>>1852281
But the self-proclaimed witch shakes her head. "I have made myself clear."

"Come on, I seriously can't remember anything at all. At least tell me my name."

She frowns slightly. "Carry out your duty, and you'll learn all you wish to know." Treating the matter as settled, the conceited witch continues on. "Now, are you ready? Listen carefully, as I'll not be repeating myself..."

But the matter's not really settled at all, is it now...?

It seems that she's about to begin explaining the quest.

...

>Listen to her calmly.
>"Look, what the fuck could I possibly do for you when I don't even know my own name?!"
>"Why do you think I care about things I can't even remember? I'm not working for you. I'll go find my own way."

>>1852283
>>"Why do you think I care about things I can't even remember? I'm not working for you. I'll go find my own way."

>>1852283
>>Listen to her calmly.

>>1852283
>>Listen to her calmly.

>>1852283
>>"Why do you think I care about things I can't even remember? I'm not working for you. I'll go find my own way."

>>1852283
>Listen to her DISGRUNTLEDLY.

The fact that she went this far means that out memories are an issue to her in some way, most likely. Let's at least figure out what she wants.

>>1852283
If I'm doing something for you, you should do something for me, right? Let me remember at least one thing, to prove that what you're saying is true.

>>1852323
The most obvious reason would be that we had a reason to not help her when we had our memories. Or maybe is just that we were too selfish to do shit for other people. Anyways, can we all agree on NOT doing what this bitch says?

>>1852283
>>"Why do you think I care about things I can't even remember? I'm not working for you. I'll go find my own way."

>>1852328
Exactly. I want to find out what it is, just so we have an anchor point. The idea is figure out what she wants, and then either say no, or double cross her. Extremely risky considering her lineage, but I don't want to help walk out with us not really having done anything to stop whatever she's trying to do, or us having any kind of information to work off of.

I didn't want to actually say my plan because then the qm knows about it and can adjust for it. I'm a paranoid sort.

>>1852334
I'm a good guy and I don't do that kind of thing!

Also, we're at a bit of an impasse here, so I'm retroactively calling a 30 minute cutoff point for first post votes!

Fresh update for
>Listen to her calmly (to an extent).
coming right up!

>"Why do you think I care about things I can't even remember? I'm not working for you. I'll go find my own way."

>>1852330
Well, I would rather if we just focused in getting back our memories but your plan makes sense so...
>>Listen to her calmly.

>>1852337
My plan takes getting your memories back into account. By having a point of reference, whether it's by our name or just what she's doing, we can query some people subtly and get some info that way, and likely use context clues and basic logic to fill in the gaps that we can't get answered directly.

>>1852283
>"Why do you think I care about things I can't even remember? I'm not working for you. I'll go find my own way."

>>1852283
>Listen to her calmly

Without any objection on your part, she begins to explain the quest. "Your mission is to bring me all the pieces of the Aegis, a legendary shield of divine power. About ten years ago, the shield was splintered into eight parts, and now petty lords, having claimed some of the pieces, fight amongst each other for them in a bid to become king."

"How does a shield make someone king?"

"The previous king left behind no heirs when he died. That magical shield was the most powerful artifact in his possession. It is divine, as is the position of king. Therefore, whoever restores the Aegis will have the strongest claim to the throne. It's not exactly an official law, but that's what it essentially comes down to."

"So are you trying to become king?" Or, well, a queen.

She brushes a hand through her beautiful hair, her reply a stern dismissal. "Don't concern yourself with my goals. Focus on your own mission."

Well, whatever her game is, she wants that shield. Or at least its pieces. "Okay, so how am I supposed to do that?"

"The details of it all are up to you. I don't care which methods you utilize." Circe brushes the question off yet again without much elaboration. This is quickly turning out to be a frustrating conversation. She seems so confident in your ability to pull this off, it's like she doesn't understand how severe your current state really is. "I've determined a first target for you among the current claimants. Conveniently enough, he's quite close from here. My apprentice will guide you to where you need to be and explain what goes on in those lands, and then you'll need to figure out how to find the pieces and retrieve them."

She talks about it all so vaguely and in such broad strokes, it's like it doesn't really concern her at all, or as if it's all such distant matters that they might as well be of no real consequence to her either way. Maybe she's just putting on an act by trying to seem so nonchalant about everything.

And anyway, why relegate the brunt of the explaining to an apprentice when she could just do it right now? Is she lazy?

...

>Just do as she says. "Fine, I'll do it. Where's your apprentice?"
>See if you can get her to say something about you. "...Look, lady, seriously, what makes you think I can pull something like this off?"
>Make an ultimatum. "I'm not going anywhere until you prove that you have my memories. You can call it advance payment if you want, I don't care. Just give me something back."
>Other. (Write-in).

>>1852372
>You sound rather confident in my capabilities. Far more confident than I am myself, all things considered.

Don't actually ask outright, make a statement and see how she responds both verbally and with body language.

>>1852372
>>Make an ultimatum. "I'm not going anywhere until you prove that you have my memories. You can call it advance payment if you want, I don't care. Just give me something back."

>>1852372
>Make an ultimatum. "I'm not going anywhere until you prove that you have my memories. You can call it advance payment if you want, I don't care. Just give me something back."

