The road you traveled on however was quite bumpy, which wasn't helped by the fact that your carriage wasn't the most comfortable either.
Bouncing up and down you couldn't even get a decent shut-eye as Szikra kept cursing at the road for being shit.
So when the horses stopped you sighed with relief that you won't have to tolerate this horrible ride any longer.

"We're here!"

"Where?"
You ask her.

"Don't know, don't care. I need a stop and I need it now!
I'm fed up with this horseshit!"

Stepping out the back of the covered wagon the settlement which served as your stop was laid bare before you.
The little ghost town was run down beyond words and almost completely devoid of all life. Only some very minor activity even hinted at the fact that someone actually lived here. Which is not surprising, seeing how every single building bears the marks of conflict. Burn, scratch, claw and weapon marks can be seen pretty much everywhere.
It was almost nostalgic...
Rarely do you get to see such shitholes outside the most remote areas of Midland.

"Charming..."
You speak up.

"Well I'm off to take a leak!
Make sure to buy some supplies and call me when you're done!"
With Szikra out of the picture you are left with Beatrice and Zana as your companions.

"Well... Since we're here...
How about we get a drink?
I'm parched."
Beatrice chimed in.

>Head for the tavern first
>Buy some supplies
>Try talking to some locals
>Other? (write-in)

>>3155213
>>Buy some supplies

>>3155213
>Buy some supplies
Restock first, relax later.

Shopping it is

>writing

But erm... unfortunately something came up.
Update will be delayed by a couple of minutes.

Will post when I get back. Shouldn't be too long

I'm back! The work shall resume as usual!

"Sure... after we buy supplies."

You gesture towards the local market and Beatrice agrees with a nod.
The three of you promptly make your way to it and along the way you get a good chance to really take in the scenery.
Windows stained or broken, doors torn off the hinges, rubble and refuse littering the small alleys between houses and the stench of death permeating the entire place gave the town a somewhat unsettling vibe.

"Zs-zsold?"

"Yeah... This place is a mess.
Is this common in the Empire?"

"Well... this is the periphery but still..."

The market didn't alleviate this feeling of unease. Rows upon rows of empty stalls greeted you. No merchants eagerly trying to push their wares onto others, no old ladies gathering the necessary components of todays dinner and no children nagging their parents for sweets or toys. It was all empty.

"Hmph... This bodes well."

"What could've happened here?
This is a big market... Where are all the people?"

You look around, trying to find any signs of life but come up short.
But just as you prepare to give up your search you spot some movement in a nearby building, over its door an old wooden sign was creaking.

"A general store?"
Beatrice looked up in surprise.

"Looks like it's still open."

You almost got your hopes up when you saw the shop being actually open and having produce but that enthusiasm quickly died down when upon entry you saw only very little change in the scenery. Sure, the shelves were about half full with produce and there was a clerk sitting behind the counter but the atmosphere was still like a funerals.

At first the owner didn't even bother acknowledging your existence so you resorted to coughing to get his attention.
He opened his eyes and looked at you and with the speed and mental capacity of a freshly awakened drunk he greeted you.
"The fuck do you want?"

"We are travelers and would like to purchase some supplies."

"No."
The answer was quick and to the point.

"Excuse you?"

"Nothin' is for sale 'ere.
Not for you anyway. So you'd best be on your way if you know what's good for you stranger."

You took a deep breath and prepared to engage the man in a long winded conversation about the how's and why's of his statement which he didn't seem too pleased about. But while you began arguing with him about this little issue something transpired behind your back which quickly demanded your attention.

As you exchanged insults with the owner someone else entered the shop, his greetings to the merchant drowned out by your heated argument. At first he didn't want to be a part of the conflict so he stepped over to the actual goods and started packing his little basket as he accidentally bumped into Zana.

The man stumbled only for the briefest of moments before he managed to regain his footing and turned to the kobold.
"E-Excuse me, I didn't see you down... there..."
He paused and stared at the little kobold for a while.

Slowly his breathing got quicker and blood rushed to his head. The veins on his head, as well as his fists, began swelling 'till they were visible before the naked eye. He reached for the hatchet tied to his side and raised it, preparing to split the kobolds skull open.

This however did not go unnoticed by Beatrice who kept an eye on him.
She drew her rapier and quickly pointed it at the mans throat.
"ZSOLD!"
She screamed for you.

