>>2655475
Welcome to Meldric Adventurers Quest! This will be something of a test run for this idea where you, the players, take control of a would-be adventurer looking to begin find your fame and fortune.

But first, we must know who You are. The city of Meldric drew many to her and was the birthplace of many others. Which shall you be?

>The Martialist, Jackob Verrucal - Human M 21: A recent arrival to Meldric he arrived after being disowned by his family in one of Meldric's allied city-states. Having lived most of his life with his uncle, a former respected adventurer, he is well trained in a wide array of weaponry but favors the shortbow with his saber and swordbreaker. After his uncles passing he returned home only to come into conflict with his siblings and parents over their families legacy. Now he comes to Meldric seeking to prove himself worthy of his uncles memory and legacy.

>The Veteran, Sophine Croswa - Hobgoblin F 39: Once a respected officer in Meldrics armies Sophine fell from grace after a disastrous loss fighting against the orcish Tervakan Empire several years ago. Armored in heavy plate she can weather heavy blows just as well as she can dispense them. Possessing minor thaumaturgic skill she can enhance herself in combat but years of neglect after her skills are not what they were. Now, after attempting sobriety, she wishes to take control of her life once more and regain some modicum of honor.

>The Tracker, Mikkel Zern - Orc M 26: Another relatively new arrival to Meldric, Mikkel hails from the northern swamps and the nomadic tribes that lived there. Trained in combat to use a whip and spear he is also partnered with a Sorif, an aggressive predatory reptile that only his tribe knew the secrets to taming. In exile he worked for years in fringe towns as a bounty hunter before coming to Meldric to begin a new life far from the concerns that drove him from his home long ago while facing the prejudice that all orcs did in the human and hobgoblin dominated city.

>The Chemist, Rhea Lepender - Goblin F 16: An orphan taken from the streets after her parents death and raised by a former Alchemist of the Meldric Thaumaturgic Colleges she grew up learning the secrets of alchemy, proving herself a prodigy at a young age. Possessing a keen mind nurtured by adoptive mother, Rhea developed numerous concoctions and mixtures along with a knack for tinkering that she combined to create an unorthodox fighting style. Now, as her mother ails with age, she is determined to prove herself and overcome the stigma that holds back many goblins in the competitive city.

>cont

>>2655608
>The Scoundrel, Viktor Hurz - Hobgoblin M 30: Born and raised in the slums of Meldric Viktor has had a tumultuous life. Recently freed from a five year sentence in the Meldric prisons Viktor is determined to leave his previous life behind and attempt to go legit. Stealthy and secretive from his past experiences he is skilled with a collapsible shortspear and throwing knives, his knowledge of the streets and it's denizens a valuable asset as well. He knows he doesn't deserve to join the Gladiators but he is eager to prove himself worth of the chance.

>The Thaumaturge, Nikole Aashan - Human F 23: Hailing from a small fishing village at the edge of Meldrics territory on an island she was sent to the College by the village elders. After studying for several years and attaining high marks in the College she nonetheless dropped out and quit after refusing to get involved with some of the more immoral projects that happened within those illustrious walls. Ashamed to return home and unable to imagine returning to the tedium of her village, she continues to live in Meldric, hoping to seek out a new path in the respected guild.

Which of these six potential heroes shall you take control of and help guild?

Please vote for your choice

>>2655613
>The Thaumaturge, Nikole Aashan - Human F 23: Hailing from a small fishing village at the edge of Meldrics territory on an island she was sent to the College by the village elders. After studying for several years and attaining high marks in the College she nonetheless dropped out and quit after refusing to get involved with some of the more immoral projects that happened within those illustrious walls. Ashamed to return home and unable to imagine returning to the tedium of her village, she continues to live in Meldric, hoping to seek out a new path in the respected guild.

Thaumaturgy a qt

>>2655613
I'd vote for either the Chemist (qt goblin tinker) or the Tracker

>>2655608
>The Martialist, Jackob Verrucal - Human M 21: A recent arrival to Meldric he arrived after being disowned by his family in one of Meldric's allied city-states. Having lived most of his life with his uncle, a former respected adventurer, he is well trained in a wide array of weaponry but favors the shortbow with his saber and swordbreaker. After his uncles passing he returned home only to come into conflict with his siblings and parents over their families legacy. Now he comes to Meldric seeking to prove himself worthy of his uncles memory and legacy.

Hm, guess I put up too many options to choose from

>>2655797
Maybe? I had a hard time choosing

>>2655900
Well I don't really have any plans so I'll even play through the night and tomorrow if some other folks do wander in

>>2655734
>>2655613
Supporting this one

>>2655613
>The Tracker, Mikkel Zern - Orc M 26: Another relatively new arrival to Meldric, Mikkel hails from the northern swamps and the nomadic tribes that lived there. Trained in combat to use a whip and spear he is also partnered with a Sorif, an aggressive predatory reptile that only his tribe knew the secrets to taming. In exile he worked for years in fringe towns as a bounty hunter before coming to Meldric to begin a new life far from the concerns that drove him from his home long ago while facing the prejudice that all orcs did in the human and hobgoblin dominated city.

Sounds fun.

>>2656071
Yeah I'll switch my vote to the Martialist too just to get this going.

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>>2655613
(Alright looks like we have something of a vote)

>The Martialist, Jackob Verrucal

You are Jackob Verrucal, having only arrived in Meldric a week prior after being banished from your family's estate. You had come into something of a... disagreement with your eldest brother, Benedictus. This gave the patriarch of the Verrucal family, your father Cordellion, the excuse he'd been waiting for and promptly kicked you out only a few weeks of coming to stay with them.

Now, you find yourself in Meldric following the advice of your Uncles letter he'd left before his sickness had taken him completely. The sprawling city was a maze to even you who had lived your youth in the metropolis of Vier Curaw, finding yourself lost multiple times as you tried to find your way to the Guild hall.

The shifting of the bench you were seated on jolts you from your thoughts suddenly and look at the hobgoblin that sat down on the same bench with their own platter of food. The hobgoblin scoops a spoonful of steaming porridge when he notices his gaze and squints as he blows on it before gulping it down with a grimace at it's temperature.

You look back down to your bowl of porridge and resume eating it now that it had cooled down significantly.

"Hey, you the new guy?" came a voice from the hobgoblin.

You had expected some privacy or at least to stay out of the way by selecting the bench against one of the walls of the common hall. Serving as cafeteria, bar, and meeting hall for the Guild it was filled with long tables where multiple other members of the Guild that had awakened by now were seated and enjoying their own breakfasts. The smells of cooking food wafted in from the large kitchen where a staff of servants was hard at work preparing the meals for the day.

You look over to the hobgoblin and notice he was dressed in a simple outfit of grays and browns, but you could see the scars and tattoos that covered his arms, neck and shaved head. He reaches over and snaps his fingers making you blink, "You alright there?" he asks with a tinge of concern before suddenly holding the hand out and saying with a mouth partially full of porridge, "Name's Murgan, what's your story?"

It seems you have someone trying to befriend you already
>Be Friendly
>Be Neutral
>Be Hostile
>Other (Write-in)

>>2656278
Be neutral leaning towards friendly
Could be he's just here to gauge the newbie

>>2656278
>>2656317
this

>>2656317
Yeah don't be too chilly with him

>>2656278
You reach over after only a moments hesitation and shake his hand, the mans grip firm and calloused as he grins jovially. "Yeah, sorry 'bout that, lost in my head. I'm Jackob Ve-," you pause then clear your throat, "Just Jackob actually."

Murgan shrugs as he releases his grip and takes another bite of the porridge, "Fair 'nough. So, 'Just Jackob', just joined?" he asks before picking at something between his teeth with a grunt of annoyance.

Pushing the porridge away you spear a sausage and bite into it, thankful it had retained some of its heat before answering, "The other day, yeah. Only an initiate so far."

As an initiate you were viewed as a prospective member of the Guild but were not considered a full member until after your first contract. An event you were awaiting with mounting impatience if you were being honest with yourself.

"Waiting for a contract eh?" he seems to have finally dislodged whatever piece of food was distracting him as he took another bite then motioned with his spoon toward you, "Hope you don't get a contract like the one I did," he gives a shudder.

"Oh?" You inquire with morbid curiosity.

Rolling back his sleeve he points to a scar that curves from his forearm nearly to his shoulder, "Some rich fuckers horse got loose. Had to go hunt it down and capture it."