>>1852372
Make an ultimatum. "I'm not going anywhere until you prove that you have my memories. You can call it advance payment if you want, I don't care. Just give me something back."

Watch it just be the memory of her taking our memories away. Although that would be pretty good proof.

>>1852372
>"Sorry, could you repeat that? My memory is not what it used to be."

>>1852385
>Watch it just be the memory of her taking our memories away. Although that would be pretty good proof.
I'd certainly approve. It'd be a pretty good troll on her part.

I'm less inclined to do that because I'm wondering if she hasn't done this before or if she knows us in some way.

>>1852372
>Other
"Listen, if I don't know what I lost, how will I determine if it's valuable to me? For all I know, my life's been a shitheap full of bad luck and poor choices. Plus, you've likely inconvenienced me in some sort of way, though I don't know how yet. You've got to up the ante with more then just "Muh Memories", perhaps with land, money, a title, or your hand in marriage and your dowery. Normal shit like that."

>>1852372
>>See if you can get her to say something about you. "...Look, lady, seriously, what makes you think I can pull something like this off?"
I'm getting the feeling that this actually didn't had anything to do with us and she just needed some rando to fit her needs. On one hand I dont wanna help her, on the other it might be easier just doing what she says than doing things our way.

>>1852372
Voting over, writing!

>>1852382
>>1852384
>>1852385
You rhetorically put your foot down. "I'm not going anywhere until you prove that you have my memories. You can call it advance payment if you want, I don't care. Just give me something back."

"I... can't do that." She nervously swallows and looks away, her hand absentmindedly playing with her hair. "I can't just undo a part of the curse. That's not how magic works."

You're in no position to make assumptions about magic, but it's not like assuming that she's telling the truth here would be the end of it all.

"That's fine." You say, which seems to both surprise and quell some of Circe's raising anxiety. "So just tell me then."

"...Tell you?"

"Yeah. Just tell me something about myself."

"That wasn't the deal..." Once again, her fingers begin to brush through her hair.

You press on, trying to convince her. "Oh, come on. You can tell me something. What the hell kinda harm could it do? If it's not my name, then at least tell me why I came here...?"

She remains silent.

"How I know you...?"

"..."

"Where the door is...?" You continue. She finally raises her eyes, perplexed at that particular question. "Cause, you know, I fucking forgot!!" As you look around, it doesn't actually take that long to find the door. "I'm leaving."

"Cut it out..." Circe finally speaks up, though she's rather meek, especially compared to how she behaved earlier. "The truth is... I don't know who you are..."

It was a fleeting suspicion at best, and part of you was hoping it'd stay that way. But that fact alone just makes your entire situation so much more worse, to the point where it's completely infuriating. "So then why'd you curse me?!" Your shouting forces the self-proclaimed witch to abruptly tense up and yell back in response.

"T-that's none of your business! I might have done it just to force you to work for me, how about that!?"

"And that's what I thought at first, but now it sounds like that wasn't the reason?!"

"So what if I don't know who you are?! It changes nothing for you! It just means that you really can't negotiate with me for handouts! N-now, stop wasting our time and do as I say!"

...

>...Damn it, she's right. Do as she says for now.
>Try to threaten her into giving back your memories.
>Other. (Write-in).

I almost want to see what she'll do if we just walk away. Memory erasing magic or not she doesn't seem like the sharpest tool in the shed.

>>1852444
>Other. (Write-in).
Pretend that you forgot this conversation and start it over again.

>>1852444
>Try to threaten her into giving back your memories.
Now, here's another deal: Give me my memories and I won't hit you until either they or brains come out of you.

>>1852444
>Stop wasting our time,and get the fuck out of here.
As useful as I expected this to be. Lets go get our identity the old way.

>>1852444
>Pretend that you forgot this conversation and start it over again.

>>1852444
>>1852463

Generally not a smart idea to threaten mages. That said, I get the feeling she might have done this under duress/desperation, due to phrasing and body language. She's not as confident as she appeared at first, and that makes me think something is afoot here that she has no or limited control over, and she's acting like she is to save face.

>>1852444
>Pretend that you forgot this conversation and start it over again.

>>1852471
That's the impression I got as well. Also, threatening to beat the shit out of her just generally souns like a dick move.

Guys, is very clear where this is going. You can go through this path and be dissapointed, or you can just jump that part and do something actually useful.

>>1852474
>>1852465
>>1852457
This is what won, but I'm not really sure what the intent is!

>>1852486
*Shrug* Maybe if we do a good enough job she'll think she fudged the spell?

>>1852492
I sorta interpreted as just metaphorically starting things over to give both of us a chance to work things out with cooler heads.

>>1852509
I intended it as pulling her leg and being a tit, but we'll see how she reacts!

File: tegaki.png (16 KB, 400x400)

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Here Shroom your very first official shitty fan art of FSQ.

>>1852457
>>1852465
>>1852474
With an exasperated sigh, you surrender to mental fatigue and drop back onto the bed. Then, after a short while, you open your eyes and try to look as confused as you can. "Where am I? Who are you?"

Replying with just as much confusion at first, the witch stares with widened eyes, and then, with a panicked look on her face, begins to intensely ponder on something, mumbling to herself. "Why did it do that...? Surely, it couldn't be... no, that couldn't have happened..."

But it's getting kind of boring because she doesn't say anything else outloud, so you let up on your acting. Circe eventually catches on. "Are you... just messing around?"

