>>2542124
Quest rules:
1. All dice rolled are assumed to be D100 unless otherwise stated
2. In most situations, only the first two dice rolls will be counted, if the threads become more popular this may be changed. This choice ultimately falls to the Lorekeeper, odd circumstances may cause him to overlook this rule (a ton of crits later down the chain for instance)
3. All dice rolls are final
4. Critical fails are considered to be between 1-5, Critical hits are between 95-100. Crits overpower any other roll except another crit. In the rare chance that a crit fail and crit success happen. The Lorekeeper will do something interesting from a story angle. Similarly, rolling 2 of the same number will be considered a MEGA crit, just pray its two high numbers.
5. Near misses may occur, where a rolled number is close to the required threshold, whether over or under. This can have an impact on how the story proceeds. However these are up to the decision of the Lorekeeper.
6. Sometimes there are optional choices one may participate in, these will generally NOT be taken unless there are multiple posters who wish it, assuming there are multiple posters in the thread
7. There are often times choices with multiple parts, each part is counted separately, unless otherwise stated, sometimes rolls will be required before counting the second, third, etc, part
8. There will be “Time Limited” decisions, in which characters may only do a set number of actions, these will be clearly marked. Generally you will only be able to choose one decision per ‘round’.
9. Interviews: Interviews will generally be a freeform set of questions that the readers have to ask the person they are interviewing. No hand holding here, I will purposefully leave up wrong answers or decisions, although for the most part careful readers will be able to tease these out.
10. Rules may be subject to change between threads, but will not change during the same thread. These rules are what we will follow for the remainder of this thread.

>>2542124
======================(Chapter Start)=====================

The journey was fairly swift. The group did not want to linger about in moonlight. Bandits, ghiests, and undead would be about during these hours. The angels generally dealt with anything larger and more threatening than that. While none of these would be too dangerous for such a large and overall well trained group, the chance of something going bad was still ever present. The howling of wolves sometimes rang through the landscape, but fortunately they never materialized. Henry didn’t hear any werewolves, which was very much welcome. He saw the occasional ghiest float about overhead and through the farmland, but nothing nearly as strong as what they’d encountered at the roadside shrine.

The trek took them over a few bridges, past farmland in various states of harvest, and past a few windmills. They ran into a few wandering undead, which grew in number as they got closer to the graveyard. It was somewhat annoying to have to stop every time so the Cathar’s could deal with them. Even if it was their job, cutting off the source should have taken priority. Lar simply said that most of the folk out in the farmlands would be ill equipped to deal with them, especially if their runes failed as well, and that it was their duty as Cathar’s to make sure the people would be safe, and that the remains wouldn’t continue to be desecrated by unholy magic’s. Henry only huffed at this. He wanted to be back behind strong walls again, anything that made him wait longer was unwelcome.

Renwald said nothing, only occasionally unsheathing his longsword to effortlessly cut down any undead that wandered in too close. Henry was fairly impressed by the man. Lar had said he hadn’t had any formal training. Henry supposed he was just talented.

Nobody really spoke during the trek, although Renwald did take some interest in Johnny after watching him lay some undead to waste. Perhaps a mutual respect of abilities there?

That was until Larry began lag behind to fall in pace with Henry. He seemed like he wanted to say something, and he was a bit anxious about it.

“Can we speak for a second? I just want to say this before we arrive.” Larry asked sheepishly.

Decisions:
1. “Bugger off, I don’t want to talk.”
2. “I’m too worried about dying right now to have time for small talk.”
3. “Sure, if its quick.”
4. “It about me saving your life?”
5. “Look, I’m sorry for pushing you down the steps back at the church… I needed a clear shot alright?”
6. “As long as it ain’t anything to personal.”
7. Write in.

Optional:
1. Talk to someone else
2. Write in

>>2542234
>5. “Look, I’m sorry for pushing you down the steps back at the church… I needed a clear shot alright?”

Inserting foot into mouth is very in character for Henry.

>>2542234
>5. “Look, I’m sorry for pushing you down the steps back at the church… I needed a clear shot alright?”
>"And thanks... for speaking up for me. Not many do."

>>2542565
>>2542499
writing!

>>2542234
“Look, I’m sorry for pushing you down the steps back at the church, I…I just needed a clear shot, alright” Henry said, seemingly confusing Larry before the man started to laugh a little. A moment later Lar shot both of them a glance and Larry quieted back down.

“Gods no that wasn’t what this is about, besides considering you saved my damned life a little push down some steps ain’t nothing friend.” Larry said. “I just wanted to take the time to say thanks in case I don’t make it back, I don’t want no unfinished business if I can help it. Not only for carrying me into the holy grounds but for healing me back up, the healer said you helped keep me alive in that place.”

“Oh… right.” Henry said, He HAD saved this man, for very, VERY selfish reasons.

“Look, I’d be rotting in the ground and my dear ol’ ma would be stuck running that blacksmiths for the rest of her life. I just… look, I wanted to thank you, truly, from the bottom of my heart, and if I make it outta this I’ll find some way to repay you.” Larry said. “Good lord I’m horrible at this sorta stuff, I don’t like making it so serious, y’know?”

“Well… thanks for speaking up for me back at the church, not too many people do.” Henry said.

“Think nothing of it friend. I only did what’s right, even if that gets me in trouble from time to time.”

“We’ll be there in about five minutes lads.” Durance said. The man was running down the line whispering to everyone. They wouldn’t have too much longer to talk.

Decisions:
1. “So you travel around or are you part of a larger company?”
2. “Your ma runs the blacksmith?”
3. “So how’d you end up beaten to a pulp outside the bar?”
4. “Look… I don’t know what you think but you got it wrong friend…”
5. “I just did it to help myself, I was worried the townsfolk might lynch me, they almost did.” *whisper*
6. “Do you know any magic? It could help up ahead.

>>2542614
>1. “So you travel around or are you part of a larger company?”
>6. “Do you know any magic? It could help up ahead.

>>2542614
>3. “So how’d you end up beaten to a pulp outside the bar?”
>1. “So you travel around or are you part of a larger company?”
> "Hey, do me a favor and make sure you don't nearly kick it a second time, okay? I've still got to buy you a couple of drinks for saving my ass as well."

>>2542704
>>2542729
writing

>>2542614
“So do you travel around or are you part of a larger company? Red Hands maybe?”

“Naw, nothing like that, I don’t like all those rules and regulations, and I sure as heck won’t do work for the church. I do what I like, wander where the road takes me, but I always find time to stop back in Blaise.”

“You grew up there?” Henry asked.

“Yepper.” Larry responded, chipper as all hell.

“How’d you even get beat up if you grew up there? Do people not like you or something?” Henry asked. He didn’t really care if it was a bit personal. That sorta thing could prove the difference between life or death out here.

“I… I sorta got into a barfight with Renwald and me mum… it was about Vinny.”

“The vice milita captain I think?” Henry said.

“Yeah him, I said he was a fuckin idiot for charging out there without thinking… I guess that’s where I got it from.” Larry said.

“What?” Henry asked.

“Vinny is… was my father, hated that fucker tho.” Larry said quietly, eyeing Renwald. “Not that its anything you need to worry about. I just said some things I shouldn’t have while a bit drunk, got my shit kicked in.”

“Your leg was broken, that doesn’t seem like a normal bar fight.” Henry said.

“That… I’m pretty sure that was when me ma hit me with a chair….” Larry said. “Memory’s a bit fuzzy on it in all honesty, might’ve been Renwald but the man doesn’t go for that sorta thing generally.”

Alright… what a weird guy this was.

“Do you know any magic?” Henry asked.

“A little bit, nothing special, a basic bolt spell and a few other things. All I got is red mana so I make the most of it, ha ha.” Larry said.

“Better than nothing.” Henry replied.

“Look, do me a favor and don’t almost die a second time, alright? I need to buy you a drink or two for saving my ass back there.”

“Look bud, I ain’t gonna ‘almost’ die in this place, I’m either gonna die badly or live like a hero. That’s life ain’t it? Secondly, you save my life, patch me up, then save my life again when we faced that overgrown chicken, and YOU’RE buying me the drinks? Good lord man at least let me pay for the first round.” Larry said, patting Henry on the back. “I think we’ll get along famously though, you strike me as my sorta guy.”

Of everyone he’d met in Blaise so far, this was probably the only person Henry DIDN’T violently dislike. Well, except the barkeep. Ishfeld was a-okay.

>>2542826
The Cemetery had just come into view now as they peaked another hill. Endless rows of graves and a small amount of undead teeming over them. Far less than what they’d dealt with in Blaise but overall a dangerous amount, maybe two hundred tops?

The cemetery had a stone wall circling it, with a light wooded area towards the back. There was a single windmill blowing in the distance as well, although it looked dilapidated. It’d probably been attacked already, a good while ago.

Lastly there was a few obelisks rising out from the ground, a small row of mausoleums and a larger building towards the back, probably a mausoleum hall of some sort. The graveyard had all sorts of runic wards but some of them had failed. Henry guessed there were maybe three or four thousand corpses here. The runes had only partially failed, or the kid was an utter idiot. He could’ve raised this whole place given two or so weeks’ time. Lastly there was a shack to the side of the stone mausoleums which Henry assumed had been the gravekeeper’s shack before the necromancer had moved in. Overall the place was fairly quaint. Henry had been in FAR larger graveyards in his time.

They’d be reaching this place real soon.

Decisions:
1. Continue talking (write in)
2. End the conversation
3. Talk to someone else (write in)

>>2542849
hard to tell if these are actually going up quickly. Is everyone else able to see them when they're posted?

>>2542849
> "Nice try, but priority who buys the first round is determined by how horrible the death would have been. Saved from a quick but horrible death by bird monster versus saved from a slow AND horrible death by stoning? Yeah, I'm buying first."
>2. End the conversation
Sorry about the wait, family bullshit happened.

>>2542940
writing!

>>2542849
“Nice try pal, but I’m putting priority on buying the first round on the guy who’d have the more horrible death. The bird thing would’ve been bad but I’d take that over being thrown out to the horde or getting stoned to death.”

“I would’ve gotten chomped too.” Larry responded.

“You were completely unconscious and nearly dead as it was. I don’t think you would’ve suffered much more.” Henry continued.

Larry sighed and shook his head. “You’re too kind for your own damned good.”

If only he knew.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The cemetery awaited. The group hunkered down nearby, outside of range of the undead, and started hatching a plan. The main goal would be to clear as many of these fucking things out as possible, and try to get to the central shack.

Durance and Johnny had been sent around to see if they could find if anyone had left recently. Henry knew that Johnny would do a good job tracking that son of a bitch if that was the case.

Fortunately, it seemed that the person was still in the hut, or in the general area. The two found no evidence that anyone had attempted an escape. No disturbed brush, none of that sorta stuff. Henry figured the man would be hunkering up until daybreak and then making a run for it. Going alone at night would be dangerous for a single person, and going with a horde of undead would turn really bad for him if any angels were about.

All in all, he was in for a rude awakening.

The plan was fairly simple, they’d circle around to the forested side, then break in from there. They would then make a beeline to the center shack. With luck they’d be able to get to it without raising too much of a fuss or losing anyone.