You grimace at the thought. You hated horses. Anyone in their right mind would, what kind of rich asshole would buy a horse?

The memory of your elder sister Meredith comes to mind and you suddenly understand what kind of rich asshole would buy a horse.

Your musings were interrupted by the sound of another platter hitting the table and the creak of the bench across from them. Seated across from you was another hobgoblin, but this one had her dark red hair pulled back into a bun. Ripping a bread roll in half she begin scooping up her scrambled eggs with it before saying, "You harassing the new guy, Murgan?"

The hobgoblin male lifts his hands defensively, "Oh calm down Sophine. You were a 'new guy' recently too. Just keeping my new friend Jackob company, isn't that right?"

Sophine looks at you, a deep scar on her brow nearly taking her eye as it curves down her cheek, "I know friend can be a strong word with this one. I'm Sophine." She wore simple clothing as well but of thicker material you recognized as typically worn under heavy armors.

You give a nod, "I'm Jackob, as he said. Initiate for the guild."

"Good luck on your contract. Maybe we'll be working together," she says before starting in on her own breakfast.

Murgan motions to more tables that were filling as more members awaken, "Looks like everyone's crawling out of their bunks. Almost time for the assignments."

>cont

>>2656589
The three of you continue your meal for a bit longer before there was the sound of a bell being struck, drawing the attention of the hall and silencing the din of conversation. On a raised section of the floor where a shorter table was arrayed you see the officers of the Guild seated at their own meals and a single hobgoblin man standing up with a leatherbound book in his hands.

"Alright, listen up you lot! We've got our new contracts, listen well!" You recognize the hobgoblin as the Guildmaster Ghirrot. His silver hair was short and slicked back, his skin graying with age but his voice was still strong as he barked out names of various guild members, grouping them together as he assigned the contracts.

You listened intently for your name but as he continued you began to fear another day passed over.

"Initiate Jackob!" you hear your name shouted and perk up, meeting his gaze as he looked across the hall before nodding in recognition, "Come speak with me when your done," he says simply before listing off a few other names with a final contract before shouting, "Alright, everyone eat up, pick up the details of your contracts, and go make me proud!"

There was the sound of cheering and pounding of mugs on tables before they return to finishing their meals.

You frown in concern but Murgan elbows you gently in the side, "Don't worry too bad. Shouldn't be anything worrisome."

You rub your arm, not used to the friendliness of the adventurer. Sophine nods, "For once he's right. Just go talk with him, Ghirrot's not as intimidating as his reputation makes him out to be."

"Well, wish me luck," you say before standing and making your way across the hall toward where Ghirrot was standing talking with another guild officer, a human man already armored in a polished breastplate.

Ghirrot spots your approach and wraps up his conversation with the human who merely nods and steps away after giving you a long studying look.

The hobgoblin, in his sixties if you were right, smiles cheerfully as he turns to you, "Ah, Jackob, enjoy your meal?" he waves a hand dismissively before you could answer, "Nevermind the pleasantries, I'm sure you want to know about your first contract," he says and opens up the heavy book to flip through a few pages.

"Aha! Here we are, a nice simple extermination contract for the Dockmaster," he say, the glint of a single gold tooth reflecting the light as Ghirrot smiles, "So, you ready to make your Uncle proud?"

You return the smile, "Of course!" excitement welling up inside as he begins assigns your first contract

>>2656595
Contract Start
>Contract type: Extermination
>Reward: 200 Gold Marks
>Details: A warehouse in the docks that had gone unused due to its owner seemingly disappearing was discovered to be infested with a small nest of Clackers that are aggressively defending the warehouse. The Dockmaster is paying for the extermination or removal of all Clackers from the warehouse including any eggs they may have hidden. Minor collateral damage is acceptable but significant repair costs will be taken out of the reward if necessary.

You look over the paper with the details of the contract as you wander back over to the table where Murgan and Sophine were finishing their meals and look up expectantly.

"So, what'd you get? Guard duty escorting some College scholar?" Murgan inquires

"Clacker extermination," you say and watch as Sophine grimaces and Murgan mutters something under his breath, "What are Clackers?" you ask with sudden apprehension.

Murgan lets out a dark chuckle with a shake of his head, "Man, Ghirrot picked that as your first? Did you piss him off?"

Sophine flicks a bit of porridge at him, "Don't be a dick," she admonishes then looks to you, "I'd recommend checking out the archives upstairs before you head out. Do some learning before meeting up with your group. Hope you get a good team."

"Yeah, you better go down by the armory too, get some equipment if you don't have all you need yet," Murgan suggests before digging in to finish up his meal as well.

You have some time until you are to meet up with your assigned group, what would you like to do until then?
>Check the Archives and study Clackers
>Go to the Armory to retrieve your gear
>Meet up with your team leader first
>Other (Write-in)

>>2656630
(I'm not doing so well on making things short and simple am I? Trying to get better at that with this quest)

>>2656630
Research time.

Any other lurkers?

>>2656664
You'll get the hang of it

>>2656705
Research supporting

>>2656630
Deciding you needed to understand just what a Clacker was before you rushed headlong into a nest of them, especially after the reactions the two hobgoblins had given, you climbed the stairs up to the second floor and into the "Archives". More of a small library it took up a quarter of the floor where bookshelves holding various manuals and accounts of previous adventurers it was where members of Guild would come to study up their next quarry or recorded their own exploits for future members.

Already several members were there searching the shelves or seated at one of the desks pouring over a book. You approach one of them, a human who was reading from a book with a stack of them next to her on the desk. She looks up at your approach, a pair of glasses making her eyes seem larger than they were, "Yes?"

"Sorry to bother you but I need to do some research?" you say, uncertain where to start.

She marks her place in the book and gives a smile, "Well obviously. We all are. You're that initiate huh? Don't really have a librarian," she says, glancing around the room then back to you, "I try to keep it tidy but there's no real organization if you're looking for something specific. Feel free to look around but remember no books allowed to leave although you can take notes or add your own."

You nod with a smile, "Thank you ma'am," you say and she laughs.

"Yeah, don't call me ma'am," she says with a shake of her head and returns to her book and scribbling down something on the stack of papers she had next to it, "Good luck, Initiate."

You excuse yourself but she'd already seemed to forget you as you turn to look at the bookshelves arrayed before you.

Time to study.
Roll me 1d20 please

Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>2656803

Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>2656803

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>2656803

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802 KB PNG

>>2656803
With no real hint on where to begin you begin randomly taking books off the shelf and flip through the pages. Most of the books lacked titles, only holding the names of the authors on the first page. The first handful of books you looked through didn't seem to have anything pertaining to your target.

However you did learn in one of them that Firegut bile, when distilled and processed properly, can serve as a powerful localized anesthetic for surgery even in the field. Huh, interesting. You knew Firegut bile was used in many alchemical applications, your uncle even using them for ignitor arrows, but didn't know it had medical applications.

With a disappointed sigh you placed the book back onto a shelf and wonder how much time you have left. Almost ready to give up you feel a tap on your shoulder and you turn to see a fellow human man standing there with a few books under his arm. His left eye was covered with a fresh bandage but he looked roughly around your own age.

"No luck?" he asks with sympathy in his voice.

You shake your head.

"What's your target? You're the initiate right?" he asks and leans against the bookshelf. He wore clothing you could tell wasn't cheap, embroidery at the cuffs and collar showing he had some money but his wound and older scars showed he wasn't just a soft noble or merchant.

"Yeah, guess I got that look. First contract is a clacker nest and I have no idea what those even are," you grumble.

"Ah, clackers. Right, they're kind of a local menace," he starts looking in one of his books as he speaks, "Crustacean mutants. Normally they're just called river crabs and rarely get more than a foot or two across."

Of course, you knew about river crabs. You used to trap them from the stream near your uncles compound for food. He even taught you his secret recipe for crabcakes made from them.

"Around here though, they grow much larger than normal, sometimes as large as an adult human. They infest the sewers, canals and the river itself. Really territorial the goblins below are constantly fighting against opportunistic ones trying to pull them into the water," he shrugs then seems to find his goal and turns the book to show you a sketch of a large crustacean with a domed shell and two powerful pincers.

Oh, that was definitely different from the river crabs you were expecting.

"I've had to deal with them a few times. Watch out for their claws they can break bones whether or not they're pinchin' or clubbin' you. Their dome is denser than most plate armor so blades and arrows won't do much on that, best bet is to go for the underbelly to do massive damage," he says, seemingly proud of his knowledge.

