Your stomach gurgles hungrily in response.

>”Okay, thanks! I’m coming!” You can’t train without energy, and breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

>”Thanks, but I don’t need breakfast today!” You must discipline your body until you are the master of it. Nothing else will suffice.

>Other

Welcome to Modern Fantasy Quest! This is the barely-begun story of Tristan, a Knight in a not-so-secular world as well as the MC run by a slow-but-daily updating QM.

Updates are sporadic and throughout the day. Actual sessions are today until 12 PM Eastern Time and Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays 10PM-2AM Eastern Time.

Feel free give feedback/ask questions. plz no bully

First Thread: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/3356154/

Second Thread: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/3377689/

>”Okay, thanks! I’m coming!” You can’t train without energy, and breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

>”Okay, thanks! I’m coming!” You can’t train without energy, and breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

“Okay, thanks! I’m coming!” You yell back. Your training was intense enough already, even when you were well-rested. To train healthily, you’d need the energy. Besides, you knew firsthand how delicious the food served by this particular cook was.

Grabbing a towel hanging from a hook hammered into the wall, you wipe off your sweat before slipping on a shirt. Then, you sling the towel over your shoulder before you head up the stairs.

Just as you step onto the ground floor, you are greeted by the savoury aroma of sizzling fat and crisping bread. The smell only grows stronger as you approach the kitchen. Entering, you sit down at the table and stretch, loosening your body of the tension accumulated from your strenuous training.

“English Breakfast again, Martha?” You ask your host who was currently tending a pan of sausage and bacon over the stove. A sweet, frumpy older woman, Martha was the wife of your now retired Mentor. She had graciously put up with your presence in her home during your stay in Los Angeles.

“Oh, I hope you don’t mind. You must be tired of the same kind of food every day, Tristan.” She apologetically said, shovelling a pile of fried eggs and bacon onto your plate.

>”Oh, it’s no bother, I don’t mind at all.” She seems to only know how to cook one kind of breakfast, but it’s not like you can cook this well

>”It would be rude of me to not enjoy your cooking, Martha.” Appreciating someone’s hospitality to the fullest extent is the right thing to, after all

>”Really? I quite enjoy your cooking. It’s delicious!” This is the truth

>Stay silent and eat your breakfast

>Other

> ”Really? I quite enjoy your cooking. It’s delicious!” This is the truth

>>3415707
>>”Really? I quite enjoy your cooking. It’s delicious!” This is the truth

File: Even_Better_Than_This.jpg (37 KB, 772x434)

37 KB JPG

> ”Really? I quite enjoy your cooking. It’s delicious!” This is the truth

”Really? I quite enjoy your cooking. It’s delicious!” You say. It was true, through many years of gaining experience and practise, Martha knew how to fry bacon to the line between crispiness and charred, how to turn a regular egg into a gooey, yolk-filled delicacy.

“Aww, you’re just flattering me …” Martha waved away your compliment good-naturedly. “Just wait a minute, the toast and sausages will be ready soon.”

…
Breakfast turned out to be delicious and soon, you’re lying back in your chair, completely satisfied. It took an effort to not stuff yourself, you had to remind yourself that you planned on doing things today.

“Oh, have some more Coffee dear ...” Martha poured you a second cup without even asking your permission, as she always did.

“Thank you,” you reply. It’s not like you could really refuse the sweet old lady if you tried.

“If you’re finished, I’ll take your plate.” Wordlessly, you give her your plate, you were finished after all. Martha places the plate on the increasingly unstable pile in her arms before carrying them to the sink. All the plates clattled as she set them all at once on the countertop before turning the tap on …

>This is sure nice. Take your time and finish training before you get on with your day. Besides, you might get to talk to Martha about a few things (what say?)

>The Coffee she gave you was black and bitter. You’ll need to add sugar or cream to it before you can finish it.

>”Here Martha, let me help you with the dishes …”

>Finish your Coffee quickly and continue on with your day.

> ”Here Martha, let me help you with the dishes…"

>>3417299
>”Here Martha, let me help you with the dishes …”

>>3417299
>The coffee is black and bitter, you'll need sugar and cream to drink it.

Vote Called, Writing

File: Dishes1.jpg (533 KB, 1559x1000)

533 KB JPG

> ”Here Martha, let me help you with the dishes…"

You finish your coffee as quickly as you can. It had been half an hour since it was made, so it was only moderately hot.

You walk to the countertop where Martha was washing the dishes. “Here Martha …” you hand her your cup.

“Oh! thanks!” She takes the cup and puts it on the teetering pile of dishes to wash.

“Here, let me help you with the dishes.” You offer, grabbing a spare apron from off a chair.

“Oh no no! There’s no need!” Martha says.

But you persist. “Really, it’s not trouble at all,” you say as you tie on the apron.

“Oh, all right.” Martha mock-sighed. “Here … you rinse, I wash.”

You smile at your success, this had been another of the routines that had developed between you and Martha during your stay. She would refuse your help, and you would insist that you did until she gave in.

You receive the plates she feeds you in an impromptu production line. Soon, a pile of plates accumulates at your side. You finish in no time at all.

