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RECAP OF LAST THREAD

You and your companions fought bravely against Maglubiyet, a goblin behemoth. After nearly dying, the party managed to just barely pull through and defeat the menace- though it didn’t end there. You found out that goblins were being led and guided by a mysterious entity known simply as ‘S’.

After turning in your quest and reaping the rewards, you made a huge offering to Castor. This, combined with your epic deed, granted you your first ever Godly Boon- the ability to sense any goblins, hobgoblins, or goblin behemoths within a one mile range.

Of course, you spent some downtime talking to Jeffrey about Conquest, buying a present for your blacksmith girlfriend Trina, and making some sweet flute performances.

After taking a breather, you went to find this Finley fellow the halfling woman had told you about, only to be tricked and led into an ambush by about a dozen members of the Thieves’ Guild. In a 10,000 IQ move, you took a birthday boy named Josh hostage to escape, later befriending him.

After grabbing some FLAWLESS DISGUISES with Josh, you had Barret pick the next quest for your group. He chose one about mysterious stolen livestock, which ended up leading you into the forest on the outskirts of Rathalon, where you found the Elden Ring and met with Calzifer, a gnome druid who guards the forest.

Calzifer informed you that he was trying to save the animals after being warned about a coming battle by a strange knight in dark armor. Using your Elden Ring, you found this to be none other than Silas Moonsorrow- the man who burned down your village and killed your family. Making the connection that he must be this ‘S’ fellow, you hunted down some goblins and ran into a hobgoblin who told you about an invasion coming in a few days' time.

You returned to Rathalon and began preparing for this invasion immediately, staking your cause as a Herald on it to Jeffrey, your military friend, to convince him to help you prepare. To contribute, you first contacted Castor, the demi-god of Goblin Slaying, who subtly informed you that the attack would be coming by sea.

After that, you made two large offerings to Aemis, God of the Sea, and agreed to offer him a yet-to-be-determined favor in exchange for creating a tropical storm that would thin the ranks of the coming invasion.

Finally, you went into the sewers and tracked down Finley, beating him up before finding his brother and the leader of the Thieves’ Guild, Jay Trawn, and taking him down as well- effectively disbanding the crime syndicate.

The next day, Trina arrived in town and you quickly ushered her to safety at Josh’s house before helping prepare at the docks, where three massive warships came into view later at night.

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You watch as the three enormous vessels approach the docks, only a few minutes away now. You saw what must’ve been thousands of orcs between the vessels through your spyglass, and realize that with only five hundred military men and a dozen or so adventurers that there’s no chance you can hold the city. Their boats are battered and you can tell by their formation that there must’ve been at least double the number before, but even still they’ve got the numbers advantage.

”Jeffrey...I’m sorry” you say to the sergeant, craning your head back to face him. ”I didn’t realize how great their forces were. There’s no way we can take them”

You’re surprised to hear the one-eyed man laugh- a small chuckle, at first, that grows into a raucous fit of laughter. Has your Conquest recruit gone mad in the face of such overwhelming odds? Is he in denial?

Eventually his laughter dies down, replaced with a determined expression and a toothy grin on his face. ”You did good to warn us about the attack ahead of time. Thanks to you, we were able to bust out the cannons we got from the capitol” he states. You look to the dozen ironcast armaments strewn about the coastline. You’ve heard of these weapons before- supposedly they use some sort of substance called ‘gunpowder’ with lit fuses to launch large balls of iron.

”Would ships as large as these, that are this close to shore, really be downed by such a paltry number of these cannons?” you ask.

Jeffrey shakes his head. ”These aren’t normal cannons, Herald. Here, it’ll just be easier if I show you” he says, standing at attention. Taking a deep breath, he shouts loud enough for his men to hear over the orcs’ distant chanting. ”FIRST SQUAD, GET YOUR HANDS ON THE CANNONS AND AIM TOWARDS THE APPROACHING SHIPS. HOLD THEM FIRM, JUST LIKE YOU TRAINED” he orders. A dozen men closest to the cannons squat over the weapons and clasp their hands firmly to the sides of each one, slowly turning them to face the incoming ships.

Once the cannons have been aimed, Jeffrey closes his eyes, taking another deep breath before shouting a single word.

”EXCELSIOR!”

You watch as large, red magical circles form in front of each device- forming enormous balls of fire. You recognize this spell from the goblin cave- it’s Fireball! Each of these cannons are enchanted with Fireball?!

(1/2)

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After a few seconds, they all release, each one launching a powerful sphere of flame at least twenty feet in diameter towards the ships. Two miss, but the rest make their marks- most of them hitting the left vessel, which starts to rapidly be engulfed in flames. You hear the chanting of the orcs’ replaced by panicked shouting as the crews start to quickly try and ferry water towards the affected areas.

The middle and right ships manage to hold on for now, but you can already start to see the ship on the left sink into the water as hundreds of orcs burn alive or jump into the ocean in a panic. You do notice that the men who had their hands around the cannons are sweating now- they’re probably each only capable of one Major Spell a day themselves.

”Second squad, swap in!” Jeffrey calls out, the twelve men stepping back as new soldiers move to take their place. They spend another minute or so aiming the cannons and getting their hands around the weapons before Jeffrey shouts the command word again, bursts of flame firing forward.

With the second volley, the ship on the left becomes completely overwhelmed, stopping in its tracks as it begins to sink into the ocean, now just a burning heap of wood and iron. You watch in awe at the sheer display of power as it happens.

The other two ships still manage to make their way forward, almost at the coast now. One more time, Jeffrey calls for the men to switch positions again as a third group takes aim and fires. The third and final volley seems to light the right ship completely aflame and severely damage the middle ship. The ship on the right stops and starts to sink just like the one on the left, many of its passengers burning alive, but a good number manage to dive into the water- now close enough to start swimming to shore.

The ship in the center finally reaches the docks, lowering a bridge as orcs and the occasional hobgoblin start to pour out. It’s then that the archers behind their wooden barricades begin to let loose, picking off small chunks of enemies as they rush onto the docks as fast as they can. Thanks to the military’s organized defense, you guess that there’s only around a thousand enemy soldiers left- who are already exhausted from the storms and the sudden inferno they found themselves in moments ago. Your forces are still outnumbered two to one, but with the barricades and the advantages you’ve piled up, you might actually be able to pull this off!

The question now is, how does your group fit in?

>Rush towards the docks and fight the enemies head on (Attack)
>Play a supporting role. Ferry ammunition to archers and help pull injured soldiers back to relative safety (Support)
>Stay back with Jeffrey and try to observe the situation and give advice or commands as needed (Strategy)
>Other (write in)

(2/2)

>>4722514
>Stay back with Jeffrey and try to observe the situation and give advice or commands as needed (Strategy)
OH SHIT IT'S BACK! Surprise was def worth it!

>>4722504
Welcome back QM
>>4722514
>Stay back with Jeffrey and try to observe the situation and give advice or commands as needed (Strategy)
2-1 is pretty good and we got defensive positions plus better cohesion it seems.

>>4722514
>Rush towards the docks and fight the enemies head on (Attack)

>>4722514
>Rush towards the docks and fight the enemies head on (Attack)
>Other (write in)
Tell Jeffery to get some boats on the water with men to pick off the swimming orcs and hobgoblins before they get on land. A rider or two on the shores to cut down waterlogged survivors would also be good.

>>4722514
>>Stay back with Jeffrey and try to observe the situation and give advice or commands as needed (Strategy)

>>Stay back with Jeffrey and try to observe the situation and give advice or commands as needed (Strategy)

>>4722514
>Stay back with Jeffrey and try to observe the situation and give advice or commands as needed (Strategy)

>stay back and observe

As badass as herald is he is only one man and only so many orcs he can slay at one time. If things start to go south he can always charge in and lend a hand as the battle progresses bit for now we need to further thin their numbers.

Welcome back QM, that picture looks brilliant!

>>4722514
>Rush towards the docks and fight the enemies head on (Attack)

>>4722519
>>4722539
>>4722590
>>4722627
>>4722804
>>4722824
Strategy

>>4722558
>>4722566
>>4722833
Attack

Writing!

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You and your companions watch as the Orcs start to funnel onto the shores. Clarissa begins to knock an arrow, but you raise a hand to stop her. "Uh, Herald?" she asks, cocking her head.

"Don't waste your ammunition just yet. Our group is strong, but this is a battle of numbers and advantages. We'll be able to contribute more if we stay back and keep a tactical eye on things" you tell her.

Barret scratches the back of his head awkwardly. "Uh, I'm not really good at the whole tactics and big brain thinking thing, boss man" he tells you.

”I can help” Jeanne says, puffing her chest up proudly. ”I was made to study such tactics by my father. He probably figured he could push me off to some honor guard group and have me learn the basics as a formality. If we put our heads together, I’m sure we can come up with a good plan”

Clarissa begins to lower her bow, looking back at you. ”And I’ve got a great eye. Maybe I’ll point out something you missed!” she chimes in with a grin.

Barret’s protests aside, you begin scanning the battlefield to get a better grasp on the situation. Right now, a large number of orcs are funneling from the bridge of their ship onto one of the docks. They’re too close to the coast now for Fireballs- lobbing those, even at the ship, would just end up hurting your allies right now. There’s a group of probably three dozen archers at the back of the line behind your group and Jeffrey firing volleys of arrows at them. Aside from that, several squads are set up around small, concentric wooden fences. The bulk of the army, about three hundred soldiers or so, are mostly behind one such fence that’s closest to the ship, trying to pick off the orcs as they come. Though the soldiers are doing good work now, the orcs are both larger in number and physicality. Eventually they’ll break through and start making their way closer and closer to the city, but for now you estimate you can probably hold them off and continue to thin their ranks for another three to five minutes before they breach the first ring.

(1/2)

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On the other hand, there is also the ship on the right that sank close to the shore. Though a great number of their ranks were decimated, you can see small groups of orcs start to swim their way to shore. The army isn’t large enough to cover the entire docks, so the orcs will slowly start creeping up to the shore if left unchecked. There are still the wooden rings protecting the group, but they’ll tear through them quickly if left unattended. You don’t think Jeffrey or anyone else has time to acquire a boat and pick them off, but YOUR group might be able to manage it- or you could suggest he divert some of the forces over there. The stream of orcs in the center will break through the line quicker, but you’ll be able to prevent a potential flank that way.

