusting eyes and prying ears.

“Then what’s our mission?” You ask, training your gaze upon the drunken Awoo who’s swinging back and forth in his chair. Jin is looking about casually, as if he’s acting the lookout in case someone is trying to listen in on the conversation. Chao is deep in thought for once. A rare sight to be sure. Chen’s grin widens.

>Continue

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>>373179

“Rushi be wanting ya’ and yer team to visit three places beyond the barrier, see? I got ‘em marked on this map here, yea’?” Chen fishes out a parchment from his dirty clothes and puts it on the table, letting some of the spilled alcohol seep into the paper before you can grab it from him. Clumsy idiot. “He be wanting ya’ to watch and see what be happenin’ at these places, aight? Maybe even act on ‘em.”

“What is he expecting us to find there?” Your curiosity force you onward, but Chen is apparently done. He has risen to his feet, mug in hand.

“I be wantin’ a report in a week, aight?” He slurs, staring at you in silence for a while without moving. You meet Chao’s sideways glance before Chen lets out an involuntary hiccup, shouting, “Dismissed!” before he leaves for the bar. The three of you sit about for a while longer - parchment in hand - not certain what to do next.

“We should wake Mei, check the map, and discuss where to go from here.” Jin suggests, his eyes landing on you for confirmation. Chao leaves his chair, stretching his arms and yawning.

“Screw that. I’m going to sleep.”

“Not your decision to make.” Jin remain seated, throwing an irritated glance up at Chao, “You’re not the Captain. This is new information and an entirely new mission. We need to revise this with the other two and make plans for tomorrow. Unless you want to lose another team to poor planning.” You imagine Jin didn’t mean to say that, but he has rarely had control over his own frustration even since Kun died. Chao’s playful smile dies and his eyes darken.

“At least I tried to save one of my own.” Chao spits venomously at Jin, revealing that he has read the reports from your team’s mission before the assault in the North. The other Awoo throws his chair back as his feet finds the floor and his body shoots up. Despite the laughter in the background there’s a distinct electricity in the air between the two Guardians. A tension other patrons around them has noticed as well.

>Let them fight it out. Obviously they have things they need to settle between each other.
>Stop this nonsense. A tree needs all of its main roots to work together to function properly.

And

>Sleep tonight. Wake up early.
>Plan for tomorrow’s new mission. Sleep in.
>Write-in.

____

Sorry for the long wait. It's remarkable what a dead silent thread does to ones motivation.

>>373187
>>Stop this nonsense. A tree needs all of its main roots to work together to function properly.
>>Plan for tomorrow’s new mission. Sleep in.

>>373187
>>Stop this nonsense. A tree needs all of its main roots to work together to function properly.
>Plan for tomorrow’s new mission. Sleep in.
Pretty sure ya lost a few people during the human PoV, it definitely felt more stretched out then it should have. Or maybe that guy just wasn't interesting since the Knight-Lieutenant was pretty cool.

>>373187
>Stop this nonsense. A tree needs all of its main roots to work together to function properly.
>Sleep tonight. Wake up early.

>>373287
>Pretty sure ya lost a few people during the human PoV, it definitely felt more stretched out then it should have.
I disagree, of course, but losing people along the way isn't my concern. Most tend to return eventually.

>>373211
Agree.

>>373187
I'll go with >>373211

Also I didn't like agio's story to be honest but I think its mostly because of the choices made. Granted I still would like to see more human PoV in the future.

>>373187
>>Let them fight it out. Obviously they have things they need to settle between each other.
>Sleep tonight. Wake up early.
i liked the humans pov it was nic seeig it from both sides of the war,

>>373187
>It's remarkable what a dead silent thread does to ones motivation.

But you can weather it, right? You're not gonna die on us Awoo?

stay strong

Off topic question but is the race the awoo is based off of from an anime or something?

>>373187
>Sorry for the long wait. It's remarkable what a dead silent thread does to ones motivation.

Keep up the good work OP

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Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>375022
Their appearance is based off of Momiji Inubashiri from 2hu. Other than that, it's pretty original imo.

>>374456
Unless something happens IRL or the player count drops below 3 altogether, then I'm certain we'll finish the quest together eventually. Can't make any promises though. Thanks!

>>374572
>>375280
Thank you guys! Just had a shitty day and started expecting the level of discussion other quests have, even though this one is still only 10 threads in /qst/-wise. Not fair to you guys or to myself.

>>374115
It's probably because Hao was a character meant to last longer than he did, so I gave him more "character" while Aiguo was solely meant as a PoV. I should focus on making another Human PoV similar to what Hao was to the story if there comes a next one. Thanks for the input.

>>373211
>>373287
>>373328
>>374450
You will stop this nonsense between Chao and Jin. I will roll 1d2 to break the tie on whether you'll sleep or plan tonight.

Sleep = 1
Plan = 2

>>375466
regarding the lack of discussion... in my case half of it would end up being waifu/husbando posting which I know annoys people and CAN grow toxic enough to kill quests so... yeah.

also, random question about berserk mode, can we use it to grow extra body parts or learn to in the future? like the four witches technique from dragonball.

>>375527
>regarding the lack of discussion... in my case half of it would end up being waifu/husbando posting which I know annoys people and CAN grow toxic enough to kill quests so... yeah.
Fair enough. It's a matter of time more than anything. I won't press the issue again and let "nature take it's course".

>can we use it to grow extra body parts or learn to in the future?
No. The Red Flower within you only knows your original anatomy and will only replace/heal what it knows has been lost/damaged.