Henry knew better than to think that positively, no matter how well the prior fights had gone.

Decisions:
1. Raise concerns about the plan (write in)
2. Offer an alternative plan (write in)
3. Accept the plan (will start attack on the cemetery)
4. Try to search some of the local area (will use up time, may place you in more danger)
5. Offer to sneak in yourself, say you have magic to make it so they cannot see you. *lie*
6. Write in

Optional:
1. Talk to someone
2. Write in

>>2543028
>1. Raise concerns about the plan (write in)
"Shouldn't we try to distract some of the horde away from where we're coming from, like with a spell of some sort? True, we might get the necromancer nervous and he might run, but we wouldn't have to worry about the horde as much, and he may also try to lead them towards the distraction."

Also, what are the components needed to cast that scrying spell again, and do we have them, in case the brat tries running away.

>>2543060
You can assume Henry has the proper components to cast the scrying spell, the main issues with it are as follows.

1. The main one is a lack of a mana trail. The undead bird provided Henry with an EASY trail to follow, right back to the caster. Since it was being directly controled.

2. Time: Henry will need time to gather up the mana and cast the spell. He will be competely defenseless and I do not see him as trusting anyone else but Johnny in this situation. If a hundred undead bear down on him Johnny will be overrun. You also can't just cancel a spell like that and not expect blowback.

3. Stealth: Using a spell like this might not go unnoticed if its happening this close. It'd quickly tip the guy off if he has half a brain or half his eyes... oh right.


I'm willing to let you try but you'd have to justify why Henry would do it. Expect a few rolls on top.

>>2543082
Oh, I'm not suggesting we try another scry, I just wanted to know if we can do another one if the kid escapes. We can give it another shot if he makes a run for it and if we can get back to the town before another attack happens.

>>2543104
Well, actually, the cemetary PROBABLY has something we could tap into. Just saying.

This is assuming he does slip away of course.


Calling it a night here. Tomorrow forward I'll be able to devote a lot more time to this bitch.

So 7pm starts will be a lot more common!

>>2543028
How many undead are milling around? Are they evenly spread or are the gaps in the horde? Could we try sneaking in instead?

>>2543111
Question for future upgrades but is there a spell that is the reverse of the false death one? IE instead of making a living thing uninteresting to undead you make something undead appear 'alive' and thus suitable bait to other undead.

>>2543276
about 150-300 presently, based on Henry's best guess. The graveyard itself is fairly large however so there are plenty of gaps in the horde. There are groups wandering around of about 20-30 undead, their movements and directions are seemingly random.


>>2543434
I could see this being a thing but it would be green or white mana based, colors Henry has no access to. However, perhaps future party members could have this?

I really like the idea.
> Anywho, right now I'm still waiting on votes.

>>2543028
>1. Raise concerns about the plan (write in)
I’m worried about traps, setups, that sort of thing. He may be young and inexperienced, but I’m sure he’s expecting retaliation for his attacks.

Does anyone have any lamp-oil or anything flammable? Are there enough pieces of kindling nearby that we can task one party member to carry? If we can sneak up to the cabin and light it with a bolt, maybe we can smoke him out.

>>2543776
The group does have torches since moonlight alone isn't good enough to see the roads. The torches are extinguished right now however.

The smoke out idea isn't a terrible one. Lets say that Durance has a crossbow he could do this with.

Not saying a word on traps, the distance is too great to really see anything in the cemetery.

>>2543028
> Offer to act as bait to draw the Undead off.

Can we set up a trap ourselves to kite groups of undead into? Places they won't be able to get out of, like when you put food into a bucket and mice fall in but can't get out?

Even getting rid of only 1 group would help.

>>2545466
Roll to see how successful you are if you want to attempt this, crit fails could lead to injury.

>>2543060
>>2543104
>>2543276
>>2543434
>>2545466
writing

I will make a few options for some of these ideas.

File: images.jpg (11 KB, 253x199)

11 KB JPG

>>2543028
“Lar!” Henry whispered, quickly getting the man’s attention. He looked a tad nervous and Henry didn’t blame him. With that many undead in the cemetery they could quickly be overrun.

“Look, there are far too many of these things to just bust on through.” Henry said. “I think one or two of us should lead a chunk away, off a cliff if you know of anything like that in the area.

“Terrain is fairly flat around these parts and I doubt the hills would do the trick.” Lar said. “Still, luring some away wouldn’t be a terrible plan, it’s just I doubt anyone would be willing to be bait. I also don’t want to risk splitting us apart. Only seven people isn’t a whole lot to start out with, but we could quickly overrun that son of a bitch if we manage to get close.”

“I could ask around.” Henry said. “I know the merc I hired might be willing…” He continued, referring to Johnny.

“Up to you, I’d rather keep the group together instead of taking unnecessary risks. If we rush through we should be fine.” Lar continued. “We should keep the plan simple… otherwise more can go wrong.”

“Secondly, maybe we could try smoking him out of the cabin he’s in?”

“Do you know for a fact he’s still in there? It could be a waste of valuable time or worse yet it could give our attack away.” Lar said.

“No, I’m not one hundred percent sure but I doubt he’d be out in the open.”

“If we rush inside we’ll be able to overrun him before he can react.” Lar continued.

Decisions:
1. Try to convince Lar to smoke the necromancer out (roll for charisma, write in)
2. Offer to be bait for some of the undead (will use a lot of time up, will be unable to affect events during that time)
3. Offer to get someone else to be bait (requires charisma rolls, depending on who it is rolls will differ)
4. Don’t get fancy, stick to the plan (will commence attack)
5. Write in

>>2546020
>Smoke out

I see your point. If we hit him fast, he can’t react and can’t summon anything like that fucking Nevermore. That said, I bet he’s prepared that shack for an assault, even if he isn’t in it. It’s a less risky option and still keeps us moving fast.

Rolled 41 (1d100)

>>2546190

>>2546197
>>2546190

The roll is a close call success, if someone want to try for a better score then feel free!

>>2546229
Yeah nah. I'm not going to risk a crit failure. If it's success then it's a success.

Rolled 84 (1d100)

>>2545727
Sorry had to go to work.

>>2546020
> 2. Offer to be bait for some of the undead (will use a lot of time up, will be unable to affect events during that time)

Rolled 100 (1d100)

>>2546020
Should I roll for >>2546197 too?

Really if we draw off the undead and Lars flushed the Necro it is the job of the Inquisitors to capture him anyways

>>2546246
well holy fuck, Lar is SUPER convinced, I don't even know how to spec a crit for it.

>>2546197
>>2546237
2 votes for going in with the group


>>2546246
1 vote for luring them off which will leave Henry completely unscathed.


Lar has been convinced to smoke the fucker out if he is in the cabin. This may change how the attack proceeds.


If Henry lures off the undead he will miss a good chunk of the attack. But he'll be safe since he can use his necromantic abilites to avoid the zombies.

However this will leave the rest of the group without him, so pick your poison.

>>2546262
I didn't vote for going with the group I simply didn't want to roll. I really don't know what would be better.
Can we ask Johnny and Larry for opinion?

>>2546296
certainty, you can ask ANY member of the group questions. What would they be?

>>2546262
> Henry lures off the Zombies

So that it's safer for Lars to flush out the Necromancer, of course. Don't want him getting stuck between a Necromancer and a horde!

And the Inquisitors can handle taking down the Necromancer like how >>2546246 said.

We should definitely stress to them the fact that it's unlikely the trail of who started all this ends with the Necromancer, so capturing him should be their goal.

Or not, we just want to get through this.

Johnny keeps Rosa and Charles safe.

>>2546253
Clearly the crit means that Lars is not only convinced, but thankful about the trust we're placing in him and is determined to do his best!

He probably thinks even better of Henry for not just thinking of the idea, but thinking of Lars to do it.

>>2546299
I guess we're asking Johnny for his opinion on our plan, if he can keep Charles and Rosa safe.

>>2546299
Well, Johnny is a given. Maybe ask Larry what he thinks.

>>2546340
Johnny is shit.

> Oh you saved the day and were the perfect choice for your role, but you personally benefited from it somehow? That's because I'm, er, you are unholy filth that isn't really human.

Fuck Johnny. This whole trip is really making me reconsider if we want to stick with him. It's not like he isn't just using us an an excuse for his own selfishness instead of turning himself into the Church like a real Paladin would.

>>2546317
>>2546340
>>2546328
I can certainty do this, so we'll be creating a distraction, I'll be getting a few things together and then writing soon.


>>2546328
Charles and Rosa are back in Blaise, behind a sturdy stone wall. They aren't here right now.

>>2546357
have you ever considered he physically CAN'T? Henry does OWN him.

>>2546358
Fukkin' A then.

Might as well have Johnny work with Lars then while the Inquisitors do their thing. They asked us to back off several times as it is.

Also keeps him out of their view.

>>2546359
Maybe Henry should give him the option then.

Johnny says he saved our life, right? Then fine. We can repay him by letting him go his own way.

>>2546364
Henry considers him his most prized possession period. Johnny... is basically indestructible, probably one of the most experienced swordsmen on the face of the world right now...

Henry isn't NEARLY selfless enough to let Johnny go, and Johnny... well Johnny has his own reasons as well, which we'll eventually get to.

>>2546373
Well how about we take less of Johnny's shit then.

Like damn. Dude is such an ass. I mean we're an ass, but don't expect people to be thankful we're an ass.

>>2546020
“Lar, I’m gonna do this, I know I can lure and lose a good chunk of them in the woods, let the inquisitors run clean up later.”

“Works for me, ain’t nobody lives in those woods best I know. Least nobody that worships at a church.” Lar said, scratching his beard. “Just be careful alright? I don’t want to tell the folks back home that you died out here.”

“How considerate.” Henry replied, half sarcastically.

“Johnny, try to keep these idiots alive.” Henry said, whispering under his breath. “If they can get this thing solved all the better.”

“As you wish…” Johnny replied. “I would have done so regardless. I don’t think it’s wise for you to lure them off, we need to speak about this recent penchant for getting yourself into danger…”

“Can it.” Henry replied. “I’ve lived a good chunk of my life fearing that day but at this point I don’t care.” He meant it too.

“I’ll try to save the boy if it comes to that then.” Johnny said. “Just… please consider how others would be… never mind, of course not. Just don’t let it happen, please.”

“It won’t.” Henry replied. “Look, Johnny, can I trust you here? You know I don’t trust anyone else.”

“Of course, Henry… where is this?”

“Look, once we get back from Yorkshire I have a feeling things might be fucked. Or at least bad off. I… I just need your help here, alright? I just, look I’m a bit scared alright, I didn’t tell Charles cause he’s bad off enough as is.”

“Henry… fine, just do not die.” Johnny said. “We can discuss this WHEN you get back, not if.” Johnny said, placing a hand on Henry’s shoulder.

The old skeleton was an ass but he was the only thing that’d kept him sane all these years.

“Lar, I think you can take the fuck alive.” Henry said.

>>2546393
“Really now? You think we’d pull that off, even with the risks?”

