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>>416863
Last Time on Hero Guardian Quest: Knight-Commanders Hua Sing and Ishimura was introduced where they operate on the Eastern Front in the Lost Forest Realm, past the broken barrier. Information on what happened 3 years ago when the barrier broke is revealed and the woman possibly behind it all is revealed by title; the Queen, who’s said to be the leader of the religious cult worshiping the Red Flower and is in charge of the men leading the Masked Humans.

Over at the Western Front, Captain Lin is struggling to cope with the loss of Jin and how to deal with Mei when she awakens to find the Awoo she had developed feelings for, dead. After fleeing the scene, Lin chased Mei into a clearing further into the forest where they confronted each other in the middle of the hard pouring rain. Drama ensued before the Red Flower awoke within Lin and warned her of incoming Masked Men. She sent Mei away to fetch Chao and Heim before coming face to face with the five humans encircling her.

After a long and grueling fight, Captain Lin comes out victorious after killing three of them and the last two tried to blow themselves up alongside her, but failed. Chao, Heim, and Mei came back to the clearing just in time to see the masked men explode into cinder as well, setting aflame to the forest.

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Ishimura train his sight upon the scene before him; unconscious and wounded town’s people lies amidst pieces of crushed barrels and pools of wine covering the ground. Most of the Knight-Commander’s men appeares unharmed, except for one man who has a gash over his left eye, blood trailing its way down over his closed eyelid and ending by his upper lip. There’s at least 4 unconscious people, but none of them seems to be more hurt than some light bruises. It feels good to know the men pulled their punches against these people.

“What happened here?” Hua Sing, Knight-Commander and the de facto Leader of this town gives way to her voice and let her presence be known to all parties involved. All the chatter dies down in seconds upon hearing the Lady nearby. No one wish to scorn her. She scans the scene before her eyes land on the wounded one of Ishimura’s knights. The name escapes him right now, but Ollie would know of him in a heartbeat. Where is the good boy anyway?

“You there. Identify yourself and tell us what happened here.” She orders him and he takes a step out from his crowd. He looks over at Ishimura - half-expecting his commander to introduce him - but after a brief moment of silence, he sighs.

“Ser Brine of the 2nd company under Knight-Commander Ser Ishimura, my Lady.” He formally introduce himself with a stoic salute. Hua nods at him, giving him permission to continue. He looks at his Knight-Commander and Ishimura nods as well. “Me and Ser Aduecen and his squire asked these town’s people if we could get some wine and when they refused us, Ser Aduecen’s squire insisted and a fight broke out that ended abruptly.” He explains, but before Ishimura or Hua Sing can comment, one of the town’s folks intervenes.

“Liar! You never asked for anything! You threatened us and tried to steal our wine barrels! These brave men upon the ground tried to stand up to you, and you brutally beat them bloody!” A rather fat lady screams at the top of her lungs, her voice breaking into a shriek at the end.

“Hm.” Knight-Commander Hua thinks for a moment, looking over at the wounded knight, “Where did you receive that gash, Ser Brine?” She inquires and the Knight explains that one of the men who attacked him carried a dagger and points at a man in his early 40’s, lying unconscious on the ground, grasping at a dagger nearby. The fat lady has nothing to say against that and the tension in the air grows thicker while Hua Sing remains quiet.

“If both sides are to be believed, A squire of one of Ser Ishimura’s knights tried to steal wine while a man under my protection wounded a knight. Someone needs to be punished for this dispute…” She trails off, deep in thought.

>Let her make the decision alone. Only observe her judgment.
>Suggest punishing the squire.
>Advise her to teach the unconscious man with the dagger a lesson.
>Write-in.

>>416872
>>Suggest punishing the squire.
WE are to be held to a higher standard. If he as a squire abuses his power, what will he do as a knight when he has more power and more freedom?

>>416872
and we are back
>Let her make the decision alone. Only observe her judgment.
we did bring her here to fix this
>>416905
good point tho

>Let her make the decision alone. Only observe her judgment.

You should just let things take their own course. The last thing you want is to be held accountable for something.

>>416872
>>Suggest punishing the squire.
Knights are pretty well known for abusing power for things like this, better to teach them a lesson.

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>Let her make the decision alone. Only observer her judgment.

The test given to Ishimura by the Lord-Commander is one of Leadership and Humility. He has chosen to follow the path of the latter first and foremost, and thus, he decides to keep his thoughts and comments to himself. He will watch the events unfold and await Hua Sing’s unaffected judgment. Fortunately he doesn’t need to wait long for her judgment to pass.

“Squire, state your name.” Her voice breaks the tensed silence.

“Marran, m-my Lady.” He replies with a hesitant bow.

“I, Knight-Commander Hua Sing, acting authority of this town and military campaign, find Marran guilty of theft. For this crime, a hand will be removed to forever remind him to stay his other hand of that which do not belong to him.” Her grim words hit everyone like a cold water in the middle of winter. It’s not usual for someone to punish squires of knights this harshly. They are still considered students and prone to mistakes after all.

“What?!” Marran shouts in dismay, his eyes searching for help from his Knight-Commander, but Ishimura remains quiet during this exchange, having made his choice.

“Which hand do you choose, Squire?” Hua Sing promptly continues as her accompanying knights approach the reluctant Marran. Ishimura’s other Knights are about to protect the squire, but he calls them off, not wanting an actual bloodbath between knights on his hands. They back off, but not before throwing poisonous glances at their Commander. The Lady’s knights pull the squire off to the nearest wall of individual stones reaching along the path through town. They force him down on his knees and puts his left hand forward since he is doing everything but answering Hua’s question. The Knight-Commander herself is the one to carry out the punishment, with her own blade no less. Ishimura take note that her blade isn’t a regular sword given to any knight. There are markings along the steel that stand foreign to him. His curiosity is piqued, but this isn’t the time nor the place to ask about it. In a swift move, her sword have risen and descended upon the squire’s left hand. His pained and savage outcry makes several of the onlookers leave the scene in a hurry.

“Seal the wound with fire and give him some herbs against the pain.” Hua orders her knights and they follow her words without a single hesitation as they carry the crying and screaming squire away. The other knights disperse from the location as well. The cutoff hand remains upon the small wall of stones and pebbles. Upon leaving, Hua turns to Ishimura with a grim look across her feature.

“Tell me, Ser Ishimura. Did I make the right decision?” The question feels less like she wants to know if she did the right thing or not, and more to probe how the other Knight-Commander’s mind and morals work.

>Agree with her method.
>Disagree with her method.
>Write-in.

>>417189
>>Agree with her method.
Sounds about right. They probably learned they're lesson now.

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I guess the three other players just up and "disappeared". Due to the lack of player activity, I'm calling it for tonight. The vote remains open until I return tomorrow (Friday).

>>417189
>>417423
Sorry boss I posted but it wouldn't let me go through.

>>417189
>>Agree with her method.
Harsher than I would have done though.

>>417189
>"Perhaps taking the entire hand was a tad excessive, a couple of fingers would have had the same effect and he would still retain most of his combat ability."

>>417189
Bit harsh, but only because now I'm wondering how he's gonna make up for his shittery without that hand.
On the whole, though, eh. No particular problems with it.

I'm >>417541.
Basically mean the same as >>417536

>>417189
>"Perhaps taking the entire hand was a tad excessive, a couple of fingers would have had the same effect and he would still retain most of his combat ability."
but hay i dont think any one eils would try to pull this bull shit any more
and sorry guys had real life things to do

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Session starting at 19:00 CET today. Will probably be able to write an update or two before then, if not more. Who knows? Just woke up. I'll be back later.

>>419466
good morning

>>419466
Morning OP, looking forward to it

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>Write-in.

“I guess?” Ishimura shrugs, throwing a worrisome glance towards where the knights pulled off the squire with his only working eye, “A pair of fingers would have sent same message and it wouldn’t have near disabled a future knight.”

“I didn’t imagine that you’d be a man who could hold his convictions back in the face of punishing his own men.” Hua remarks, never looking back at the fellow Knight-Commander following her in tow amidst the houses with smoke steadily rising through the chimneys.

“I’d do that same if my judgment carried weight to punishing one of yours.” Ishimura defends her indirect accusation, insulted that she’d imply he’s soft around his own men and their actions that reflect upon his leadership. Hua stops for a second and turns about to face the man following her. Her cold gaze embeds itself in him like a freshly sharpened arrow from point blank range.

“Then I will allow you to prove me wrong, should such a time ever come.” Her voice is as ruthless as her stare before she promptly continues in her stride towards her keep in the short distance, leaving Ishimura behind. Despite the dangerous and insidious feeling growing within him, the Knight-Commander can’t help but flash one his trademark smiles whilst watching the woman he both admires and fears walking away.

____

They would have stuck around had it not been for the large pillar of smoke rising from the scene in great length and width. The deformed rock had been utterly destroyed, stone pieces from the two simultaneous explosions lay scattered through the clearing, littering the wet grass. No, team 2 couldn’t stay around, lest they want to face waves of more Humans bearing down upon them. A scenario that bears no pleasant outcome for any of them in their current condition.

Hours have passed between then and now. What remains of Team 2 is now resting amidst cover, carefully watching the clearing said to be used often and repeatedly by the same groups and parties of human hunters. Since you have a clear view of the entire scene, you’ve decided to just observe it until something of note happens. That’s when you should act, but not before then. It was another thing at the waterfall. The location of importance was hidden behind a wall of non-stop running water.

While Heim and Mei is watching the clearing, you find yourself leaning against a tree, trying to get some well deserved shuteye for now. Chao is up among the branches, and by the Tree, who knows what he’s doing and how he’s feeling? Everyone’s fallen pretty quiet ever since the team began to travel south on the western front. You’re more or less steadily completing your mission, objective after objective.

>Get some well deserved sleep.
>Swap the watch with someone. (Heim or Mei?)
>Try talking with Chao. (About?)
>Write-in.

>>419804
>>Get some well deserved sleep.

>>419804
>Get some well deserved sleep.
Let's try and get some rest before shit inevitably hits the fan again.

>>419804
>>Get some well deserved sleep.
I want to talk with Chao but that might prove to be troublesome. We can't just up and ask him how he's doing since he's probably just play up the tough guy act.

>>419804
>Get some well deserved sleep
We won't work properly without some shut-eye at this point, trust your teammates

>>419804
>>Get some well deserved sleep.
ever day just akes me hate chao even more
well im off to bed keep us alive peopel

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>>419808
>>419825
>>419851
>>419906
>>419995
You've decided to sleep.

