>>5145112
>"None."
>Adopt a balanced approach

>>5145112
>"None."
>Adopt a balanced approach

>>5145112
>None
>Employ a more refined strategy in the duel, or a particular move [write-in]
Defensive style. Focus on parrying, and little counterattacks, aiming for exposed part the human-shaped spirit. Goal is to nibble on is stamina as we are really hard to tire
>Using weaponry and magic besides the ethereal blades is banned. No outside help as well
Damn, the spider-filled plate would have fullfilled 100% of the requirement to become a legal dickmove.

>>5145112
>none
>balanced
Hold up, my nig. How are we suppose to use potions? Just smear them on our "body"?

>>5145966
You can't use regular potions, only exploding ones and the like e.g. you threw a toxic gas flask down the mine entrance when you raided the Silver Eye outpost. Mana potions are an exception to this; since it's essentially distilled magical energy you can insert it into your inner cavities and absorb it to strengthen your arcane structure that keeps you together.

>>5145521
You'd be fine so long as you kept the spiders from spilling out.

>"None."
>Adopt a balanced approach
You choose neither a particularly offensive nor a defensive stance. You'll take your chances with openings and defend when you see your opponent advancing. No drawbacks to this approach, but no advantages as well.
The birds clear out from under your feet, forming a vague circle around you and Muntharon as the spirit walks off towards the opposite end of it. Ceslyn moves a safe distance away.
"You can do this. Good luck." -- the nymph says quietly before following the witch.
You take off your amulet and drop your bag a fair distance from the circle.
"Let us begin." -- the spirit declares, once more, and both of you start circling around, gauging the opponent's strength and preparing for the first attack...
Roll 1d100 Bo3. DC: 59

Rolled 99 (1d100)

>>5146233
let's a-go

Rolled 76 (1d100)

>>5146233
>>5146238
Good job

>>5146284
Thanks

Rolled 95 (1d100)

>>5146233

nat 1

>99 - Success
The two-handed mace may be a closer acquaintance, but you are not bad with a sword either. For the first part of the fight, you take the lead, acquiring, or, rather, remembering a set of moves that you can use. Under blows from unusual directions and subject to experimental feints, your opponent holds up gracefully, parrying strikes and making some counterattacks of his own. As you get accustomed to Muntharon's style, you start recognizing patterns and exploiting them. Most end in glancing hits, but one goes particularly well: you are on the offensive, pushing the spirit back...
>Exploit the advantage and end this duel swiftly
>He must be preparing a trap; land another blow and go back to tiring him out

>>5146465
>Exploit the advantage and end this duel swiftly

>>5146465
>>He must be preparing a trap; land another blow and go back to tiring him out

>>5146465
>He must be preparing a trap; land another blow and go back to tiring him out

>He must be preparing a trap; land another blow and go back to tiring him out
Roll 2d100 Bo3, DC: 80 and 50.

Rolled 39, 48 = 87 (2d100)

>>5147574

Rolled 64, 29 = 93 (2d100)

>>5147574

Rolled 45, 60 = 105 (2d100)

>>5147574

>64, 60 - Partial success
Muntharon staggers back from your blow, while you retreat and raise your sword in a defensive stance, and not a moment too soon, for the spirit rebounds from the hit you delivered and begins his assault. He is relentless; it would seem he was studying you as well, and now his owl-like form dances around you, performing attacks that are quite hard to parry. Your defence cracks under such pressure. Your opponent starts delivering hits, and with each of them, an ethereal chill spreads out over you. Your vigour drains out, giving way to tiredness, and slowness of response and unstable footwork as a result.

However, not all is lost. You make several attacks of your own when your opponent overextends, inflicting good damage upon his form. At the end of the exchange, both you and Muntharon are exhausted and battered. The final part of the duel nears...
>Make a reckless attack to end this (DC will be lower, but you'll need to either consume a mana potion or rest for a while)
>Pace yourself, keep up a balanced fighting style

>>5149071
>Pace yourself, keep up a balanced fighting styl

>>5149071
>>Make a reckless attack to end this

>>5149071
>Make a reckless attack to end this (DC will be lower, but you'll need to either consume a mana potion or rest for a while)

>Make a reckless attack to end this
Roll 1d100 Bo3 DC: 40.

Rolled 45 (1d100)

>>5150178

Rolled 24 (1d100)

>>5150178

Rolled 59 (1d100)

>>5150178

>59 - Success
As your opponent moves around, picking which direction to attack from, you rush forth, your blade raised. Muntharon, after a moment's surprise at such a bold move, lunges at you with his own weapon, but you have anticipated it. Twisting in such a way as to make the hit land on your arm, you deliver the attack in spite of ethereal chill paralysing your left shoulder and forearm, and cleave the spirit's form in half. It explodes into a flock of birds. For a while, nothing happens, only your sword dissipates into thin air, but then a figure forms once again from a flurry of birds flying around. Muntharon stands before you, in his original, intimidatingly tall form.
"Good fight. You deserve this." -- he says, plucking one of the feathers out of his wing and passing it to you.
"Thank you; your skill was impressive." -- you reply. -- "The other spirits of the Valleys directed me towards each other; might I ask you of the same?"
"Whom are you acquainted with already?"
"Avejyr and Forcine."
"Ah." -- Muntharon sighs. -- "I fear I cannot do the same for you. My fourth sibling, Lyscan, is a cryptic one, and prefers to be left alone. I am sure he will give you a feather; however, to find him you need to first solve a puzzle he entrusted us with. The only clue is the phrase "arrowhead from the bird's eye". Once you determine what this means, finding him is supposed to be easy."
"Thanks for this information, or, well, for this clue."
"Is this all?"
>"I have nothing more to ask of you. Farewell."
>Write-in

What do you make of the clue?
>Write-in solution/thoughts

>>5150392
>Write-in solution/thoughts
Ask the witch for a flying spell or anything so we can see things from above and found the arrow shape.

