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>>499450

“Not too bad,” Harrison agrees. “You typically want to let the good cop go on first, though. It builds a false sense of security. Still, not often you see an elven woman put up as the thug.”

“Stereotypes do get dreadfully dull,” you agree. “However-“ In a burst of wind and a blur of motion, a steel dagger goes through the man’s thigh, drawing an agonized scream. “I should warn you that this is not a performance.”

“F-Fuck! Fuck! FUCK!” he shouts, voice growing louder as he comes to terms with reality.

“Let me be clear,” you say in a conversational tone, using illusions to quiet his voice so he can hear you while struggling in his seat. “I want to have a discussion with you, Mr. Harrison, nonviolent and civil. However, my companion over there is impatient, and she believes you will more readily divulge the information we require if she takes a few hours slowly dismantling you first.

“Of course, that would be brutal, unseemly, and absolutely unnecessary. We are here on a legal matter and as a man who no doubt loves the law, you’ll surely be willing to assist us in a certain matter concerning a den of manticores, their missing cub, and the resulting murder. So what do you say? Can we discuss this like civilized men?”

“You really got me by the balls here…” the man chuckles. “Start talking or get dismantled? Hell, I ain’t an unreasonable guy. Tell you what, if you could come a bit closer, at least put yourself between me and your friend’s knives, we can talk.”

“Reasonable enough,” you agree, scooting the log you are sitting on forward and interposing your body between Lucy and him. “So, what can you tell me?”

“I can tell you… Dismantle this!” he shouts, the man moving in a blur as he swings his arm from behind his back, grabs the knife, and (in one fell motion) implants it in your skull with a sickening thud.

You certainly hope Jerry is alright. First things first, however:

> You have a knife in your head. What do?
> [] Elaborate on intimidation technique.

>>499455
>> [] Elaborate on intimidation technique.
Completly and utterly ignore what just happened

>>499476
>>"Excuse me, I didn't quite get that?"

>>499476
>>499484
I give my full support

>>499455
>[] Elaborate on intimidation technique.
Casually pull the dagger out.
"An interesting yet not very cogent argument. Definitely not in your favor, however. Would you like to try again, or shall I try a different language?
"And you misapprehension the situation, Mr. Harrison; my compatriot is not the Bad Cop in this narrative. She merely offers physical consequences for continued lack of cooperation. I assure you that my consequences are of a far more permanent nature than even death."

>>499510
This is some good stuff, integrate atleast some of it into this.

>>499577
Maybe the second half?
And then sew on a derogatory remark on how badly our prisoner is attempting murder
>"you call that a stab?!wheres the passion?!"

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>>499455
>>499476
>>499484
>>499510
>>499491

“Pardon. I didn’t quite get that,” you respond politely, feeling the tremble run through his hand as he simultaneously tries to withdraw the dagger from your skull and unsheath your sword, only to find both held firm. “I must have something caught between my ears.”

“Oh gods damnit!” he murmurs, stumbling back as you remain seated exactly where you were, looking at him.

“Come now, no sense getting nervous,” you tut. “I told you, we are here on behalf of the law.”

“I stabbed a dagger through your fucking head!” he shouts, pointing at you as he continues to wobble backward on his injured leg.

“Oh, is that what you just did?” you question innocently, casually withdrawing the blade with the screech of metal and holding it delicately in your hand. “An interesting yet not very cogent argument, I’m afraid. Definitely not in your favor, either. Would you like to try again, or shall I try a different language?”

“Y-You shouldn’t be moving!”

“Why?” you demand, casually summoning hellfire into your palm and letting the liquid slag pour through your fingers. “It’s a free country, Mr. Harrison. Then again, as it seems you may have bumped your head during all this, maybe I should clarify. You see, my compatriot is not the Bad Cop in this narrative. She merely offers physical consequences for continued lack of cooperation. I assure you that my consequences are of a far more permanent nature, more permanent than even death.”

With a burst of will, the flames erupt over your entire body, illusory fires burning all around as your blade emerges behind Harrison, deterring his escape.

“Have a seat, won’t you?” you invite, gesturing back to the stump. “I can’t promise this won’t take long, but I will promise you that you’ll feel better confessing that the alternative.”

All he can offer in response is a weak, tremulous nod as he limps back and once more deposits himself on the stump.

“Good, good,” you compliment, calling back flames both real and imagined as the conversation moves back in the direction you’re comfortable with. “Now, about those manticores…”

“I sold the runt to Eagle’s Landing!” he bleats rigidly. “For 2500 to a woman by the name of Naomi!”

“And the murder in Shadesborough?” you probe.

“I d-didn’t have anything to do with that, n-nothing at-“

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>>499613

“DO NOT LIE TO ME!” you boom, recognizing that look in his eyes, those notes in his voice. “The markings on the body, the poison in his veins, you knew more than you admitted! So tell me now and tell me truthfully or I warn you: the consequences-“ As if on cue, Falkor comes stalking through the tree line, yellow eyes shining and a roar rumbling deep in his massive throat as he approaches. “will not be pleasant.”

“I-It was him!” Harrison chokes. “It was the fucking cats! It was him that did it!”

“Oh, I thought you said it was a gorgon,” you muse idly, letting Harrison’s fear freeze him solid as Falkor slowly draws near, tail flexing menacingly. “Or is there something else you’d like to admit?”

“It could have been a gorgon! It could have been eith-“ A booming roar slams into his ears at point-blank range, draining the color from his expression as fearful tears gush from his eyes. “It-It isn’t a crime to hunt monsters! It isn’t-“

A second roar sends Harrison down to his knees, face buried to the dirt as he shrieks incomprehensible apologies and prayers to the sky.

“What now then?” Falkor calls to you through your mental connection, paw poised over Harrison ready to pound him into the dirt.

> Good question
> [] We need to bring Harrison back to Shadesborough to face trial.
> [] We need to go get your cub. Harrison has learned his lesson.
> [] We need to go get your cub. Harrison can come along for the ride.
> [] Let Falkor kill Harrison.
> [] Other

>>499615
>"im going to get the cub, and look away and ignore your next actions, remember to chew before swallowing "

>>499615
>[] We need to go get your cub. Harrison can come along for the ride.
Killing him now would be easy.
But we need him to identify this Naomi person and the exact place of business. Then the Church has ways of making him die.