“You got six people, and he’s injured badly. His eye got gorged out through the magical feedback when I stuck the dagger in the nevermore. He’s probably too weak to even fight back.”

“The smoke would probably disorient him further then.” Lar murmured. “Fine, if you’re willing to lure a good chunk of these things out, then we’d have time to try and smoke him out without fear of a large reprisal. I’m willing to do it then.”

“So its settled.” Henry concluded.

“Why should we even bother?” Lar asked. “He’s a dangerous son of a bitch who is directly responsible for one of my men’s death!”

“He might be working with other people.” Henry said simply.

“… Fair enough.” Lar said eventually, it looked like it pained him to do so. Like he REALLY didn’t want to.

As Henry started to make his way around Larry rushed over to talk.

“Are you fuckin crazy lad?” Larry asked. “I know I’m a bit of an idiot myself but are you seriously going to go do this? I know the others don’t really care, I know that fuck of a milita captain is happy he doesn’t have to do it. But you think you can do this? Do you need help?”

“I’ll be fine, sides a group of two would be tracked easier…” Henry said.

“I’m going to buy you the first round when we get back, no if ands or buts.” Larry said, walking back to the main group. “first round!” He said one last time. Before his mouth was covered up by a panicked Durance.

Decisions:
1. Begin the plan
2. Talk to someone else? (write in)

>>2546397
I'm calling it a night.

To be completely honest I'm surprised the amount of Hatred Johnny received. I'm going to have to reveal a bit more of his relationship with Henry as they head towards yorkshire, but I honestly view it as more of a father/son role the two share. They constantly poke and sneer at each other but that skeleton really is the only person Henry trusts, truly.

It doesn't hurt that he's physically unable to betray Henry though.

Regardless, I will leave it as an option to completely do away with him, as I value player choice more than story cohesion. Just keep in mind this could have an impact on Henry's mental state and the overall difficulty of future encounters.

>>2546400
Johnny cuts Henry down every time he does something. It's not encouraging at all.

Not a single good job or word of thanks, only lowered expectations and criticism.

>>2546400
I do t have anything against Johnny, and I get the idea behind the character, but he has been a bit too harsh on us, to pit it that way. To the point where I was kind of surprised that he cared about us (or that he cared so much) in the throwing knife flashback.

>>2546400
Well Johnny has made it clear he isn't our friend, and that he thinks very little of us.

>>2546430
I saw him as being the sort of holier than thou narcissist projecting himself into a Parental role so that he can weep about how much we're always disappointing him.

Of course knowing that he *can't* leave us makes it seem even more like he's just kind of resigned to trying to redeem us to prove to himself that he's still really a Paladin and not an undead abomination that is a mockery of the man he was final failure in the face of death.

>>2546400
It's opposite for me. I feel like they have such a long and close relationship that whatever they say to each other they know that in reality it's all good fun. Like an old couple who seem like to be always quarreling but in reality love each other.

>>2546435
I'd leave someone that spoke to me the way Johnny does to Henry.

Like the last thread when Henry faced off against the most dangerous Necromantic threat and Johnny shit all over him. Or when Henry saved someone.

Like he isn't happy unless we're selflessly noble doesn't sound like someone who cares about Henry and has lived with him being an amoral outcast for years if not decades. It's more like Henry has a cursed object or something.

>>2546435
I see it this way too,t wo friends shooting the shif

>>2546397
next post will be up in an hour or two, I'll be updating throughout the day after that.

>>2546397
With no more talk to be had, no more delay to be accepted, the plan was set into motion. With only a concerned glance from Johnny, Henry set out.

The cemetery didn’t have any lingering mana remaining in it, meaning no new undead had been raised. Henry wouldn’t have been surprised if the asshole was completely tapped, but he didn’t believe he’d have such good luck.

The undead began to take notice of him as he ran through rows of tombstones, being careful to not be surrounded. The undead began to herd themselves towards him, growing into an ever larger group of around ninety. Their only desire was to feast on the sole living being that they could see.

The run through the woods was fairly brief, Henry slowly began to seize control of some of the undead and commanded them away from himself, throwing them completely off his trail off his trail, spreading them out thin and allowing him to easily make his way back towards the cemetery. His journey was cut off when he came face to face with the same ghiest from the roadside shrine. Its skull still floating in the lantern. Although now the lantern was just floating on its own as the thing had its hands full.

The thing had a couple of completely destroyed zombies in its hands. It clutched them for a moment longer before tossing them limply to the ground. The thing would be an utter pain in the ass to fight now. The other option would be to just fight the thing, but Henry doubted he could control such a strong ghiest with ghiest trap, and he REALLY didn’t want to get close.

Decisions:
1. Try to carefully sneak around it
2. Just walk on past it, but don’t make any noise
3. Use bolt on it
4. Run in the opposite direction (will take you away from the cemetery and will use a turn up)
5. Attempt to use ghiest trap on it.
6. Write in

>>2547061
>6. Write in
Lure the zombies to it.

>>2546400
Johnny takes every possible opportunity to shit on Henry. The only reason Henry puts up with Johnny is that he literally can't betray him. However, that doesn't stop Johnny from saying talking shit about Henry. Even when Henry actually does something that dick ass skeleton would approve of he STILL shits on him and is filled with criticism.

Meanwhile, Johnny himself is a former paladin full of self loathing at what he had become. Despite all this time he is still in denial about it and takes it out on Henry. Literally meaning Henry cannot do ANYTHING right in Johnny's eyes. Not because Henry is a terrible person but because Johnny can't accept it.

Worst of all Johnny is purposefully handicapping himself and Henry. His self-loathing prevents him from reawakening his true abilities and from accepting Henry, because accepting Henry would mean accepting what became of himself. So Johnny lashes out on Henry and himself whenever possible. All the while filled with the melancholy of what he used to be like as a living person and paladin of the Church. Which prevents him from criticizing his precious church which hates him and accepting himself/Henry.

Johnny theoretically can tap into his paladin powers and even the powers of a Black Paladin yet he doesn't. He thinks he lost his powers because he became an undead but deep down he knows that's a lie. The only reason why he lost his powers is because he lost his faith in himself and is filled with self-loathing.

Then there is Henry who should know this but never challenges Johnny about it because he too hates himself. What he had become but unlikee Johnny Henry is actually willing to fight back because deep down he doesn't want to end up like Johnny.

So yes I fucking despise Johnny. Though if I'm, to be honest, I loathe Henry too but he's STILL better then fucking Johnny. The two of them are terrible influences on each other.

>>2547181
interesting take, and not too far off the mark from what my own ideas are on the matter.

Perhaps both of them can grow and become better people.

>>2547061
Try to sneak around.

>>2547072
Seconded

Rolled 43 (1d100)

>>2547480
>>2547240
writing

File: Spoopy.jpg (57 KB, 1024x491)

57 KB JPG

>>2547181
Henry quickly sent out a pulse of black mana to draw some of the nearby zombies in close. A few seconds later a trio of them emerged from the underbrush and began to swarm the ghiest while groaning loudly. The lantern the misty skull was contained in opened, and the skull rushed out to the first zombie. It passed right through the thing, but it snatched the infernal fire that kept the zombie animate in its teeth. The affected zombie fell over to the ground, dead once more. These things really were poorly made. The other two zombies began to swat at the thing, beating it back for a moment and giving an opening for Henry to escape. Henry decided that he’d rather not see this fight through to the end. He didn’t want to deal with the victor.

Henry quickly worked his way back through the woods, this time without harassment. He had one of two options, to head back to the meeting point or to go into the fray. He had a bad feeling about the raid, but he hoped it had gone well. The moon shone bright over misty farmland, giving an eerie feeling to the surroundings, as if things weren’t quite eerie enough.

Decisions:
1. Head towards the meeting point outside of the cemetery, wait for a turn
2. Head into the cemetery and towards the cabin, hopefully the attack was a success.
3. Write in

>>2547759
>2. Head into the cemetery and towards the cabin, hopefully the attack was a success

>>2547759
>2. Head into the cemetery and towards the cabin, hopefully the attack was a success.

Rolled 17, 97, 54, 48 = 216 (4d100)

>>2547839
>>2547860
writing!

Rolls are for Stealth, Combat (zombies), stealth, (mystery)

>>2547944
Oh fucc

File: 1400660187039.jpg (367 KB, 2048x1138)

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>>2547944
Crit
But for the enemies.

>>2547989
all of these are rolls for the group, the zombies are no problem at all

File: old-church.jpg (61 KB, 450x450)

61 KB JPG

>>2547759
Henry slowly worked his way back into the graveyard, passing a few zombies that had been cleanly sliced apart, a few that had been cut and scorched, and a few others that had been blasted apart by holy magic’s. Henry figured the group had been spotted and had simply rushed further into the cemetery to attack the necromancer. The cabin awaited, and Henry found Cathar Victor waiting outside. Nervous and tense but unharmed. The Cathar quickly informed Henry of what had happened. The group had been near instantly spotted, but due to the reduced amount of undead they’d managed to completely overwhelm the necromancer and force him into the crypt.

The smoke plan had gone into motion since they hadn’t realized before Durance got an arrow off, luckily the cabin hadn’t burnt to the ground and the evidence inside was untouched. Secondly Lar had said to leave the interior for the Inquisitors since Lar had found an ‘unholy tome’ inside, and decided it would be better to leave it to the professionals.

Henry had mixed feelings about losing a resource like that, but honestly he decided the potential insanity such a thing could cause would be better off avoided. At least it hadn’t housed a demon, THAT would have been fun.

“So the plan for me is to wait up here and wait for the others.” Victor said. “I don’t mind, least I get to go home to my family after all this is over, dunno bout the others, it’s been about ten minutes since they went in. We couldn’t afford to wait for you. I’m going to guide the inquisitors down there if they show up, or anyone else who comes to help.”

“My merc?” Henry asked.

“Bravest son of a bitch I ever met… he uh… he cut through dozens of the damned things.” Victor said. “Never seen anything like it, like a paladin you hear about in the Book of Hero’s. He was the first to rush into the crypt. Said he didn’t want anyone dying on his behalf, it’s gonna be that necromancer fuck who’s doing the dying tonight.”

“Thanks.” Henry said.

Decisions:
1. Attempt to investigate the cabin against Victor’s wishes (will use up time)
2. Attempt to bluff your way into the cabin (will use up time, roll for bluff, write in)
3. Say you want to inspect the contents off the cabin as a mage (use up time, roll for wisdom.)
4. Head into the crypt and lend some support to the others. (will not use up time)
5. Write in

>>2548079
seriously tho that combat crit for the group was unexpected, but the night ain't over quite yet, I got a couple more surprises.

>>2548108
>4. Head into the crypt and lend some support to the others. (will not use up time)

>>2548214
will wait a few minutes then commence the writing. I'll check in before I set it up if we get any later posters.

I want to start moving a bit quicker thru this sequence.

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>>2548079
The crypt loomed menacingly above as Henry quickly approached the entrance. The thing was a lovingly detailed stone structure. Crypts generally got inhabited by the more well to do sort of folks, people who were above the commons but not quite rich enough to have their own estate graveyards. The building looked like it had been very nice at one point, a good place for the dead to sleep, not so much anymore, the stonework was stained with ichor and decay, and there were corpses lying all around, more of Johnny’s handiwork Henry figured.