>>5150401
+1

>>5150392
>>5150401 +1

>"I have nothing more to ask of you. Farewell."
>Ask the witch for a flying spell or anything so we can see things from above and found the arrow shape.
"I have nothing more to ask of you. Farewell." -- you reply to the spirit.
"May the winds be with you." -- Muntharon responds, disappearing among his chaotically flying birds.
You take a step... and feel as if your inner cavities have been filled with lead. The fallout from the fight is apparent now. You need to either consume your mana potion or rest for a few days so that the taut arcane strands forming your inner structure can rebalance and rebind themselves.
>Consume mana potion
>Find another valley and stop there for a few days

"Ceslyn." -- you call out to the witch.
"Yes?"
"Did you hear what Muntharon said?"
"The clue to finding Lyscan, you mean?"
"Right. I'm thinking the bird's eye part means looking upon the earth from an elevation."
"That much I understand as well."
"Could you lift me or yourself into the air and look over the surrounding territories? Find the arrow shape?"
"That'd be hard, but not impossible, I guess. Just need to climb one of the mountains so that I need to fly up less; my magical power's not limitless. I'll do it myself. Again, less mana expended that way."
Ceslyn takes out one of the warmer cloaks to protect herself from the cold alpine winds and starts her ascent. It takes half a day for her to reach the summit, and the sun is hanging pretty close to the horizon as you watch her figure, now merely a dot, fly directly up. She returns by the evening, exhausted and cold.
"No arrow shapes up there, far as I've seen. Maybe the spirit meant something else? What other view could be "from bird's eye"?"
"A map, maybe?" -- Eos suggests.
Both you and the witch stay silent for a few moments.
"Where'd we get a map?" -- you ask.
"Draw it. Imagine yourself a bird and draw it." -- the nymph responds. -- "With a stick, on the ground, nothing better here anyway."
And you get to it, drawing a rough map of the mountains, chasing away the occasional bird disrupting your work. Marking down the place of the Valleys, you note that it forms a shape.
"Triangle." -- all three of you say at the same time.
"If this is fletching," -- Ceslyn continues. -- "then the arrowhead itself... is here." -- she says, pointing out a direction, deeper into the mountains.
You'd go right away, but the problem of your relative immobility due to exhaustion remains. [Pick a choice above.]

>>5151280
>>Find another valley and stop there for a few days
We are in no kind of hurry, right?

>>5151280
>>Find another valley and stop there for a few days

>>5151280
>Find another valley and stop there for a few days

>Find another valley and stop there for a few days
You decide against using the mana potion, it could come in handy during later fights. Forcefully moving your body forward, you stagger into the adjoining valley, where there are less birds, and stand still for a couple days as the damage from the duel dissipates. The morning when you feel almost completely recovered, when Ceslyn goes hunting once again with her shortbow, Eos approaches you.
"Hey. Rested yet?"
"Mostly." -- you say, flexing your arms to test whether strength has come back yet. It did.
"I've been talking with Ceslyn lately. She worries me a bit."
"In what way? She seems pretty independent to me."
"That's not it... She's bitter at heart. Opposed to people and places where there's a lot of them. I fear she could turn against them if left to herself."
"..."
"I'm not one to meddle in others' business too much, to help them or whatever, you know that. But I fear a little. Thought I'd let you know. Keep an eye on her, alright? I will."

Evening comes. The witch returns, and approaches you.
"You've not looked around much in this valley, but me and Eos, we've scouted it. Nothing better to do while you stood still anyway. Point is, we found a dungeon of some kind. It looks like a cave, but the there are definitely man-made passages inside. We didn't dare venture in too deep, you're our first and strongest line of defence, after all. Should we go in or leave it alone?"
>"Let's see what this is about."
>"Let's check the final Valley first."
>"Not worth our time. Let's get the last feather and get out of these mountains."

>>5152351
>>"Let's see what this is about."
I'm curious and full of wanderlust

>>5152351
>>"Let's see what this is about."

>>5152351
>"Let's see what this is about."

Anons, I have fallen ill, there won't be an update today and in the coming couple of days.

>>5154087
Get well.

>>5154087
The Curse got you QM

>"Let's see what this is about."
"Let's see what this is about."
With these words, you briefly prepare and start your descent into the cave. Ceslyn casts a simple spell, and a little orb of light illuminates your way. Some distance in, the passage indeed turns into an arcade with coloured reliefs depicting snakes and nagas of all kinds. They are, however, pale and half-erased under the effect of water that fills both the air in its humidity and floods the floor up to your ankles.

Splashes of your steps echoing all around, you finally make your way to a grand stone door, with a circular room in front of it. A lock of some kind, with arcane symbols etched on it, guards the door. There is a stone platform rising above the water. Four statues of giant man-height stone snakes are looking over the platform, themselves positioned near the walls. On the platform, there is a monolithic table with eight circular indentations in a line. A box stands nearby, with eight statuettes, a wyvern, a dragon amid gold and treasure, an elf with a string musical instrument, likely either a lute or a guitar, a girl in a dress, and four of men, one with sword and shield, one sitting on a throne, one in long robes and one thin, in tattered clothes and with a great beard. The table, the box, and the statuettes are all made of stone. Further on the table, an inscription is etched. It reads in somewhat archaic, but comprehensible language:

"Whose claws are stained with hero's blood,
Whose breath melts armour most stalwart
Stands at the captured princess' guard.
His lesser kin, with envy full
Attempts a theft of royal girl.
In distant lands where king resides
By elder mage he is advised,
Who is in turn with hermit lone
Confers away from royal court.
A minstrel soothes the father's grief
But, too, inspires a belief
In hero's mind that he can win
Against the horrid beast within
Its home where treasure ancient lays."

"Great, another puzzle." -- says Eos. -- "Let's not fail this one, alright, Mordragon?"
"Please don't rub in the salt." -- you respond.
>Write-in solution

>>5159590
Alright let's discuss before taking actions.