It's more important we save the cub than to kill this sack of flesh.

>>499630
supporting this, and so I must sleep

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>>499615
>>499624
>>499630
>>499661

“Well, no sense wasting time here,” you say aloud. “Shadesborough can sort out the finer details of this man’s punishment. However, beforehand, he can be of use in reclamation services.”

“I won’t let this filth ride me!” Falkor growls.

“So then, we headin’ out, Lee?” Lucy asks as she comes up by your side.

“Just a few minor details to sort out regarding passenger space.”

“Got a fix for that,” she replies, casually snapping off one of Falkor’s tail spines with her hand and ignoring the cat’s hiss as she jams the spike into the back of Harrison’s head. Immediately, the man goes from shivering to limp. “One cargo burrito coming up!”

“Not before I see that leg wound, you don’t!” Margy objects, glaring daggers at the elf casually laying out a tent for bundling the man inside. “I still can’t believe you stabbed him! Lee had the situation under control!”

“And he had it under better control after I showed the guy we meant business,” Lucy fires back. “Also, seriously? This coming from the she-hulk that slammed a horse and person head first into the pavement.”

“That. Was. A. Reflex!” Margy fumes.

“So was mine!”

“That is not a reflex! People don’t just throw knives as a reflex!”

“Maybe people you know…”

Needless to say, the argument goes back and forth for some time, you personally finding no need to intervene as they argue the finer points of negotiation and automatic muscle skills. All that really matters is that you soon have a flight-ready, immobile Harrison and are once again prepared to take to the air.

“Do you think you’re going to be alright?” you ask Lucy as you standby for pickup, noticing her paling face.

“J-just fucking peachy!” she murmurs, but otherwise remains silent as she and Margy mount the saddle, now with a massive, attached roll of fabric slung to the back.

“Well then, we’re off!” you shout, the last thing you can hear clearly before Falkor takes you into his paws and you leave the world behind.

> Give me 1d10.

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>499826
Look on the bright side: once the Church is done almost killing him, Falkor can let his cub kill Harrison to practice his pouncing technique.

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>>499884
>>499826

Through the evening gloom you soar, hints of rain and heavy clouds rushing down to meet you as Falkor picks up the speed he’ll need to power through them. To be honest, a part of you almost wants him to forestall on that, because amidst the quickening patter of precipitation and the twisting winds on high, the surreal flash of distant lightning forms an awe inspiring spectacle. To meet the storms in the very heavens where they form, to let their cool vapors stream off of your hand like sand in an hour glass, it’s yet another beauty you feel so very few will ever explore in this world.

Instead, however, you remain silent, allowing the wings that carry you to pick their own (likely saner) path through the storm front, carrying you up and away to the yet even greater wonders that lie beyond. For what should lie beyond the clouds but the vault of the heavens itself, a thousand-thousand twinkling stars shimmering against a sea of black void with no mountains, towns, or torchlight to diminish their beauty? It’s fit to steal your undead breath away, to bask for but a moment in that boundless world of night, nothing but the flashing sea of clouds beneath to connect you to that world so far below, the moon grown monstrously large in your sight as your view sweeps eagerly in every direction it can manage.

“You can see every constellation from up here!” Margy breathes. “The dog, the crone, the maid! Ah! I need to take notes!”

> How do you respond?
> [] Try to identify constellations with her. You’ve got this (1d100)
> [] “You should try living in the moment.”
> [] Other

Rolled 40 (1d100)

>>499955
>[] Try to identify constellations with her. You’ve got this
Just because we don't have the equipment anymore doesn't mean Lee should keep from trying to woo women.

Rolled 90 (1d100)

>>499955
> [] Try to identify constellations with her. You’ve got this (1d100)

>>499955
Probably let falkor know we are kind of jealous of his wings.

>>500985
>>500076
>>499970

OP is not dead, I swear, but it's been a complicated day. My apologies if I left you all hanging.

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>>502316

I'll take another shot at running this tomorrow evening. Again, apologies.

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>>499955
>>499970
>>500076
>>500985

> 90

“Did you know the maid goes by another name in certain tribes?” you question from your earthward facing perch.

“Why, of course,” Margy says. “It’s called the Wise Fish in Ostland, The Bear in Sullastan, and The Whore in Bellarose, the pack of savages…”

“It’s also known as The Mother in Kalapesh,” you add, dusting off old memories of nights spent stargazing and serenading rather than sleeping. “You see, when the Third Sphere, rounds the heavenly wheel, it comes to rest near her thighs, passing through every nine years.”

“Hmm… I didn’t know that one,” she admits.

“Many couples plan their marriages according to that rotation, as a birth in that year supposedly brings good fortunes to the child.” Not to mention, a year’s worth of good fortune to a well-read bard. “Similarly, the dog in one culture is a dragon to some and a newt to others. In fact, it was Gaius Someus that once said:”

“Never was there a more open door to the collective psyche of a man’s people than the names by which they call their stars,” Margy echoes along with you.

You have to admit, you never suspected that the practical priestess would have a knack for astrology, but that simply means it’s all the livelier of an exchange, the two of you bandying information back and forth and you sometimes struggling to keep afloat when she steers the conversation somewhere massively out of your depth. Still, much like combat, you find it exhilarating but on an intellectual level, a sort of verbal sparring or linguistic dance you’d had little occasion for since coming back.

“You might make a wonderful bard, my dear.” The words come unbidden through a place where lips once rested.

“I could never…” she mumbles back.

“Nonsense!” you laugh. “Not much to it really, an insatiable wit, quick fingers, and a fair face are all it really takes.”

“B-but I’m no-“ She stops short and takes a deep breath. “I joined the church so I could help people. I don’t know if I could do that as a bard…”

“Of course you could!” you insist. “A bard is nothing, if not one who helps-“

“Helps women out of their pants, more like,” Lucy groans, making a retching noise as Falkor twists to the side.

And men.

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>>504754

“Come now! Whatever our proclivities, bards are first and foremost those who ease the hearts of men and women of the everyday burdens that they carry. I’ll tell you this, very few people are ever willing to sing that song for us come the end of the day.”