Roll for Reflex Save.
Roll 3d10
Best of 3
DC: 6
>[Inner Wolf] = +1 on the dice.

Rolled 10, 5, 5 = 20 (3d10)

>>420342

Rolled 6, 5, 10 = 21 (3d10)

>>420342
come on

>>420350
there we go, sweet dreams

Rolled 10, 9, 4 = 23 (3d10)

>>420342
Rollan

>>420348
>>420350
>>420355
DC Reached.

Writing.

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>>419804
>Get some well deserved sleep.

When all's said and done, you’re still extremely tired and it is your turn to rest while the other pair of team 2 is on watch for anything suspicious happening out in the clearing. Might as well make the best of the situation, even if the grass is still wet. You’ve slept under worse circumstances during the trials. After blinking a few times, you eventually fall into a shallow sleep.

It’s dark at first, but in the midst of the shadows clouding your vision, you hear muffled voices from several of the patrons within your dream. There’s no light and it is as if you’re blind, even though your eyes are wide open. The muffled voices turn into whispers and soon enough even those become as clear as someone talking right next to you.

“Who is the creature?” A female human’s voice echoes within the dark. She sounds old, but the way her voice yet commands respect and authority through fear and domination makes you assume she’s powerful in other ways than physical strength and youth.

“An young Awoo girl. Can’t be older than 16 or 20 winters, at the very least.” Another voice springs up in your mind, on the opposite end of the female’s voice. This one sounds younger, more careless and reckless.

“Which one is it, brother?” The new voice is that of another male, yet it sounds similar to the previous voice, but this one is mature in more ways than one.

“When did I become the expert of judging ages for those filthy--!” The previous male voice begins, but he’s interrupted by the elder woman clearing her voice irritably.

>Continued

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>>420453

“I apologize for my brother, my Queen.” The mature human is quick to excuse his brother’s outburst. It sounds like a phrase he’s been repeating for years. The other brother, the rude one, doesn’t utter another word. He might have left.

“Your brother matters little, Herwick. This entire experiment of ours with the masked hosts have been a complete and utter failure for years. At most, they’ve served as good shock soldiers for the Lord-Commander’s purposes.” The woman known as the ‘Queen’ spouts dismissively. “I’m more interested in finding a spark to rekindle him, or everything I’ve prepared for the past decades have been for naught. I will Not have it be so.”

“Of course not, my Queen.” Herwick replies, ever the blind loyalist. From nearby a couple of foreign words are whispered by the Queen before you hear the familiar sound of the Red Flower set aflame. However, instead of hearing the cruel voice you’re expecting, a shiver is sent down your spine and an headache explodes inside your head. It feels like your skull is being split in two by an axe or a blade before the superficial pain shocks you out of sleep.

Your eyes shoot open and from the corner of your sight, you spot a small pebble just in time to dodge it with your still sore head. Chao is sitting in the grass, legs crossed and not too far from you, throwing harmless pebbles and small cones at your left shoulder and sleeping face.

“What the...?” You mumble, looking over at him with tired eyes and a numb head.

“It looks like you had a nightmare. You look extremely pale.” Chao remarks, nodding at you with his unspoken inquiry.

>Tell him about your weird dream.
>Ignore him.
>Ask about Heim and Mei instead.
>Change the subject. (To what?)
>Write-in.

>>420458
>Tell him about your weird dream.
An opportunity to speak normal with Chao again

>>420458
>>Tell him about your weird dream.
Yeah, a nice lead in for a chat with Chao.

>>420458
>>Ask about Heim and Mei instead.

>>420458
>Tell him about your weird dream.

>>420488
>>420507
>>420519
>>420542
You're going to tell him about your weird dream.

Writing.

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>>420458
>Tell him about your weird dream.

You contemplate whether to reply to his indirect question or not. Despite your differences and rivalry, you still feel like you can trust Chao to some degrees. The fact that this is the first time in several hours that Chao opened his mouth or even looked your way makes it a chance worth taking. You’ll need to tell Heim and Mei about it later as well if you spout about it to Chao. No point keeping it from the rest of the team if you’re determined to share it.

Chao hears you out without interruptions as you explain your weird dream and what you can still remember from what they said. It’s the first time you’ve seen him this focused and attentive ever since the first lesson from Sensei so many years ago. When you’re done, you lean back on your tree and wait for Chao to process and think about what he’s heard.

“For how long have you had these dreams?” He eventually asks, his eyes are more serious than before and fixed on you.

“Not for a while, I guess? Last time was before the assault in the North.” You shrug at him, remembering the vision of the large human settlement built atop several levels of hills, one after another higher than the other. Makes you impressed with how fast Humans can build so many villages and towns in a matter of 3 years. Chao has gone quiet again, deep in thought. Over in the distance, you barely see Heim and Mei at their hiding spots overlooking the clearing. From where you sit, you can only see the front of the clearing and what used to be a campsite, but nothing else through the bushes.

“What else have you seen?” Chao continues, suddenly awfully interested in your weird dreams and visions. Does he know something?

“I had a vision when I passed through the barrier up in the North. I saw several hills connected to each other where a large human settlement had been built with several villages leading from the lowest hill to the highest one in the back.” You recall to him, adding a question of your own, “Why are you asking?”

“Anything else?” Chao press on, ignoring your question. His attention is occupied solely by your words at this point. You find it kinda creepy and interesting to see this new side of Chao.

>”And I said, why are you asking?”
>Tell him about the burning boy and the cruel voice.
>Break off from this conversation. You’re not comfortable with taking it any further.
>Write-in.

>>420660
>>”And I said, why are you asking?”

>>420660
>>”And I said, why are you asking?”

>>420660
>”And I said, why are you asking?”

>>420674
>>420679
>>420749
Calling the slow vote.

Roll for Social/Diplomacy
Roll 3d10
Best of 3
DC: 8

Rolled 8, 3, 8 = 19 (3d10)

>>420761

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

>>420761
Reveal to us your secrets Chao

Rolled 9, 3, 5 = 17 (3d10)

>>420761

>>420766
>>420774
>>420780
DC Reached!

Writing.

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>>420660
>Question him

With eyes narrowed and trained upon him, you repeat your question, hellbent on not only giving answers in this honest one-to-one talk. You stare at each other for a while before Chao sighs in a shallow defeat, leaning back with a straight back. He’s clearly trying to figure out how to best answer your question. It doesn’t take him long to have it figured out.

“I guess you could say I’ve also had… ‘dreams’, but they always come to me when I’m awake, like this vision of yours. Still, it doesn’t really have a trigger or anything. It just, ‘happens’.” He starts off, throwing a glance backwards to make sure Heim and Mei is out of earshot. “I haven’t seen anything like you’ve seen. It’s mostly just, y’know, memories. About my last team.” And with that, the pieces fall into place. You already figured out before what might have happened to his team and if he’s constantly reliving those memories, it’s no wonder he’s distracted and angry. Especially after experiencing another teammate’s death.

You’re left uncertain as to whether you should comfort him or not, but your decision is deprived of you when Heim and Mei arrives to the scene. They’re signalling for you to stay quiet and points towards the clearing. Out from the woods, a party of hunters arrives, dragging two kills after themselves. There’s four of them, and they’re laughing and smiling brightly with each other. They will no doubt start a small and contained Red Flower and skin their kills and roast what meat they won’t save for later.

For all intents and purposes, there doesn’t seem to be anything out of the ordinary with them, but it’s the first time you see Humans in this clearing ever since you arrived here. Rushi sent you here for a reason after all.

The others in your team look to you for orders as always.

>Continue to observe the Hunters.
>Ambush the Hunters.
>Write-in.

____

Sorry for the slow update. The dead silent thread between updates is a demoralizing sight.

>>421000
>>Continue to observe the Hunters.
What was our mission again? Just to keep watch over this point or something? It's probably reckless to just dive right in so lets keep watching for a while.

>>421000
>>Continue to observe the Hunters.

>>421000
>>Continue to observe the Hunters.


Also just got off work here boss. I do have a convo starter though.


Who's best husbando/waifu?

>>421064
Does the MC count as a waifu?

>>421000
>Continue to observe the Hunters.
>>421064
Red Flower is best waifu

>>421075
Nope.

>>421064
Best husbando was the Knight Commander that died a while back. I don't think there's been a clear best waifu yet, not for me anyway.

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>>421098
S-she doesn't?!

>>421042
>>421047
>>421064
>>421097
You continue to observe the hunters in hiding.

Writing.

>>421098
Okay...

>>421111
>S-she doesn't?!

Nope she is one hunting for waifus or husbandos. MC privilege.

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>>421104
RIP in Peace, Hao Sing.

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>>421000
>Continue to observe the Hunters.

Your mission is to observe, react, and report back alive. In that order. It won’t do to ambush them when they still haven’t done anything out of the ordinary. So far they’re acting like any other group of human hunters out sporting for game and meat with bows strung over their shoulders, quivers filled with arrows, and several unique traps placed all around the forest, as the scouts from earlier told you and your team. If you get caught in one of them, you’re either dead or one of your limbs are disabled. These traps are ruthless, as witnessed by yourself where Jin died. You still haven’t spoken with Chao about it, but you figure you’ll get the truth out of him after you’re all back behind the safety of the barrier.

This time around it’s not so hard to keep Heim and Chao’s bloodlust under control. Heim is too tired, and Chao is feeling more down than angry right about now. That can change at any time though, so both you and Mei are throwing the occasional glance at the two boys. However, your main focus lies with the Humans nonetheless. After observing them for a straight hour, watching them skin their kill, prepare the food they’ll save for the journey back home no doubt, and starting their cook of the rest of it by the roaring, yet controlled little Red Flower, you finally spot something of interest: A hunter takes a seat on one of the many various stones littering the field and his hand reach down behind him. You assume he’s scratching his ass like any other filthy human, but it’s revealed that his hand disappears into a small patch of bushes hiding behind the rock. He pulls out what looks like a small letter and stashes it inside his leather tunic, whilst the other hunters remain none the wiser for it.

“Is that what we were waiting for?” Chao’s whisper catch you off-guard, but he might be right. He could also be wrong and they’re waiting for something else. Why would they all agree to this site in the middle of the forest, where a trail of smoke and the smell of roasted meat can be seen and smelled from miles away if only one of them seem to have the motive to be here?