The descent down was fairly quick, a set of old stone stairs and a few torches left on the wall, hastily lit assumedly by the group led by Lar. Henry doubted they were left their by the necromancer.


As Henry approached the bottom, he could hear the sounds of combat. The main chamber had a few things of note. First off, was a destroyed stone statue laying in chunks to one side of the room, it had been sitting in a large stone chair that now contained a single corpse that had been horribly mutilated by something. Henry had a guess based upon the runes and other lines drawn in blood on the ground, walls, and ceiling, and what looked like a destroyed hunk of metal in the center of it all, but honestly he had more pressing matters to deal with.

File: the_binding_of_isaac___mr(...).png (37 KB, 500x500)

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>>2548272

There was a zombie with its severed head floating above its body, attached by its esophagus. The spinal column had been severed and was sticking out of the neck leaning to one side. Around the body floated a terrified looking ghiest of what looked to be some sort of milita man other than Renwald who was ineffectually attempting to stop his corpse. The corpse must have been fairly fresh when the Heady Morte had been made. It was wielding a longsword with a good degree of skill against Johnny.


The thing would be able to spit killing shadows, as well as strangle people with its esophagus, in addition to any combat ability it had during its life. A dangerous opponent for sure, but Henry didn’t know how well made it was at a quick glance.


He saw Johnny attempting to fight the thing by himself, Henry considered rushing in to aid the man… until he saw Durance sprawled out on the ground about ten feet ahead, pale as a ghost and not moving at all.


“H-hey!” Larry called out. The man was sprawled out against the wall to the right of the entrance Henry had just come through, and looked pretty worse for wear. He was breathing heavily and his arm was badly blackened. He was fairly pale and Henry figured he’d been hit by the killing shadows the Heady Morte had at its disposal.

“I…I got hit by something… d-doesn’t hurt….” Larry said. “D-do you know how to fix my arm?”


Henry… had never been hit by something like that before but he knew it wouldn’t have been pleasant. Larry didn’t seem to be doing too well. He had a decision to make.


Decisions:
1. Attempt to talk to Johnny (write in)
2. Try to tend to Larry (roll for arcana)
3. Try to tend to Durance (roll for agility 30 or higher, roll for arcana)
4. Aid Johnny in the fight
5. Get the fuck out of there, taking one of the injured is optional.

Optional:
1. Talk to Johnny
2. Talk to Larry
3. Talk to Durance

Rolled 90, 16, 35 = 141 (3d100)

>>2548335
>2. Try to tend to Larry (roll for arcana)
>3. Try to tend to Durance (roll for agility 30 or higher, roll for arcana)
Tend to Durance first, it seems like he may be worse off, First two rolls are for him ig, and then the last roll is for Larry.
Johnny'll be fine R-right?

>>2548491
Johnny is undead, so killing shadows does jack fucking shit to him.

The only real risk is being battered apart, but that can be easily fixed with some black mana.


The main risk is his getup being damaged or destroyed.

Rolled 42, 63, 39 = 144 (3d100)

>>2548491
Might as well roll the second rolls. Hopefully no crit fail

Rolled 79 (1d100)

>>2548801
>>2548491
looks like durance AND larry live to fight another day.

Durance is out of the fight period, but Larry might be returning depending on this roll

>>2548814
Sweet

>>2548335
Henry nodded to Larry before rushing out to get Durance. He nimbly ducked through the battle and managed to drag the man back to safety without much trouble. Worryingly the man’s hands had gone cold. He was going to die soon if left untreated. Fortunately, Henry had dealt with shadow poisoning before, and he knew a way to temporarily reverse its effects with blue mana. It wouldn’t be permanent of course, he would either need a white mana heal spell or a blue mana enchantment removal spell, but this would buy him some time. Maybe three hours tops, but that would have to do. Henry hoped that one of the inquisitors would show up and save the poor sod, or they’d have enough time to get him back to Blaise where Rosa was. Henry didn’t want to be stuck dealing with the fallout back in Blaise, and sides having people owe you favors was never a bad thing.

Luckily Larry wasn’t nearly as badly affected, Henry managed to quickly treat the symptoms and the man was quickly back up on his feet.

“You saved my life… again.” Larry said.

“I gave you maybe five hours more to live bud… don’t thank me yet.” Henry replied. “Just be thankful we have a healer, I don’t know much about cursebreaking myself.” Henry continued. His dispel spell could easily swat the killing shadows out of the air, but once it had applied itself removal would be a much trickier matter. Either blue or white mana could be applied here, blue to separate the curse from the person, or white to just undo or heal it away.

Henry quickly held out his hand for Larry, and helped him back off the floor.

“I… I really owe you now don’t I?” Larry said. “Fucks sake how much more in debt will I get.”

Johnny had been steadily carving his opponent up, slowly gaining the upper hand, but it was slow going.

Henry could probably end this with a single attack.

(-0.5 blue mana)

(-0.5 black mana, from controlling the zombies earlier, forgot to mark it down)

Time Limited Decision:
1. Just bolt the fucker (roll for aim)
2. Aim for the thing’s head (roll for aim)
3. Don’t worry about wasting red mana, go in for a swing with Larry (1d100)
4. Use ghiest trap on the thing (will use 1 bar of blue mana)
5. Have Larry go in on his own, see what he can do.

Rolled 74 (1d100)

>>2548864
Go in for a swing
Surround it with Johnny and Larry

>>2548891
that's a success, writing!

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>>2548864
Henry quickly unsheathed his short sword and advanced on the Heady Mortis. The things had a ‘proper’ name of course, but that was generally what they were called in necromancer’s circles. Heck, the Church had a lot of names for a lot of things.

Henry waited for Johnny and the creature to lock blades in combat, and Henry took his chance, slicing cleanly through the creatures arm. Leaving it defenseless to Johnny’s follow up attack, which nearly cleaved the thing in twain, Henry smiled as he watched the thing crumple, but something was odd, the head was still floating.

Right shit, the creature had two essences in it, one for the body and one for the head. Henry ready a dispel to block the incoming shadows, but before the creature could get off an attack Larry rushed over and cleaved its head in two, sending its pieces tumbling to the ground. Larry’s feet sparked with electricity for a moment before dying down. A haste spell? Red mana, figured, Henry could see Larry as a red mana sort of fellow.

“So that does it then?” Henry asked.

“Not quite.” Johnny said, holding his sword up at the ghiest that had belonged to the body at one point. “We’ve just mutilated the things body even further in front of it, I don’t think he quite knows he’s dead.”

“So we just slice the thing in half right?” Larry asked.

“Look again, the ghiest has a blade, the same one this corpse wielded, he must’ve had a strong connection to it. If you go in for an attack you could open yourself up.” Johnny replied. “I’d heartidly recommend attacking it with magic if you have any.”

“I… I’m tapped lads.” Larry said.

Fucking hell

Decision:
1. Cast bolt at the thing (point blank, no roll, costs 1 red mana)
2. Use a lightning talons spell on it (costs 2 red mana, roll for how fuckin cool you look)
3. Try to talk to it (write in, roll for charisma)
4. Try to ghiest trap it (roll for arcana)
5. Write in

>>2548913
Just cast a bolt.

Rolled 96 (1d100)

>>2548913
Do we remember the name of the militia guy who went alone to the graveyard? Unless I'm remembering it wrong.

Perhaps talk to it and tell him that he did good, saved the town, his noble sacrifice won't be forgotten. In short calm him down and perhaps he'll go away

Rolled 28 (1d100)

>>2548913
>2. Use a lightning talons spell on it (costs 2 red mana, roll for how fuckin cool you look)
Style points>all other options

>>2548922
Shheeeeeit
We're the ghiest whisperer now.

>>2548922
his name is vinny, and that fuckin crit tho

>>2548925
Let's do this. Talk the ghost down

>>2548913
“You’re Vinny right?” Henry asked, recalling the brief talk that Durance and Clarence had at the bar.


“…how… who?...” The ghiest replied.


“You… uh… died bud.” Henry said. “You fought bravely, but you didn’t make it.” He continued.


The ghiest began to calm, but looked terrified.


“Larry, you ain’t getting another shot to say goodbye to your father.” Henry said. “Can you? It’d calm him down as well, we’d be able to get through…”


“But?!” Larry started to say.


“It’ll help pay off that massive debt you owe me now for saving you repeatedly.” Henry said. “And trust me on this… this is one of those times, times when what you do will stay with you the rest of your fuckin life. Don’t fuck this up, alright.” Henry continued, his voice dropping to a whisper.


“… Mary…. Is she…” The ghiest continued.


“She’s fine bud.” Larry said. “I saw her yesterday, and she’s fine… she misses you. Back at home.”


“…son…?” The ghiest asked. “You… your?”


“Grown up… yeah…” Larry said, sitting down.


“Can… can you go on ahead Henry…” Larry asked, trying to stop himself from crying. “I… I just want, I need some time...”

Here and now? Of all the fucking places… Henry had just expected him to talk for a minute or two, not have a long discussion.


“Its fine lad.” Johnny said. “Just say what you need to, then get Cathar Victor down here to see to brave Cathar Durance, can you do that?”


“Y-yes.” Larry said, before turning to face the ghiest. Henry figured the two had some catching up to do. Father and son bonding. At least they had the chance now.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


“You… did a good thing Henry.” Johnny said, as the two began to head further into the crypt. Henry would have to check on the corpse sitting in the stone chair in a bit. That looked like a lich ritual but it looked like it had failed, meaning the would be liches’ soul was forfeit.


“Do you have any ideas about that unholy ritual circle?” Johnny inquired. “It’s obviously necromantic but I don’t know the exact ritual.”


“I have a few… ideas as to what it could be.” Henry said, a couple of corpses lay in the path, badly decomposing. Behind them a few more. It looked like the necromancer was pulling whatever he could find to stave off Renwald and Lar. They wouldn’t be too far behind them now.
Decisions:
1. Speak to Johnny
2. Keep moving forward, don’t talk now
3. Write in

>>2548951
Keep moving

Keep on truckin'

I find it funny how much stuff we did for a random bloke who we decided to save so that we would look good in the eyes of the others.

The guy will remember us for the rest of his life and we might have changed him for the better with the opportunity to talk to his father one last time.

>>2548956
>>2548970
calling it a night... expect a hopefully radical boss fight.


> I've taken every necromancer stereotype and jammed them into this one little shitstain your about to fight.

>>2548973
I actually made him up on the spot, then integrated him into the quest.


We're gonna be seeing Larry in the future I can assure you.

>>2548974
Oh man. Henry is going to fucking hate him.

Hey, since we critted that talk with the ghiest, can we get him as a temporary ally for the boss fight? In case shit goes horribly wrong.

>>2548974
Thanks for running even though I missed it!

>>2548951
I expected Johnny to shit on us for not being in any real danger when acting as the decoy.

Or for not banishing the gheist.

>>2549361
Well, from Johnny's perspective, Henry just helped a man reconcile with his father with no gain to himself.

