>>416615
> Go to Crowest and make inquiries.

>>416615
>Go to Crowest and make inquiries.

>>416615
>> Go to Crowest and make inquiries.

>>416615
>> Go to Crowest and make inquiries.

File: Crowest.jpg (127 KB, 900x573)

127 KB JPG

>>416645
>>416652
>>416653
>>416660

The pair follow the road to the town, and when it comes into view, Gem makes a face. "I can see what you mean by other towns being prettier."

"It has its charms." Orion says.

"So, what do all those big buildings do?" Gem asks. "Other than belch smoke and noise."

"Fabric, mostly." Orion says. "It's all cotton fields out here."

Orion and Gem aren't the only horse riders on Corwest's streets, but they are the only ones that are wearing armor and holy robes.

They tie up their horses to a public hitching post by a set of stables, and pay one of the hands a coin to watch their things.

Cowest is a mill town, there's not much here that's not dedicated to working at the large buildings.

> Go to the Administration Building and try to talk to someone in charge.
> There's a garrison of the King's Army here, talk to them.
> Drop into the town's biggest pub and see what the word of the common man is.

>>416684
>Drop into the town's biggest pub and see what the word of the common man is.

>>416684
>> Drop into the town's biggest pub and see what the word of the common man is.

>>416684
> Drop into the town's biggest pub and see what the word of the common man is.

>>416684
>> Drop into the town's biggest pub and see what the word of the common man is.

>>416684
> Go to the Administration Building and try to talk to someone in charge.

>>416684
>There's a garrison of the King's Army here, talk to them.
We may be a Knight but we're not a Luddite.

>>416684
>> Drop into the town's biggest pub and see what the word of the common man is.

File: 'Model' universe.jpg (90 KB, 1300x866)

90 KB JPG

>>416688
>>416690
>>416693
>>416701

You both enter the pub, and everyone in the place looks up at you. They all have this slightly dead stare of people who have done the same soul-crushing, back-breaking, labor all day. There's the usual sense of mild unfriendliness. You're an Outsider, of course. Odd looking at that as well.

"Can I help you?" The woman behind the bar asks. "We're still doing breakfast fry-up."

Gem's eyes perk up and she looks at Orion, who nods.

"Two breakfasts please, and water." Orion says.

"Water?" The woman asks.

"Knights aren't allowed to drink while on duty." Orion says.

There's a quiet rumble of conversation. A knight? Here? Very odd. Crowest is a Modern city, and they don't need someone like that around here.

"We're looking into the railway." Gem says. "Find out why work's stalled."

That gets another rumble, but most people turn away. You're here for the railway, not for the mill or any of them. Thus you are not their problem, and nothing to be concerned about.

The two of you get a table close to the door.

"No, no." An excited voice says from the table next to you. "Don't you see? It's all about the peas!"

"I don't understand." A woman says. "The peas are the stars?"

"No, no no." The man sighs. He's dressed in the burgundy priest robes of a Prudens. He's a short man, you aren’t sure if he’s taller than Gem or not, because they’re both wearing boots with heels, and they look nearly the same. He’s also totally bald, not a single hair seems to be present anywhere on his face. His nose is a short, round little button. He’s also wearing a small set of glasses. The lenses are colored dark brown.

At his feet is probably one of the largest, and rattiest/tackiest, carpet bags you've ever seen.

"Alright, so...the plate is everything in existence. This pie is the sun, the dumpling here is Ardan, and all these peas...they're more than just stars. They're shooting stars! Little pieces of heaven that have been soaring through the world on an endless voyage. They may date back to the time of creation! And every so often, one of these small tiny tears of God decides to fall unto our lands. Isn't that fantastic?"

"So...we're blessed to have peas fall on our head?" The waitress says.

The Pruden groans and puts his head down on the table. "I'll have a lager, please."

The waitress brightens up, glad to be out of the woods. And trots off.

Gem and Orion look at each other and shrug.

> Talk to the Prudens that has the thing for Peas
> Take a quiet moment to themselves, Gem can maybe talk to Medax here...if she explains things to Orion
> Go talk to the other patrons at the bar and see if there's something you can't discover through gossip

>>416784
>> Go talk to the other patrons at the bar and see if there's something you can't discover through gossip

>>416784
>> Take a quiet moment to themselves, Gem can maybe talk to Medax here...if she explains things to Orion

>>416784
>Talk to the Prudens that has the thing for Peas

>>416784
>Go talk to the other patrons at the bar and see if there's something you can't discover through gossip

>>416784
>> Take a quiet moment to themselves, Gem can maybe talk to Medax here...if she explains things to Orion

>>416784
>Go to the bar and talk to the barman

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>416802
>>416819

>>416821
>>416808

Rolling 1. Barman/Patrons 2. Medax

>>416857
Orion gets up from his table and walks over to the bar.

Again, this gets him a look from the other patrons, and then they go back to their drinks.

"Have any of you heard anything regarding the slowdown of work?" Orion asks to both the patrons and the bartender.

> Roll 1d20

Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>416869

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>416869
rollin

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>416869

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>416869

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>416869
so what body partys we going to lose today?

>>416882
"They went mad." A man dressed in a filthy shirt and suspenders.

"Trev..." Another man says warningly.

Trev shrugs. "It's not as if it's a secret. They went out one day to lay rails. They come staggering back here, mad as loons. They knock on doors to houses, saying that they live there. One sits in the street and cries for his mother. Another comes in and steals make-up and a dress and starts parading around the town like a girl on her 18th Naming, and he's a giant of a man with shoulders broader than the bar."

"Huh." Orion says. "Did anyone do anything?"

Trev shrugs. "What could we do? We locked them all up in the hospital. After we removed the mirrors."

The barkeep nods and she points at Trev. "They would go into fits of terror and rage whenever they saw themselves in a mirror."