“I don’t know if I’d be good at that,” Margy admits. “Physical wounds, poverty, tyranny, it’s a lot easier to take care of the problems you can see.”

“It just takes the right eye to see what’s in the heart, my dear. True, not everyone wears theirs upon their sleeve, but so much of the world turns on the egos of our lords and ladies, you’ll find it hard to resolve anything truly without seeing through to what drives their actions.”

“I suppose so…” she admits.


“The heart of the matter is more often than not, the matter of the heart,” you affirm.

“But I’m no good with those! I’m clumsy and nervous and now when I get nervous, I randomly break stuff!”

“Too tight kid!” Lucy grunts. “Too tight!”

“See!”

Seems she may need a bit of bardic wisdom herself, but before you can get around to it, Falkor offers an interjection.

“Not that I mind this pace,” he grumbles, “but there’s an ability we share through our connection that I’d rather test before we find ourselves in a battle. Should we do so now?”

> What to do?
> [] Offer words to Margy? What words?
> [] Use the speed boost? Yes/No?

>>504766
>[] Offer words to Margy? What words?
"Everything improves with practice, even a keen eye to see through to a person's true motivations, fears, and desires, and the emotional balance and control to be able to soften the blow of bad news or to hammer home the righteousness of your cause. All you need is practice, and I shall be more than happy to help you by practicing."
> [] Use the speed boost?
Yes.
"Ladies, hold on tight. We're going to be in for a bit of a wild ride."

>>504766
>[] Use the speed boost? Yes/No?
Yes

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>>505002
>>504877
>>504766

“Listen,” you say, directed at Margy. "Everything improves with practice. It’s the same thing with developing a keen eye to see through to a person's true motivations, to their fears and desires, and the emotional balance and control to be able to soften the blow of bad news or to hammer home the righteousness of your cause. All you need is practice, and I shall be more than happy to help you by practicing."

“That would be nice,” she sighs. “I’d like to be less nervous when talking to people.”

“Just make sure that’s all he helps you with…” Lucy warns.

“I don’t understand.”

“Listen, honey, ugh… Just don’t let him convince you to do anything weird, okay?”

“Not like I would have the stomach for it anyway,” you note, “among other things…”

*Rattle-Rattle*

“I will empty my stomach on everything you love.”

“But before that, you might want to hold on tight. Falkor and I are about to practice some advanced maneuvers.”

“I wanna go home. I wanna go home. I wanna go-“

It’s peculiar how going forward, neither of you have to exchange words. Like the knowledge had been embedded into each of your consciousness beforehand, you simply will a connection to form, allowing your mana reserves to fuse with his and widening your awareness to encompass both.

And it certainly is a lot to take in at once, like suddenly coming face to face with a wild inferno through an open door, Falkor’s mana surging out of control against the controlled mass of your own magic as the two are forced together. Still, in that moment, even amidst the chaos, you can feel the paths that must be carved, the channels that must be created to give form to that chaos and forge it into something mightier. Similar to your own godly might, you feel the lines as though by reflex, forcing the raw magic into them proving as natural as rolling a ball downhill.

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>>505457

In response, you can feel the beast’s heart racing, hear the sound of the wind’s whistling intensifying as he effortlessly picks up speed. However, such mundane enhancements are by no means the end as the fusion of your magic becomes more complete, the two harmonizing into one complete whole as a phantom heat begins swelling within his breast.

There’s a moment of fear and unknowing in that exact moment, as you realize there isn’t time to stop our shout a warning, a doubt of whether your companions above are about to meet with calamity. However, as the flames explode along Falkor’s entire body and erupt outward against the curtain of night, you’ll take the lack of panicked screaming as sufficient solace. At least, you don’t think that you hear anything of the sort before, with a mighty roar, Falkor shatters the night to herald his transformation, glowing like a ball of fire and moving like a comet as the world below no doubt trembles in awe.

What’s more, he only seems to be building speed. Faster and faster, his wingbeats seemingly remain steadfast as the world below shudders and twists, clouds turning into an indistinct stream of mist and stars into rivulets of light as an earthly village flies by in the blink of an eye, trees turning into a smear of green. Caught up in the pace of it, your concentration slips, all the world lost in that shrinking event horizon as you scream across the night sky, unaware of where you are going or when you will end as you vibrate against the wind.

Fortunately, it seems your companion has more control over the situation and his faculties than you. So, by about the time you’ve managed to pull yourself out of your fugue, you are already presumably where you need to be, a tower rising high in the distance, a forest and the ground having spontaneously sprung up around you, and Lucy violently ejecting the contents of her stomach into said trees while Margy holds her for balance.

“I smell her,” Falkor growls.

> What to do?
> [] Go into town with Falkor. No need for stealth.
> [] Leave Falkor on perimeter while you settle this.
> [] Wait for Lucy and Margy to recover?
> [] Other

>>505465
>[] Wait for Lucy and Margy to recover?
We must assume that there will be defenses, other animals whose wills have already been broken and who will defend their master and stand in our way.
While Lee and Falkor holds them off, we need Margy and Lucy able to get in and secure the cub's safety while we distract the defenses.

Or Lee, Lucy, and Margy start a distraction and locate the cub, and then Falkor busts down the walls to get to her.

>>505465
> [] Wait for Lucy and Margy to recover?
Which direction does he smell her?

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>>505465
>>505601
>>505627

“Can you be a bit more particular on that?”

“Over there.” He points using his nose, notably away from the town proper. “Along with… Another manticore?”

“Anything else?”

“Griffins… Hounds… Livestock…” He sniffs them out, one by one. “Maybe a couple of big cats…”

“I’ve got no idea what that thing’s saying,” Lucy huffs, still bent over with cramps, “but I’m gonna need a minute.”

“I c-could do with one too,” Margy adds shakily.

“Rest, the both of you,” you say. “Falkor is simply sniffing out our approach. Apparently his cub is still in the area.”

“That’s great,” the priestess sighs. “That means we can negotiate its return without plowing through the woods for a few more days. Still, oh no…” Her eyes widen as something occurs to her. “We don’t have any money on us, do we?”

“We have some,” you offer. “Enough for a few nights at the inn for a skeleton, two ladies, and a duffle bag.”