"Noted, go for the belly..." you say as you start to have minor doubts about the contract.

>cont

>>2657184
"Just make sure you don't fall into the water with them. They'll drag you under until you drown," he falls silent and frowns as he looks at the picture in the book, "Lost a teammate like that," he shakes his head then smiles, "Well anyway, I gotta get to my own research. Good luck, Initiate."

You say your goodbyes with the man and scribble down a quick list of his advice before departing from the library. You were half-way down the stairs when you realized you hadn't even gotten his name but figured you'd have plenty of time after your assignment.

Target Intel Gained
>Clackers, mutated river crabs grown to abnormal size
>Territorial over their nests and hunting grounds
>Ambush hunters from the water
>Claws can deliver strong pinches or slams
>Outer armor is incredibly durable
>Undersides are their weakspots

With this knowledge you felt slightly better facing your task but after checking the time you realize you had to meet your group and set out soon. You stop by the armory briefly to gather your gear and don the dark leather armor you had made yourself. The armsmaster of the Guild, an older human man with a short braided beard and a shaved head, remarks on the quality saying you had skill if you kept at leatherworking while gathering a fresh quiver of arrows for you.

Armed with your gear and knowledge you felt as ready as possible and went to meet up with your team.

>>2657191
Heading down now that you were equipped you entered the hall once more but by now the tables and benches had been cleared and condensed. A few servants swept the floor or wiped down the tables in between knots of the adventurers talking and planning in their individual groups. You looked around, searching for your team and it suddenly strikes you that you did not know just who was supposed to be in your group.

Almost ready to search for Ghirrot or one of the guild officers you hear, "Initiate Jackob, over here!"

Looking to the source you see Murgan waving you over to where he stood with two others. Approaching you see he had changed as well, wearing a brigandine of steel and leather. A bearded axe hung from a loop on his belt as he grins at your approach, "So seems the Fateweaver wove her threads to team us up together, my friend! Good news for you, bad news for me," he says with a laugh then motions to the other two, "Let me introduce you to the other members of our team today.

"Initiate Jackob, these are Mikkel and Naturn," he says motioning to an orc male seated on a bench and a human woman standing with arms crossed. The orc gives a grunt of greeting and a nod, his close-cropped hair barely hiding the tattoos on his skull but his leather jerkin did nothing to hide the tattoos scrawling up his arms. A spear was propped against the table next to him and whip coiled around his waist.

Naturn frowns though you are unsure if she was frowning before or after you approached. She didn't wear armor but rather an outfit you vaguely recognized as similar to what the battle thaumaturgists of the Meldric military wore. Around her wrists were pair of bracers with intricate designs engraved in the metal and a bag slung over her shoulder.

Murgans smile falters when neither say anything and he shakes his head, "Mikkel's quiet and Naturn's..." he trails off and glances warily at the woman.

"Pissed at him about something we aren't discussing," she says sharply and Murgan coughs into his hand averting his eyes.

You and Mikkel exchange a quick glance that spoke volumes to both of your suspicions.

You have just met your team for this contract
>Be Friendly
>Be Neutral
>Be Stand-offish
>Other (write-in)

>>2657328
Be friendly but laid back.

>>2657328
>Be Friendly

>>2657328
Deciding the tension needed some breaking you clear your throat, drawing the looks of the others as you say, "Well I hope I don't let you guys down."

Murgan grins, glad for the distraction and claps a hand on your shoulder, "We shall see won't we?"

Naturn gives one last quick glare to Murgan before her expression softens and she nods to you, "Follow my lead and you should do fine. As senior member of this group you'll be my responsibility so don't do anything reckless. Enough time for that when you aren't my charge," she says with a small grin but her expression goes serious, "Our destination is in the Lower Dock ward so we'd better get going."

Mikkel stands and grabs his spear as Naturn walks toward the exit with you trailing after. Murgan grins at the orc, "Gonna bring your pet?" causing you to look over your shoulder.

The quiet man gives a short shrug and follows you and Naturn with his spear tucked against his shoulder and elbow, "If it wants."

Murgan rolls his eyes, "Sure thing," but doesn't prod him any further as your group steps out onto the city streets.

Roll me 1d20 please

Was there anything you wished to speak about with your group while on the way?
>Write-in

>>2661015
Bump?

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>2661015
Get their stories.

Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>2661394
What they said

Rolled 18 (1d20)

>>2661015
Let's see if they will open up a bit

Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>2661015
Immediate questions beyond "What's your deal?”:

>Mikkel/Murgan
"What pet?"

>Naturn
"So, you're a spellcaster/mage/thaumaturgist/inoffensive term for wizard?"

>>2661015
As soon as the heavy wooden door swung open you were assailed with the sounds and scents of the city. Stepping out onto the street you briefly stop to let your eyes adjust to the sunlight filtering through the morning haze. The building housing Ghirrot's Gladiators stood along a fairly wide street and had once been a tavern before Ghirrot had purchased it years before. With it's proximity to the Market and the river the air was thick with a cloying mixture of countless foods and the rotting stench of the river itself.

You grimace slightly at the smells, still not used to the aroma of Meldric, and turn to follow after the others as they walk toward one of the main streets. Noticing Mikkel peel off without Murgan or Naturn seeming to notice and move down the alley alongside the building you hesitate at the mouth of it peering into the shaded path.

He nearly collides with you as he exits, looking at you in surprise. You were about to apologize when there was a trilling sound you did not recognize and you look down, only to jump back in surprise. Curling around the orcs legs was a lizard-like creature that was baring sharp teeth and flaring out a crest of spines along its jaws defensively while making the strange sound. In the moment of surprise you notice the reptile sported the same tattoos on its thin but muscled legs as those on Mikkels arms.

Mikkel's expression of surprise turns to mild amusement as he reaches down to pat the quadruped reptile who's shoulders nearly reached his hip and it calms abruptly, a forked tongue flicking out in your direction as pupils that had been narrow slits dilate wider, "Sorry. Yunni is a Sorif and protective."

You calm yourself and manage a smile as the sorif seems placated and walks past you onto the street toward where Murgan and Naturn waited by a taxi. Chuckling to ease your nerves you motion to the reptile, "Isn't Yunni orcish for Spike?"

Mikkel smirks, "Close. Actually means Prickly," he looks at you curiously, "You know Orc?"

You make an indecisive motion with your hand, "I've picked up some."

Murgan takes a cautious step back as Yunni steps into the open door of the carriage after Naturn then grins at your approach, "Met the ferocious beast, eh?" he asks then laughs as Mikkel half-heartedly slugs him in the shoulder as he enters.

"Terrifying," you say with a grin and step inside. The taxi was a carriage drawn by a single draft bird, the powerful legged avian giving a faint squawk after Murgan enters and the goblin driver perched on top gives it a prod with a goad. After a moments strain the carriage lurches forward as the bird picks up speed and they are soon rumbling along at a decent pace as the wheels clatter along the cobblestone.

>cont

>>2661628
Seated next to Murgan with Mikkel and Naturn seated across the taxi was somewhat crowded, especially with the spined sorif curled up over their feet. The hobgoblin nudges your arm then nods to Mikkel, "He only just joined the Guild too. When was your first contract?"

Mikkel looks away from the glass window where glimpses of the river could be spotted down alleys, "Two months. Tracked down a disappeared husband," he rolls his eyes and grumbles, "Turned out he just ran off with a new woman."

"Typical right?" Murgan says with a shrug and shake of his head.

Naturn scoffs, "Don't make the boy think you're any different," she says while continuing to look out the window.

The hobgoblin makes to say something then frowns heavily and falls silent.

Not quite willing to suffer the awkward silence you look to the other human, "You're a Magister?"

Finally looking your way she shakes her head and brushes some of her dark hair that had escaped her braid from her face, "Not quite. Magisters work for the College or the Military. I'm just a Thaumaturge who didn't want to march to war," she shakes her head and motions to the city passing by, "Much easier and slightly less dangerous to stay here to earn my fortune."

"Don't let her fool you, she's quite capable of slinging spells at our targets and making them crispy," Murgan says with a quick glance to the woman who merely gives him a suspicious look and says nothing to it.

"Anyone know a good place to eat or drink?" you ask suddenly, hoping a change in conversation would keep them from dwelling on whatever disagreement was going on between them, "I know the Guildhouse has free food and drink but I'd like to see more of the city, y'know?"