Something smells fishy, and it’s not the meat.

>Ambush the Humans and take the letter.
>Wait and continue to observe.
>Ask the opinion of your team.
>Write-in.

>>421206
>>Ask the opinion of your team.

>>421206
>Wait and continue to observe.
Information is key.

>>421206
>>Ask the opinion of your team.
Looks suspicious but it could be no big deal. Sure would suck if it was just a letter to a lover or family member.

>>421206
>>Wait and continue to observe.
now we know where a deaddrop is

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>>421209
>>421221
>>421271
You're certain that the rest of your team caught wind of what the Human hid in his tunic as well. With a hushed voiced, you garner their attention with a whisper.

"Alright, Team. What do you think we should do?" You inquire, your gaze wandering between them.

"When did this become a democracy?" Chao immediately jumps the gun.

"It is for everyone but you, shithead." The start of Mei's rein of bitchery takes its beginning. "I don't care. Kill them all." She pouts, avoiding eye contact with you. Heim shrugs, clearly on-board with any decision. Chao doesn't feel the need to give you his input at the moment, but you can only assume he wants to kill them.

>Kill!
>Wait.

>>421301
>Wait
killing all the things on sight will make us no differnt frm humans, we wait and watch them,
2xpost op?

>>421316
>>Wait.

>>421316
>>Wait.
I'm suspicious and what's the worst that could happen if we just sit here waiting?

>>421316
>>Wait.

>>421332
jyou just didnt say whats the worst that coulld happen????!!!!! the end times is apon us now

>>421323
>>421329
>>421332
>>421347
You continue to wait and observe.

Writing.

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>>421316
>Wait

Despite your team’s opinion, you order them to wait and continue to monitor the clearing. If anything, you might get another lucky streak and catch something else from the Humans. Several minutes pass by as the three other hunters start to eat whilst the last one claims he’s going out for a piss in the woods. You hear one of them tell him to just piss nearby since there’s no women about, but he insists on pissing behind the covers that thick scores of the forest provides.

He returns soon, his hand leaving the pocket in his tunic where the letter is kept right as he comes into sight again. His neutral expression reveals nothing in this poor lightning. He rejoins his fellow hunters and partake in the feast while you watch in tempered silence. He must have read the letter, there’s no doubt about it.

The evening continues, yet nothing new happens. The hunters finish up their meal, pack their salted and stored meat, and kill the contained Red Flower before they get ready to leave. The night is close to set in and you don’t know these terrains as well as these hunters who might have been here for years. No one in your team is from the west as far as you can remember.

The most difficult of decisions now lies solely on your shoulders; either you kill these hunters and see what the letter says with the help of the Red Flower within you, but then this dead drop is compromised. No guardian will be able to benefit from the kind of information they could garner from copying the letters and then have you read it back to them. Or you could let these humans go and report back to Rushi that you’ve discovered one of the human’s dead drops and let him be the judge of what to do with that information, however, you’d let the Human before you get away with his current letter that might compromise something on the western front for the Kenshin Company and the Blood Guardians. It might cost several guardian lives...

What will you do?

>Let the Human go. Take the information of this active drop site back to Rushi.
>Kill them all and take the letter. Observe and react, just like Rushi said.

>>421440
>>Let the Human go. Take the information of this active drop site back to Rushi.

>>421440
>>Let the Human go. Take the information of this active drop site back to Rushi.

>>421440
>Let the Human go. Take the information of this active drop site back to Rushi.
If we let him go now we can get a source of information that let's us undermine their future operations.

>>421440
>Let the Human go. Take the information of this active drop site back to Rushi.

>>421456
This sounds like fine logic. I just can't help thinking that it's just some silly love letter.

>>421450
>>421451
>>421456
>>421473
You've decided to let them go in exchange for a new possible source of future information.

Writing soon. Just need to grab a bite to eat.

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>>421440
>Let the Human go. Take the information of this active drop site back to Rushi.

It takes a strong Awoo to slay an enemy, but it takes an even stronger Awoo to turn a cheek to violence in the face of the greater good. The saying doesn’t fit perfectly into this situation, but you roll with it anyhow when you order Team 2 to stand down and let the Humans leave. Heim somehow shows great restraint, but Chao inevitably struggles and to your surprise, Mei does as well. She always willingly followed your every order, but now she’s struggling to follow it loyally. Every fiber of her body is screaming out for blood and thunder. Jin’s death has changed her alright, but it’s up to you to find out if it’s for better or worse.

When the four human hunters disappear into the incoming night amidst the forest trees, you hope to the Tree that you’ve made the right decision. If that letter holds compromising information, it might lead to Guardian lives lost, but you have faith that this is a legit drop site. More lives will be saved than lost in the face of this new source of information. However, the possibility of more blood on your hands doesn’t sit right with you after all. Still, no point changing your mind now. Indecisiveness is unbecoming of a leader.

“So what now? Move on?” Chao rise out from the bushes the four of you’ve been hiding behind for a long while now.

“If we make haste, we could reach the crossroad by first light, Captain.” Heim reports, distinctively remembering the map Rushi had in front of him at the meeting.

“Fuck that. I’m not going anywhere until I’ve had 8 hours of sleep.” Mei counters, shooting an angry glare at you for taking a nap earlier and not letting her and Heim get some rest after that. Which wasn’t your intention, but the hunters arrived and no one could very well go to sleep while they were nearby.

>Stick around for 8 hours and let Mei and Heim sleep.
>The less time you spend out here, the less danger you’re in. Team 2 moves out.
>Write-in.

>>421646
>>Stick around for 8 hours and let Mei and Heim sleep.
Better to make sure everyone is all rested up.

>>421646
>The less time you spend out here, the less danger you’re in. Team 2 moves out.
"He might have received orders to attack the Western Front, we need to report back to base and inform Rushi of what we've learned so he can plan against any possible attack."

>>421646
>>Stick around for 8 hours and let Mei and Heim sleep.

>>421646
>“Fuck that. I’m not going anywhere until I’ve had 8 hours of sleep.” Mei counters,
Powernap time, then egress to a safer location before getting some real downtime.

Also, we need a new second in command, had we had one he/she would have made a rotation while we slept. Voting for Chao

>>421646
>>The less time you spend out here, the less danger you’re in. Team 2 moves out.
we take teh watch when we make camp

>>421675
>"He might have received orders to attack the Western Front, we need to report back to base and inform Rushi of what we've learned so he can plan against any possible attack."
If we have no concrete information it would be of little value, I doubt he is going to put everyone on alert because we saw someone who read a letter

Likely the letter contained intelligence information rather than attack orders if he was so secret about it

>>421664
>>421676
>>421701
+3 for sleeping

>>421675
>>421715
+2 for moving out.

One last vote since it was brought up and it's within your rights as the Captain in the middle of a mission.

>Choose a new Vice-Captain for a more organized structure. (Who?)
>Don't pick a new Vice-Captain until the end of the mission. Someone might take it the wrong way.

>>421739
>>Don't pick a new Vice-Captain until the end of the mission. Someone might take it the wrong way.
also i dont think any of them would be good for a vic-captain anyways

>>421739
>>Don't pick a new Vice-Captain until the end of the mission. Someone might take it the wrong way.
If the powernap is an option, that seems like the more reasonable decision. I'd switch my vote to that if it has a chance of winning.

>>421739
>>Don't pick a new Vice-Captain until the end of the mission. Someone might take it the wrong way.

>>421739
>Don't pick a new Vice-Captain until the end of the mission. Someone might take it the wrong way.
Mei hates our guts, Heim has a nigh uncontrollable blood-lust and Chao's a dick.

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>>421742
>>421777
>>421780
>>421788
Alright. You won't pick a new Vice-Captain.

Unless anyone disagrees, the power nap option will be followed upon writing. Give me a few minutes to get something in order before we continue.

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>>421646
>Sleep
>No new Vice-Captain

Realizing the fault lies with you, the choice is easy.

“Alright, you can take a power nap, Mei, but we need to get away from here as fast as we can so I’ll wake you up shortly. Once we get to safer location, you can sleep for a longer period.” The condition isn’t favorably according to Mei, but she begrudgingly goes along with it if it means some sleep. It doesn’t take long for the two dreary Awoo guardians to fall asleep under the open and starry night sky.

Aside from the occasional birds chattering in the wind, silence rules the atmosphere between you and Chao as your watch begins. However, you catch him looking your way several times, as if he’s trying to say something, but hesitates every time and regrets doing so, only stopping himself further.

“What is it, Chao?” You put a stop to his struggle to communicate something, anything, to you. He’s caught off-guard, but continues nonetheless.

“I owe you and everyone an apology.” He finally gives voice to what has been on his mind ever since yesterday. “For Jin’s death, I mean.” You stare at his saddened expression for a while, not sure how to respond. You never truly blamed him for your Vice-Captain’s death. So far, you’ve laid the blame solely upon yourself. It doesn’t feel right to let Chao take the fall for this.

“You have nothing to apologize for, Chao. It isn’t your fault.” You try to convince him, but your words only worsen it. You watch as his expression shifts from saddened to grim.

“That’s the point, Captain. It is my fault.”

____

End of the session for tonight. Sticking around for a Q&A if there’s a need for it. Twitter is at the top. Follow it or bookmark it for more precise times and updates of sorts. Next session happens tomorrow (Friday this time for sure) at around 19:00-20:00 CET!

Any comments, feedback, and especially discussion is welcomed and highly appreciated before the next session!

>>421938
That’s the point, Captain. It is my fault.”
......................................................
we ll he can tell mei that
thanks man

>>421938
>“That’s the point, Captain. It is my fault.”
Chao please, you're going to make everyone hate you again. Thanks for running, see ya next time.

>>421938
good run OP

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>>421950
>>422030
>>422162
Thanks for playing!

Next session in 7-8 hours!

>>422983
ausome itl be up when i wake up
just want i need:)

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A small figure slowly makes his way through the forest, strolling at his own slow pace. At most, he stands at the height of a lush bush, with eyes glowing as yellow as the lizard upon his shoulder. He’s covered in dark green robes, leather boots, fingerless gloves, and a hoodie hung over his slimy head. A dagger of low quality is strung to his loose waist belt. The lizard on the figure’s shoulder blinks occasionally as its gaze darts about, but it never leaves its comfortable place. It’s morning and the awakening sun is streaming what rays of light it can through the thick rooftops of the woods, creating spots of sunlight in-between the yet dark forest scenery. However, that’s about to change.