“But not enough to buy a manticore cub off a collector,” Lucy points out. “That is, unless we wanna go for the old five finger discount…”

“Did we really come this far just to become criminals ourselves!?” the priestess demands. “Lee, we can’t just steal her back! We’ve got to handle things diplomatically, and preferably during daylight hours!”

“I know, I know, just… Give me a moment, if you would!”

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

> Your companions need rest at the inn, but what to do?
> [] Steal the cub while they are asleep. They don’t have to know.
> [] Wait until the morning and talk with the owner.
> [] Go in full force and take the cub.
> [] Other

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>>505758

So, I realize that this week and last week's thread were kind of choppy. I'm very sorry for that, and I realize that it doesn't set the perfect stage for this announcement. Neither does failing to wait for the end, but I feel that I need to make this known before the thread closes to have any chance of catching people's attention.

Case in point and after much careful consideration, I think I may have to put the quest on hold following this thread. I'll be back in university soon, you see, and with a heavy course load, a job, and several other things occupying my week, I'm not sure I can give this particular quest the time that I have been up until now.

I have the utmost gratitude for my readers that have stuck around as long as they have, but I find myself in the difficult situation of being unable to complete enough content in a single, dedicated afternoon to be worthy of archiving and I may not have more than that to offer in the weeks to come.

I've considered migrating to other sites that are more drift friendly to assuage these issues, but I'm afraid that in doing so, I would further fragment and lose parts of the audience when we are already very, very small. And with the quest being as large as it is now (in written length), I'm not sure enough people would willingly devote the time to catch up to balance out the difference.

It's an unhappy situation I find myself in, and I regret to rope you all in for the fall. I don't know if this quest will ever run again if I stop, but I have to face the fact that I can't run it in the same way that I have. Maybe that means starting a new quest. Maybe that means no longer questing until this chapter of my life is behind me. I don't really know, but welcome you to respond be it with suggestion, commentary, or criticism.

Again, my apologies.

>>506094
Bummer, but it was fun while it lasted

>>506094
I have to say that I have enjoyed these threads quite alot. The humor the pacing, and the overall setting and storytelling have been great. You have done a great job with your writing. You have things that must be taken care of and I understand, and I will miss this quest, but I hope you decide to continue it if you have the off time and the desire. Thank you for writing and I hope to see your content in one form or another again.

>>506094
It's sad that you have to stop, but that doesn't mean you have to completely end this.
you can put it on hiatus until things are calm enough for you to be able to dedicate the time for this again.
Look at Deculture's Magical Girl Noir Quest, REQM's RE:Monster EX Quest, and Guide's Mercenary 2030 Quest as examples of long-running quests that had to go on hiatus but are back now.
Just don't completely abandon this, as it is a very fun quest, and we'd all like to see it run again.

>>505758
>> [] Wait until the morning and talk with the owner

>>506094
I've had fun, as long as the quest merely sleeps and you return triumphant all will be well!

Test

>>505758
> [] Wait until the morning and talk with the owner.
I have an idea of what we could do to sweeten the deal if we need to negotiate.
>>506094
this makes me sad.

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>>506357
>>506385
>>506390
>>506477
>>506595

Well, I'll at least finish this thread out and we'll see where the winds blow in the future. I've been promised a busy semester with tons of responsibilities to attend to in both my personal and academic life and it may be a couple of weeks until I can firmly grasp that situation. I appreciate the kind words and once again apologize in the meantime, however.

As for other options some players have pitched to me, some have suggested moving to anonkun or sufficient velocity where threads don't sage, writing as I have time. A part of me wonders if maybe creating a "new" quest based around Cici's adventures might draw in a slightly larger crowd that would make running the quest easier. Again, I don't know if I would have time for either of these and won't for some time, but I encourage people to weigh in on these options to let me know what you would think of a site shift or somewhat major shift in the focus of the quest.

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>>506595
>>506469
>>506094

“Well, no sense waiting out in the woods,” you say. “We’ll get a roof over our head, some food and sleep in both of you and then we’ll start up again tomorrow. I’m sure we can work out something with this Naomi woman even given our lack of funds.”

“You can dream, bonehead,” Lucy mutters, but otherwise offers no complaints as you steer the both of them towards town.

“As for you, Falkor,” you add, turning to your feline companion. “We’re close now to having all of this resolved. I simply need you to remain calm and not do anything rash before we have our chance to act.”

“I make no promises,” he warns, “but I will try.”

And like that, the massive beast is once more sailing into the nighttime air, silent as a small bird and invisible against the black curtain of night as he spirits himself away. How long had it been since he last slept, you can’t help but wonder? What exactly would he do if you couldn’t settle this quickly? All terrible questions with no doubt terrible answers, but you resolve not to worry about it as you escort the ladies on their way to Eagle’s Landing.

It isn’t a hard trek to follow, thankfully, even on their weary feet. Well-manicured woodlands and a few easy paths through them seem to have been well kempt for whatever patrols must run through here regularly. Honestly, it seems like no time at all before you are approaching the formidable palisade that marks the outline of the settlement, hearing the soft groan of beasts from within as you make your way around it.

Eventually, a gate comes into view and a guard along with it, a man by the name of Gregory. He’s a polite chap with a winning smile and doesn’t ask too many questions or probe too deeply into your personal matters, just welcomes you in and wishes you a good evening, recommending the seltzer water at the local inn for your sickly looking elven friend.

First, however, you find yourself needing to navigate across a wide training yard still very much in use. Amidst the gathering dawn, leather clad trainers are yet working with their beasts, from bears and griffins to oversized bats. Perhaps they would someday serve a city’s nighttime watch well, but for now, your eyes are exclusively for the inn at the far side of the yard, the interior of the settlement apparently fairly sparse given the size of their perimeter.

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>>507313

A man by the name of Yold is barely awake at his post by the time you find yourselves knocking, but he’s quick enough to sign you in for the night and offer up some much needed refreshments for your lady friends before shooing you away to your rooms. There, you opt simply to wait until the dawn comes, not wanting to arouse suspicions as the man who never sleeps and instead contenting yourself with casting illusions at the wall until midday light brings a rustling from across the hall where your companions are staying. A spot of breakfast shortly follows, as well as a few questions directed at the inn keep’s wife, Bertha.

