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Wilhelm had been born at the far end of the world, in a tiny kingdom called Helmbarte. He had been chosen for this task because of his pure heart. He had sworn an oath to carry out his duty, even to his death.

The young man was now in a dreary swampland far from the land he knew, with farther still to travel before they reached the town of Redgate and his task would be at an end. The thought of his oath grew heavier with each passing mile, for Wilhelm held in his heart a terrible secret. He was in love with Mirabel.

Her beauty captivated him, and her voice enchanted him. All of the young men of Helmbarte had sought her hand. But the maiden had been chosen for another fate. Wilhelm dreaded the hour when they would reach the end of their journey, for he would never see Mirabel again.

The Dragon Lord would have her.

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For as long as Wilhelm could remember, the Dragon Lord had ruled over them all, using his terrible dragon to conquer any who opposed him. The Dragon Lord had conquered Wilhelm's kingdom along with all the others, and demanded a horrible tribute from the conquered lands. Each year, the people of Helmbarte sent their most beautiful maiden to the Dragon Lord's castle. None of the maidens ever returned. Any kingdom that dared to refuse the Dragon Lord's demand was razed by his terrible beast.

It was rumored the dragon had scales no sword could pierce. It was rumored the dragon breathed poison that withered rock and stone.

It was rumored the dragon fed only on maidens.

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Wilhelm was so deep in thought that he almost failed to see the huge dead tree which lay across the road in front of them. He sat up with a start, and tugged at the reins and called to his horse. "Whoa, Asphodel!"

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The horse's canter dropped and the cartwheels slowed to a stop. Asphodel snorted and nervously stepped from one foot to the other. "Easy, boy," Wilhelm said to his horse.

A man stood in front of the log with his back to Wilhelm. Beside the man, an axe stood resting against the log. The woodsman took a drink from a skin.

Wilhelm called down to the man. "Excuse me!" Wilhelm looked at the dreary swampland around him. The road was hemmed on both sides by muddy ground. The log blocked the road completely. He smiled and called down to the woodsman again. "Do you need help with this fallen tree?"

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The woodsman looked at Wilhelm. He did not return the smile. "Help?" asked the woodsman. "But I just felled this tree."

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A second man sprang out from behind the log and landed atop it. A third man crept from behind the log, and another. All of them wore the same crest of a wolf's head on their tunics.

"And a fine job you have done, my friend!" said the man on the log, with laughter in his voice.

"Thank you, my lord," said the woodsman, and picked up his axe. "Will you have more need of me?"

"No, you may go," said the man on the log, and smiled. "We have matters well in hand."

Wilhelm realized the man on the log was no longer looking at him.

He was looking at Mirabel.

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"A lovely passenger," remarked the man on the log to his companions. He looked again at Mirabel, and Wilhelm's face began to burn while his stomach filled with ice. "Such a beautiful maiden should not be stymied by a fallen tree!" the man exclaimed.

The other men began to laugh.

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The man on the log grinned and bowed. "My name is Sir Ludolph. Come, beautiful maiden! We shall escort you to safer lands than these. We will bear both you and your coin to our keep."

>Offer them all your coin and plead for safe passage
>Drive your cart around the log and try to outrace them
>Threaten them with the wrath of the Dragon Lord
>Something else

=====

EQUIPMENT CHECK:
>One helmet
>One horse
>One spear
>Four gold coins

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

Rolled 7 (1d12)

>>5446989

Drive like the wind!

Rolled 1 (1d12)

>>5446989
>>Threaten them with the wrath of the Dragon Lord

Rolled 8 (1d12)

>>5446967
DAT BOLD FORST LETTER (is there a literary name for that?)
Welcome back, Legoman

>>5446989
>>Offer them all your coin and plead for safe passage

Rolled 8 (1d12)

>>5446989
>Drive your cart around the log and try to outrace them
HEE-YAH

Rolled 5 (1d12)

>>5446989
>>Threaten them with the wrath of the Dragon Lord

Rolled 6 (1d12)

>>5446989
>Threaten them with the wrath of the Dragon Lord

you assholes know who you are robbing here?

Rolled 11 (1d12)

>>5446989
>>Offer them all your coin and plead for safe passage
Pwease sir don't hurt me

Rolled 10 (1d12)

>>5446989
>Threaten them with the wrath of the Dragon Lord

Rolled 2 (1d12)

>>5446989
>Threaten them with the wrath of the Dragon Lord
Fuck outta heere, Rubbin' Wood.

Rolled 61 (1d102)

>>5446989
>Drive your cart around the log and try to outrace them

Move quick, they're only afoot!

Rolled 9 (1d12)

>>5447627

Derp, used completely the wrong die there.

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Wilhelm looked between the three highwaymen as they grinned eagerly, ready to strike. "Hold your swords!" he cried, with shame burning his face. "This maiden is not for you! She is..." Wilhelm swallowed the bile that had risen in his throat. "She is to be given to the Dragon Lord as tribute."

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Wilhelm thought the men would shrink back, but instead the one called Ludolph grinned even more broadly, and began to laugh again. "The Dragon Lord has already taken much from us, boy. We would be happy to take from him in return. The fair maiden will step down, please. You may return to your own kingdom, boy. I grant you your life."

"But-" Wilhelm began to speak, when Ludolph raised one of his swords in gesture.

"I grant you your life, boy. Do not make me reconsider."

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"Take our gold instead!" Wilhelm cried. "I was given traveling coins to pay our lodging. You are welcome to take them, but please leave us in peace!"

Ludolph nodded his head toward one of his companions. "Adolph, go and get the gold. We will see if its weight is enough to match the maiden's beauty."

The largest of the three highwaymen kept a wary eye on Wilhelm as he crept forward. None of them wished to feel the point of Wilhelm's spear.

"The coins are in the chest," Wilhelm said to him. "On the back of the cart."

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As soon as Adolph had moved to the back of the cart, Wilhelm suddenly shook the reins and cried, "Go, Asphodel!" and drove the horse toward the swampy ground.

"A trick!" Adolph shouted.

Asphodel gave a whinny as his hooves began to sink into the mud.

"Don't let them get away!" shouted Ludolph.

"Go, Asphodel!" Wilhelm cried again.

Wilhelm saw the cart wheels begin to slow, and he feared that he would fail in his quest, but the horse had been chosen for this quest just as carefully as he himself had been. With a mighty surge of effort, the beast dragged them out of the mud and back up onto the road. Asphodel's hooves beat faster and faster as the cart gained speed.

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"Are you alright?" Wilhelm called back to Mirabel.

"Yes," Mirabel called. "But what of those men?"

Wilhelm dared a glance behind them.

"What is wrong?" Mirabel called, for she had seen the look on Wilhelm's face.

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Behind their cart, the highwaymen followed in a wagon with ironshod wheels.