“Well, that’s done and over with!” Martha says right after she puts away the last plate. “You’re awfully helpful, Tristan.”

“Thanks,” you say. “I do what I can.”

“Ever consider staying?” Martha jokes before slapping her knee and laughing. “I know I know, not that funny … still, Luther must have been a great Pastor for you to visit him for so long.”

>”He was more than that, Pastor Bentham personally taught me everything I know about being a good Christian.” Even though a previous life as a Pastor was only a false past for a peaceful retirement, this was still true.

>”The Church we went to had a very tight-knit congregation.” To you the sense of brotherhood between the senior and junior Knights in the Templar was greater than any family ties.

>”He was very easygoing on me.” You laugh a little, Your Mentor had been very lenient in your training, even though he had never shirked imparting the classic Templar discipline in you.

>”Well, you know how he is … he’s always been this way.” Even if his disciplining had been light, he had still driven you harder than any other teacher you had had.

>Other

>>3418859
>>”He was more than that, Pastor Bentham personally taught me everything I know about being a good Christian.” Even though a previous life as a Pastor was only a false past for a peaceful retirement, this was still true.

>”He was more than that, Pastor Bentham personally taught me everything I know about being a good Christian.” Even though a previous life as a Pastor was only a false past for a peaceful retirement, this was still true.

“He was more than just a Pastor to me,” you say, “Pastor Bentham personally taught me everything I know about being a good Christian.”

“Is that so?” Martha replied, her tone sounding both delighted and proud of the praise her husband was getting as well as surprised he was getting it. “Well, I can’t argue against that. He seems to have been a big influence on you.”

“Your husband is an admirable man. I’m lucky to have had a mentor guide me on my Christian journey.”

“I’m sure he is, the kids at Church love him ... although,“ Martha griped, “I wish he’d help around the house more when he isn’t at Church.”

“I learned a lot from him …” You stubbornly ignore the small complaint from out of the corner of Martha’s mouth.

“I bet! Waking up in the morning to use his punching bag, he got you into martial arts as well, didn’t he?”

>”You could say he started my interest in martial arts.” You have been training since a young age in Martial arts, long before you were assigned to him as a protege, but this was the least complicated answer.

>”He taught me a few things, but I was already into Martial Arts before I met him.” He taught you more about the sword and the proper applications of magic than unarmed combat.

>”Actually, the styles he and I am in are completely different.” While you always preferred more of a hybrid style, your Mentor had always used very traditional forms.

>”We have a lot of shared interests.” A very neutral response

>Other

>”He taught me a few things, but I was already into Martial Arts before I met him.” He taught you more about the sword and the proper applications of magic than unarmed combat.

>>3419621
>”He taught me a few things, but I was already into Martial Arts before I met him.” He taught you more about the sword and the proper applications of magic than unarmed combat.

>”He taught me a few things, but I was already into Martial Arts before I met him.” He taught you more about the sword and the proper applications of magic than unarmed combat.

“Well, he taught me a few things …” You concede, “But I was already into Martial Arts before I met him.”

“Oh, I see. Well, good on you! Make sure to keep practising!” Martha replies in a singsong voice. “I’ve got to do the laundry now, so holler if you need anything, okay?”

“Sure,” You nod.

“Don’t get in any trouble!” With that, Martha bustles off to do the chores. As much as you feel it was appropriate to lend her a hand, you have things you had planned to do today. After all, it would only be a brief period of peace before you received another task to accomplish.

But right now, you had an entire day ahead of you to do whatever you wanted. You walk out of the kitchen and into the hallway to ...

>Train. You were doing it before breakfast and should continue.

>Tend and maintain your equipment. You never know when you will need them.

>Study and care for your mind, You brought texts and papers on all sorts of esoteric topics.

>Meditate and pray. It is time to look past the mundane and inwards to the state of your soul.

>Relax, you just finished an assignment the other night and need rest. As your Mentor was fond of saying, “Work hard, Play hard.” (What do you do?)

>Other

>>3420715
>Study and care for your mind, You brought texts and papers on all sorts of esoteric topics.
Maybe we could study the about the circumstances required in order for an eldritch being to be in this realm.
Or rather the ways of ridding them if not restrain them, both common and rarely used ways.

>Study and care for your mind, You brought texts and papers on all sorts of esoteric topics.

[+1 Erudite]

You climb up the stairs to the second floor of the house, towards your Mentor’s study. There were many reasons you had chosen his home as a base for your operations in the greater LA area. If you had only needed a place to stay, a rented room in a cheap hotel would have been fine. However, a hotel wouldn’t have had the veritable library your Mentor still held on to in his study.
Your Mentor’s small study is filled with books, all four walls were lined with shelves overflowing with them, except for a little nook between the two largest bookshelves where there was just enough room for a window and your Mentor’s desk. The empty desk was the only neat spot in the entire room. The tranquil place seems to you a world apart from the cloak-and-dagger skullduggery you had been engaged in last night. This doesn’t stop you from feeling right at home. As well as being a warrior order, the Templar prided themselves on being an order of scholars. You prove to be no exception as you expertly browse the closest shelf, spotting treatises on martial arts and swordplay next to commentaries on classical thaumaturgical systems.