This seemed to do the ticket and soon Murgan and Naturn both were sharing some of their favorite bars and restaurants. Even Mikkel pipes up mentioning a street vendor that sold a traditional orcish food he hadn't been able to find elsewhere in the city.

With time passing in conversation you hardly notice the passage until the taxi rocks to a halt and the driver thumps their goad against the door before swinging it open for them with practiced ease, "Lower docks," they announce.

The air was even more rank where you were, the Lower Docks more accurately describing a series of canals that extended from the Meldric Bay proper that poorer merchants and fisherfolk stored their vessels. The sea-breeze did barely anything to lessen the miasma that wafted up from the waters nor the sound of the clouds of seagulls and birds swarming nearby.

>cont

>>2661633
It was one of these warehouses along the canals that held their goal and as the taxi rattled off after Naturn paid the driver, they began walking following the directions the Dockmaster had left them. Thankfully those directions were quite clear and not long after arriving, and after several attempts by Yunni to snatch a seagull out of the air, your group spots your target.

Perched on the canal it was clear how the Clackers would've gotten in, a large door right up against the canal showing there was water access for boats to enter. It wasn't the largest of warehouses around, it's main door splashed with bright yellow paint and a note pasted on the door signifying it was to remain sealed. The stretch of canal was mostly abandoned beyond a few fishermen rowing their boat past them and exchange brief greetings in passing. You notice that alongside both sides of the boat were spears as well as cudgels resting near each of them.

Naturn taps her chin with a finger in thought as she looks over the warehouse from where your group was keeping a safe distance then turns back to you, "So, Initiate. Do you know what a Clacker is?"

You nod and explain what you had learned, not letting it slip that it was a fellow Guildmember who had shared their knowledge with you.

Naturn smiles sincerely for the first time since you've met her and nods, "Good good. Proactive in your research, a good trait. So tell me, how would you go about this task?"

How would you go about this?
>Write-in

>>2661636
Go in through the roof? Don't think they can climb good

>>2661636
Check for any entries on a higher level, if time where not an issue check records or with the owner for an idea of the floor plan to plan best route and possible ambush spots
If collateral damage wasn't an issue open the bay doors and use controlled fire to scare the majority of the crackers out

>>2661792
>>2661723
Seconding these. We need to assess where the infestation is and how big it is, at least roughly. Then decide whether to try to drive them all back into the sea, or to cut off escape and exterminate them all methodically. The latter is more dangerous, especially if there's a lot of them. The former is probably safer and wiser. We want them out of the warehouse, and we want to minimize the risk to ourselves while doing it. Leaving them an escape into the sea could minimize how many we have to fight.

We also want to make sure that any place we insert into has a secured escape route for us so we don't get surrounded and slaughtered ourselves.

Fire is a problem though. Pretty bad risk of sending up the whole warehouse, I'd think.

>>2661636
You take a moment to inspect the warehouse and the area around it. Glancing around the side of the warehouse you spot what looked like an old and rusty ladder leading up to the roof. Looking up you are uncertain if there would be windows or an entrance but you figured there must be something with the ladder there. Some dingy windows too covered in grime ringed the building just below the roof, a few panes of glass broken.

After a few minutes you turn back to their expectant faces, "Ideally we don't want to be anywhere near them so I was thinking we could try coming in through the roof. I don't expect them to climb very good right?" You look at them questioningly.

"They can climb, but not very good, not that I've seen," Murgan says while rubbing at the stubble on his chin.

"Okay so my plan would be to open the door," you say pointing to the yellowed entrance, "Then have Naturn and myself sling spell and arrows to drive them out to Murgan, Mikkel, and Yunni. We can probably get away with just driving them into the sea and sealing up the warehouse so they can't get back in right?"

"I do specialize in Ice thaumaturgy. From my experience they hate the ice and cold so it should help," Naturn says with a slow nod, "I think you've got a decent plan, Jackob," she looks to Mikkel and Murgan, "Anything you want to add?"

Mikkel shakes his head, "Could work. Yunni likes the taste of Clacker," he says and gently scritches behind the sorifs crest of spines, the reptile leaning into it.

Sliding his axe from his belt loop Murgan nods, "Me and Mikkel can act as bait to draw them to the door before you attack," he spins the handle of the weapon in his hands, "Best bet is if we can flip them over, just watch out, they like to kick an' flail around when they are. I wouldn't mind driving 'em into the water if it means we can avoid tusseling with them all."

The human gives a sharp nod and looks to you, "Alright, Initiate. Your plan, let's get to it."

Roll me 1d100 please

Rolled 25 (1d100)

>>2661938

>>2661938
>>2661942
Whoops, I meant to ask for a d20 roll. Trying to use d20's for this quest. Just habit typing 1d100

Please roll me 1d20 please

Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>2661950

>>2661954
>>2661942
Nice, even worse than before. Hopefully somebody else will salvage this.

Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>2661950

Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>2661950

>>2661967
Nice!

File: crawfish.jpg (44 KB, 640x763)

44 KB JPG

Time to slaughter some crustaceans.

>>2661938
Eager to prove yourself worthy of their trust you move into the shadows of the alley between the warehouses with Naturn following close behind. It was cramped, barely wide enough for you to move through without turning but damp-rotted barrels and crates did their best to hinder you. Making it to the rusted ladder you gave it a few shakes to see if it was securely fastened and to your satisfaction it seemed to be.

Carefully you climb up the rungs hoping the rusted metal held. You look off to the side down the alley to where Murgan was watching you expectantly as Naturn started to climb up behind you. Pausing at one of the windows you peek through one of the broken panes into the dark interior. The light was dim as it trickled in through the dingy windows but you could see something moving inside along with the sound of tapping against wood.

Resuming your climb you motion to Murgan who gives a gesture of confirmation and moved back toward the sealed door where Mikkel was crouched next to Yunni patting the reptile while feeding it a strip of dried meat. The hobgoblin nods to the orc who backs up with his pet and Murgan grins before taking his axe and slamming the door with the butt of the handle while shouting, "Alright you river shits! Eviction time, everybody out!"

As you climbed up onto the flat roof you could hear a sudden scurrying sound beneath you as you turned around to help Naturn up the rest of the way. She thanks you then moves over to the skylight window near the center of the roof. While it was locked there was a gap in the cracked glass that let you carefully reach in and unlatch it before lifting it open just enough for the pair of you to peer inside without alerting them.

Murgan kept up his loud assault on the door as Mikkel uncoils the whip from his belt and gives it a few gentle lashes to straighten it out. A slam against the door from inside made the hobgoblin step back with a surprised laugh and he calls out, "I think we got their attention! Just give a shout when you're ready and we'll open it up!"

There were several more slams against the door and from your vantage point you can see the domes of two clackers hitting the doors with either their bodies or their heavy claws. Besides those two you spot at least three more roaming around the darkness of the warehouse but they were congregating toward the doors, likely ready to defend against what they rightfully assumed was an assault.

Naturn points to the other doors that opened onto the canal to allow boats entry into the warehouse for loading or unloading. Above where the doors swing out you spot a rolled up barrier of chains and heavy metal bars, "That's the water gate. If we can close it the clackers wouldn't be able to get back in."

>cont

>>2666187
You look around the warehouse once more and the slamming gets more insistent and Murgan shouts out questioningly. An upper level rings the warehouse where a small crane was used to move the cargo from the ships, multiple stacks of crates piled about. You see from the upper level you could reach the water gate and release it once the doors were opened and the clackers forced outside.

"I gotta go in and drop the barrier so they don't come swimming in," you say.

Naturn frowns in concern but nods, "Not so sure on that one but here, give me two of your arrows," she says and you hand her two. Holding them in one hand she makes complex gestures with the other and murmurs under her breath and you watch as some of the engravings in the bracers she wore began to faintly glow with a turquoise light. Bringing the arrowheads toward her face she exhales a small cloud of frost that then clings to the arrowheads with small ice crystals, "Frostbite enchantment. Won't do much unless your arrows can break through their chitin but if it does it will cause some serious hurt to them."

You carefully take the arrows and position them so you know which ones they were in the quiver, "Thanks, I'll aim carefully."

"WHAT'S TAKING SO LONG?!" came Murgans shout over the sound of the clackers increasing aggression against the doors.