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

Rolled 3 (1d12)

>>5447870
Unfurl the lady Mirabel's hat and have her throw it off the back of the cart, to tangle up/blind our pursuers!

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Mirabel crept forward out of her seat and leaned to the side. With a gasp, she cried, "They are gaining upon us!"

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As the maiden leaned over the side, the cart rolled over a stump.

"My hennin!" Mirabel cried in surprise, and grasped for her pointed cap as it was jostled free.

"Look out!" Wilhelm shouted, but too late. Mirabel was thrown free of the cart.

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Mirabel raised herself up on her hands and gasped in fright as Ludolph's horse thundered down on her.

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

Rolled 5 (1d12)

>>5448006
Ludolph gets Dragon King'd.

Rolled 5 (1d12)

>>5448006
A wild dragon swoops down out of nowhere and takes the wolfpack cart away

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Adolph drew their stallion's reins short, and the ironshod wagon halted next to Mirabel. Ludolph looked down at the maiden with a gleam in his eye. "Rudolph, get some rope." Suddenly he stopped and cocked his head. "Wait, do you hear that?"

"It sounds like horses!" exclaimed Rudolph.

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From up the crossroads came a train of horses, all black as night. They pulled an iron-wrought carriage behind them, and from the rear of the carriage hung the banner of the Dragon Lord. A bearded man rode atop the carriage roof, and a third rode clinging to the rear.

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The driver slowed their canter as they approached, and stopped between Wilhelm and the others. Wilhelm caught a glimpse of another maiden through the carriage's narrow window. The one on the roof looked down at the highwaymen. "A pack of curs on the road?" he asked with a sneer.

"These lands are the domain of the House of the Wolf, and you will address me as Sir Ludolph," the highwayman snarled.

"All lands are the domain of the Dragon Lord," replied the bearded man. "You would do well to remember this, Ludolph of the swamp. Now go, slink back to your den, before I remember that you have yet one more maiden of your own."

"You would not dare!" shouted Ludolph, and struck Adolph on the shoulder. "Go!" Ludolph spared the bearded man one more hateful glance as his wagon rolled away.

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"What of that maiden?" the driver asked. "Shall we take her with?"

"We haven't the room," said the bearded man. He looked from Mirabel to Wilhelm. "You are taking this maiden to Redgate?"

"I- I am," Wilhelm replied.

"Then go," said the bearded man. "We shall arrive there in a few days to collect her."

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The train of horses leapt forward and strained against their yokes, and the heavy prison cart once more began to roll forward.

"Are you alright?" Wilhelm asked Mirabel.

"I am afraid," said the maiden.

>Follow Ludolph's wagon and try to forge an alliance with them
>Follow the Dragon Lord's wagon and try to free the imprisoned maiden
>Continue toward Redgate before sundown
>Make camp here and give Asphodel a rest
>Something else

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

Rolled 12 (1d12)

>>5448087
Follow Ludolph's wagon and try to forge an alliance with them, we need allies.

>>5448092
supporting this. These guys seemed alright, can't go wrong with an Adolph.

>>5448087
>Make camp here and give Asphodel a rest
>>5448092
>>5448100
But those dicks attacked us!

>>5448121
Water under the bridge

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"I have an idea, but you must trust me," Wilhelm said to Mirabel.

"I trust you in all things," said the maiden.

"Then we must hurry," Wilhelm said to her, and helped her onto the cart.

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Ludolph and his companions rode in angry silence, before Rudolph turned to look behind them. "That maiden's cart!" shouted Rudolph.

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Adolph slowed their wagon to a stop. "You!" Ludolph growled at Wilhelm. "Have you not the sense to follow a wolf to his den? I will take this maiden, and your gold, and your-"

"Wait!" cried Wilhelm. The young man laid down his spear and climbed from the seat of the cart. "You could take her from me, but the soldiers of the Dragon Lord already know of us. They would raze your keep just as surely as they would raze our own land of Helmbarte."

Ludolph raised his swords in anger. "You know nothing of our lands, boy!"

Wilhelm nodded, and looked at each of the men. "I know we all have reason to stand against the Dragon Lord."

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Ludolph dropped from the wagon onto the road and stood facing Wilhelm. "You? Against the army of the Dragon Lord, and his invincible beast?"

Wilhelm met the man's gaze. "Surely nothing is truly invincible!" Wilhelm said to him.

"There is nothing that can kill the dragon," Ludolph said.

Adolph opened his mouth. "What about the-"

Before Adolph could speak, Ludolph shouted "Still your tongue, brother!" He looked at Wilhelm for a long time. The sun had begun to slip past the dead trees, and the air had become chilled.

At last, Rudolph broke the silence. "What are you going to do with them?" he asked Ludolph.

"We will take them with us to our keep," said Ludolph. "Then we will decide what to do with them." He looked at Wilhelm and nodded toward Mirabel. "You and the fair maiden will come with us. Your horse and cart will be safe here, for the night."

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Wilhelm looked around. They stood on a small patch of land bordered by water on three sides. He began to wonder how they would continue, when Rudolph and Adolph reached down and pulled apart a pile of branches. Wilhelm watched as the men pulled a small boat from its concealment.

"Climb aboard, boy," Ludolph said as he stepped into the boat. "Our keep is some distance from here."

Wilhelm helped Mirabel into the boat, then climbed into it after her. The other two men pushed it away from the shore and leapt onto the deckboards.

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The boat slid through the murky water. None spoke, and the only sound was the soft breaking of water as Adolph paddled.

The sun slipped to the horizon, and Wilhelm narrowed his eyes when he felt Mirabel stiffen beside him, and the maiden pointed with a gasp. "Look!"

Ahead of them, a tall shape blotted out the setting sun. A ruined castle stood before them. To Wilhelm, it looked as though it had been sunk into the water with only the highest points remaining above the surface.

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"What have you brought back?" called a woman's voice as they beached on the edge of a broken parapet. Beyond an archway, a man pushed a wheeled chair into the fading light. A matronly woman sat crouched in the chair, and in one hand she clutched a staff so black it seemed to drive the waning sunlight away from it.

"A foolish boy," said Ludolph, and then smiled at Mirabel. "But he travels with a maiden of such great beauty that he must not be so foolish as he appears. He wishes to see the rule of the Dragon Lord come to an end."

"Does he?" laughed the woman, and looked Wilhelm over carefully. "What is your name, boy?"

"Wilhelm of Helmbarte, my lady," said Wilhelm as they stood before her. "And this is the maiden Mirabel of Helmbarte." Mirabel curtsied as she was named.

"I am the Lady Louve, of the House of the Wolf. I welcome you both to my home." The woman nodded to the man behind her. "This is Sir Ralph, youngest of my surviving sons. Get them food and beds," the woman commanded. "They must be tired from their journey."