During your training, you had read dozens of books from your Mentor’s collections. However, looking at the sheer amount of literature all around you, you are reminded that you have ever only seen a fraction of his collection.

You move on to the next shelf. Mixed in with the astounding number of arcane texts were more mundane works of philosophy, theology, and poetry: there to your left hand side was a manuscript of Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations. One shelf down was On The New Testament by Erasmus. Slipped in right between a paper on pyromancy and another on modern applications of Italian rapier-fencing techniques was a thin paperback titled The Incomplete Poems of Pseudonyma Nemo.

Huh, that had been a good book. Even with the Poet’s secular nature, it had almost managed to speak to you on the same level as many of your favorite psalms and hymns. Seeing it again, your heart aches to spend a day studying and exploring the texts in your Mentor’s library again.

But you had come here with a purpose: You had intended to find texts relating to the summoning and restraining of Eldritch Beings. You peruse old books and old memories until you find an old leather bound volume that was relevant to your current research sealed shut with a massive brass buckle engraved with runes and patterns appealing to the mercy of God.

The book was titled Insania In Carne, the words carved into the front of it’s leather cover. Among the Templar, it was a well-known heretical dialogue on the nature of Eldritch Beings. It was the sole right of the Templar to read these texts while forbidding them from the rest of the world.

You unclasp the buckle and look at the book to make sure it was what you were looking for. The text was written in a standard Templar glyphic cypher, completely unreadable. However, you feel your mind mesh with it’s mystic patterns and angles of the glyphs like a key fitting into a lock. Slowly, the indecipherable text resolves into something you can understand.

T̸̠̩͉͇̳h̺̰͉e̝̼̫͇͖̖ͅ ̩̙F̴̦̝͚̭͎̤l̵͇͔e̛̞̙sh͇͔͎͙ͅ ̥̯͎͈̥̀m̶̝ẹ̢̟̞̙l̶̳̭t̻͔̻̖̣͔s l̢͈̫͕̠͖i͙͉̭k̟͖͉e̗ ̻͟w͕͇͙a̴̭̬͓x͓͖̻̬̖̟̼,̝̱ ̼t̨̬h̪͘e̬̪̬͓̼͍̟͝ ̸͓̘̟̟w̡̤͔̫̘͔͙̮a̙̳x ̜̯̩̳͖͢i͈͙̼̻̤s̖̺̱̀ ̸a͔̗̗͇̖̥͇ ̰̬̟̯ṕ͚͇o͙̬̜͇o̻̹̦l̞̭͢,͓̼͜ ̤̺͉̜̟͎̕t͔̭h̴e̛̖̖͈̺̝̻̞ ̫̰p̸̳̤̠̮o͕̞̰͈͡o̮̣l̫̝̳̣ a̠͎̫͕̩ ͎̭͘w̵o̩͉͜m͔̫b̭.̼͡ͅ
̰̮̯̫͚͍̦́T̴h̤͇e̸͙̖̫͉̮ ̘̮̜̰̹̹m͎̗͝i̫̜̠̘̹r̳͙̦͍͕͖̥r͈̬̳̗̻̳͈o͚̟̕ŗ͇̻͚ ̻̤͍̼͚a̳ ̣͔̙͢g̠̫͚͍̣͍͘a͍̝̹̝̥t̡̟̝e̻͙̻̱w̰̰͈͕̮̺̭a̪̖͞ͅͅy̜͉̖̫̯,̡͓͈̜ ̹͓͚͝t̷̙̭̜̟̰̭h͇̖̹͉̟͎͝e̢̝̼ ̝̟̠̝͚c͉̪a̡͙r̤̟̥͈̪͎ve͎͜ͅḍ̨̼̰̯͔ ̰̩͚̦̭͈̪s̫͈̯̖̥̩͉͟i̪̮̠̙̕ḽ̀v̴̼̖e͓̹̬̝̱̬͎r̫͙͔͟ ͕͇̳͙̀m̯̯̙̼͙̖ḭ͖̭ͅr̴͖̙r̯̮̘̼͖̯̙o͖ŗ̖̼̦ ̖̼͓̙̼͙̻a̫̯̻̱̰ͅ ̯͚̳̠͈p͖̠̻̱̝͓̜o̘r̟͍̺̖͓ta̼̩̱̪̠l̬
͔̣͝T̨͎̞̼͔̜͍h͔͞e ̠͖̹̤̻p̦̥͕r̺e̺̙s̶e̵͔͔̙͖̙͇̭n͝t̼͇̳̺͓e̥̭͕̫d̟͔̘̺͜ ̫̦͝c̱̞̣͟h̘̰̭̱͡il̝̭d̛̩͉ ̥̥̝͔͖́ͅͅt͍h̛̦̠̦̭͚e͙̬̦ ̬̙̥̦̥h̞̫̙̟̝͕ͅy̵̥̹͙m̤͙̥̼͇̪en͚̪̖͖͟ ͍̱o̰̻͕̖f ̖͟h̦u̷͕̥͕͎m̺̣͇͡an̖̜̙̜̪ ͜ṛ̭̖ͅe͖͔̯as͙͎̹̗o͇n̖͉
͓͝S̙̠̜̳͍̯̗͘p͙͎̰̭̫͚ŗ̠͖e̙͈͔̯̺̭a̳d̸͈͙ t̙̤̬̺̼̬he̝̻͈̜̤͉̞ ͓͖̖v͇̮̼̰i̶̮r̩̀g̺̫̣i̘̫ͅn͎̭̝ ̳͚̻͇͙͢t̖͚̀h̬͓̮̗͔̀i̼̳̤͚g̳̱̱͖͖͠ḥ̪͇̱̩͕s̪̫͉̻̯̘̼ o͍̜͍ͅf͕͖̠̹̤͡ ̭͔̻̘t̩̗̺͇h̵͇̱̻̰̝̮ͅe̢͚͙̮̟͔̤͇ ̜W̡͚̳̼o̧͔͚͙̙̻͔̬ŕld͙̼͜ ̪͔͉͙̬o̯͙̭̟̙ṕ͈̥͕͕e͇̺̞͜n̺
͚̫͍͝Ì̗̤͎̹ņ̪̪̯̼v̥͚̳̜͍̕i͔͈͇̜̱͍̜t̰̠̺̹̳̞̤è̬̻̩ ̛̣̞͈i̭n͈͓̫ ̨̬̯̤t̝̺̼ͅh̦̜͉̹̮͓̤e̪̩͈̭̖ ̦̪͎͞i̫͉̖ͅn̤̪̺͓͉t̖r̛͕̘͍̻͈u̙͈̹̜̤̞͕͢s̠̬̀i̠̻͕͚͉̩̬͢o̷̘͍̫̩̰͕̝n̜̭̺̫̮s̛͕̩̻ ̖̝͙͔͍̗͈͜o͘f̣͈̝ͅ ͈t͇ẖ̸e̡̱̼ ̣̤̪ͅd͇͇͚̻r̰͟ip̣͈͜p͕̮̮̰̖͡i̞͎̙̫͞n͚͎͓g̺̙͍̮̣͙͖ ̣̦̱st͎͜a̟̖̜͟r̢̭̮̙̥͇̗̘s̬̩̦̰͍̻̟͡ ̸̹͉̪͇̱͙.̟̣̭̘͔.̤̟̦̤͈͚.̻̦̞͚̩͕͠ͅ ͔
͖͔̘