With a roll of her eyes Naturn stands up and begins muttering under her breath again while making gestures with both hands. She nods to you and you throw open the skylight illuminating the interior and revealing the five clackers now gathered around the door. At the sound of the crash and the light washing over them the crustaceans turn toward the source or recoil from the brightness. Quickly you unsling your bow from your shoulder and notch one of your mundane arrows.

Looking over to Naturn you watch as she pulls an icicle out of the moisture in the air that grows with each moment with swirling turquoise light from her bracers. Another one forms so she stood with one in each hand and with a small shout she throws the first that shatters against the shell of one of the clackers and bursts into a spray of jagged iceshards. Where it hit the first clacker you watch as frost spreads from the impact and it scrambles in confusion and pain against the others.

Before they could scatter though you shout out, "Open the doors!" and a moment later Murgan throws them open. With the doors open Naturn throws the other icicle that shatters against the ground near one of the clackers and the shards drives them forward in their panic.

Pulling back your arrow you shoot at the one struck by the first icicle and with a satisfying crunch you watch as the arrow punches through the shell made brittle by the ice and the clacker lurches before falling over with its legs twitching. You draw another arrow and shoot but it bounces off the shell of another however pair with the ice attack it serves its purpose.

>cont

>>2666196
Panicked by the cold and ice, and now the annoyance of your arrows the clackers rushed forward out of the doors and onto the path where your teammates were waiting. Two of them rushed past without seeming to notice the humanoids and plunged into the safety of the canal with loud splashes but the other two rounded aggressively on them. They scurried forward and snapped with their pincers angrily with foam bubbling up around their mouths.

Naturn points to the gate, "Get that sealed before they come back, I'll go help the other two," she says before running across the roof and already forming another icicle out of the humidity.

Taking a moment to judge the jump you leap in and land on the upper platform and begin working your way through the clutter toward the water gate. Inside the air was musty with mold and the smell of what you hoped was only decaying fish. Your eyes started to adjust to the dimness as you made it to the controls.

They were slightly rusted but with a few grunts of effort you manage to wrench the lever down and you step back as the rolled up metal bar and chain gate unfurls with a loud racket as it plunges into the water. Watching in satisfaction you turn around just in time to see the hunched form of a clacker nearly on top of you snapping its pincers.

Swearing you jump back and fumble with the arrow but the shot misses as you bump back into a crate. Adrenaline floods your system as you spin away from a downswing of its claw that cracks the wooden crate you'd been a moment before. In the same movement you had drawn your saber and swing it down against its back but the blade scrapes across it and your forced to twist just out of reach of an attempted pinch.

With saber in one hand and bow in the other you leap onto a crate then over before shouldering a pile of cargo so it falls over onto it. It was your turn to scurry away with it momentarily distracted, sheathing your sword and drawing the two enchanted arrows. Gripping one with the hand you held the bow you hop onto a crate, crouch down, and draw the other in the bow and take careful aim as it pushes the debris off itself.

The clacker spins, spots you, and charges forward with foam angrily bubbling from its mouth and its stalked eyes glaring with animalistic fury. Exhaling you let the first arrow fly and it races out to punch into its mouth and a split moment later the other embeds itself in the eye. It was still running when you hopped back off the crate and it collapses against it with ice crystals pushing up from the cracks in its chitin.

With a sigh of relief you give a quick look around to ensure there weren't any others lurking around. Satisfied there weren't any you move over to watch as Murgan and Mikkel handle their own targets.

>cont

>>2666199
One was already on the ground dying from the spear wounds to its underside and frost staining its shell while the other was charging Murgan swinging its claws wildly. The hobgoblin was surprisingly nimble as he hops back and knocks away a claw with his axe. An icicle is thrown from above but it misses and shatters against the ground making it flinch and cancel its attack at least momentarily.

Mikkel snaps out with the whip and it wraps around its claw, stalling it long enough for Yunni, now noticeably bulkier, dashes forward and bites down on one of its many legs. They nearly tear it from the body as they shake their head viciously knocking them off balance. The paired tattoos of tracker and pet both stood out starker against scale and skin than they had before.

Seeing his chance Murgan rushes forward as the clacker scrambles to keep its balance and delivers a solid kick to its shell knocking it back. With its stumbling back he takes his axe and does a two-handed swing to bury it in its underbelly. Shouldering the creature back he hacks at it again causing it to go limp.

>Success! Clackers defeated!

>>2666203
Roll call time, sound off.

Time to give this a serious go

>>2666233
here

>>2666233
Do it

>>2666233
Present.

>>2666233
Wrenching his axe free from the crustacean Murgan looks around quickly then relaxes his stance slightly when he doesn't see anymore. Mikkel gives his whip a flick and it uncoils from the claw as Yunni lays down and begins gnawing on one of the cracked legs.

"That the last of them?" Naturn asks from above turning back toward the skylight but stops when she sees you exit out the door, "All good inside?"

You give a gesture of affirmation, "Yeah, nearly had one sneak up on me but it looks clear."

Murgan grins when he walked over and slung an arm around your shoulders giving you a shake, "So! You took one on yourself, eh? Wondrous!" he says with a laugh.

Naturn steps off the edge of the warehouse roof and you tense in alarm but her fall slows as she nears the ground, a faint ripple of the same turquoise light shining around her boots that you see are engraved as well. She smiles proudly a she walks up, "Well done, Initiate. Your plan proved effective."

You can't help but smile at the praise even as you unwedge yourself from Murgan, "Thanks. For that and the arrows, saved my skin," you say, not wanting to admit just how close the oversized crab had snuck up on you.

Mikkel was recoiling the whip around his waist when you see Yunni's tattoos fade back to their normal dark ink along with his own, the reptile's bulk shrinking back down to its normal lean size. He sees your look of curiosity but says nothing, instead using the hook just below his spears blade to haul the clacker bodies away from the canals edge, "We should clear any eggs."

Nodding the hobgoblin wipes the blue blood from his axe, "Good idea. And we can see if there's anything of interest," he says with a chuckle as he moves into the warehouse.

Naturn scowls as she follows him, "Don't give the Initiate any bad ideas," she says but starts searching as well.

Murgan chuckles as he lifts the lid of a crate to peer inside, "Hey, contract said the owner disappeared and the warehouse is going back to the dockmaster right? They won't know if anything is supposed to be here," he says while starting to whistle.

You were uncertain if you should join but both Mikkel and Naturn begin searching the warehouse, both for possible hidden nests or valuable.

Loot Time
Please roll me 1d100

Rolled 87 (1d100)

>>2666462

Rolled 59 (1d100)

>>2666462
Big money big money

Rolled 16 (1d100)

>>2666462

Rolled 70 (1d100)

>>2666462

Rolled 11 (1d100)

>>2666462

>>2666462
With Yunni chewing on a piece of clacker leg while standing guard by the door in case the other Clackers tried to exit the canal you and your team begin searching through the warehouse. It did not take long into your search before you hear the rattling of chains and look over to the water gate, no doubt the clackers under the surface trying to enter. They rattling ends after you fire another frostbite arrow toward the source and you resume your search.

Whoever had owned the warehouse seemed to be involved in textiles if the crates filled with mildewed cloth and rolls of material were any indication. A few crates had clay jugs full of dye, some of them still intact that Naturn says could be resold. In a small office area consisting of little more than a single desk and chair you find a locked trunk and as Murgan makes to bust the lock Mikkel stops him saying there should be keys somewhere.

You find tucked away in several smashed crates mounds of sludge piled on the ruined cloth inside. Poking through with the point of your saber you uncover piles of small plum-sized eggs that were a shockingly bright orange. Naturn also says they could be gathered and sold to a number of alchemists or apothecarians. Ignoring the smell as best you can you start to dig them out and gather them in a makeshift bag crafted from some of the cloth from an intact crate.

Mikkel was tossing aside a crate when he lets out a sigh before calling out, "I think I found the owner."

In a pile of refuse consisting of half eaten fish, rats and even a capybara is a body of what was likely a human, its flesh rotted and mostly consumed by the omnivorous crustaceans. The sight nauseates you and Naturn has to turn away covering her mouth. Mikkel, grimacing slightly but holding his composure better than the rest of you, does a quick search of the tattered and mostly shredded clothing, finding a key of rings among a few other items.

Murgan was climbing over a stack of crates that had fallen over under the platform above. He was cursing as he slipped but as he did the oddly hollow sound of his foot hitting what looked to be a closely stacked pile of crates drew his attention. With the help of you and Mikkel the three of you clear the crates and discover a small hidden room that was tucked back in the corner behind a false wall designed like piled crates.