Turning quickly you saw the man with a regular woodcutting axe raised above his head.
Before him was Zana, terrified and unable to get up from the fear.
And in turn the man was practically foaming at the mouth and was only deterred by the steel readied before his neck.

"The fuck is wrong with you?!"
The owner asked him.

"THIS IS A FUCKING KOBOLD!"

"WHAT?!
KILL IT!"
The shop owner screamed.

You however had other ideas.

>Knock out the maniac before he harms someone
>Threaten the man to stand down
>Ask the owner what this is all about
>Other? (write-in)

>>3155403
>>Threaten the man to stand down

>>3155403
>Threaten the man to stand down

Very well.
Roll for intimidation

Best of 3
DC: 10, no crit
If there is no third roll I'll do one

>writing

Rolled 7, 7, 5 = 19 (3d10)

>>3155503

You step over to the man and leer at him.
He visibly begins to sweat as he sees your armor shining underneath the dirty rags you carry on your back as well as your sword, which you made sure he sees as you tap it with your hand.

"Back off little man.
I'm not going to ask nicely again..."

"W-What's it to you?! Is that freak yours?!
Then keep it on a damn leash for gods sake!"

"No..."
You take a step closer to him.
"Now. Either you'll start explaining things to me real quick... or I'm going to put you on a leash!"

"F-Fuck you and the high horse you rode in on!
This is our town stranger! You and your fucking dog can go right back where you came from!"

It was at this moment that the owner of the shop saw your blade being popped in and out of its scabbard and he slammed his hand on the counter. Beatrice and you looked over to him, which caused the little man you were interrogating to run away.

"Okay... I've seen enough.
Both of you. Get out of my store! NOW!"

You were angry, you wanted to snap at the man and put him in this place. But at the same time you didn't feel like robbing this place. It was his shop after all and had every right to not sell you anything.
Conversely, you had the right to not give him any money.
So you eased off a bit and calmly walked out the front door.

"Well... that could've gone better."
Beatrice spoke up.

"Yeah... no kidding.
But seriously, what was that?"

"It was the kobold..."
A quiet and strangely weak voice spoke up.
When you looked at its source you saw an elderly lady sitting in a rocking chair, not even looking at you.
"You've come at a bad time outsiders. Our town is dying.
And the youngins have trouble coming to terms with the reapers arrival."

Looking around the place you saw that this lady was the only person in the entire town actively being outside. Only she, a woman who is one feet in the grave already has the courage to sit outside without a care in the world.
"I feel honored, knowing you don't treat everyone with such... hospitality."

"Hmmmm...
You'll need to forgive them. They look at your little... thing, and all they see is their doom."

"But she hasn't done anything!"
Beatrice spoke up.

"No... but her kin did.
A pack living in the hills terrorizes us. They come, they ravage, they steal, they destroy...
The town has lost hope."

You frown a bit and turn to Beatrice.
"Is this common in the Empire?"

"N-no... The Guard should take care of such issues even out here!
Why hasn't anyone helped you old lady?"

"You are lucky you called me lady...
As for that, well... It's the youngbloods who caused this.
They didn't like the idea of paying taxes to an empire which doesn't care for us.
So they just... stopped paying and been planning on cutting ties with the empire as a whole."

"And then the kobolds came."

"Precisely..."

"Smells like your brothers doing..."

"Doubt it.
I fail to see how a remote little village would be of interest to him.
Probably just bad luck."
You turn back to the old lady.
"Then I assume that friendly gentleman didn't sell us anything because the town needs it."

"No. Not really."
The granny answered.

"Then what?!"
You asked in confusion and the only friendly face you've met so far sighed.

"Desperation...
After one too many nights of being ravaged... people got desperate.
They gathered what little coin they could and hired a gang of mercenaries.
They are supposed to protect us but... they've been worse than the little devils themselves.
Like locusts they eat and drink everything we have while waiting for the next attack.
And if we fail to satiate them they get... angry."

Now the picture is getting a bit clearer. No wonder the townsfolk are so tense.
But still, it does not excuse their behavior.

"And what about you old lady?
Why aren't you distraught like everybody else?"
Beatrice asked her.

"I've been living in the shadow of death for long enough dearie.
And I've seen a lifetimes worth of misery thanks to those horrid creatures. I've got nothing to loose now.
At least... I can rest easy knowing that the kobolds will only kill me and nothing else.
Can't say that about the others though...
So leave strangers, for this place has nothing to give but death."