It seems like this was what you were looking for.

>Take the book back to your room where you can read in comfort. Your Mentor gave you permission to take anything in his library a long time ago after all.

>Return to your room, but take a few other books with you (What take?)

>The Study is comfortable enough. Get reading.

>On second thought, this doesn’t seem like a good idea to read this. You should find something less heretical.

>Other

File: elder_sign_book_by_eyebal(...).jpg (170 KB, 1032x774)

170 KB JPG

> Return to your room, but take a few other books with you (What take?)

> Take with Pyromancy text to study and learn how to use it.

> Take a Book with a Symbol that teaches how to make Markings and Items imbued with Protection from the Eldritch (Check Image)

>>3422249
Ditto
>>3422090
>summoning eldritch monsters is the cucking of reality

>>3422249
>>3422421
Protection from the Eldritch isn't that easy
Also vote called, writing.

> Had to try..... ^_^

> Return to your room, but take a few other books with you


As loathsome as the book was, it was also what you were looking for. You peruse your Mentor’s study one last time before leaving, taking with you the copy of Insania In Carne as well as a treatise on pyromancy as well as a lexicon of words of binding against Eldritch Beings.

You decide to head back to your own bedroom to read. Besides it being more comfortable than the study, you had your own grimoires and treatises there that might be useful in your research. Your loot in hand, you head down the stairs to the ground floor guest bedroom, your temporary home during your stay in Los Angeles.

You open your bedroom door and drop the pile of books on your desk. Despite having stayed here for the better part of a week, the room barely looked changed from before your stay. All that was different were the creases in the bedsheets from where you had slept, as well as the bulk of your portable atelier, a giant black suitcase taking up half of your desk.

You open your Portable Atelier and draw out your own full grimoire, as well as your notebook in which you had recorded your own observations. You now have all the materials you need to study. Quickly, you reach over to the digital clock on your nightstand to check the time. It was Nine in the morning, three hours until lunch would be served. That was plenty of time to get started.

>Start with Insania In Carne. You’re not going to learn to be an Exorcist in only a few hours, but more insight on the most dangerous of your foes was always good. (Very hard to interpret)

>Start with the Lexicon. As rare as Eldritch Beings were, they were also the kind of enemy you wanted to be prepared for if you ever met them. (Hard to interpret)

>Start with the Treatise on Pyromancy. You weren’t going to be an expert pyromancer anytime soon, but it was also the most easy text to understand. At the very least, you would deepen your understanding of Pyromancy. (Medium-Hard to interpret)

>Other

Roll 1d100s to see how successful Tristan is at studying. The first three rolls will be accepted and averaged.

Rolled 92 (1d100)

>Start with the Lexicon. As rare as Eldritch Beings were, they were also the kind of enemy you wanted to be prepared for if you ever met them. (Hard to interpret)

Wahoo! What a Roll!!

That surprised me!