The small figure stops for a moment - pulling the lizard from his shoulder - and mumbles a few rehearsed words foreign to him as well as anyone who might be listening. To the visible eye, nothing happens, but the figure knows better. He puts the lizard back at its spot before taking four steps forward, crossing through a invisible wall separating one forest from another.

He leaves the dark forest ready to greet the morning in full spring and enters a dead forest filled with colorful mushrooms with wide, bloodshot eyes; red bushes ripe with berries baring sharp and crooked fangs; and dead and grey trees naked of leaves, twisting about in silent agony. Where there was once a morning sun shining down, there is now a giant moon covering the sky, illuminating the never ending night held over the dead and corrupted forest.

“̝̤̦͈ͧͭͩ̍ͯO̞͍͕͚͉̗͎̮ͧ̂̿͠l̷̗͕̩̟̪̽ḑ͚̜̞̪̇̈́̓ͫ̍͊ͅ ͦ̃̅̿̓͂҉͎̮̬͇͔̞̻̲͝M̒͊̿͏̦̜a̎͐͏̙̠̲͙͔͕͓̯ṋ̷̛̪̼̖̼̦͇̱̓ͣ̋ͩ̉͟!̢͇̣̦̫̗͉̗̗̄̌͗̅̔͒ͅ”͍͕̜̣̐̑ͮ̇ ̡̠̭̭͇̰̥͕͚̈́̽ͮͣ͂̍̔ͤ̑
̴̥̩̜͖̼̟͕͉̓ͭ͋̈́ͭ͢͞
͉̲̱̣̣̪̠͔̏̔̊̑̒̚“̤̣̍ͨ͒͗̃̊͆̆̀W̸͚̬̘͉̗̰͕͗e̦̞̩͙ͬ̈́̆̓̎̒ͪ̈́͒l̮͖̣̝̤͆̈͌̔̋̂̇͝͞c̭̗͔̹̮ͧ̋̀o̸̜̪̖̯̘̟̼͑͋̄́̽͑̑͛̀ͅm̷̯͎̤͎̲̫͙̊̚ê̶̠̳̦̝̻̩̟̜̻̈́ͪͤ̍̚,͖͚̩̜͐́́̕ ̥̩̽͑̑̊̚O̳̮̳̖̺̻̳ͧͣ̽ͪl̼̝͎̫ͫ͋ͫ͆͘d̡̜͖̦̬͐́ͩ ̢̖̻͕ͩ̅ͦ̚͝M̢̼̗͈͕̮̲̾ͣa̩̗̟͕̫̪̜̤͒ͨ̕͡͠nͫͬ̆ͣ͑̇͂҉͖̻̜͠ͅ!ͧ͊̆͊̑ͦ͏̛̺̘̩̞̠̙̣̕”̙̮̝̣͖͐͊ͪ̏͛̚͘
̿́ͮ́ͦ̊̇̇҉̗̰̟̕
̜̭ͣ͆̊̈͗͌ͩ͂͟“̴͕̥̞̼̝̫̃ͭͨ̓N̠̗͚̈́͊̏̿͂o̭̟̘̣̅ͯͨ̈̃̑͠t̵̙̻͈͍ͤ̒̆̚͢͞ ̪͇͉ͪ͋̏̍̽ͯt͉̣͙͔̰̋̄̋̐͋̈́̅̇h̞͓͖͑͑ͣ̋̌ͩ̅́ï̧̧͖̘̾s̵̸̫͇̭̱̼̼̺̳̘̐ ̟̝̥̳̠̪̈́̾͌ͅF̪͉̠̣͖̹͎̝͌͑̓r̛̫̼̻͇̞̥̹ͩő͇̬̘̝͚̝͎̞̦̕ḡ̴͍̦̲̝̬̀ ͕̟̩̀̎̍̈̆̽ͬ̑̊a̗̩̟̭̟̣̦͛̅̽ͭ͋g̣̳̙̳̼̑̿̔ͭ́͑͑͞ͅa͖̼̮͓͕͓ͯ͋̒iͪ̐͆̉ͦ̾̄͗́͜͏̪̭͕͎̲̞̰̖̞nͪ̅ͬ̒ͣ̈҉̖̤̥.͔̮͕̱͇̱͗̄ͧ̏̏͟͞”̡̱̰̜̀͐͋̇͊ͤ̑ͅ

>Continued

>>423355

Three disturbing voices call out for the figure as he walks further inwards through the dead and wicked forest. They have the tone of children, but when they speak it sounds like dying kids screaming for help through the pain right before the end. The figure will never grow used to it and it will forever remain an unpleasant feeling to speak with them, even though he wants to enjoy it.

“Greetings, children.” The frog greets the young Banshee children who darts about in the sky around the him. The lizard’s head has joined its eyes in moving around when its gaze shifts between the three seemingly visible spirits floating in the air.

"̠̲̣̼̥̅̈́H̱̓̍̄͋a͙̥̙͑̃̾͆̒̄v̺̯̮̣̌ḛ͍̫̙̻̊ͧͭ̍ ̬̯̠̃ͤͪy̴͙̰͇̼̳ọ̵͎̓͊̍̂ū͍̣̺͚̂ ̢̥̤̮͎ͤ̍̃c̗̣͎̬͇̺̜͐̑̏͆ͫọ̝̎ͯmͨ҉̦̞ĕ̼̥͑ͩ̍̃́͑ ̜t͛̌͌͑͐̄͏̠͇o̸͓̼̪̓̇ ̴̤̰͈͙ͮ͛̅ͯͤ̓̎ͅͅṵ͓̦̗̳̎͗ͯͤ̔ͅṡ͈̘̟͓̖̳̫͊ͧ̌ͮ͛̚͡ ̞̞͈̦̦͉ͩ̾͗͡w̤͕̠̙i̛̜̳̰̻̯͆ͅt̴̤̱ͮ̈͒ͮ̋͊̈ḧ̢̯̯͙̤̟̳̩́ͯ̍̋ͧͤ ͙͉͓̯̯ͭ̚p̤̠r̗̺͓̰͛̿̽ͬe̎̊ͬ̋s͙̟͚̪̰̙͓͂ͨ̾͛ͤe̳̘̘̮ͬ̾̓͞ń̷͍̥̦͈̖͍̿t̻͖̺̞̲̰ͭ̑̓͆̇̆s̡̰͚ͪ̂?̴̫ͯ̓̂"̜̠̻͇̺̺̙̄̓ͦ̀
͖̪̈́ͩ̔͊̈̋
͇̙̂̈́͝"̹͈̫͌̚͞H̯͓̟̯̞̥̿̆̏ͨe͗'̤͖̦̤̪ͤ̊̌s͈̞̰ͬ͂̌̊̊ͨ ̺̤̄̔̽ͣhͩ̑͊̈ͤͦ̑͏͉̻̮̻͕̠̣e̟͔͇̣̹̻̙͟r͔̥̯͖̝̞ͤ̅̚e͎̗̙̠͈ ̿̏̾̏̒ͨ̓f̲̗̪̮̖͇͖o̦̥͙̖ͫ̉ͨ̋̚ͅr̠ͤͨ̍͛́ ̬̇t̬̩̲̲h̢͇̠̩̙̫͙͚͆ͭ̾̅̌̀ȩ͚̫̺̰͕͖̜̍̇ͨ̽́ ̥͉M̴̙͎̟̤̮̜̑̓͐͒ͣa̺̋ͯ̓̋̓̿s̪̉̾ͤ͗̾̓͂t̖͙̬ͭ̂̾ȅ̫̯̝̺ͧ͛r̤̫ͭ͌̓ͪͧ̀,̬̲̅̑ͦ̍̏ ̫ͧ̔ͫ̈́̆̾i͕̊͑̀̃̽s̵͎̠̥̩̩̤̐͛ͫ ̳̾h̎e͠ͅ ̸̲͚̖̯͍͌n̜̺͖͈̠̦͈̎͠ȍ̬̦̱̝͡t̛́ͣ?͈͚͕̗͇͡"
̯͔͒ͫ͊ͦͣ
͍̥̤͙͍̺̘͒̐̂̑ͨ̚"̼S̸̻̲̻̰ͩͪa͖̟̟͆̓̅ͣy̟͚̙̥̝̥̭͂͗̀̚ ̴͎̼̀ͫi̺̙̰ͩ̔̊t̸̼̞͈̼̯ͦ ̡͍̙͇̯̫ͯi̛̤͈͓ͨ̀ͫṣ͔͙̜̉̉͐͛n͙̯̥͍̭̋̄̋̅ͫ'̝͚͆ͤ̇̀ͅt̼̞̱̬̯ͩͫͫ̅ͨ̉ͬ ̗͔̮̲̗̗ͭͮ̉̑͆͢ṣ̢͙̯̪̤͇̻ͬ̀͆́̐̒ô̢͖̔ͯͮ̓,̞̘͕̒ ͦ͑̅̈́ͣ̍Ŏ̄̾́̚l̗̗̱̖d̘͖͒̑̐̇ ̳̼̣ͤ̐ͪ͡M̧ͣ̑͆̌̒a̛͙͇ͦ̾ͣ̉ņ͔̪͔̈͒!̩̼͔͑̋͐̒͌ͬ"̨̙͙̫̦͉ͅ

The frog sighs and offers them a weak smile under his hood and empty hands, answering both questions at once. Despite their nightmarish voices, they offer good company for him when he finds the time to visit and the Master of this secluded part of the Spirit Realm: Ryoutarou, a Guardian of Old. According to the legend, all the Guardians of Old died but the Great Horned Owl Kafuu, but those who weaved these tales didn’t know the whole truth. Even now, this old frog still doesn’t know all the pieces to the truth. The fault for that lies not with forgotten memories, but only with a stubborn and secretive Guardian.

>Continued

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>>423356

“Ryoutarou! Stop lazing about and show yourself!” The frog’s voice bellows across the open and corrupted forest glade upon entering it. With no response given, the old frog irritatedly shifts his voice from that of an old amphibian to the thundering tone of a giant.

”Ryoutarou!”

