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Character and setting info: http://pastebin.com/u/MagicalPrincess
Archives (Episodes 1-59): http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Start+Over

+Quest
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MagicalMarquise
Ask.fm: http://ask.fm/MagicalMarquise
Collection of character descriptions (WIP, courtesy of anon): http://pastebin.com/pzYffs0R
Collection of quest art (NSFW): http://imgur.com/a/2nEyB/layout/grid (NSFW)

>>57844
>>”Yes, please show us around”.

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Today sure is a slow day.

Big name QMs are sleeping. So everyone is chilling elsewhere.

>Show us around

>>57844
>”Yes, please show us around”.
Hey MP.

"Yes, please show us around", you concede, and while you were expecting her expression to remain smug you didn't quite expect such a reaction.

"Hu hu hu... Not even asking something in particular? Leaving it up to me, a complete stranger you don't even know?". You start to get the feeling that, like Tahenohan, she is much older than she looks, because only after decades of harrowing practice and close brushes with death can someone hone his ability to be so naturally smug to that point where every most insignificant movement, the very angle at which her chin and eyes rest, the way the tip of her small nose stands out on her strangely smooth face take a professional painter hours to calculate and represent properly, "You must be very adventurous".

"I am", you answer with the same ease, grabbing Bryld's hand to make a point of just how confident you are about your own choices.

If it was Tahenohan, or even Astreya, you'd have expected them to burst out laughing at this point. But Cassilda does not, through in the glint of her eyes you can see that the smug has given way, if partially, to admiration. "Very well then, allow me to show you around".

While the show of three very fluffy tails waggling in front of you with each step of hers is unsurprisingly distracting, you have plenty of things to keep your attention busy with. One is the sight of every man and woman that comprise the fighting corps of Rune; from the rank and file to the elite, they all appear well-dressed and well-groomed, belonging to all sorts of human species with a wide range of colour in hair, eyes and complexions. Some of them greet Cassilda as she walks past, without stopping, the way they would greet an old friend.

“This part here you should get familiar with”, she comments as you approach a particularly wide tent with a large entrance, the curtains pulled wide open and secured so they will stay open. Nobody stands guard outside, and a quick peek reveals that there's non-military personnel inside, “This is the last bastion of order before the anarchy that is civilian life”, she chuckles, but you're not certain that was just a joke, “It's where we handle requisitions and trade, for a camp as big as ours needs plenty of everything. If you need supplies for your work you might want to ask here instead of meandering the rest of the camp like a lost lamb”.

You see, in fact, that past this point the camp becomes completely different.

A rough collection of tents, carts, caravans and other temporary or mobile structures, of all sizes and colours, cast together with no rhyme nor reason, let alone attention to organization, or leaving enough space to move comfortably about.

>”Can you show us the civilian part, too?”.
>”Anything else we should see in the military part?”.
>”Why are they so disorganized?”.
>”How many people live here?”.
>”What do you do around here?”.
>”What's that tower over there?”.
>”Who is it that keeps shouting?”.
>Other?

>>58028
>”How many people live here?”.
>”What's that tower over there?”.

>>58028
>”Anything else we should see in the military part?”.
>”Why are they so disorganized?”.
>”What do you do around here?”.
>”What's that tower over there?”.
>”Who is it that keeps shouting?”.

>>58028
>”Can you show us the civilian part, too?”.
>”How many people live here?”.
>”Who is it that keeps shouting?”.

"What's that tower over there?", now that you are closer and have a much clearer line of sight, you do see there's a strange... Structure coming out of the ground.

It's made of stone, and in a way similar to a stone tower, the likes of which you have seen already, but it's not as... Straight or safe as you might have expected. It looks more like some strange outgrowth that mimicks the shape of a tree, with its body branching up in two different directions about halfway through. It is also devoid of doors and windows or any other opening, at least from where you can see.

"Oh, that?", she cracks a wide smile, "Did I mention a wizard came and decided to help us but was in a hurry? That's what she made".

"Pffff wizards", Tahenohan goes, laughing at the tower. The irony of the only magic-user in your party to laugh at that is not lost on anyone, not even Cassilda, who joins in.

"Right? I mean it's like she expected us to just carve its insides with a pickaxe!".