"What are they doing now?" Orion asks.

"Nothing much." Trev says. "Some want to leave the hospital, but mostly they stay in the hospital and spout nonsense."

"Were any of the railway workers local to Crowest?" Orion asks.

"A few, it pays well, if you can handle the work." Trev says. "But before you ask, yeah, same thing happened to them. Only they'll seem normal for a time, and then start babbling nonsense...like they're arguing with thin air."

"We should be glad that's all that happened." Another, older, man says. "Pounding iron into the ground, those Devil Engines...the sound of those things will cause cows to miscarry and give women impure thoughts. Mark my works."

There's a general eyerolling and a sense of people tolerating the ramblings of an old man.

"Thank you." Orion says.

He heads back to the table, where the fry-up awaits. As he and Gem tuck into the meal, Orion reveals what he's learned.

Gem taps her chin. "It narrows the field, but there's a lot of things that could be causing this. We need to get more information."

> Head to the hospital and check out the afflicted.
> Go to the railway site and see what the crew was doing
> Continue to ask around at the Chapel/Garrison/Administration about what's happened.

>>416951
>> Head to the hospital and check out the afflicted.
i think theres witchcraf afoat here
and mybe peopel had the souls of the dead put in them or something
as tye are freaking out by looking at mirros which should show you a persons soul or if a sprit is in there, oh so they say

>>416951
>> Head to the hospital and check out the afflicted.

>>416951
>> Head to the hospital and check out the afflicted.

>>416951
>> Head to the hospital and check out the afflicted.
Sounds like they think they are kids? But whatever did this didn't bother to match the genders?

>>416951
>Continue to ask around at the Garrison/Administration about what's happened.
Look, we may be a Knight-Errant, but we're also a patriot and someone who understands that times are changing and that guns and technology are the way of the future. Better to get the local authorities and military on our side than to work against them.

>>416951
> Head to the hospital and check out the afflicted.

>>416951
> Head to the hospital and check out the afflicted.

>>416951
>> Head to the hospital and check out the afflicted.
Let's go play Doctor.

>>416963
>>416976
>>416984
>>416988
>>416990

You finish your meal and pay. Then, after a few quick questions, you head over to the hospital.

The nurses and doctors are happier to see Gem than Orion. Still, they are welcomed inside, and guided to the locked ward.

The railway crew looks more frustrated and bored than anything else. A few are in fetal positions, on their beds.

"They're perfectly healthy by all other statuses." The doctor said. "Also, we tried wrapping them in iron and had a Pruden recite some litanies, but nothing happened. He took a lot of notes, and said he'd be back later. Personally, I think he's just a stumped as we are.

"Anything you two can do, will be appreciated." The doctor says.

So...how to start?

> Interview one of the more stable patients who are foreign to the area
> Intervew a Cowest native.
> Do an examination of one of the semi-comatose ones
> Knight Litanies and Pruden Litanies are slightly different. Try the iron/prayer bit again.
> Have Gem use raw magic to investigate
> Use the mask known as Medax

>>417077
>> Interview one of the more stable patients who are foreign to the area

>>417077
>Do an examination of one of the semi-comatose ones

>>417077
> Interview one of the more stable patients who are foreign to the area

>>417077
>Use the mask known as Medax

>>417077
> Intervew a Cowest native.

>>417077
>> Intervew a Cowest native.

>>417077
>> Interview one of the more stable patients who are foreign to the area
> Do an examination of one of the semi-comatose ones

>>417077
>>> Interview one of the more stable patients who are foreign to the area
>> Do an examination of one of the semi-comatose ones

>>417114
>>417109
>>417088
>>417079

"Thank you for speaking with us." Orion says to the patient.

"Hmph." The man says. "Anything that gets me out of here sooner. I'm fine."

"Alright," Orion says. "Let's start with the basics. Your name, where you live, and your profession."

"Rex Miller. Palmer plantation. Field hand, cotton picker, and I work the gin too." He says.

"Thank you." Orion says.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Gem asks. "Before you came into Crowest?"

"I was...working in the fields. Picking cotton." He says. "Then it was late, and things were different, I didn't see the Palmer plantation, but I saw a sign for Crowest. My sister lives here. I came to see her, but...it's all different."

"Anything else?" Gem asks.

> Roll 1d20

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>417224

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>417224

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>417224
Swear to the New Dice Gods.

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>417244
Fuck the New Gods

>>417227
"I...remember it being a good day. Something important happens at the end of the week." Rex says.

"Do you remember what?" Orion asks.

"I'm getting something? Ending something? Endings and beginnings." Rex shakes his head. "I'm sorry, it's a blur. I don't remember anything else."

> Continue investigating the patients
> Go to the admin/library to look up the Palmer Plantation
> Go to the rail site
> Go to the church and meet up with the Pruden that examined the patients earlier
> Go to the garrison and talk to the commander and see what they know
> Gem uses magic on Rex
> Gem puts on Medax

>>417274
>> Go to the admin/library to look up the Palmer Plantation

>>417274
>> Go to the admin/library to look up the Palmer Plantation

>>417274
>Interview another stable patient

I want to find out whether or not this plantation is a trend.

>>417274
> Go to the admin/library to look up the Palmer Plantation

>>417274
>> Go to the admin/library to look up the Palmer Plantation

>>417274
>> Continue investigating the patients

>>417288
>>417292
>>417372

You thank the patient for his time, and you go over to the admin building.

Mostly it's just filled with dull-eyed clerks who are working on things for the mill. cotton, fabric, dye, incoming shipments, outgoing shipments. Of course, the railway has its own group of clerks who are doing...stuff. It's all numbers and papers and Gem seems to be able to keep up with some of it.

Anyway, our heroes have a name of a plantation to look for. Let's see what the pair can find.