Rolled 88 (1d100)

>>3423330
>>3424156
Time to watch me ruin it

Rolled 7 (1d100)

>>3423330
watch this drop

>>3425003
Thought that would be me

187/3 is 62-63, good for an average.

>What >>3425003 said

>Revealed Success Parameters for Lexicon
2-50 - You learn nothing
51-79 - You piece together general concepts
80-89 - You grasp some specifics
90-99 - You understand everything

If magic was easy, everyone would do it

Eanabir Dida Aljunun. That is the title of the first book you flip open. From the texture of the paper and the words printed out in ink, the book was contemporary, or at least a more modern rendition of an older work.

Like almost all of the magic texts in the library, the majority of the book is in a partly-magical cipher, but it is one you understand and have the mental conditioning to interpret.

Swimming beyond the outermost filaments of Creation are beings terrible and vast, whose dreams alone are cause for ripples in the Cosmos, whose wriggling flotsam devours the sanity of men. Their foul forms make mockery of the armaments of man, their corrupting nature is proof against the greatest wisdom and magic mankind wields.

Against these outermost demons, there are three main types of Ward one can hope to armour their souls with.

The first and most basic kind are Conceptual Pictograms. These pictograms represent the concepts of laws in their own foul language, and used effectively infect the dreams of these demons, impose upon them the rule of Order. As the greatest threat these demons pose are within their dreams and in their intrusions onto the dreamscape of man, these symbols can prove an invaluable shield. Safe, simple in form, only corrupting in the most gentle of ways, Conceptual Pictograms carry the least risk for mental contamination. However, take heed that they are but words against a demon fully incarnated into the physical world.

The second manner of shield one may employ against the Outer Demons are Spells of Reason. Blessings and long incantations of which the shape is held in their employers mind, these shield from the gibbering madness that Demons spread in their wake. However, be warned that the greatest mental shield will do nothing against the form of an incarnated Demon.

The one type of spell that proves effective against Demons that intrude upon Creation is an Invocation of Presence. Many Demons will not tolerate their lessers in their presence. To invoke the name of a Mighty One sleeping deep beyond reach in the Outer Ocean is to mark the dreams and land around as their domain. Hence, their incarnated lessers will flee at the sound and weight of the name of a slumbering Mighty One. However, take this warning to heart, my student: Do not use any name lightly, for to call the name of the leviathans slumbering is to attract their attention.

You shake your head and smile inwardly, you know for sure now that this text was quite out-of-date. Many of the terms had fallen out of usage or become archaic in modern Magecraft. Had the differentiation between Demons and Eldritch Beings not been dissected in detail more than fifty years ago? Ignoring that, the author did not seem to be familiar with even the widely-known rites of Exorcism. This text was definitely not written a scholar of Templar origin.

But that was the reality of Arcane Knowledge, it was always truth hidden in musty lore of no importance. You continue reading, flipping to the lexicon where the Author catalogued the Spells, Pictograms, and Invocations he had been discussing.

To your disappointment, the Spells, Pictograms, and Invocations were written in a different cipher than the introduction. Either that or it was simply in an arcane language you did not understand. Eventually, after an hour of trying to break the cipher or possibly interpret the text, you give up. You scrunch up the sheet of loose-leaf you were scribbling your ideas on and toss it on the floor before getting up from your chair to stretch.

Feeling more relaxed, you take a look at your alarm clock. 10:38.
You still had plenty of time …

>Try to read Insania In Carne. You’re not going to learn to be an Exorcist in only a few hours, but more insight on the most dangerous of your foes was always good. (Very hard to interpret)

>Try to read the Treatise on Pyromancy. You weren’t going to be an expert pyromancer anytime soon, but it was also the most easy text to understand. At the very least, you would deepen your understanding of Pyromancy. (Medium-Hard to interpret)

>Continue studying the Lexicon. Even if you can’t understand the actual text, you can still try to glean some wisdom from it.

>You’re not going to spend all day studying, get up and do something else (What?)

>Other

Roll 1d100s to see how successful Tristan is at studying. The first three rolls will be accepted and averaged.

For decisions to not study, no rolls are needed this time.

>>3425778 should have been >>3425132

Rolled 4 (1d100)

>>3425792

>>3426623
Sorry if I wasn't clear, but options are available in >>3425783 as well

>>3426796
My bad should I just pick something or reroll with an option?

>>3426858
Just pick something

Rolled 53 (1d100)

>>3425792
>Insania in Carne

>>3426916
What he chose

Rolled 3 (1d100)