>>375466
i like to find things out as the uest/ people in it find out makes it funer for me, then knowing how all the things work so people start to power play the whole thing, rather then useing/ acting like the person we are helping.
i was going to go for a human and awoo friendship thing if the hunter guy lived(dosnt get red flowered)

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>>373187
>Stop this nonsense!
>Sleep tonight. Wake up early.

“Stand down.” Your voice reach both of them, with Jin turning his head your way and Chao’s left ear shifting in your direction for a second without breaking his focus on the other Awoo, “Both of you.” You point accusingly at your Guardians, lecturing them as a proper Captain should. Jin sighs and steps down after a few seconds, respecting your authority. Chao has a harder time calming down, even in the face of his new ‘Captain’. Eventually he growls and leaves the scene, heading for the stairs leading upstairs. You and Jin follow him presently.

“We all need some rest tonight, Jin. Even you. We won’t get anything done when we’re tired.” You voice your decision carefully to your Vice-Captain the moment you reach your floor. The corridor inside the tree is narrow, and filled with holes occupied by fireflies along the way between the rooms.

“You’re taking his side?!” His tone is filled with distress and anger when he stops in the middle of the corridor, staring at you as you turn about to face him. He’s looking at you with the same eyes he stared at Chao with earlier.

“That’s not what I’m saying...” You attempt to deflect the notion that you’re stabbing him in the back on this. He scoffs at you irritatedly.

“Sure.” He mutters curtly before marching past you, wrestling his shoulder from your hand right as he storms into the room he shares with the other two. He’ll no doubt remember you took Chao’s side on this, even if it wasn’t a big, important decision for you.

A tired sigh escapes your lips after looking at the closed door for a couple of seconds. You find it weird that Jin would get upset over something so small, but after thinking about it, he might still harbor some ill-will against you from his brother’s death. You reconciled with him for a bit a few weeks before the assault in the North, but you fear that this is an issue that can’t be solved with a single conversation. Hopefully you can find the time to deal with this issue after the mission. You can’t prioritize your friendship with your Vice-Captain over the mission given to you and your team by Rushi. You should, but you can’t right now. Kun died last time because you didn’t have your head in the game. Because you focused on other things along the way instead of the mission. You’ll never truly wash his blood of your hands and consciousness. However, instead of letting it push you down, you’ll use it as a strength. A boon. A reminder. You will never let that happen again.

That’s a promise.

Inside the room you share with Mei, you find the female Awoo of your team fast asleep. You join her soon enough, wrapped up in a dreamless sleep in a leaf-bed of your own.

>Continued

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>>375973

____

You awake to a beautiful tune sung by an even more beautiful voice. The rays of first light streams into the room, blinding your sight for a bit, blurring out the singing figure standing by the open hole that serves as a window. You squeeze your eyes and when the initial shock from the light fades from your eyes, you spot Mei by the hole with a smile upon her lips that you’ve never seen before. She seems tranquil, almost happy. She’s singing on a tune that’s foreign to you and she’s quite oblivious to your awakened presence while she wraps the red scarf around her neck.

“That’s a beautiful song.” You murmur out loud, catching her by surprise, ending the tune prematurely. She blushes when her eyes land on you.

“It’s nothing.” She shakes her head, turning her back to you while she goes back to packing the last couple of supplies you and your team will bring with them past the barrier. Most of the luggage will be left behind here since they were brought along for scouting stealthily, but you’re still bringing the essentials for your new mission.

“Where did you learn that song?” You continue to ask her nonetheless while you clean your face in the pool of cold water gathered in the roots twisted together to act like a sink. The cold water seeps into your skin and refreshes your mind that was previously addled by your newly awakened state. Mei slows down in her packing and tugs at the end of her scarf for a few moments.

“By someone close.” She eventually reveals what you can tell is a touchy subject. You decide to not pursue it further for now. You’ll let her broach the subject with you when or if she’s ready. It’s good that you held back too, since after you both got dressed properly, the boys join you in your room to converse over the new plan and the parchment given to you that turns out to be a map of the western front. The locations of note that Guardian scouts have uncovered has been marked on the paper with ink.

“As we can see, the three locations that our mission covers are here, here, and there.” Jin explains, trying his best to not look in your direction as he points at the three signs marking a waterfall north-west from here where some scouts spotted humans entering through, but never leaving; a clearing that has an abandoned camp used formerly by Human hunters straight west in this direction; and finally, a crossroad deep in the south-western woods - a beaten and wide road connecting the western and southern fronts of the lost forest realm for the Humans.

“Question is, which location do we prioritize first?” Heim asks, focusing on the map while glancing over at you. You’ll make your way to all of them eventually, and no one feels particularly strong for any location to argue for it. It’s in the hand of their Captain.

The decision is yours.

>Waterfall in the North-West.
>The Clearing in the West.
>Human Crossroad in the South-Western Woods.

>>375977
>Waterfall in the North-West.

>>375993
Yeah.
Hey, maybe someone like sensei is there!

>>375977
You would like to start at either the NW or SW location, going W then N/S and back to S/N or stupid. Also avoiding human contact as long as possible, the crossroad being obvious, going to the waterfall in NW would be the best bet

>>375977
>Waterfall in the North-West.

>>376043
Sounds about right.

>>375977
>>The Clearing in the West.
>>376019
sensei is died he turned into a fuckhuge mosnter frog and become the beast that we wore going to use to hit the humans with but he got killed

>>375977
>>Waterfall in the North-West
We do a sweep nor to south

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>>375977
>Waterfall in the Northwest.