> Roll 1d20

Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>417403
Do you only take the first roll?

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>417403

Rolled 2 (1d20)

>>417403

>>417433
Best of Three, but the DC is usually 15 and there are rarely any modifiers.

So, who's gonna be our Emmy in this quest?

>>417506
Orion by the loos of it.

>>417433
Alright, we've got some solid information. The Palmer Plantation was an active plantation until 9 years ago when it's land was absorbed by the mill.

Its land is not on the railway line. Nearby, yes, but the railway goes by, and through, multiple old plantations, all of them now owned by Crowest Mill.

The workers were day laborers that came in by wagon from the small towns, a couple of families from Crowest, and quite a few indentured servants.

Orion and Gem find the records of the people who worked on the farm, and yes, Rex Miller, one of several indentured servants bonded to work on the Palmer Plantation, so that he could pay off his house and family debts.

According to the records, he completed his years of service, and was given his papers marking him free and clear of his debts.

Other than that, there's no other record of Mr. Miller in Crowest's history. Not even an obituary.

> Pursue the Palmer Plantation lead
> Pursue the Miller family lead
> Pursue the Indentured Servant lead
> Go back to the hospital
> Go to church
> Go to Garrison
> Go to rail site.

>>417547
>> Go to Garrison

>>417547
>> Go to Garrison

>>417547
> Go to rail site.

>>417547
> Pursue the Miller family lead
See if we can find his sister.

File: King's Men.jpg (73 KB, 503x640)

73 KB JPG

>>417557
>>417583
You leave the archives and go to the garrison. It's a squat building at the edge of town, newly built, and it has a firing range behind it.

"Oi. What's this, one of the tin-men here to see us?" One of the two men guarding the door says when you approach.

"And look at that, this one's got someone to wipe his ass as well." The other one says, looking at Gem. "Course, bet it's an easy job. Everyone knows that a knight's shit doesn't stink."

"We'd like to talk to your commander about the incident that happened at the railway." Orion says.

"All those folk who went off their head. Right?" The first one says, in a thick Horizon accent.

"Yes, that's right. The Order is tasked with investigating and curing them." Orion says.

"Well," The first one says. "Isn't that great for the Order. You know, we used to be trying to do that too. Then we got a telegram saying that we were supposed to do nothing while 'professionals' handled it."

"I just want to talk, see if we can share information." You say.

"Maybe we don't want to talk to you." The Horizon man says. "If the Order wants to do things on their own, then you can do things on their own. So why don't you take your tin-plated ass somewhere else?"

> Try diplomacy
> Try 'aggressive' diplomacy
> Challenge the ass to a fist fight, here and now
> Sucker punch him
> Gem uses her magic
> Leave ( please pick another Investigation route previously mentioned)

>>417701
>> Try 'aggressive' diplomacy

>>417701
> Try diplomacy

>>417701
>> Try 'aggressive' diplomacy

>>417701
> Try diplomacy

>>417701
>Diplomacy
"Look, I get it you don't like me and most Knights don't like the army, that being said some good folk are in trouble keeping and we are just trying to help. What I don't want is for this thing that's making the workers loony start to spread and come here to town. We don't even know if it's magical or just some strange disease or a soul sold. So please if nothing else for the sake of the place could we just get along until we're done? Then you can go back to calling me an out dated piece of a relic and I can call you an upstart solider or soemthig . Just like it used to be

>>416976
I am surprised anons ignored the pea priest and the plot hook.

>>417898
Also I support this type of diplomacy.

>>417898

"Look, I get it you don't like me, and most Knights don't like the army, that being said some good folk are in trouble, and we're just trying to help. What I don't want is for this thing that's making the workers loony start to spread and come here to town. We don't even know if it's magical, some strange disease, or a soul sold."

So please if nothing else for the sake of the place could we just get along until we're done? Then you can go back to calling me an out dated piece of a relic and I can call you an upstart solider or something . Just like it used to be. Sound good?"

The guard looks at you as if you were a plate of sour milk. It looks like your words were not the world's most helpful.

DC: 17
>Roll 1d20

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>417968
Ok, if this does not work we have the priest to rely on.

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>417968

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>417968

>>417984
Impressive.

>>417984
The guard glares at Orion, spits on the ground and goes inside. After a bit he comes back outside, and motions for the pair to go inside.

The garrison looks like a work in progress inside, or at least a place where work is progressing. Bunks, a telegraph, mess, and rooms filled with people, papers, and stuff.

Orion and Gem are led into a room where a man your father's age, and a woman who looks as old as you are, are waiting. They're both dressed in uniform, they salute, Orion returns it, and Gem curtsies with open palms.

"I'm a little surprised that you're here, Sir Knight." The old man says. "Major Trill. This is Captain Easing." He gestures to the woman.

"A pleasure." The major says.

"It's all mine. This Sister Ghemimi..."

"Geheimnis." Gem says.

"Bless you," Easing says.

"That's her name Captain." Trill says. "It's an old traditional one."

"Call me Gem." Gem says, with a sigh.

"Anyway," Orion says. "We're here to ask about your work on this strange event regarding the railway crew."

The two army members share a look of resignation. Trill pushes a thick folder of papers across the desk. "This is all we gathered, before we received orders to cease and desist. They're yours."

"We included a summary at the top, so there's no need for you to waste your time with us, further. Will there be anything else, Sir?" Easing says, maybe a little too clipped in her tone.

> No, thank you for your cooperation
> There's no need for this division nonsense, let's work together on this shall we?
> I'm sorry that the rest of the Order are being such asses. Thank you for your help.
> Thank you, but watch your tone, Miss.

>>418054
> No, thank you for your cooperation

>>418054
>> No, thank you for your cooperation

Go talk to the priest was interviewed the patients and took notes.