Due to a lack of rolls, I will roll the last 1d100

>(4+53+3)/3 = 20
>Revealed Success Parameters for Insania In Carne
99-95 - You understand everything
94-90 - You grasp some specifics
89-80 - You piece together general concepts
79-50 - You understand nothing
49-2 - ͓̺͓̮͇́ ̖̮̙̠͜ ̳͉̥̩̗̳́ ̫͍̦͎͢ͅ ̢ ̳̭̰̱̞ ̠̬̟ ̠ ̝̞̀ ͎ ̨̭̼̘ ̢̗̟̖̭͙ ͍̟̖̦͙̮̠͜ ̸͉͚͎̮͖̟̺ ̦̞̞̺ͅ ̻̞̯̪̘̣ ̱̫̙͇̯ ͎ ̵̹͉̹̺ ͜ ̻͍̥̕ ̻̝̺́ͅ ̙̞͍̖̜ ̴͍ ͓̤͙̱ ̠͓̱̫̝ ̹̼̠̬̙̰ ̸̩̘̦̤̘̰̝ ̢͔̱̗̩̦ ͓̠̤̠̯͓ ̙͙̞͇͚ ̯̤͎̭͉̪̞ ̺͓̜͎͈͉̱ ͚ ̰͖̺̩͇̳̟ ̷ ̥̩͟ ̵̝̯͚̝̩̼ ̟̩̙̺̰͠ ̬̻̳͚̠ ̡̺

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Insania In Carne. You know enough Latin to understand the meaning of the accursed title: Flesh of Madness. It was a notorious text among the Templar, full of occult lore of the most maddening kind. You doubt that you could find a text more authoritative and comprehensive on Eldritch Beings than the one you were holding in your hands. It was a curious book, it appeared that the leather cover and belt had been added after the compliation of the main text. The pages themselves were made of an ancient parchment, seemingly once a long scroll cut into individual pages. Just holding the book fills you with apprehension.

“God help me,” you mutter before taking a second to steel your nerves. Then, you unclasp the book and open it to the first page. You quickly skip over the paragraphs you have already read ...

Le̱̯͓̻̳͢t͕͖͇̮͠ ̟̮̳f̹̗o͕͔̞̼͜u͉͚̱̙r̡͖͉͚̹͔̻t̝̺̪h̖́ ͙t̳̪h̻͎̘͎̙e͟ ̼b͙͎̬l͔̫̞̘͡o̡̹ọ͔̰̞̘̗͔ḍ̮̣̭̀,̦̦̘ ͚b̨̩͉͔r͔̰̤e͎̯̟̯͖̟͕͞a͍̟̹̳k ̻̤͓̟͇͖͓t̩͉͟ḫ̝͓̳r̟̤o̖͜u͎̙̻͔̯̖̬͟g̹̭̘͡ͅh̴̰̺̞̟ ̜̻̮̗̗̻t͕̀h͈͇͍̙̠̳e̼̹ ̧̪H̸̗̼͓̻̬̤̤y̱̝ͅm̭͕̱̗̦en̨̝
̯A̴̫̘̻ ̺̦c̮̘͘h̵i̪͖͚̕l̥̜̞͚̝͘d̰̫͙͙̠̦ͅ'̟̖̯͖͙̳̟s̼̯͚͇͟ ͉̻͍̼̪̘pu̢̜̗̪̻r̙̟̳͈̝̟̼͞į̦ty̦̺̣ ̗͖̗͍̀i̡̟̩̭͉̬s̭̖͕̰̤͈̩͜ ̡̪̩t̜̠͓̱͎͡h̗̠̻̕e͙͖ ̝͔̟̘͓W̷̟̪̭̬o̴͙͈͎̤̪̠̭r̺͕̭͡l͔̹̘̙̯͈͞d̵͇̫̹̻̻'̠̩͕͖͚s̱͞ ̸͙͇͉͓̭̭p̡̼u̳͈͖̞̪͝r̶í͔̹͉t̻͖̞̺̖y̺̹͖͉̟̜̙͠
̶͚T͔̺h̫̭̫͚̝̳e͝ ͔̤͇͍ͅb̪̖̘̺ļ̻͍̙̠͖̩ͅơ̭o͔̮̣̱͡d̯̺̙̖͍ ̯̦̘͘bṷ̻̦͎b̠̜̣̪͡b͉͙͎̭̱̜ḷ̴̜̗e̕s̠̖̻̞̩͍̹ ̬̳̫͔̩̩#̭͢#̴͓͍̘̘#̶͖ ͟ ̵͖̱ǵ̼͎͔̺r̘̻̠̘̭͚͇͢o̟̠͙͞w͙̥͉̣͓͙̥s̸̙̺̳̼̦̳̤
̤͙T̺̝̪͈͈h̗̟̥̞ͅè̥̙͉̭̙͍ ̗͟s͉̣̞k͕̬͔͝u̪͔̣ḻl̼̹͈̮ ̣̹̤̭̭̕a̵̟ ̢̼#̥͈̘##̠̻̦̝
̘̭͈T͍̙̬̜̭̤̀h̤͎̝͍̞ȩ͓͎̫͍̖ e̖̘̕y̴̭̰̖e̖̱̝̤s̠͘ ͇̯̻̤͙̰̰s͉͍̜p̢̼͙̯̘̤̞r̬͇͚̫̝̫̕o̥͟u̬͉͚͇̪t̻̣̼͍͕ ̶̯#̴͚͍͕#̢͈̭͎̹̪#̠̩͙͈̣͇
̜̪̀P̞̮̱̮i̝̟̦ͅl̩̖̻̠e̝̩ͅ ̮̝͎̠̰͈h̗͘i̷̯͍̯g̘̞ḩ ̘̟͉̤͉̟t̸̤̪̯h͖̻e̞ ̝̰͜c̭̮o̡rps͇͖̤e̛̝̭̜͓s̰̺͖,̵ ̖̺̪͍͎b͍̫̙͚u̯͕̻͖i͇̘̫̺̞ͅl̷͍̱̪d̥͖̮͈ a̹ ̰̱͖͡w̯̪̱̻͔̼o̵̗̣̙͖̟m͓̗͎̦͡b̢

Even through both the protective cipher and your own mental conditioning, you can only stare at the text a short while before your eyes start to swim and the text on the page blurred. Despite your best efforts, it gets to the point where you can barely make it a few lines before you involuntarily squeeze your eyes shut. You can’t escape the feeling of being defiled every time you stare at the text.