>Whose claws are stained with hero's blood,
>Whose breath melts armour most stalwart
>Stands at the captured princess' guard.
Dragon captured princess and killed the knight?
Wyvern try to steal princess?

>In distant lands where king resides
>By elder mage he is advised,
Obviously the throne and the robe men.

>Who is in turn with hermit lone
>Confers away from royal court.
I don't get it.

>A minstrel soothes the father's grief
>But, too, inspires a belief
>In hero's mind that he can win
>Against the horrid beast within
>Its home where treasure ancient lays."
Minstrel, then knight and dragon again?

> one in long robes and one thin, in tattered clothes and with a great beard
Mage and Hermit

For me the order would be something like :
Wyvern (Attempting theft of)
Princess (Captured by)
Dragon (Stands at)
Knight (inspired by)
Elf Bard (soothing grief of)
King (Advised by)
Mage (confers with)
Hermit (away from royal court)

Thoughts?

>>5159590
>>5159593 Makes sense to me

>>5159593
Seems good

>wyvern princess dragon hero minstrel king mage hermit
You assemble the statuettes in a certain order, and as you lower the last one, that of a hermit, a sound is heard. A loud grating of stone against stone, with which the doors open.
"Good job." -- the nymph praises your effort.
You keep going, deeper into the dark passages. Soon, the tunnels open up into an underground cavern, and amid water flooding its lower levels, a temple stands. Half-ruined, it is still grand, if a bit ominous. Windows look out into the silent, shadowy darkness, built for light that will never reach within the temple. Columns, with stone snakes slithering upward, support balconies or remain half-buried in the walls.

The question of how to get to the temple itself over the water remains.
"I can cast a waterwalking spell on us." -- Ceslyn offers, resolving it.
After a short walk on water, you arrive near the entrance of the temple. Stepping inside, you find the main hall of the building. Statues of snakes, a usual occurence at this point, line the walls, which bear frescoes, depicting asps and aspmen poisoning beings, conversing with other men and travelling through perilous lands. There are candle holders here as well, likely for the comfort of living beings entering the temple. The ceiling is decorated with simple, half-faded coloured ornaments. In the centre of the room, the statue of a manticore stands.

You are left with little time to admire the architecture and frescoes, as a voice resounds throughout the temple.
"Aseatesset sseveca sseriliss saess..."
Your group, while alarmed, stays silent, backing off a bit. After several seconds, Ceslyn raises her voice.
"Damn, I thought it was a trap for a moment-"
The manticore statue moves. Shaking off its stone skin, it roars and stretches, very much alive. You have some moments before this guardian attacks.
>Blast it with the Sol Gauntlet
>Take your mace and fight it head-on with the support of your friends (optional: write-in strategy)
>Write-in

>>5161845
>>Take your mace and fight it head-on with the support of your friends

>>5161845
>Take your mace and fight it head-on with the support of your friends (optional: write-in strategy)

>>5161845
>Take your mace and fight it head-on with the support of your friends (optional: write-in strategy)
>The nymph got a steady water supply, she can DPS and freeze to debuff the manticore. Meanwhile we go frontline. The birdmage can switch between DPS and buff/debuff according to her reading of the battlefield.

>Take your mace and fight it head-on with the support of your friends
Roll 1d100 Bo3 DC:70

Rolled 49 (1d100)

>>5163789

Rolled 11 (1d100)

>>5163789

Rolled 62 (1d100)

>>5163789
I'll try to salvage it.
Watch me fail.

>>5164036
so close

>62 - Failure
"Support me." -- you ask briefly of your friends, before raising your mace and charging the manticore.
At first, it successfully defends, mostly dodging your heavy swings with feline grace, sometimes batting your mace away with its paws. Soon, however, Eos joins the attack, and shards of ice slow and weaken the movements of the beast. Magical missiles erupting from Ceslyn's hands pierce the manticore's chest, making it roar in pain. Cornered and weakened in this way, the monster raises and swings its tail around, throwing brittle spikes coated with venom at all three of you. The talisman you gave the nymph activates, blocking the thrown needles. While most ricochet off your plates, some embed themselves in your armour from the sheer impact they carry, applied to a single sharp point. Luckily, venom has no effect on you. The one who suffers most is Ceslyn. Letting out a gasp as she is impaled by the spikes, she falls on the floor, twisting in pain. You have to end this quickly and help her, if you even can.
>Blast the manticore with the Sol Gauntlet [autosuccess due to weakened & slowed enemy]
>Keep fighting with your mace [roll]
>Write-in

>>5165081
>Blast the manticore with the Sol Gauntlet [autosuccess due to weakened & slowed enemy]
I don't recall if the gauntlet is day-charged or item-charged; now is a good time we have to save our friend.

>>5165081
>>Blast the manticore with the Sol Gauntlet [autosuccess due to weakened & slowed enemy]

>>5165081
>Blast the manticore with the Sol Gauntlet [autosuccess due to weakened & slowed enemy]

>Blast the manticore with the Sol Gauntlet
It is time to end this; you have to help your companion however you can. You raise your hand, the injected gem glimmering, and will the flames to come out. They engulf the beast and set it on fire. Eos stops her ice attacks in order to let it burn. The manticore roars in pain. Still, even hurt like this, it is a mighty opponent, and this might is amplified by being cornered. It suddenly jumps at you, and mauls you with its great paw, making you fall. It bites, piercing your plates in several points, but can't proceed with its attack. Letting you go, the manticore staggers back, before falling, rolling to put out the flames to no avail. Soon, it stops moving, leaving only a burning corpse.

You approach Ceslyn with Eos.
"Fuck, I can't feel my legs!" -- the witch cries out.
"Do you have any medicine that can help?" -- you ask. Sometimes your calmness is quite useful.
"Some bandages and antiseptics. There's antidotes but they're for Darkwood beasts, not a bloody manticore."
"I can perform a purification ritual. It's part of water magic, though I've no experience with it." -- Eos suggests.
"You mean like a purification of blood? That could work. Do it, please, quicker. Or, well, after we take out these damned spikes."