>>418054
>> I'm sorry that the rest of the Order are being such asses. Thank you for your help.

>>418054
>> I'm sorry that the rest of the Order are being such asses. Thank you for your help.

>>418054
>> No, thank you for your cooperation

>>418058
>>418061
>>418072

Orion and Gem take the information, and make their polite and professional goodbyes. Then they leave.

It's late enough for lunch at this point, so the pair go back to the pub. They order their lunches, which are pretty much the same as the fry-up from breakfast, only with different meats and sauces. Then they go over the military's notes.

They did get the same information as Orion and Gem did. Rex Miller, Palmer Plantation. They have the names of all the afflicted and what their actual names are.

It does seem that everyone claims to be an indentured servant that worked on the plantations that surround Crowest.

Another fact of information is that every person listed had completed their years of service on the same day. Then they drop off the face of Ardan.

They naturally looked into the disappearances, and the fact that so many indentured servants were freed on the exact same day. This is the point where the orders from the Order came down so...

> Roll 1d20

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>418187

Rolled 8 (1d20)

>>418187

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>418187

>>418207
So close but so far.

>>418207
They got a name, but that's it.

Owen Redwell.

He's a common thread between everyone. He worked for the bank owned by the Merchant Prince. Records say that he managed loans, set up indenture contracts, and other financial services.

But they weren't able to dig any deeper before you were handed the investigation.

> Go back and ask the patients about Redwell
> Search the archives for Redwell's history
> Go to the church and talk to the Pruden
> Go to the work site.

>>418280
>> Go back and ask the patients about Redwell
>> Search the archives for Redwell's history

>>418280
> Go back and ask the patients about Redwell
> Search the archives for Redwell's history

>>418280
> Search the archives for Redwell's history

>>418280
> Search the archives for Redwell's history

>>418299
>>418296
>>418295
>>418293

Back to the archives, and examining what Redwell's history is with Crowest. The Merchant Prince's bank has a branch here, and they're very meticulous at keeping files.

So, Redwell was indeed a financier for the bank. He was less in charge of the loans, and more in charge of managing the indenture program. When an indentured servant's time was up, they either received a large lump sum, or a chunk of property. (Usually a house in Crowest, which was slowly expanding.)

Redwell was also good at finding people to sign up for servitude. He'd ride an empty wagon into Horizon, and come back with it, full of people.

Which means that all of those people, would probably have started their servitude at the same time.

> Roll 1d20

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>418331

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>418331

Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>418331

>>418348
And that's all the archives have on Redwell. He was good at finding people to put them to work.

Continuing your search, you head back to the hospital, and ask Rex about Redwell.

"Yes, he was the man that brought me and my sister here to Crowest." Rex says. "A fine man, you could tell by his handshake. Never lied about how it was going to be ten years of hard labor, but worth it in the end. He would come by, from time to time, to check on us. Make sure that the Palmers weren't mistreating us, or giving us extra fees."

> Roll 1d20

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>418374

Rolled 18 (1d20)

>>418374

Rolled 8 (1d20)

>>418374

>>418382
Okay, two big red flags.

"Ten years?" Orion asks. "Isn't the standard contract only five years? They're a jump rope rhyme about it."

Rex shrugs.

"And what fees?" Gem asks. "What was Redwell fining you for?"

"Housing, food, processing fees." Rex said. "He had long lists of things, but...not very many of us had our letters so he explained them all. Basically it meant we were working for Redwell for two more years."

"Working for Redwell?" Orion says. "Weren't you working for the Palmer Plantation?"

"Kinda?" Rex said. "Redwell explained it to me, we worked for the Palmers but they paid him so he could pay us. It was so the Palmers and the other plantation owners couldn't cheat us."

Gem frowns and then looks out the window at the Mill. "When did the new Mill open?" She asks.

Rex snaps his fingers. "THAT was the big news! The mill was going to open, and buy out all the plantations into a conglomerate. Everyone was going to get new jobs, titles, and the Merchant Prince even said that he'd buy out all indenture contracts so people could see if they wanted to work at the mill or not."

"Thank you, Rex." Orion says, trying to keep from looking grim.

The pair heads back to the pub for a 'temporarily off duty' drink.

"So, Redwell went out to Horizon, found people who were looking for work but couldn't read. Then he turns them into slaves, and hires them out to the plantations. No one thinks anything's wrong, and he must have been raking in money." Orion says.

"But then the Mill's completed and the town's about to have a huge boom. The Merchant Prince is going to buy out everyone's contract, which will include Redwell's. That means that Redwell has to pay the completion bonus for all those contracts, not to mention if anyone blabs about what he's been doing, he'd be hanged." Gem says.

"Okay. So...we're thinking Redwell maybe murdered all of his tricked slaves." Orion says. "That answers one set of questions. Now, how do they all end up possessing the railway workers, and why don't normal exorcisms banish them?"

Gem shrugs and drinks her cider. "No idea."

> Go to the work site. The answers are there.
> Go to the church. See if there's a chance that the Pruden knows anything. (NOTE: Unless you want to anger the Knight Masters by taking another day to solve this, doing this will cause you to arrive at the work site after sunset.)

>>418447
>> Go to the work site. The answers are there.

>>418447
> Go to the work site. The answers are there.

>>418447
> Go to the work site. The answers are there.

>>418447
>Go to the work site. The answers are there.

>>418447
>> Go to the work site. The answers are there.

File: Railway.jpg (30 KB, 345x300)

30 KB JPG

>>418454
The pair get their horses and head out. The sun is only just starting to set when they arrive at the work site. It's an organized mess. Piles of metal rails, wooden slats, and other building materials are neatly stacked. The tools of the workers have all been placed in a pile. The ground where the railway is going to be has been dug up/filled in where applicable.