Lastly, Clarissa calls out to you. ”Herald, up there!” she says, pointing to the bow of the ship. Pulling out your spyglass again, you see one orc that stands taller than the rest. Most orcs are around six to seven feet tall with a fairly dense muscle mass, but this one is a good eight feet tall at least and wears plate armor not dissimilar to your own. He has a kite shield on one arm and a huge mace than a human could only wield with two hands held in his other hand. He seems to be shouting commands to the troops below, and batting away any stray arrows that come towards him with his shield.

”Hmm…” you mutter, trying to quickly piece together a strategy. Jeffrey seems mostly focused on coordinating the defense and leading men in their formation. You can see the hunger in his eyes, (err, eye) though- he wants to join the fray and CONQUEST, but he knows they need him there to relay orders.

Jeanne quickly gives you a few ideas: you could have the soldiers hanging back join the front line to try and further delay the stream of orcs. You could also divert some of the defenses and/or front line fighters to the side to delay a flank, or you could have Jeffrey try and muster up a squad amongst the defenders further back to take on that plate-armored orc.

Of course, you and your group could always do the second or third option yourselves. You may come up with a better strategy yourself too- if you give yourself a moment to think.

>Have the soldiers holding the farther back lines join the front to further push back and delay the stream of orcs in the center
>Tell Jeffrey to divert forces towards the coastline where orcs are swimming up
>Say that Jeffrey should form a squad to try and confront that plate-armored orc on the bow of the ship
>Take your group to start thinning the ranks of orcs swimming to shore
>Take your group to try and fight that plate-armored orc
>Other (write in)

(2/2)

>>4722892
>Have the soldiers holding the farther back lines divert forces towards the coastline where orcs are swimming up

>>4722901
+1

Take out the flanking party so we are only fighting on one front, makes things less complicated.

Our gang should go and take on the big orc, he is no doubt some kind of commanding officer.

Taking him out may make the enemies less organised or at least dampen their moral seeing their main dude get messed up

Gonna give the vote another hour. Speak now or forever hold your peace!

>
>Take your group to start thinning the ranks of orcs swimming to shore

>>4722901
>>4722921
Have the soldiers holding the farther back lines divert forces towards the coastline where orcs are swimming up

>>4722921
+ Take your team to fight the orc commander

>>4722948
Take your group to start thinning the ranks of orcs swimming to shore

Writing!

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”Jeffrey, you should send some of the men on the backlines to deal with the stragglers so we don’t get flanked” you tell your friend, pointing over to the coastline where you can see gray bodies in the water starting to move towards the shore.

”Good call” Jeffrey responds. Clearing his throat, he shouts the orders: ”DEFENSIVE SQUADS ONE, TWO, AND THREE, COALESCE UNITS AND MARCH TOWARDS THE COASTLINE! PREVENT THE ORCS FROM REACHING SHORE!” he commands, drawing his sword and thrusting it towards the area in question.

The soldiers look back and respond in the affirmative before rushing over to meet the survivors. Being on land while the orcs are in the water, as well as having a huge, organized group compared to taking on stragglers, proves highly effective. All of the orcs are slain before their feet ever touch ground again, and there are only a minimal number of casualties from their retaliation.

On the downside however, the orcs in the center are close to breaking through the first ring- and if they can split the forces holding them back, there’s hardly anyone behind them to keep up the defense. You’ll need to act fast to turn the tide before things get bad.

”We need to move to take down their leader. We can disrupt their formations and increase the men’s morale that way” you tell your teammates.

”Well, I’m a lot more suited to that kind of work then trying to make sense of battlefield tactics” Barret admits with an awkward chuckle. With your team behind you, you gesture for them to follow as you make your way forward.

Amidst the chaos, you manage to move in an area between the deluge of orcs coming off the ship and the force to the right cleaning up the orcs in the blood-dyed waters. Seeing an opportunity with the anchor laid down, you and your group swim towards it and start climbing up the rope to the flaming vessel. Some of the fires have been put out by the crew, presumably before they started pouring out onto land, but there’s still groups of flames riddled throughout the ship as you reach the top, making it difficult to maneuver.

It’s there that you spot the armored orc, who turns to face you- his height towering above anyone in your group. You’re surprised to hear his gruff, baritone voice speak in Human. ”You made a mistake coming here, fleshlings. I’ll rip you apart!” he shouts, readying his weapon as two more orcs come from somewhere further into the ship to join him.

>Fight! (Begin combat)
>Attempt to negotiate/speak (What do you say?)
>You know what? Maybe this wasn’t a great idea! (Attempt to flee)
>Other (write in)

>>4722990
>>Attempt to negotiate/speak (What do you say?)
Ask him if he has a sister. Ask him why the orcs decided to attack Rathalon. Ask him if he's working for Silas. But then

>Fight! (Begin combat)

>>4722990
>Fight! (Begin combat)

>>4722990
>>Fight! (Begin combat)

>>4722990
>"kys"
>Fight! (Begin combat)

>>4722990
"I though you looked like an idiot in that armour, then you threatened to kill the super conquerer Bros and proved you definitely are one"

>Fight

>>4723003
>>4723043
>>4723064
>>4723066

Unless the votes drastically change in the next few hours, looks like we're going for a couple quick questions/quips and FIGHTING!

Unfortunately I have a recording thing soon(?), so I'll be holding off on running the fight until that's done first. IF everything goes according to plan, I should be back and ready to run with a post by 6:00pm CDT (11:00 UTC), maybe 7 or 8 at the latest.

If something else comes up to prevent that I'll keep you guys updated. Stay tuned!

>>4722504
Nice looking drawing there Hearld QM! Glad your friend came through with it.

>>4722990
>Speak: "You realize you and the rest of your people are being duped, right? Your leader EXPECTS you all to die here." BLUFF!

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”I thought you looked like an idiot in that armor, then you threatened to kill the Super Conqueror Bros and proved you definitely are one” you smugly quip as the three orcs begin to close in on your group.

The large one in the plate armor snorts. ”You’re speaking to Balagog, worm- the head-hunting general who once killed a dozen orcs on his own” he boasts proudly in the third person.

”Wow, how impressive! Could you stand still and talk about yourself a little longer?” Clarissa asks as she takes aim with her bow.

Ignoring the banter, you press on with some questions. ”Why are you guys attacking Rathalon? Are you working for S?”

Balagog laughs at this. ”We work for no one! We’re taking back what is rightfully ours!” he states.

”What do you mean by that?” you inquire, but the one of the other nameless orcs roars in response.

”Enough with the questions! Prepare to die, fleshlings!” he calls out.

As the three close in around your group and you prepare to fight, you hold up a hand. ”Wait wait wait- one more question: do you have a sister?” you ask Balagog.

He stops for a moment, cocking his head. ”Yes. Why do you ask, worm?”

You make a circle with one hand and stick the pointer finger of your other hand through it back and forth with a wry grin. At this, Balagog roars and the three charge towards your group as you quickly draw Decimator!

>Attack (Who?)
>Use a Technique (Right of Might or Jumping Spin Slash?)
>Do something fancy (What?)
>Give commands (What?)
>Other (write in)

---

30 minute posting round! If no one votes after 30 minutes, then I’ll go with the first one after that. We’ll adjust the speed as needed.

>>4723401
>>Attack
>Balagog

>>4723409
+1

>>4723409
>>4723417

Alright, roll me 1d20+5 (+5 for DEX). You need a 15 or higher to hit Balagog.

If you make it, roll me 1d10+2 (+6 for STR, +1 for Good Quality, -3 for Plate Armor, -2 for Kite Shield).

Rolled 10 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4723433

Rolled 14 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

>>4723433
nat 1 watch this

Rolled 9 + 2 (1d10 + 2)

>>4723433

>>4723438
>>4723433

Now I'm not saying we should ditch the smith's daughter to hook up with the sister of an Orcish general we've killed who is very likely similar to him in terms of being hugestronk and thus would fit with the established pattern of Herald's taste in women as well as his desire for conquest, buuuuuuut it's not the worst backup plan if the smith's daughter ever dies, disappears, betrays us etc aaaaaaaaaand she'd likely be a viable party member for the Super Conqueror Bros which would make for a far smoother relationship (besides the whole killing her brother thing).

Just something to, y'know, keep in the back of our mind. Not trying to rock the boat. Just interested in planting some potential seeds.

>>4723446
>dating an orc

>>4723453

It does seem like the orcs in this setting are somewhat more civilized than usual IIRC from how the humans we've spoked to have talked about their civilization on the continent to our South.

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Rolled 1, 4, 4 + 4 = 13 (3d20 + 4)

You charge forward to meet the orc, swiping at him with Decimator! His armor does a good job at protecting his flesh, but you can tell your powerful swing sent him reeling. That’ll definitely leave a bruise!

*Balagog’s Health: -11 (59/70)*

Grunting, he leers at you and prepares to strike- only for a firebolt to slam into him and send him back a step or two, burning his hand. ”Let me know if you need me to use that new spell!” Jeanne calls out.

*Balagog’s Health: -6 (53/70)*

Meanwhile, Barret and Clarissa tend to the two orcs behind you. Barret thrusts at one of them and manages to pierce through their chainmail a little, causing the orc’s torso to start bleeding.

*Orc 1’s Health: -7 (33/40)*

Unfortunately however, Clarissa’s shot goes wide and just barely soars past the other orc and into the flames surrounding the area.

With that done, the two other orcs charge your backline, one attacking Barret and the other Clarissa- both wielding longswords. Balagog takes his enormous mace and tries to bash your face in!

---

Roll 1d20+5 (+5 for DEX) to dodge!

First die is Balagog against you, second die is against Barret, third die is against Clarissa. Balagog has a +5.

Rolled 12 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4723461
>20+5 (+5 for DEX) to dodge!

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Barret rolls away from the orc charging him with time to spare, leaving the gray-skinned soldier confused after being outsmarted by the deft maneuver. ”Like water…” you hear the fighter mutter to himself as he prepares his counter-attack.