>Noted. Let's get Szikra and leave.
>Ask the old lady where those mercenaries are
>Other? (write-in)

>>3155623
>Ask the old lady where those mercenaries are
Let's put our new skills to the test.

>>3155623
>>Ask the old lady where those mercenaries are

I... guess I'll start writing now?

>writing

"Granny... Would you be so kind as to point us towards the tavern?
I assume that's where these mercenaries are."

She looks at you with disappointment in her eyes.
"Sonny... don't do anything stupid now."

"Sorry. Nowadays it feels like that's the only thing I can do."

*sigh*
"That way."
She points at an inconspicuous building on the other side of the market.

"Thank you."

"God bless."

Leaving the elderly lady to mind her own business you head for the tavern which manages to blend perfectly in with the surrounding houses. As you trample over there however Beatrice catches up to you and begins questioning your motives.
"What are you doing?"

"Putting my training to the test."

"Are you sure that's wise?!
These people-"

"Will be dead either way.
Judging by the extent of the damage we are not talking about a small pack. This is a horde.
And when it arrives these parasites will run away the second they see it.
Mercenaries are like that."

"But if they do then-"

"Then what? Nobody else will hire them?
Their reputation will be tarnished? What?!
Mercenary honor is a myth. They will always change sides depending on who pays more, flee when their lives are actually at risk. And despite all that they'll always have work. Because the world is full of fools and desperate people.
Now please... don't try to stop me!"

As you step up to the saloon door you push half of it inside with your one hand and step on through.
Once in the usual noise of the tavern stops and dead silence falls upon the establishment. Only the creaking of the door makes any sound as it swings backwards. Sitting around the tables as well as in front of the bar are gruff and battle hardened individuals, all of whom are glaring daggers at you.

Focusing on not making any eye contact you walk up to the bar and address the owner as you slide a coin onto the table.
"A tankard of ale please.
Don't need the best stuff, just something drinkable."

The bartender swallows nervously and doesn't dare to serve you as two rather unsightly fellows slowly walk up behind you.
They situate themselves at each of your sides and almost immediately begin picking at you like vultures seeing a fresh carcass.

"Hey bud... Me and my boys...
We rented out this place. We're having a party, see?
So we'd appreciate if you didn't drink our booze and left. A'ight?"

You don't even acknowledge his presence and instead speak to the bartender again.
"An ale... please."

This however angers your fellow patron who slams the table angrily.
"WHAT PART DIDN'T YOU UNDERSTAND?!
THIS JOINT IS OURS! SO FUCK OFF!"

"I assumed its this mans. Not yours.
It is his ale, not yours. And he can sell it to me just like he can sell it to you.
No reason to be so hostile."

"Okay, that's it!"

The man reaches for an empty bottle of wine and promptly smashes it on your head. Some very minute amounts of blood and a lot of glass shards scatter around you. His partner then grabs one of your shoulders and turns you around so his mate has a clear shot at you.

"H-Hey! Stop this at once!
There is no need for this!"
The bartender tried to stop them but to no avail.

"HE asked for this! Not me!"

The merc shouted as he threw the first punch right at your face.
He mercilessly pummeled you over and over again, switching arms between each punch until he actually tired himself out.
When he was done blood was pouring down your face and onto the floor. But you just smiled at this.

"Something funny, asshole?!"

"Yeah. You hit like a woman."

"THE FUCK DID YOU JUST-"

>Start fighting them
>Start killing them
>Other? (write-in)

>>3155923
>>Start fighting them

>>3155923
>Start fighting them
We are still lacking enough edgelord points to go full rampage

For now

Do I even dare to ask for a roll here?

Well... in any case.
Roll the dice I guess.
Best of 3.
DC: 13, Crit: 18

>writing

Rolled 8, 1, 1 = 10 (3d10)

>>3156102
Nat 1

Rolled 75, 18, 81 = 174 (3d100)

>>3156102

Rolled 10, 10, 7 = 27 (3d10)

>>3156120
Not quite but... almost

>>3156120
Welp, enough rolling for me today

Rolled 7, 3, 8 = 18 (3d10)

>>3156121
darn it me

>>3156122
Wtf? how? why?

Fuck you Ciel

>>3155677
New skills?

Did I miss something after Zsold blew his arm off?