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After they were fed, Ralph brought Wilhelm and Mirabel to a pair of small cells. "Our mother will speak with you in the morning," he said to Wilhelm, and then looked at the young man. "You will wait here until called." With that, he closed the door and Wilhelm was left alone in the darkness.

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Wilhelm removed his helmet and laid down on the bed. Just as his eyes began to close, he imagined that he could hear a maiden's voice coming from somewhere outside his cell. After a moment, he was certain that he could hear the words.

The tears have washed the stone away
the dead rest 'yond the mere
Remember not the tears for me
I rest forever alone

>Leave your cell and look around the keep
>Do as you were told and stay in your bed

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

Rolled 4 (1d12)

>>5448302
>>Leave your cell and look around the keep

Rolled 6 (1d12)

>>5448302
>Leave your cell and look around the keep

Rolled 2 (1d12)

>>5448302
>>Leave your cell and look around the keep

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Wilhelm rose from his bed and stepped outside into the moonless night. He could hear the singing more clearly in the night air.

No husband shall I hold again
He lies beyond the mere
Remember not my life with him
Remember not my home

Wilhelm peered over the balcony.

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In the clear water below him swam a beautiful maiden, clad in nothing but a chain of flowers. All thoughts of Mirabel were far from his mind. All he could think of was the maiden as she continued to sing.

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Wilhelm climbed down the rocky wall of the keep toward the water's edge. The maiden continued to sing as she swam gracefully toward him.

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Wilhelm reached out his hand toward the maiden in the water. Somewhere in the distance, he thought he heard the voice of another.

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"Wake up!"

Suddenly, Wilhelm found in front of him not a beautiful maiden, but a weed-tangled corpse. Before he could draw back, the thing in the water grasped his hand tightly and tugged him forward.

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

Rolled 6 (1d12)

>>5448333
Quickly pull away, use all your strength! Think of Mirabel while doing so.

Rolled 2 (1d12)

>>5448333
Pries the skeletons grasp from your hand.

Rolled 5 (1d12)

>>5448333
>>5448335
Support!

Rolled 6 (1d12)

>>5448333
Pull out our prize from the drink.

Rolled 12 (1d12)

>>5448333
Just let it go

Rolled 12 (1d12)

>>5448333
>Scream like a girl

Rolled 8 (1d12)

>>5448452

+1

Rolled 2 (1d12)

>>5448333
Punch that skeleton

Rolled 12 (1d12)

>>5448333
Promise the skeleton milk if it lets you go

Rolled 9 (1d12)

>>5448333

Turn on your charm and ask skelegirl on a date

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Wilhelm tugged his hand backward, but the skeletal fingers gripped him like iron. The maiden who had appeared on the balcony could only watch as the young man was dragged forward helplessly into the dark water.

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Wilhelm found himself floating in an abyss. The skeleton had once again become a comely maiden and clung to him with supple arms as they sank downward. Her face swam closer to his until their lips almost brushed. Wilhelm struggled and in panic screamed out his only breath.

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At this, the drowned maiden's face sunk with despair. Wilhelm felt the pressure of her embrace slacken as the maiden spun and swam away down into the cold blackness of the deep.

>Linger under the water
>Flee back to dry land

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

Rolled 10 (1d12)

>>5449779
>Flee back to dry land

>>5449777
>>Flee back to dry land

Rolled 8 (1d12)

>>5449796
>>5449779

Rolled 9 (1d12)

>>5449779
>Flee back to dry land

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Wilhelm kicked his feet and swam toward what he hoped was the surface. His breast burned with the need for breath. Behind him, he thought he could hear the faint sound of mournful singing.

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Suddenly, his hand was entwined with another's, and at last he breached the surface of the water.

"Grab hold," said the maiden in black. "You would not want to tempt your fate twice in a single evening!"

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Wilhelm lifted the maiden up toward the balcony. "What was that creature?" he asked her.

"It is a siren in mourning," said the maiden.

"Mourning?" Wilhelm asked, and began to climb up after her.

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When they were both atop the balcony the maiden turned to Wilhelm. "She was a maiden whose husband was killed by the Dragon Lord's army when the three great houses were broken."

"I thank you for your help," Wilhelm said. "I am Wilhelm of Helmbarte."

"I am Lovisa, of the House of the Wolf," said the maiden.

>Stay up late and keep talking to Lovisa
>Get back in bed before anyone sees you

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

Rolled 9 (1d12)

>>5449990
>Stay up late and keep talking to Lovisa

Rolled 1 (1d12)

>>5449990

>Stay up late and keep talking to Lovisa

Might be a good idea to learn more about our hosts.

>>5449990
>Get back in bed before anyone sees you
We've already tested our luck enough, best not to tempt it any more.
Bid her farewell and thank her for her help.

Rolled 9 (1d12)

>>5449990
>>5450027
Forgot my roll.

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Lovisa knelt and lifted up a sword that she fastened to her belt. "All those of the House of the Wolf are sworn to carry a sword," she said.

"I am a stranger in these lands," Wilhelm replied. "I know nothing of your house, or any other."

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"Once, there were four great houses which ruled over these lands," Lovisa said. "Those of the Lion, the Falcon, the Wolf, and the Dragon. The House of the Falcon was sworn to defend the throne, no matter who sat upon it. When I was a baby, the House of the Lion ruled. King Leonard sat upon the throne."

"And the House of the Dragon?" Wilhelm asked.

"Mother says that in those days the Dragon Lord was called Egan. King Leonard was his brother." Lovisa said, and looked at Wilhelm in his wet clothes. "Oh," she said, "This balcony is too drafty. Come, it will be warmer in the courtyard."

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Wilhelm and Lovisa made their way to the lowest level of the keep, and Wilhelm bade the maiden to continue her tale.

"Egan swore a promise to my father, that in aid for taking the throne, he would give to our house half the land in the kingdom." Lovisa frowned, and said "When we had won the battle, the Dragon Lord betrayed our house."

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As the pair strolled, their talk became more familiar. Wilhelm told of his quiet life in Helmbarte, and Lovisa laughed at his stories. Their conversation paused for a moment, when the squawk of a bird interrupted the tranquility.

"It's almost sunup!" exclaimed Wilhelm.

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The bird squawked again, and it was soon followed by the creaking of a door.

"Lovisa?" called Ludolph from around the corner of the archway. "Why are you up so early?"

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

Rolled 5 (1d12)

>>5450113
Hide by hanging off the side of the battlements.

Rolled 3 (1d12)

>>5450113
>We do a little assass creed and avoid detection

Rolled 4 (1d12)

Hide under her coat

Rolled 10 (1d12)

>>5450113
Be honest. If he really wanted us to stay in the cell he should have locked the door.

>>5450113
Run as fast and as quietly as possible.

Rolled 7 (1d12)

>>5450113
>>5450260
Forgot my roll again.