"I was just trying to forget this conversation like I forgot everything else, but it didn't work. By the way, are you even sure about what spell you've used on me?"

"Of course I am!" She juts up at first, apparently finding an implication of her incompetence offensive, but then places a sleeve-covered hand over her forehead. It is her turn to sigh in frustration. "You're a man with no memories, and yet even though I'm offering you an easy way out of that, you have the gall to bicker and mock me..."

"It doesn't sound easy to me. And without even knowing what I'm getting out of it for sure, it's hard to get motivated."

"Fine, then!" She exclaims. "I'll admit it. I do aim to become the queen of Rhelia."

"So what?"

"If you still remember and understand the concept of queens and kings, then surely you must be aware of the feats they're capable of and the influence they wield. If you help me now, I'll be able to grant any of your desires when we succeed."

"What exactly are you offering me?"

"How about an estate? A noble title? Your weight in gold? Magical prowess? I don't know - whatever you can come up with, I can make it happen. You don't have to decide on your reward immediately, of course, but I'd like to know if you're up to the task right now. You know, you would have to be..." She was beginning to get a little heated up about it, and, catching herself doing so, brushes through her hair, quickly cooling down. "...You would have to be a fool to refuse this once in a lifetime offer. Don't you agree?" She then awaits the reply with baited breath, trying her best to look nonchalant.

...

>"Sure, now we're talking."
>"Sounds like a stupid affair after all. Take a hint already. I'm leaving."
>"You can be the queen, but only if I get to be the king."

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>>1852540
That's the best fan art I've ever gotten!

>>1852593
I drew a mushroom there, by the way! I tried hard, but not too hard.

>>1852587
>I'll accept payment in installments, beginning with the first one right now. Your word is only as good as my ability to do ALL THE WORK, after all.

>Now tell me about this damn kingdom, why does it even need a king or queen? Where are the borders? Who are our neighbours? Talk to me like I'm a little baby who /don't remember anything/.

>>1852587
>>"Sounds like a stupid affair after all. Take a hint already. I'm leaving."

>>1852587
>"Your hand in marriage! You can be the queen, but only if I get to be the king."
>>1852593
I recognize that this is supposed to be a mushroom, but desu it just looks like a chode to me.

>>1852587
>"Your hand in marriage! You can be the queen, but only if I get to be the king.
Magic sure sounds enticing but I feel we need to bully her a bit for putting us in this situation.

I also agree with >>1852599 we need info.

>>1852602
>>1852607
Guys,think about it for a second. We might had a life before all of this, maybe we were already in a relationship. Are you really SURE? SUPER SURE you wanna do this?

>>1852587
>"Sure, now we're talking."
Also with >>1852599
>Actually, how do we know I still know how to fight? Is this your first time casting this curse?

>>1852615
We'll just tell our little kids that we forgot all about them. It's not an excuse if it's true.

>>1852615
It might be just teasing her more, and if she says yes without hesitation, that tells us of her character.

>>1852615
Not like we would know about it but I'd definitely see it happening.

>>1852615
Fuck yeah dude, being a king sounds dope.

>>1852615
I mean, I know this is a quest and the QM probably expects us to aim at waifutism so this is unlikely but still.

>>1852587
Fresh update coming right up!

>>1852602
I can only be good at a few things at a time.

>>1852627
Don't take me into account, just do what you want!

>>1852599
>>1852602
>>1852607
"Sure, I'll help you become the queen..." You begin. Circe seems briefly relieved, but upon realizing that you aren't finished, tenses up again. "...But only if I get to be the king."

The blonde doesn't even flinch, the expression on her face remaining rock-solid and unmoving. Along with the rest of her body. Rather than taking it coolly, it's like she just completely froze. Eventually, she does move - her whole body momentarily shivers. But then, fingers fiddling with her hair, Circe replies as though nothing happened. "Yeah, okay."

But as time goes on, she grows more and more irritated. Her thin brows inch ever so lower, the movements of her hand become more forceful, and her cheeks keep twitching and forcing her lips into brief frowns. "You... you're just mocking me again, aren't you? Or maybe you forgot what that implies?"

"Yeah, I remember how marriage works."

Her head twitches ever so slightly, but she keeps her mouth shut, seething in silence. You continue.

"That aside, I still need information. Like, where are we?"

Circe finally stops touching her hair, the change of subject apparently helping ease some of her tension. "This is my tower, located somewhere between the counties of Bundor and Gwead. The former is currently under control of a certain lord Malleus Augustus Flavius Vespasianus Bey, and the latter is controlled by an assembly of nobles, mostly those fleeing from Bundor and those fearful of its current ruler. The former, by the way, is also your first target."

"Oh, so I needed to remember that name." You say, and the sorceress grows slightly more sour at the sign of jokes. "Well, tell me more about this kingdom in general."

"You don't really need to know much about it for what you'll be doing, and it's not like I can tell you all that much, either. It's rather small in size, but it possesses the greatest magical potential of all of its neighbors. When it comes to both mages and magical items, there is no one on the entire continent who has more than the Rhelians. The people here value loyalty. Rhelia doesn't generally start wars, but it has had to defend itself against those trying to take their artifacts for themselves." She seemed hesitant to delve into the subject at first, but Circe seems to be getting into it, speaking with more and more eagerness as she goes on. "Most of the artifacts spoken of in legends can be found here, whether or not they possess a suitable wielder. But the Divine Shield, Aegis, must be the most famous one, passed down from king to king for many generations. It has repelled many attempted attacks on Rhelia until it was finally destroyed by something about ten years ago."