Inside the cramped interior were tables filled with various alchemical apparatus. A case in the corner had various jars and flasks filled with unknown powders and liquids as you looked through it. Murgan and Naturn both seemed to recognize that if an alchemical station was hidden like this from plain view then whatever they were working on was likely illegal or heavily frowned upon by the city and College.

>>2666637
Gathering together your team begins to take account of what they've found.
>4 Clacker Corpses: Various resale value to certain buyers
>8 pounds of Clacker Eggs: Valuable to alchemists and apothecarians
>13 Gold Marks from the corpse
>1 Slime-covered ledger recovered from the corpse
>A lockbox holding 140 Gold Marks and a handful of loose mid to low quality gems
>Jugs of dye: Resellable
>Alchemical notebook and ledger written in a secret cipher
>Alchemical reagents and contraband (Unknown)

Realizing that your group would need a larger carriage than what had brought you here Murgan is sent to flag one down, hopefully one that wouldn't be too worried about the four clacker corpses and various items they hoped to bring with them.

Naturn was looking through the case with the alchemical reagents and the notes recovered from the small lab, mumbling to herself then laughs, "No wonder the clackers showed up!"

You approach curiously and she motions to the papers that were written in a cipher you couldn't make heads or tails of, "Seems they were doing experiments with clacker eggs and such. They must've smelled it from the canal and burst in when they forgot to close the water gate," she shakes her head and closes up to the notebook, "Dumbasses."

Reaching down you pick up a green glass jar filled with an oil-like substance turning it over in the light, "What should we do with this stuff? Turn it in to the Guardmilitia?"

Naturn snorts with laughter, drawing a look from Mikkel who was busy trimming off and tying the clacker limbs together for easier transport. She shakes her head and takes the jar back from you and closing the case with the notebook inside it, "No, I have a... friend who might find this stuff interesting and would know if it's illegal stuff or not."

"Friend of yours work for the Guild too?" you ask.

"She wishes she could," she lets out a tired sigh suddenly and looks to you, "She's tried to get in and Ghirrot would let her but Adem refuses."

"Adem?"

Naturn pinches the bridge of her nose, "Yeah, the human asshole who's Ghirrot's second-in-command. A real dick," she says then shakes her head, "But ignore me, I have my issues with him but he does good for the Guild."

You wonder if this Adem was the man you'd seen talking with Ghirrot this morning but your thoughts are interrupted as Mikkel calls you over to help with the clackers.

Murgan eventually appears with a wagon drawn by a pair of draft birds, the wagon driven by a local who worked on the docks. Naturn pays the man a handful of gold marks as you and the other two begin loading up your prizes in the back.

Soon enough your team departs from the warehouse after closing the doors once more.

>Contract Complete!

>>2666659
and just because

Roll me 1d20 please

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>2666664

>>2666664
Your trip back to the Guildhouse was uneventful as the wagon rumbled along. You sat in the back with Naturn and Mikkel, Murgan seated up front with the driver giving direction. Naturn divides the money found in the lockbox and on the corpse, passing each of you your share while saying the rest of the contracts reward would be doled out once it was confirmed with the accountant at the Guild who would also take the clackers, eggs, and other recovered supplies except for the alchemy contraband.

>Gained: 45 gold marks
>New total: 55g

During the trip Mikkel had taken the ledger he'd found on the corpse and thumbs through the slimestuck pages, "Just a regular ledger I think. Shipments but the last one was from last year," he flips through a few more, "Looks like their business failed."

Naturn nods then lets out an annoyed sound as the wagon hit a pothole that jostled everyone and the pile of clacker corpses between you, "Might be why they started with whatever experiment they were doing," she shakes her head and looks up to where the spires of the College could be seen peeking over the rooftops of the city, "Lot of desperate people in this city."

Once returned to the Ghirrot's Gladiators the sun was creeping toward the horizon as a few other members come out to help unload the clackers and the spoils, carrying them inside to a sideroom Murgan points out is specially prepared to handle processing whatever game or corpse they brought in. A half-orc woman wearing a butchers apron tallies up the clackers after weighing them along with inspecting the eggs before scribbling down a note she hands to Naturn.

Following Naturn your group enters a room with a single large desk that a plump middle-aged human woman sat writing at one of several large tomes across her desk. She looks up and smiles behind her glasses, the lenses color a clear blue, "Ah, Naturn my dear, how are you? Finish up your contract already?"

Naturn smiles and takes one of the handful of chairs in front of the desk while handing her the note the butcher downstairs had written, "Thank you, Harrien. And yes, it went off without a hitch I'm proud to report," she motions to you to join her and you take a seat followed by Murgan while Mikkel continues to stand.

Harrien's eyes turn to you and you see her shrewd gaze through the glass, "Oh, was this the Initiate's contract?" She smiles, the lines in her face showing she smiled often, "Glad your first one was a success, dearie," she looks to her book, flipping through the pages, "Now let me see here... Aha, extermination contract for the Dockmaster. Clacker nest, oh those are nasty. Get some decent reagents from them."

>cont

>>2666763
She picks up an abacus from the desk and her fingers, adorned in a multitude of rings you notice, begin flying across the board sending the wooden beads clacking as she tallies it all up, "So with the reward from the contract in addition to the items for resale and the clackers, along with the gems for our coffers, split up among the four of you evenly, brings your reward for the contract to a tidy one-hundred ten gold marks," she says cheerfully.

Sliding her chair back she stands and moves over to what looked like a chest set on a nearby table. Spinning a few dials she hums to herself then with a mechanical click inside the chest opens and she reaches inside and pulls four bags out one by one and sets them on the table, the chest lid shutting itself and the dials spinning on their own before several clicks mark its locking.

Wow, that was a Hoard Box. Extremely rare and valuable you'd only seen one of them before in your family vault when you were younger and still in good graces with your father.

Placing a bag in front of each of you you take the pouch along with the others as Harrien smiles, "There you go, all set. Now don't go spending it all in one place, dearies," she pulls her glasses down slightly to look at you over the half-moon lenses, "I'll let Ghirrot know you've completed your contract once he comes back in from his own errands."

Murgan grins while bouncing the pouch in his hand, "Old man go out on a contract himself?"

Harrien shakes her head and grins wryly as she reclaims her chair, "Oh he wishes. No, some meeting with some Council type or something," she waves a hand dismissively, "I'm the accountant, not his secretary," she says with a laugh.

Reward Gained
>110 Gold Marks
>New Total: 165g

Once more in the main hall Murgan slings his arm across your shoulders and grins at you, "So! With your newfound fortune there, what are your plans for the night?" he looks to Mikkel and Naturn, "Should we help him celebrate his first contract success?"

Mikkel gives a shrug, "I could go for a few drinks," he says, the orc seeming easy to please.

Naturn manages a smile but shakes her head, "I'm gonna go drop these off," she says shifting the strap of the carrying case hanging from her shoulder, "Don't want to hold onto them too long," she looks to you, "Don't let Murgan buy you something called a River's Regret. You'll be the one regretting it when you wake up with a hangover fit to kill an ogre."

Murgan scoffs, "That's cause you always just slam it back, it's a sipping drink," he grins at you, "So what do you say?"

What should you do now that you have a night free after being paid for your first contract?
>Be friendly and hang out with Murgan and Mikkel
>Offer to accompany Naturn to her friend
>Stay at the guildhouse to relax for the night
>Go explore Meldric, you are still new and unfamiliar
>Other (Write-in)

>>2666765
>Offer to accompany Naturn to her friend

The stuff she has might be risky, either because it might be illegal or because it might be very valuable. Making sure nothing goes wrong is probably more important than getting hammered in a tavern.

If she turns us down, then
>Be friendly and hang out with Murgan and Mikkel

>>2666865
>>2666765
Seconding

>>2666765
>Be friendly and hang out with Murgan and Mikkel

>>2666765
>>2666865
This.
Still grateful for those arrows.

>>2666765
>Be friendly and hang out with Murgan and Mikkel

We can catch up to Naturn and thank her. Let's build our relationship with the crew.

>>2667706
Catch up later I meant

>>2667706
Supporting. Murgan and Mikkel seem like bros

>>2655797
Personally, none of them are appealing.

>>2667822
Good thing you don't have to play, shithead

>>2667835
No need to be upset that someone doesn't like something.