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Wilhelm knew that Ludolph would be upset to learn the pair had spent the night in revelry without a chaperone. In haste he began to climb over the railing to hide from Ludolph's sight, but before he could do so, the man emerged from the shadows of the ruined keep.

"You!" shouted Ludolph.

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Ludolph drew his sword and asked "Is this how you repay our hospitality?"

Lovisa quickly raised her hands in protest. "No, Ludolph!" she cried. "He was taken under by the bridge-bride."

"The bride?" Ludolph asked with disbelief. "Impossible! He would not be here if such was true!"

"The Lady Lovisa speaks the truth, Sir Ludolph!" said Wilhelm.

"Do not speak the name of my sister!" Ludolph shouted.

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"Regale us, then," Ludolph said, and glared at Wilhelm. "What led you to escape its grip?"

Wilhelm nodded and began without hesitation, for he knew he spoke truthfully. "I heard singing. It was so lovely, I felt I must follow it. When I found the maiden, she pulled me under the water." Wilhelm's gaze was kept on Ludolph's blade, and so neither he nor Ludolph saw Mirabel listen from the shadows as he continued. "At first I could not escape her embrace, but when I cried out she set me free."

"And what did you cry out?" Ludolph demanded.

"The name of the maiden Mirabel," said Wilhelm.

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Behind Mirabel appeared the Lady Louve in her chair, with her youngest son Ralph behind her. "Ludolph, take your brothers and hunt for our breakfast. Then we will decide what to do with this boy."

>Go hunting to bond with the brothers
>Spend some quality time with Mirabel
>Request to be returned to your cart
>Something else

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

Rolled 10 (1d12)

>>5450786
>Go hunting to bond with the brothers

Rolled 6 (1d12)

>>5450786
>Spend some quality time with Mirabel

Rolled 6 (1d12)

>>5450786
Go with the brothers, we need to get on Ludolph's good side.

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"To me, brothers!" shouted Ludolph. "We must find food for our guests."

Wilhelm held up a hand. "I will accompany you, if you will have me!"

"Very well," Ludolph said to him. "We shall see if you can be quiet enough to let us hunt."

"I will go and get my helmet," Wilhelm said.

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The four thus set out into the vast swamp. "What do you hunt in this place?" Wilhelm whispered to the others as they trudged through the water carrying their bows, and Wilhelm his spear.

"Perhaps we will find a nest of birds," whispered Ludolph.

"With a clutch of eggs!" whispered Adolph.

Suddenly, Rudolph paused. "Look!" he hissed. The others froze at once.

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Before them stood a beast that was taller than a man, with shaggy fur and long legs stained green from the swamp. A pair of huge forked antlers extended from its skull into the morning sky.

Wilhelm had never seen such a beast. "What is it?" he whispered.

"A bull swampoose," Ludolph replied in a voice low enough to escape the creature's ears. "If it catches our scent, it will gore us all!"

"Our arrows will do nothing," Rudolph whispered as they watched it browse. "The beast's hide is too thick!"

"There is nothing more delicious in all the land!" bemoaned Adolph.

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"Then may my strike be true!" shouted Wilhelm, and leapt up out of the water to fling his spear at the swampoose.

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In the keep of the Lady Louve, Mirabel and Lovisa had set to work sweeping the floors, and after a time began to speak freely to one another. "Have you ever been to Redgate?" Mirabel asked the other maiden, for the thought of her appointed destination was never far from mind.

Lovisa nodded and looked out at the morning sky. "Once," she said. "They have a festival this time of year."

The morning sun continued to rise. "Is the swamp dangerous?" Mirabel asked, and Lovisa smiled.

"I would not worry about Wilhelm," said the other maiden. A moment later, Mirabel heard the sound of men cheering.

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The two maidens hurried to the front gate, and Mirabel's heart leapt as she heard the men cheering Wilhelm's name as they bore the huge swampoose into the keep.

>Ask them to hide Mirabel while you go to Redgate
>Ask them to escort you both to Redgate in secret
>Ask them to take you both back to your cart
>Something else

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

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Thank you to everyone for playing so far! The next update will be Friday at the earliest, but feel free to post and discuss and we will pick up when I return!

If you're enjoying this game, most of the previous Lego Quest episodes are archived along with all the pictures on suptg:
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=lego%20quest

The official Lego Quest wiki will someday have pages for Wilhelm and everyone else who's appeared in this game:
https://legoquest.fandom.com/wiki/Lego_Quest_Wiki

And if you're on Twitter, you can get notified whenever Lego Quest is live:
@EndmanOfFuturon

Goodnight for now!

Rolled 2 (1d12)

>>5450998
>Ask them to hide Mirabel while you go to Redgate
Time to play a gambit. If it comes to it we can always come back here for her.

>>5451000
Thank you for QM'ing! Looking forward to when this updates!

Rolled 11 (1d12)

>>5450998
>Ask them to hide Mirabel while you go to Redgate
I don't know how any of those options solves our problems desu

Rolled 6 (1d12)

>>5450998
>Something else
ask them what THEY want to do to fight the dragon lord. Then do this, together.

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Mirabel and Lovisa were once again set to work at cooking the most delicious parts of the great beast while Lovisa's brothers salted and greased the rest for their larder. When they had finished, all were gathered around the table. Wilhelm and Mirabel, the Lady Louve, her sons Ludolph, Adolph, Rudolph, and Ralph, and her daughter Lovisa.

They shared the meal and all agreed the swampoose was delicious, but Wilhelm found himself unable to enjoy his portion. All he could think about was the Dragon Lord and his invincible monster. He did not know how he could possibly win against such an enemy.

The Lady Louve saw his unease, and said to him, "What concerns you, boy?"

Ludolph looked up from his swampoose and nodded. "Speak freely, Wilhelm! You are among friends here."

"The Dragon Lord, my lady," Wilhelm said to the Lady Louve. "I want nothing more than to save Mirabel from her fate, but the Dragon Lord is more powerful than I will ever be."

At this, the Lady Louve smiled, and said "It is not the Dragon Lord you should most fear, boy. Nor the dragon."

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Before Wilhelm could question her, the Lady Louve continued. "My brother Egan is just a man who sits up on a throne. A man who once had a wife and daughter. It is his second wife, the witch-queen Hendrika, whom you should fear."

Wilhelm was puzzled. "Queen Hendrika?"

"It is Hendrika who controls the dragon," said the Lady Louve. "Hendrika is the one who provoked him to make war against Lion and Falcon. She is the one who set his army against us. Had it not been for her dragon, Egan would not have been so bold."

Wilhelm looked at Mirabel and saw she had grown pale. "Are you alright?" he asked with concern.

The maiden looked from Wilhelm to the Lady Louve. "Until now, I had only heard of the dragon in rumors. To hear the Lady Louve speak of it so plainly..."