--

“Aye, Naomi’s a keen lass,” she answers at the mention of her name. “’Specially for a beastkin, she’s got a good head on her shoulders.”

“A beastkin?” you question. “That’s interesting.”

“Aye,” she answers. “A manticore at that. Reckon it gives her an edge over some of these lads around here when it comes to wrangling the beasties. Still, she mostly keeps to herself, and they don’t complain too loud when she goes selling them her special darts.”

“Anything else you could tell us?” you ask.

“Well, the lass has a keen taste for liquor, fills my purse and empties my cellar about once a month. Some of the lads take issue with her attitude, but she’s a fair business woman if you don’t test her temper.”

You tip generously for the information before making your way toward the outskirts of town, signage clearly marking the way to her abode and a smooth dirt road paved from the start to the finish at what you presume to be her rustic cabin in the clearing. Further proof lies in the two griffins penned in the yard and the team of heavy hounds excitedly bouncing around the outside. You suppose it’s now or never.

> But what do you say? What do you offer?
> [] An IOU and some smooth talk
> [] A raincheck on death by skeleton/manticore
> [] Other

>>507320
>[] Other
>an IOU, sweet talk, and actual hard cash in a few days
But be fair about it. We're willing to pay, and we'll give her whatever we can give her as collateral, within reason.
I mean, just putting the cub on hold so that she won't go through any further training or breaking in while we put the money together would be enough.
It's just two day's worth of flying to get to our money cart, get the money, and fly back, right?
No reason to be nasty about this, like with Harrison.

>>507320
>> [] An IOU and some smooth talk

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>>507320
>>507368
>>507384

In another life, you’d probably tried to do more with less in your pockets, or a complete absence of pockets like that one time in Slehereth. Point being, you’ll take magical plate over your birthday suit any day during a delicate negotiation, and you know you’re just prolonging the inevitable standing here. So, you simply sigh and commit, knocking on the door in measured rhythm before waiting quietly on a response.

Fortunately, she doesn’t keep you waiting long. As soon as you finish knocking, a loud yawn echoes through the tiny house, and moments later, the door swings open to reveal a groggy looking half-breed standing on the other side.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” she probes, another loud yawn stretching her mouth wide to reveal sharpened teeth as the feline ears on her head twitch. “If you’re another group from Duke Humboldt, I told you that I won’t have any stock ready for sale for at least a couple of months.”

“Oh no,” you dismiss, trying to stealthily catch a look behind the woman and noting a large scorpion tail sticking out of a distant cage. “We’re here on our own initiative. You are Ms. Naomi, correct?”

“Who wants to know?”

“I do. You see, if possible, I’d like to discuss certain… shall we say, recent acquisitions on your part?”

“Listen,” she sighs her gaze apparently following your own. “If this is about the manticore cub, I’ll tell you what I told everyone else. She isn’t for sale.”

“What if I were to tell you we were here for a noble cause?” you question, and she laughs.

“Then I’d tell you what I told the Knights of the Fang: order your cub now, and be ready to wait a couple of years. She’ll be ready for her first stud in three, and I’m already half booked on her second litter.”

“You’re already selling her cubs?” you scandalize. “Don’t you think that’s, well, a little premature?”

“Only if I didn’t know what I was doing,” she rebuts, eyes narrowing at your condemnation. “Now are you going to make an offer, or are you going to get off my property?”

“Actually, I had planned to offer you a drink,” you say, pointing to the horse you brought with you, laden with fine ale. “That is, if you’d be open to a bit of discussion.”

“Pepperidge Whiskey and summer ale, not a bad paring,” she remarks. “A bit of smoked cheese and it’d be-“ She stares at the grainy hemisphere you’ve just uncovered. “Fine, fine. There’s worse things in the world than a free lunch, but I’m not promising anything.”

“Of course,” you answer. “All I’m asking is for some of your time.”

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>>507661

Beer, cheese, fresh bread, fruits, and spirits, pacing yourself through the illusory act of eating proves a complicated dance, especially when trying to work in the details of what exactly had brought you here. Not to mention that all the while, lavish food mixes with lavish compliments and shameless flirtation. Everything from her hand stitched rugs, her designer clothes, the beautiful purple of her fur and the little scars that made her beauty all the more transcendent are discussed in time with how Harrison’s stupidity had been party to a kidnapping and a murder. Finally, when all the details are out, and Margy and Lucy are both slumping from their drinks, it’s simply you and the lady of the house with a thoroughly laid floor for your discussions going forward.

“So what do you want me to do about all of this?” she finally asks, a slight redness in her cheeks hardly doing justice to the inhuman amount of whiskey she’s consumed. “I already told you, Nadia’s a gold-mine and I’m not the only one that’s invested heavily in her future as a mother.”

“I may not look it, but I have quite the hidden cache of wealth back from where I’m coming from,” you offer. “I want to resolve all of this within the letter of the law if possible, and am willing to meet your price if you can afford me a few days to requisition the funds and come back.”

“Fifty thousand,” she proclaims fatalistically. “That’s my price.”

“You could buy a castle for that!” Lucy objects.

“Yeah, I could,” Naomi agrees. “And I could buy more if I kept her down the road. Not to mention, I’ll be pissing off some pretty powerful people when I offer them up a refund. That said, that’s my price. It’s up to you if you want to pay it.”

“I don’t think we could pay that even if we sold the cart, the horse, and the farm they’re both parked in,” Lucy whispers to you discretely.

“I mean, it’s not like she’s going to have it bad here,” the beastkin adds. “She’ll have food, shelter, medicine, and a warm place to sleep. I take care of my money makers.”

> But could you really sell Falkor on that?
> [] Try to get her to go lower. (3d100)
> [] Try to convince Falkor to give up his cub. (3d100)
> [] Offer to come back later when you have more money
> [] Other

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>>507668

And with that, I'm off for a bit. I definitely encourage outside the box thinking, dialogue write-ins, all of that.