(just caught up with the archive this week)

>>3156134
I actually checked and apparently suptg messed up. The entire second half of that thread was not archived as I did a follow-up the week after that one.

Basically Zsold got trained by Deacon and his friend, a master bloodmage

>>3156134
>>3156136
https://archived.moe/qst/thread/3112515/
Looks complete hope it helps

>>3156166
Yeap. That works. Thanks

The mercenary swung at you in his rage but quickly found his arm grabbed by you.
He looked at his friend, wanting to ask what the fuck he was doing as it was his job to hold you but quickly realized that he didn't let go, his hand was still clutching your arm but was unable to hold it back in any capacity.

"Actually... I take that back.
Most women I know could kill you with one strike.
So you're less than that."

Squeezing down gently on his knuckles, you steadily increased the pressure bit by bit until he was screaming from the pain.
His hand began to crackle and pop as the bones started to give in. In response to this, the other one that stood behind you reached for your other arm but found nothing.

"WHAT THE-"

Smiling at that you jerked your head backwards with enough force to break his nose and send him flying backwards.
"Sorry but I'm only a half man.
But what does that make you?"

"N-No! PLEASE!
LET GO!"

"Okay."

Planting one feet on the ground and using it as a pivot, you turned and threw the man away with as much for as you could muster. His body flew out the window in an explosion of wood and glass as he crashed on the ground in a bloody mess.
Seeing their friend ragdolled like that both intimidated and greatly enraged the others, all of whom stood up with their weapons readied.

Taking off your shroud to reveal your missing arm you gestured for them to come at you but none of them even budged.
The guy whose nose you broke however managed to stand up and began screaming at them.
"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!
KILL THIS FUCKING CRIPPLE!"
But none of his comrades dared to approach you.
"FINE!"

Drawing his sword he resorted to killing you himself. He charged at you with his scimitar raised but you easily side stepped his attack, tripping him along the way and causing him to land face first on a barstool which knocked out most of his front teeth.

You stepped over and kicked his sword away as he was sobbing and wailing in agony, then turned to the others.
"Anyone else? Anybody?
...
Well then... I guess this tavern is mine now.
How did you say it? "Fuck off"?
Yeah... that's about right."

As you gestured towards the entrance the mercenaries began evacuating the building with their tails between their legs.
Some even walked up to you and dragged the poor, bleeding sod by his leg, leaving a bloody trail as they pulled him away.
A couple of his teeth fell out on the way as well, leaving little white dots in the red streaks.

As the last of the rats left this sinking ship you turned back to the bartender who seemed to be in a state of absolute shock.
And as Beatrice entered the place you spoke to the man.
"Now, as I said... One ale please."

But unlike how you imagined this would go the man was actually mortified and not at all grateful.
"Do you have any idea what you've just done?"

"I rid you of these pests.
So some thanks would be in order."

"YOU DOOMED US ALL!"

"Did I now?"

"YES! These barbarians were the only hope of the village!
Now we're all doomed!"

"You hired these people... to eat you out of house and home."

"AND TO SAVE OUR LIVES!"

"How much were you gonna pay them exactly?"

"H-Huh?"

"I asked how much you were going to pay them?
Because I single handedly terrified them. And I might be up for hire."

"Hah!"
A new, third voice spoke up.
"I shoulda known!"

You look at the source and saw a small, hooded figure sitting in a corner with a much taller one accompanying him.
By the looks of it he must be one of the mercenaries. But something is... off about him.
He stands up and his incredibly short stature already makes you raise an eyebrow.

"When I saw your ugly mug I couldn't even believe my eyes!
You look like shit but it looks like that didn't stop you Zsold!"

"H-Hugh?!"

"The very same!
Been traveling for a while, got stuck with these muckers.
So... you up for savin' this dump? A'ight. I'm game."

And sadly... this is where I think I'll end.

I... thought things over.
I've not been feeling this quest for a while now.
It brought me little joy, or more accurately a lot less than my last one. It was still a blast though.

But I know when to admit defeat.

Interest in the quest has been vaning for a while now. And so I think it's time to pull the plug.
If you'd like I'll still do an additional thread next week and wrap up this little story but I don't think I have it in me to keep going any longer.

So for what it's worth, I'm sorry

>>3156242
No worries, Spook. Maybe it's just because I'm fresh through the archives, but it seemed like you've been struggling like this for a while now.