Wilhelm followed her gaze and asked, "How does Queen Hendrika control the dragon?"

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"There are four magical staves of great power in this kingdom," said the Lady Louve. "First among them is the Staff of Light which can heal the withered. I believe it lies somewhere in the pathless forest beyond Redgate."

"And the others?" asked Wilhelm, for even in his home kingdom of Helmbarte had they heard stories of the great staves of power. He looked at the staff in the Lady's hand again. It was so dark that the rays of the morning sun seemed to slide off of it like oil.

"There is the Staff of Fire, which Hendrika wields," said the Lady Louve. "She must use it to control the dragon. The Staff of Water was lost when the House of the Falcon was destroyed, though rumor holds it escaped the sacking."

"And the last of the staves?" Wilhelm asked, and looked again at the staff in her hand.

"The last is the Staff of Darkness, which can wither the hale." The Lady Louve looked at Wilhelm. "Yes, boy. This is the staff of death, the last of the four great staves of power. It is the only reason why our lands have not been fully conquered by the army of the Dragon Lord."

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The young man looked again from the Staff of Darkness to the Lady Louve. "My lady, with such a weapon surely you could defeat them!"

"I have already lost a husband and one son, boy," snapped the Lady Louve. "Would you have me set my remaining sons against Egan's army?"

"We are not the only ones with cause to hate the Dragon Lord, my lady," Wilhelm said, and looked around the room at the other men. "How far is Redgate from here?"

"Not far," said Ludolph. "A day's ride, perhaps longer with your cart." He looked cockeyed at the young man. "What are you thinking, Wilhelm?"

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"Lady Louve, with your permission I ask that Mirabel be allowed to remain here while I go on to Redgate," said Wilhelm.

"Your request is denied, boy," said the woman. "Lovisa remains safe here because she is a daughter of the House of the Wolf, but even the Staff of Darkness may not deter the dragon."

"Mother!" protested Lovisa, who had grown fond of the other maiden.

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"I say this for your own good, Lovisa," said the Lady Louve, and looked at Wilhelm. "The maiden Mirabel may remain here for one more night, but then you both must leave us. If you or the maiden linger here you will draw the ire of the Dragon Lord."

>Ride Asphodel to Redgate and scout it out
>Go to Redgate with Ludolph in his wagon
>Take Mirabel to Redgate in your cart
>Something else

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

Rolled 6 (1d12)

>>5452621
>>>Ride Asphodel to Redgate and scout it out

Rolled 4 (1d12)

>>5452621
>Ride Asphodel to Redgate and scout it out
>Try to convince Lovisa to help you steal the staff of darkness to defeat witch-queen and her dragon

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Wilhelm rose from the table. "Lady Louve, I thank you for your gracious hospitality. With your permission, I would ride at once for Redgate. I will return to your keep by sundown tomorrow."

The Lady Louve nodded, and said, "You will need a saddle." She looked at her son Adolph. "Give him one from our tack." Adolph rose and nodded at Wilhelm. The Lady Louve looked at the young man and smiled. "You are a foolish boy, but perhaps you will show yourself to be something else as well."

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Ludolph then presented a wolfskin cape to Wilhelm, and said, "I give you this to take with you. So long as you wear it, any man will recognize you as friend to the House of the Wolf."

"Then I shall don it at once, so you know me as a friend," Wilhelm said and smiled at Ludolph.

At this the other man laughed. "You need no cape to be recognized as friend in this place! There is a shortcut that will take you safely through the swamp in only half the time. At the crossroads, turn left, then right, then right again, then left again."

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Wilhelm returned to his cell to collect his helmet and spear. As he readied himself, Lovisa approached him and held in her hand a swampoose steak wrapped in cloth. "Take this with you when you go," she said to him.

The young man thanked her, but as Lovisa turned Wilhelm called her name. "Wait," he said. The thought of what he could accomplish with the Staff of Darkness still dwelt in his mind. "Surely you know that the Staff of Darkness could help me," he said to the maiden.

Lovisa shook her head and smiled at Wilhelm. "You are brave, but foolish. Even with the Staff of Darkness, you may still fall from an arrow through your breast."

"But Queen Hendrika holds the Staff of Fire-" Wilhelm began to protest, when the maiden spoke again.

"The Staves of Light and Darkness counter one another, for they are life and death." Lovisa looked at Wilhelm. "The Staves of Fire and Water counter one another, for they are creation and destruction both."

Wilhelm pondered what Lovisa had told him. "The Staff of Darkness would not counter either of those staves?"

Lovisa nodded and the maiden looked at Wilhelm in a way that he had not seen before. Her countenance had changed, and he saw the nobility that ran in her blood. "Heed my words, Wilhelm of Helmbarte," said the maiden in black. "If you truly wish to oppose the Dragon Lord, you must first seek the Staff of Water."

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Mirabel was waiting for him at the gate.

"Good luck," she said to him, and kissed him on his cheek.

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The young man was then taken by boat from the Lady Louve's keep back to the landing, where he found Asphodel being groomed by the woodsman they had first met on the road.

"Thank you, Agilulf," Ludolph said to the peasant. "I knew we could leave them in your care."

"Good luck," the peasant said to Wilhelm.

"Ride swift," said Ludolph as Wilhelm climbed into the saddle.

"Thank you," said Wilhelm, and rode off.

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Wilhelm and Asphodel set off toward Redgate. The young man did his best to heed Ludolph's directions, but soon found himself lost in the swamp and surrounded by water. "Whoa, Asphodel," he said to his horse and looked at the sun, which had already crossed the midpoint of the sky. "Ludolph said to go left, then right, then left, or was it right again?"

Asphodel snorted, and Wilhelm felt the beast take a nervous step backward into the murky water.

"What is wrong, Asphodel?" the young man asked.

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Suddenly, the surface of the water was broken by the scaly bodies of two long beasts with long tails and long mouths. They scurried up out of the muck and onto the road and opened their mouths, and Wilhelm saw that their mouths were full of long, sharp teeth.

Asphodel whinnied and reared back until his rear hooves began to sink into the mud.

===

EQUIPMENT CHECK:
>One cape
>One helmet
>One spear
>One wrap of swampoose steak
>Four gold coins

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

>>5453136
>Tokyo drift between them and ride away

Rolled 12 (1d12)

Rolled 2 (1d12)

>>5453136
Distract them by throwing the steak and ride past them

>>5453181
nah anon, we tokyo drift

Rolled 9 (1d12)

>>5453136
>Jump onto their backs and use them as a bridge.

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The scaly beasts snapped their jaws and lunged forward, and Wilhelm met their charge. "Go, Asphodel!" he shouted and drove his horse forward toward the waiting jaws of the hungry beasts.

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Once more his horse proved to have been well-chosen for their quest. As the fearsome scaly beasts leapt at Asphodel, Wilhelm tugged the reins and the horse spun around on his hooves. The pair slid backward through the mud and into the air.