Finally, feeling slightly nauseated, you slam the book shut and tiredly rub your eyes. You sigh, disappointed in your failure to interpret the book at all. Then again, it can’t be helped.

You grab your alarm clock and stare at the time: 11:18.

>You still have plenty of time. Try reading the Treatise on Pyromancy. (Roll 3 separate 1d100s)

>You’re not just going to give up like that. Try to read Insania In Carne again.

>You need a break after staring at something accursed for so long. Weren’t there other things you had intended to do today?

>Other

>>3429187
>>You still have plenty of time. Try reading the Treatise on Pyromancy. (Roll 3 separate 1d100s)

>>3429326
Are you going to roll your 1d100?

Rolled 84 (1d100)

>>3429337

Rolled 100 (1d100)

Rolling

Frelling Hell my Rolls are good!

Rolled 14 (1d100)

>>3429182

I just realized a flaw in asking for rolls during voting. Will change it.
In the meantime, would you like to keep >>3429447's 100 or save it for a reroll in the future?

>>3429534
Nah, use it. Wanna shoot fire nao

>(84+100+14)/3 = 62
>Revealed success parameters for Pyromancy Treatise
99-80 - You understand everything
79-60 - You grasp certain concepts
59-40 - You gain a general understanding
39-2 - You understand nothing

>You still have plenty of time. Try reading the Treatise on Pyromancy.

It was still going to be more than an hour until lunch, you have no reason to take a break. Instead, you pick up the last book you took from your Mentor’s study.

The Treatise’s title read On the Actualization of Pyromancy. The book was barely a manuscript hastily bound together with twine, it didn’t even have a cover. It was something someone could have printed out from a home printer. If that was the case, the magic inside had to be simple enough for the sigils and glyphs to carry through such a crude inscription process. You hope that it was simple enough for you to understand.

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On the Actualization of Pyromancy

Note: This text is a modern translation of a Treatise by the late-medieval monk, scholar and alchemist Brother Francis. While Brother Francis’ arcane research was not sanctioned, it lacks any dangerous heresy and thus has been deemed suitable for widespread dissemination among the Knights of the New Covenant.

Like all practical magic, Pyromancy as a whole relies on the actualization and materialization of abstract ideas and concepts, and similar to the methods used in other schools, there are three methods in actualizing fire to utilize in the art of pyromancy: External actualization, Internal actualization, and Invocational actualization.

In external actualization one’s physical surroundings are converted into fire. As the wisest of ancient philosophers postulated, the material world is composed of a multitude of fundamental elements, at least on the conceptual level. This means that there will almost always be fuel to set alight, with methods varying between the transmutation of high-energy materials into fire to simply drawing on ambient magical energy to weave into the shape of a flame based on a blueprint pre-internalized into the pyromancer’s mind. As practical and safe as this method may seem, the flames summoned this way are small in scale and difficult to control.

In contrast, internal actualization, relies on a pyromancer generating the fire inside themself, whether that be based on an inner landscape of fire or a spell template carved into one’s psyche. Once actualized, the fire is materialized into the real world, manifesting a physical fire by drawing on the fire within. While this method is the easiest to finesse, the loss of control can be catastrophic as it would release a blaze which, rather than affecting the physical world, would feed off and burn one’s soul, memories, and psyche.

However, the most powerful actualization method by far is Invocational actualization where the Pyromancer would draw on a fire held in an abstract metaphysical location or source instead of any source in the vicinity of or even within the practitioner in question. Through an invocation, something is temporarily transformed into a gate to a source of fire, whether that thing be a natural formation, spell circle, or a network of nerves within one’s body. It is even possible to temporarily rearrange one’s mental architecture into a gate from which fire can be released into the world. Sources of fire range from fire-banks previously created and stocked to contracts with demons to miracles given by God himself. In all cases, more fire can be summoned forth than any other method can provide. However, one should only do so cautiously as the fire summoned forth can be impossible to control and burn indiscriminately.

Reading deeper into the book, you come across descriptions of spells, signs, and invocations for using pyromancy. Compared to the other two texts you studied, the art of pyromancy is much easier to understand. Still, your groundwork in the fundamental of magics is general at best, so there is only so much in the book you understand that you can apply to your own use of magic ...