The shout shakes the earth and the trees around the entire glade sways not to the wind, but to the force of the old frog’s voice. Several packs of overgrown skeleton rats takes flight into the air from their nearby nest amidst the tall, blackened grass, promptly leaving the glade in a great hurry. At the same time, something else leaves its resting place as well. Something bigger than the old frog or the skeleton rats. The tall figure clad in white, loose breeches, a tight and blue tunic with a red cloak strung around the front, hanging down to the back of his knees from behind comes staggering out from the tree standing tall and alone in the middle of the glade. The majority of his black and messy hair is held in a ponytail behind his head by a golden ornament. His white, bottomless eyes never reveals where he is looking, but the old frog always knows somehow.

He throws a tired gaze at the frog, asking silently “What is it, old man?”

____

Who is the old frog and who exactly is Ryoutarou? More questions than answers present themselves for now. The story of Raubtier and Team 2 continues in 2-3 hours!

>>423360
well i guse i only need 3 hours sleep right
god damm y you do this to me!!! its 2 am here

>>423360
Wait, does that mean we have a Human Guardian now?

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>>421938

You cannot reveal this. What Chao just told you in confidence can, no, it will break team 2. You can’t predict how Heim will take it because you haven’t yet seen how he’s coping with Jin’s death, but you’re more than certain as to what Mei will do if she finds out; she’ll kill Chao. No doubt. After Chao is done explaining what happened, away from your two sleeping team members’ ears, you take several moments to digest everything. In the tunnels, Chao had gone ahead of Jin, running as fast as he could, careless to where he stepped. Jin had even told him to slow down and tried to warn him, but Chao had not listened. He was determined to reach the end of the tunnel as fast as possible.

However, a misstep around a corner broke the ground beneath his feet and he found himself falling into a trap filled with spikes. Fortunately, Jin had caught up with him right in time to get a grip of the clothes underneath his armor by the neck, but he was slipping into the hole too as more and more of the stone floor gave way. Knowing full well that he couldn’t pull Chao up from the trap without falling in as well, Jin sacrificed himself by pulling his team member up enough to shift places with him. They fell into the trap together, but Chao was only punctuated in non-lethal spots because his fall was dampened by Jin’s body that was pierced over his entire body, including one through his head. He must have died instantly. Chao’s wounds were shallow, so most of the blood found on his clothes thereafter was either Jin’s or from him struggling to climb up from the trap several times over and failing.

There’s no doubt in my mind: Mei deserves to know this, but I… I can’t tell her. I just can’t. I promised Chao. - Thoughts of this sort occupied your mind for the rest of the hour while waiting for Mei and Heim’s power naps to run their course. At least you forced a condition on Chao for telling you all of this: When the mission is over, he will have to tell Mei the truth or you’ll tell her yourself. Hearing it from you will only anger her even more. Of course, she’ll be angry no matter what the circumstances are, but it’s better coming from the one responsible than a third party.

>Continued

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>>423770

Eventually, both Mei and Heim wake up on their own. You share an awkward moment with Mei for the briefest of seconds, but she brushed it aside before Team 2 set off, heading further south.

-

Upon arriving to the crossroad - where the artificial stone road has been built by Humans with white stones - it splits into three ways; one heading further north, back into the Western front; one continuing down into the South; and one leading straight west, towards lands in the distance that was once cut off from the first barrier and all Creatures of the Forest. The lands are barren of the forest connected to the World Tree. The lands ruled completely by Humanity, if the stories are true.

Rushi’s scouts have followed the road into north before, but they’ve never been heard of again, so it must be filled with traps or guards capable of killing several guardians at once or both. Your mission is to observe and react, as Rushi’s contact instructed. However, there’s one major problem; there doesn’t seem to be any proper cover around the crossroad. The branches of the nearby trees have no thick leaves and all the bushes around the perimeter has been uprooted. The Humans have seriously prepared this location.

You can either hide in the trees and get a closer look and ears on the crossroad while risking discovery, or you can safely hide behind boulders further into the forest, but then you’ll minimize what you can see. You might not be able to hear anything at the crossroad from behind a boulder.

>Risk it by using the Trees for more info.
>Hide behind boulders. Safety over information.
>Write-in.

>>423775
>>Hide behind boulders. Safety over information.

>>423775
Would it be possible to split the team so that 2 of the team stay behind the boulders in order to cover the 2 that are hiding in the trees?

>>423795
I was thinking something similar but with only Lin going for the trees.

>>423795
>>423801
Absolutely. That's why "write-in" is there. You can come up with your own strategies and if you have the support, I'll write it.

>>423775
>>423806
Lin and Chao in the trees, Mei and Heim behind the boulders sound good?

>>423794
>>423795
>>423801
>>423840
I'll let the vote stay open for 16 minutes more before calling it. I want to let more people have a chance to vote before we start.

>>423840
>>423795
I like this. Covers our bases pretty well, though I wonder if it'll be enough if things actually turn bad. I guess it would be up to whether they could make it in time. Regardless; supportan'!

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>>423713

>>423775
>Risk it by using the Trees for more info.
Will still give us movement info and we will be visually able to identify enemy movements.

Risking to go close in low cover without a clear objective, other than to spoof out stuff, is not worth it.

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>>423794
>>423801
>>423840
>>423894
>>423917
Calling the vote! Team 2 will split up, with two members hiding behind the boulders and the rest staying up front in the trees.

Roll for Luck check!
Roll 3d10
Best of 3
First DC = 5
Second DC = 8
Third DC = 10

Rolled 3, 5, 7 = 15 (3d10)

>>423936
dont fail me now

Rolled 7, 10, 10 = 27 (3d10)

>>423936
>3 DCs
I'm crashing this vote, with no survivors!

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>>423947

Rolled 6, 9, 3 = 18 (3d10)

>>423947
Ya nailed it Anon. I had thought that 10 DC was gonna be near impossible.

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>>423943
>>423947
>>423952
All 3 DC's have been reached.

Writing.

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>>423775
>Split the team up.

You don’t want to choose between information or safety. You’ll need a plan for both, and so you decide to split the team up. Since Mei and Heim is no doubt still exhausted and you can’t place them up front in the trees, they’ll have to hide behind the boulders further in and check your back while you and Chao take point up in a tree each. If you’re discovered, you and Chao will have a higher chance of getting away than Heim and Mei would. You both find a tree of your own and the waiting game begins.

-

Calling this a poor thought out plan is putting it mildly, even if it’s necessary and the only thing you can do during these circumstances. Just sitting here and waiting for the Tree knows how long for something to happen kills all creative thinking and eventually your mind kinda goes numb. You’ve caught yourself staring blankly at the white road several times, counting the stone-blocks dug into the ground, piece by piece. In your vision alone, there’s around 400 white square-shaped stones, give or take.

However, your relentless wait is about to be rewarded when you hear a carriage coming this way from the southern direction and a pair of horses heading towards the crossroad from the north. In a few minutes, a carriage of grandiose design lead by two horses up front with a rider and four horses holding a knight each slows down by the crossroad. Meeting them is six riders, all of them masked men, who stop abruptly in the face of the carriage and the mounted knights. Six masked humans, four knights, and whatever or whomever is inside that carriage, you count them all.

However, they don’t utter a word to each other and the carriage remain unopened, despite having stopped. They’re just standing there, waiting for something. That something reveals itself presently in the form of the same hunter with the letter from before. He scurries out from the edges of the forest, passing the knights and the masked men with a nervous expression and a somewhat panicked body language. Out from the now open window on the carriage, an armored hand with sharp claws at the end of each fingertip reach out and grab the letter from the hunter. A moment or two pass by when the hunter stands there, fidgeting in place before a voice leaves the carriage. A voice you recognize.

>Continue

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>>424095

“And the other letter?” She asks. It’s the same authoritative voice belonging to an older woman from your dream!

“I’ve s-spread the i-information to t-the others, y-your majesty.” He replies, bowing deeply several times over.

“Good. You’re dismissed.” You watch as something red flashes up inside the carriage before its inside darkens again from the cover of glass and thick wood. The hunter leaves promptly and upon disappearing into the woods, the masked men and the mounted knights begin to prepare to ride their separate ways again. The carriage is brought around and is prepped for take-off.

Was this it?

“I didn’t get any of that.” Chao remarks in a whisper, and you’re reminded that only you understand the humans. “Are we killing the one in the carriage?”

His question is a valid one. Why are you here? Observe and react. You’ve observed a meeting between several silent humans, a hunter or spy, and someone who has been referred to as ‘Queen’ and ‘Majesty’ if it’s the same one from your ominous dream. Is this supposed to be a royal assassination?!

>Yes! Royal assassination time.
>No. Too dangerous. Continue to observe.
>Write-in.

>>424098
>>Yes! Royal assassination time.

>>424098
>>Yes! Royal assassination time.

>>424098
A few too many people to risk that, huh? Unless I read that wrong and they're all not together, in which case we might be able to trail and follow after the others leave.

>>424098
>>Yes! Royal assassination time.
Oh shit, this seems like such a bad idea. Definitely the most logical choice though, kill the Queen and it would be a huge blow to the humans most likely. Lets hope we can keep those dice nice and loaded so we don't end up getting slaughtered.

>>424098
Oh so dangerous and oh so alluring.
What if the masked men come back? surely they will?
>Take the Queen out!

>>424098
Would it possible to set an ambush a bit further up the road?
If not
>Yes! Royal assassination time.
Heim and Mei are the furthest away right? Have them draw the six masks guards away and then Lin and Chao can deal with whoever's in the carriage. Can't be anymore than 2 or 3 guards inside can there?

>>424127
>Would it possible to set an ambush a bit further up the road?
It is. The two forces are separating, heading in different direction.

>>424148
Cool, then wait for the carriage and the riders to get further down the road then have Mei and Heim draw the guards away and have Lin and Chao deal with the actual assassination.

>>424105
>>424107
>>424115
>>424124
>>424127
The vote has ended!

Second vote!

>Do it in the midst of them preparing to leave at the crossroad. Chaos over control.
>Prepare an ambush for them later down the road. Control over chaos.
>Write-in.

>>424127
An ambush after they split up sounds reasonably sane but I'm worried we'll either lose them or they'll meet up with some fierce guards somehow.

>>424175
>>Do it in the midst of them preparing to leave at the crossroad. Chaos over control.

>>424175
>>Do it in the midst of them preparing to leave at the crossroad. Chaos over control.

>>424175
>>Prepare an ambush for them later down the road. Control over chaos.

>>424175
>Prepare an ambush for them later down the road. Control over chaos.