Rolled 64, 59, 79 = 202 (3d100)

>>507668
>[] Try to get her to go lower. (3d100)
Introduce her to Falkor. She might reconsider after that

>>507668
>Other
How's this for an idea: Falkor meets up with his cub, when Nadia's of age to start breeding, we bring her back here and she produces a few litters. One or two for herself to ensure the bloodline, and the rest go to Naomi to fulfill her orders.

Naomi doesn't need Nadia herself, just the cubs that Nadia could birth.
And I assume that Naomi already plans to have those cubs raised and trained for a few years before going on to their owners/employers, so they would have been old enough to have left their mother's nest already anyway.

I think it'd be fair to give Naomi payment for that, and sign a contract and stake some collateral. We'd have to convince Falkor, but I think it'd be an easier argument to make.

>>507686
Sounds balanced, supporting.

>>507683
>>507686
>>507758

Back and writing.

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>>508061
>>507758
>>507686
>>507683

> 64, 59, 79

“I imagine her father won’t be altogether happy with her being kept as a pet and breeding sow, regardless of the conditions,” you sigh. “And, much as I am morose to admit it, we simply haven’t the means to pay the sum you are asking for in one lump sum. Instead, if I might offer a counterproposal.”

“Fine, fine,” she agrees. “Let’s hear it.”

“Well, if principally all you need from Nadia is a couple of her litters, why not allow us to have custody of her in the meantime? We could likely offer two-fifths of the listed sum for the erstwhile custody, with a promise to repay the remaining two-fifths plus an overage should we fall short on our end of the bargain in bringing her back. In exchange, you get the peace of mind of knowing her father is not furiously stalking your operations day and night, something I have no control over, mind you, and in the meantime, you enjoy a hefty payout.”

“Couldn’t you just leave the bull with me?” she inquires, tail tapping impatiently on the floor now. “I can have a stable built for him if he’s tame, bring out the cub for visits on a daily basis. What you’re asking of me, on the other hand, is that I let you run off with one of my biggest assets with little to no proof you’ll ever come back, let alone pay up. All of this because otherwise your cat’s going to play hell on my business.”

“He’s his own cat,” you insist. “I’ve tried to stress that several times, and right now, you are in possession of the one remaining member of his family. I’m warning you of a likely outcome, not one that I will have anything to do with.”

“Just keep him on a tighter leash,” she insists. “He’s just an animal.”

“There is no leash!” you emphasize. “And he is not just an animal! The gods granted him intelligence!”

“Wait, what…?”

“Intelligence! As in, the only reason that I am talking to you right now is because he would likely have already resorted to violence!”

“Son of a-“ she begins. “When did this happen?”

> How do you respond?
> [Honesty] After we met
> [Lie] Before we met
> Also, roll 1d100

Rolled 45 (1d100)

>>508229
>[Honesty] After we met
"Hey, I didn't ask the gods to make him into a sapient death machine the likes of which this kingdom has rarely seen, but here we are. "

>>508324
>45
I'm not liking how this is looking.

>>508362
Flaming skeleton when?
Flaming Mantidad when?
Flaming skelly Mantidad when?

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>>508431
Please no. She's a nice girl trying to make an honest living.
And Lee would most definitely be trying to get some of that tail if he still had the working equipment.

>>508502
He could still make a girl happy even without flesh and blood. He's a seasoned bard and lover. He can make it work

>>508546
>>508431

So, uh, did you guys want to vote? I take best of three.

>>508431
>>508546
You guys realize you still need to roll, and you haven't even voted, right?

You are not making this thread any better by standing around doing nothing.

>>508559
With players like these guys, I can understand why you'd feel disappointed in your quest.

Rolled 40 (1d100)

>>508229
>> [Lie] Before we met

>>508596
>>508591

It's fine, anon. I just wanted to make sure we had a consensus before proceeding.

>>508597
I don't see lying as a good option in the long run.
I think that Naomi will be far more interested in finding out how Falkor evolved and became intelligent, as it could mean an incredible source of revenue if she became the sole beastmaster capable of producing intelligent beast guards, and that she will want to question Falkor on how he received the gods' favor.
And that we will get caught in the lie and the situation will get worse when that happens.

Also, that low roll does not inspire confidence. Admittedly mine is only 5 better, but it's still 5 more.

>>508641

I'll toss a coin and get to writing.

>>508641
Oh, and another thing: Lee hasn't lied in this quest.
He's stretched the truth a bit, like acting as the Spirit of Vengeance and Justice, but he hasn't lied.

It'd be a bit of a departure for him to start now.
Especially since he knows that the afterlife is a real thing and he will be judged again.

>>508229
> [Honesty] After we met
Because lying and saying it was before would imply that the cub might have inherited it, and might just make her more avaricious. not going to count on her going along out of moral leanings at this point.

Rolled 81 (1d100)

>>508772
dice dice dice

>>508772
I hope you're not too late, but I fear you are.

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>>508773
>>508597
>>508324
>>508229

> 80

“Shortly after I met him,” you admit, deciding honesty is the best policy. “My patrons offered him a blessing if he would help me and whoever gets stuck with this job afterward on their quests.”

“And what job would that be?” she questions.

“Spirit of Vengeance,” you reply casually, “and part time Champion of Valor. Truth be told, it’s somewhat of a loosely defined occupation, but not a bad one. Also, I much prefer justice to vengeance whenever possible.”

“You have to admit, this all sounds insane,” Naomi protests gently, taking another sip of ale. “A talking manticore, a god blessed mortal…”

“Oh, you don’t the half of it,” Lucy groans.

“But do you have any proof… for any of this?”

“Well, I can’t say much for myself,” you admit. “There are plenty of strong lugs running around that could flim flam their way about faking what I’ve been given, but as for my companion.” You stand up politely and make for the door, casually opening it as you cup both hands together and shout to the heavens. “FALKOR!”

The dogs bark and the griffins tremble in their cages as your voice booms throughout the clearing and against the sky above, your reverb almost immediately answered by a roar like thunder as Falkor once more heeds your voice and begins making his descent. You know, come to think of it, that really is a terrifying sight, thousands of pounds of enormous lion rushing toward you at hard to fathom speeds on the wings of a bat, a barbed tail whipping behind him like a flail as he moves as though to pounce on you. The lesser beasts at least seem to be less inured to Falkor’s presence than you are, and indicate as much heartily as the roof behind you rattles at his descent, hay blowing away like sand as with one mighty wingbeat he cancels his momentum and lands on the ground in front of you.