Well, that confirms it. There are no openings. It's not even surprising that there's a clear area devoid of tents and even human passage well around it, except for some children playing nearby assuming the distance and human obstructions don't confuse you. That's some mighty childish innocence at work there.

"How many people live here?", you then ask. The civilian part is much more varied in appearance, though it most likely gives such an impression also thanks to the fact they do not wear uniforms, but rather the clothes they came with, and considering they come from more or less all over Rune and even its neighbouring countries there's plenty of cultural variety there.

"Well, we had two hundred-odd soldiers, plus some volunteers we left behind to hold our supply line, plus some... Auxiliaries, plus said soldiers' families... And then came the colonists", Cassilda explains, pausing to make it obvious she's adding things up in her mind, "I'd say there's definitely more than five hundred people, but less than a thousand".

“Who is it that keeps shouting?”, you can't help but wonder for you've been hearing that voice, the same voice, for quite a while now, and it only got clearer the further South you went.

“Oh, that? That's Rire. Rire Angus- Angr- Anguza-”, Cassilda stops, her accent isn't tremendously strong but there are some sounds, you've noticed, that she seems to have problems producing properly, albeit in her defence this sounds like a name even you might mispronounce, “Rire, our civil engineer. Get used to it, it's her voice and the volume's stuck there, it doesn't get any lower”.

You can't help but wonder how she manages to do that, she has to be giant-kin, like Arianna, or something. Your throat would get sore after five minutes of that.

>”Anything else we should see in the military part?”.
>”Can you show us the civilian part too?”.
>”Why are they so disorganized?”.
>”What do you do around here?”.
>”Thank you, we'll manage from here”.
>Other?

>>58070
>”Can you show us the civilian part too?”.

>>58070
>”Why are they so disorganized?”.
>”What do you do around here?”.

>doesn't get any lower
Not even in bed?

>>58070
>”Anything else we should see in the military part?”.
>”What do you do around here?”.

.

"So what is it that you do around here?", you decide to ask Cassilda now that you went past the first impressions awkwardness and figure you can talk a bit more openly to her. It's still odd to see how she's a full head shorter than you are, she's even shorter than Tahenohan once you get past the illusion of height her perky fox ears give.

"Me? I'm just the best strategist the kingdom of Rune has on its payroll", she modestly explains, "And frankly, without me, this whole Reconquista affair just wouldn't have been possible, I mean sure everyone here is good at what they do, but good is just not enough when you face the unknown. I'm sure you know what I mean, eh?", she nudges your abs, expecting a reaction of sorts from you.

Bryld is still close to you, but she's also quite distracted, her bunny ears are perked up and trying to distinguish what this Rire person is saying, frowning in effort. Tahenohan, on the other hand, raises her hand and immediately asks a question of her own, "Hey, hey, do we have a wizard club?".

"No", Cassilda promptly answers, "We had requested a wizard before because my magic alone was great but more would be better. I recall we got something. Something official I mean, I'm pretty sure there's at least one other adventurer in town that's a magic-user, but they're probably keeping a low profile".

"Which means they're useless", Tahenohan remarks. This actually does get Cassilda to laugh. It's an acute, yapping laughter.

"I like you, would you like to help out with the Reconquista?".

"Depends on how much cheese you can give me".

You leave the two magic users to joke with each other, as you've concluded that their humour just flies over the head of anyone not in their craft. You look at Bryld until she notices and stops paying attention to all of the shouting.

“Ah, sorry”, she admits with a small smile, “I was just- Her accent. It's very similar to Luna's, I think they hail from the same parts”.

“Yerles?”, you ask, but she shrugs.

“I don't know if it's Yerles or Schwartzwald or where exactly, but the accent is clearly that of these parts”, she then shoots Cassilda a glance, “I was about to say Northern but... She's from even further up and her accent is just plain weird, it's unlike anything I heard before. Did you know they draw rather than write?”.

You don't know much about geography, just that Amatsu is really far, and somewhat alien apparently, but you had no idea it was near Yerles, or Yuno. You actually don't even know where these two places are exactly.

One day you really ought to get your hands on a world map, you keep meeting people from strange places.

>”Let's all go see the civilian camp”.
>”Let's go see if they have supplies for us”.
>”Let's go see the civilian camp, just me and you”.
>”Let's go look for more wizards”.
>”Let's go recruit more party members”.
>Other?

>>58142
>>”Let's go see if they have supplies for us”.