On Clarissa’s end, she spins around him the entire way before kicking him back to where he was before, readying her bow for another shot.

On your end, you watch as the huge mace comes down and meet it with your kite shield. For all your shit talking, there’s no denying that this Balagog guy is strong as hell- you can feel the weight and power behind his swing as it pushes against you. If you were a normal man, you’d be a pile of blood and guts by now.

Good thing you’re the Herald of Conquest.

With a triumphant shout, you push the orc commander off of you with your shield and ready your weapon. You actually see the commander give you an amused smile. ”So you’re not just some everyday fleshling, then” he commends you.

>Attack (Who?)
>Use a technique (Right of Might or Jumping Spin Slash?)
>Do something fancy (What?)
>Give commands (What?)
>Other (write in)

---

Another 30 minute round!

>>4723478
>Tell Jeanne to use her binding spell
>Use Right of Might
>Attack Balagog

>>4723491
>>4723478

+1

"No, I'm the Herald of Conquest."

>>4723496
+1

>>4723491
>>4723496
>>4723511

Alright, roll 1d20+5 (+5 for DEX). You need a 15 or higher to hit Balagog. Taking the best of two rolls because it'll be harder for him to dodge while under the effects of Hold.

If you hit, roll 1d10+2 (+6 for STR, +1 for Good Quality, -3 for Plate Armor, -2 for Kite Shield)

Rolled 9 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4723547

>>4723552
FUCK

>>4723547
Can we drink the coffee in our satchel bag for a +1 to hit?

>>4723556
It's okay, it's best of two rolls. Another anon can still pull through

Rolled 7 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4723547

Rolled 14 + 4 (1d20 + 4)

Real quick rolling to see if Balagog breaks out of Hold this turn (even if he does he won't be able to attack until next round). He needs a 16 or higher.

Rolled 16, 20 + 4 = 40 (2d20 + 4)

Since Balagog can't attack this turn even though he broke the hold and the other 2 Orcs are attacking your comrades, gonna roll their attacks (and potentially damage) here first so we can jump into another set of orders next post

---

First die is against Barret, second against Clarissa

Rolled 10, 1 + 4 = 15 (2d10 + 4)

Orc 1's damage against Barret

1d10+4 (+6 for STR, -2 for Chainmail)

Orc 2's damage against Clarissa

1d10+5 (+6 for STR, -1 for Leather Armor)

(Second roll has a +5 instead of +4)

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”No, I’m the Herald of Conquest” you answer before shouting to Jeanne. ”Use the spell, now!”

Jeanne points her staff at the orc commander, a blue magic circle forming in front of it as she cries out: ”Hold!”

Jeanne’s Major Spell Slots Left: 2/3

You watch as about a dozen thick, spectral arms made of pure mana erupt from the floorboards underneath the armored orc, grabbing on to his legs, his arms, his torso- even hid head! The mighty orc struggles to try and free himself, only able to squirm in place for the time being. ”What sorcery is this?!” he calls out.

Steadying your breathing, you channel all of your force of will into using your technique, Right of Might. You feel your muscles swell to their utmost, the power of Conquest flowing through your veins. With your body at its strongest, you thrust forward with Decimator- only for Balagog to squirm his body just out of the way in time. You feel the increased strength fade from your body, frustration taking its place as you wonder how the hell you could’ve possibly missed!

Balagog offers you a wry grin before letting out an ear-piercing roar, busting out of the arms as they fade away into blue sparkles before disappearing entirely.

On the bright side, Barret manages to land another hit on the orc he was fighting, this time slashing at its arm as more blood spurts out, coating the wooden floorboards below.

*Orc 1’s Health: -7 (26/40)*

Clarissa’s arrow also finds purchase in the other orc’s torso, piercing through the chainmail as the gray-skinned warrior cries out in pain!

*Orc 2’s Health: -11 (29/40)*

On the down side however, both the orcs succeed in their counter attacks on your companions! The first one lands a heavy blow on Barret’s torso, red liquid gushing forth as he howls in pain, taking a few steps back closer to you and Jeanne.

*Barret’s Health: -14 (26/40)*

Clarissa on the other hand attempts to leap backwards from the second orc’s attack, but he manages to graze her leg and leave a minor wound.

*Clarissa’s Health: -6 (24/30)*

”I’m sorry Herald, I tried to hold the spell but he was too strong!” Jeanne informs you. ”It won’t work on him again, but I could try to paralyze one of the other orcs if you want.”

>Attack
>Use Jumping Spin Slash
>Do something fancy (What?)
>Give commands (What?)
>Other (write in)

---

Another 30 minute voting round!

>>4723596
>Use Jumping Spin Slash

>>4723598
Also since this was mentioned (and it's still a good idea) figured I should mention a quick mechanics change!

Last thread using your weapon two handed gave +3 damage, but since you typically use a shield and otherwise I'd have to factor in extra damage for Barret and other non-shielded enemies, I figured I would remove this damage boon. Now 2-handing a weapon is just a requirement for some techniques (like Jumping Spin Slash) that disables shield benefits for a turn. Thanks for your understanding as I fine tune the system!

>>4723598
Alright, roll me 1d20+5 (+5 for DEX) to hit! Taking the best of two rolls because that's the effect of Jumping Spin Slash.

If you succeed, roll 1d10+2 (+6 for STR, +1 for Good Quality, -3 for Plate Armor, -2 for Kite Shield) for damage!

If there isn't a second roll to hit within 15 minutes of the first, someone can roll again.

Rolled 3 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4723638

Rolled 18 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4723638

>>4723653

I have redeemed my honor.

>>4723653
Nicely done!

Still need a damage roll from someone

Rolled 2 + 2 (1d10 + 2)

>>4723667

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Rolled 19, 5, 17 + 4 = 45 (3d20 + 4)

You charge forward towards Balagog, who readies his shield and mace to catch you. However, he doesn’t expect you to leap into the air, gripping Decimator with both hands as you front flip forward! His armor mostly protects him, but you manage to get a light slash on his shoulder through a crack in the plate, a little bit of blood leaking out of the commander for the first time this fight!

*Balagog’s Health: -4 (49/70)*

Now behind him, you get a quick look at the docks below. It seems the orcs have started to break through the first fence now. The fence will fall soon and they’ll start charging through the military’s ranks proper!

Jeanne follows up your attack with a firebolt that just barely grazes the orc commander’s leg, doing minimal damage.

*Balagog’s Health: -2 (47/70)*

”Just go down!” you hear Barret shout as he thrusts forward at the orc he’s facing. Unfortunately, shouting before an attack isn’t very helpful, and enables the opponent to dodge his strike just in time.

Clarissa, on the other hand, lands a nice shot in the other orc’s chest, just barely missing his heart! More blood spills out of his chainmail as his breathing becomes ragged, the orc struggling to continue fighting.

*Orc 2’s Health: -13 (16/40)*

”You… made me bleed” Balagog growls, stomping towards you. ”A fleshling, making me bleed? I’ll crush your skull for that!” he shouts as he swings his enormous mace at you- the other two orcs rushing towards Barret and Clarissa again!

---

Roll 1d20+5 (+5 for DEX) to dodge!

First die is Balagog against you, second is against Barret, third is against Clarissa. Balagog has a +5

Rolled 20 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4723689

File: Peep Dab.gif (915 KB, 1221x768)

915 KB GIF

>>4723692
DAS RITE!

Rolled 5 + 5 (1d10 + 5)

Rolling damage against Clarissa

1d10+5 (+6 for STR, -1 for Leather Armor)

>>4723692
YOOOOOOO

File: tegaki.png (23 KB, 400x400)

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https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ivk5NTXuDHI&feature=share

Balagog charges forward with his enormous mace raised high. He’s moving far too quickly for you to reliably dodge. No, if you want to avoid this hit, you’ll need to meet him with all your strength! Gathering your courage and force of will while still two-handing Decimator from your Jumping Spin Slash, you pull the sword back as far as you can.

As the mace comes down, you swing the blade with all of your might, the weapon striking Balagog’s! Sparks shoot out from the collision as the two of you are locked together for a moment. With a great big push, you shout and manage to send the mace and Balagog a few steps back, somehow parrying the giant’s attack.

For a moment the orc commander seems in utter disbelief, though his confounded expression quickly turns to one of excitement. ”To think a fleshling would make my blood boil this much...tell me your name, warrior!” he demands.

”I already told you: I’m the motherfucking Herald of Conquest” you answer as you ready your next move, sweat pouring down your forehead underneath your helmet.

Meanwhile, Barret manages to roll away from another attack, despite his previously sustained injury. It seems he’s neck and neck with his opponent. Unfortunately, Clarissa gets caught by the orc fighting her again- though this time he manages to land a much more solid hit on her arm, blood bursting out as she cries in pain!

*Clarissa’s Health: -10 (14/30)*

>Attack (Who?)
>Do something fancy (What?)
>Give commands (What?)
>Other (write in)

---

Another 30 minute round!

Starting to get tired, but I'm gonna try and get this fight finished tonight!

>>4723730
>>Attack (Who?)

Balagog.

>Other (write in)

>Give commands (What?)

Fireball the other orcs.
Tell Clarissa to flee, next hit could kill her.

>>4723740
+1

>>4723740
>>4723762

Alright, roll 1d20+5 (+5 for DEX) to hit. You need a 15 or higher!

If you make the DC, roll 1d10+2 (+6 for STR, +1 for Good Quality, -3 for Plate Armor, -2 for Kite Shield) for damage!

Rolled 15 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4723797
HERE GOES SOMETHIN

Rolled 10 + 2 (1d10 + 2)

>>4723797
>>4723800
Aaaaand some damage for ya

>>4723805
Max roll nice

File: tegaki.png (24 KB, 400x400)

24 KB PNG

Rolled 6, 16, 9 + 4 = 35 (3d20 + 4)

Craning to look over your shoulder, you see your ranger pal isn’t in good shape. ”Clarissa, retreat for now!” you tell your comrade, who looks puzzled by the order.

”What?! Herald, I can still fi-”

”I SAID NOW!” you shout back at her, remembering what happened back in the sewers last night. No, you won’t risk her life a second time. Besides, you’ve still got Jeanne and Barret to back you up!