As the Johnny-Come-Lately to the thread, just let me thank you for entertaining me the last few weeks. It was fun, even if I never got to play.

>>3156242
I like this Quest (more than GHQ at that) but the start time collides with coursework/dinner/family stuff and endtimes later than 2am CE(S)T collide with my sleep schedule.
In addition to that, the long times between updates mean that I do other stuff in between and if that other stuff isn't other quests I don't immediately notice new updates

>>3156292
Well I still thank you for reading and I'm very happy that you enjoyed it.

>>3156302
I didn't mean it like that. I understand that my awkward time slot has its issues so I don't blame anyone but myself for that.

Maybe if the quest was more interesting and garnered more attention then perhaps it'd have a few people playing in the beginning until the rest can join in. GHQ kinda had that and it was, for the most part, good.

So all in all, I don't mean to point fingers at anyone but myself.
And I thank each and every one of you for sticking with my little aneurism of a story.
It was fun while it lasted.

Maybe I'll just get back to writing fan-fiction. That was fun

>>3156340
>Maybe I'll just get back to writing fan-fiction. That was fun
I never got into reading fanfiction other than quests and even in this case I avoid those of which I know or plan on reading/watching/playing the source material. don't know how to articulate the reasons for that

>>3156242
Don't sorry about it Spook, still love ya for being magnificent bastard that you are.

>>3156340
I would say that WotF is/was better in storytelling that GHQ.
For me it seems more issue of players having not enough agency.
I could go on, but im not wring essay on phone

>>3156386
It definitely will be a quest
I just don't know what it'll be about yet.
Dragon Ball maybe?

>>3156420
Well if you get to a PC I'd love to hear what you have to say criticism is always helpful

>>3156501
>Dragon Ball
Please no. I would say I'm surprised but the writing has been on the wall for awhile now. I did really enjoy the quest but the time slot has always been an issue. If we could get an epilogue or something I'd definitely appreciate it.

>>3156687
I chose it because I know the source material in and out. And I have a pretty good idea for it, which as far as I know nobody did before.

I have... Like 3 other ones, all of which are less polished.
>Devil May Cry
>One piece
And
>Star Wars (With quest)

>>3157779
Sith Quest

Fuck auto correct

>>3157779
all of those sound pretty neat

>>3157832
I'm glad you like them. But as I said, I'm really gravitating towards a Dragon Ball quest.
For some reason. Maybe because I saw the Broly movie and it really lifted my mood when I needed it.

But whatever. I still have time to decide.

As for wrapping up the story...
Looks like another thread won't be necessary.

However I'll try to wrap things up as much as I can

>>3158025
Dragon Ball oddly enough never really clicked with me despite like the idea of people beating the shit out of each other for the sake of loved ones or higher ideals and so on.

>>3157779
Devil May Cry sounds cool but it's definitely a quest that requires cool combo making on the player's part.
One Piece I know nothing about other than it involves Pirates and magic fruit.
And Star Wars can go either really good or really bad depending on how you pull things off.

And for what it's worth, thanks for sticking around and trying to make this shit work as a QM. I honestly did enjoy this quest for how long we had it. That alone speaks highly of a QM than simply fading into the background and pretending it doesn't exist.

>>3158296
Thanks. That means a lot to me.
Not the lofty praises, I don't care about any of that. Only that you actually enjoyed it.

As for the other stuff well... I guess I won't loose anything by elaborating about it. Not like too many people will read it.

So here's the general idea for each of the settings.

>Devil May Cry
I want to set as far away from canon as possible. Maybe a nod here and there but the story would have nothing to do with the Sparda bois.

Here's the premise:
After a recent, massive demonic outbreak ended a large area was cordoned off as residual demonic presence makes it nigh uninhabitable.
Around it, in a ring is a large shanty town made by former citizens and soldiers who got to stuck around maintaining the area.

The people there are desperate, as the government doesn't really give them much aid.
So "Scavengers" need to regularly enter the Demon Zone to gather what people might need.
Fuel, scrap, demonic materials etc.

The MC would be one such scavenger, the best one in fact. But unbeknownst to everyone he's a half demon like Dante.

>One Piece

That's about correct but it's a bit more complicated than that.
One pic comes to mind, which is the Big 3 Shonens described by graphs.
Bleach is a spiral, an endlessly repeating circle.
Naruto is a dotted line, with the empty space between dots being filler.
And One Piece is like a tree branching outward.