The next minutes are a series of hasty treatments. You take out the spikes and bandage the wounds, and then Eos gets to work, putting her hands on the witch's chest and uttering arcane words as the point of contact lights up in blue.
"A bit better." -- Ceslyn responds, now with the body up to the arms paralysed as well. You wouldn't call it better. -- "At least the fever has come down. Sorry to trouble you, Mordragon, can you carry me for a while?"
"Sure." -- you say, the manticore's charring corpse behind you.

You proceed to take out your own spikes injected into your plates. Your party moves to the next room, the left wing of the temple. It is a treasury, a modest kind. Pillars with now recognizable design support the ceiling, there are coins scattered here and there, and something, some box, is standing on a platform in the middle. Ascending onto it, you find the box has a transparent top, covered with glass, and below it, there is a talisman, a necklace with a snake head, fangs bared. You lift the lid and take it.
"Ceslyn." -- you address the witch. -- "Can you study this amulet and see if it's enchanted?"
"When I recover."
You pick up the coins on the floor. There's about 50 in total.

>>5167704
Your party proceeds to the next hall, the right wing of the temple, and finds a stone altar with an asp statue behind it. Offerings, ranging from snake heads, now merely skulls, to amulets, necklaces, bracelets and other jewellery, are hanging from the statue and laid on top of the altar.
"Maybe we should offer something in exchange for the amulet." -- the witch suggests.
>Place an item on the altar [which one?]
>Reject the witch's words and proceed to the final hall
>Take the jewellery and proceed to the final hall
>Write-in

>>5167705
What items do we have with us?

>>5167770
Your inventory is in the OP + the feather you got from Muntharon & the snake amulet.
>>5165086
>I don't recall if the gauntlet is day-charged or item-charged
It auto-recharges due to the mana stone you injected into it. You can use it once per day.

>>5167705
>>Place an item on the altar [which one?]
Wired ring.

>>5167705
>Give it the book "common history"

>>5167705
>Place an item on the altar [which one?]
Weird ring

Anons, I'll say now that the weird ring has some plot behind it; I won't force you into keeping it, but please consider this when you make the choice of what to leave on the altar. Another tip: books are literally worthless in comparison with jewellery and items of magic, unless they contain secret knowledge or are otherwise remarkable.

>>5169131
>:)

>>5169131
Changing my vote (>>5168835) to >>5167827

>>5169131
Changing from >>5167810
to
>Snake amulet

Ok, I take it back, let's do the ring.
>weird ring
You take the ring out of your bag. It still pulls you in, just like the first time you've taken it, back at the Silver Eye outpost. This feeling brings a bit of hesitation, but just a bit, as you put it on the altar. If the gods have recognized your offering, they don't make a sign. Perhaps the lack of their wrath is your reward.

You leave the altar behind. Opening the doors to the last hall, your find a relatively small space, likely for rituals of some kind, as the arcane signs on the walls and the floor indicate. What catches your attention is a womanlike creature with the area below her waist replaced by a serpentine tail, and head with snakes instead of hair. A gorgon. She is thin, as if malnourished, with ribcage bones very visible. She turns around, displaying a face with eyes bandaged, likely to prevent petrification.
"Travellers? Odd. What do you seek here?" -- she asks in a soft, calm voice.
"We are explorers, more or less." -- you respond carefully. -- "In our travels we have found this temple and were curious of what it contains. My name is Mordragon, a suit of living armour. My friends here are Eos and Ceslyn. Might I ask what your name is?"
She makes an incomprehensible series of hissing sounds.
"What?" -- Eos asks, frowning.
The gorgon repeats the sounds exactly.
"That's... an interesting name." -- you respond. -- "What do you do here? Are you the guardian of this temple?"
"Perhaps you could call me that." -- she answers. -- "I was... created to serve this place. I spend most of the time in slumber, but sometimes people come and ask for my blessing, and leave food and water for me." -- the gorgon pauses. -- "If you have no business here, you should leave. This is a holy place."
>"We will leave you alone then."
>Write-in

>>5170299
but we both changed. history book should have won

>>5170311
I explained why the book is a retarded choice in the same post where I asked you to reconsider, the ring is a better offering and was picked initially anyway.

>>5170299
>>"We will leave you alone then."

>"We will leave you alone then."
"We will leave you alone then. As you said, we have no important business here." -- you respond to the gorgon.
"Farewell." -- she says, soon turning away and curling up into a spiral at the bottom of a circular indentation in the floor, laid out with ornamented pillows and blankets. It seems her worshippers have ensured at least a comfortable sleep for their guardian.

Leaving behind the temple, you backtrack, first ascending up a stone staircase that led you here in the first place, then past the doors and into the flooded tunnels, before finally emerging from the cave entrance. The mountains greet you with silence under the blue skies. After a short rest, you begin making your way to Lyscan's Valley. It takes some days for you to reach it. You decide to break the silence once more on one of the safer passes.
"The mountains." -- you address the witch. -- "How do you view them?"
"What do you mean?"
"Do the mountains provoke some feeling within you? Or none at all, just standing there, unmoving?"
Ceslyn stays silent for a while.
"Well, if I do think about them, I get a mixed kind of response. Some lone mountains and me are alike, trying to depend on ourselves, standing apart. Some ridges, supporting each other, are similar to how people work together to achieve common goals. What about you? Do the mountains make you feel?.. Do you even feel anything, an armour?"
A good question. Observing yourself, you've time and again noticed a certain veil of calmness over your mind, muted reactions to outside events in times of crisis. Does it ever lift?
>"I do feel. Though the mountains reflect the calmness I often notice behind myself."
>"I do feel. Over time, I have noticed myself depending on other people, like you and Eos. I noticed people depending on me. Like mountains in ridges supporting each other."
>A combination of the above
>Write-in another observation?