While the crossroad and the abandoned camp kindles your interest, your strong curiosity lies solely with the waterfall that may or may not hold a natural cave that has been made into a secret hideout for Humans out in the wild. No matter your own assumptions or the ideas of your team on what it may be used for, they all agree to follow you to the waterfall. It’s a good starting point as any and it allows you to move from one location to the next without needless traveling. You still don’t know what Rushi expects you to find there, but he must have had good reasons why he chose you for this mission instead of an experienced team of scouts.

After equipping yourselves with your gear and the supplies you bought yesterday, Team 2 finally leave the Inn and a Chen still sleeping off his drunkenness from yesterday’s stupor. You won’t return here for a whole week if everything goes according to plan. You imagine it won’t, but hoping for the best has never hurt anyone before. The rest of the journey from the village to the barrier is a couple of kilometers. You will traverse this distance on foot, without the use of the pack of Obo you had at your disposal yesterday. Luckily, the forest between here and the barrier is thick so traveling from tree to tree or leaping from stone to stone is a great possibility. It speeds up the travel significantly.

The journey to the barrier is filled with a foreboding silence, as if the team is dreading and anticipating the moment they get to join the fray and dangers of active duty once more after a few days ‘break’.

____


The moment of truth is upon you. After one last leap, you find yourself a few meters away from the barrier with your team in tow. After you pass through that barrier, the mission will start, but you’ll also most likely also discover if you’re tracked like you were up in the North or not. If you hear the same cruel voice as before, it can see you and through it, the masked humans can probably track you as well. They must share a connection of sorts, that much you’re certain of.

Breathe in, breathe out. It’s less nerve wrecking as was the case the first time and more worry about the mission’s future status. If they can track you, the mission is no doubt compromised. You can always send the rest out there without you, but you’d rather not let them do all the work while you sit around and wait.

>Continued

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>>376177

“Go on.” You reply to the silent question posed by Mei’s hand on your shoulder and questioning gaze. You regain your composure whilst your team make their way through the barrier one by one until you’re left alone on this side. On the safe side. With determination in your eyes and a burning passion for your duty in your soul, you rush the barrier!

There’s no visions and no voices as you pass through it, but it drains you both emotionally and psychologically all the same. For once you come out on the other side still on your feet and you stop abruptly, staring at the ground for a few moments, listening intently. All you hear is the chirping of birds, a westerly wind sweeping by, and the question if you’re alright coming from both Heim and Mei. There’s no cruel voice. The ‘Father’ isn’t watching or is it keeping its mouth shut? It doesn’t fit that arrogant personality of it that you’ve come to expect so far. For now, you’ll keep an eye and ear out for any pursuers, but your main focus must still be on the mission.

“I’m fine. Just feeling the aftermath of crossing the barrier.” You sigh, awaiting Chao’s mocking remark in return. It doesn’t come. The Awoo is too busy scanning every corner of the forest around you. He’s more cautious out here than he’s ever been before. He must have lost the team he was a part of in these very woods. A place of horrible memories. There’s no time to comfort Chao nor do you frankly have any desire to do so. He’ll be fine. He’s a cunt, but a tough one at that.

>Continued

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>>376179

You give your team the silent signal to move out on your point. Team 2 disappear into the thick scores of the forest, heading northwest.

____

Your team is spread out in a half-circular formation around the waterfall and the possible entrance behind it. You’re all seated in a tree each, facing the same way behind the cover of bushes on the thick branches. It took you a few hours, but you eventually reached the first location. The same one marked down on the parchment giving to you by Chen’dao whom got it from Rushi himself behind the backs of his formerly closest officers.

Loyalty. A fickle thing in times of war and when one is facing death on a daily basis. The last 3 years haven’t treated any of the three Guardian branches with any kindness or comfort. The Tree Guardians might seem to have it good, but the whispers behind their backs have started to refer to them as ‘cowards’ instead of guardians and the added tension has given them enemies in both the Realm Guardians and the Blood Guardians alike.

You haven’t given the signal to move in yet. You ideally want to catch whatever’s happening behind the waterfall in the act. Spring upon the Humans redhanded. However, over the course of a few hours, there has been no Humans in sight and dusk is growing closer and closer. Eventually night sets in and there’s still no Humans skulking about or approaching the waterfall from any directions. Your team is showing signs of restlessness, especially Chao. It’s time for you to give your first, real order as a Captain on the Western Front.

>Investigate what’s behind the waterfall.
>Make camp somewhere semi-safe and hidden. Resume the watch tomorrow morning.
>Stay up all night and continue the watch in intervals and pairs.
>Write-in.

>>376180
>>Stay up all night and continue the watch in intervals and pairs.

>>376180
>>Investigate what’s behind the waterfall.

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>>376162
>sensei is died
Last time you saw him, he was very much alive, albeit recently corrupted by the Red Flower.

>>376180
If we wish to investigate it, nightfall would be the best time. I feel like there's no point in doing surveillance if we have no idea if there even is anything to look out for there.

Thus
>Investigate what’s behind the waterfall

>>376189
really?? then wtf have i been reading?
i thort he turned into that hug mosnter frog and then got klilled by grim knight?
il have to go back and read

>>376180
>>Investigate what’s behind the waterfall.

>>376182
>>376186
>>376193
>>376199
The vote has closed!

Writing.

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>>376180
>Investigate what’s behind the waterfall.

If there’s a right time to investigate the waterfall, it’d be under the cover of nightfall. Right now there’s only a pair of watchful crows between you and the rushing water. No other life seem to be in the vicinity. You’ve waited long enough for something that might not even happen. Hopefully it hasn’t all been a waste of time. You give way to a bird sound that signals your team to rendezvous beneath your tree for new orders. Eventually you slide down the tree’s trunk, landing amidst several bushes where your team is awaiting your next set of orders. Sleep, watch in intervals, or finally approach the waterfall?