“You called?” he questions, looking bemused as he notes the dogs huddled in their corners and the griffins somewhere between shrieking at his intrusion and trying to stuff themselves through the backs of their cages.

“We just need to settle a small matter regarding legitimacy,” you sigh, looking toward the doorway to find Naomi already peering out, “and then we may be able to get out of here with your child.”

“So be it,” he snorts, and you can feel a sort of understanding pass between you as he surveys the situation on your mind. “Then let her come and place her hand on me. Speaking is ‘difficult’ but not impossible with others.”

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>>508858

“Well,” you say. “I suppose a friendly chat would be in order then. Naomi, please don’t be intimidated, but he’ll need you to place a hand on his head so that you can hear him.”

The woman looks at you as though you’ve gone insane but complies, moving sheepishly to the great beast and placing a hand on his forehead.

“Oh my gods!” you hear her breath, Falkor’s tail flicking impatiently as she settles her mind. “So they weren’t lying after all… Oh, well, yes I bought her from a man who…. He’s on your back? How did you even.... Well, I understand and that’s tragic, but I… I can’t just… I need to make a living, you see, a-“

Falkor’s face, having grown more inscrutable as the discussion continued, suddenly roars into the woman’s face, body pressing hers to the ground in one swift motion as he opens his mouth wide to expose his fangs. The horror in that moment is surreal, once more finding yourself trapped in the knowledge you can’t do anything, and yet, you see he clearly stops himself short, continuing a conversation in silence with the woman that you can only speculate at. However, from the way Naomi pales beneath him, it can’t be pleasant. Still, against all odds, she eventually manages to scramble away whole and relatively unscathed, stumbling into her house before squeaking back:

“Please send him away!”

With a nod and another bout of short conversation, you manage to convince Falkor to let you handle this, the great beast vanishing from sight before you can take three steps to the door. Inside, you find the beastkin working hard on another cup of the strong stuff, taking deep, desperate gulps for a good couple of minutes before her nerves are once again steady enough to continue.

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>>508860

“W-Well, that was something…” she murmurs.

“I would imagine,” you empathize. “My apologies if he was a bit-“

She holds up a finger to stop you, then turns to Margy.

“You are a priestess of the church of Orrin, you said?”

“Why yes, I a-“

“Good. I want an IOU good through the church coffers for the amount you promised, and I want your word-“ She points to you. “That you’ll take that beast and his cub far away from my home! We’ll discuss what you owe me in two years when she’s closer to breeding age, but before that, I don’t want to see you, either of you, anywhere near my property.”

“Um… I….”

“Here.” She’s already shoving Nadia’s cage in your hands, followed by toys, food, and grooming equipment as she cleans out the surrounding area at a breakneck pace and stows the contents into several sacks.

And by the time she’s done, Margy has a paper drawn up and signed, one Naomi seemingly gives little consideration to before shoving it into her shirt and ushering you all out.

“All I wanted to do was take care of her,” she offers, one last tearful reassurance before she slams the door behind her, leaving you feeling a mixture of triumph and shame as the tiny form in your arms mewls innocently from inside its cage.

> What to do?
> [] Get going. Call Falkor.
> [] Try to make this right somehow.
> [] Other

>>508863
>[] Try to make this right somehow.
I really do feel bad about this.
Most likely she wanted to take care of the cub because she's part manticore herself.

Perhaps we should send Margy back instead of ourselves, to speak with Naomi. We are the one who brought an evolved manticore that wants to kill her to her home.

>>508863
>> [] Try to make this right somehow.

I'm just not sure what we could do to make things right.
I mean, look at things from Naomi's perspective:
She bought a manticore cub from an obvious asshole of a man, hoping to keep it safe from being beaten and broken like she knows most such beasts will be. Also she feels some kinship with it, being a beastkin manticore herself.
So she takes care of the cub, gets attached to it, and even gets a tidy profit that'll help both herself, the other beasts she's training, and the manticore cub.

Then comes some guy with a tall tale, and next thing you know a sapient engine of death is threatening to kill you and all you love.

>>508872
>>508910
I only feel slightly bad. She wasnt hers to take care of. So she got her feelings hurt. Not that much of a loss in the long run, and we cant make everyone happy anyway. She'll get her money, possibly some cubs down the road, and the manticore gets his child and some measure of justice. I call this a win.
> [] Get going. Call Falkor.

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>>508966
>>508902
>>508872

“Just can’t catch a break, now can we?” you sigh, handing the cage off to Lucy. “If you ladies will excuse me, I’ll be along. Just, well, this isn’t exactly the note I wanted to leave on.”

Soon that just leaves you in that quiet training yard. Well, really, it’s you, seven terrified mutts, and two rather upset griffins, but you digress. Stalling isn’t about to get you anywhere now. So, instead, you once more get back to knocking, rhythmically rapping on the cottage door to no avail until you eventually think to try to see if it’s open.

As fortune would have it, the latch is loose, and figuring that you’ve likely done worse today than let yourself in, you promptly do so, once more walking into the cozy cottage to find your former hostess pouring herself a fresh glass of firewater to chase down the day’s events.

“What do you want now?” Naomi groans grumpily, rubbing at her nose with one paw-like hand and taking a long pull from her mug before turning to face you. “I’ll have you know, I’ve had enough company for one day…”

“That’s understandable. After all, we’ve been rather terrible house guests,” you admit. “Well, I have at any rate, and that doesn’t sit right with me. I’m not much of one for leaving sour tastes in people’s mouths for just minding their own business.”

She says nothing, just refills her glass and takes another long sip in that awkward silence.

“I bear you no ill will for any of this,” you clarify, “and I hope come the end the feeling can be mutual across the board. You were simply doing what you thought was right, what was best for your charges and yourself. You couldn’t have possibly known about any of the rest, about Falkor or his mate or that anyone might come looking for the cub.

“Also, I wouldn’t dream of defending his actions when it came to how he threatened you. It was barbaric and unnecessary and… I fear it was simply the madness of parental affection overcoming his reason. Surely any parent, even your own parents, would have behaved the same if-“

“My mom sold me to wizards for spare parts,” she interrupts, “and my father probably would have been in on it if he hadn’t run off before I was born.”