The place makes Orion and Gem's hair stand on end. Magic is certainly in the air.

> Orion: Grab shovels and start digging
> Orion: Pull apart the most recently laid rail
> Orion: Try to continue the rail line
> Gem: Use magic for asistance of any of Orion's tasks
> Gem: Reach out with magic and see what responds
> Gem: Use the Medax mask.

>>418511
> Orion: Grab shovels and start digging
> Gem: Use magic for asistance of any of Orion's tasks

>>418511
> Orion: Grab shovels and start digging
> Gem: Reach out with magic and see what responds

>>418511
>> Orion: Grab shovels and start digging
>> Gem: Use magic for asistance of any of Orion's tasks

>>418511
>> Orion: Grab shovels and start digging
> Gem: Reach out with magic and see what responds

>>418511
> reach out with magic
What the he'll is working on the line supposed to achieve?

>>418511
>> Orion: Grab shovels and start digging
>> Gem: Reach out with magic and see what responds

>>418518
Orion grabs a shovel, it's a little hard to dig with only one hand, but Orion manages, slowly, to get it done.

He hits the first skeleton after only a foot of dirt.

"Found one." Orion says.

"Good, try to find the rest." Gem says, sitting with her eyes closed.

She reaches out.

> Roll 1d20

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>418581

Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>418581

>>418581

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>418581

File: Redwell's Legacy.jpg (83 KB, 634x324)

83 KB JPG

>>418584
Not a lot of sadness here, nor anger. This was a site of something good. Happy things happened here. Feasting. Laughing. Celebration. Then sleep.

But...there's something else. Chains, thicker and stronger than iron. A man's word. His name...or x at least. Binding. Holding. A blank spot, but it has 90 degree edges...which means...

"A box...there's an iron box buried here...with their contracts." Gem says. "That's why they can't be exorcised normally."

"So...dig up the box, and bring back the contracts, have the clerks sign off on them, and everything goes back to normal?" Orion asks, as he uncovers another body.

"Well, then we need to give all of these people proper burials." Gem says, gesturing to the ground. "But I think that should do it."

"Great, where's the box?" Orion says.

"Ummm....there." Gem points. Orion starts to dig.

"So...how did Redwell kill these people?" Orion asks.

"Poison...maybe." Gem says. "He got everyone here to celebrate their freedom, and he poisoned the food, or drugged it to put them to sleep. Then..." She mimes slitting her throat. "It's why they're not hostile, they didn't have violent deaths."

"Charming man." Orion says. "If we find him, we'll have to thank him before we hang him."

Gem makes a sound of agreement. Sadly there wasn't any indication in any of the records as to where Redwell had gone.

Orion's shovel hits something hard. He grins, and starts clearing the dirt away, and hauls out a large iron box, about the size of a loaf of bread.

"Heavy bastard." Orion says, putting it at the top of the hole.

The sun is half-way set.

"Why'd he bury the contracts with the people?" Orion asks.

Gem shrugs. The box doesn't seem to be locked, just a hook-and-eye latch, and a lot of dirt and rust keeping the box sealed.

> Roll 1d20

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>418679

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>418679

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>418679

>>418696
"Don't touch it!" Orion and Gem both yell at the same time as they look at the box.

They saw it at the same time. A fine line of small runes etched into the metal all along the seam of the lid. That's a binding seal. A binding seal that's meant to hold demons. It's still active, and the only way a seal can still be active is if it has a source to draw upon, and the best binding seals draw upon the demon itself, using its own strength against it.

That means that there's an active demon inside this box. With the indenture contracts.

"Okay...so..." Gem says. "That's a lot of questions, but the first one is, what do we do now?"

The demon is currently bound inside an iron box with a well made seal. That means, right now, everything's fine. Albeit that the souls of Redwell's slaves are still bound to this world.

> Open the box and face the demon here and now. Even though that means it's just Orion and Gem.
> Take the box back into town, there's a church, Prudens, and a lot of other things to even the score. However, bringing a demon into a population center is regarded as a VERY poor decision.
> See if there's a way to force the slave spirits back into their bodies without dealing with the demon. This plan may work, but it will probably turn the slave spirits hostile.

>>418744
>> Open the box and face the demon here and now. Even though that means it's just Orion and Gem.

>>418744
> See if there's a way to force the slave spirits back into their bodies without dealing with the demon. This plan may work, but it will probably turn the slave spirits hostile.

>>418744
>OTHER:
Leave the box here, with a circle of runes around it to prevent any tampering, or rebury it so it can't be accidentally opened.
Go back to town, get support from the Garrison and the Church, come up with a plan, and then do this tomorrow.

There's no rush to do this, so let's do it right, with plenty of guns and iron bullets.

>>418744
I feel like this is a bad idea. Can't we just go get help and come back later?

>>418752
>>418754
Guys, are we on a time limit here? Do we HAVE to resolve this tonight?
Why not securely bury the box tonight, and come back with a whole can holy and military whoopass tomorrow morning to deal with the demon?

I know that our orders are to make the Knight Order look good and to show up the military when we can to impress the peasant-folk, but there's not reason to do things recklessly.
Even if we face the demon alone to hog all the glory, why not do prep work to stack things in our favor?

>>418744
>>418760
Actually, I'll change my vote to this.

>>418760
Leaving it secured so we can do this right sounds like a proper way to do this. I am all for trying to do things to make us look good, but when you're dealing with an actual demons and shit pull out everything

>>418767
>Guys, are we on a time limit here?
Having someone possessed for more than 48 hours is generally the time when physical damage starts to happen to weaker people.

Granted, you aren't at that deadline yet, and these are all hardy railway workers, so you can probably stretch this into tomorrow...but you'll be taking risks with other people's lives.

Also, every day that the railway isn't being worked on is considered to be bad, and a gigantic waste of taxpayer money.