>>2548951
The two continued on their trek for a couple more minutes. Lit torches lined the walls, allowing for easy passage. The corpses of undead were scattered about occasionally. As if the necromancer had frantically pulled whatever he could to slow his pursuers’ advance. Eventually the two came upon Lar, who looked to be injured fairly seriously. He had his arm and sides wrapped up and was lying against one of the tunnel’s walls. It looked like he’d taken a few serious bites and his arm was badly swollen.

“Hey lads.” He said, trying to be nonchalant. “We chased the fucker down this way, I don’t think he has many more abominations under him. We got attacked by about five of the things, they rushed us down. Managed to avoid having my throat torn out but I’m in a bad way. Renwald rushed down after him after he helped me patch myself up, I don’t think this place goes on much further.”

“Do you need any assistance?” Johnny asked.

“No, none of that, you two need to get the fuck after him… fuck.” Lar said. “Had I been younger this wouldn’t have feckin happened.”

“Renwald just left you here to further pursue a dark mage? Utterly deranged…” Johnny said.

“Funny coming from you.” Lar shot back. “You fight downright suicidally…. Then again you’re good enough to get away with it… Look I’m gonna guard the passage back in case those Inquisitors finally decide to show up. I… I think we’re under farmland right now, I think this thing leads to that old windmill.”

Fuck, an escape route?


Decisions:
1. Continue on, no time to waste
2. Talk to either Johnny or Lar.

>>2551115
>1. Continue on, no time to waste

>>2551115
1. Continue on, no time to waste
"When Larry or the Inquisitors come by, point them down where we went, okay? Him and Durance's been hit with shadow poisoning, but I've delayed the onset for an hour or so."

>>2551115
“When the Inquisitors come on by, point them towards us alright?” Henry asked.


“Already said I would boy.” Lar replied.


“Look, Larry and Durance got hit by that ghouls killing shadows… they’re poisoned, I managed to buy them a good few hours but they’re gonna need a healer. We’ll have to try and get them back to Blaise after all of this.”


“Fucking hell, I never expected to find something that complex here. That wasn’t something a run of the mill ghoulcaller could make… and poor Vinny.” Lar said. “Nobody deserves to have themselves turned into something like that.”


Henry decided not to comment, they had work to do.


The journey lasted a little bit longer, before they were deposited into the basement of what Henry assumed was the windmill. There he locked eyes with a terrified young man, dressed in a workers tunic, who had bandages over one of his eyes. He seemed to be pretty banged up and sliced up. He was in the middle of attempting to clumsily bandage himself. He bolted up and tried to head up the steps before tripping over something on the ground. Henry hadn’t expected much more, he’d pegged the kid as an apprentice of some sort, or a moron. Still a potentially dangerous opponent.


Upon closer inspection the kid had tripped over Renwald’s corpse. Fucking hell. The man looked like he’d been hit pretty bad by a blight spell. Parts of him looked slightly liquid. He’d probably had an agonizing death. Black mana WAS killer’s mana after all.


Decisions:
1. Begin combat
2. Try to talk to the kid, you do have the advantage here. He looks like he doesn’t have much left in him.
3. Write in

>>2550133
But not intentionally.

>>2551206
Johnny doesn't know this of course. I do try to stay consistent with who knows what. Especially since this IS a detective quest.

>>2551200
>1. Begin combat
"YOU NEARLY COST ME MY FREE MEAL, YOU JACKASS!"

>>2551200
> 1. Begin combat

We know better than anyone that innocence is gone long before becoming a necromancer.

>>2551212
Hasn't stopped him from assuming g the worst in the past.

>>2551230
Do you think this necromancer could have been funded by the Church as part of their coup? He's making a lot of noise yes, but he isn't really that dangerous. Also angel wards being messed with.

>>2551259
>necromancer
>funded by the church


No... something a LOT more fucked has happened with the wards going weird.

>>2551281
Well it's speculation.

Also I can't wait to have some downtime and work shit out with Johnny.

>>2551259
While him being directly funded by the angels seems a bit much, it's just too much of a coincidence that he just so happened to send a horde of zombies over to bash down the town walls not even a day after the wall fell. He might have gotten some sort of info on what happened to them from someone, and finding who told him is why we should try to capture him.

>>2551281
Oh, hai, oathkeeper angel, how u doin? Whatchu gonna do wit our wallz, huh?

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>>2551200
“YOU NEARLY COST ME A FREE MEAL YOU JACKASS!” Henry called out, startling the kid across from him

“you… your…. MY FUCKING EYE IS GONE BECAUSE OF YOU ASSHOLE!” He called back. “I WILL DESTROY YOU AND TURN YOUR CORSPE INTO A PUPPET YOU…. Uh… you FOOL! SOON EVERYONE SHALL KNOW MY NAME, XAVIER, APPRENTICE TO THE LICH OF SOL!”

“Bravo!” Henry called back to him. “Must have taken you all night to come up with that one!”

“YOU WILL TREMBLE, I CONTROL LIFE AND DEATH!”

It sounded like the kid had heard one to many church stories about necromancers. It just gave Henry a headache.

Johnny had already began to bridge the gap, but a quick snapcast and the necromancer had begun to raise the corpse. Renwald’s corpse lumbered up, unaffected by the prior blight spell now, and met Johnny in combat, flinging him back across the room. The skeleton’s lighter weight proving to be a hindrance.

Combat had started. Henry unsheathed his steel short sword and prepared himself.

==================== (Boss Fight: Necromancer’s Apprentice, Xavier) =======================

Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lseDiLcGu4E

Decisions:
Henry:
1. Cast Bolt at him (1 red mana)
2. Throw a dagger at him
3. Cast Close Mind (0.5 blue mana)
4. Cast Lightning Talons, choose a second action (2 red mana)
5. Write in

Johnny:
1. Attack The necromancer
2. Attack Zombie Renwald
3. Hold back and protect Henry
4. Hold back and wait for the opponent
5. Write in

>>2551326
Henry
>2. Throw a dagger at him

Johnny
>2. Attack Zombie Renwald

>>2551326
> Sieze control of the Renwald

Get that up first

> 1. Attack The necromancer

Sqyushies don't do well in combat.

>>2551326

H:
>bolt the fucker

J:
>2. Attack Zombie Renwald

>>2551446
>>2551442
>>2551369


Currently a tie for Henry's action. I'm going to go with seizing control of Renwald if nobody else votes.

>>2551469
Nah that's fine.

Bolt the fucker as well.

>>2551469
I just remembered that we want to take him alive if possible, so it's probably best he doesn't suspect we are also a necromancer.

>>2551469
I was going for the throwing knife so we could throw a Bolt at the fucker eventually, anyway. Might as well see if he can take the heat.

>>2551490
>>2551469
Oh yeah. He's blind too right? Probably can't sense a knife.

I'll actually support tossing a knife at him.

>>2551488
>>2551490
>>2551491
so We're tossing a knife then?

Alright, Roll for aim, 50 or higher required.

Rolled 15 (1d100)

>>2551513
Here goes...

Rolled 21 (1d100)

>>2551513

>>2551527
>>2551554
Well hullnuts

Rolled 6, 25, 4 = 35 (3d100)

>>2551527
>>2551554
Rolling for other people, then writing


Johnny, Zombie Renwald, Xavier.

File: IMG_2656.png (437 KB, 361x513)

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>>2551527
>>2551554

File: 1381028120854.png (95 KB, 444x406)

95 KB PNG

>>2551570
>An almost critfail, a normal fail, and a critfail

Wow.

This is sad for all of us.

>>2551599
> The zombie does the best out of everyone

>>2551615
"if you don't have a functioning brain you can't be dumber than usual" ~ Ghoulcaller Hardan

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>>2551326
Henry quickly grabbed a throwing knife from his belt holster and tossed it at the necromancer. The necromancer continued to run towards the stairs before slipping on a blood stain and crashing backwards, slamming his head hard onto the brick floor. Leaving him dazed and confused. The throwing knife soared overhead and clattered uselessly upon the wall. Henry didn’t feel embarrassed about that one at all, the idiot child had banged himself up far worse.

Renwald lunged at Johnny who barely managed to block the incoming blow. The skeleton was sent hurtling into the back wall, making a clatter from the impact. Johnny shook his head a few times before dodging and incoming blow with ease. Renwald had quickly closed the distance. This ghoul had some bite.

Decision By Henry:
1. Charge in swinging
2. Charge in and tackle him, hold his hands down so he can’t cast spells
3. Cast bolt on him (1 red mana, lethal)
4. Use Close mind (0.5 blue mana, lasts 3 turns)
5. Cast lightning talons, pick target, choose a physical action if target is self (2 red mana)
6. Write in
Optional: (will not use action up)
1. Talk to someone
2. Write in

Decision By Johnny
1. Attack Renwald
2. Protect Henry
3. Charge the Necromancer
4. Try to capture the necromancer.

>>2551660
> Sieze control of the Zombie then "kill" it.

While Johnny

> 4. Try to capture the necromancer.

Now that he just knocked himself silly we can get away with it if we're quick and just blame it on the necromancers incompetence

>>2551688
Solid idea

>>2551688
>>2551702
Alright boys, roll for it, the necromancer has disadvantage from the head injury so you boys get to roll twice (total of four rolls)

Make a second roll for Johnny to see if he can pin the necromancer in time.

>>2551705
also crit fails will not overpower other rolls for the advantaged roll by Henry

>>2551705
So 2d100's then?

>>2551711
3d100s, 2 for Henry, 1 for Johnny

Rolled 26, 93, 80, 73 = 272 (4d100)

>>2551707

Rolled 59, 34, 22 = 115 (3d100)

>>2551705

Rolled 11, 78 = 89 (2d100)

>>2551717
>>2551720
93 for Henry, 80 for Johnny, good job boys

Gonna roll the enemy reactions for the hell of it


How'd you like this fight? Less chaotic I think.

Rolled 57, 12, 26 = 95 (3d100)

>>2551705

>>2551729
I feel like it's going well.

Pity we can't keep the Zombie in recognition of his average competence.

>>2551660
“Johnny, rush the fucker, I got the zombie!” Henry said, as quietly as he could to Johnny, it was fortunate that everyone else was too injured to be here, made this easier than it otherwise would have been.

Johnny dropped what he was doing and rushed over to the necromancer, who’d weakly gotten up and was holding onto a table for leverage. Johnny dive tackled him, hurtling him to the floor. The skeleton quickly grabbed the boys arms with an unnatural amount of strength and held him down. He then grabbed the table and forced it on top of Xavier for good measure, since his kit only weighed twenty to thirty pounds tops. The kid was pinned, dazed, battered, and sliced. But very much alive.

The zombie surged forwards, terrifying Henry for a moment. The thing lifted its sword up to strike. Henry quickly managed to overpower what dominance the kid had left over the thing, and gain control of it. With some regret he forcedthe things essence out of it. The corpse crumpled to the ground, its longsword clattering harmlessly to the floor. What a shame, Henry could have sold the corpse for a pretty penny if he had been back at home. Henry would have to pick its pockets in a bit, before more help arrived. Might as well take what he could

The battle had ended fairly quickly. But that was always how these things went. Henry had never been a part of a battle that had lasted more than three minutes in his life. Letting brave idiots go first was always a solid plan, it was kinda a shame one of them had died. But at least it was one of the ones Henry had liked the least. Or at least didn’t know too well.