>>5173303
>>"I do feel. Though the mountains reflect the calmness I often notice behind myself."

>>5173303
>"I do feel. Though the mountains reflect the calmness I often notice behind myself."

>>5173303
>>"I do feel. Though the mountains reflect the calmness I often notice behind myself."

Anons, the ip my isp allocated me is rangebanned, I'll try rebooting my router in the coming days (fixed the problem in the past), but until then there won't be updates.

>>5175913
Damn, let's hope everything resolve nicely.

>>5175913
Rip QM. Hope you get it fixed.

>"I do feel. Though the mountains reflect the calmness I often notice behind myself."
"I do feel. Though the mountains reflect the calmness I often notice behind myself." -- you respond. In spite of recent events, you still think of yourself as apart from other people, standing on your own.
"Of course he does feel." -- Eos chimes in cheerfully. -- "You should've seen him dance. No unfeeling thing can pull off those moves. Well, except when we tried to convince Avejyr. That was a disaster, no offence."
"None taken." -- you reply. Although it does sting a little bit.
"About the mountains..." -- Eos continues. -- "If asked, a lot of people, I bet, would bring up their hardness or durability or stability, but from my point of view, I... maybe not consider them transient, but certainly not that intimidating and imposing. I'm old, even if I may not behave that way, I've seen lots of things in my life. Seen things change, including lands. So these mountains or whatever don't seem all that eternal and mighty to me."
"I can't imagine living like that." -- Ceslyn responds. -- "Watching things crumble, change over decades... In a way, it takes away meaning from things you do, knowing this work will erode."
"It's not that hard." -- the nymph says softly. -- "You learn to live in the moment, experiencing whatever comes your way to the fullest, while it's still here with you. That's how I live. You can learn that as well."
"I doubt it." -- the witch replies. There is silence after her words.

Your party goes farther into the mountains. Over several days, Ceslyn, at first depending on you for support, finally overcomes the effects of venom and can walk firmly. You reach the next, and last Valley. A black mass of birds, mostly corvids, greets you with cawing. It doesn't take long for the spirit of the Winged Valley to appear, even without planescrossing powder. The slim form of Lyscan, with piercing gray eyes, a long beak and long, thin black feathers, emerges from the flocks.
"I am Lyscan, the spirit of this Valley. Who are you, and what do you seek in my domain?"
"I am Mordragon." -- you respond. -- "I have been sent by the Mage of Tefar to seek artifacts from the spirits of the Winged Valleys. Could you give me an object holding a portion of your power?"
"Take one of my feathers, then. And leave." -- the spirit says, holding out one so black it almost seems to absorb light. He disappears immediately after passing it to you. You decide to leave this place quickly, heeding his words.

>>5178368
As you emerge from the Valley, Ceslyn addresses you.
"I think that's as far as I'll go. Thanks for accompanying me, it's been... fun, I guess, if dangerous. I really have to leave now; I've gathered plenty of research material, now it needs to be sorted and studied."
"You could always obtain more-"
"I could, yes." -- she interrupts you. -- "But I'd rather not. So, this is goodbye; for now."
>"Alright, I won't hold you back then. Let's travel together again sometime."
>Write-in parting words?

With the witch leaving, Eos approaches you.
"Where to next, captain? The note you decoded was talking about some cultist base under Mount Soffra, maybe there? The Tefar Mage mission doesn't have a time limit from what I recall of you telling me."
>"No. We have to recruit more people or get stronger before heading into the hornet's nest. Let's visit Tefar before going anywhere else."
>"Yes. We should deal with the Silver Eye before they get their plans underway."
>Write-in

>>5178369
>"Alright, I won't hold you back then. Let's travel together again sometime."
>I'll be glad to come and see you from time to time, telling you of my last adventures, while you share your research with me.

>"Yes. We should deal with the Silver Eye before they get their plans underway."

>>5178369
>>"Alright, I won't hold you back then. Let's travel together again sometime."
>>I'll be glad to come and see you from time to time, telling you of my last adventures, while you share your research with me.

>"No. We have to recruit more people or get stronger before heading into the hornet's nest. Let's visit Tefar before going anywhere else."

>>5178369
Oh look, it's alive again.
>"Alright, I won't hold you back then. Let's travel together again sometime."
>Remember that you will have a friend in us, and no person is an isle, no matter how different they are.
>"No. We have to recruit more people or get stronger before heading into the hornet's nest. Let's visit Tefar before going anywhere else."
We got rid of the ring, so the urgency of whatever ritual they were going to do is gone.

>"Alright, I won't hold you back then. Let's travel together again sometime."
>write-ins
"Alright, I won't hold you back then. Let's travel together again sometime." -- you say. -- "I hope you'll receive me from time to time to talk about my adventures and share whatever research you're doing."
"If you have something more tangible to offer in exchange." -- the witch smiles.
"Right. Also remember that you always have a friend in us. No person is an isle, no matter how different they are."
"Yeah, I'm starting to see that, a bit."
"Well then... This is farewell. Good luck, and goodbye."
"Goodbye."

>"No. We have to recruit more people or get stronger before heading into the hornet's nest. Let's visit Tefar before going anywhere else."
"No. We have to recruit more people or get stronger before heading into the hornet's nest. Let's visit Tefar before going anywhere else." -- you reply.
"Makes sense." -- the nymph responds. -- "Let's go then."
With this, your journey towards Tefar begins. The mountains slowly give way to Reannescan plains, then to clumps of trees, before finally becoming interspersed with forests of Neruem. Autumn is in full power now, claiming trees with yellow, red, and orange. The winds start getting cold. Harvest finishes, and people begin preparing for winter.