So taking more than a day to do this is just asking for Benic to punch you in the gut again.

>>418744
Can't we go fetch Prudens, perhaps recruit him in this folly?

>>418790
Also, any mission that makes the King's Army look needed, will be considered a failed mission by your superiors. They made that perfectly clear.

>>418793
>Can't we go fetch Prudens, perhaps recruit him in this folly?
Sure, but it'll be night by the time you go get him and come back. Demons are inherently stronger in the night. That's why knights are always advised to fight them during the day when the sun is visible in the sky, or fight them on sanctified ground, like a church.

>>418803
>fight them during the day when the sun is visible in the sky
Is the sun still up, or has it already set?

>>418803
Hmm, we should probably take it to the church then I guess.

>>418744
>> Open the box and face the demon here and now. Even though that means it's just Orion and Gem.

>>418803
Gotcha, guess we are fighting it solo.

>>418815
It is still up but setting as you stand there. If you want sunlight, you've got to fight it now.

I don't like the idea of being a gloryhound like Benic wants us to be, because that's just a great way to die or cause collateral damage/civilian casualties.
I want to do things right and proper.

>>418818
The problem is that while the demon will be weakened on Church ground, it could just run and cause havoc in the town if we don't have a way of containing it.

>>418827
Is there anything that we can do to stack the odds in our favor, such as consecrating the ground around here, sanctifying some of the iron tools to help us, creating a binding circle to weaken/keep the demon from running away?

>>418827
Do we have time for Gem to give Orion a new hand before we open the box and lose sunlight?

>>418833
>Is there anything that we can do to stack the odds in our favor, such as consecrating the ground around here, sanctifying some of the iron tools to help us, creating a binding circle to weaken/keep the demon from running away?

Yes. You've got a bunch of heavy metal beams that have a lot of iron in them. It'd be very easy to arrange them into a large circle and splash some sanctified water on them. You could do more, but you'd lose sunlight.

>>418838
>Do we have time for Gem to give Orion a new hand before we open the box and lose sunlight?

Yes. Giving Orion his hand limits Gem from doing other serious manipulations, like golems or living vines, but she can still blast things, and other minor options.

The hand can be made out of any materials that are available, save for iron.

Right now there's wood, clay/earth, canvas, and rope.

>>418850
>arrange iron beams into a circle and sanctify them
Let's do that.

Could Gem do the blasting from outside the circle and nominally safe from the demon's reach?

Would Orion be proficient with his Mace with just one hand?
I'm unsure if a golem or a hand is more useful.

>>418850
Lets do the beams stuff then fampai.
And the hand as well, it could come in handy.

>>418863
>Could Gem do the blasting from outside the circle and nominally safe from the demon's reach?

Nope, the barrier that keeps the demon from getting out would keep Gem's magic from getting in. She's got to be in there with you.

>>418863
>Would Orion be proficient with his Mace with just one hand?

As it is now? No. It's designed for two hands...but maybe you could ask Palus itself if it could accommodate Orion's needs.

>>418901
>but maybe you could ask Palus itself if it could accommodate Orion's needs.
Let's do that, then.
"Hey, Palus. We're going to be bashing in a demon's head, but I'm shorthanded. Think you could lend me a hand?"

File: Palus.png (264 KB, 637x961)

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>>418873
>>418863

It takes a few minutes, but Orion is able to make a circle using the railway beams, at the same time Gem uses her kit of blessed salt to sanctify some water.

Then the pair takes their magic items and puts them on.

"Palus, can you help? I can't swing you as well with only one hand. Can you help? We're going to be bashing a demon."

Palus trembles in Orion's hand. It's very excited to be able to kill a demon. It still has a lot of unrefined power. It can change for you.

> Palus has 5 slots of power
USED: 1 slot: Palus grows in power as Orion gets closer to death.
NEW OPTIONS: (You can pick one to add to Palus' powers)
>1 Slot: Palus will be able to shift from a 2-handed mace to a 1-handed mace at Orion's command. Orion will be able to use Palus at all times.
>1 slot: Palus will use its power to specifically hurt demons. +1 to hit
>2 slots: Palus will always have the properties of a blessed Iron Weapon, but still be able to recieve benefits from Gem's magic (as in Orion's Summoned Hand will not be effected.)

>>418948
>>1 Slot: Palus will be able to shift from a 2-handed mace to a 1-handed mace at Orion's command. Orion will be able to use Palus at all times.

>>418948
>1 Slot: Palus will be able to shift from a 2-handed mace to a 1-handed mace at Orion's command. Orion will be able to use Palus at all times.

>>418948
>1 Slot: Palus will be able to shift from a 2-handed mace to a 1-handed mace at Orion's command. Orion will be able to use Palus at all times.
So does this mean that we can use Palus without penalties, meaning that unless some other factors come into play, we can attack at a DC of 15 instead of something higher due to using a 2-handed mace one-handed?

>>418948
>>1 Slot: Palus will be able to shift from a 2-handed mace to a 1-handed mace at Orion's command. Orion will be able to use Palus at all times.

File: Medax.jpg (148 KB, 400x293)

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>>418948
Gem takes a deep breath and puts on the mask.

A demon? Yes. I can handle them. It says.

"So...what do you do?" Gem asks.

I expose lies, illusions, and make it so you and your knight are not fooled by trickery. Wear me long enough, and I'll grow strong enough to see through lies told my people who think they're telling the truth.

"And your cost?" Gem asks.

As long as you wear me, you cannot lie to your knight. Medax 'says.' And don't try to be clever with omissions or partial truths either. I demand pure honesty.

Well...that's going to make things complicated.

"Only when I wear you, correct?" She asks.

Yes. I suppose it's just the Box Demon for now, and your own demons later.

"Great. The mask is a smartass." Gem mutters.