>>424175
>Do it now, Chaotic style.
Ambush is worthless if she can sense us. Maybe sending only chao/mei/heim, but they aren't stronk enough alone.

>>424180
>>424181
>>424190
+3 for Chaos over Control.

>>424182
>>424183
+2 for Control over Chaos.

Roll for Reflex/Agility Check!
Roll 3d10
Best of 3
DC: 7
>[Inner Wolf] = +1 on the dice.

Rolled 7, 5, 5 = 17 (3d10)

>>424253
Lets check and see how bad these dice are.

Rolled 8, 4, 4 = 16 (3d10)

>>424253

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

>>424253

Rolled 8, 8, 3 = 19 (3d10)

>>424253
DICE GODS

>>424277
You made your prayer too late, the dice gods have failed us.

>>424276
>>424277
4 fucking seconds

>>424261
>>424271
>>424276
DC Failed!

You won't be able to reach the carriage through the chaos without focusing on the enemies standing in your way.

Will you...

>Retreat. The mission has failed! Abort! [Flee]
>Press on! Cut a straight path to the carriage through dead Humans as quickly and skillfully as you can! [Roll for combat]

Rolled 2, 7, 8 = 17 (3d10)

>>424299
>>Press on! Cut a straight path to the carriage through dead Humans as quickly and skillfully as you can! [Roll for combat]
No going back now.

>>424299
>>Press on! Cut a straight path to the carriage through dead Humans as quickly and skillfully as you can! [Roll for combat]

Don't actually roll until after a choice, mind you.

>>424299
>>Retreat. The mission has failed! Abort! [Flee]

>>424299
>Press on! Cut a straight path to the carriage through dead Humans as quickly and skillfully as you can!
Only shot we'll have at this.

>>424299
>Retreat. The mission has failed! Abort! [Flee]
Not liking this situation. Trying to do more is compounding the error.

>>424303
>>424309
>>424319
+3 for Press on!

>>424316
>>424323
+2 for Abort!

Roll for Combat!
Roll 3d10
Best of 3
DC = 7
>Combat [+++] = +1 to the dice.

Rolled 6, 6, 5 = 17 (3d10)

>>424364
Rollan

>>424299
>>Retreat. The mission has failed! Abort! [Flee]
Let's not press the issue.

Rolled 8, 10, 6 = 24 (3d10)

>>424364

Rolled 7, 6, 2 = 15 (3d10)

>>424364

Rolled 3, 9, 7 = 19 (3d10)

>>424364
Lets see if we can crit?

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>>424372
>>424381
>>424392
DC reached!

Writing.

____

On another note, here's something Larro gave me/us! Be sure to thank him if you come across him. He runs Audit quest.

>>424401
I'll pass along the thanks the next time he decides to run AQ.

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>>424098
>Yes! Royal assassination time!
>Press on!

If this works, it might effectively crimple Humanity for years to come, especially if she’s truly their Queen. But why does she only have such a small company of guards if that’s the case…?

Your petty worries aside, this is too much of an opportunity to pass up. Just down below in front of you there sits one of Humanities possible leaders. If you kill her, everything will have been worth it. Everything that has gone right and wrong, bad or good will be worth it if she dies. Team 2 will be hailed as heroes and people might even stop calling you ‘Raubtier’! Aside from personal glory and fame, it will signal a new beginning for the Guardians and if they ride on the following boost of morale, they could secure the Western and Eastern Front through sheer determination alone in a fortnight!

This is probably just all exaggerated assumptions from getting yourself too worked up, but you dare to dream. You send a glance and a nod in Chao’s direction, finally answering his question. In return, he makes subtle hand motions at the boulders a couple of meters in the back. He’s signalling Heim and Mei to move up and get ready to attack on their Captain’s mark. Basic, silent hand signals that can shift most situations to your advantage and it favors stealth. With your entire team gathered up in the front, the risk of being discovered runs at dangerous levels, but it’s already too late to discover you!

The second you give your team the signal they’ve been waiting for, they launch themselves into the midst of the Humans, just short ways from the carriage. You ignore the first humans as you leap across the white road, heading straight for the wooden door.

”LIN!” You hear your Guardian Blade scream in horror for the first time inside your mind the second you get close to the human transportation. You hear a metal cling from within and suddenly a sea of flames and thick Red Flower bursts out from the window, breaking both it and the door to the carriage.

>Continued

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>>424588

Luckily, you avoid the wave of cinder just in time by leaping backwards, but this act alone has put you and your team smack in the middle of the mounted knights and the masked men who have dismounted their horses, their arms engulfed in the Red Flower. This doesn’t look good. Not at all! The Queen remains within the comforts of her carriage, yet it stands still.

“Fight or flight, Captain?!” Mei shouts over the humans approaching from every direction. The gears in your head explode and the decision comes to you in a split-second, born from your gut feeling rather than sound logic that takes a while longer to form its opinion. Time you don’t have!

“To the carriage!” You roar, leaping from the stone ground up to one of the mounted knights, just barely avoiding being pierced by his spear as your blade embeds itself in the glaring hole in-between his chest armor and his helmet, where only chainmail protects him. His short scream turns to a gurgle as he drowns in his own blood when you pull your blade out, leaving him dying, strung atop his horse. While Mei, Heim, and Chao are killing every Human trying to get close to them as they follow their Captain, you finally reach the carriage and burst in. It’s empty, but the door on the opposite side has been opened. You continue through the small carriage, followed shortly by your team. The Humans opt to run around the carriage and the horses.

Upon leaving the wooden transport, you come face to face with the owner of the voice you’ve heard twice now. Her armor is as intimidating as her voice carries a sense of duty, entitlement, and born authority. She wields no weapon, but you’re certain there’s more to her than the eye meets. The Red Flower within you confirms it.

”Careful, Lin. I sense a presence almost as strong as our ‘Father’ within her. She has more than three of us residing within, granting her power! Possibly even five of our kind. Fighting her would be a folly. Retreat.”

No. You can’t flee, right? Not when you’ve come this far. The Humans will soon be upon you again, so you only have a few seconds where it’s the remainder of your team versus a single woman: The Queen of Humanity!

>Attack her aggressively all at once!
>Surround her quickly and attack in pairs!
>Retreat! You can’t risk it!
>Write-in.

>>424600
>>Retreat! You can’t risk it!

>>424600
>Retreat! You can’t risk it!
Nope nope nope. We have gained some intel and by the flower telling US to get out, means that its looking out for us as intended, as such we should look after our own.

>>424600
>Retreat! You can’t risk it!
Well shit, the Red Flower was cool with us fighting The Grim Knight and that guy fucked us up, so if it's terrified of the Queen we need to get the fuck out of here.

>>424600
>>Retreat! You can’t risk it!
we're last

>>424600
Have the rest of the team open up a path for retreat and maybe clear out some other the guys from behind while we get a feel for the Queen. Sure we might get fucked up but it can't possibly be that bad. We also need to make sure the Queen keeps her focus on us and doesn't aim for our teammates.

>>424604
>>424613
>>424624
>>424633
>>424639
Unanimous vote for Retreat!

Roll for Reflex/Agility Check!
Roll 3d10
Best of 3
DC = 8
>[Inner Wolf] = +1 on the dice.

Rolled 2, 5, 3 = 10 (3d10)

>>424664
Will we ever have a mission go our way?

Rolled 8, 10, 1 = 19 (3d10)

>>424664

Rolled 9, 10, 8 = 27 (3d10)

>>424664

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>>424672
>>424676
>>424687
DC reached!

Writing.

>>424672
One day, perhaps. I mean technically we're info gathering, right? So I suppose that is a technical success.

But I'm kind of with you. Still want to actually complete something without everything going wrong.

Maybe one day, when we have some additional bonuses to lend a hand.

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>>424600
>Retreat! You can’t risk it!

In the face of an almost insurmountable object and a suicidal danger, logic finally catch up with your mind and gut feeling. They share an opinion on this: Flee. Run. Tactical Retreat. No matter what wording you favor, they all mean the same thing, and this is the time for it! If your Red Flower is telling you to flee, it must feel something you can’t. You asked it to warn you of dangers like these and now it’s doing its duty, long overdue, but appreciated nonetheless. Even if it only acts out of self-preservation since you share a body.

“We got what we came for.” You mouth off to your team. Chao is the only one hesitant from retreating this time around. Even Mei’s instincts are telling her to flee from the dangerous beast of a human standing before them.

“What?” Chao questions your sanity when you go against your own orders after putting your team in danger. This isn’t the time to argue though!

“I said, flee!” You shout at them and the Queen has already understood what you ordered your team to do. With a stern expression, a controlled snake-like form of Red Flower springs out from her shoulder, wrapping itself quickly around the woman’s arm before she throws her hand backwards, letting the entire tail of the Red Flower rope loose before she snaps her entire arm forward, as if she’s whipping someone. The Red Flower rope strikes forward and almost wraps itself around Heim’s throat as he retreats, but he’s able to leap away in time to dodge it. Before she’s able to snap with her Red Flower-made whip again, your team has retreated to the sidelines and into the thick scores of the forest. Their horses can’t follow you in here and you already have a head start, so you doubt they can catch up to you even if they try.

>Continued

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>>424876

“By the Tree, did you see that Human!? Even I felt there was something wrong with her!” Mei exclaims over the treetops as your team leaps through the woods. You’re using the connecting line of rocks to stay ahead of the others.

You’ve survived an encounter with the Queen. You’re certain that if time and fate permits it, you’ll do so again under more pressing conditions, when fleeing won’t be an option. You must be ready for when that moment comes. No matter what.

-

Once the team has assured themselves that they’re not being followed, they finally stop. You nor Chao have taken any wounds, but Heim has been cut across both legs and Mei has a gash in her side. You don’t exactly have any of your medical supplies with you or any of the potions. Most of the things were either lost or left behind in the chaos of that assassination attempt. They can use cloth pieces ripped from their own tunics and vestments to make bandages, but there’s nothing against the pain that’s obviously deep seethed. Both of them assures you that they’ll be fine until you get back behind the barrier, but that’s almost a day’s journey from here, give or take. If not more?

Will they make it?

>Stay and let your team lick their wounds properly. If they both pass out on the way from the pain or anything else, it will become a big problem.
>Move out immediately. The Masked Humans might eventually pick up on your trail.
>Write-in.

>>424883
>>Move out immediately. The Masked Humans might eventually pick up on your trail.