You signal that you’re on point and they are to follow your lead with caution. Both Heim and Chao unsheathe their Guardian Blades at this notion as you turn about and leave the bushes behind, heading straight for the waterfall nearby. Your team is close on your tail, ready and on high alert for any incoming attacks or nasty surprises. The waterfall turns out to be making a lot of noise once you get closer to it. It’s expected given the speed of the current and the hard rocks the water crash into below. The fall is shuffling water from a tall cliff down into a lake that turns to a spiraling river heading southwards. You could have sworn you saw more of those colorful fishes falling down from the waterfall before, but you’re not sure if that was the case or your mind was playing tricks with you in the night. There was no fish heading down through the clear river after all.

You and your team move in on the waterfall from the side, spotting a narrow stone path jutting out from the cliff that leads straight into the waterfall, disappearing from sight after reaching past the violent wall of water. You throw a glance back at your team and they nod in response. They’re ready, no matter what happens next. You navigate your steps upon the narrow path, hugging the cold and humid cliff wall. When you reach the wall of water, you feel the fast drops of water splashing onto you repeatedly at roughly the same speed the water is coursing down the fall. With another four steps, you’ve pushed your body through the wall of hard pressured cold water. With narrowed eyes and a hand ready to pull the Guardian Blade from your wet back, you stare at the scene before you.

>Continued

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>>376422

Several iron cages are lining the walls. Most of them empty, but some are yet holding wounded and unconscious prisoners. Guardian prisoners in scout outfits to be more precise. Rushi must have held back on the number of casualties and missing Guardians on the Western Front in the report for the officers he can’t trust. It doesn’t make your job any easier, nor less sickening and shocking. You’re starting to dislike your leader more and more, even when you try to realize that his role carries responsibilities hard to shoulder for any single Awoo.

Still…

“By the Tree…” You hear Jin mutter in shock under his breath at the sight before him. You share his sentiments, but your eyes drift off towards the man-sized hole at the back of this cavern. It leads onward, deeper into the unknown dark parts of the cliff. You’re about to order your Guardians to free the unconscious prisoners when there’s movement coming from the dark hole ahead.

You hide behind the closest set of rocks, motioning for your team to do the same. They follow suit for now, even though Chao is reluctant to hide with what’s in front of him. Out from the shadows, several humans step out. Some of them wearing the gear of hunters, while the others wear the familiar garb of the masked humans you encountered in the North. Fortunately, you don’t spot the white-haired devil among them, but you crouch ever more nonetheless. If he could feel your presence, maybe so can they?

From this distance and with the crashing water from behind, you can’t make out what they’re discussing. One of the hunters points towards the different captured guardians in the midst of his speech. You may not hear what they’re saying, but you can count four hunters and seven masked humans. That’s 11 of them versus 5 of you. Not the best odds given their abilities and resistance against pain, but you also have the element of surprise on your side. You can traverse this small distance between the two sides in a matter of seconds.

>Continued

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>>376427

“We shouldn’t attack at once. Captain.” Jin voices his concern in a muffled whisper, drawing your attention but not the humans’. “I think they’re going to grab the prisoners and make their way into that tunnel. If we let them, we can uncover where it leads. For all we know, the tunnel could turn out to be a maze. I will go out on a limb and say those tunnels lead to a point close to their main encampment.”

“It would explain how no one has found the main encampment yet. This might be only safe route there that’s not crawling with humans and traps. But it’s not right to endanger those prisoners for any results.” You whisper in return and before Jin can retort and argue his point, you notice Mei’s distressed look. She’s staring at Heim and Chao who’s hiding behind another set of rocks.

They look like they’re about to lose control of themselves!

>Try to restrain them. The struggle might give you away or you might fail, but you can’t let them lose control. Follow your Vice-Captain's plan if possible.
>Join them in their attack. The fact that you’ve found a possible route to the main Human encampment in the West is enough. You have no right to endanger the lives of these captured brethren of yours!
>Write-in.

>>376434
Jin's plan is sound, but we need to gain trust of the other guardians, using them as bait is not the way to go.

>Join them in their attack

>>376434
>Join them in their attack. The fact that you’ve found a possible route to the main Human encampment in the West is enough. You have no right to endanger the lives of these captured brethren of yours!

>>376434
>>Join them in their attack. The fact that you’ve found a possible route to the main Human encampment in the West is enough. You have no right to endanger the lives of these captured brethren of yours!

>>376434
>>Join them in their attack. The fact that you’ve found a possible route to the main Human encampment in the West is enough. You have no right to endanger the lives of these captured brethren of yours!
Time for a fight. Lets see if we can take out those masked humans first.

>>376434
>>Join them in their attack. The fact that you’ve found a possible route to the main Human encampment in the West is enough. You have no right to endanger the lives of these captured brethren of yours!
take out the red flower guys frist,(masked humans)

>>376458
>>376464
>>376466
>>376526
>>376698
The vote has ended!

Roll for Combat!
Roll 3d10
Best of 3
First DC: 6
Second DC: 8
>Combat [+++] = +1 to the dice.
(If only the First DC is cleared, the objective is half successful)

Rolled 9, 9, 4 = 22 (3d10)

>>376817

Rolled 10, 8, 4 = 22 (3d10)

>>376817

>>376825
>>376829
DC cleared!

Writing. Next update will be posted approximately when the Live session starts in 1 hour and 20 minutes or so.

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>>376434
>Join them in their attack!