"By 'something'?"

(1/2)

>>1852791
"Nobody knows exactly destroyed the shield, but it happened during the invasion of the Quassi from the east. Strangely enough, the attempted conquest ceased immediately afterwards."

"The shield repelled the invasion and broke? Is that what it does?"

"I don't know. It doesn't make much sense, does it? I don't think it could literally repel an entire invasion on a conceptual level like so many legends seem to claim, but... Well, I don't think it matters. I'm not going to dwell on it; I'm going to take the opportunity that has been created by it. Much like the Aegis, this country is now in pieces, and anyone can take it all for themselves and reunite it into one."

"So you're not from Rhelia, are you?" You ask. Circe was speaking in a pretty detached and unfamiliar way about it all. Like someone reading off a tourist guidebook.

"Not exactly." She replies. "But I will be its queen regardless of my birthplace. Though this does mean that I can't tell you much more about the country than I already have, having hardly lived here myself. My apprentice should be much better suited for answering any mundane questions that you might have."

"So your apprentice is a native, then?"

"More or less." Once again, her answer is rather vague and dismissive.

"Well, there's another question I have that only you can answer." Circe looks at you in acknowledgement, silently urging you to proceed. "You know that I'm not even sure if I can fight anymore without my memories, right?"

And she replies with an unmistakably genuine calmness. "I wouldn't worry about that. Even if you did forget how to fight, you'll either remember it or learn it all over again as you go."

You're not even sure how to reply to that type of confidence. In the resulting silence, Circe has decided to pick up your sword. She extends the weapon to you.

"Well? Are you finally ready?"

...

>"Yeah, I guess I am."
>I've got another question. (Write-in).

>>1852797
>>"Yeah, I guess I am."

>>1852797
>"Yeah, I guess I am."

>>1852797
>"Yeah, I guess I am."

>>1852797
>"Yeah, I guess I am."

Well considering we haven't forgotten how to sass people I think we'll be just fine with swordplay.

>>1852797
>>"Yeah, I guess I am."

>>1852797
Voting over, writing!

>>1852799
>>1852810
>>1852812
"Yeah, I guess I am." Your answer is about as certain as you can give in your situation. You take the sword that's probably yours and secure it on your belt. It seems that somehow, you haven't forgotten the little things.

Just as you're about to set out on an adventure or something, Circe calls out to you again. "Ah, there's one more thing..."

She heads over to a small chest in the corner of her room and retrieves a ragged looking cloak from it. She then offers it to you. "Here."

"What's this?"

"A cloak of invisibility. Well, not exactly, but if you hide with this on, you'll have a much easier time."

"What? That's vague."

Circe's small mouth curves into a frown. As if spurred on by a challenge, she elaborates. "It makes normal people unable to look at you without a strong conviction to specifically do so. It subtly alters the perceptions of their mind's eye to ensure that they will never be able to perceive you directly, as though you are constantly within the corner of their eye. With this cloak on, looking for you is like looking for a person you don't know within a crowd of strangers. You don't know any of them, but you're looking for someone specific, though you don't know who; it's just impossible. But if you attack someone, for example, they'll be able to see you just fine, more or less."

"Why not just assemble all the pieces yourself if you have stuff like this?"

"...Stop arguing. It just... isn't my style."

You take the cloak and put it on. The blond witch looks you over and nods. "You're ready."

"...Can you see me right now?"

"Of course I can. You need to activate it by using magic words."

"What're the magic words?"

"...Sesamus Patentibus."

"Why're you looking so embarrassed about it?"

"None of your business."

You speak the magic words, and then repeat your question. "Can you see me right now?"

Circe replies with mild annoyance. "Of course I can. I would never get duped by my own magical item."

Even though she says that, something about her gaze seems shaky and uncertain.

"Is that so?"

"...Yes."

...

>Take her word for it.
>Test out the cloak of invincibility by sneaking a peek up her dress.

>>1852858
>>Take her word for it.

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>>1852858
>>Test out the cloak of invincibility by sneaking a peek up her dress.

>>1852858
>Open the door and loudly make like you're leaving, only actually remain in the room. See how long it takes for her to notice you and if she does or says anything interesting before then.
Maybe she's the kind of person who talks to herself? Though if she does notice us, just leave.

>>1852858
>Test out the cloak of invincibility by sneaking a peek up her dress.

>>1852833
>>Take her word for it.
Maybe >>1852885 if we wanna
>>1852886
>>1852882
Even if it does work on her, she said touch enables someone to see through the enchantment. Also it's way to 90s anime for me.

>>1852858
>Open the door and loudly make like you're leaving, only actually remain in the room. See how long it takes for her to notice you and if she does or says anything interesting before then.

>>1852858
Voting over, update coming right up!

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You make to leave, but then simply close the door while actually staying behind. It seems that the blonde witch didn't even see you out, and plopped down onto her bed before you even closed the door in full. Circe then lets out a heavy sigh, and lazes around for a while longer. Suddenlu, she abruptly gets off the bed, looking a little confused. She makes for the door, but then stops and gasps in surprise when she finally notices that you're still standing around in her room.