You finally see the walls of the city in the distance. Passing through the gates in the morning sun, you head through the waking quarters to Diodorus' tower. The mage receives you rather quickly.
"Ah, Mordragon. Hello and come in." -- the wizard greets you.
"Hello." -- you respond, and decide to get down to business. -- "I have obtained what you asked of me. Two of the Winged Valley spirits' feathers." -- with this said, you take the artifacts out of your bag. One red feather and one black. Both containing magic apparent even to you.
"Only two, hm? Not quite as much as I hoped for, but good enough. Thank you." -- the mage takes them from you. -- "Now, I promised to teach you magic in exchange. When would be a good time for you? I am mostly free in the early morning and evening, with afternoons usually dedicated to study or meetings."
>"Before that, have you heard of the Silver Eye sect? We have information about some kind of plans of theirs." Diodorus is a powerful wizard, and surely could help you, both with his connections in the city and his expertise.
>"Mornings work for me." You're going to assemble a party of adventurers in the guilds and taverns of Tefar and other cities. For some reason or other you don't want the government or the Mage of Tefar involved in this.
>"Mornings work for me." [write-in another plan]

>>5180189
>>"Before that, have you heard of the Silver Eye sect? We have information about some kind of plans of theirs." Diodorus is a powerful wizard, and surely could help you, both with his connections in the city and his expertise.

>>5180189
>"Mornings work for me." You're going to assemble a party of adventurers in the guilds and taverns of Tefar and other cities. For some reason or other you don't want the government or the Mage of Tefar involved in this.

>>5180189
>"Before that, have you heard of the Silver Eye sect? We have information about some kind of plans of theirs." Diodorus is a powerful wizard, and surely could help you, both with his connections in the city and his expertise.

>>5180874
>>5180386
>>5180289
Damn we're getting mugged by demon man

>>5180947
What do you mean?

>>5181047
We rolled bad, demon will rip us a new one.

>>5180947
what demon man?

>>5181062
But we didn't roll anything?

>>5181192
schizo hours

>>5180947
>>5181047
>>5181062
>>5181111
>>5181192
>>5181214
Wrong tab, will take my pills now.

>"Before that, have you heard of the Silver Eye sect? We have information about some kind of plans of theirs." Diodorus is a powerful wizard, and surely could help you, both with his connections in the city and his expertise.
"Before that, have you heard of the Silver Eye sect? We have information about some kind of plans of theirs."
"Is that so?" -- Diodorus looks at you attentively. -- "What are these, then? What kind of proof do you have?"
"We raided their outpost in Reannesca, and found this note inside." -- you hand the encrypted note over to him. -- "Once decrypted, it says: "The forge is ready to operate. Arrive in the Shade of Mount Soffra with all souls and apparati on the agreed time. The Silver Eye watches". I don't know what this forge is, but if there is an evil plan in action, we'd better stop it."
"I see." -- the wizard says, taking a look at the note. -- "It is a good thing you told me this; the mage community is a fervent opponent of the Silver Eye, and, of course, I am one too, being part of it and for personal reasons. Mount Soffra... A ruined dwarven hold if I recall correctly. If it were nearby, I'd have advised to send a scouting party, but I fear by the time they come back, their plans may already be irreversible. I'll do whatever I can to assemble a small host of warriors to aid you, and perhaps even a mage, me included. We cannot alert them with a full army, and I reckon neither the mayor nor the king would support such an abrupt expedition with so little evidence, but a group of about 20 should be enough to at least disrupt whatever they'll be doing."
"Would you still find time to teach me the basics of magic?"
"Of course. Come in the mornings, when the sun rises. It'll be all the better for our expedition."

>>5181833
Your study begins. The foundation to all magical power is in sensing the flow of magic currents in the world, a goal achieved through meditation. You spend mornings clearing your mind of all the clutter and concentrating on the unseen manaflow: a task made easier with your predisposition for tranquility. After a few sessions of this, you finally start seeing, if it can be called that, the currents Diodorus was talking about. The next stage is grasping these currents and bending them in ways desirable to you. This task yields harder in spite of your best efforts. After about a week, with preparations for the expedition well underway, Diodorus speaks to you at the end of one study session.
"I'd like to ask another favour of you. I recently became a guardian of a... strange fellow, a former necromancer and woodsman. He's a young lad, and in spite of his dubious past, he is talented in magic, and I believe if properly overseen, could reach great heights in this trade. Overseen is the key word. I am a busy mage, and cannot always keep an eye on him; I thought you could do it in my stead. Also, his skills could probably be useful in your adventures. Would you take him under your wing?"
>"Alright. I will protect and guide him."
>"No. I don't think I have it in me to guide him."

>>5181834
>>"Alright. I will protect and guide him."

>>5181834
>"Alright. I will protect and guide him."

>"Alright. I will protect and guide him."
[i]"Alright. I will protect and guide him."[/i]
[i]"Excellent. We'll take him on this mission of ours then, if you don't mind?"[/i]
[i]"We could use a ranger, I guess."[/i]
[i]"I will acquaint you with each other then. Not now, though; sometime before we depart. In the mean time, focus on your studies."[/i]

Your training proceeds, slowly. Shaping the currents to your will is harder than just sensing them; using prepared spells such as one injected into the Sol Gauntlet is easy, it feels natural, but outright manipulating magic with your will is infinitely more difficult.
[i]"Keep concentrating your will. Meditate. The only way forward is hard work; once it clicks, you'll get what I'm talking about."[/i] -- these and other useless words are what Diodorus offers you.

[i]"How do you cast magic?"[/i] -- you ask Eos one day.
[i]"What do you mean?"[/i] -- she answers, taking a bite of a baked apple.
[i]"Well, there are these magical currents, but how do you manipulate them? It's harder than just making up your mind to move them, it just... doesn't work."[/i]
[i]"But it does? I don't know, maybe it's just because I'm a spirit, maybe I'm just used to it to the point of not noticing the inner workings, but if I concentrate, water moves like I want it to."[/i]
"If I concentrate." -- the key words. Concentration. Maybe it's deeper than it seems? Maybe you need to force your mind into a kind of trance for magic to yield to you?..