>>58142
>”Let's all go see the civilian camp”.

>>58142
>”Let's go look for more wizards”.
>”Let's go recruit more party members”.

>>58142
>”Let's go see the civilian camp, just me and you”.
>”Let's go recruit more party members”.

>>58142
>>”Let's go recruit more party members”.

>Did you know they draw rather than write
Did she mean that they have ideograms, or that they don't have a writing system?

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>>58190
>Did she mean that they have ideograms, or that they don't have a writing system?

You have no idea (in character).

>>58191
Well we wouldn't be reading then, would we? Very inappropriate image MP.

You gaze at the undignified mass of temporary accommodations before you.

The civilian part of the camp is really messy. What semblance of order there was, mostly thanks to camp aides and the soldiers' families, who had enough sense and know-how to keep a modicum of organization in their placements, completely flew out of the non-existing window the moment the colonists arrived. Lacking any sort of discipline and following a fad that only died down the moment news about the wild, untamed land lost to war was not as safe and gay as it first looked came around.

Seeing the tangle mess that resulted by the excess of hype that, admittedly, brought you there along with hundreds of others makes you re-evaluate the choice that some made to either go back to Rune or stay in Reboldeux. You can't imagine what would have happened if you were to double the amount of tents and caravans in Maner.

But that doesn't mean there aren't upsides.

"Say Bryld", you lightly tug her arm to get her attention, "Let's go and recruit more party members".

She looks up at you, giving that look she usually gives you when you say something she does not feel to be perfectly appropriate, "What".

"What, are you jealous?", you chuckle, "Come on, this is a great opportunity, there's all sorts of adventurers about that might make our journey safer".

"Well I don't really disagree", she admits, "It's just that... It was a bit sudden, that's all".

"Come on then, let's go", you suggest, but she pulls you to a halt, looking at Tahenohan.

"We can't leave her here", she mutters as she stares at her. It's kind of lovely to see her converse so naturally with Cassilda. Then again Tahenohan does have a gift for going from stranger to buddy in the span of about five minutes.

"Why not? They seem to be having fun".

"You know she's going to offer to build an undead army and pull out all those bones from her sack".

"Hey Tahe!", you call her, immediately realizing Bryld is absolutely right, "We're going to look for more party members, you coming with us?".

"Ah! Yes! Yes yes yes!", she jumps, then turns to Cassilda, "So, tonight!".

"Sure thing", the foreign fox smiles, waving the half-elf away.

It seems that, if you meant to stop something from happening, you were a bit too late. Bryld apparently realizes this, but she's starting to be more accepting of such quirks of the necromantic thought process.

But, as Cassilda appropriately warned you, the civilian part of the camp is a mess. People all over the place, impromptu houses here and there, furniture scattered and placed where you thought you found a passage, and then you circle around only to find a family of twelve having breakfast with pasta and salami.

It's confusing and time-consuming. You need directions.

>Look for a tavern-like thing.
>Follow the shouting.
>Reach the “tower”.
>Go to the southern outskirts.
>Other?

>>58226
>Look for a tavern-like thing.

>>58226
>Follow the shouting.

Event?

Also hello. Was unable to catch the beginning.

>>58226
>>Follow the shouting.

>>58226
>>Follow the shouting.
Sounds interesting.

>>58226
>Look for a tavern-like thing.

You lost your way.

It was fast, easier than you thought and quite irritating. You've been in Reboldeux when it was way overcrowded and you needed to elbow your way through endless crowds, but at least the town made some sort of sense. Streets brought you places, and were crowded for reasons.

Here? None of that.

Your only salvation is sound, to listen to that loud shouting and focus on reaching it. It's by far not the only sound in the camp: the crackling of fire, the bubbling of soups, constant chatter, hammers beating on iron, wood being sawn or shaved, horses neighing... There's plenty of life, no denying that, but yet somehow the shouting manages to stand out against all that.

"BRING IT TO BEAR! HAVE YOU EVER PUSHED A CART BEFORE IN YOUR LIFE? YOU'LL DROP THE STONES ON SOMEONE'S HEAD!". It's also starting to become clearer, even though you still can't see the source you are surprised to suddenly see something you didn't quite expect to witness in such a faraway place.