Despite your rising violent intent, the masked humans show no signs of feeling your presence. It must be an unique ability to the white-haired human with his devilish smirk. Even though your Vice-Captain’s plan is sound, you refuse to put your fellow guardians in danger on a mere wager. You’ll save them, here and now! Pulling your guardian blade from your back, Mei and Jin immediately understand what’s about to commence and they unsheathe their blades all the same. You’re going to let this happen and have it run its course.

The second Heim and Chao leave their cover, you run after them. Within two seconds, the three of you reach the company of humans. Your blade finds its way to a masked man’s neck, slicing through flesh, bones, and muscle tissues like a hot knife through butter. Before his head touch the ground, you’ve already decapitated two other masked men with the speed of your awakened ancestral white wolf. By the time Jin and Mei joins the fray, you’ve slain three and Heim and Chao has killed one each.

The fight has suddenly turned a bit more fair with 6 on their side and 5 on yours. There’s a slight problem for them though: Four of their fighters are hunters who can by all means shoot a moving target with a precise arrow, but they’ve never had to deal with the massive pressure of actual combat and a looming, possible death. The two remaining masked men put their masks on, their eyes glowing red behind them, and the Red Flower engulfs itself around their arms, reaching from their hands all the way up to their leathery shoulders.

If anything, you’d wager the last two masked humans are desperate to either win or create a chance to flee the scene with their lives intact. The next few moments of their counter-attack will be rough!

>Stay on the offensive. Pressure them, always.
>Go on the defense. Anticipate their attacks and be ready to counter them.
>Write-in.

>>377501
>Stay on the offensive. Pressure them, always.

>>377501
>>Stay on the offensive. Pressure them, always.

>>377501
>>Stay on the offensive. Pressure them, always.
No need to go defensive when we got a sweet headstart.

>>377511
>>377520
>>377525
The vote has closed!

Roll for Reflex/Agility!
Roll 3d10
Best of 3
First DC = 7
Second DC = 9
>[Inner Wolf] = +1 on the dice when performing a Reflex/Agility Save.

Rolled 4, 5, 4 = 13 (3d10)

>>377567
Lets see if I still have my luck.

Rolled 7, 3, 2 = 12 (3d10)

>>377567

Rolled 2, 2, 10 = 14 (3d10)

>>377567

Rolled 1, 9, 1 = 11 (3d10)

>>377567
Rollan

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>>377571
>>377576
>>377577
DC has not been reached!

Writing momentarily.

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>>377596

>>377596
We at least got the first DC right?
We can't have fucked up that bad.

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>>377616
You had to roll at least two 6's to clear the first DC. That is unfortunately not the case.

>>377622
But we got a 7 and a 10, do they not count?
Or does it have to be 2 6's on the same roll?

>>377633
All the dice that the separate players roll do not count together. They are attempts, hence the "best of 3". You roll 3 dices, where 2 of them need to reach the DC or the number closest to it where any added bonuses adds up to the DC.

System was explained in earlier threads.

>>377651
Yeah, we're totally fucked now aren't we.

>>377651
That's the way to do it, otherwise it will be way to easy to pass and the QM's only recourse is to increase the DC

i go to sleep and this happens? come on guys
we already lost and arm before no need to get face fire burned off

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>>377501
>Stay on the offensive. Pressure them, always.

It’s nocked, aimed, and released. Within an instant, the arrow has flown across the cavern. A short, pained scream reveals that it hit home. Mei involuntarily drop her Guardian Blade and takes two steps back, assessing the damage. The arrow has lodged itself in her right arm, hitting nerves on its way in. She slightly panics and winces in slight pain when she can’t close her hand into a fist. Jin claims his position in front of her, sword in hand while the rest of the team go on the offense against the Humans. Your Guardian Blade clashes with the Red Flower surrounding the masked man’s arms, but the steel soon cuts through its fiery defense, removing one hand from its arm. The Man isn’t affected by the loss of his hand or the pain that must follow it. Just like the others you fought before him.

Chao has pulled out two of his Guardian Blades, fighting tirelessly with the other masked man who is retaliating just as hard, countering Chao at every turn. His blade is not made of the Red Flower, so it can’t penetrate the masked man’s defenses so easily. In your own struggle with your opponent, you catch a glimpse of Heim throwing himself into the midst of the four human hunters, killing them one by one as his blade dances through their bodies in a display of red colours.

The man directs a punch towards your temple, but you dodge and thrust your sword into his abdomen. No reaction. He grabs your blade, trying to keep you in place for a counter-attack, but you pull it out from his strong grip, sparks flying from your blade as it connects with his Red Flower’s defenses on its way out. Pain or dismemberment doesn’t stop these ones. Their bodies must still work like Humans though, because the last time you fought three of them, they died from severe wounds and blood loss.

As you continue to try and get in an additional attack against your enemy’s body, you spot Heim finishing up with the Hunters and going in for an ambush on the masked man fighting Chao. The guardian doesn’t notice his companion approaching the fight, but the masked man does. You attempt to scream out to warn Heim, but it’s already too late. Heim leaps at the masked man. The human forces Chao back long enough to swirl around, his Red Flower engulfed arm swinging in a wide arc backwards against Heim’s fast approach!

>Roll for Heim!
>3d10
>Best of 3
>DC: 7

Rolled 9, 6, 7 = 22 (3d10)

>>380110

Rolled 2, 4, 1 = 7 (3d10)

>>380110
this is brutal

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>>380110
>DC Reached!

Chao is pushed back, but that helps him see the severity of the situation in a split-second. With what little time he needs to assess the situation with his Guardian Blades boosting the speed of his thoughts and actions, the Guardian pulls out one of the four knives strapped on his chest that bears the same resemblance to his other Guardian Weapons. Without any time to aim, he throws it in a straight line at the leaping Heim. The knife instead hits the side of the masked man’s incoming fist reaching for his guardian companion. The steel bounces off of the burning arm, but it also deflects it out of the way of the incoming Awoo.