>>424883
>>Move out immediately. The Masked Humans might eventually pick up on your trail.
They're saying they're fine, we should trust them.

>>424883
>Move out immediately. The Masked Humans might eventually pick up on your trail.
We're NOPE-ing the hell out of here.

>>424883
>>Move out immediately. The Masked Humans might eventually pick up on your trail.
Chao, you're on point. I'm rearguard. If it comes down to it grab them both and run.

>>424883
this feels like one of those options where logically one makes sense, so we pick it and then someone dies because we trusted them, and didn't baby them. So I'm gonna vote 'Baby Them' , E.G.

>Stay and let your team lick their wounds properly. If they both pass out on the way from the pain or anything else, it will become a big problem.

Rolled 2 (1d4)

>>424890
>>424893
>>424910
>>424914
>>424947
Voted to move out right now.

Writing shortly. I need something eat.

>>424953
I predict this isn't going to end well.

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>>425010
>

Writing soon. Got myself something to eat. How's everyone's evening or whatever timezone you're in?

>>425050
Pretty good, nothing really to complain about.

>>425050
Watching anime and trying to keep up with a few quests. Also very close to giving up playing DS2 for the day since who needs free time when there's quests to take part in.

>>425050
Tired, guts hurt. But better than I could be.

>>425050
Trying to keep tabs on quests, hell I just got back into this one, I pop in and out frequently. Been a nice day off, now just spending time questin and cookin.

wow man someone is going to die
soo we can have more the none red flower in us?? hmm
also when we are not ran for peopel lifs we should get caho shit for not paygin attion to things around him couse its probs what got his frist team killed and now jin

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>>425099
Sweet.

>>425108
Bought DS2, but never played it and now DS3 is out too. Fuck me up, senpai.

>>425116
Doesn't sound very ideal. Hopefully shit gets better tomorrow!

>>425122
Sounds like a good time

Alright, sorry for the delay, just had to get something in my belly before continuing. Writing for real now.

>>425216
>wow man someone is going to die

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>>424883
>Move out immediately.

You’ll put your trust in Mei and Heim. You can’t stay here long enough for them to get used to the pain and wait for it to become dull. Eventually the Masked Humans will pick up the trail from your team’s sloppy escape. You just tried to assassinate their Queen after all. They won’t let a transgression like that slide by like nothing happened. They will hunt you every step of the way back to the barrier. There’s not a doubt in your mind of that.

“Alright, we’re moving out. We need to hurry back behind the barrier. If we slow down, the Humans will be catch up.” Your order sets the rest of the journey in motion. Team 2, whilst wounded and mentally, psychologically, and physically exhausted, has uncovered a lot in its time out on the Western Front: The secret tunnels behind the waterfall that’s used to move Awoo prisoners underground and possibly also move troops secretly past guardian scouts; the intact dead drop by the clearing where Human spies move information up the chain of command; and the Queen’s appearance and potential power. At least now your Red Flower has a half-estimate of how strong one of Humanities leaders are. It’s a bar you can aim to surpass. The fact that she came personally to the crossroad to receive whatever information that was on said letter from the dead drop is a vital piece of discovery in itself. In this conflict between Humans and Guardians on the Western Front, both parties have put forth their pieces. The next move lies in the hand of the side that can use whatever information they’ve gained.

It wasn’t a certainty before - given that it was only your dream - but now you’re certain that The Queen knows things she might not have known before. You could tell by her eyes when her fiery gaze bore into you.

She knows what you have residing within.

>Continued

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>>425490

The remainder of the 24 hours between the spot you stopped at after the chase from the botched assassination attempt and finally reaching the barrier pass by evidently free of any problems, fights, or pursuing Humans. On top of that, you didn’t run into any Guardians on the way over either. Team 2 cut straight across the empty front without any hassle. Just days earlier you had to tiptoe around Human forces scouring the forest and you saw at least the occasional guardian scouting teams, but now there’s nothing. It’s as if both sides have pulled all their forces back and are preparing for something big. Something that will shift the playing field in someone’s favor.

The phasing through the barrier brings no visions and as much as it drains on your well being to cross through, it beats the feeling of danger you constantly felt on the other side. A few scouts patrolling the barrier up and down on this side meets your team and escorts you back safely to the western village. They bring Mei and Heim away ahead of you and Chao on the backs of an Obo each. You watch them fall asleep from the potions given to them as the pair of Obo ride off into the forest.

“You look like you’ve stared death in the eye, Raubtier.” One of the scouts remarks, catching your tired, but yet determined gaze while everyone march towards the village in the far distance.

>”I need to speak with Rushi.”
>”Where’s Chen’dao?”
>”Has anything happened while we were gone?”
>Save your breath.
>Write-in.

>>425509
>>”Where’s Chen’dao?”
>”Has anything happened while we were gone?”

>>425509
>”Has anything happened while we were gone?”
>”I need to speak with Rushi.”

>>425509
>>”Has anything happened while we were gone?”
>”I need to speak with Rushi.”

>>425523
>>425531
>>425548
The vote is over.

Writing.

>>425509
>>”Has anything happened while we were gone?”
>”I need to speak with Rushi.”

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>>425509

“I need to speak with Rushi.” You catch the words leaving your lips in reply to the scout’s comment.

“Last we heard, the Leader is on his way to the western village. He left from the eastern village a while ago. It’ll take him one to three days before he’ll arrive here.” The Scout nods, throwing a glance at the setting sun.

You soldier on as the view of the western village grows bigger and bigger past the many trees in-between your sight. Upon finally reaching it, you take a seat on the nearest rock, to rest and gather your vivid thoughts swirling about in a tired mind. There’s more Guardians about than what you can remember and if your memory serves you right, there was a lot of them here before you left as well. You were right when you assumed all forces have been pulled back, but for what?

“Has anything happened while we were gone?” You look back at the scout from before who’s decided to stick around for now, determined to get you and Chao to a room for some well deserved rest in a soft leaf bed each so you don’t pass out where you shouldn’t sleep. The scout nods in response, glancing over his many fellow guardians running and marching around the village.

“We’ve all been called back to prepare.”

“Prepare for what?” Your eyes narrow at him, already certain of what he’ll say.

“For the assault.”

____

Session ends here tonight. I’m struggling to stay awake, so I need to hit the bed. Short Q&A if anyone has any questions, but if not, Twitter is up top and I’ll be back for the last session of the thread on Saturday, the 30th (Tomorrow/today) at 19:00 CET! Thanks for playing!

Comments, feedback, and discussion is highly recommended and appreciated even while a session is not live.

>>425690
So why the fuck would they assemble for an offensive before learning what the scouts found? that's incredibly stupid. no wonder the awoo are losing badly.

>>425690
Oh my, this is going to go some interesting places. Good thread buddy, I'm looking forward to popping in now and then to help.

>>425690
>>425717
my thorts as welll
fucking hell what happneed

>>425690
The way I'm seeing things, there is no way anyone will be able to stand being around Lin, considering there has been more relationship shattering than relationship building. Hopefully you will give the opportunity to fix that, although it may be hard to insert into the story with it being military centric and all.

>>425717
Everyone got called back. Team 2 aren't the only ones who acted as scouts.

>>425720
Thanks man!

>>425729
There will be more moments for relationship building in-between for sure. Things have been torn down all around you for you to choose your own path now. Individuality or teamwork.

>>425736
The problem with that, I feel, is that that teardown feels forced and it's like Lin's been martyr'd already. I can't see any logical reason anyone would stick around her besides 'she's a decent leader if you don't mind the high chance you'll get killed'. God knows I wouldn't touch her.

>>425752
pretty much this, her high squad death rate combined with her status as a pariah means she's probably going to get sent out alone or with a single minder at a distance.

>>425752
>The problem with that, I feel, is that that teardown feels forced and it's like Lin's been martyr'd already.
That's probably on me and because of the decisions I've made while moving the story along with player input. Hopefully things won't appear/be as forced as they have when we move forward as I try to become a better writer. Thanks for your honesty!

>>425768
Maybe. My chief suggestion would be to just play the hand you have now. Don't force the upswing if it wouldn't logically make sense. That'll just have people questioning their logic even more. Like, take this Chao/Jin/Mei thing for example. Okay, so Chao was the direct cause for Jin's death. We were still indirectly responsible for it. Two out of three of her teammates got her boyfriend killed.

There is NO LOGICAL OR EMOTIONAL REASON for Mei to want to stay with us outside of maintaining unit cohesion in a time of crisis. None whatsoever. If she can be convinced of that, fine (even if it would be a stretch since she'd hate two of her teammates anyway) but anything else that's not a direct order that leads to Mei staying could be called an asspull. In short, Unit 2 is likely doomed.

If nothing else, I sincerely no longer think we qualify for the 'O Captain! My Captain!' perk.

>>425806
I sincerely no longer think we qualify for the 'O Captain! My Captain!' perk.
i thikn we should get a -to squd rolls
since people keep dieing
we are just going to be by our slfs

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>>425806
You make a lot of good points. We'll see how things turn out, but as far as things are concerned on my front, I won't do an asspull.

Thank you, whomever archived the thread. Last session of the thread goes live in 8 hours, give or take.

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The old frog found a seat upon one of the ancient stumps overgrown with thick vines littering the glade of the corrupted forest. The three banshee’s from before float and soar around his head far above, their collective gaze fixed on the man moving swiftly and gracefully in front of all four of them. He’s shirtless without tunic, cloak, and his boots while swinging and leaping around with a carefully crafted stick half the length of his own height. His breeches are the only things standing between him and complete nakedness. He’s not overly concerned with showing this body off to anyone, but he’s always thought it’s easier to concentrate if it’s not constantly in the back of his head. He could keep his clothes on, but he prefers to feel the breeze against his skin during training. ‘It’s soothing’ was the reason given the one time a Banshee child asked.

Like a dance, the man gracefully moves his body to an inner rhythm while practicing with his wooden stick. Without a sign at stopping or growing tired, his swings show of great control and finesse. His body leaps through the air on numerous occasions, showing off his flashy moves to the yet unimpressed old frog. The ‘dance’ comes to a stop after leaping into the air, sending incredibly strong bursts of air in several directions with his kicks alone before he lands with his feet planted firmly and perfectly balanced on the wooden stick dug into the grass below. His head turns to the frog. He’s panting with shallow breaths, trying to regain his energy. The man and the frog make eye contact, but silence rules them for a while.