>>2666865
Supporting but maybe also mention meeting up with them for drinks once we done escorting them? I would assume it shouldn't take all night to deliver

>>2666765
You think to yourself for a moment then look to Naturn, "Mind if I tag along?"

The woman blinks in surprise, glances down at the case she was carrying and frowns in thought. Finally she gives a sharp nod, "Sure, why not. It's not too long of a walk," she says with a shrug.

Murgan scoffs and removes his arm from around your shoulders, "I see how it is, we offer to celebrate and you go run off with the other human. I feel somewhat insulted, don't you Mikkel?" he says with mock hurt.

The orc chuckles, "Wounded," he says.

Rolling your eyes you can't help but grin at the theatrics of the hobgoblin, "Just tell me which bar you're going to and I'll join you afterwards."

"I might stick around for a drink too," Naturn says then frowns at Murgans hopeful expression, "Don't ruin it."

Murgan shrugs and gives you directions toward a bar he knew of, Naturn saying she knew of the area.

With Murgan and Mikkel walking off with Yunni trailing after the orc Naturn readjusts the carrying case and nods her head toward the streets as the sun crept closer to the rooftops and the sky started turning orange, "This way. Should hurry before it gets dark."

The woman turns on her heel and starts walking in a different direction than the pair had gone and you move to keep pace with her.

Was there anything you wished to talk to her about while on your way?
>Write-in

>>2678212
"So, these alchemical things. Why are some of them illegal anyway? It's got to me more than just risk of attracting Clackers when you mess with their eggs.

I mainly ask because things that are illegal for being dangerous often attract the attention of dangerous people, and I'd like to know what sort so I can see them coming."

>>2678212
>>2678568
This

>>2678212
Walking alongside you follow Naturn as she walks down the cobblestone road off to the side to avoid the carriages and carts moving down the middle. A patrol of Guardmilitia go tromping by on riding birds, their gray armor and silver helms marking them in the crowds that part for their passing.

"So how do you like Meldric so far?" Naturn asks suddenly, the middle-aged woman waiting with you at a corner for a break in the traffic.

A small cluster of children go rushing by and you feel a tug at one of the pouches hanging from your belt but you catch the grasping hand before they could pilfer anything. With a stern look the children run off once more, a few shouting crude insults toward you.

You motion toward the fleeing kids as you cross the road, "It's crowded," you say simply.

She chuckles, gripping the strap of the carrying case tight, "A lot of visitors and newcomers say the same thing."

"So, these alchemical things. Why are some of them illegal anyway? It's got to me more than just risk of attracting Clackers when you mess with their eggs," you say, motioning to the case while speaking in a voice low enough that only she could hear, "I mainly ask because things that are illegal for being dangerous often attract the attention of dangerous people, and I'd like to know what sort so I can see them coming."

Roll me 1d20 please

Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>2678732

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>2678732

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>2678732

>>2678732
She gives you a shrewd as you turn around a corner down another street, "Well put," she says mostly to herself then shrugs the strap further onto her shoulder, "Some can be used in the manufacturing of dangerous items, as you guessed," she taps the case's side, "My knowledge of alchemy is limited at best but the City and College ban most things that can make weapons, drugs, or a variety of restricted brews. Some proprietary, some dangerous," she shrugs again, "That's why I'm bringing it to my friend. She'll know what's dangerous to keep or use and what's not. Might even give us some coin for it."

You wonder if she isn't being fully honest with you but you don't have a chance to press her when you realize your path had gone from the cobblestone to a dirt and mud road that was just as busy at the others. The buildings were less clean-looking with several having their windows boarded up and with less space in between if there was any. It still somewhat surprises you how quickly the city could change between streets or even across the road from each other.

The trip was not long, the thaumaturge showing you a path through the winding streets to a cul-de-sac filled with houses of varying states of disrepair. Stepping up to a modest two story house sandwiched between two others she tugs on a rope and a bell rings inside.

You hear a voice from inside but can't be certain of what was said. Naturn turns to you as she waits, "Now, my friend is a human like us but she's got daughter, don't comment on her-" she's cut off as a slot in the door chest-high slides open suddenly.

"Who's there? Eh?" the yellow eyes peer suspiciously at you, "Go away," the voice says sharply.

Naturn leans over and smiles with a wave, "Rhea, it's me, open up. I got some stuff for your mother."

The eyes widen at the sight of Naturn, "Oh! Natty, yes yes, of course!"

The slot slides shut and you hear several locks being undone before the door is opened and a goblin girl stands before you. Oh, that's what she meant, you think to yourself. You were uncertain of her age but knew she must be young. She wore a pair of coveralls with her hair contained by a bandanna and wearing workgloves that looked oversized on her.

Her yellow eyes squint at you briefly but she smiles at Naturn, "Mom's laying down upstairs, I'll go let her know," she motions to a side room when you both enter, "Wait there," she says after locking the door again and hurrying up the stairs.

>cont

>>2679084
The waiting room was decently furnished if covered in layers of dust and stacks upon stacks of various books and folders filled with paper. Naturn seemed unbothered by it and moves to a table to shift a stack of books to make room for the case.

You move over to what looked to be a bookshelf but rather than books it was filled with jars and glass cases of all shapes and sizes. Contained within were a wide array of different ingredients and samples you assumed were used in alchemy. Roots, powders, grains of unknown materials, seeds, nuts, dried leaves, mushrooms, even a few containing the preserved forms of arthropods, lizards, snakes, the largest jar holding what looked to be a fetal harpy chick.

"Disgusting huh?" Naturn says from where she was leaning against the table, "I could never get into it. Alchemy I mean."

You turn away from it and nod, "Never had a head for it. Family tried suggesting it as a career once," you say with a grimace but move on from the thought as you hear footsteps from the stairs.

The goblin, Rhea as Naturn called her, walks back down alone with a frown on her face. Rubbing the back of her head she shakes it, "Sorry, Natty. Mom's laying down about to sleep, her medicine almost kicked in. If you want you can go up and talk to her real quick."

Naturn smiles sympathetically, "If only it's no bother, Rhea. Don't want to bother her if she's sleeping," she then motions to you as Rhea shifts a suspicious look to you, "Oh that's right, this is Jackob," she motions to the goblin, "Jackob this is-"

"I'm Rhea Lepender," the goblin says while taking the heavy gloves off and tossing them onto the table. She looks at you critically a few moments then nods to Naturn, "Go on up, Mom wants to see you before she sleeps."

Patting the case she grins at Rhea, "Take a look through this. Jackob and I found it on a job today. Might be something interesting in here," she moves toward the stairs but stops and leans in toward Rhea whispering barely loud enough for you to hear, "Be nice to him," to which you see Rhea roll her eyes.

With Naturn walking up the stairs Rhea moves over to the table and stands on one of the chairs as she opens the case, uncorking a few jars, sniffing them, then resealing them as she starts inspecting the wares while seemingly ignoring you for the moment now that she has a task.

How should you proceed?
>Be friendly, strike up a conversation
>Be neutral, don't upset your host
>Be inquisitive, find out what the stuff in the case is
>Other (write-in)

>>2679090
"Looks like you really know your way around alchemical materials! We found them in a hidden room in a warehouse, along with Clacker eggs--not far from what remained of the owner. Any idea what they might have been doing with them?"

Is she suspicious of people because of some alchemy-related thing, or because of common anti-goblin prejudice?

Whatever we say it should err on the side of not treating her poorly.

>>2679119
Seconding. Inquisitive, but mainly for the purpose of being friendly and showing we treat her as worth talking to. Opening up with more information encourages reciprocation too.

>>2679090
Moving over to lean against the back of a chair you look inquisitively at the cases contents as she starts pulling them out and sorting them by some unknown metric. Rhea looks at you suspiciously but says nothing, instead dipping a finger into a jar of purple powder then licking the residue before her face puckers as if it was the most sour thing she'd ever tasted.

You hold back a chuckle, instead trying to strike up a conversation, "Looks like you really know your way around alchemical materials," you say with a motion to the case, "We found this in a hidden room in a warehouse overrun by clackers, not far from what remained of the owner. Naturn says they were experimenting with the eggs, any idea what they might have been trying? "

Rhea fishes out the notebook from the case and flips through it in silence. You think she's ignoring you but she says, "Most of the stuff in here is for processing and distilling organic compounds. Clacker eggs you say..." she hops off the chair and begins looking at the book piles scattered around the room before finding one and pulling it free without toppling the stack somehow.