After a brief moment of hesitation, she nods, moving to jump off the side and into the water. Of course, the orc that’s been on her tail tries to get one last swing on her!

It’s then that you shout your next order. ”Jeanne, toss a Fireball at the other two to finish the job!” you tell her.

”I can’t!” she responds in a distressed tone. ”The fires from earlier have us cornered in a small area. I can’t hit the orcs without hurting Barret too. I’m sorry Herald, but I just can’t!

Grimacing, you accept the circumstances for now and compromise. ”Fine, then focus your attention on the one that’s been hounding Clarissa” you order.

You charge forward with Decimator, lashing out at Balagog’s arm. Somehow, your blade manages to find purchase on his flesh through a crack in the armor, blood gushing out in no small amount from his arm. To your opponent’s credit, he doesn’t cry out in pain- he simply grits his teeth and prepares to strike back!

*Balagog’s Health: -10 (37/70)*

Jeanne does as you ask, holding her staff out at the one that Clarissa was fighting before. ”Firebolt!” she calls out as a dart of flame erupts from the wooden implement and plunges into the enemy’s torso, leaving a serious burn mark. The orc does not look good, just barely maintaining consciousness.

*Orc 2’s Health: (6/40)*

Barret manages to land another solid blow on the orc he’s fighting, this time cutting deeply into his shoulder as the gray-skinned warrior howls in agony!

*Orc 1’s Health: (13/40)*

---

Roll 1d20+5 (+5 for DEX) to dodge!

First roll is Balagog against you, second is against Barret, third is against Clarissa (last attack on her before she is out of danger). Balagog has a +5

Rolled 7 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4723832
GRAGH

Rolled 10 + 4 (1d10 + 4)

Orc's damage against Barret.

1d10+4 (+6 for STR, -2 for Chainmail)

>>4723841

Barrett just can't catch a break, can he?

File: tegaki.png (22 KB, 400x400)

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Starting to feel tired from parrying two powerful blows, this time you opt to sidestep Balagog’s swing, the mace only just missing your form as you do so. You can tell the commander is feeling the damage you’ve inflicted on him thus far, but it seems he’s more excited rather than concerned- as if he lives for battle.

The second orc tries to swing at Clarissa, but she manages to dodge the strike before diving into the water below. She’s out of your sight now, but you’re hoping she has the good sense to get herself to safety.

The first orc slashes at your blonde-haired fighter’s leg, red liquid gushing from the wound as he staggers backwards. You can see the color starting to drain from his body now, his breathing growing more ragged. You haven’t seen Barret in this bad of a condition since the goblin cave, and frankly it’s a little worrying.

*Barret’s Health: -14 (12/40)*

Jeanne looks horrified at this display, and quickly turns to you for guidance. ”Should I heal him, Herald? Should I try to cast Hold on one of the remaining orcs? What’s the right move here?!” she asks, fear written on her face.

Shit. Jeanne’s a smart girl and pretty damn strong, but she’s clearly panicking- and that’s the absolute worst thing you can do in a fight. It seems like you’re going to need to give her clear orders if she’s to function in combat- at least until she’s sure Barret will be okay.

>Attack (Who?)
>Do something fancy (What?)
>Give commands (What?)
>Other (write in)

---

I know what I said just last round, but I am too tired guys. Apologies, but this is probably the last update for tonight. I’ll try to resume tomorrow at 10:00AM CDT (3:00PM UTC). I’ll do my best to do 30 minute rounds, but as usual this weekend is pretty busy for me so we’ll see.

As always thank you for reading and playing A Herald’s Journey!

>>4723866

>Give commands (What?)
Jeanne Cast hold on the orc fighting Barrett.

>Attack (Who?)
The weak orc in an attempt to finish him off.

>Other (write in)

Taunt Balagog so we keep his attention on us.

>>4723866
>>Attack (Who?)
Balagog, keep him busy
>>Give commands (What?)
Have Jeanne heal Barrett so that he doesn’t have to retreat. Have Clarissa try to kill the weaker orc

>>4723878
>>4723866

In hindsight, casting hold on the orc fighting Clarissa and having her NOT retreat would have been a far smarter fucking decision but for some reason my brain wasn't working.

>>4723891
+1, except clarissa is out of the way retreating by now so she can't do much

>>4723891
Support

>>4723446
"Oh I love what you have done with your hair sweetheart! How do you make it come out of your nostrils like that?"

>>4723891
+1

Except once Barret is healed HE should attack the weaker orc (Clarissa has fled)

It's about time we pointed out to the big guy that his name sounds an awful lot like "ball-gag" and when we are done with him his army will be shown his severed head with his nuts stuffed into its mouth

>>4723866
>>4723891
+1

>>4723446
We con't let a coombrain destroy Herald quest.
>>4724268
Based.

>>4723891
+1

>>4723832
holy shit I thought this was a penis for a second.

Rolled 6, 1, 5 + 6 = 18 (3d6 + 6)

Jeanne's Heal

3d6+6 (+6 for INT)

Also going with >>4724308 since like he said, Clarissa has fled and can no longer help in the fight.

Roll 1d20+5(+5 for DEX) to attack. You need a 15 or higher to hit Balagog.

If you make it, roll 1d10+2 (+6 for STR, +1 for Good Quality, -3 for Plate Armor, -2 for Kite Shield) for damage.

Rolled 20 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4724584

Rolled 13 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4724584

Rolled 5 + 2 (1d10 + 2)

>>4724584

>>4724603
Does this mean we activate our serated bonus now?

>>4724613
Yes it does! Writing!

File: tegaki.png (38 KB, 400x400)

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Rolled 18, 13 + 4 = 35 (2d20 + 4)

For a moment you’re about to tell Clarissa to pick off the weaker orc, only to remember that she’s already jumped into the water and is well out of reach. Instead, you shout some orders to your other two companions. ”Jeanne, use Lesser Heal on Barret to get him fixed up! Barret, you finish off the weaker orc!”

”On it!” Jeanne answers, getting closer to Barret and pointing her staff at him. A large, green magical circle forms as she shouts ”Lesser Heal!” The wounds on his body start to close, most of his bleeding stopping as color returns back to his form.

*Barret’s Health: +18 (30/40)*

”Thanks, I owe ya one” the doofy-haired fighter tells her, but she shakes her head.

”Just stay alive, idiot” she mumbles.

With that, Barret charges forward and manages to finish off the second orc with a clean slice, cutting his leg off as he falls to the ground dead!

*Orc 2’s Health: -12 (-6/40)*

Not one to be shown up by your teammate, you go in for your own attack on Balagog. Twice now you’ve managed to find chinks in his armor. If you can find a large enough vulnerable spot, you can put that serrated blade to good use.

Like magic, you notice an opening on his sides just large enough to fit your blade in, charging forward with a mighty slash! Decimator finds purchase, and you tear the serrated edge into his side before pulling out a large chunk of blood and flesh!

*Balagog’s Health: -21 (16/70)*

For the first time this fight, the orc commander actually yells in pain, which puts a smile on your face. What isn’t so great, however, is the fury in his eyes as he charges towards you with his mace!

---

Roll 1d20+5 (+5 for DEX) to dodge!

First die is Balagog against you, second is against Barret. Balagog has a +5

Rolled 1 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4724623
Rolling

Rolled 2 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4724623

Rolled 9 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4724623

Rolled 6 + 4 (1d10 + 4)

Orc's damage against Barret

1d10+4 (+6 for STR, -2 for Chainmail)

Rolled 5, 3 + 3 = 11 (2d6 + 3)

Balagog's damage against you

2d6+3 (+8 for STR, -3 for Plate Armor, -2 for Kite Shield)

>>4724627
Sorry guys

File: tegaki.png (18 KB, 400x400)

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The orc manages to slice at Barret’s shoulder, blood spilling out as he staggers backwards. ”These guys are pretty tough” he calls out between his panting. ”That’s why we can’t let them get into the city proper!”

*Barret’s Health: -10 (20/30)*

You don’t have time to answer his righteous statement however as the enormous mace comes slamming into your gut. You manage to get your shield in front of you just in time, but even still you’re unable to parry Balagog’s blow this time. You feel the wind get knocked out of you as you fly a few feet backwards, just barely avoiding falling off the ship itself.

*Herald’s Health: -11 (39/50)*

”Oh come on big guy, is that all you got?” you taunt in the hopes that Balagog doesn’t realize Jeanne’s wide open right now.

The orc commander returns your mockery with a wry grin. ”You’re not so bad for a fleshling, but you’re still ten years too early to challenge me, worm!” he responds, continuing to engage you. Thankfully, it seems your jeering has accomplished its goal for now.

>Attack (Who?)
>Do something fancy (What?)
>Give commands (What?)
>Other (write in)

---

30 minute voting round!

>>4724641
>Attack Balagog

>>4724641
>Everyone attack balagog

We can put him down in this round and if that happens I can see his friend surrendering... If not we kill him next

>>4724676
+1

>>4724661
>>4724676
>>4724684
Roll me 1d20+5 (+5 for DEX) to attack. You need a 15 or higher to hit.

If you make it, roll me 1d10+2 (+6 for STR, +1 for Good Quality, -3 for Plate Armor, -2 for Kite Shield) for damage!

Rolled 1 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4724687

File: tegaki.png (14 KB, 400x400)

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Rolled 12, 13 + 4 = 29 (2d20 + 4)

”Everyone, focus on the big guy! If we work together we can finish him off!” you tell your companions.

Jeanne and Barret both look back to you before nodding in concert. The latter charges forward, away from the orc he was fighting, to slash at Balagog together with you. Balagog manages to block your attack with his shield, but Barret’s slips through as he bashes against the orc commander’s torso. Although he doesn’t draw any blood, you know the bastard’s gonna feel that.

*Balagog’s Health: -5 (11/70)*

Jeanne points her staff at him as the two of you break off. ”Firebolt” she shouts as the dart of flame surges forward- only to just whizz over his shoulder and off into the distance.

Balagog raises his mace to try and swing at you again, but more concerning than that is the other orc’s action. Now that Barret has broken away with him to join you, you realize that Jeanne is left undefended- and the orc takes advantage of that, attempting to strike at her backside!

---

Roll 1d20+5 (+5 for DEX) to dodge!