A week passes. Preparations for the expedition are nearly finished, your magical abilities remain useless. Eos spends her time working odd jobs in the city and spends most of her money either getting drunk in taverns (she has trouble with this due to her water nature) or preparing for the journey. A peculiar duality. With whatever she saved up, the nymph managed to buy a couple protective talismans, like those you found in the Silver Eye outpost, and refresh her clothes.

You weren't idle either. Your high endurance and great strength have made you useful for physical tasks. Over the past two weeks, you have managed to earn 50 coins, bringing your total to 207. It's best to spend them in preparation. Choose one or several of the following:
>Repair the damage you got from manticore's spikes and sharpen your weaponry [15 coins]
>Visit Leo's shop to get some potions [which kind? e.g. attacking -- poison gas, flame, freeze -- or mana or smoke grenades]
>See if you can get some minor magical items [which kind? e.g. protective talismans, scrolls]
>Write-in

>>5183561
>Repair the damage you got from manticore's spikes and sharpen your weaponry [15 coins]

Anons, I'm going to extend the voting period by an additional day because much preparation can be done here and the only vote includes just the barebones maintenance option. Also I don't know why no one's voting in general? Are the options unclear? You can ask questions about prices for goods and propose your own. The formatting is fucked due to me clearing cookies, I'll stop doing italics in the next post. Is there something else that's wrong? Please don't remain silent if so.

>>5183561
>>Repair the damage you got from manticore's spikes and sharpen your weaponry [15 coins]
>See if you can get some minor magical items
Let's see if we can enchant a flying disk of metal to act as a scout, a bit like Diodorus skype tablette

>Repair the damage you got from manticore's spikes and sharpen your weaponry [15 coins]
>Scout metal disk [40 coins]
The foundation of victory in battle is keeping your weapons and yourself in shape, and so you spend a couple evenings at one of the numerous Tefarian smithies to perform maintenance on your sword, mace, and plates. At the end of it all, you're as ready for fighting as you can be.

During one of the study sessions with Diodorus (you managed to light a candle using magic -- a trifle for any respectable mage, but a great achievement for you) you bring up an idea of a flying scout.
"Could you enchant a metal disc in such a way that it would fly and project whatever it reflects on a screen at a distance? I'd say we could use a scout to see what dangers may be waiting ahead."
"Decent idea. Could you provide the money I'd need for enchantment preparations? 40 coins should suffice."
"Sure." -- you reply, and with this, the Scout Disc is made after a few days of work.

The day of the expedition's departure nears, and you learn that the Mage of Tefar has assembled a host of 17 knights, seemingly relaxed, but quite disciplined and well-built, headed by Irithyll, the head knight. He is tall, with perspicacious eyes and a calm demeanour. Once you leave the wizards' tower after becoming acquainted with them, you note Eos is oddly awed.
"What's the matter? Something wrong with the knights?"
"Ah, sometimes I forget you don't know anything about the world." -- she answers. -- "That's the Lantern Knights. 200 years ago the Black King cast his last curse upon Neruem, and a great Mist came down upon the Sunshore nations. There were monsters born from it, and they roamed the cities and villages. To protect against them, the Lantern Guard was formed, named so because they carried lanterns on their backs to indicate their presence to the common folk in need of help or to keep track of their squadmates. The Mist has been dispersed since then, but they remained as the elite of Neruemian army."
"I see." -- you respond. Perhaps they are due more respect than you gave them.

>>5188020
You also become acquainted with two other mages of the expedition, Folqitun and Gwyndolin. The former has an air of importance about him, with a kind of constantly displeased face expression, auburn hair tied into a ponytail, robes hanging on his body and arms, definitely not loose, but spacious enough. He is a utility wizard, specialised in things like invisibility, scrying, teleportation, telepathy, etc. You are reminded of Ceslyn with her predilection for illusion spells. You wonder for a minute what she might be doing now. The latter is the necromancer Diodorus was talking about. With black hair flowing freely down to his shoulders, he is dressed in tight clothes and carries a bow. His eyes observe everything around with curiosity, and his overall demeanour is quiet and calm.

In the two weeks prior to the departure of the expedition, you have managed to read one of the books you obtained. Which was it? (see OP for those you have)
>Start with "Common History". You really need that knowledge of the larger world.
>Read one of the magic tomes. Perhaps you won't understand a lot, but this foundation will be useful in further developing your magic skills later. [specify which book]
>Get something from the libraries [write-in]

>>5188023
>>Read one of the magic tomes. Perhaps you won't understand a lot, but this foundation will be useful in further developing your magic skills later. [specify which book]
>Fundamentals of arcana
>Ideally, something like "how to spellweave as a construct" but it might not exist.

>>5188023
>Start with "Common History". You really need that knowledge of the larger world.
LORE

Rolled 1 (1d2)

Rolling to break the tie.
1 - Fundamentals of Arcane Transformations
2 - Common History

>Fundamentals of Arcane Transformations
You decide to delve into magic in your free time as well and start reading the, most likely, introductory tome. A great deal of its contents are already known to you through Diodorus with a little different wording, so you can be assured your teacher is worth something, but there are some bits that prove enlightening. You learn odd ways in which magical currents may be bended and the effects of said manipulation on the mundane world. The author also offers some peculiar meditation techniques, which you can practice to a great degree at nights, when most are sleeping and you are very much awake, as any animated construct is.

You also consult Diodorus regarding the snake amulet you've picked up at the cavern temple. After studying it for a couple of days, the Mage of Tefar returns the amulet to you.
"It is both a protective and offensive tool." -- he says. -- "Softens or completely protects the wearer from the dangers of poison, while also inflicting its effects on adversaries, though it requires pricking the wearer's finger on one of the fangs, and there's a limit of two poison charges a day. I reckon both uses are quite worthless to you, so I'd advise to give it to one of your friends."
>Lend it to [Diodorus himself / Irithyll, the head knight / Folqitun, the utility mage]
>Give it to [Eos / Gwyndolin]
>Keep it for now

Mounted on horses provided by the mayor of Tefar, you depart from the city. You look the party over: 17 knights, three mages, a nymph and yourself, a suit of living armour. You recall asking Diodorus about the logistics of the expedition. He answered that there are some villages along the way, though they'll get fewer in number the deeper into the mountains you'll go. You wonder if the supplies you trade and forage for will last long enough.