The scaly beasts tumbled over one another and hissed angrily as Wilhelm turned Asphodel back toward the road and away from their jaws.

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Asphodel thundered up the road, until Wilhelm spotted a signpost at a crossroads. "Whoa, Asphodel!" Wilhelm called, and when he read the sign he smiled, for Redgate was closer than he had thought.

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The road widened and took on a more traveled look, and soon Wilhelm saw the red-painted stone walls rise up in front of him from out of the trees. The front gate was manned by a young man no older than Wilhelm. "Are you here for the festival?" called the young man on the rampart.

"Yes," Wilhelm called back. He did not think it was wrong to say, since he was curious about the festival.

"You can tie up your horse outside the back gate," the young man called back down to him, and then called down to someone inside, "Open the gates!"

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Wilhelm soon heard the creaking of wood and iron, and the huge gates swung open. Inside the town was a riot of color and activity. Streamers and flags were strung all across the open spaces. Ahead of him was a tall inn. He saw a stable that he thought might be safer than leaving Asphodel tied up in the open. Musicians and dancers cavorted to one side, and further on were market stalls crowded with all kinds of goods for sale. From somewhere he could hear the clinking of a blacksmith's hammer. A woodsman approached Asphodel and held up a fat bird as he called to Wilhelm.

>Look for room at the inn
>Watch the performers
>Browse the market stalls
>See what's out back
>Something else

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

Rolled 8 (1d12)

>>5453340
>Browse the market stalls
Maybe we can buy a sword

Rolled 5 (1d12)

>>5453340

>Check out the back

Let's case the place.

Rolled 10 (1d12)

>>5453340
>See what's out back

Rolled 5 (1d12)

>>5453468
support

Rolled 7 (1d12)

>>5453340
>Go to the inn
>Ask about House of the Falcon
Remember, we need to visit House of the Falcon ruins and recover that Piss Wand.

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Wilhelm looked around in amazement. Gathered in front of him were more people than he had seen in months. A beautiful maiden with dark eyes dressed in swirling blue skirts danced close to Wilhelm and laughed with delight as her companion continued to frantically play his tune.

"Do you see something of interest?" the maiden asked with a smile.

Wilhelm looked around. A man with a painted face tumbled through the air in front of him and suddenly stopped motionless, balanced on the end of a long pole. Everywhere were flapping strands of brightly colored cloth. The air was thick with music and the smell of roasting meat.

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"That armor shop!" Wilhelm said at last, as he caught sight of a sword hung out for sale.

"What a pity!" laughed the maiden, and danced away to the tune of the music.

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Wilhelm led Asphodel toward the armor shop. As they neared, a man halted in their path and looked crossly at Wilhelm. "There is a stable near the inn if you wish to keep your horse in town!" he said.

Another man, the woodsman who had offered him a game bird, pointed toward the far end of the wall. "Save your coin, boy. The back gate is that way," the woodsman said to Wilhelm.

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The rear gate was a simple door guarded by a maimed old man. "The door is locked two hours after dark," the old man said as Wilhelm led Asphodel through the doorway.

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Outside the gate Wilhelm saw a horse yoked to a cart painted white. Nearby, another horse grazed untethered next to a saddle.

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Beyond them was a brightly colored traveling-wagon made of white and blue cloth. A pair of men glanced at Wilhelm as he led Asphodel past them to the trees.

>Talk to the traveling-men
>Go back to the Armor Shop
>Something else

=====

EQUIPMENT CHECK:

>One helmet
>One spear
>One wrap of swampoose steak
>Four gold coins

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

>>5454359
what, we're supposed to leave our horse here unattended? This sounds extremely stupid!

Rolled 1 (1d12)

>>5454359
>Talk to the traveling-men

>>5454374
The guard will keep an eye on them until sundown but after that you're on your own (or you can pay to keep him in the stable)

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Wilhelm knew that his time here was short, and his allies were few. He turned to the traveling-men and waved. "Hello!" he called. "I have a swampoose steak to share, if you will grant me a place at your fire."

"Welcome, boy!" the man in the pointed hat said back to him as Wilhelm approached. "I am Gustav, and this is Wim. At this, the man on the back of the wagon raised his goblet in salute.

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"Bring your swampoose steak over here, boy," said Gustav. Wilhelm reached for the wrap that Lovisa had given him, but instead found nothing. Even his traveling coins were gone.

"My gold!" exclaimed the young man. "My steak!"

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Just then, the dancing maiden Wilhelm had seen inside the city entered the camp, with the musician close behind. The maiden laughed, and held up a gold coin, and said, "Look what Robert and I found! A fat purse with four gold coins. And a swampoose steak!"

"Shalina found it," said the musician. "I merely counted the gold!"

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"Thieves!" cried Wilhelm. "Give me back what you have stolen!"

Wim leapt from the back of the wagon and drew his sword. "Watch your tongue, boy!" he said to Wilhelm. "Leave now while you still have your life!"

>Demand the traveling-folk return your gold and your swampoose steak
>Tell them your sad tale and plead their aid against the Dragon Lord
>Something else

=====

EQUIPMENT CHECK:

>One helmet
>One spear

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

Rolled 9 (1d12)

>>5454519
>Something else
the steak I was gonna share with you. But gimme my gold back. Like cmon man!

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"Please," said Wilhelm. "I will gladly share the swampoose steak with you, but I am from a far country, and that is all the gold I have in the world."

When Gustav heard this, he nodded. "Shalina, give him the purse. It belongs to him."

The maiden began to protest, but Gustav raised a hand to silence her. "Wim will need time to cook the swampoose steak. Take the boy and show him Redgate until we are ready to eat."

When Shalina heard this, she smiled. "Very well," she said, and turned her smile toward Wilhelm. "What is your name?"

"Wilhelm," said the young man.

"Wilhelm," repeated the maiden. "I like that name," Shalina said as she took his arm. "Come, Wilhelm. We will visit the Armor Shop together."

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The sword was still waiting for him when they returned to the town. The owner of the armor shop stood at attention like a soldier while Wilhelm examined it. "A very fine weapon, young man," he said to Wilhelm. "It has proved itself in battle."

"How much is this sword?" Wilhelm asked the man.

"Three gold coins," the man said.

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Wilhelm turned to Shalina. "Do you know how much it costs to stay at the inn?"

"Oh, Wilhelm, surely you can find somewhere else to spend your gold," Shalina cooed. "Why not buy us something sweet to go with the swampoose steak? The inn costs a gold coin each night."

Wilhelm thought a moment. If he were to buy the sword, he would still have enough for Mirabel to stay at the inn the following night, but then they would have no money at all.

>Buy the sword
>Don't buy the sword

=====

EQUIPMENT CHECK:

>One helmet
>One spear
>Four gold coins

The first choice to receive two votes will be chosen!