"Why are you still here?!"

"Oh, how'd you notice me?"

"I noticed that you haven't left! Just what is wrong with you?! Go already!"

It took her a while even though you weren't really hiding, so you suppose the cloak does work in its own way. It's a shame that nothing entertaining came out of it. What did she mean by that, though? She hasn't noticed you, but noticed that you haven't left?

Spurred on by Circe's aggravated yelling, you do actually leave her alone.

You walk down some stairs and eventually step outside the tower. Another young girl has been squatting by the door, this one with brown messy hair and big, curious green eyes. Unlike Circe's, her eyes seem perfectly ordinary and a little dark, and again unlike Circe, there's not much maturity about her. She's a child, maybe twelve years old, wearing a plain and slightly ragged pair of pants and a shirt, looking kind of like a boy.

"Hello. Are you ready to go?" She asks, looking up at you.

"Do you know who I am, little girl?" You ask her in return, but she shakes her head. Not that you really expected much, but it was worth a try. "Well, what's your name?"

"Nana. What about you?"

"I dunno." Having received that kind of reply, the girl looks confused. Doesn't look like she knows about your situation. Well, if Circe doesn't know you, then why would her apprentice, right? You decide to save some time and just urge her on. "Lead the way."

Nana doesn't bother you with details, obediently nods and leads the way. Everywhere you turn, all you can see are grassy hills and sparse forests. The sky is a clear blue without a single cloud in sight, and the sun is at its zenith. It's quite warm, but a moderate wind keeps things from growing hot.

"So, where are we going?" You ask your young guide.

"We're going to the city of Bundor."

"Isn't that a county?"

"Yup, but it's also a city. The evil lord Malleus lives in a castle not far from there."

...

>"What's so evil about this lord Malleus?"
>"How long have you been Circe's apprentice?"
>"You're gonna help me get those pieces, right, kid? I have no idea what I'm doing."
>Other. (Write-in).

>>1852969
>>"What's so evil about this lord Malleus?"

>>1852969
>>"What's so evil about this lord Malleus?"

>>1852969
>"What's so evil about this lord Malleus?"
>"How long have you been Circe's apprentice?"
Also see what she has to say about Circe.

And that was kind of interesting, maybe Circe can magically track our general location, or even mentally communicate with Nana.

>>1852969
>>"What's so evil about this lord Malleus?"
>>"How long have you been Circe's apprentice?"

>>1852969
>"What's so evil about this lord Malleus?"
>"How long have you been Circe's apprentice?"

>>1852969
Voting over, writing!

>>1852980
>>1852982
>>1852994
"What's so evil about this lord Malleus?" You ask. Nana's eyes wander around for a bit before she gives an answer.

"He treats people badly, and they say he's an evil demon."

"You mean his people?" Nana nods at your question. "Like, he makes the citizens of Bundor pay unfair taxes or something, that's what you mean?"

She nods again, though a bit uncertainly this time. When you ask if she's from that city, she denies it and says she lives near the tower.

"So this Lord Malleus is the guy with one of the pieces, right?"

"Yup!" You ask her about how many, but she doesn't know.

"You said he's a demon?"

"Yup! He's very strong and rules with fear. Everyone's afraid of him, and they say he sucks blood." She explains.

"So he's actually like a vampire?"

"No, he's a demon. There's a difference." She says, sounding kind of proud about it.

"What's the difference?" You can kind of guess at the difference, but what does a witch's apprentice have to say about it?

"Hmm... It's like..." Nana trails off.

"Did Circe not tell you what it is?"

The little girl makes a hesitant expression, like she doesn't want to admit it. After a bit of thinking, she finally speaks up again, sounding pleased. "It's because... he's not afraid of the sun."

Well, you suppose that does make him different from a vampire.

"So is he really a demon?"

"Circe doesn't say he's not." The little girl responds. It's a very roundabout answer.

"What if she's wrong?"

"Then who's right?" She asks, her brows furrowed in confusion, as if you're talking some weird nonsense. You don't really know what to say to that. But it does make some sense. After all, if you can't trust a witch about this type of thing, then who can you trust with it?

"Have you been with Circe long?"

Nana nods again. When you ask her for how long, she shrugs her shoulders. "I don't remember when I wasn't with her."

"Well, what do you think about her?"

"She's a good person." The apprentice says, charging her praise with a childish certainty. Her mannerisms so far seem to put her at a few years younger than what she appears to be. Honestly, this isn't the kind of exposition you were expecting when Circe told you to redirect all questions to her apprentice.

(1/2)

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>>1853082
Some time passes, maybe a few hours or so, but you eventually approach a large walled city. As you enter through the gate, you're greeted by lively and bustling streets full of people, but something seems to go wrong and you soon find yourself in a scarcely populated slum.

"Where are we going?" You ask your short guide, who's been quietly leading for a while now. Suddenly, she stops, her shoulders drooping.

"I was trying to find a tavern... but I couldn't find one..." Nana meekly explains, looking down.

"...I'm pretty sure we passed a bunch on the way here." You didn't know that she was looking for them or you would have said so earlier.

"I didn't notice..." She mumbles, looking around. It appears she's not as adept at navigating urban environments as she is the outdoors.