Magic fruit can grant wacky abilities as well as broken ones. It's a literal slot machine. You could get something good or something bad.
But one thing with them is that somehow, someway the magic powers can grow.
And they aren't bound by logic. Basically if you can come up with a bullshit excuse as to WHY something would work, the magic power would make it so. Apparently.

It'd be a fairly straightforward Shonen-trash
But again, I'd set it as far from the plot as possible.

>Star Wars.
I want to do a Sith quest but it wouldn't be an edgelord quest.
Basically if you know the EXCELLENT Light-Side Sith story from SWTOR then you know what I want.

Pragmatic, lawful evil.
But also a smartass

And finally
>Dragon Ball

I did say I want to do something unconventional.
Hell, it might be one of my worst ideas yet.
But I just love it so much I can't help myself.

There is a Tuffle Quest on the board. There is a Saiyan Quest.
But there is no Earthling Quest.

>>3158356
Pretty sure there was an earthling quest previously. There was a mad scientist quest briefly. There was a frieza race quest if I recall. Dragon Ball has been done to death but you're a good qm so I'll check it out anyway.

>>3158386
Trust me. This is gonna be new.
I hope

>>3158356
>Devil May Cry
Might be cool, seems like STALKER but with Demons.
>Star Wars.
Is it possible to do Eugenics on a race to create beings who are either capable of wielding the force or being completely immune to it at the cost of being unable to wield it?
The mad scientist part of my brain inquires if this is a path we could go down as a Sith.

>>3156242
Sad to see the end of this quest, I really enjoyed it but couldnt post often due to being an ausfag. Good luck on your next quest, I'll be sure to check it out.

>>3159062
Force sensitive eugenics are very much a thing. But only amongst the Sith for obvious reasons.
Force immunity however is a tricky thing.

Since it's the power that binds everything together, cutting that connection is not easy. Only a handful of examples exist

Okay I may have changed my mind...

I read up on Tuffle quest a little and it seems to have the right spirit.
But Jesus Christ! What IS Saiyan Conqueror?

And to think I had the balls to talk shit about Queen inserting Shinto into Bleach...

>>3161913
It's best not to talk about Saiyan conqueror quest.

Hey guys...
I'm going to start churning out the Epilogue posts as I promised.

Don't know when I'll finish it completely.
Heck, I don't even know how detailed I want it to be.

For now I'll wrap up this little "arc" and then we'll see how it goes.

After a brief reunion broken up by impromptu introductions the team got to work.
Using his blood magic Zsold created a massive arm with which he could dig a trench around the town.
Meanwhile Hugh got to brewing all the alcohol in the town into a most foul concoction which they poured into the ring.
When the kobolds came all that awaited them was a fiery wall of death and on it a single opening leading into the settlement.

Like a living wall they protected the lives of the people behind them.
And as the numbers of the vile horde dwindled their victorious battlecries gave the village what it lacked for so long. Hope.
It was during this conflict that Zsold earned the name: The Red Hand.

The village youth was so enthralled by their display of bravery and power that they begged the adventurers to train them, so they too could protect their homes. And so they did. What little camp they established at the very edge of town quickly became not only a part but the center of the village. It was this town which would later become the property of this company of ragtag warriors as it broke away from the empire and became an independent settlement.
Its men and women, whom served under the Red Hands banner would come to be known as the Stalwart.

No longer would they seek contracts and do the bidding of others.
But people would come and beg for their assistance.

However fame has its downsides and soon enough, the demon which sought to eliminate them caught wind of their location.
The beast known only as Horns took wing and flew with his demons to once and for all exterminate these pests.

Their assault came during the night and almost managed to devastate the small settlement. Almost.
For they knew of the demons coming and prepared accordingly. They trained both themselves and the men whom they now commanded into proper demon slayers. What the demons expected to find were lambs for the slaughter, what they got instead was the most brutal fight of their lives.

On that fateful night the fields were fertilized by the blood and corpses of demon scum.
And it was on that night that Zsold had his revenge.

He challenged the demon to a duel, confident in the fruits of his labor and the intensity of his hatred.
At the beginning of their fight the fiend was still sure of his victory and gloated that he'd take Zsolds other arm, since he didn't learn his lesson at first. But the human told him that it should've taken his head.