Heim’s blade embeds itself through the human’s skull, pushing the body to the ground, rendering him motionless on the cave floor. The dancing flames upon his arms soon die out as well. Your attention has been split thus far, resorting to a passive style of dodging while watching these few seconds unfold. You’re grateful Chao was there to help you keep your promise. With your gaze returning to the masked man, you notice that he has felt the loss of his fellow ‘friend’, if these emotionless humans can even establish friendships. Whether he acts out of anger or pure desperation, his calm expression doesn’t betray him in the least when his body starts to twitch violently and he charges you anew. Fortunately, he trades defense for more offensive moves and soon finds himself without a head on the ground. You excel at the latter more than he presumed you did.

You sigh in relief while scanning the small battlefield inside the dark cavern. Eleven dead humans, seven of which were masked humans and a couple of freed guardian prisoners. All in a day’s work. The odour of iron fills the air mixed with the humid scent. While Heim take a breather, thanking Chao before so, your rival offer no time for his body to rest as he goes off to investigate the tunnel up ahead.

>Continued

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>>380177

However, your concern lies with the prisoners and Mei’s wound first and foremost. Upon approaching her, Jin has pulled the arrow from her wound and is examining it.

“It’s not poisoned.” He offers a weak smile as his eyes land on Mei’s hand that’s still locked in an open palm before he makes eye contact with you. “The nerves will heal in a few hours. She just needs to rest and not move around a lot.” You pat her head with a comforting smile to calm her down before rising to both feet, throwing a glance over at Chao who just returned from the tunnels on the opposite side of the waterfall’s interior.

“There’s only a single file straight ahead as far as I can see. It might split off deeper in, but I doubt it. It doesn’t look big enough to hold several paths, but I ain’t no expert.” He reports what he scouted, his gaze falling on the wounded Mei, the resting Heim who just got out of his blood crazed state, and the prisoners who are slowly awakening.

“I can go ahead alone while you stick around here. I’ll be back the second I uncover where it leads.” He suggests, more compliant to your word as the Captain than before. Odd.

>Order everyone to stay here and rest up before making any decisions. You need to think carefully on your next move.
>Let Chao scout out the tunnels alone. You want to speak with the formerly imprisoned Guardians first.
>Tell Chao to bring someone with him/Go with him yourself.
>Write-in.

>>380178
>Tell Chao to bring someone with him/Go with him yourself.
Bring jin as he is pretty level headed for scouting. Heim is too blodthirsty and Mei needs to rest.

Also need to tend to the guardians who are coming around.

>>380178
>Tell Chao to bring someone with him/Go with him yourself

>>380189
This, and try to convibce chao to listen to jin, he's vice after all.

>>380189
>>380193
>>380197
Vote has ended!

Writing!

>>380178
>Tell Chao to bring someone with him.
>The Vice-Captain

You agree with Chao’s plan on the condition that he brings Jin with him. Both of them are somewhat against the notion of working together in a cramped space, but you push the condition firmly, leaving them no choice but to comply. However, you don’t get Chao to openly state he’ll follow his Vice-Captain’s lead in there, but Jin isn’t concerned with the fifth member’s obedience as much as his blatantly idiotic attitude towards his companions and the mission.

After the two of them disappear into the shadows cast upon the entrance of the tunnel, you look about the cave room; Heim is manually breathing, trying his best to calm down - Mei’s eyes are closed. She fell asleep after drinking the potion Jin gave her - The three Guardians that have awakened are quite groggy and disoriented. They’re trying to adapt their eyes to the minimal light, their noses to the thick and awful odour in the air, and their ears to the loud sound of water rushing down just outside the cave. The former two just needs some time alone, and so you make your way over to the formerly imprisoned kin of yours. One them is still too out of it to register your approach, but the others soon spot you after you’ve knelt down in front of them.

“Are you alright?” You make eye contact with one of them. She looks surprised while trying to process what’s happening, seeing her rescuer for the first time.

“I t-think so.” She replies softly, her hands tracing across her body along with her dilated eyes, looking for any open wounds. Hers are the only clothes that aren’t bloodied. Her two companions clothes are covered in blood marks here and there, but they don’t appear to be in any pain nor are they bleeding anymore. She winces slightly as her fingers press into her left side, discovering a rather large bruise mark. It looks as if someone must have kicked her repeatedly while she was down unconscious.

>Continued

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>>380244

After reassuring yourself that they don’t have any open wounds that need immediate medical attention, the two whom have yet to speak lie down to rest while the one you spoke with earlier continues her conversation with you:

“Are there more of you?” She asks, eyeing Mei and Heim.

“Two more. They are scouting out the tunnels ahead.” You nod towards the open man-sized hole at the end of the cave. “Do you know where it leads?” She sighs depressingly in the face of your question.

“I don’t know. We were captured a few… days ago? Since then I’ve been falling in and out of consciousness. One time I saw those masked humans coming in here, carrying five of us away on their shoulders and leaving through the tunnels. There used to be around… fifteen of us here, maybe? I d-don’t remember clearly. Now there’s only us.” She shifts her saddened gaze over to her sleeping companions before something horrible dawns on her and a question of her own making pulls her attention back to you, her eyes different than before.

“Who am I? Where am I?”

>Tell her what you know so far. Maybe it will jog something in her lost memories? For better or worse.
>Give her some of the potion Jin gave Mei. Let her rest for now. The trauma must be setting in and it’s affecting her.
>Write-in.