The first step of your journey takes you once again through Darkwood. With leaves mostly fallen by now, the naked trees overlook your advance, silent and morose. You follow the road leading upriver when Diodorus raises his hand, looking with worry at the Scout Disc.
"Dire wolves." -- he says. -- "Not just one or two, a whole pack of them."
The silence after his words is broken only by the howls of the monsters in the distance. Everyone turns to you, as the party leader, for guidance on what should be done.
>Spur the horses forward and outrun the wolves.
>Stand your ground and fight off the wolves mounted. This could endanger the horses, but would provide you with unmatched mobility.
>Stand your ground and fight dismounted.
>Ask Folqitun to use his magic and conceal your party in an invisibility veil or something of this sort.
>Write-in

>>5189688
>>Stand your ground and fight dismounted.

I'll assume no vote means holding onto the snake amulet.
>Keep it for now
>Stand your ground and fight dismounted.
"We'll fight on foot. Protect the horses." -- you say, your echoing, chilling voice still a wonder to some in the party. They do follow your orders nevertheless.
The knights, sword and shield in hand, form a protective perimeter around the spellcasters. You join them, gripping your mace. The wolves' eyes start glowing in the dark between the trees. Over a dozen pairs of dots, silently moving between the lower boughs. They attack suddenly, at a seemingly random, yet quite coordinated moment, leaping from the trees against your shield-line. The horses neigh in fear.
"Hold them off while I cast!" -- Diodorus cries, and starts conjuring something with quiet determination.
Roll 1d100 Bo3 DC: 57

Rolled 90 (1d100)

>>5191656

Rolled 76, 69 = 145 (2d100)

>>5191656

>90 - Success
There is no easy prey for the wolves to devour here -- only cold iron and an indomitable shield wall. Your line holds well against the initial assault, and after a couple beasts lay dead, the wolves adopt a more careful tactic. They watch for openings and ruthlessly bite a single target all at once. Some of the knights receive wounds, but ultimately, teamwork wins the day. Diodorus finishes casting his spell, and from the tip of his staff, orbs of fire dart towards the wolves, setting the monsters ablaze. The beasts roll on the ground, trying to put out the fire, which the knights exploit, finishing off the defenceless enemies.

Those that manage to recover run back into the woods, oddly enough, glancing around and listening, as if avoiding something else besides your party. The hidden enemy reveals itself soon enough -- a horde of undead marches from downriver, likely attracted by the sounds of battle.
>Mount the horses and outrun the skeletons and zombies.
>Stand your ground and purge the land of the restless dead.
>See if Gwyndolin can do anything about them, he is a former necromancer after all.
>Write-in

>>5193037
>>Mount the horses and outrun the skeletons and zombies.

>>5193037
>>Mount the horses and outrun the skeletons and zombies.

>Escape - Automatic success
"Let's go before they reach us." -- you offer. Soon, the whole party is mounted and riding quickly by the river. The dark trees oversee your advance, and the sounds and silhouettes of the living dead slowly fade out in the distance...

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

This is going to be the end of the thread. I'd like to ask one of you anons to archive this thread, like previously, since I'm not the best at giving concise descriptions. I also want to ask for feedback about the quest; I see that the number of votes is dwindling, if anyone who has stopped voting is still checking the thread, why did you leave? What didn't you like about the quest? Does dialogue feel stilted? Did you enjoy the riddles? Same latter three questions to the remaining anons, actually.

The next thread won't arrive for some days since I'm taking some time to worldbuild. I'll also try to start daily updates again. For now, thanks for reading.

>>5195525
I had a whole paragraph typed and then it disappeared, so you're getting cliff notes, sorry.

I voted during thread 1. Dropped at vague write-in philosophy because the entire thread just stopped because of it. Not the right moment, and as said back then, the lack of clear avenues hurt.

Here, I can see the ring stuff causing issues. Having a list of items to pick from would have prevented the issue. If using the ring had been a write-in, you could have explained and shut it down.

Here you wrote a vote you didn't want to write, and that may have impacted your writing. It's normal, and it's why you don't let that happen.

Also, votes switching like that may have alienated players. I've dropped a quest because the QM said "this risky option require a clear majority" and still used it with one vote for, one undecided, and one no.

Example: You lost a player there. >>5167827
Maybe they just ID changed, maybe they left. But it still appears to be a consequences of a unclear voting incident and getting railroaded into a bad option no one really wanted with no way of taking it back.

I have little free time these days, so maybe I'll read this up to here.
At least, it's good to see you haven't flaked, QM.

Also, small committees of <5 players can be comfy. Those are quest I stick to rather than lurk in.

Good luck in the future, QM !

>>5195590
I'm still there. Wildly IP Hopin though.

>>5195590
>>5195649
Ok i'm retarded, you were talking about yellow-tag anon. Will go back fighting demon-man.

>>5195590
>Dropped at vague write-in philosophy because the entire thread just stopped because of it.
Yeah, I often want to alternate adventuring and battles with other stuff. Riddles & puzzles are easy to implement narratively, but philosophical discussions often end up coming out of the blue. I've started offering prompts instead of blank write-ins since then, so I guess that's a step forward.
>Here, I can see the ring stuff causing issues.
Very valid criticism, I also felt awkward about that moment. We'll see if something like that repeats in the future, but I'll take a clearer position if it does. Hope it won't alienate more anons from the quest.
>Good luck in the future, QM !
Thanks, hope to see you voting again.