A paved road. A well-made, fresh new, solid, easy to walk on paved road, that's cutting through the camp and aimed towards the military side, northwards, even though it's currently blocked by people who put their stuff where they shouldn't have. Not that it matters because the construction site is going southwards.

A huffing worker pushes a cart past you, following the wake of another, possibly the one that was just reprimanded. You see several people ahead busy digging the road's base and then filling it up properly so as to make it into one of the bastions of civilization that connect the whole kingdom of Rune and allow people from all paths of life to go from one point to another with ease and never losing their way.

You know because they helped you and your friends escape a life of struggle and poverty.

"DIG DEEPER! DEEPER! THAT'S NOT QUITE ENOUGH FOR THE STRATA! DEEPER I SAID DO I HAVE TO COME DOWN AND SHOW YOU AGAIN?". It's only thanks to the fact the workers are in a road-shaped hole that you can finally spot the mysterious shouter. It's a very short lady with pale blond hair held up in twintails, dressed with a blue jacket and grey trousers that do nothing to hide how thick and stout her lower body is, especially not the low boots that show her feet are much larger than you'd expect from a human. Her hairstyle also shows off her pointed ears that are, however, much closer to the skull and nowhere near as slender as Tahenohan's.

"NO NO NO DON'T PUT THAT SOIL IN THE CART THAT'S CLAY! WE CAN USE THAT CLAY, PUT IT ELSEWHERE!", she keeps shouting as she takes a pencil poised on her ear to make a note on a large piece of paper that could be a plan.

She's clearly in charge of the operation and very successful in keeping everyone busy, with no time to rest.

>Try to approach her.
>Offer to help out.
>Look for a tavern-like thing instead.
>Reach the “tower” instead.
>Move to the outskirts instead.
>Other?

>>58296
>Look for a tavern-like thing instead.
We can wait until she has time.

>>58296
>Try to approach her.

>>58296
>Offer to help out.

>>58296
>Reach the “tower” instead.

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>>58305
>>58311
>>58327
>>58337
You're doing this on purpose.

>>58296
>>Look for a tavern-like thing instead.

I swore I wasn't going to vote, fuck /qst/.

But I can't see MP in pain

>>58344
Nooooo we're not MP!

>>58305
>>Move to the outskirts instead.

...just kidding.

>>Offer to help out.

>>58349
Seriously, fuck this board. I'm not posting here.

>>58349
It's for a good cause!

>>58296
>Reach the “tower” instead.

>>58353
BUT YOU JUST DID
CHECKMATE ATHEISTS

>>58349
I feel the same, anon.

You have several options open in front of you.

You could try to bother the workers and ask for information, or if any of them would rather do something else, but considering just how much of a slave driver this civil engineer looks to be you'd only get them in trouble if you did something like that.

You could try and approach her, but Bryld's ears are already cowering. She's likely much more sensitive to that shouting than you are, meaning she'd be a terrible adventuring partner if what Cassilda said about her volume never going down is true. She is the largest ham you've ever heard, you bet her body is also thick and dense like a ham under those admittedly not thick clothes. To be sure, your experience with dwarves, which is pretty much limited to hearsay, tells you that she's likely much, much, much heavier than her size would indicate. Kind of like the opposite of Tahenohan.

Or, at the same time, you could go somewhere else. You probably would be better off looking for a tavern or whatever passes for such a thing here in Maner. Or maybe you should reach the "tower" since that would make you more visible?

In the meantime, people continue to work all around you, following the instructions of the shouting dwarf. You think her name's Rire, this much Cassilda could pronounce.

"Should we move to a tavern or to the tower?", you ask Bryld, uncertain on what to do.

"What?", she answers, bending closer to you. Her fluffy ears touch your horns as she does so.

"I said", you raise your voice, but not too much as you don't want to destroy your buddy's ear canals, but at the same time that dwarf just won't stop shouting, "Should we go to a tavern or to the tower?".

"What?".

It's hopeless.

"HEY YOU! YOU, WITH THE RED SKIN!", for a moment it's like everyone is looking at you. Scratch that, everyone does look at you, even if just for a brief moment; most people have enough sense to immediately go back to their work, even though you have to admit there's plenty in you that can make an eye linger for more than necessary, "EITHER HELP OUT OR MOVE OUT YOU'RE IN THE WAY OF EVERYTHING!".