First hit is Balagog against you, second is against Jeanne. Balagog has a +5

Rolled 6 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4724697

Rolled 16 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4724697

Rolled 8 + 6 (1d10 + 6)

Orc's damage against Jeanne!

1d10+6 (+6 for STR)

Rolled 6, 3 + 3 = 12 (2d6 + 3)

Balagog's damage against you!

2d6+3 (+8 for STR, -3 for Plate Armor, -2 for Kite Shield)

File: tegaki.png (22 KB, 400x400)

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The enormous figure smashes his weapon into you once more, this time landing a solid blow on your side as blood flies out of your mouth, nearly causing you to fall to your knees. When this bastard hits, you really feel it. Still, you’ve got your wits about you, and your arms haven’t failed you yet- you can still fight.

*Herald’s Health: -12 (27/50)*

What does stop you in your tracks, however, is what happens to Jeanne. Left unguarded, the other orc slices at her backside, a torrent of blood gushing out like a geyser as she screeches in pain, falling to the floor.

*Jeanne’s Health: -14 (6/20)*

You watch as she starts to bleed out. She’s still maintaining consciousness, but the pain is clearly going to disable her for a moment (Jeanne cannot do anything until next round).

”JEANNE!” Barret shouts. Immediately, a fury overtakes your fighter as he rushes away from Balagog to protect her from the other orc.

Shit shit shit! Telling Clarissa to flee earlier might’ve been a bad call after all! At least Clarissa has proven she can handle herself in a bad fight, but Jeanne’s usually on the backlines or being protected by you and Barret- she’s never taken a hit this bad. You worry for her safety, but for now you’re preoccupied with fighting this giant piece of shit in front of you.

>Attack (Who?)
>Do something fancy (What?)
>Give commands (What?)
>Other (write in)

---

Another 30 minute round!

>attack balagog
>Barret attack the other orc (I think he is anyway)

Next round Jeanne can take a health potion, she ought to be ok this round as the enemies will be kept off of her

>>4724741
+1

>>4724741
+1

>>4724741
>>4724745
>>4724757
Alright, you guys know the drill! Roll me 1d20+5 (+5 for DEX) to hit! Need a 15 or higher.

If you make it, roll 1d10+2 (+6 for STR, +1 for Good Quality, -3 for Plate Armor, -2 for Kite Shield) for damage!

>>4724741
+1, but i'd suggest EVERYONE get into a defensive stance

Rolled 16 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

Time to say goodnight

Rolled 9 + 2 (1d10 + 2)

>>4724765
Cmon dice

File: tegaki.png (30 KB, 400x400)

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Rolled 13 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBdnti4_UUg

Barret lunges forward in a rage at the other orc, stabbing into its gut. The gray-skinned soldier falls to his knees before plopping unceremoniously onto the ground, unconscious. Blood begins to pool underneath him- without proper treatment, he’ll die within minutes. Either way, he’s no longer a threat.

*Orc 1’s Health: -9 (4/40)* (UNCONSCIOUS)

”It’s time we end this, Balagog” you tell the orc commander, the two of you circling each other.

”Agreed, Herald of Conquest” he says, using your ‘name’ for the first time instead of just calling you fleshling or worm. With your short exchange finished, both of you roar as you charge into each other, your Decimator making a clean slash on his torso!

*Balagog’s Health: -11 (0/70)*

You watch the orc stand in place, his body going numb from the blood loss and damage. You’ve seen this a thousand times- he’s done for.

Just like you predict, his body starts to fall backwards dead, only for his leading foot to stomp forward, the sound of cracking wood echoing in your ears. Even you stare in amazement as the giant in front of you steels every last bit of his strength and force of will into one last blow from the grave!

*BALAGOG’S TECHNIQUE REVEALED! Parting Gift*

(When Balagog drops to 0 health, he makes one final attack on an opponent. If the attack hits, it deals double damage)

---

Roll 1d20+5 (+5 for DEX) to dodge! Your life may depend on it!

Rolled 8 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4724793

Rolled 3, 4 + 3 = 10 (2d6 + 3)

Balagog's damage against you (Total roll will be doubled)

2d6+3 (+8 for STR, -3 for Plate Armor, -2 for Kite Shield)

Rolled 4 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

I don't want the responsibility, but I will take it. Dice god's please be kind

File: tegaki.png (20 KB, 400x400)

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Surprised by this last resort attack, Balagog’s hit connects with your stomach, denting your plate and slamming you to the ground, the sound of breaking wood ringing out from underneath you!

*Herald’s Health: -20 (7/50)*

You can feel your vision start to blur- a few of your ribs breaking as blood shoots out of your mouth. Despite how grim the situation is, you can’t help but chuckle at how similar this is to your fight with Maglubiyet back in the cave. Are all big brutes the same?

This time however, you’ve already won. Without hesitation, you slowly pick yourself up from the crater. You watch as the energy and life fade from Balagog, the large mace dropping out of his hands. ”At least I died at the hands of a worthy warrior” he croaks out, giving you a warm smile.

You don’t know why, but somehow that single phrase and smile makes you think about bizarre, what-could’ve-been scenarios. Had you both been born in different situations, in different lives- you get the feeling you might’ve been friends. Unfortunately, that’s not reality. Silas did something to rile the orcs up, and it put the entire city of Rathalon in danger.

You watch as Balagog’s body finally falls backwards- dead for good this time. ”You were one hell of a guy” you mutter.

Once the immediate fighting is over, Barret rushes to Jeanne’s side, trying to tend to her wounds however he can. From the looks of it, she’ll live- but she’s pretty badly fucked up.

>Shout your victory and raise morale for the troops
>Help Barret check on Jeanne
>Look for Clarissa
>Other (write in)

---

COMBAT IS OVER And I’m going back to more intermittent posting

Current Status: https://pastebin.com/d4Z5Dbm7

>shout your victory
And raise the slain orcs mace above our head for all to see

That will make the biggest immediate impact to the battle, on both sides

We should tell Barret to give Jeanne a health potion.

We need to look for Clarissa very soon after all of this though, she could be in trouble

>>4724808
>Look for Clarissa

>>4724829
support

>Look for Clarissa

I feel like we are too weak to make ourselves a target by taunting the remaining enemies.

>>4724829
+1

>>4724808
> Take the orc’s mace

>>4724829
>>4724889
>>4724897
Grab the orc's mace and declare victory!

>>4724915
Keep the orc's mace too!

>>4724881
>>4724892
Look for Clarissa!

Writing! Heads up, updates may be sparse today and tomorrow because I'm busy af

Rolled 3, 2 + 2 = 7 (2d4 + 2)

Rolling Health Potion for Jeanne

File: tegaki.png (22 KB, 400x400)

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”Barret” you call out to your teammate. The doofy-haired fighter looks up just in time to catch the HEALTH POTION you toss him. ”Have her drink that- hopefully it’ll do the trick.”

Nodding, Barret pops open the cork, holding it up to Jeanne’s lips. ”It’s gonna be okay Jay, just drink this” he tells her. The wound on her back starts to close and her cries of pain turn to whimpers, her body starting to recover now. After a couple of seconds, she picks herself up off the ground, Barret still holding onto her.

*Jeanne’s Health: +7 (13/20)*

”T-thanks” she says, looking more embarrassed at his doting now that she’s not in absolute agony.

Ignoring their flirting, you heft up the mace Balagog was wielding before. Unlike Maglubiyet’s Maul, you’re actually capable of wielding the weapon- though it does take two hands to do so. Hefting it over your shoulder, you walk to the bow of the ship before shouting as loud as you can.

”LISTEN UP!”

For a moment, the fighting below stops as orcs and humans alike turn their attention to you. You lift the large mace above your head, your arms straining a little as you do so. ”Balagog, the orcs’ commander, is dead!” you announce before storing the mace in your bag of holding and switching to your banner pole instead.

”Our defenses have held thus far- you’re almost through it now! The enemy is exhausted, they’ve got the disadvantage, and the one keeping them organized is gone. Do not give in now while the goal is in sight! Hold your heads high, and CONQUEST!” you shout, waving your flag in the air.

The orcs faces pale as all the military soldiers let out cheers and shouts of triumph, readying their weapons with renewed vigor as they begin to repel the force away from the fence, the tide of the battle changing permanently as the orcs’ morale plummets!

*You have made significant progress towards converting others to Conquest. As a reward, you have been granted one Conquest Point.*

(Conquest Points: 2)

You watch over the next few minutes as the soldiers finally defeat the orc invaders. The soldiers suffered high casualties- over half their total men- but most made it out with their lives, and a few orcs were even captured alive too!

Unfortunately, the ship you’re on is still burning away, and there’s no one left to hold back the fires. You’re gonna need to make an escape quickly! Barret grabs Jeanne and slides down the rope connecting the anchor to the ship, while you opt to dive headfirst into the water below.

You meet back up on the coast with Barret and Jeanne, exhausted and wet. Though the day was won and the town protected, the battle incurred heavy losses on both sides- and the storm hasn’t let up yet.

>What do you do?

>>4724981
>Look for Clarissa
>Activate Goblin Sense and hunt for some goblins

File: Bronn on women after fights.jpg (178 KB, 1258x593)

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>>4724981
>>What do you do?

Seconding Look for Clarissa.

Then look for Jeffery and commiserate with him about the battle.

And finally look for the smith's daughter once business is handled.

>>4724981
Find Clarissa.
Find and grab all the loot from on the shores, the dead orcs, near the boats, the weapons, we can find and store them all in our bag of holding.
Talk with Jeffrey.

>>4724981
>Track down Clarissa
Gotta make sure our pals are doin' alright..

>>4725005
>Find and grab all the loot from on the shores, the dead orcs, near the boats, the weapons, we can find and store them all in our bag of holding.
>>4724981

Eh, I'm voting against that. We already looted that sick ass mace from the leader of the orcs who we fought. We should leave the rest of the loot to the army to pay for funerals, family of dudes who died and have widows/orphans, hospital supplies, etc. We shouldn't keep it for ourself. This isn't an adventure this was a battle and the city is going to suffer for it. I'm down for collecting the loot, but not keeping it.