Their duel was a long and brutal one with both sides resorting to dirty and often quite dangerous tactics to gain any ground on the other. But the humans inconceivable tenacity proved too much for the demon to handle and the fate of their duel was decided by one lucky blow which almost cleaved the demons heart right out of its foul chest.
It seemed like it was over. That the demon would take its last breath here and now.
But what surprised all the parties present was the final act of the fallen angel.

Leaving its host body and revealing its true form as a small and vulnerable black egg the demon confronted its adversaries.
What remained of the horde fled at the sight of their leaders fall and the humans rejoiced. All except one.

Zsold did not understand why the demon would do something like that. He's seen their kind before, he knew they don't leave their hosts, there was no reason for it. So he hesitated to slay it. At first his friends questioned why he'd do such a thing. But they quickly changed their tones when they heard what came next.

The man, now known as the Red Hand questioned the demon, demanded it to answer their question.
"Why did it leave?"

At first the creature was hesitant to answer. But when Zsold threatened that he'd destroy the corpse of the boy that hosted it the demons tongue loosened. It explained how, unlike most of his kind, he did not infest his host and took control of his body. They had a deal. And he was going to honor it.

In that moment the group saw something they didn't even know was possible. A demon crying.

The demon pleaded them, saying the boy was dead already and nothing could be done for him.
But he was still a decent man and deserved a proper funeral.
He surrendered unconditionally if they swore they'd bury him.

However... the human had other ideas.
"You took my arm...
You'll give it back...
And I'll swear it."

Shocked at first, the demon reluctantly agreed.
His companions however were understandably shocked and asked their leader why he'd do such a thing.

"We are nothing more than crestfallen warriors, runaway nobles, rejects and blasphemers.
It is who we are, it is our strength. So I say... let's stop pretending and own it!"
He flashed his new arm and showed off its monstrous power.

The Red Hand. Was born.

There we go. That's a rough summary of what I had planned out for the next couple of sessions.

So... do you want more?
Or is this satisfactory for a conclusion?

>>3165542
What about our brothers? Or our companions?

>>3165758
The brothers fate would've been decided roughly around the end of the quest. Which is why I didn't include it right now

I guess I'll keep going a bit then.
But maybe tomorrow

>>3165774
It would be nice to get a hindsight on how you initially planned this quest would go versus how it ended up. Also any things we missed, or possible forks in the story we might have encountered if we made different choices. Perhaps any overarching plans you had that never came to fruition.

For instance, I remember you mentioning that you hadn't expected us to pick blood magic, which had an effect on Zsold's general power level when we faced off against Horns, and that we could have had a couple more companions with us at that point had we done things differently.

If you would believe it, during the first few threads, I expected this to be the sort of quest where the protagonist would easily die, and we would switch to a different perspective. I can't remember exactly what left me with that notion; it may have just been some comments made early on or just a general impression of the apparent high lethality of the setting. But I guess it was always meant to be Zsold all the way through, huh?

>>3167428

>Starting Class

Well...
Originally I expected you to pick up the red book, since I put up all those warning signs saying "DON'T TOUCH THE BIG RED BUTTON"
And the book itself had a more interesting mechanic to it.

Basically it had a gimmick where it contained a bunch of wishy washy information on... almost everything you could imagine. The only thing really detailed in it was a chapter on how to write in and break codes. So if you put two and two together you could've figured out that the entire book was written with a wide variety of cyphers.

And if you cracked one it'd reveal absolutely thorough knowledge on... basically anything.
That "book" was more like a compact library.

So the thing with Stride the bard was that he was a savant. Dueling, magic, speechcraft, how to woo women, how to get anything you want from whoever you want.

>Companions

There was Kibo, the boy who died to the demon. Of course Hugh the necromancer was a potential companion as well. Or if you really fancied anyone I'd have been easy to convince.

And the Horns fight was always gonna be a tough as nails one. The only way to really win in that situation would've been to roll like a god or come up with some good write-ins.

>Lethality

Then there was the matter of high mortality... While that certainly was the case initially I was gonna have Zsold just accumulate more and more damage over time, signaling that while the world is not a good place to be in he is more than capable of taking whatever it had in store for him.


>Plans that never came to fruition

I had... two big arcs planned out and the very end.
That's how I usually do things: Plan out the beginning and come up with a rough idea as to where it'll end up. It wasn't really a set in stone thing but more of an... initial goal.