Rolled 6 (1d12)

>>5454574
Offer him 3 gold coins

Rolled 2 (1d12)

>>5454574
>Buy the sword

Rolled 11 (1d12)

>>5454574

>Buy the sword

Bargain down to 2 coins instead! Used goods et al.

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"Three gold coins is a lot of money," Wilhelm said.

"It is a very good sword," the shopkeeper replied. "Were you looking for anything else?"

Wilhelm glanced around and looked at the shopkeeper. "To tell the truth, I was looking for a shield. Perhaps... something with a falcon on it?"

"A falcon?" asked the shopkeeper. "Perhaps I will take two gold coins for the sword."

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The shopkeeper looked around and leaned in close to Wilhelm's ear. "Listen carefully," he whispered. "In the pathless forest east of here, there is a small waterfall, near an ancient ruin. You may find your falcon there."

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"I can smell the swampoose cooking!" Shalina said with delight. "What did the shopkeeper say to you, Wilhelm?"

>Head back to Shalina's wagon and eat
>Look around the market for more deals
>Try to find the waterfall before sundown
>Something else

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

Rolled 9 (1d12)

>>5454715
>>Try to find the waterfall before sundown

>>5454715
How long do we have before sundown?

>>5454715
>Head back to Shalina's wagon and eat

and I can smell your cooch Shalina

Rolled 7 (1d12)

>>5454908

>>5454715
>Try to find the waterfall before sundown

Rolled 11 (1d12)

>>5454990
I hate the trope of pickpockets that steal from you then join your party.

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Rolled 2 (1d12)

>>5454715
>Try to find the waterfall before sundown
>>5454993
And then they try to fuck you.

>>5454993
They steal your heart, Anon.

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Wilhelm looked at Shalina as they left the back gate into the open meadow and asked her, "Shalina, did you really find my purse and steak?"

The maiden looked at Wilhelm and frowned. "I found them lying in the grass near the back gate!"

"I apologize for calling you a thief," Wilhelm said to Shalina.

"I will accept your apology," Shalina said,"if you tell me what the shopkeeper whispered in your ear!"

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Wilhelm led the maiden to the trees where Asphodel grazed and climbed onto the horse's saddle. "I must find a ruin in the forest, and I have no time to spare. Do you know of such a place?"

Shalina nodded and pointed eastward. "There is no trail," she said. "You must find it by following the land as it slopes upward. The ruins are near the highest point. If you hurry, you can make it there and back by sundown." The maiden looked up at Wilhelm. "Are you coming back?"

"When I return," Wilhelm said, "you shall have your dance, as thanks."

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The pathless forest was aptly named, for as Wilhelm found, the roots of the huge trees were as large as cathedral arches. They seemed to grow back as quickly as Wilhelm could slice them away. "Come, Asphodel," he said softly to his horse as he led the beast through the maze of roots. "I hear the sound of water ahead."

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At last the sound of water was unmistakable, and Wilhelm clambered over one final root past the waterfall and stood looking out for a moment.

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Before him was the remains of a pathway and terrace from some ancient structure, worn down to the base by centuries of time and weather. A few carved steps remained unbroken.

As Wilhelm ventured toward the ruin a voice called to him.

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As Wilhelm turned in surprise, a man in full armor leapt forth from his hiding spot and raised his sword into the air. "So, the Dragon Lord has at last sent someone to kill me!" shouted the man. "I knew he would not let me die in peace!"

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

Rolled 5 (1d12)

>>5458087
>"Stay your hand! The Dragon Lord is my enemy too!"

Rolled 4 (1d12)

>>5458087
Try to reason with him.

Rolled 5 (1d12)

>>5458087
"Halt! I do not come in his name, but in the name of a Helmbarte! I hold no love for the Dragon Lord!" try to make peace, but don't let your guard down.

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"Stay your sword!" cried Wilhelm. The young man was no match for the armored soldier, and quickly found himself driven him backward up the stairs. "I am Wilhelm of Helmbarte! I seek to overthrow the Dragon Lord!"

The armored man was implacable. "Liar!" he shouted. "An underhanded trick I would expect from an assassin of the Dragon Lord. The man who killed King Leonard posed as his friend, so why should you act in any other way?"

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The armored man swung his sword again. Wilhelm was driven back even further. He stepped back once more and teetered as his heel began to slip. He glanced backward over his shoulder and gasped.

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Below him, the pit was full of writhing snakes that tangled among each other as they snapped and hissed.

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

Rolled 5 (1d12)

>>5458116
Sneks are friends!

Rolled 10 (1d12)

>>5458116
Try once again to convince him to stop attacking and listen to your tale.

Rolled 8 (1d12)

>>5458116
>Tame the piranha-faced snakes
They might be easier to convince than this tinhead

Rolled 2 (1d12)

>>5458116
>do a sidestep

seriously this pit is not so big

Rolled 1 (1d12)

>>5458116
>"The armorer told me to come here. If I were sent to kill you, I would not have come alone so lightly armed."

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Wilhelm was caught off-guard by the armored man's swing, and fell backward toward the pit of deadly snakes. "The shopkeeper told me to come here!" he cried out in desperation.

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Suddenly, Wilhelm felt a hand grasp his own. The armored man looked down at Wilhelm for a moment as he dangled above the snakes. "That cape..." the armored man said, then pulled him up and onto the stone floor of the ruin. The man looked more closely at the wolfskin cape that Wilhelm wore. "The House of the Wolf would not surrender such a thing," he said to Wilhelm.

"My cape was a gift from Sir Ludolph of the House of the Wolf," Wilhelm said.

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"In the fading light, I could not see it clearly," said the armored man. "My eyes are not as young as they once were." He looked at Wilhelm for a long time, then spoke. "You are from the kingdom of Helmbarte?" he asked. "Why have you come all this way?"

Wilhelm looked down at the ancient stone floor beneath their feet. In the waning light of the setting sun, the armored man saw the anguish on Wilhelm's face. "A maiden named Mirabel," he said. "The most beautiful maiden in all of Helmbarte."

The armored man nodded. "You are to take her to Redgate, so that she may be taken to the Dragon Lord's fortress." Wilhelm looked up at the man and the armored man continued. "Many maidens have passed through Redgate to the fortress of the Dragon Lord. Each year the tribute grows more painful."

"Who are you?" Wilhelm asked the armored man. "You carry the shield of the Falcon, yet I was told that all those of that great house had been killed long ago."

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The man reached up and removed his helmet, and Wilhelm looked with surprise at the face of the Armor Shop's keeper. "I am Petrit, of the House of the Falcon," said the shopkeeper, as he sat down upon the ancient stone step with a sigh. "You are wrong, young Wilhelm of Helmbarte," he said. "Not all those of the House of the Falcon were killed. In his cruelty, the Dragon Lord left alive the lowest footman of the house that had fought beside King Leonard, so that the footman might forever hold the memory of the destruction of the three great houses."