"Hey, look!" Orion smiles as Palus' length extends and contracts at will.

"Great." Gem says. "So...you sill want another hand?"

"Well, a two handed mace does tend to hit harder...sometimes." Orion says.

>Orion has no penalties to using Palus, and if Orion is using Palus with two hands, 19-20 crits cause two wounds.

Gem
> Give Orion his other hand
> Have him use Palus 1-handed.

>>418973
> Give Orion his other hand

>>418973
> Have him use Palus 1-handed.

>>418973
>> Have him use Palus 1-handed.
I'd like Gem to be able to focus on the matter at hand fully, rather than the matter of hand.
I'm not sorry.

>>418973
>Have him use Palus 1-handed.
Golems to flank the demon and living vines to hold the demon down seem like they'd be better at assuring a hit rather than making each strike hit harder and then whiffing it like Casey Jones.

File: Slavery Demon.jpg (53 KB, 342x500)

53 KB JPG

>>418982
>>418984
>>418988

Gem dumps a pile of wooden beams, canvas, ropes, and non-iron tools inside the circle.

"Options." She says. "Okay, so we've got...ten minutes of sunlight left? Plenty of time to either kill it...or the other thing. Ready"

"Sure." Orion says. "At least nothing important here can get set on fire." He kicks the box open.

A pile of papers are seen and then a mass of golden chains bubbles up and out from the box. The pair back away as the pile builds bigger and bigger, and then a humanoid figure stands up. A sexless being, with black hair, pointed ears, and the tan skin of an Imperial native.

It stretches and looks at the pair, and the 'magic circle,' and the setting sun. Then it tilts its head.

"Really?" He sighs. "Fine...anything to be free. I'll give you the contracts. I just want to go home...to Hell. I don't want to see this forsaken world again."

> Negotiate
> Swing for it's skull

>>419042
> Negotiate

>>419042
>> Negotiate

>>419042
>Negotiate
Is there a way to open a portal to hell just to send a demon home?

>>419042
> Negotiate

>>419042
>Negotiate
wow this is a not so bitch evil demon
lest the mask should help us from gettign fucked over by makeing deals
love how the mask has its own mind
will Palus start to talk as it gets stronger?

File: Negotiations.jpg (66 KB, 362x480)

66 KB JPG

>>419050
>>419060
>>419077

"You give us all the contracts, and we let you out of the circle, and you immediately go home, and never come back." Gem says. "That's the deal?"

The demon tilts it head one way and then the other. "No demon can return home empty handed. Bring food or be food. Also, I can make no promises on my return. I will not return here by my own free will, if that makes you better. There are 34 contracts. I'll take four with me."

"Not a chance." Orion says.

"Fine, two. Just two. But I go no lower." He extends his hand to shake and seal the pact.

> Take the deal. Demons cannot break deals no matter what. 32 souls, ending the problem, and a demon banished from Ardan...all in one day. A good deal.
> No deal. Smash its head in, roll 1d20

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>419111
> No deal. Smash its head in, roll 1d20

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>419111
>> No deal. Smash its head in, roll 1d20
It's clobberin' time.

File: 92341a482f.u1[1].jpg (91 KB, 750x1000)

91 KB JPG

>>419128
WELP

>>419111
>> Take the deal. Demons cannot break deals no matter what. 32 souls, ending the problem, and a demon banished from Ardan...all in one day. A good deal.
but we pick which ones it takes

Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>419111
>No deal. Smash its head in, roll 1d20
Sorry, no deal.

File: 1408498939445.jpg (164 KB, 720x720)

164 KB JPG

>>419128
>>419140
Uh...crit successes overrule crit failures, right?

File: ifcjBsa[1].png (65 KB, 486x750)

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>>419140
Ayy!

File: dice killing me.jpg (77 KB, 500x468)

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>>419146
i hope it fucking dose
or at lest cancel each other out

>>419111
> Take the deal. Demons cannot break deals no matter what. 32 souls, ending the problem, and a demon banished from Ardan...all in one day. A good deal.

>>419140
Orion shrugs, and steps forward, he extends his hand.

The demon grins, with teeth of black slime and golden stones and, keeping his eyes on Orion, reaches out...and grabs nothing.

He looks and sees nothing but an empty void where Orion's left hand should be.

"Golly. How embarrassing." Orion says.

Then he smashes Palus into the side of the demon's head and the creature drops like a sack of potatoes on the ground. Howling in pain.

"Gem, NOW!" Orion yells.

> Summon Golems
> Living ropes
> Double Fireballs
> Debris tornado

>>419169
> Summon Golems

>>419169
>> Living ropes

>>419169
>> Living ropes

>>419169
> Living ropes

>>419169
>Living ropes
Keep that demon in place for another mace to the head.

Honestly, if we could have given the demon Owen Redwell's soul, I probably would have agreed to the deal.

>>419190
but then we wold have to tell or lie to the order about how we got it to go away and i dont think thye will like it if we told them we made a deal with a demon

>>419190
>>419184
>>419173
>>419172

There's something ironic, and fitting, about binding a demon that's all about slavery.

The canvas and ropes spring to life and flow like water and wind around the creature.

> Roll 1d20+1

Rolled 16 + 1 (1d20 + 1)

>>419199

Rolled 20 + 1 (1d20 + 1)

>>419199

Rolled 17 + 1 (1d20 + 1)

>>419199
now hold still so i can beat you

Rolled 8 + 1 (1d20 + 1)

>>419199

>>419202
The demon screams in pain, that's because Gem doused one of the ropes in the sanctified water. It's tightly bound it tight ropes and canvas.

The thing is thrashing around, but it's still much an easier target for a knight to smash.

> Roll 1d20+3

Rolled 8 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>419209

Rolled 10 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>419209

Rolled 4 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>419209

Rolled 16 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>419209

>>419212
The demon apparently has been tied up and beaten before, as it's able to move its head out of the way.