“I… I’m sorry,” you say. “I couldn’t have-“

“No, you couldn’t have,” she snips, “but just like with Nadia, the damage is already done. Listen, you aren’t bad guys. I understand that. Just… I just want to be alone with a stiff drink right now. Get me my money, at least half before the month’s out so that I can pay off some loans, and we’ll consider that a good start on an apology, okay? That about it?”

> Is it?
> [] Yes
> [] No. Say something else.
> [] Other

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>>509028

I'm gonna go to bed and pick up in the morning. I'm super sleepy.

>>509028
>[] No. Say something else.
"You were trying to do right by Nadia, in the way you could, and I want you to know that things like that do count. That you have made a difference for the better, even if all you got was threats and an incarnation of death roaring in your face for your trouble.
"This world makes things hard, where it's easy and profitable to do evil rather than good, but in the end, there is a reckoning and an accounting. I know not because of faith, like the good Sister Margy, but because I've personally been to the other side, rested on those light-kissed shores, and then been brought back here to this world.
"And if you'll indulge me, I do have one question: how did you manage healing Nadia's tail? I thought Harrison had surely cut it off, the way he was bragging about his manticore-hide belt."

I kind of want to take the helmet off, so that Naomi knows that Lee isn't just talking a tall tale about having died and then come back to life, but I don't know if she'll react with immediate horror at the revelation or not.

>>509028
> [] Yes
Maybe can have a better talk when we've made good on the promise.

>>509028
>> [] Yes

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>>509235
>>509051
>>509049
>>509028

“Not by a long shot,” you chuckle. “Believe me, I’ve a full speech about the natures of good and evil and the merits of personal choice rattling somewhere around in this head of mine. However, as you’ve said, I won’t trouble you with that today. Maybe when I’ve made good on the first part of my promise, we can have another luncheon or a dinner date. For now, I’ll simply say that despite present circumstances indicating otherwise, you’ve made the right decision today. And someday, no matter how small, those small acts of kindness will make their way back to you.”

She seems to have little to say to that, but all the same, you turn to leave, heading for the door before something hits you.

“Speaking of which, how is it that Nadia’s tail has grown back? Harrison seemed quite proud of the belt he’d made out of it.”

“It wasn’t cheap,” Naomi sighs quietly, staring at her mug, “and it wasn’t easy to find a priest who could do it, either. Like I said, I’ve got loans to pay back now. So don’t drag your ass getting me my money.”

“I think after everything you’ve done, we can manage,” you assure her, taking that as your cue to leave and gently shutting the door behind you before walking down the trail back to the village with confidence.

And as luck would have it, along the way to the tavern, you catch sight of your retinue up ahead: two women and a manticore gathered in a small clearing with a certain elf slumped over on the ground. Disconcerting to say the least, a quick round of jogging and a closer inspection reveals tiny quills sticking out of her hand as the likely culprit, and as the froth runs from her mouth you can guess their origin must lie with the now liberated cub impatiently squirming in the priestess’s arms as she tenderly lowers it down to her father’s paws.

Despite the size difference and the lack of mane, that’s a fact no one could contest as the two rush together, father and daughter reunited at last as both seemingly trying to make up for missed time and affection. Honestly, you never would have suspected Falkor could look so content, let alone purr as he embraces his tiny progeny, but it warms your undead heart, nonetheless, to be proven wrong and to set right something so wrong.

It had been worth the trip, worth the time investment, and gods willing, it would be the first of many victories to come in the mountain of tasks still set before you. If nothing else, it gives you hope, and that may be something more precious than gold in the not so distant future. Only time would tell.

>>509549
This has been a really fun quest, OP. I hope that the coming year proves to be not as bad as you've been told, and that we can revisit Lee, part-time Spirit of Justice, sometime soon in the future.

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>>509549
>>509571

And that's where I think we'll end it for now folks. As I said, I've got a rocky road ahead, and I'm not sure when I'll have time to run this again. This quest especially takes a long time for votes to come in between bouts of writing, and I find myself torn on how to make it all work out.

Again, maybe another quest forum is the answer, maybe a new quest that isn't going to have to go through a heart wrenching change of 4chan boards. But before I can make any definite decision on any of this, I'll have to see if I even have time to breath under the weight of school. Still, I encourage you to offer your suggestions here or on twitter, though preferably here as this thread won't die for going on a week.

I may be kind of infrequent in checking in, but I want to let you all know that you've been a great audience and I appreciate having been able to run this for you. I hope you've had fun and that we'll have a chance to do more together in the future. Until then, take care.

>>509579
>Again, maybe another quest forum is the answer,
Honestly, I don't think moving is the answer.
Maybe what would work better is when you post something, say how long the voting window will be, and then when it's up, post that voting is closed and get to writing.
That gives you a concrete amount of time and gives you discipline to start writing.

Maybe you'll only make 2 posts a day, or maybe you'll only run for 3 hours every other night; with /qst/ giving you a week for a thread to fall off, I think it's enough time and flexibility. So what you need more of is players to actually vote instead of futzing around, and to get writing instead of waiting around to see if another player will vote, thereby wasting hours that you could have spent finishing the posts for the day and then finishing up whatever other chores or tasks you have.

>>509611

Smaller windows of active writing is one possible solution. That's true.

For smaller voting windows, it can get a bit complicated. There have been notable occasions where I've waited an hour or two for a single response, and other occasions where a deadlock between even votes has gone on for a while. I could theoretically break those with a coin flip, if that's what people want, but there's also situations where rolls are called for and there aren't enough for best of three.

It's not a bad idea in principle though, definitely worth considering. Anyway, while I'm off, feel free to discuss things, propose things,etc.

>>509650
For deadlocks, a coin flip after you've announced that you'll flip a coin, and waited 30-45 minutes for further discussion/a player to arrive is a possible solution.
And if there aren't enough for a best of three, you can either roll the last roll yourself, or let one of the players reroll.

For the times when no one was available to play for an hour or two, there isn't much that I can think of except to note the time, and maybe it was just a bad time to run.