>>380247
>>Tell her what you know so far. Maybe it will jog something in her lost memories? For better or worse.

Hmmmmmmmmm.

>>380247
>>Tell her what you know so far. Maybe it will jog something in her lost memories? For better or worse.
Unless she turns hysterical, I'd rather have her able to move in case of an emergency

>>380247
>Tell her what you know so far. Maybe it will jog something in her lost memories? For better or worse.

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>>380247
>Tell her what you know so far. Maybe it will jog something in her lost memories? For better or worse.

Memory loss. You’ve never experienced it much before, nor on this scale. Not to the point where you didn’t know who you are or where you were. It must be the overwhelming trauma affecting her. She must have seen something so horrible to her psyche that her mind has blocked off that memory along with other ones in the process to preserve and protect itself. How you handle the next few moments can heavily determine whether she’ll become hysterical or calm down and assess the situation like a true Guardian.

None of them have their own guardian blades in possession and you can’t very well let them borrow yours or your team members’. The guardian weapon of someone else is just a regular weapon in the hands of a stranger or fellow companion alike. It won’t help your mind, and given that yours have a Red Flower strain in it, you can’t take any chances what it’ll do in the hands of another Guardian even if it could help.

With as calm a voice as you can muster, you carefully recount what she just told you along with what happened while she was out when you and your team ambushed the cave and the humans within. She silently listens to your weaved tale of actual events with an increasing amount of curiosity, yet she never stops you with a question. After you’re done, ending at Jin and Chao leaving for the tunnel and you sitting down to talk with her and her other imprisoned kin, she muses on the information given to her. Nothing seems to be jogging her memories and she remains just as oblivious as before as to whom she is, but at least now she knows where she is. It’s a start. You contemplate waking up one of the other two. Maybe they can tell you more?

>Continued

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>>380291

Suddenly you hear muffled voices coming from the outside, past the waterfall. You can’t make out what they’re saying and you can’t determine if they’re Awoo or Human because your blade is translating everything Humans say into your own tongue in your subconsciousness. At the same time, the eyes of the Awoo you spoke with before widens and she snaps into a hysterical mode. Heim leaps at her, trying to cover her mouth from screaming, but he’s not fast enough to cover the first part of her screaming rant.

“Death! Tunnels! Dea--!” Is the only thing she’s able to scream at the top of her lungs before Heim’s hand silences her, holding her shaking body in place. From the outside you hear the voices growing closer and louder. They must have heard her behind the waterfall or they know about this cave. Either possibility doesn’t sound good. Mei and the two other Awoo prisoners are still out cold - Heim has one hand over the screaming guardian’s mouth and the other gripping his sword. The hysterical one might just be rambling…

Or she’s remembering something she saw in the tunnel!? - Your eyes quickly shift between the incoming unknown voices and the tunnel.

What do you do?!

>Stay and defend the unconscious ones together!
>Order Heim to go warn Jin and Chao! You’ll defend this point alone!
>Run into the tunnel to warn Chao and Jin. Order Heim to remain here to defend the others!
>Write-in.

>>380294
>>Order Heim to go warn Jin and Chao! You’ll defend this point alone!
that or she means death if we stay and we need to go to the tunnales?

>>380294
>Order Heim to go warn Jin and Chao! You’ll defend this point alone!

>>380294
>Defend together.

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I'll be back in a few - I got an appointment. When I get back, we'll continue.

>>380294
>>Stay and defend the unconscious ones together!

>>380345
ok
thanks agin:)

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>>380322
>>380325
>>380338
>>380361
And I'm back, but unfortunately we're at an impasse! I'll give it 5 more minutes before I roll a 1d2 so we can continue!

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>380322
>>380325
1

>>380338
>>380361
2

Rollin' and writing.

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>>380294
>Defend together!

Your palms tighten around the grip of your guardian blade. Whatever danger might await Jin and Chao in the tunnels, you trust that they can handle it. You and Heim need to remain here, to protect the ones who can’t protect themselves. The hysterical guardian continues to scream behind Heim’s hand until you order him to stand next to you, weapon at the ready for whatever or whomever is coming through the waterfall in a matter of seconds. The horrible screams of a PTSD-riddled Awoo going through an episode is filling the entire cavern and affecting everyone in it. The other two guardians who were with her awaken, but they’re too weak to stand or shut their companion up. Mei grumbles and frowns in her potion-induced sleep to heal the nerves in her right arm.

In the face of the incoming danger, there’s only you and Heim. While your Guardian Blade has been constantly active for a long time, making you calm and determined, it’s not until now that you feel the presence within it awakening. The Red Flower! It can tell you how many Humans are incoming. They’ve stopped talking now ever since they heard the full volume of the guardian’s screams. Upon feeling your want to speak, the Red Flower spares no moment to address you.

“Not now. How many humans are coming straight at us?” You ask it, Heim giving you a questioning glance.

“I, uh, I don’t know.” Heim replies instead, confused.

“Not you.” You throw him an irritated look at him brought on by the pressure of the situation.

”We feel none of our kind’s presence.”

You hesitate for a second. Maybe it’s not masked humans? It could be regular human knights? But what would a company of knights be doing all the way out in the forest? That’s the job for scouts. Most knights keep themselves to Human settlements or main encampments. The only recorded case of knights running about in the forest was during the fall of the first barrier.

“Are you sure?” Your eyes narrow at the wall of water where several figures are closing in, of which three of them are already traversing the ledge jutting out from the cliff right outside the waterfall. You doubt knights would be able to fit along that edge with their thick armors. Something’s amiss.