>>4725005
Support
Find hobgoblin shit more importantly so we can offer it to Castor as an apology.

>>4725005
Yeah, I'll agree with >>4725022 and suggest against that. We only claim what we killed ourselves. Let the city sort out the loot and what to do with it, maybe we can suggest to whoever's in charge that help the families of the men who died, and if anything's left over, for the men who fought and still live.

>>4725005
I'll chime in now OOC to say that, aside from Herald being in no physical condition to loot over 1000 bodies, as a QM that goes a bit beyond my willingness to resource manage- so I'll probably not go with that for the sake of my sanity.

Otherwise everything else suggested so far is plenty viable! Gonna leave this vote up for a hot minute to get more work done

>>4725042
Could we burn conquest points to learn how to wield the orc's mace one-handed?

>>4725047
In order to wield the mace one-handed, you need a STR score on par with Balagog's (8). Right now you're at (6). You can spend 3 Conquest Points to increase a stat like STR

Also for reference, '3' is considered the 'average' point for your everyday human. A military soldier's STR might be 4 or 5, so by human standards Herald is pretty fucking big- he's even as strong as the average orc. 8 is possible but would basically make him the chad meme in terms of physique. All stats for Humans are capped at 9, but most people, even trained athletes or big geniuses, don't have above a 7 or 8 in a stat.

>find Clarissa

Maybe we could collect a few severed heads of noteable enemies to use as a tribute to castor

>>4725095
They would need to be hobgoblins though, Castor isnt known for slaying orcs iirc

>>4725058
Become the living embodiment of the chad meme? I see no problem with that

>>4724981
I would like to know the townsfolks' general thoughts and reactions to all this was. Did they know? Did they go to the coast to look? Did they hear the loud cannons going off? Are they mad they weren't told? Maybe not asking them directly, per se, but as snatches of dialogue as we're going through to where we're heading.

And what happened to the wizard?

>>4724994
>>4725001
>>4725005
>>4725021
>>4725022
>>4725032
>>4725038
>>4725047
>>4725095
>>4725105
>>4725136
>>4725183
Looks like we're going with

>Find Clarissa
>Grab some hobgoblin shit if possible
>Talk to Jeffrey

That may lead into
>"Go check up on Trina"

>>4725183
>And what happened to the wizard?
Mentioned this in a spoiler at the end of last thread as well, but he couldn't help for reasons you're not aware of in character. You're welcome to ask him

Post may take a little bit because I just got home and am a little exhausted from doing shit all day.

ALSO heads up: my retarded ass forgot tomorrow was fucking Easter on top of other shit I gotta do, so there may just not be any updates at all tomorrow- I'll have to see. Apologies in advance!

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For a moment, you consider looting the battlefield and taking all the weapons and armor for yourself, stashing it away in your bag of holding to make a small fortune later. However, it was not you who Conquested these orcs and hobgoblins on the coast- it was the military and the soldiers: the spoils belong to them, by right of your philosophy. Of course, you also realize that may just be your way of coping with the fact that you’re simply too injured and exhausted to loot over a thousand corpses.

Instead, your mind wanders to Clarissa. She dived off the boat, but is she okay? Worst case scenario, an orc might’ve dragged her down with them into the waters and drowned her, or perhaps she was hacked to pieces in the fray down below! Worry starts to creep into your mind until Barret grabs your shoulder and shakes you.

”Herald, over there!” he says, pointing off past the last concentric fence, towards an alley. You can see the hastily-bandaged form of your ranger friend. Immediately, you and your companions rush over to her.

”Clarissa, you’re okay!” you say, making your relief evident.

She chuckles at your greeting. ”Miss me that badly, Herald?” she teases, picking herself up off the wall of a building with a strained grunt. ”That dive hurt like a bitch. I’m just glad you guys are alright though- I thought you’d die up there without me!”

Jeanne shakes her head. ”It was a close one, but we managed to pull through. That orc commander was pretty tough though- I honestly thought he had you at the end there, Herald” she says, looking up at you.

From the alley, you can see some of the windows and doors slowly start to open as residents who’d sealed themselves inside and hidden away realize that the fighting is over- probably from the lack of shouting.

”Is it okay to come out?”

”Did we...did we win?”

”Where the hell did those guys come from?”

You hear a few scattered questions and phrases from confused townsfolk as they cautiously start to reveal themselves and examine the scene. You know that the military told everyone to lock themselves inside and hide because of an attack, but you doubt they were given the specifics from the looks of things. Fair enough you suppose- they were working on extremely short notice.

As you approach Jeffrey, you see a few adventurers on horseback arrive shortly before you. ”Sir, no forces seen from the north” says a young man in leather armor.

”Same for the east”

”Nothing on the south side, either” two other adventurers report. Seems like you won’t have to worry about anymore surprise attacks- thank the Gods.

(1/2)

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”Well, well, well- if it isn’t the man of the fuckin hour!” Jeffrey cheers, pushing past the various soldiers and scouts as you come into his line of sight. ”You’re a Gods damned hero, you know that? We never would’ve been able to prepare for that attack without you- and that little speech at the end there really turned things around. I’m absolutely stunned, man” he says, giving you a hearty slap on the back that sends pain surging through your body because of your wounds.

”Oh please” you grunt through the pain before gathering yourself together again, ”It was a team effort. You’re the real hero here- if you hadn’t trusted me and done such a good job setting up the defenses, Rathalon would’ve been lost” you respond, giving him a wry smile from underneath your helmet.

Jeffrey lets out a hearty laugh. ”Everyone here gave their all- let’s leave it at that, yeah?”

”Agreed”

”Still though, the whole city owes you one. Is there anything we can do to pay you back?” he asks.

You look out at the scene before you- the veritable mountain of corpses littering the coastline. You can see a few dozen hobgoblins among them, which brings an idea to mind. ”Yeah, it’s a little weird though” you admit.

”Oh come on, shoot! Anything, man” Jeffrey tells you.

”Well...when you guys go through the corpses and shit, could you cut off the hobgoblins’ ears and bring them to me tomorrow morning at the inn?” you ask.

Jeffrey looks at you like you’re an insane person for a moment, prompting you to speak up again. ”It’s religious shit. For Castor- the demi-god of Goblin Slaying. He’s been a huge help to me, and I kinda owe him” you explain.

The sergeant snaps his fingers in recognition. ”Ah, you mentioned him before back at the barracks. I’ll get some funny looks, but sure- consider it done” he answers, giving you a thumbs up.

It’s starting to get late now. You’d guess that it’s around 7:00PM or so, but you feel like you could crash right now.

>Talk to someone (Who? About what?)
>Check up on Trina
>Visit the temple to get some healing
>Go to the library. Why the hell didn’t the wizard help out?!
>Head to the inn and crash for the night (5gp)
>Other (write in)

(2/2)

>>4725458
>Check up on Trina
T'ADRINA!
T'ADRINA!!!

>>4725458
>Check up on Trina

>>4725458
>>Visit the temple to get some healing
>>Go to the library. Why the hell didn’t the wizard help out?!

>>4725458
>>Check up on Trina

Have her check out our huge mace she'll probably have to two hand if she wants to wield it . . . also our penis

>Jeanne cast lesser heal on Herald

>Check on Trina

Can't turn up looking like we got the fuck kicked out of us (even though we did)

>>4725933
>Can't turn up looking like we got the fuck kicked out of us (even though we did)
Why not? Showing vulnerability is a sign of showing trust to your partner. If you have to appear strong all the time even when you're not, that's toxic masculinity.

>>4725955
Sheesh, ok how about we just splash some water on us to wash the orc guts off?

>>4725955
This guy makes a good point.
Changing to
>Visit the temple to get some healing
Then
>Check up on Trina

>>4726233
For sure, completely correct too!

my original comment was poorly worded, I meant we shouldn't turn up looking a mess

>>4725458
>Visit the temple to get some healing
THEN
>Check up on Trina

>>4726389
Both your comments were fine and saying the same thing. We can't look like crap in front of our lady when we still haven't laid her down and Conquested her yet.

>>4725474
>>4725481
>>4725585
>>4725627
>>4725933
>>4725955
>>4725968
>>4726233
>>4726389
>>4726431
>>4726887

Looks like the votes just tally up to Trina first. Writing- may take me a hot minute though because my brain is mush

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”Well, if I can leave things here to you Jeffrey, I’ve got someone I need to check up on” you say, waving the sergeant goodbye as you move to check on Trina.

”You’re joking, right?” Clarissa quips.

”What? Why shouldn’t I be concerned about my girlfriend(?)’s wellbeing?” you inquire, somewhat perturbed by her comment.

”No no, that makes sense man- but you do realize you're covered in orc blood and guts, right?”

Looking down at your dented and battered armor, you are covered in a lot of gore and viscera. ”...good call”

After a quick wash off at the coastline, you reassess yourself. Your entire body still hurts a LOT and your armor is pretty beat up as well, but at least you don’t look like a serial killer anymore. ”How do I look?” you ask, turning to your companions.

Barret gives you a thumbs up.

Jeanne winces.

Clarissa lets out a sigh. ”Passable. We’re gonna head to the temple and get ourselves healed. Meet you back at the inn later tonight?”

You nod your head, giving your comrades a quick wave goodbye as you head your separate ways.

After twenty minutes or so, you arrive at Josh’s doorstep. The orcs never broke past the defenses on the coast, but nevertheless you feel a great sense of relief wash over you seeing that none of the houses have been broken into or damaged in any way. Taking a deep breath, you knock on the wooden frame.

A few moments pass before the door creaks open, Josh cautiously peeking out through a crack. When he sees it’s you, he swings it all the way open. ”Thank the Gods you’re alive, Herald! Does that mean we wo-” he stops mid-sentence upon seeing your bruised and beaten body. ”Damn, are you okay? I think we might have some medicine lying around, I don’t know if-”

”I’m fine” you interrupt. ”May I see Trina?”

”Yeah, of course. She’s in the basement- go ahead and come on in” he says, gesturing for you to enter.

The interior of his home is quaint, to put it lightly. Josh wasn’t kidding about being rather poor, but at least his family have a roof over their heads. You follow him down the rickety stairs to the basement, where you see Trina sitting on the cold stone floor, tinkering with some trinket or another. She raises her head at the sound of your approach.