That's a bit of a dramatic overstatement, but you might nonetheless piss the workers off, and not just her, which is arguably worse. At the very least when you check your surroundings you can see that next to the already-completed road is the skeleton of another structure. A relatively large buildings whose foundations have been completed already.

You wonder if it's the lack of materials that prevented the work from continuing, but there's no denying that this civil engineer has been keeping herself, and many others, busy with useful work. You doubt the buildings in New Royo had foundations this solid-looking, and Maner really looks like it needs a better thought out city plan than this mess.

>Leave.
>Offer to help.
>Approach the dwarf.
>Other?

>>58395
>Approach the dwarf.
dorf

>>58395
>Approach the dwarf.

I can hear the fourth wall cracking a bit.

>>58395
>Leave.
Poor Bryld.

>>58395
>>Leave.

>Offer to help.

Come on guys.

>>58395
>Offer to help.
I'm sorry, MP.

>>58429
We're already busy with all sorts of stuff, anon! And we haven't even had a proper night's rest in ages right?

Between Bryld's obvious discomfort and your lack of excitement at the idea of being trampled by the next cart passing through you decide to just bow out and leave the premises. You wouldn't like it either if someone got in the way of your own work when you had lots of it to do and your boss was right next to you shouting orders from dawn to dusk.

It takes a bit of adventure spirit to move far enough to not be a bother when you have no idea where you're going, and the camp is in such a messy state that there's no way to be sure where you even are. After passing through an open-air wooden workshop, someone's garden and what appears to be one of the many impromptu nurseries where people keep their small children when the rest of the family is busy working away, you arrive...

... Yeah, no, you have no idea where you are. You're between a tent full of bags and backpacks stuffed with clothes and two caravans, only one of which was properly stopped with wooden brakes and a pair of heavy stones, just to be absolutely sure it wouldn't budge. Then again, considering the lack of space and how flat the plains here are, you doubt the other would go far.

Several sorts of smells have passed by your nose: mostly sweat, but also various sorts of food, breakfast, other preparations and sometimes even spices. There's some pungent yet sweet smells coming from one of the two caravans but you're opposite to their entrance, so you can't see what's inside.

"And I thought Reboldeux was bad", Bryld comments, "I have no idea where we are".

"Neither do I!", Tahenohan announces, raising her arms in glee. In a way, you guess this is adventure.

You collect your thoughts for a moment and then decide to move away, looking for somewhere familiar. As you circle the caravans, you see that one of them is closed up, its occupants likely somewhere else, while the other is open, with a small set of stairs leading up to what seems to be a small laboratory, with some spices of unknown nature exposed at the window.

"Ah!", a woman goes as she peeks out, immediately recognizing you, "It's you!".

It takes you a while to recall her face, but rather than that it's the highly fashionable Prontera-style dress she is wearing that rekindles your memory. Green, with a wide skirt and embroidered, with a brown gilet that gives her a respectable air. Where the green dress should have been open to reveal a blouse lying underneath, it is instead closed, possibly to hide the fact she isn't as dressed as fashion demands. Understandable in this climate.

It's Delphine, that cocoa specialist you briefly met back in Reboldeux, with her child peeking out of the doorway. “Haven't seen each other in a while have we? How are the Shadow Marches treating you?”.

>”Fine, you?”.
>”Not so well”.
>”Absolutely fantastic”.
>”We're looking for adventurers”.
>”Is Nasir around?”.
>”Can you give us directions? We're lost”.
>Other?

>>58468
>”Fine, you?”.
>”Is Nasir around?”.
>”Can you give us directions? We're lost”.

>>58468
>”Fine, you?”.
>”We're looking for adventurers”.
>”Can you give us directions? We're lost”.

>>58468
>”Can you give us directions? We're lost”.

>>”Can you give us directions? We're lost”.

>>58468
>”Fine, you?”.
>”Can you give us directions? We're lost”.
Hello!

"We're fine. How are you?", you exchange pleasantries for a bit. It's a little bit odd, you're not used to this kind of very polite behaviour, especially not in the middle of a frontier outpost, but seeing how Bryld just flows naturally with it all makes you suspect you just didn't have the right upbringing to be attracted to these greetings and quite superficial exchanges of information.

Not that it feels bad or unpleasant, but it really feels like it's more appropriate to a nice part of town rather than here. Even Tahenohan rolls with it, but she rolls with pretty much everything.