Tristan can now modify two of the spells listed below to have a Pyromancy attribute. The original form of the spell will still be usable

>Pilot Light -> Hand of Flame - Tristan can summon a small fireball in his hand. The fire will gutter out when it leaves his hand

>Telekine Nudge -> Fire Manipulation - Tristan can manipulate fire in his vicinity to a limited degree, although he cannot snuff out flames or generate more of them. Does not apply to Hand of Flame

>Sleight of the Mind -> Fever dream - Tristan can curse someone with a burning and potentially lethal fever upon speaking to them using Sleight of the Mind

>Minor Healing -> Cauterization - Tristan’s minor healing now has the ability to cleanse wounds of infection and burn them shut with minimal risk

>Minute Sanctification -> Cleansing fire - Tristan’s sanctifications gain a fire attribute, making it stronger against magic weak to fire

>Minute Exorcism -> Scouring flame - Tristan’s exorcism gains a fire attribute, that which is impure will be burned away (Previous Exorcism limits still apply)

Reminder that Tristan can only temporarily memorize two spells at a time

Damn, no one?

>>3430929
I want to see this quest continue, so I'll pick
>Fever Dream
>Cauterization

>>3430929
Cauterization
Scouring flame

Rolled 4 (1d6)

It's been more than a day since the last update so if it's fine, I'll break the tie with a 1d6
>Odds - Fever Dream
>Evens - Scouring Flame

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>Scouring Flame
>Cauterization

You lean to the side to open your Portable Atelier. Most magic research took up space, many amateur sorcerers required entire basements to house their equipment. It was considered an accomplishment and the mark of an experienced mage to be able to compact all their equipment into the back of a minivan. However, the Templar took this one step further.

The standard Portable Atelier was an essential tool for the Templar who had a need to travel quickly and lightly. The inside of it was packed with glass vials and beakers alongside slim leather-covered notebooks as well as containing your weapons: The Portable Atelier took the bare necessities of an alchemical laboratory, a mage’s study, a priest’s altar, and a weapons locker and combined them to fit in a space no larger than an abnormally bulky suitcase.

From your own Portable Atelier, you draw out your pocket-grimoire as well as an ornate calligraphy pen. You didn’t have the equipment or knowledge to properly enscribe completely new spells into your Grimoire, but you had everything you needed to modify the spells you already had. Wetting your pen with fresh ink, you carefully, painstakingly add to the intricate formulae of the spells you had decided to modify, superimposing a second, rough layer of meaning onto the original spell.

By the time you finish, your eyes are burning from concentrating on such intricate penwork. However, you’re pretty sure that you were successful. Yes. You had learned a lot today, now understanding the applications of Pyromancy in healing and exorcism.

But rest was important as well. You lean back in your chair, feeling sleep creeping up from the corners of your eyes.

“Tristan, lunch is ready!” You hear Martha call from the kitchen. As heavy as it is, your exhaustion does nothing to suppress a gurgle from your stomach …

>”I’ll be right there!” Nourishing your body is important

>”Just give me a minute.” Just enough time for you to rest your eyes a little

>Other

>>3437414
>"I'll be right there!"

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>”I’ll be right there

“I’ll be right there!” you call back down. You get up and put away your calligraphy pen and Grimoire before heading to the kitchen.

“Productive morning?” Martha asks as you sit down at the table.

“You could call it that,” It wasn’t a complete success, but you did learn a few things.

…

Lunch was just some reheated leftovers from the night before. You had missed last night’s dinner since you had left in the early morning to scope out the Farming Compound. Apparently, dinner had been Pasta. There was still quite a bit left.

The reheated pasta was pretty good for leftovers, and lunch was finished in no time.

“Here you go, Martha …”

“Thank you, you’re such a gentleman!” Martha thanked you as you helped move the cleaned off plates to the sink. For some reason, Martha insisted on washing the dishes after every meal. It was just another one of her quirks. “Are you going to help again?”

“Sorry,” You respond, “I need to make a call.” You had planned to spend the afternoon taking care of anything that came up in the aftermath of your last mission, perhaps ask Operations how cleanup was going.

“Oh, that’s quite all right,” Martha waved away your concerns, “Don’t worry, I’ve been doing dishes for a long time, they won’t be any trouble!” With Martha’s blessing, you return to your room. You retrieve your long-range radio set from your Portable Atelier and switch on to the appropriate channel.

“This is Knight Tristan of the Knights of the New Covenant Temple.” You speak into the receiver, “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”

There was a brief silence before you heard the familiar voice of your operator on the other side. “For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself … We read you loud and clear, Tristan.”

“It’s good to hear your voice, Brother Benjamin.” You smile. “Now, how goes cleanup?”

To Be Continued

Another thread finished! Sorry that this one was a little short.

Next thread on Friday. Until then, questions, comments, and criticism will be read and acknowledged. pls no bully

>>3440327
Is ok

>>3440327
this thread was not as exciting as the first, but overall i am liking this quest so far

>>3440889
>>3441713
Thanks for your input guys

>This thread was not as exciting as the first
I know it was more of a slow, character-improving/modification thread. Expect these after major missions. I hope they'll be more exciting once Tristan meets more relevant characters to interact with.
Also, what do you guys think of the lore dumping in the magic studying? Yay or nay?

>>3441759
I personally like it

I'm still enjoying it!

Sorry I was not here for the Fire Spell Mod vote. Was hoping for a bit more for Rolling that 100 though....

I'm looking forward to the next thread!