She flips through it briefly then hops back up onto the chair with surprising nimbleness without looking away, "Won't know without completely scouring the notes but looks like they were trying to make River Muck, or a variation of it."

You frown in confusion, "River Muck, that some kind of drug?"

Rhea grins, her teeth sharper than a humans or hobgoblins, "Precisely. Normally made from certain organs of clackers and river crabs mixed with certain other ingredients. Nasty stuff, people pack it into their gums and suck on for a buzz or boil it and down it with a shot of liquor to get real high," she shakes her head and puts the book to the side to resume her examination of the case, "Causes your teeth to fall out right quick, though."

"Were they trying to make a new form of it with the eggs?" you ask while trying to ignore the queasiness of thinking about this Muck.

She nods and shrugs, seeming to grow more used to your presence now that you've proven yourself somewhat knowledgeable, "Most likely. Never bothered trying to make that shit myself, mom would have a fit. I'm guessing they tried to make a concentrate of whatever gives the Muck it's kick, if I'm going by the supplies and some of the notes."

"The concentrated smell of the eggs must've been what caused the clackers to attack the warehouse and infest it, must've smelt like the best damn nesting site," you muse mostly to yourself.

Rhea eyes you for a moment and puts a jar of unknown pellets down, "Aye, most likely. So you're in the Gladiators with Natty? How long?"

"Today was my first proper contract, my initiation," you say.

The goblin chemist scoffs, "Lucky you. Must be nice being able to get in to one of the most prestigious Guilds around," her mood seems to sour as she returns to looking through the case.

Do you wish to press the subject about the Guild?
>Y/N

>>2679431
>Must be nice being able to get in to one of the most prestigious Guilds around

Sounds like that's a sore spot.
So,
>Y
Press the subject, but by showing sympathy.

"Sounds like a sore spot. Sorry about that. Did one of the Guilds do wrong by you? I'd have hoped that the Guilds of all places would respect real talent."

That way whether she was trying to get and got rejected, or was just disrespected by one of the Guilds, the comment comes off as sympathetic and encourages more expression of what went wrong.

>>2679431
Yeah, ask her about the guild, try not to sound condescending though.

>>2679431
I third the motion of >>2679442
Try to tiptoe the subject though.

>>2679442
Yeah, well phrased.

>>2679431
You begin to wonder if Rhea was the friend Naturn mentioned wanting into the guild. Deciding to press your luck you say, "Sounds like a sore spot. Sorry 'bout that," you rub at the back of your neck, "Did the Guilds do wrong by you? I'd have hoped that the Guilds of all places would respect real talent."

Placing down a jar filled with some kind of oil she looks at you with a scrutinizing expression before letting out a small huff and shake of her head, "Same one you joined. Turns out the great Ghirrot's Gladiators don't accept Goblins among their illustrious ranks," her words thick with bitterness as she seats herself down on the chair.

"I don't see why not," you say with your own frown.

Rhea makes a face then sighs heavily, "Y'know, my mom was good friends with Ghirrot. He says he'd be happy to bring me in if I was half as good as Mom. I know I'm just as good, maybe even better someday! But..." she makes a dismissive motion and shakes her head, her large ears laying back out of melancholy, "No respectable big name Guild takes in Goblins."

"Sorry, Rhea. It's not fair," you say, uncertain of how to proceed. You knew Goblins weren't viewed in high regards in the Meldric, nor in your own hometown of Vier Curaw.

Rhea grimaces and waves a hand, "Oh shush, it's nothing you can help with. Unless you can get Ghirrot to stop listening to that officer of his but he's supposed to be the old mans best friend. Mom says he always hated goblins," she says with a sneer, "And when I met him I got that feeling too."

"Adem?" you inquire, remembering Naturn mentioning the second-in-command of the Guild.

The goblin blows a raspberry at the name while making a rude gesture, "That's the dick. I mean, sure, he's supposed to be some big war hero against the Tervakans, but he's a real asshole from what I seen and heard," she points a finger at you, "Watch out for him. He smells too clean. Anyone in this city who smells too clean is bad news," she says with a pointed glance in your direction.

You blink and lift up a sleeve and give an experimental sniff then grimace. The goblin just grins, "Yeah, you and Natty reek of Clacker and the docks."

"Oh thank you so much, dear," came the sarcastic voice of Naturn as she steps back down the stairs. She joins you two in the room and moves a stack of books off a plush armchair before sitting down with a friendly smile, "So Rhea, you torment Jackob too much?"

The goblin rolls her eyes, "Nah, just discussing some awful coworkers of yours," she motions to the stacks of jars and vials, "From what I gather here, your clacker food was trying to make River Muck."

Naturn grimaces, "I figured as much. Get anything useful in there though?"

Rhea shifts through a few of the objects for a moment then nods to her, "I think so. Gimme the night and I'll tally up what I owe you," she looks to you, "Would you want a cut of the finders fee or maybe something else like a helpful potion or two?"

>>2680333
Rhea Lepender, goblin alchemist, is offering to pay or reward you along with Naturn for the alchemy reagents. What should you ask for?
>Accept the finders fee
>Ask for potions
>Ask for something else (write-in)
>Refuse the reward
>Other

>>2680338
>>Ask for potions
What sort of potions?

>>2680338
I'm thinking potions.

If we get money we'll just have to find some other way to spend it and we don't seem to have any pressing intended purchases.

If we get the potions, it's obviously useful, probably cheaper than buying the potions elsewhere, and opens an opportunity to earn some reputation with/for Rhea if the potions prove to be really good. Like she said, the main thing stopping her was being able to prove she's "half as good" as her mom.

Let's take the potions, but say we'll make sure others know where they came from when they prove useful.

>>2680338
"What sort of potions can you make?" you ask curiously.

Rhea grins, baring sharp teeth once more, "Many kinds of course! Physical and mental enhancers, adrenaline boosters, energizing draughts, the standard healing fare, and some other specialties," she says counting them on her fingers.

"Looking for another rat to test your mixes on?" Naturn says teasingly.

Rhea hisses at her then looks back to you, "Don't mind her. It amuses her to torment me for my work."

Naturn rolls her eyes dramatically then looks to you, "First time she had me test one of her brews I had purple splotches on my skin for a week."

"Yeah but don't tell me your hearing wasn't the best it had ever been!" the goblin says boastfully while hopping from the chair once more.

Naturn shrugs in defeat as Rhea moves to another table and pulls down a leather case. Popping open the lid she fishes around inside before pulling out a thin vial full of a blue mixture that she tosses to you, "Here catch!"

Thankfully you managed to catch it without breaking it and look at in inquisitively, "This the purple skin hearing booster?" You give it a small shake and oddly the bubbles are an orange before they pop.

Rhea snorts and pulls herself up onto the chair, this time seated rather than standing on it, "No no, that recipe is old news," she points to the vial, "That though, down that and for several hours after you'll be able to see in the darkness much better than you humans normally can. I call it Goblin Sight," she says proudly.

Naturn chuckles, "Don't goblins rely on their hearing more than eyesight and the darkvision is a rumor?"

The goblin waves a hand dismissively, "Aye but it's not a potion of Goblin Hearing, no one wants to drink a potion of Goblin Hearing," she says matter-of-factly then looks to you, "That one is a free sample. What would you like otherwise?"

What kind of potion would you like?
>Physical Enhancer
>Mental Enhancer
>Energizing Draught
>Healing Potion
>Other, Mystery option

>>2687299
Physical enhancer might have the best potential to create a dramatic, outwardly verifiable story by its use IMO. Which would be cool for both us and her.

Then again, our specialties tend more towards finesse than brute strength. Identifying a weakness and putting a strike directly on it might be more useful. So mental enhancer?

That mystery option though...

Tough call.

>>2687357
I like the idea of mental enhancers. Could be something interesting.

Do we care if it's legal or not?

>>2687768
I sure thought it was. The way Rhea talks about her potions includes their marketability too.

I was planning on talking up her potions to other people and sending business her way. Unless her potion really screws us up somehow.

>>2687299
>Mystery option
BOX

>>2687299
>>Physical Enhancer

>>2687299
>Physical Enhancer
If we get one.

>Mystery option
If we can get two.

>>2687299
>>Other, Mystery option
What's in the box?

It's page ten OP, do you know where your archive is?

>>2690065
Yes actually
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?searchall=meldric+adventurers+quest

>>2690091
Oh.
Well.
Alright then.
Carry on.