Delphine's caravan isn't very large but it's quite comfortable-looking. The wood is well-polished and decorated with some geometrical paint so as to make it more pleasant to the eye. The single window is extended to double as a stand to expose goods on, although it's mostly spices you're unfamiliar with. The inside does look like a laboratory for what you can see, and the child that's peeking out looks quite shy but not fearful; likely less than ten years old and, like most children, you can't tell whether it's a boy or a girl.

"Good, business' been good", she explains after a bit, "Cocoa used to be a fairly exotic prime material back in Rune but here? It's practically spontaneous, I have some good fellows that help me grow it, too. Ah, we really should organize our gardens better though. And our houses", she chuckles politely, "I'm sorry, I understand you might feel a bit lost. I was too when I first arrived".

"Can you give us some directions, as a matter of fact?", you ask.

"Why, gladly!", she smiles, "What are you looking for?".

"We're looking for people. Possibly the adventurous sort", you explain, "We're looking to expand our roster. By the way, is Nasir around?".

"My my that's very forward-thinking of you!", Delphine compliments, "Nasir has opened up shop a bit further away from here, he sells general goods, I bet he'll be delighted to meet you as well. As for your search, there's plenty of unique people in Maner, most of whom are, I believe, looking to employ their abilities more. Might I suggest you visit the stage and barbecue area? I do believe you will find your quarries there".

"There's a stage?", Bryld looks considerably surprised.

"Ah yes. Do forgive me, I was giving that for granted. As we do not have a tavern yet, what with the lack of usable stone around these parts, people made do with what they had and as a result we created a pavilioned area where joviality and communion can be had and accompanied by musical instruments. And barbecues", she adds with a smile, "Maybe I can accompany you? I do admit I would not mind to walk outside for a bit, or would you rather a nice cup of milk chocolate? My word, you do seem tired”.

>”Some chocolate would be great, thank you”.
>”No thanks, we'd rather find some like-minded individuals first”.
>”We'd rather see Nasir first”.
>Other?

>>58533
>”Some chocolate would be great, thank you”.

>>58533
>>”Some chocolate would be great, thank you”.

>>58533
>>”Some chocolate would be great, thank you”.

>>58533
>”Some chocolate would be great, thank you”.

>>58533
>”Some chocolate would be great, thank you”.

We love hot chocolate.

>>58603
It's simply too delicious!

"Some chocolate would be great, thank you", it's not kind to refuse an offer, especially not an offer this kind and appropriate for your condition. Besides, you can't remember the last time you had chocolate, it is a quite exotic product in Rune.

"Then please, do give me a moment! I will bring out a table for you", and before you can offer to help she hops back inside the caravan and comes out with a low table with a very simple mechanism that allows it to be folded up so it takes half the space it usually would. It's not quite heavy enough to have her struggle to carry it, but you instinctively help her as soon as she comes out with it.

"Thank you!", she smiles as she opens it up and places it on the grass, "Unfortunately I could not fit chairs in my caravan, I had to acquire it on a budget you see", she justifies herself, although this isn't the worse accomodation you had, and once you sit on the ground and cross your legs you find that you can easily fit them beneath the table with no problems.

She then returns in the caravan and, while she works her magic, Tahenohan goes "I haven't had chocolate in such a long time".

"Neither have I", Bryld adds, "I don't think anyone has here".

"I haven't", you confirm, and she smiles.

"I thought you might have had more. You travelled a lot already, or is it uncommon everywhere?", Bryld then asks Tahenohan.

"Oh, no, in Lustria it's so common you can have it pretty much every day", the half-elf explains, "But I've passed by that place only once and I was on the run from a tribe who sent their warriors after me because I violated their holy burial places".

"W-why would you do that?", you ask, but are met with a shrug of hers.

"Didn't know it was theirs", she simply answers, clearly more easygoing about the issue than anyone else would have been. No surprise she got that treatment.

Delphine returns with three ceramic cups full of steaming hot chocolate, "Here you go! Take it easy, it's quite hot. Unfortunately I have no cookies to go with them, neither some jelly, I have just run out of the kiwi type I was gifted a few days ago".