In other words, you're lost. You let Nana take her time as she thinks up a solution.

"I think we should ask for directions." She eventually concludes, nodding to herself.

"Man..." It's a reasonable course of action in theory, but the people in these parts don't look like the types that should be approached by women or children. So, first order of business is to find someone who doesn't look too seedy. "Hey, don't go off too far. Stay close."

Since you're both lost already, you take the lead, trying to find your way back to less run-down districts.

It doesn't take long before you come across a couple of soldier-looking fellows, one fat and one slim, clad in chainmail and armed with swords. But the feeling of relief is abruptly replaced by confusion; the guards walk away from a feeble-looking man finding comfort in a fetal position, lying down on the ground, nestled up against a wall.

The plump one plays around by tossing a tiny pouch from one hand to the other - it jingles, most likely with coin. "See, they've always got something. If they say they don't, it's always horseshit. Learn it from me." He tells his companion.

The two finally notice your presence. The street grows silent as you stare them down, and then, at the fat one's lead, they make their approach, hands resting on the hilts of their weapons.

"You can't carry weapons in this district." The fat one grunts in a brutish voice. "Not from around here, are you? Well, we might let it slide this time, if you, you know..." The guardsman rubs his fingers together. It seems that he wants a bribe.

...

>"We're not paying anything."
>"Nana, have you got any money?"

>>1853088
>>"We're not paying anything."

>>1853088
>"We're not paying anything."
Being bossed around by a witch is one thing, but these guys? No way.

>>1853088
>"We're not paying anything."
Just roll the fat one onto the skinny one. They'll never be able to get up.

>>1853088
Update coming right up!

>>1853093
>>1853101
>>1853112
"We're not paying anything."

As you say that, a tense silence descends upon the street. You hear Nana step behind you, though the guardsmen pay her no heed. They snort derisively, their glares full of yet unspoken threats.

"You're breaking the law, and yet you've got the balls to whine about the kindness we're showing you here? Wanna get thrown in a dungeon instead?" His right hand resting on his sword and the other flexing in and out into a fist, the rotund man tries to stare you down, inching closer and closer. Eventually, he can come no closer and he stops. "Well? What the fuck are you staring at me for?"

Something about him doesn't even let you register him as a threat. Even though he's heavier, taller, and knows how to make himself seem more imposing...

...It doesn't make you feel anything at all. You don't flinch and you don't turn away.

The soldier's foul breath grows more frequent and ragged, his face turning red. The persistent eye contact must be making him furious, much like it would a wild dog.

It doesn't take long before he finally snaps and throws his meaty fist at your face. His movement is quick and efficient, and his arm is packed with power. The punch lands squarely on your cheek, and your head turns to the side. You stagger back out of surprise.

That's right, surprise.

You aren't stunned by the impact, and you don't feel much pain.

It doesn't hurt at all.

You've observed the entirety of his fist's arc, as though a picture of its start and finish have been painted by your mind before the attack has even concluded properly, though it didn't really occur to you to dodge it until after it landed.

So in hindsight, it wasn't a quick strike at all.

"What the hell...?" The one audibly shocked by what's occurring isn't the guard - it's you. It's not like he was trying to hold back; there was nothing about his movements to suggest that he was. It was a solidly performed hook. The man's knuckles are red, and his fingers are twitching involuntarily. He tries not to show it on his face, but it seems that it hurts quite a bit.

(1/2)

AHAHA OH WOW.

Natual no-sell.

>>1853183
Isn't this funny?

"What the fuck are you laughing at, freak?" The soldier snarls, his lightly quivering voice betraying his fleeting confidence.

A grown ass man put everything he had into one punch, and it didn't hurt at all.

It's the fat man's companion that raises his hand this time, while the heavier one of their two-man gang seems to be about to draw his sword. But just as before, you can see the attack all too clearly.

Your heart skips a beat. Not out of fear, but out of something resembling excitement. But even that excitement doesn't originate from a sense of danger, but rather from an intoxicating amount of confidence.

So this is a battle, feeble as it may be. You can't remember when or why, but you know that you've experienced this feeling before, many times over.

...

>Fight unarmed.
>Draw your sword and be prepared to kill them.

>>1853192
>>Fight unarmed.

Intimidation factor.

>>1853192
>>Fight unarmed.

>>1853192
>Dodge until they get tired, then walk away

>>1853192
>Fight unarmed.
We're stronger than them for sure but killing them would just cause for trouble than it's worth I would think.

>>1853192
>>Fight unarmed.

>>1853192
>>Fight unarmed.

>>1853192
>Fight unarmed.

>>1853192
>>Fight unarmed
Let's teach these leeches a lesson and get that old man his money back. I'm sure he'll be mroe than happy to help us out.

>>1853201
>>1853203
>>1853208
You lean backwards, letting the hook fly past your nose. Without delay, you launch your left fist into the slim man's own nose.

Your punch lands while the guard's strike is still in the middle of missing, and something makes a distinctive cracking noise. The man staggers back much like you did just a little while ago, but clutching his face in genuine pain. Blood seeps between his fingers and drips down onto the muddy ground. He kneels, swearing up a muffled storm.

"Oh shit!" The fat man exclaims and draws his weapon in a panic.

That punch didn't feel too satisfying. It wasn't quite as strong as you think you could have made it.