Time Limited Decision: (pick one)
1. Interogate the necromancer
2. Search the room for evidence
3. Search the corpse for loot
4. Check the upper floors
5. Head back and inform Lar it’s over.
6. Write in

>>2551764

Get Johnny to

> 2. Search the room for evidence

While we secure the kid better so he doesn't realize Johnny is a skeleton.

>>2551764
>2. Search the room for evidence
Grab that necklace off of the kid, preferably in some cloth in case of it being possessed by a failed lich or something.

>>2551764
We should bolt some steel bars onto Johnny's bones or something to give him more weight and reinforce him.

Maybe later we can even carve runes into them.

Maybe just band them around the bones since Johnny might protest about them being directly altered.

>>2551773
Lichdom doesn't work like that I'm afraid, its all or nothing, and it looks like that poor fuck got nothing.

As for the artifact, Henry doesn't sense anything too nasty coming out of it, and he has enough experience with items like this to know if its possessed or curse, it ain't

> telling you this as a QM as well, enjoy the new item!


>>2551770
Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?

>>2551764
6. Write in
Johnny pins the necro and begins the interrogation
We search the room.
But we NEED to check the lich room. That could be a threat still.

>>2551783
Nah it's probably best if we look for evidence loot ourselves.

>>2551798
>>2551773
2 votes for searching the room


>>2551796
I will allow Johnny to conduct an interrogation, although his skills with such are somewhat limited, he will do a decent job.


1 vote for having Henry go back to check on the lich room.

>>2551805
The Lich room will give the Inquisitors something to do while making it look like we don't know that much about Necromancy.

Rolled 49, 56 = 105 (2d100)

writing!

>>2551764
“Johnny, Interogate him, I’m having a look around.” Henry said, bending down to the ground and, after checking to make sure it was safe, he snagged the necklace from Xavier. Who was still a bit out of it. The guy was slowly coming to though, and a look of panic, then a flash of anger, crossed his face.

Henry began to check the room out, it was a fairly nondescript basement, but there was something odd about it. They were in a large casting circle, shit. Henry quickly grabbed out his dagger and slashed a line through the powder making up the circle. A second later a blast of black mana came out from back where Henry had left to two.

“HAHAHA FOOLISH…HOW?” Xavier screamed. Johnny had been completely unaffected by whatever the blast had been. Xavier attempted to cast a second spell but only wisps of black mana came out of his hands, he was tapped.

Shit, would he find out who Johnny was?

“You missed you imbecile, now you are going to talk or I am going to make your regret your life choices even more than you already do, you vile ghoulcaller.”

Henry hoped that he meant no offense to HIM! Still, it seemed like the bluff had worked.

There were a few other curios in the place, a map of the local farmlands, with a big red X over the town of Blaise, a couple of opened letters, and a pile of ash on the ground. Henry figured they’d been burnt for safety. Either that or the guy liked to smoke a lot.

There was some grain storage and other things you’d expect to find in a windmill, but not much else. Henry figured that this windmill had been their living quarters, perhaps they had attempted to tunnel into the crypt and then the necromancer would attempt to ascend. However the ascension had failed completely. The dirt tunnel had made for a good escape route though. One thing didn’t make sense though, why did the necromancer attack the town?

Henry checked over the necklace, it had a fairly decent enchantment on it, Henry recognized it as a gravediggers necklace. It would let him raise dead straight out of the ground, as long as the dead weren’t buried too deeply. Three to four feet tops. He probably wouldn’t’ be able to bring them up from deeper though. Still, it would save him a LOT of work. A useful find.

“I told you! YOUR GOING TO DIE, THIS IS A MINOR SETBACK, YOU’RE ALL DOOMED!” Xavier shouted, laughing manically.

“Should we tell him?” Johnny asked, nonplussed.

Decision:
1. “Your master is dead pal, you’re done.”
2. “The inquisitors will be here soon to haul your ass off to a tree.”
3. “You’re a fuckup pal.”
4. “Can you be any more annoying?”
5. Write in

>>2551859
the gravedigger's necklace allows Henry to raise dead through up to four feet of soil. A fairly useful artifact since some poorer graveyards or mass graves might not bury their dead deep enough. It'll also save him quite a bit of work.

Or you can sell it.

>>2551859
> Egg him on

"No, what fiendish plan could you still have from underneath a table?"

>>2551859
"Probably should..."
>2. “The inquisitors will be here soon to haul your ass off to a tree."
>"I'm kind of amazed at how much of a dumbass you are."
>4. “Can you be any more annoying?”
>"THAT WAS NOT A REQUEST FOR YOU TO TRY. SHUT UP."

>>2551887
>>2551896
both of these are funny as hell.

>>2551863
Can we experiment on the necklace?

I mean how many fights are we going to have in Graveyards really.

>>2551909
up to you honestly, what would you want to do with it?

Its more of a utility tool than a fighting tool.

>>2551909
We can do that later, away from the little turd pinned under the table and the town guard.

And possibly the inquisitors, when they arrive.

IF they arrive...

>>2551932
Like does it give us a free resurrection? Can it be used to actually move the earth? Could we have a bunch of zombie hands that swim through the earth and come up to grab people controlled by it?

>>2551938
> free resurrection
Flat no, that'd wouldn't make sense for the charm

>move the earth
Geomancy is generally red/green mana, this just piggybacks off of the raise dead spell to push the body to the surface.


>swim through the earth...

hrm... not yet...but that's a fucking horrifying idea for a later fight.

>>2551943
I mean, define "surface".

We could have them burst out of walls and roofs and such. Anchor the arms into an iron frame and have them come out and tear apart any enemy passing through.

>>2551859
1. “Your master is dead pal, you’re done.”

File: ABWIVpE.jpg (21 KB, 287x467)

21 KB JPG

>>2551943
Speaking of zombie hands, is there any other way we can learn how to make other forms of undead? I'm hoping for the chance to make some Forsaken Shells and Crawling Claws...

>>2551859
Search around, snatch the letters and hide them in a pocket while talking.
>>2551887
This- "what fiendish plan could you still have from underneath a table?"

>>2551887
Yeah. This.

Also ask him why they attacked the town.

Maybe we should also check out the evil tome before Inquisitors burn it.

File: 851_grimgrincorpseborn.jpg (51 KB, 620x453)

51 KB JPG

>>2551887
>>2551936
>>2551959
>>2551896
writing

>>2551961
hell fuckin yeah. Actually I did have a fun idea lined up. "Ladyfingers." Basically a crawling claw attached to a woman's head, the woman's head can be used as a security camera, a messenger, or storage.

Ghoulcalling involves more magical means of raising the dead.

Stiching is much more complex, you can make some true abominations through that. Its practiced HEAVILY along the coasts and in the swamps by various 'corpse barons' or mad inventors and Henry himself is somewhat involved in the corpse trade. I actually have an entire set of cases lined up later down the line for this area.

>>2551994
Say, since you mentioned putting a lady's head on a crawling claw, how hard would it be to give the head some semblance of a personality?

>>2551994
I still am holding on to the idea of making an undead laced with steel thread so that we can supercharge it to be faster and stronger. Sure it might burn out, but we just stitch the thread into a new one.

The lich of sol thing is kinda intriguing. Maybe his master was a higher church official in the past, donde high ranking priest, and used his knowledge to mess with the runes and manipulate the kid.

>>2551859
“No, what fiendish plan could you have cooked up from underneath my guard and a table?” Henry asked, amused. Egging him on would probably work.

“MY MASTER SLUMBERS, BUT HE SHALL SOON AWAKEN AFTER I GET HIM THE VIS OF BLAISE. YOU… MAY HAVE STOPPED ME BUT I SHALL TRIUMPH! I have… dealt… with the inquisitors… they’ve been slaughtered by my horde by now…”

Henry punched the idiot in the head, he wanted to keep going, to turn this little shitstains head into dust… no… control your rage Henry… not … now…

Henry took a step back and took a few deep breaths, this fuck would suffer, but not by him.

“Your master is dead pal, he ain’t coming back.” Henry finally said.

“You… LIE!” Xavier screamed. “HE PROMISED ME REVENGE AGAINST THE CHURCH, WE SHALL HAVE OUR REVENGE!”

“You don’t know the first fucking thing about the ritual he cast do you?” Henry asked. “It failed, his soul was destroyed, besides, I doubt he would have remembered who he was anyway, that phylactery he made was of shit quality.” Henry continued. Driving Xavier into a frenzy.

“So what?!” He screamed. “E-even if… …master is dead…” He continued… “The wards are failing… they’ve been failing out here in the countryside for a couple of months now! None of those idiots realizes what’s going on. They refuse to see the world for what it is!”

“Fucking hell so it wasn’t just a fluke?” Henry continued. “That means… fuck me.”

“THE HIGH ANGEL MUST BE DEAD… or… or … something!” Xavier screamed. “It’s the only explanation… your whole church… it’s going to crumble now!” He began to laugh. “So what if I die? So what if my plans are destroyed? It’s all going to end anyway! I’ll get my revenge anyway! How many more years will those runes hold? If it isn’t the undead, it will be the vampires, or the Autumn Horde, or the demons, or the dragon cults!… or any number of other of awful things!”

>>2552038
Henry punched him again, HARD. He remembered being like this once… only wanting revenge. It had led him to do something he’d never forgive himself for. He saw himself in this stupid kid and he hated it.

“You killed a bunch of good people.” Johnny said. “Do you feel no remorse whatsoever?”

“They were a bunch of idiots too fearful to seize power!” Xavier said.

“The lich of sol… your master?” Henry asked.

“Not anymore..” Xavier said. “I’ll get out of this… and you’ll pay.” Henry punched him a third time. His hand had warm blood on it now. Xavier was beginning to look terrified of him.

“If you want to Henry… I can look the other way.” Johnny said, gazing down at the necromancer with what Henry could only describe as pure hatred. “I don’t think he deserves a proper hanging.”

Johnny HAD been a paladin at one point after all.

“Your just an idiot playing pretend.” Henry finally said. “You didn’t have any real plan beyond attacking the local villages did you?”

“Shut up! How could you fucking know?”

“I’m right aren’t I… your just a pathetic child lashing out at the world.”

“I… I have dark power…” Xavier continued.

“It ain’t power, its debt.” Henry responded. “You have debts you can’t pay now, and the collector’s will be here soon.”

All power was built on debt, the only choice you had was to who you were indebted to.

Decision:
1. Ask more questions (write in)
2. Say something else (write in)
3. Hurt him badly
4. Kill him
5. Write in

>>2552042
"Ok Xavier, where did you find this Master out here in the backwoods? He wasn't too clever, cause he's just a bag of moldly bones now. Must have got everything outta your book, eh?"

>>2552042
> 1. Ask more questions (write in)

Who was his master? How did he find him? Why does he hate the Church? Did he know any magic before finding his master?