Gem has options

> Keep focusing on the binding
> Blast it
> Get close and douse it with the rest of the water
> Ease up on the binding and summon golems

>>419223
>> Ease up on the binding and summon golems

>>419223
> Get close and douse it with the rest of the water

>>419223
>Keep focusing on the binding

>>419223
>> Keep focusing on the binding

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>419230
>>419233
Gem focuses on keeping the ropes tight as magically possible, locking the demon in place.

Still, the demon tries to escape.

>>419249
But Gem's extra focus is there, locking the bastard in place.

Orion's turn to teach Palus the true meaning of the word 'smite.'

> Roll 1d20+3

Rolled 15 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>419253

Rolled 11 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>419253

Rolled 9 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>419253

>>419256
SMASH. There's a spray of black slime and golden flakes.

Gem's turn

> Keep focusing on the binding
> Blast it
> Get close and douse it with the rest of the water
> Ease up on the binding and summon golems

>>419266
>> Keep focusing on the binding
Let Orion keep whacking it.

>>419266
>> Keep focusing on the binding
a litle bdsm play wont hurt

>>419266
>Keep focusing on the binding
It's working. Let's not disrupt a good thing.

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>419276
Gem keeps adding rope and twisting the canvas tighter and tighter.

The demon continues to struggle.

>>419282
"GAAAHHH!" The demon screams and the chains BURST open from it's body, showing that it doesn't really have a body, the chains are holding this black slime mass in humanoid shape.

Thankfully, while it did break free, it looked like getting past all of Gem's focus caused it a lot of pain.

Still Orion and Palus are there to continue their discourse.

> Roll 1d20

Rolled 8 (1d20)

>>419285

Rolled 18 (1d20)

>>419285

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>419285

>>419289
SMASH.

Orion can hear...well...it's not laughter, because it's not a voice, but it's definitely a sound of someone having the time of their lives and enjoying every second of it.

Gem's turn

>> Summon Golems
>> Living ropes
>> Double Fireballs
>> Debris tornado

>>419295
>>> Summon Golems

>>419295
> Summon Golems

>>419295
>>> Double Fireballs

>>419295
> Double Fireballs

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>419299
>>419300

>>419305
>>419307

1. Golem, 2. Fireballs

>>419310
"Always wanted to do this outside." Gem says.

She gestures to the pile of debris and focuses on it.

> Roll 2d20

Rolled 8, 14 = 22 (2d20)

>>419311

Rolled 4, 1 = 5 (2d20)

>>419311

Rolled 3, 19 = 22 (2d20)

>>419311

>>419312
>>419314
>>419315
Could've gone better.

Rolled 14, 12, 2, 12 = 40 (4d20)

>>419314
>>419315

The good news is that Gem is able to summon two golems made out of timber, rope, and canvas. Little humanoid shapes about three feet high. They look pretty good.

Then one of them explodes.

>>419320
thats pretty much this whole quest>>419321
of couse one blows up

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>419321
Thankfully everyone, including the golem, manages to dodge the explosion and the debris.

The golem then attacks the demon, swinging its fists and lashing out with all the grace of a over-sugared toddler.

Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>419326
The little guy actually manages to rip open one of the demon's chains, spilling black tar goop out into the circle where it hisses and burns.

"YEAH! Get him!" A voice says.

All three sentient combatants look, and apparently you've got an audience. It's the Pruden with the carpet bag and the thing about peas. He's also got Trill, Easing, and those two asshole guards with him.

The Pruden is whooping and cheering.

The enlisted men, and women, are trying to prime and load their rifles.

The demon snarls and lashes its chains out at the little golem.

>>419332
The little guy jumps out of the way, like a cat.

Orion and Palus' turn. They really only have one trick at this point, but...when all you have is a mace...

>Roll 1d20

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>419335

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>419335

Rolled 9 (1d20)

>>419335

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>419335

Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>419335

>>419340
I feel like critical failures have been more common than critical successes, by a wide margin.

>>419348
Were you here for his last quest? Dice were...spastic there too.

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>419332

Rolled 9 (1d20)

>>419332
>>419348
your not wrong

>>419340
Orion swings, but the demon is ready for this one, and grabs Orion's wrist with his chain, and swings Orion into it's fist for a punch.

"Cheap shot!" The Pruden yells.

Gem's turn. The demon's looking pretty...goopy...two or three more good shots and it may be over.


> Summon Golems
> Living ropes
> Double Fireballs
> Debris tornado

>>419360
>Living ropes

>>419348
> Double Fireballs

>>419360
>> Double Fireballs
BURN!

>>419360
> Living ropes

>>419360
>> Living ropes
rather not burn from the dice fucking us over

>>419364
>>419374
>>419376

Back to the earlier trick, the ropes and canvas lash out again.

> Roll 1d20

Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>419377
if we keep doing the same thing would she get better at doing them?

Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>419377

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>419377
I'm half-expecting one of the soldiers to make a BDSM joke with all the tying up and ropework that Gem has done.

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>419377

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>>419382
well she is whereing a mask.....

>>419393
>whereing.

Rolled 18 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>419379
The ropes bind the slavery demon once more.

"NO! Not again!" It wails.

"Binding a Demon of the Chains?! How AWESOME is THAT?!" The Pruden says. "WHOOOO!"

The military look at the holy man like he's a screaming madman. Which...honestly...

Gem's little golem tries to maul the demon again.

>>419395
This wee golem is better than Orion.

>>419395
The ferocious little monster just keeps ripping the chains apart, causing huge spouts of black ooze to pour out into the circle sizzling and bubbling.

Orion's turn.

>Roll 1d20+3

Rolled 6 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>419401

Rolled 12 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>419401