“Storm slash.” The little, old amphibian utters, his eyes never wavering. His words are followed by a confident smirk from the man before he jumps off his staff, pulling it up from the ground with his ascent and descent. He takes his stance, feet apart and planted firmly in the ground, his gaze trained upon the line of dead trees in the nearby sidelines of the glade. He’s certain he’s strong enough to do it this time around. He breathes deeply to calm down before holding his breath, springing forth in the air over the field to build up momentum for his staff held with both hands with his entire upper body twisted backwards for the incoming swing.

>Continued

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>>426897

“The Red Flower!” The shouted words reach the man’s ears just as he swings mid-air. Something lits up inside his otherwise white, bottomless eyes; something cruel and dark. Instead of the expected results where the staff would slash through the air and anything in-between for several meters ahead, the severe force of the attack bursts inwards, sending the man crashing and tumbling into the ground behind him. He ricochets between spots, spraying both grass, stones, and dirt wherever his body lands before its forced to an abrupt stop upon meeting the thick trunk of his wooden home. The tree shakes violently without budging. There he remains sitting, dazed and in pain.

“You’re not ready.” The frog sighs disappointingly at the pathetic sight of Ryoutarou after approaching him. The Old Guardian struggles and fails to get up again, sending a vile glance at the frog. “Don’t you give me that look, Ryoutarou.” The hooded, green figure strikes at the Guardian trying to get up with the same stick he used before. The weapon hits him hard on his supporting arm and sends him crashing into the ground again with a pained groan. “If the words alone can break your concentration, then you will never be able to lift your guandao properly in the face of its presence.”

Ryoutarou stares at the creature in silence, realizing that his master is right, before he picks himself up with a strained struggle. He hasn’t survived this long by giving up after all.

____

Ryoutarou continues to struggle with his inner demons whilst trying to regain his former strength. Can he do it?

The story of Lin and Team 2 continues in 1 hour and 30 minutes!

>>426900
>The story of Lin and Team 2 continues in 1 hour and 30 minutes!
Soon time for awoo

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>>425690

First light passed by hours ago while you slept in, resting and nurturing what grievous wounds the journey through the western front inflicted upon your already scarred psyche. Seeing how imprisonment and imminent death or slavery caused that Awoo Guardian to break, Jin’s horrible death and sacrifice, Ming’s outrage, and those two masked humans blowing themselves up. Last, but not least, the confrontation with the woman the Masked Humans call ‘Queen’ and the others call ‘Majesty’. The pure pressure overwhelming you when your eyes met was beyond belief. The kind of nightmarish feeling you’ll take with you to your grave.

However, you’re determined to get stronger to face her again the day you’re ready for her. You’ll slay that vile… monster. For everyone’s sake.

“I promise.” You speak out to no one but yourself with your fist clenched before you as you rise from your bedside to get dressed. If the scout is right, Rushi will either arrive to the village today or in 3 days. However, even if you have a pressing report for Chen’dao or Rushi, you also need to speak with the rest of your team to both assure yourself that they’re ready for the incoming assault and see how they are after what they went through and discovered out on the front line.

Where to start?

>Seek out Chen’dao or Rushi.
>Find Heim.
>Search for Mei.
>Sit down with Chao.
>Write-in.

>>427051
>>Seek out Chen’dao or Rushi.

>>427051
>>Find Heim.
Let just take it from the top.

>>427051
>>Seek out Chen’dao or Rushi.

>>427051
>Seek out Chen’dao or Rushi.
Gotta do what we came here to do first.

>>427051
>Ming's outrage
Whoops.

>Seek out Chen’dao or Rushi.
I honestly don't expect to find them, but if we do, we can report. And maybe also vet our concerns about our team. Who knows?

>>427071
>>Ming's outrage
Fuck, I knew I would mix those two up eventually, even after reading it out loud. It's "Mei" for anyone asking about it. Won't happen again.

>>427051
>Search for Mei.
She's the one in need of critical team mending

>>427051
>Take back that promise.
Promises are sucker bets.

>Seek out Chen'dao or Rushi

>>427056
>>427057
>>427064
>>427068
>>427071
>>427104
>>427108
You will seek out Rushi, and if he has yet to arrive, you'll settle for Chen'dao.

Writing.

>>427108
Me. Should also tack on that if we can't find either of them,

>Find Heim.
Like >>427057 said, just take it from the top.

>>427051
>Get chao and make him tell mei.
then you should get heim as well and do some group therapy stuff.

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>>427051
>Seek out Chen’dao or Rushi.

Duty comes before relationships and mending or breaking them. The information you have must be passed up the chain-of-command before you can focus on possibly fixing both your team and its members. You’re still uncertain to what decision Mei will arrive on when it comes to staying or leaving Team 2, but it’s starting to dawn on you that she will leave after Chao has told her what happened between him and Jin. Hopefully Chao won’t die for the encounter, but honestly, he’d deserve it if he did. You’re indirectly to be blamed for Jin’s death as well; you had the chance to warn them, yet you chose not to. You trusted them to handle themselves in the tunnels - both of them or at least for Jin to rein Chao in - but that trust came back to bite you. It’s no one’s fault but your own, and you know it all too well.

You get dressed and equip your gear, along with your Guardian Blade that has proven to become more and more trustworthy, especially after the incident with the Queen. Self-preservation and survival being the reasons aside, you’ve grown more fond of it. However, you’ll never forget that it’s still a piece of the Red Flower with a mind of its own and if given the chance, it’ll certainly take over your mind and body. Just like you are to the Guardians, the Red Flower possessed Guardian Blade is your own dangerous weapon against Humanity.

Upon leaving the small tree-complex where your room is shared with a bunch of other rooms, you find yourself in yet another busy part of the village. The sight of you gives birth to mixed glances and reactions: Some of persistent disgust and some of neutral comradeship between Guardian strangers. Some has come to accept your part in the Blood Guardians, but there’s still those that see you as ‘Raubtier’ and nothing else. It becomes even more evident when you move through the crowd, where the ones who either show fear or disgust for you moves out of the way and backs off from your path.

Luckily, I’m used to it.

Your legs carry you across the village and the forest grown in-between the many areas making up the settlement. You intend to check out the Guardian quarters up on the hills overlooking the rest of the village, just above the Inn.

>Continued

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>>427245

“No, Rushi hasn’t arrived yet. You’ll have to wait like the rest of us. Take any reports or other matters to your company officer.” The Awoo addresses your question and presence before waving you aside, intent on getting through the line of junior and senior Guardians forming behind you. Instead of asking someone else for where Chen is, you’re pleasantly surprised by meeting him by the exit. He quickly explains that he doesn’t have time to speak, even though he wants to catch up. He appears a different Awoo than the last time you saw him. He’s more swamped with work this time around. You hand him the handwritten report to him before you part ways.

”It’s amazing how matters remain organized given the numbers and the overwhelming stress pressuring the entire village.” The Red Flower remarks and you can’t help but smile. It’s weird to hear it compliment the very ones whose task in life is to destroy its kin and those who wield it.

The irony.

>Find Heim.
>Search for Mei.
>Sit down with Chao.
>Write-in.

>>427252
>>Search for Mei.

>>427252
>>Search for Mei.

>>427252
>>Find Heim.

>>427252
>>Search for Mei.
Start with ripping off the band-aid I suppose.

>>427252
>Search for Mei.

>>427259
>>427262
>>427265
>>427275
>>427313
You've decided to search for Mei to settle things with her.

Roll for Perception check!
Roll 3d10
Best of 3
DC = 7

Rolled 9, 5, 2 = 16 (3d10)

>>427351

Rolled 7, 3, 7 = 17 (3d10)

>>427351

Rolled 4, 2, 5 = 11 (3d10)

>>427351
Searching is hard. We'll have to find some honeyed water...

Rolled 2, 8, 5 = 15 (3d10)

>>427351
No one can hide from us.

>>427357
>>427364
>>427368
DC Reached!

Writing.

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>>427252
>Search for Mei.

You have three members to speak with before you can see past the blurry assumptions on whether this is the end or the new beginning of Team 2. The former guess is more evident in your mind than the latter, but you can’t decide what’s what until you’ve heard them all out. Mei might not be the best place to ease your way into these discussions, but it’s the hardest of the three. It’s better to rip off the leaf fast after the wound has healed.

You garner that you’ll find Mei in her room. Chao must have told her today, and if not, you’ll do it for him. He promised he would, so he’ll have to face the consequences for not doing so if that’s the case. Hopefully it’s not. Her reaction will ultimately be more volatile and aggressive if the revelation leaves your lips instead of his. The rest of the journey from the Guardian Quarters to the Tree-complex for the Ishigo Guardians assembled down here in the west amidst the Kenshin guardians goes smoothly.

You’ll find Mei there, if you’re lucky.

-

”Your heart rate is increasing rapidly, Lin. We detect that you are what your kind would call ‘nervous’.” The Red Flower reports your condition to you, as if you weren’t already perfectly aware of it.

“Thank you, now shut it.” You shoot back, clearing your throat upon finding yourself in front of Mei’s closed door. You’ve knocked once, but there hasn’t been an answer yet. Another knock yields no results whatsoever. The third one is also met with silence, but only for a brief moment before you hear the door unlocking from the other side. She doesn’t open the door though, so she’s left it up to you whether or not you’ll enter.

>Leave for now. Her emotional wound is still fresh and she might not be herself after Chao’s words.
>Enter and take an apologetic stance at first.
>Enter and take a neutral stance at first.
>Enter and take a cold stance at first.
>Write-in.

>>427493
>>Enter and take a neutral stance at first.

>>427493
>>Enter and take a neutral stance at first.

>>427493
>Enter and take a neutral stance at first.

>>427493
>>Enter and take a neutral stance at first.

>>427493
>Enter and take an apologetic stance at first.
This, we need to address the issue now. Taking a cold stance would be the end of our relationship, and taking an apologetic one might just fuel her anger.

>>427606
So you're actually voting for Neutral Stance then?

>>427510
>>427513
>>427521
>>427583
>>427606
You're taking the leap and you're going in with a neutral stance to start off.

Roll for Social/Diplomacy Check!
Roll 3d10
Best of 3
DC: 7
>[O Captain! My Captain!] = [NOT AVAILABLE]

Rolled 8, 1, 10 = 19 (3d10)

>>427622

Rolled 5, 2, 5 = 12 (3d10)

>>427622

>>427628
>>427635
DC reached!

Writing.