Honestly the dude might still be usable. We can blame everything on the Master and say he was a captive that the Master deflected the feedback onto.

Might as well give him the chance to convince him since death lies at the end of either us killing him quickly here, or the Inquisitors doing their thing later.

>>2552042
1. Ask more questions (write in)
What >>2552050 says, sans letting him go. Prick made his own bed, now he has to sleep in it. Sucks, but he's dumb enough to attack a small town for no other reason besides teenage angst, so too bad.
>2. Say something else (write in)
"No, he's going to the tree. At least I can feel better about this one dancing the hempen jig then the last one."
"Johnny, please tell me, and don't lie here, was I ever this much of a twit? Be honest."

>>2552050
What? You want to spare him?
No, the kid will be dead soon but I agree with your line of questioning.

We need to squeeze more info out of him.

>>2552057
I don't think there is even a tree in this town but we should keep him for the Inquisitors. I want to be there when they question him.

>>2552061
>>2552057
>>2552042
Can we tell HIM that we might spare him?

Alternatively if he helps us then we can give him a quick death. I'm certain he's seen worse ones already.

>>2552048
>>2552050


>>2552057
We're gonna be doing a bit of a flashback sequence to show EXACTLY how much of an idiot Henry used to be.

>>2552061
>>2552064
Good

>>2552065
and yes you can lie and tell him you'd spare him, roll for bluff since he might figure you're lying.

>>2552065
Why? I don't think the kid is THAT stupid to believe that lie.

He's willing to tell anything, we just need the right questions and if we don't have them maybe the Inquisitors will.

Rolled 79 (1d100)

>>2552070
Because I want to be extra-mean and give him some hope before taking it away.

>>2552076
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD4nMp90MYQ

>mfw when

>>2552057
Also, it's not like we really care about the people he killed. Can't undo the damage anyways.

>>2552080
Well, the only ones who got killed, as far as I know, are the guard at the front of the town, and Renwald over there. I'm more angry that he nearly cost us our life, our morality pet's life, and some free goat and onion soup.

Although Larry's cool. I'd feel a bit sad if Larry kicked it, and it's only partially because he owes us a drink.

>>2552090
We're also covering for Charlie and by doing so opposing the Church.

Like.

This guy was a useful catspaw once, why not twice? We could blame any necromantic accidents on him if necessary.

>>2552042
Henry stopped for a moment, pulling his hand back, before beginning to pace around, thinking. He came up with an awful idea to get the kid to talk.

“Tell ya what kid… let’s say you … were forced to do all this, and your necromancer master was the true planner behind these events. Let’s say I told this to the Inquisitors when they show up. I could probably get them to spare you… if you tell the truth.”

“Are you SERIOUS?” Johnny said. A moment later he saw a silent hand motion from Henry and nodded. Xavier was looking in the opposite direction, his head pinned to the ground. He didn’t know he was being lied to.

“… Okay…” Xavier said. “I… I ain’t dying for that fuck… but why?”

“Since you’re a stupid fucking kid who got tangled up in all this.” Henry said. Johnny looked back at him for a moment.

Johnny KNEW what a hypocrite Henry was being. But Henry couldn’t afford to care right now.

“Who did you work for?” Henry asked.

“Just my master, he was by himself. He got thrown out of the Sword’s point mage guild down in Avignon. He… he was in trouble with somebody else, I don’t know who, but he always talked about how he’d been set up by the church and forced to flee for his life!”

Great, the capital of the ocean, the second biggest city after Celeste itself. Home of mage’s guilds, Cathedrals, and automation a plenty. Henry had been there many, many times for business. The city was home to quite the burgeoning black market for corpses and other necromantic things. It figured that was where this man was from.

“His real name?” Henry asked.

>>2552098
“He never told me, said it would mess the ritual up.”

The much was true, knowing a lich’s true name would render the thing powerless against you and would let you try to take control of it. Their names were often inscribed on objects of power they held or the phylactery if they had created one.

The same object that was destroyed beyond repair.

“Why do you hate the church?” Henry asked.

“They... they got in our way, constantly, always forcing us to run, never letting us experiment as we wished! Master was… he was tortured by the fact we couldn’t… I wanted to make him happy for once in his life!” Xavier said. “Destroying something of theirs for once! I… I was the only one who ever saw anything in him. He was a great man, he would’ve saved the world!”

What a stupid fucking brat.

“Your master taught you magic?” Henry asked.

“The church would NEVER let me learn from them, said I was too selfish, too power hungry. I found a master that would let me LEARN!”

“Stop being so annoying or I’ll hit you a fourth time.” Henry replied.

“Your master was a moron and so were you, brat.” Johnny said, simply. “You tried to mess with forces beyond your control… hrm.” He stopped after being given a glare by Henry. Now HE was being the hypocrite.

Henry didn’t know how much time he’d have left to continue this little game they had going.

He could hear running coming from down the tunnel, he figured it was Larry. The inquisitors wouldn’t have been so noisy. Least Cassius wouldn’t have been.

Decision:
1. Ask more questions? (write in)
2. Write in
3. Finish up, wait for help

>>2552099
Ask him about the runes. What else he knows about the angels power failing.

>>2552099
> 1. Ask more questions? (write in)

"All this devotion to a man whose name you didn't even know. What's YOUR name, kid?"

Do him one last decency before turning him over.

Rolled 42 (1d100)

>>2552099
Also

> Ask if he had anything hidden that might incriminate him. We can take care of it so the Inquisitors don't judge him more harshly.

Why look for loot when you can ask.

>>2552099
>3. Finish up, wait for help
Yeah, fuck getting this guy a reprieve, the self-absorbed little cockwaffle.

>>2552104
Knowing how dumb he was already, it probably really was Xavier.

>>2552108
>>2552099
Do we get a bonus since we already made friends by offering to save him?

God my rolls are shit today.

>>2552109
Oh he already told us his name.

>>2552099

Ignore that then. See if he wants us to let anyone know about him, family and such.

.

>>2552108
>>2552112
nope

>>2552103
"So you guys had nothing to do with the failing runes? No tampering? No tinkering?"

>>2552103
>>2552108
>>2552104
>>2552109
>>2552112
>>2552115
writing!

>>2552099
“So... you really had NOTHING to do with the runes?” Henry asked.

“As if us mere mortals could stand up to the angels… they take our souls for whatever purpose they have… for what? Mere protection? They cannot do that anymore! My home was destroyed by devils! My family burned, and their souls? Taken by angels!” He screamed. “No, we have nothing to do with the runes! We couldn’t harm them, oh how we tried. We never had the power! Master cursed them often.”

Henry sighed, it wasn’t that they couldn’t be destroyed, it’s that they hadn’t put the time into it, or just didn’t have the resources. The runes could be destroyed with enough work, Henry had done it before after all.

“All this devotion to a man who’s name you never knew?” Henry asked. “Is Xavier really your name even?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Xavier asked. What an utter moron.

“Do you want me to give a message to anyone?” Henry asked, walking away from the kid.

“I don’t have anyone… why would you ask that?” Xavier said, panicking. “WE HAD A PROMISE!”

“You never got it in writing.” Henry replied, smiling darkly. “Best lesson you’ll ever learn, since you won’t be learning too many more.”

Larry finally broke through the tunnel and into the room, rapier raised up in the air. He placed it back down in disappointment. The fighting had ended. He walked over to the panicking necromancer and spat on him before walking away.

“Come on lads, let’s get this fuck outta here and back towards the others.”

Henry didn’t have anything left to say anyways.

“Johnny, bring him with us, and bind his hands.” Henry said, grabbing a bunch of rope from a table and tossing it to his minion.

“Better than he deserves.” Johnny said, tying the man up and lifting him over his shoulder. Xavier cursed and screamed all the way down the tunnel. This whole affair brought a memory back to Henry, of his younger, more impulsive years.

>>2552138
Haha! Bastardly!

>>2552138
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some Graveyard, 7 Years prior

Henry 13 years old

Henry smiled as his latest ritual bore fruit. Soon he’d have the power to FINALLY get his revenge, he’d spent the last three years getting as many resources, favors, and other horrible things together for this big moment. His grand ritual would summon a walking graveyard. A giant made up of thousands of corpses and the very ground they were buried in…. it would let him destroy those who’d destroyed him… destroyed his family…

He stopped for a moment, sighing a bit. It still hurt. Johnny… that stupid fucking skeleton. Had tried to get him to stop at every point along the way. Tried to make him see “reason” whatever the fuck that meant. What reason did the world have when things could go so damned wrong?

Henry sighed again, that skeleton had allowed him to get to this point. Besides all the protests and curses, despite the threats of eternal damnation for proceeding, he’d have his revenge. That’s all that mattered now. Johnny was the one person who could never betray him, who’d always listen, who COULDN’T run.

A moment later, that stupid skeleton burst through the wooden shack door. With that stupid getup of rags he’d cobbled together.

“Henry, trouble.” Johnny said.

“What?” Henry asked.

“You… better come see this.” Johnny replied, “You wouldn’t listen to me otherwise.”

Henry took one more look at his rituals, his notes, all of it. It could wait a tiny bit longer.

The trek took a few minutes, past tombstones and shattered holy runes. It had taken six months to prep the gravesite, and he’d nearly been caught many times during the process. Only sheer luck had saved him, but he was far too prideful to admit it. Several zombies wandered about, his guard dogs, lovely things.

Decisions:
1. “How are the traps you stupid thing?”
2. “Look, you wanted me to learn to talk to people better? Why bother?”
3. “I heard Gerald has finally become a Cathar, I don’t get why he bothers though, world doesn’t get better by following the rules.”
4. “What? No stupid speeches about how my soul is damned? No cursing about your fate? Hrmph, I rather like this side of you today.
5. “How is the workshop today?”
6. “Vermillion, did he pay for my latest shipment?”

>>2552142
also there is a bit of a hint to Henry in the "get it down in writing" line, I dunno if anyone will get the idea.

Anywho, we've won boys, with only minor casualties, due to good planning and good rolls. Letting all those idiots charge ahead was something I truly didn't expect, but they did fairly well in combat. They slaughtered about fifty five zombies total.

>>2552145
>4. “What? No stupid speeches about how my soul is damned? No cursing about your fate? Hrmph, I rather like this side of you today.

>>2552146
Wow, we're all gosh damned heroes today.

>>2552145
How are the traps

File: cfd557ce32a177945c03ca0aa(...).jpg (51 KB, 720x540)

51 KB JPG

>>2552145
> 6. “Vermillion, did he pay for my latest shipment?”

The best way to deal with his moralizing is ignoring it, otherwise he just goes on for hours.

And it feels silly to insult something we own. We'll show him the *real* moral high ground by being a classy gent.

>>2552146
>Anywho, we've won boys, with only minor casualties, due to good planning and good rolls.

So, I know that we've lost a guard and Renwald, did anyone else get killed on our excursion team?

>>2552146
Oh we made a deal and weaseled out of a contract hey? Or got burned on trust.

>>2552145
made a mistake here, Henry is 15

>>2552145

“What no stupid speeches, no moralizing, none of the classic Johnny charm?” Henry asked, only to be met by cold silence. This was different, something really had happened. But Johnny wasn’t panicking, so it should be fine. Least it wasn’t a present emergency.