”Herald!” she calls out, picking herself up and rushing over to you for a hug- only to stop just short. She looks you up and down, her expression turning from one of relief to one of worry and panic. ”What the hell happened to you? Are you okay?!” she asks.

>”I’m fine. I came here to check on you”
>”I could be better, if I’m being honest”
>”Not really, but I wanted to make sure you were alright first before I crashed”
>Other (write in)

>>4727005
>”I’m fine. I came here to check on you”

>>4727005
>”I’m fine. I came here to check on you”

But then wince dramatically after she hugs us

>>4727005
>Other (write in)
Seduce/Joke/Flute
I'm just a Herald of Conquest,
And this body won't work for nobody but you. (yeah baby)

>>4727091
>>Other (write in)
play her a flute love song

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>4727032
>>4727084
>>4727091
>>4727117

1: "I'm fine. I came here to check on you"
2: Flute Flirtation

If it lands on 2, someone roll me 1d20+7 (+3 for INT, +4 for Flute)

Rolled 4 + 7 (1d20 + 7)

>>4727198

>>4727200
still above 10 with modifiers, but rip

chalk it up to us being half-dead

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8FNGwoZ5P0

”Relax, Trina. Allow me to put you at ease with a song I’ve been working on” you tell her, pulling out the very same silver flute she gave to you. Her worry melts away a little at the sight of the instrument, a grin finding its way onto her face.

”You weren’t kidding about still practicing with it?” she asks.

”Of course not” you respond, putting the instrument to your lips.

The song you play is...not as good as it could be. You have been working on it for a while, but you’re just so exhausted and tired from the fight that it’s hard to play right. Still, your solid skill with the flute is enough to keep the performance passable, at the very least. Not good, not bad...just average.

Well, average to your ears anyways. Trina seems entranced by the tune, tears of joy forming in her eyes as you finish. ”Oh Herald, you’re too much. You come here fresh from a fight and the first thing you do is play me a love song?” she says, chuckling as she wipes away the tears at the edge of her eyes.

”I’d come through a thousand fights and do the same” you tell her. On the outside you play out the line smooth as fuck, but on the inside even you can’t help but feel embarrassed as hell- you’re still not really used to this whole ‘flirting’ thing.

It’s enough to send her towards you as she wraps her arms around your body in a great big bear hug. You feel a sharp pain through your chest and wince a little at her touch, but she unfortunately doesn’t seem to notice. Instead, you awkwardly raise an arm to return her embrace, the two of you holding each other for a minute or so before she breaks.

Her cheeks redden as she brushes a stray lock of hair away from her face. ”I wish I could stay with you…” she murmurs.

>”Then why don’t you? Come join us”
>”We still have a couple of days, right? Let’s make the most of them”
>”I’ll keep writing to you- we won’t lose touch”
>”Here. To remember me by when we’re apart” (Give her the Gold Bracelet with assorted major gemstones)
>”I attract too much danger. I’m sorry, but you should forget about me”
>Other (write in)

>>4727223
>”Here. To remember me by when we’re apart” (Give her the Gold Bracelet with assorted major gemstones)
>”I’ll keep writing to you- we won’t lose touch”
>”Anyways, we still have a couple of days, right? Let’s make the most of them”

>>4727312
+1

>>4727223
>>4727312
+1 this. No way she's following us into the fucking meatgrinder we dive headfirst into on a daily basis

>>4727312
>>4727223
Nice.

>>4727312
+1
We should ask her more about Blacksmithing and try to learn more about her other hobbies. and what her general goals and aspirations are.

>>4727312
>>4727223
This

fade to black sex scene pls, we need to push our limits

>>4727223
>”Then why don’t you? Come join us”

>>4727424
>>4727312
+1 for both of these

Perhaps she can repair our armour too? I'm sure Herald is capable of dropping a hint at a suitable time

>>4727223
>”Then why don’t you? Come join us”

>>4727312
+1

>>4727312
>>4727317
>>4727324
>>4727346
>>4727424
>>4727447
>>4727479
>>4727480
>>4727576
>>4727624

>”Here. To remember me by when we’re apart” (Give her the Gold Bracelet with assorted major gemstones)
>”I’ll keep writing to you- we won’t lose touch”
>”Anyways, we still have a couple of days, right? Let’s make the most of them”

Followed by

>What are your plans for the future?

Writing!

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”Anyways, we still have a couple of days, right? Let’s make the most of them” you tell her, putting your hands on her arms. She sways back and forth a bit, looking a little disheartened at your response.

”I suppose so. Yeah, we’ll just do what we can with the time we’ve got” she responds with a sigh.

Worrying that you’re losing her a bit, you quickly try and patch things up. ”I’ll keep writing to you- we won’t lose touch” you tell her.

She meets your gaze once more. ”I know you will Herald, it’s just...it’s not the same. I get it though- I don’t want you to settle down with me and be unsatisfied from leaving your journey early. I’ll still be around when you’re done living life to the fullest” she says with a half-hearted smile.

”You’re not just an afterthought to me, Trina. Here” you say, reaching into your bag of holding and producing the gold bracelet. ”To remember me by when we’re apart”

Her eyes widen at the sight of such a grandiose gift, gently taking it from you and examining it more closely. ”Herald, this...this is beautiful! How much did it cost?” she asks, slipping it on.

You wave a hand dismissively. ”Don’t worry about something like that- I’m just glad you like it” you answer.

Your gift and your words are enough to clear her mind of any doubts for the time being, her face turning red once more as she idly kicks a foot, averting her gaze from you.

”So, how are things back home with blacksmithing? Anything interesting happen recently?” you ask her.

”Things are the same as always with dad. I’m a pretty damn good blacksmith- he’s basically said the store’s mine when he’s gone, but I don’t want to think about him being gone, you know?” she says.

”I doubt you’ll have to worry about that any time soon” you answer with a playful scoff, ”he’s still got plenty of years left”

She giggles at your response. ”Yeah, you’re right. As for anything interesting, I think some elven merchants came into town peddling potions, but they’ll probably be gone by the time I get back”

”I see, I see. Any plans for the future- aside from blacksmithing?” you ask her.

”Well...I think that’s up to you” she says bashfully, glancing up at you. Oh fuck, she wants you to commit.

>”Don’t worry, I fully intend to marry you and start a family”
>”I hope to stay in your life for as long as you’ll have me”
>”I’ll have to see how things go with my journey- it could be a long time”
>”I don’t have any concrete plans yet aside from spreading my cause”
>”Let’s just keep things light and casual- I’d hate to break your heart if something happened to me”
>Other (write in)

Taking the hearts and minds of others is also an act of Conquest, remember that.

>>4727747
>”Don’t worry, I fully intend to marry you and start a family”
>"However, it could be a long time depending on how my journey goes before we finally settle down"

>>4727747
>”Don’t worry, I fully intend to marry you and start a family”
>"However, it could be a long time depending on how my journey goes before we finally settle down"
Fuck it, first girl wins, Conquest that womb one day gentlemen

>>4727769
>>4727810
+1

>>4727769
>>4727810
>>4727846
Gonna marry that girl

Writing!

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”Don’t worry, I fully intend to marry you and start a family” you tell her, surprised to hear the words come out of your own mouth. Sure marriages and relationships tend to move pretty fast in this day and age, but the first girl you’ve ever dated? Still, it’s not like you’re going to marry her right away...and if you’re being honest, you do really like her.

Trina’s eyes light up like the stars as she takes your hands in hers. ”Herald, you have no idea how happy that makes me!” she says, tears starting to form in her eyes again.

”H-however” you start, ”it could be a long time before we settle down, depending on how my journey goes” you inform her.

She nods her head, her excitement only slightly abated. ”Well, I can wait a while. You said you’d write, yeah? And you’ll visit whenever you can? Oh, you’ll have to ask my father of course before you propose…” she says, diving into a frantic semi-rant about all the various things that you’ll do together.

To be honest, it’s a little overwhelming- especially with how exhausted you are- but you can’t help but chuckle. ”One thing at a time. For now, I need to get some rest soon back at the inn” you tell her.

”...perhaps I’ll join you then” she says, her voice a bit softer.

”Of course- I can pay for your room” you assure her.

She shakes her head. ”I was thinking maybe we could stay in the same room”

>”Let’s wait until marriage, no need to be hasty”
>”That sounds good to me!” (5gp)
>”I’m fine with that, but I just need to do something first” (Where do you go? What do you do?)
>Other (write in)

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Bros... We're all gonna make it.

>>4727892
She's gonna get knocked up boys...

>>4727892
>"Habbidahumminabumminahummina-
>Sounds good

Gonna leave this up for another hour. Vote now or forever hold your peace!

>>4727892
No sex before marriage

>>4727892
>>”Let’s wait until marriage, no need to be hasty”

>no sex before marriage

But there is no reason not to have a bit of fun to show her we have some moves

We should also see a healer before, nothing quite kills the mood like a serious hemorrhage

>>4727892
>”Let’s wait until marriage, no need to be hasty”
Too risky, also might upset her father

>>4727892
>>”That sounds good to me!” (5gp)

>>4727930
>>4727942
>>4727944
>>4727953
>>4727983
>>4728004
Looks like Herald's protecting his chastity

Writing!

>>4728032
RIP

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”Let’s wait until marriage. No need to be hasty” you tell her, panicking at the thought of losing your virginity so suddenly.

She seems to visibly deflate at your answer, taking a few steps back in embarrassment. ”O-of course. That’s the...proper way to do things” she says, putting a hand on her arm. Ah shit, things are a little awkward now. The mood kind of rose and fell quickly with talk of marriage and everything going on- perhaps you should spend the rest of the night away from Trina so the two of you can cool off.

”I’ll uh, I’ll come by sometime tomorrow to see you” you tell her, putting a hand to the back of your head.

”Yeah, for sure. I’ll just uh, be waiting here” she responds.

With your chastity maintained, you say goodbye and make your way over to the temple for some healing, dropping forty-three gold coins onto the healers’ table. You watch as they wave their hands over you, a green, magical aura emitting from your person as your ribs snap back into place and your bruises fade away.