“No problem”, you assure her. As a matter of fact, having chocolate is already a small blessing in itself. The aroma is fresh and thick, but sweet and not pungent at all. The taste is an expert mixture of thick and fluid, bittersweet to the point it leaves a pleasant aftertaste that has you crave for more, and yet at the same time thick and filling enough to quell your stomach for quite a while.

A small blessing it might be, but it brings considerable solace.

“What kind of person are you looking for? Maybe I know someone already”, Delphine then offers, eager to help.

>”An experienced explorer”.
>”We need a good fighter, just in case”.
>”A locksmith, if you know what I mean”.
>”I heard there are magic users available?”.
>”A good hunter”.
>”A herbalist would be great”.
>Other?

>>58626
>”A locksmith, if you know what I mean”.
Way to make it sound dirty, Lillith.
>”We need a good fighter, just in case”.

>>58626
Let's see.
We have mage and exporer covered to some extent, and we don't want to have our job taken away.

So I think a hunter to help secure food for when our trips end up a bit longer than planned?

>”A good hunter”.

They might also grant us eyes.

>>58626
>”An experienced explorer”.
>”We need a good fighter, just in case”.
>”A good hunter”.

Also, while rogues are of great use to regular adventuring parties, aren't we meant to be just wandering around the wilderness doing legal stuff? How many locks are we really gonna run into? That chest was a pretty big fluke all things considered, and we've not exactly been exploring dungeons or storming forts so far.

>>58626
>”A locksmith, if you know what I mean”.

You think about it a little. It'd be good if she could just introduce you to some people without you going through all the talent hunting yourself first, "We would need a good hunter", you decide, "And a good fighter too. Possibly both at the same time".

"Mh... Hunters, eh? I am unfamiliar with how hunters operate, but I have been told that wildlife is so abundant even a child with a bow could catch something to feed himself with", Delphine explains, "Though fighters are, dare I say, exceedingly easy to find in those of adventurous ilk. There have been plenty of, shall I say, mercenaries, helping the Royal Army. I heard a few of them cleared out the whole pirate den on their own".

Well that's quite impressive to hear. You doubt people of that level of skill would be very interested in joining your comparatively boring adventures, but it's good to know they exist and are on your side. Especially the latter.

"We might also require the experience of a locksmith. If you know what I mean", you then suggest, wondering just how many other treasure chests you might find in your quest. You're perfectly aware that your latest finding was just a fluke and you might never encounter another in your travels, but what's to stop a cambion from dreaming?

"A locksmith? Well now that's not the kind of contact I have... Unless...", she ponders about it, then snaps her fingers, "Ah! I know!".

You blink, and so does Bryld, both surprised. Tahenohan isn't. It takes much more to faze her.

"I know just the type for you!", she confidently continues, nodding her head, "As a matter of fact, they might be looking for employment right now".

"Oh?", you wonder, she sounds quite certain that you'll appreciate what she has to offer, "You have someone in mind?".

"Yes. Would you like me to lead you to them? I believe they usually hang out in the stage area, as I told you before. I can accompany you until that point, it's the least I can do for you".

She keeps giving those bright smiles. You don't remember ever doing much, if anything at all, for her, but it's not like her help is a bad thing to receive. Quite the contrary.

“Who are these people?”, Bryld asks, her curiosity clearly sparked at this point.

“Julio and Carrera. Oh, they may not look like much at first sight but they were part of the team that stormed the pirate den, so they have to be competent, you know?”, Delphine's parameter doesn't sound far off at all, though it may make them a bit out of your reach, interest-wise. You exchange glances with Bryld, who seems to share your own concerns, which is something you're certain Tahenohan isn't even considering, both given her manic look and her fixed gaze, showing quite some interest, “Would you like to go meet them?”.

>”Yes please, can you lead us?”.
>”We actually need some more... Modest help”.
>”Yes but we'll find our own way, thank you”.
>”Actually we also might need a... [what?]”.
>Other?

>>58626
>”A locksmith, if you know what I mean”.
>”We need a good fighter, just in case”.

>>58696
>”Yes please, can you lead us?”.

>>57844
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QH20M7gG0c

>>58696
>>”We actually need some more... Modest help”.

>>58696
>”Yes please, can you lead us?”.
>>58712
What?

>>58696
>”We actually need some more... Modest help”.
They sound expensive

>>58696
>”Yes please, can you lead us?”.
>”But we actually need some more... Modest help”.