In both of their attacks, the soldiers turned their bodies ever so slightly as they struck.

That's probably the better way to do it.

You shuffle your feet along the ground, getting into a better position to try it out. The remaining guardsman makes to finally swing his sword, but you lash out before the blade even begins to drop down, again aiming for the unarmored face.

But this time, you amplify your strength with proper form.

For the briefest moment, it feels like your fist sinks into his rotund face, giving off the impression that it has cartoonishly caved in on itself. As you extend your arm further, the fat man's feet take off the ground. The attack sends him off beyond your arm's reach and for several meters longer, and his unhealthy weight only serves to make his fall that much more louder and brutal. He rolls around for just a bit more, groans, and then lies still.

>Forgetful Swordsman:
>STR: C+
>AGI: D+
>END: D+
>SKILL: E

His shorter companion, having just witnessed that, lets out a terrified squeal and tries to get up to his feet to escape, but his attempts result in clumsy failures, so he just crawls away instead.

...

>Let him go.
>Stop him and ask a question. (Write-in).

A few notes on stats:

>They go from E to A, then loop again from E+ to A+, and maybe then they do it again, but that's a secret...?
>Most people range somewhere from E to A, but some can go further if they're special.
>People with A+ Endurance can't be hurt by mundane weapons.
>The difference between a stat rank with a + and the same rank without one is roughly ten times.
>Stats can be raised by fighting, training and magic.

>>1853261
>Stop him and ask a question. (Write-in).
have you heard about our lord and savior jesus christ?

>>1853261
>Kick him in the dick once or twice, then take the coin pouch, return it to the feeble man, and leave.

>>1853261
>>Stop him and ask a question. Where's the closest tavern?

>>1853278
this

>>1853276
Support

>>1853278
I agree.

>>1853270
Are our Forgetful Fists of Fool Felling a mundane weapon? Can we make them not be?

>>1853282
>>1853278
Wouldn't that be the first place they'd look if they head back to their friends and rounded up a posse?

>>1853304
When we get to the tavern we'll ask someone where another tavern is.

>>1853261
Voting over, writing!

>>1853299
It's not impossible! A+ seems fine.

>>1853319
Y'hear that fellas? We will be the sword.

>>1853278
>>1853276
>>1853282
Like squishing a bug, you press down on the thug's back with your heel. He covers his head in fear. Leaning on your knee, you call out to him.

"I'm looking for a tavern."

He squeals again, but then, with slurred speech, mumbles something about "dohn da shtree", and points down the street. You then kick him a few times until he stops moving, and move towards his knocked out companion to pick up the stolen pouch. You then give it back to its rightful owner. The man doesn't actually look too old, but it's clear that he has been ravaged by poverty in all sorts of ways: he is deathly thin, unkempt, and most likely sick, the latter demonstrated with the wheezing coughing accompanying his attempts at speech.

"Th-thank you... There're... others like you. They also fight them."

"Who is it?"

"I... don't know where, and there aren't many of them, but... their leader is a brave woman. If you ever find them, tell them what you did, and they'll help you however they can. And please, if you can... help her, too. She needs people that can fight..."

Having said what he meant to, the poor man begins to depart.

"You know anything about that, Nana?"

But the little girl shakes her head.

"Let's go settle in, then." You head out towards the place you've been pointed to. Circe's apprentice follows.

"That was cool." She says. You pat her head.

...

By the time you arrange everything at the tavern, it grows late. Nana hands you a respectable pouch of coins, enough to last you for somewhere around a month on your own, and then apparently prepares to leave.

"So, I'll be leaving." Nana says as she wanders around the room, curiously eyeing the furniture.

"It's late."

"I'll be okay." She says, shaking her head. This little girl is Circe's apprentice, so maybe she can use magic to take care of herself. ...Will this strange girl really be alright on her own, though? It's just hard to take her seriously. "I'll probably come back in a few days to check on you. But you're on your own for now."

It almost sounds like she's worried, so you reassure her. "You saw how cool I was. I'll be fine."

The corners of the girl's mouth twitch upwards, just a little bit.

...

>"See you around."
>"I think you should stay."
>"What do you think I should do next?"
>Other. (Write-in).

>>1853390
>>"See you around."

>>1853390
>>"See you around."

>>1853390
>>"What do you think I should do next?"

I mean it's not like we can just find the guy, walk up to him, and stab him.

>>1853390
>>"What do you think I should do next?"

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Gonna call it a day for the night, I'm sleepy and hungry!

I forgot what I usually write in these, but here's my twitter:
https://twitter.com/Mushroomgami
I post stuff about quests there and when I update them!

I wanted to get a lot more done than I did today, but I guess it can't be helped.

Thanks for reading and participating, everyone!

>>1853390
>"What do you think I should do next?"
So I guess, find the resistance group the lady mentioned, and generally just wander around to see what else we're good at and what we can learn about that guy?

>>1853437
Will you be running again tomorrow?

>>1853437
Have a nice night Shroom. Good to have ya back.

>>1853437
>I wanted to get a lot more done than I did today, but I guess it can't be helped.
Well, that certainly brings back memories (I kid)

But yeah, though I still miss the previous quests this seems like a lot of fun so far. Hope you enjoyed it too!

>>1853462
I don't think so, unfortunately!

>>1853465
>>1853471
Running quests again feels good!