*Herald’s Health: +43 (50/50)*

*Gold: 247*

Feeling satisfied, you realize it’s probably around 8:00PM now. Stores will close soon if you’re not quick, but you probably have time to visit one more place before retiring for the night.

>Go see the blacksmith/Syllia
>Head to the library to question the wizard
>Stop by the general store to restock (What are you looking for?)
>Browse the merchant square (Looking for anything in particular or just window shopping?)
>Just retire to the inn (Spend some time winding down or go straight to bed?)
>Sleep at the Adventurer’s Guild for a change
>Other (write in)

>>4728050
>Head to the library to question the wizard

>>4728058
+1 I'm intrigued to know what was keeping him from launching fireballs at the town's impending doom

>>4728058
Supporting

>>4728058
>>4728083
>>4728118
Looks like Herald's gonna confront the old wizard at the library

Writing!

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Before you retire for the night, you feel a strong urge to confront the wizard at the library. A great number of men were seriously injured during that fight on the coast, some even losing their very lives. The tides would have shifted dramatically with his magical power- so why didn’t he come to help?

Storming over to the library, you kick open the front door and step inside, the old man raising his head to meet you. ”Ah, it’s just you again. Be more gentle with the door, will you?” he asks before returning his gaze to the book he’s reading. It doesn’t seem like anyone else is here at the moment- probably because everyone was boarded up in their homes.

You stomp up to the counter, slamming a hand down. ”Where were you, old man? People were dying out there on the coast! You should’ve been there to help!” you say, raising your voice.

The old man calmly closes his book, craning his head back up to meet your eye line. ”I can’t leave the library, friend” he tells you in his usual nonchalant tone.

You feel your hands start to shake with rage. ”There’s a limit to how much you can prioritize your books! You live in this city too, don’t you?” you ask him, boring your eyes into his skull.

”I think you’re misunderstanding me, friend. I can’t leave this library” he tells you, his tone a little more somber and serious now.

Your rage subsides for a brief moment, overtaken by confusion. ”What do you mean by that?”

”Well, it’s a long story really- I’ll try to summarize it for you as best I can” he begins. ”You see, I’m not exactly a mortal like you anymore” he tells you.

”I beg your pardon?”

”A long time ago, I uncovered a ritual to make myself immortal by binding my soul to a specific place. It was dangerous and came with some costs, but I was able to successfully bind my soul here, to this library, so that I may spend my life eternally reading and researching” he explains. ”I didn’t learn such powerful magic in a single lifespan, you know”

(1/2)

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”Wait, how old are you then?” you ask.

”Mmm, I stopped counting at around two hundred or so” he says with a shrug. ”When I first bound my soul, Rathalon was just a small little hamlet”

”So your soul is bound to the library- why does that mean you can’t leave?” you inquire.

”If I were to step foot outside this library, or if it were ever to be destroyed, the age would catch up to my physical body. I’d likely be reduced to a pile of ash” he tells you. ”Furthermore, since I bound my soul to the material plane, there would be no afterlife for me. My soul would disappear, and I would cease to exist”

The information is a little overwhelming. There’s an immortal person living here, in Rathalon? And they’re right in front of you? ”I didn’t even know it was possible to live forever…”

The old man shrugs. ”It was an incredibly difficult ritual- one wrong move and I would’ve ceased to exist on the spot. Besides, every form of immortality has its drawbacks. As I told you, I cannot leave my library. With a lich, they slowly lose their mind and sanity, drawn towards evil. I’m sure any other paths you’d find would have similar problems. It’s not as great a deal as you’d think- but for me, I’m content with spending an eternity learning” he says matter of factly. For the weight of the situation, the old man seems awfully calm.

”Don’t you ever...regret that decision? What would’ve happened if the orcs had broken through into the city?” you ask him.

Once more, the old man shrugs. ”No sense regretting what’s already been done. I’ve been around for a couple of centuries at least now- I’ve had plenty of time to sit on it. As for the orcs, I would’ve eliminated them. If I failed for some reason and they burned the library to the ground, I would have perished along with it”

”I see…” you respond, trailing off in thought.

”If that’s all, you should leave. The library’s closing soon!”

>Talk to the old man about something else (What?)
>Retire at the inn (Wind down or just go to bed?)
>Rest at the Adventurer’s Guild
>Other (write in)

(2/2)

>>4728292
>Talk to the old man about something else (What?)
do you have any books on leadership? or on famous leaders?

>>4728292
>>Rest at the Adventurer’s Guild

>:( I don't like wizards

>>4728292
>>Talk to the old man about something else (What?)
>"What's your take on that Silas guy? He show up at all in those books of yours?"

I fucking love wizards. This guy's alright in my book.

Feeling more tired than usual tonight, so I'm gonna let myself relax and resume updates tomorrow. I have work so there won't be one until a bit later in the day. Vote will be up until then.

As always, thanks for reading and playing A Herald's Journey!

>>4728349
+1

>>4728349
+1

>>4728306
I really think we should find at least one book to read.

>>4728931
Getting late though

>>4728306
>>4728307
>>4728349
>>4728794
>>4728904
"Do you have books on leadership? What's your take on Silas? Any books about him?"

Writing!

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”What’s your take on that Silas guy?” you ask the old man, leaning down on the counter to rest your weary body.

”I don’t really pay much attention to politics. That’s Sir Groff’s go-to guy, right? Sir Groff is much more interesting!” the old man responds, back to his usual nonchalant, matter-of-fact tone.

”I see. He show up at all in those books of yours?” you inquire next.

”Well, he was in that Conquest book you read a while back, right?” the old man asks.

”Indeed. Wait- what? How do you remember that?” you fire back, somewhat bewildered. You’ve seen at least several dozen different people use the library since you gave that book a read, and he has thousands of tomes lining the shelves here- how can he recall such a specific piece of knowledge?

”I just do. When reading and studying are all you have, you get pretty good at remembering things” he explains. ”Aside from that, I think he might be in a few other modern tomes about the kingdom and its recent exploits”

”I see. Any books on leadership?”

”Loads of ‘em! It’s quite the popular topic. After all, leadership skills are valuable in almost any career!” the old man tells you.

”Great! So can I take one of these books with me before the library closes?” you ask, pushing yourself off of the counter.

The old man frowns, letting out a heavy sigh. ”I just explained to you my situation, and you still don’t understand why I refuse to let people take books outside of the library?”

You finally put two and two together and realize that since the old man can’t leave the library, he’d have no way to track down any books that get lost or stolen. Anything that leaves the library would basically be out of his hands for good- and with books being all he has…

”I think I understand. Apologies” you respond, giving him a curt bow.

The wizard just shrugs. ”You can always come back tomorrow or another day to read when we’re open”

With that, you say your goodbyes and exit the library. The exhaustion is starting to catch up with you now- it’s probably a good time to get some rest.

>Rest at the inn (Wind down or go straight to bed?)
>Head to the Adventurer’s Guild
>Just pass out in an alley
> Other (write in)

>>4729430
>Just pass out in an alley

>>4729430
>Go to the inn

If ever a man had earned a pint, it's Herald today

>>4729430
>Rest at the inn (Wind down or go straight to bed?)

Let's maybe grab a pint if we're not too tired. It's been a day and a half.

>>4729430
>Rest at the inn

>>4729430
>>Rest at the inn (Wind down or go straight to bed?)

Straight to bed

>>4729442
>>4729456
>>4729459
>>4729461
>>4729489
Grab a pint and see where the night goes

Writing!

File: tegaki.png (18 KB, 400x400)

18 KB PNG

You make your way back to the inn to cool off for the night. With a deep breath, you prepare for the usual raucous noise of townsfolk drinking and shouting about this or that, but you’re still not ready for the sheer wall of sound that assaults when you open the door.

There are easily over a hundred people packed inside, maybe even two hundred, many of whom are soldiers gathered at a large group of tables pressed together in the center as various townsfolk hound them with questions about what happened- searching for any stories or answers you can find.

Seeking to avoid what looks like a pain in the ass for now, you press yourself against the wall and sidle your way over to the bar, taking a seat and waving for the innkeep. ”A pint for me” you say, taking a gold coin out.

The innkeeper shakes his head before subtly nodding to the large group of soldiers. ”Military told me they’re covering your drinks for tonight, as well as your room. Apparently the sergeant made it official- so you don’t have to pay a single gold piece, my friend” he explains, pouring a pint for you from the tap before sliding it over the counter, along with your room key. ”Apparently you’re some kind of hero now?” he hazards, raising an eyebrow.

You wave a hand dismissively. ”I was just doing my part. Jeffrey and the soldiers did the real work” you tell him, downing the drink much more quickly than usual. A cursory glance of your surroundings tells you that everyone is preoccupied with the soldiers for now- meaning there’s no gambling, arm wrestling, or bar brawls to be had. It’s mostly just people harassing the soldiers for information, with a few other small groups having their own conversations as far away from the giant mass as possible.

”Well either way, if anyone sees you here then you’ll probably be interrogated all night. Don’t worry though, I can let you behind the bar and you can crawl underneath the counter and sneak over to the stairs” he says. ”I’m only half-joking, by the way”

Curiously, you don’t see any of your friends at the bar tonight. They’re probably all exhausted from the fight and already went to bed. That means you’re alone tonight- unless, of course, you seek the company of strangers.

>Go talk with the soldiers (About what?)
>Chat with the innkeep (What do you say?)
>Attempt to meet someone new (Requires roll to not get noticed by the mob and hounded by questions)
>Just go to bed (Free!)
>Maybe a few more drinks wouldn’t hurt… (Also free!)
>Other (write in)

>Just go to bed (Free!)

Don't wanna be a party pooper, but you can bet your ass we're gonna be up til the crack of dawn if we start a convo or have a drink..

>>4729601
>Go talk with the soldiers (About what?)
I saw the work you boys did out there. Heck of fight.

>Maybe a few more drinks wouldn’t hurt… (Also free!)

>>4729601
>Just go to bed (Free!)

>>4729669
>>4729607
>100~200 free followers of Conquest
>Pass

I mean...

>>4729675
Keep in mind most of these men were already moved to Conquest by your actions at the battle, hence why you received a Conquest Point. New recruits here would consist of the townsfolk themselves if you pursue that path