I'll go over them in order.
What would've followed after the defeat of the demons was, for lack of a better word would've been a spy job.

A very powerful and influential individual, specifically one of the top members of the criminal underworld would've noticed Zsolds talent and offered him a job where he'd go and pretend to be a hired sword for one of the contractors competitors, an equal so to say.

If you went along with it you'd have assumed a disguise and enter the services of this vile man where you'd wait for the right opportunity to realize your contractors plan and cause the mans demise.

The twist there would've been that said fat bastard kidnapped Nico Clemantis, the noble lady that employs Lowan and the gang.
And the original plan of the 1st criminal was to send in Zsold and elevate him to the status of bodyguard where his job would be to deliberately loose and let Lowan and the other lowly adventurers to rescue the noble lady and kill the criminal.

>Tournament arc

After this the next big thing would've been a tournament arc. Where Zsold, still wearing his disguise would properly face off against Lowan and his friends once and for all.

>>3167732
Shit this quest was one of the only good ones still on here. I named alot of characters and gods based on the ones you had in this. Sad to see this end .

>>3168300
Talking about D&d I wouldn't steal your stuff for stories of my own.

>>3168313
Nah, it's cool.

Imitation is the highest form of flattery and all that sappy shit

It is said that war never truly ends, it only takes a break every now and then.
But this...
This new war is unlike anything seen before.

At first people dismissed the upstart warlords declaration. But as he cut a swath through the Empires defenses the eyes of the people opened up to the truth. The west was no longer the only thing posing a threat to them.
One by one settlements broke under the Red Hands assault until his armies reached the capital of Weistgardist.
They planned on hiding behind their impregnable walls and muster their strength until they could break the siege and push back against the invaders.

With unbreakable walls and supplies that could last for years, it was a foolproof plan.
But they underestimated the Red Hands cunning.

Reopening an old and collapsed tunnel which connected to the city sewers he snuck in the city under the guise of the night and wreaked havoc on the Guard. And after ravaging the cities defenders they opened up the gates and allowed the rest of their forces to flood in. This resulted in the capital falling in a day.
With the army broken the Empress, much to her dismay was forced to flee from the warlords wrath.

But after everything was said and done, strangely enough the people found peace restored to their lands.
The hordes they thought savage and brutal did not raze their homes, did not ravage their women and did not steal.
Instead they sought to restore order and reorganize things as quickly as possible.
In fact, most of the common folk were quite happy with their new ruler.
All except one...

Inside the dungeons of the castle was a man, bound and broken in the dark.
He screamed and demanded to know why they were doing this to him.
He was a captain of the guard, one of the most important strategists of her majesties army.
Days went by before he got his answers. Answers he quickly came to regret as the Red Hand himself visited him in his cell.

"About time you showed up...
What do you want from me?! HUH?!"
The tyrant did not respond but took off his helmet and revealed his face.
"YOU?!"
The man screamed.
"I should've known...
I knew you were trouble... I knew I should've killed you when you first screwed up my plans!"

"Is that so?
Would you be willing to murder your own little brother just like that?"

The mans eyes widened as reality hit him.
At first he was left speechless but after a while he managed to mutter a single word.
"A-Alexander?!"
He paused and started thinking things through.
"No... nonono... That's impossible!
You are dead!"

"You're right. Then again... I was dead for you since the day I was born.
So how does it feel? Being thrown in a damp cell... by your little runt of a brother?"

"You... You bastard!
You will not get away with this!"

"Oh, I think I already did.
You are stuck here, forever.
And our other brother isn't doing too well for himself, according to my spies.
Who would've thought that a society that values strength and skill would look down on someone who only has one of those?
Anyway. I have an empire to tend to.
I'll make sure you are well fed."

And with that Zsold left his brother to rot in his cage.

"DON'T LEAVE ME HERE! YOU HEAR ME, ALEXANDER?!
KILL ME! KILL ME!"

On his way out he spoke to the guards.
"I think the good captain must've lost his mind in there. He's clearly delusional.
Please, do take care of him."

"Understood my lord!"

Aaaand... that's about it for the brothers.
There really isn't much else.

I never really had a plan for the other one.
He was always meant to be a jobber, so unlike the other twin he didn't really succeed in the west.

Oh and I kinda sorta forgot to post this here so...
here's a strawpoll for what quest should I run next.

https://www.strawpoll.me/17198653