>>1853437
>Introduce characters
>Spend time making them likable
>Leaves the MC instantly alone
QM WHY

>>1853742
Circe nd Nana will probably show up later after we get the Aegis fragment so that we can plot our next move, or perhaps sooner.

I agree with your sentiment though, I too want to continue the Circe-bullying/onii-chaning

>>1853742
People gotta do what they gotta do!!

This is a pretty slow board, 10 hours of no updates is only enough for page 2. This thread will probably be around the next time I get up to stuff!

>>1853390
>>"I think you should stay."
Can't let the little apprentice get pwned in the night.

Yo Mushroom, on the off chance you don't plan to use this thread again you might want to make sure to archive it.

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Circe's little apprentice takes her leave, though not before leaving you with a small piece of advice: find the castle. So, with that in mind, you dedicate the next day towards familiarizing yourself with the city Bundor.

It has not left you with a good impression, to say the least. The streets are narrow and confusingly similar to one another, and it's also dark even in broad daylight, as the tall, crooked and rickety buildings somehow manage to blot out the sun at seemingly every angle. Every corner reeks of something unpleasant, either of garbage and other refuse, or of something you don't even recognize.

You eventually do find a way out of the serpentine slums by going back to where you and the young apprentice entered the town. From there and all the way up to the aforementioned castle, the city is much cleaner and livelier, inhabited by people who look respectable, well-fed, and at the very least moderately wealthy. Stray off the main road, however, and you'll once again find yourself entangled in a net of poverty and disease.

But at the heart of it all lies a mighty fortress, its gates barred, and the guardsmen on its tall walls ever vigilant.

Getting inside will be problematic. And even though Nana seems to believe this place to be the key to your quest, there's no way of knowing if the shard of the magical shield you were charged with finding is actually there.

The exploration of Bundor took the better part of the day, so it's probably best to just leave the castle be for now and formulate a proper plan of action within the comforts of a tavern room. Circe at the very least provided you with a decent sum of gold for your adventures, so it's not like you don't have the time to spare.

As night draws near, however, you find the city's massive ghettos bustling with activity: the city guard has mobilized its patrols, and the armed men travel in groups of five and more, harassing the inhabitants. Utilizing a little subtlety, you keep your weapon away from their prying eyes by keeping it under your cloak, and easily avoid most of their attention. The guardsmen are certainly looking for someone, but it does not appear to be you.

Upon closer investigation, the subject of their search appears to be a female.

Nothing like this was happening last night, so you wonder what spurred this on so suddenly. The soldiers show no regard for the citizens and resort to violence and break-ins at the first hint of suspicion or resistance. It's like a mass raid of some kind. Could it be because of you? But then why aren't they looking for you? It's not like you killed those guys, so they should all know that it wasn't a woman who beat them up.

And just how many of them are there? Every corner you turn seems to be staked out by at least one squad of armed men.

(1/2)

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>>1870838
A distinct shout briefly overwhelms the constant noise, and the guards mobilize in its direction. You decide to step it up and get there before the rest of them do.

A strange scene unfolds before you: a young man stands outside of a broken-into house, armed with a sword, and attempts to keep a trio of soldiers at bay. It seems that he escaped through a window. The guards fearlessly approach him with metal shields and weapons of their own, and he steps back to keep a distance between them, though his footwork is sloppy and it's a miracle he hasn't tripped over himself. The young man's hands are shaking, his situation desperate, but his eyes seem hopeful.

Unbeknownst to the three, a hooded figure approaches from the other side of the house, and underneath the cloak, a blade glints in the torchlight. When the commoner finally trips up and falls, the others all break out into a mad dash towards him.

But the difference in speed becomes apparent even in the fleeting moments it takes for them all to get to the fallen man. The cloaked person twirls, and the sword slashes through one guardsman's neck. Without skipping a beat, a shoulder tackle sends the adjacent man flying into his remaining fellow. All three suddenly find themselves tumbling to the ground for one reason or another.

The cloak flutters from the incredible speed, briefly revealing the wielder of the blade - a young woman clad in boyish clothing. As she turns away from the soldiers, she flicks her hood back on, and pulls the clumsy civilian to his feet. Somehow, the guy manages to keep a hold of his sword, and it must be through sheer luck alone that he hasn't hurt himself with it yet.

The woman pulls the man by hand as they escape, but as the pair turns a corner, they find themselves face to face with another group of guards. You find yourself bumping shoulders with another guard as more of them pour in from behind you.

It seems that they're getting surrounded.

...

>Join the fight.
>Make a distraction.
>Observe without interfering.
>Other. (Write-in).

>>1870850
>>Join the fight.
Didn't realize this was running again.

>>1871064
It's okay, I'll try another time!

>>1870850
>Observe without interfering.
This is a good quest, but you should probably stick to a schedule or have a twitter if you want people to be here when you run.

>>1870850
>>Observe without interfering.

>>1870850
>Make a distraction.

Mostly because I want them indebted to us. Could be good to have some extra hands.

>>1871274
this

>>1871203
I messed up by not keeping to the schedule. I linked my twitter >>1853437 here though!

Thanks for all the votes, but I really think we should continue another time.

>thread still isn't archived.

>>1873168
Done!

It's kind of weird that you still have to do this stuff on a board dedicated to quests!