“That vampire, Vermillion, did he pay for my latest shipment.”

“Yes… I don’t want to talk about what I was forced to witness in that… charnel house of his.” Johnny continued. “I wish you would not supply him further.”

“If I stop now it’s my head, you know that, you asshole. Honestly he pays really well.”

“Mere money… what a waste.” Johnny said, despondent. “Money doesn’t mean much when you have nothing to use it for.”

What the fuck did that even mean… was he threatening him? Or just warning him?

“The traps, are they set?”

“I just finished resetting one.” Johnny said. “They’re all fine now.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The walk lasted a minute longer, heading back onto a main road and stopping at an overturned wagon, there were a few zombies milling about, a couple of them feasting upon someone on the ground.

“What is this? A group of Cathars come to stop me?” Henry asked.

“One of your traps, sprung. Look for yourself.” Johnny replied. “And no it isn’t.”

Decisions:
1. *Look*
2. “The fuck is this all about huh?”
3. “Who did my zombies murder?”
4. “…Inquisitors?”
5. Write in

>>2552160
> 5. Write in

That was an order, to tell me.

>>2552160
Inquisitors?

>>2552160
>1. *Look*

>>2552160
“Inquisitors?” Henry asked panicked. This little roadside show wouldn’t have done jack shit against THEM. If that was the case he’d be fu-

“No.” Johnny replied.

“Look, I’m ORDERING you to tell me!” Henry replied.

“A family of innocents, a mother, a father, a child.” Johnny replied. “Like you, once.”

Henry stopped for a moment, everything just stopped. No… no he was lying. No no no…

“You’re lying!” Henry shouted.

“I am unable to, you ordered me.” Johnny replied, sadness and regret in his voice. He continued to talk but Henry didn’t hear any of it.

Henry rushed over, commanding the zombies away. The body on the ground was a peasant, a farmer, further away was a horse with a broken leg and bite marks all over it…. Oh god… what… no this wasn’t right… Henry hadn’t… he…

Henry continued on to the overturned cart. He had to know. There weren’t any other bodies around…. Maybe…. Maybe they were okay?

Decisions:
1. Look, you have to.
2. Don’t look, you can’t

>>2552168
Look

Aw shit Henry, you total twat

>>2552168
>1. Look, you have to.

>>2552168
> 1. Look, you have to.

> What the fuck where they doing here . . .

>>2552168
Henry quickly pulled the fabric from the cart, the fabric that had formed a sort of tent overtop of it. What he saw haunted him forever. A woman and her child, the family all dead. A couple of zombies were still…. FEASTING… on them… Henry called them away, before undoing the summoning that had created them… leaving them dead on the ground.

-25 sanity

He turned back towards the corpses. The woman’s neck had been ripped out completely, she’d died spitting up blood and gurgling, clutching her single child torn apart by undead horrors. The hadn’t been more than six or seven… Henry’s age during that day… no no no… at least Henry thought… the boy’s face had been ripped completely off…. No no no no no… oh god …. Henry stopped for a moment longer….

-25 sanity

Decisions:
1. Try to ignore it… m-maybe the cart has loot… ‘oh god oh god oh god, money but nothing to spend it on.’
2. Y-you can fix this… you can FIX THIS… FIX THIS FIX THIS FIX THIS
3. Grab a rock… it’s the zombies fault…. Bash the corpses skulls in… destroy them… they’re defective… that must be it
4. Pray? ‘no no no no no, nobody up there, no help, never help.’
5. Throw up.
6. Cry a lot.
7. Hurt yourself ‘ you deserve it don’t you?’
8. Remember, it was you who did this… didn’t you? (-100 sanity)
9. Write in

>>2552175
>5. Throw up.
>6. Cry a lot.
>8. Remember, it was you who did this… didn’t you? (-100 sanity)
ALL THE WAY DOWN, BOYS

>>2552175
Cry
Throw up
The I CAN FIX THIS
Realize you can't fix it
Bash the zombie heads in
Burn the cart and the corpses

>>2552175
>5. Throw up.
>6. Cry a lot.
>7. Make the zombies bury the bodies with their possessions

>>2552182
>>2552181
>>2552180

>Somebody choose to fix it
>we're a necromancer
> I'm an evil bastard


>writing?

>>2552185
Well Johnny is always pointing out how terrible a person we are. Guess we just proved him right.

>>2552186
Sorry guys I was away from my computer....


writing...huh

>>2552175
Henry began to sob, he didn’t know what he was doing anymore… what the fuck had been the point of all this?.... NO NO NO NO NO


Henry grabbed a rock, he didn’t know exactly from where, and began to bash the skulls of the three zombies’. He only stopped when he was coated with pieces of brain matter, blood, and ichor. It didn’t fix things… no he could fix this… right? He was still crying, tears mixing with blood mixing with brain matter mixing with pain … mixing with … guilt… NONONONONO


Henry had to fix this… HE COULD FIX THIS.


Henry casted raise dead on the three corpses… people… this would fix it… right? RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT? NONONONONONONO THEY WERE STILL BROKEN… NONONONONO. BE A FAMILY AGAIN, PLEASE… I WANT MY FAMILY AGAIN, I WANT TO BE FIXED, PLEASE.

-100 sanity


Henry finally lost control, and vomited on the ground, before collapsing. He …… NONONONONO


It was all his fault…. Oh god… no no no…. please…. Anybody… just make this okay again…. Please…

-100…. Brains… blood…. Death….


He sat up… he still had his dagger right… the one Gerald had given him? He …. He couldn’t fix this… be he was indebted to these people now…. He had nothing else… to pay….


He held the dagger up above his heart… he’d fix this…


Henry lost his grip on the dagger as Johnny grabbed it away from him and tossed it far away. Henry felt himself get pulled into a hug.


“You… stupid… child.” Johnny said, it sounded like the man was badly affected by all this too. “I… I tried so many times to turn you from this, save you…. I’m sorry I failed you… but please don’t do that. I do not want to see another person completely destroy themselves. Please Henry...”


Henry continued to sob. But he felt his mind slowly pulling itself back together now.


+150 sanity …. They aren’t coming back Henry


Decisions:

1. “What… what do I do?”
2. “How… how do I fix this?”
3. “I…what have I been doing?”
4. “I…I’m no better than he is am I….”

>>2552191
What have I've been doing, I'm no better than him

>>2552191
>4. “I…I’m no better than he is am I….”
>"Bring the shovel..."

>>2552191
“What… what have I…been doing … three years I’ve wasted…” Henry said.

+25 sanity

“You’ve been going down a dark… dark path Henry.” Johnny said. “One I’ve seen far too many men walk. Revenge will bring you nothing Henry, I think you see that now.” Johnny said.

“I….I’m no better than he is am I?” Henry asked.

Johnnys… expression darkened, which was odd since he was a skeleton.

“No… you’re not at all Henry, you feel… remorse, you can still change yourself. You just need to try.” Johnny continued. “You still have time to change. For the better.”

“How… what do I do to fix …”

“You can’t… you can only do what you can, you’ll have to live with this Henry, a stupid mistake.” Johnny said. Still saddened by the events.

“I… bring the shovel…” Henry said. “I…”

“Giving them a proper burial would be a start, perhaps we could create a few new graves in the cemetery…”

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Henry had just finished burying… the family… Johnny had given them their final rites. Henry had quickly returned the bodies back to their graves. He … he couldn’t change, but he didn’t want revenge anymore. To change… he’d have to open himself up… he couldn’t …. Someone would hurt him, eventually, kill him, eventually. No. He’d just… stay where he was, he was fine with that. He wouldn’t turn around but he wouldn’t keep on going.

He needed to earn money, to live, to survive. He… he only had one talent. He could put it to use… if only he’d realized sooner. He was too trapped now… god damn it all. He… he couldn’t fix that either. He couldn’t save one fucking child, ONE FUCKING CHILD.

One more piece of business though. The blueprints, for the monstrosity.

Decisions:
1. Burn them
2. Bury them
3. Keep them
4. Write in

>>2552199
1. Burn them

>>2552199
>3. Keep them

>>2552202
This

>>2552202
>>2552203
currently a tie.

>>2552206
Not really. 2 for burning them

>>2552203
This

>>2552199
Henry grabbed a candle, cast a spark into it to light it, then grabbed the blueprints and set them aflame. He couldn’t fix things now, but he could at least patch them up, stop them from getting worse.

He watched the flames flicker for a little while, ash falling from the parchment like snow.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Present Day

Henry, Age 22

Henry watched as the Inquisitors both pulled into the graveyard and dismounted their horse, they only had one now, Henry figured. Cassius immediately set off to start dealing with the undead, while Grom began to take stock of the situation. Rosa had been riding with them as well, and quickly began to tend to Larry and Durance’s shadow poisoning. She told Henry he’d saved lives again. Henry smiled weakly. He didn’t mind the praise.

“So this is the miscreant.” Grom muttered, grabbing a pair of gold inlaid handcuffs out from his jacket, a jacket which had a lot of damage done to it. Cassius’s had as well come to think of it…. Just what had they dealt with?

“You’ve done our jobs twice now Henry, I believe that might be some kind of record for our organization. Regardless, thank you, again.”

“Those are mage-bane cuffs?” Larry asked.

“Of course, we don’t want him causing MORE havoc now, dealing with the undead back at the town, in the other two graveyards… here…. So much trouble.” Grom continued.

“Thank you folk.” Lar said, through gritted teeth. Henry didn’t know what that was about.

“Grom, there was… a ritual, down in the crypt, I think you should look at it.” Henry told Grom.

“Of course Henry, thank you.” Grom said.

Decisions:
1. Talk to Rosa (write in)
2. Talk to Grom (write in) (will follow him into the crypt)
3. Talk to Johnny (write in)
4. Talk to Larry (write in)
5. Talk to Cassius (write in) (will lend him aid)
6. Talk to Lar (write in)
7. Write in

>>2552202
>>2552205
Dudes, we don't have to USE it. But the concepts and work could still be valuable.

Babies and bathwater.

>>2552213
sorry about that, had already counted the votes and started


Anywho, I'm going to bed, its like 3:30 am here . I got shit to do tomorrow. Expect another session tomorrow, but I can't afford to run so late.

>>2552214
That's how the votes go.

>>2552212
>6. Talk to Lar (write in)

How is Bro doing post-adventure?

>>2552212
Talk to Grom. Find out what they had been doing. Also tell him what we learned from the kid.

>>2552213
>>2552214
Was hoping it would fix more sanity damage

>>2552234
It's been years since then for SAN to return.

And Henry was still a Necromancer.

It's cool dude no worries. It's not just my story.

>>2552234
Sanity damage eventually recoveres... mostly


Its sort of like how wounds leave a scar, it heals eventually, but not perfectly

>>2552212
>2. Talk to Grom (write in) (will follow him into the crypt)
It’s a little dangerous, since it may deepen his suspicion of who we say we are. However, I think that following Grom will help us get a better understanding of what’s going on.

Ask him how their encounter went.