>>58696
>”We actually need some more... Modest help”.

Unless we can pay them in divine demon dickings of course.

"Er, actually...", you smile, trying to not sound like you're being dismissive of her help, "If only you could... I mean we need a bit more... Modest help".

She blinks, at which point Bryld comes to your aid, "What we mean to say is that we're just exploring the wilderness. I mean, heroes of that caliber...".

"Nonsense!", Delphine declares with a smile, "I'm more than certain your task is just as deserving, Nalesia needs more people like you, in fact. I insist, allow me to introduce you. Please do follow me".

Since there doesn't seem to be a way of making her give it up, you follow her suit. Besides, Tahenohan clearly does not share your concerns and is much more than happy to follow Delphine and meet this couple you've been told about.

It's amazing how deftly a woman who has been there about a month longer than you have manages to move around this mess of a camp. Your destination is not, in fact, far away from your starting point, but you couldn't see it from there, nor follow a straight path or any other similarly easy way.

But still, the place you reach is a landmark on its own, given how unique it is compared to the tangled juggle of tents all around you. Two different pavilions keep several tables and benches in the shade, and the whole setup is able to accommodate for at least fifty people, possibly more, though there's but a fraction thereof right now.

A relatively large area has been cleared, there are three different semi-permanent fire pits, none of them active or attended right now, with grills over them to allow for those barbecues you've been told about. A bit further away from there are a few wooden planks raised a little above the ground level and the underlying grass which you presume is meant to be the stage.

A woman is idly stringing a harp there, and even though she seems to be simply tuning her instrument, the soft melody she produces is enough to calm the heart. Her blue and purple clothes appear to be of Morroc origin, enhancing her slender but strong figure, and the silk hood she's wearing covers her smooth face in a pleasant, fresh shade, but still exposing her olive skin and letting her straight black hair poke out.

You are then distracted as a huge woman passes just by, carrying a large crate full of various types of vegetables as she hums a soft tune. Her impressive height leads you to look up, and immediately spot a pair of broad, bovine horns. Her muscular yet soft build is only covered by a cloth wrap covering her breasts and a pair of light purple trousers, showing the healthy tan she got with that exposition and offering enough room for a tail with puffy brown hair at the end to poke out, and you can't help but notice she has hooves instead of feet.

"Ah, there they are!", Delphine announces, directing your attention towards a couple sitting at the scarcely populated tables, "Here, come with me, I'll introduce you".

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And this is it for Episode 60!

Thanks to you for participating, all of you, old and new, and for bearing through the board change.

I know it's selfish but I really, really love the new character limit, 50% more description space is great, although I'm afraid it will make the game go even slower.

Still, it's good to be running still. Thank you again, see you next week!

>>58830
Thanks for running MP!

>>58830
Please run on /tg/.

PLEASE

>>58830
Don't worry about it, you didn't really go overboard with post-length today at least.

HONK HONK

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>>58843
There's been a few times where I hit the character limit and had to cut something out. I'm sorry.

I'm kind of getting the feel of where the new character limit is, though. Give me a few more threads and I'll be able to "feel" when I'm running out of space just like when I learned to handle the 2000 character limit.

>>58837
I understand this new board has been introduced the worst possible way and many people still don't understand the reason for such choice, but it's only going to be a terrible thing if we allow it to be.

>>58869
>but it's only going to be a terrible thing if we allow it to be.

It's going to keep being terrible if you just accept it. /tg/ was our home, I don't like being exiled to a slow ghetto.

I found this quest like 40 threads in browsing /tg/, I wouldn't have found it otherwise, and now I'm worried no one else will.

>>58869
Thanks for running!

>>58886
Then move here, join the community, make this board more active, and more people will come here and participate.

>>58902
>Then move here, join the community, make this board more active, and more people will come here and participate.

This place is already stagnating in less then a week. And no /tg/ is my home. I'm a fa/tg/uy as are 90% of the people who play quests.

This board was unwarranted and you're giving the idiots who made it an excuse to keep it.

>>58869
Do we have a free source of milk in the party now?

>>58935
That's rude, just because she's a minotauress doesn't mean she lactates.

>>58953
I agree, but it's a valid stereotypical question, right?

It's better to utilize it than waste it.

>>58964
I dunno if Lillith would be the first to propagate stereotypes like that given her own troubles with them.