”We are certain.”

And you’re proven both right and wrong upon seeing who breaks the tension upon revealing themselves.

Two five-man groups of Blood Guardians in scouting outfits slowly pour into the cavern - at first with weapons drawn but soon enough they sheath their weapons. It turns out they saw your team heading for the waterfalls a couple of hours ago and they thought nothing of it, but then they got curious and came to see for themselves. They joined up with another group of scouts - in case this place was festering with Humans.

>Continued

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>>380956

However, at the mention of humans in the scout’s explanation, you’re reminded of the tunnels! Without a word spoken, you dash into the tunnels as fast as you can. The hysterical guardian might have remembered something horrible after all!

It doesn’t take you long to navigate through this narrow pathway with hard and cold stone walls and roof almost pressing you flat. After clearing through the first part of the tunnel, you come upon what Jin had feared; a crossroad of three more man-sized holes. This is a maze. Fortunately, you don’t have to make a choice when someone comes limping out from the left hole, falling to your feet. The clothes and half-vestment between his blood guardian armor is wet with blood and he has several small and open wounds. You kneel before him, forcing him to look up at you. It’s Chao. His breathing is ragged and he has been spewing blood along the way as well. You throw an eye behind the Guardian, half-expecting Jin to appear there. He doesn’t.

“Where’s Jin?” You ask instead of wondering if the Awoo before you is alright. Chao doesn’t respond and continues to catch his breath.

“Where’s my Vice-Captain? Where’s Jin?!” You raise your voice at him, but he only shakes his head, trying to push you away with what little strength he has left. Nothing will budge you. You grab the collar of what wet clothes are sticking out from his armor and pull him up to eye level.

“Where’s Jin!?”

“He’s dead!” Chao roars in your face. His own is twisted in grief and anger. You notice that he’s been crying and he’s bleeding slowly from one of his eyes and both of his nostril as well. He’s a mess, and you’re stunned. Speechless. Fazed. So many thoughts and questions are overwhelming your entire being and emotions you didn’t know existed are swelling up from deep within. You want to punch this Guardian before you just as much as you want to cry and embrace him or pull him to safety or leave him there to die.

”Lin, we detect that you’re close to having an emotional breakdown. We advise you to calm down or we will forcibly calm you down to prevent any damages to the body we share.”

Roll for Sanity Check.
Roll 3d10
Best of 3
DC: 7

And decide...

>Bring Chao to safety. Trust that he’s right and that you don’t want to see your Vice-Captain’s body.
>Leave Chao there for a while and go see if he’s telling the truth.

Rolled 3, 4, 3 = 10 (3d10)

>>380961
>>Bring Chao to safety. Trust that he’s right and that you don’t want to see your Vice-Captain’s body.
Chao probably wouldn't run away unless he was sure Jin was dead. No need to confirm it and we need to get back to relative safety.

Rolled 5, 10, 1 = 16 (3d10)

>>380961
>Bring Chao to safety. Trust that he’s right and that you don’t want to see your Vice-Captain’s body.

Rolled 1, 9, 5 = 15 (3d10)

>>380961
>Leave Chao there for a while and go see if he’s telling the truth.

>>380970
>>380976
>>380992
Well shit, guess its red flowers turn to drive.

Gonna wait for an hour or so for others to vote since this is an important decision.

>>381051
Pretty sure the red flower will want us to gtfo. And by want I mean force.

>>381061
The Red Flower still cannot control your actions. It can calm your heartbeat and your mind, but it cannot take control of you as long as you resist it. The only point where it can take over is if you use your Berserker Mode one too many times.

>>380961
>Leave Chao there for a while and go see if he’s telling the truth.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>381061
Not gonna vote, huh?

>>380970
>>380976
2 for leaving with Chao.

>>380992
>>381089
2 to go uncover the truth.

Rolling.

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>>380961
>Leave Chao there for a while and go see if he’s telling the truth.

You can’t seem to get a full grasp of your mind, to regain control. In the end, you’re just about to fall into an emotional breakdown when you feel your mind ease up and your heart rate slowing down. The Red Flower is performing its unnecessary duty. Through the tranquil state you’ve been put in, you make a crucial decision. You need to see it for yourself. You need to see Jin and possibly recover his body if Chao’s words turn out to be true. You can’t leave him there.

You let go off Chao and he falls back on his knees upon the ground. His breath is still ragged when you leave him behind you, making your way into the man-sized hole he just limped out from. You come upon a more open stone corridor than the narrow path reaching from the cave out here. You notice nothing out of the ordinary until you round a soft corner, coming eye to eye with what appears to be a pit large enough to fit at least a whole team of guardians. You stopped just in time to notice it. At the bottom there’s countless sharp stone rocks that could very well pierce the skin of a deer given the right speed and force. Impaled upon several of these jagged rocks, you notice a pale and red body. Its empty eyes stare back up at you and it fills you with grief.

Jin is dead.

____

And that’s where the thread ends today. I’ll lurk for questions or feedback before receding back into a pit of my own making. Twitter is up top and I will archive the thread.
Who knows when the next thread will be? I need time to think.

>>381457
Man I have a lot of catching up to do. Good closer man. One day we'll have things go right. But I guess not today...

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>>381549
>One day we'll have things go right.
One day.

>>381582
So chao fell on top of Jin to save his own ass?

>>381582
thanks, and also fuck sucks chao you had one fucking job!!
its like when ever his with people they die, or is he doimng it? to get my blades?

whelp, I might have gotten jin killed.

Tried to play during the final posts, but my cellphone keep getting banned, I think my provider skimps on my ip range, making everyone on their network share it, and always someone who gets banned