"You are that footman?" Wilhelm asked, and sat down beside the shopkeeper.

"I am," said Petrit. "For fifteen years I have lived with the sight of my compatriots being slain by Egan's men... and the sight of that terrible dragon. For fifteen years I have waited for him to end his cruel courtesy and send me to meet my brothers-in-arms. I have kept my past hidden from the people of Redgate. When you asked about a falcon, I thought you to be an assassin searching for the last of the House of the Falcon." He looked again at Wilhelm. "You seek to overthrow the Dragon Lord?"

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Wilhelm nodded. "The Lady Louve, of the House of the Wolf, told me of the four great staves of power," said the young man. "I seek the Staff of Water, so that I might stand against the witch-queen Hendrika who wields the Staff of Fire."

"You will need more than the Staff of Water to face her dragon," Petrit said to Wilhelm. "The beast has scales of iron. No earthly metal may pierce its hide."

"Surely there must be something that can kill it," Wilhelm said.

"Yes," nodded Petrit. "It is said that the great staves of power may be used to forge a sword, such that it may pierce the dragon's scales."

"How?" asked Wilhelm, for this seemed the answer to the problem that tormented him.

Petrit shook his head. "I do not know," said the shopkeeper, and gestured beyond the ruins. "But it is said that a wizard lives in the deepest part of the pathless forest. If any know, it would be him."

Wilhelm looked up. The sky had begun to redden with the last light of day.

>Return to Redgate with Petrit
>Search the pathless forest for the wizard
>Something else

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

Rolled 8 (1d12)

>>5458734
>Return to Redgate with Petrit
We should come back to look for the wizard tomorrow, going to the forest at night seems like asking for trouble.

Rolled 6 (1d12)

>>5458734
>Return to Redgate with Petrit

Rolled 2 (1d12)

>>5458734
>Search the pathless forest for the wizard

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"We should return to Redgate," said Petrit, and whistled. "The pathless forest is no place for man after nightfall," he said. A moment later a black horse approached from the trees, and Wilhelm saw that it was the same horse he had seen grazing near Gustav's wagon.

"Yes," agreed Wilhelm. "I have one more task yet tonight."

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When Wilhelm returned to Gustav's wagon, he found that they had indeed saved a portion of the swampoose steak for him.

The musician Robert played his instrument, and Wilhelm danced with Shalina as he had promised.

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That night, sleeping on a blanket next to the fire of the traveling-men, Wilhelm thought about what awaited him in the morning.

Wilhelm did not know anything about wizards.

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The next morning at dawn, Wilhelm rose with the others. As he began to pack his saddle, Shalina approached him. "You are not leaving, are you, Wilhelm?" the maiden asked him.

"I have heard that there is a wizard somewhere in the depths of the pathless forest," Wilhelm said to her. "I must see if I can find him right away, before any more time passes.

When Shalina heard this, she protested. "But you only arrived here yesterday!" Shalina took his arm. "I thought we might visit the rest of Redgate today," said the maiden.

"I must return to the keep of the House of the Wolf by sundown," Wilhelm said to her. "I swore that I would do so."

Shalina nodded, for she had learned that Wilhelm sought to always honor his word.

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Wilhelm climbed onto his saddle and rode Asphodel toward the trees. As he neared the pathless forest, he heard the sound of a wagon wheel creak. Wilhelm gently tugged Asphodel's reins and the beast halted. Wilhelm sat in silence and peered through the branches.

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The wagon that Wilhelm had seen outside the back gate soon rolled into view, with a young maiden no older than Lovisa riding atop it. Wilhelm had seen her tending a market stall near where the huntsman's rack of game birds stood. The huntsman himself walked next to the horse.

Wilhelm glanced around. In a moment, the wagon would come into sight.

>Wave them down and ask them about the wizard
>Hide and remain silent until they pass by
>Something else

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

Rolled 12 (1d12)

>>5458944
>Hide and remain silent until they pass by
Everyone we've stumbled upon in the wilderness so far has tried to kill us, so yeah.

Rolled 11 (1d12)

>>5458944
>Hide and remain silent until they pass by
Maybe we can notice something about them while they pass by?

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Wilhelm drew Asphodel back into the trees just as the wagon rounded the bend. The maiden on the wagon looked down at the huntsman. "Jaegar," she asked, "what would you do if the soldiers of the Dragon Lord wanted to take me away like the other maidens?"

"I would carry you back home as quickly as I could," said the huntsman. "Not even the soldiers of the Dragon Lord would be able to find us in the deepest part of the pathless forest."

"Do you think Grandfather Beraht will like the flags I made for the festival?" asked the maiden.

"Fiamette," the huntsman said, and glanced at the maiden. "I have told you before. Never speak his name outside of your home. Spies of the Dragon Lord are everywhere. Even in Redgate."

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When their wagon had passed and Wilhelm was sure they had gone, he led Asphodel out from the trees. Wilhelm looked down at where the wagon had come from, and discovered that the pathless forest was no longer pathless. The wagon wheels had left a trail from the thick morning dew.

"Go, Asphodel," Wilhelm said. "We must follow the trail before the dew has dried!"

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The trail led Wilhelm and Asphodel deeper and deeper into the forest. At last they emerged into a clearing. In front of them was an ancient cathedral, so old that trees had grown up through it to replace the beams that had long since fallen away. Wilhelm dismounted and crept forward. He paused when he heard voices, and ducked behind a tree.

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Wilhelm watched as two men came around the corner of the building. One was wizened and shriveled with age, with a shaggy white beard. In one hand he held a staff of purest white.

The other man was tall, with a missing eye, and Wilhelm saw with surprise that he wore the crest of the House of the Wolf. The man with the missing eye clutched a handful of wildflowers. The pair walked slowly, and Wilhelm saw that the maimed man walked with a limp. "I picked these to give to Fiamette," said the man. "Do you think she will like them?"

The old man looked at the flowers and nodded. "I think she will like them very much," said the old man. "It was kind of you to pick them, Ulfred."

>Introduce yourself to the men
>Keep hidden for now
>Return to the keep of the Wolf
>Something else

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

Rolled 3 (1d12)

>>5459063
>Introduce yourself to the men

Rolled 3 (1d12)

>>5459063
>Introduce yourself to the men
>Seriously, this dragon must have some serious dietary issues if he can't just eat anyone that isn't a maiden.

>>5459063
>Introduce yourself to the men
Show them our cape

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The cape which Ludolph had given to Wilhelm gave the young man confidence, for he was sure that he would be welcomed by the maimed man Ulfred. Wilhelm sheathed his sword. "Hello," he called, as he stepped from the trees into the clearing. "I am Wilhelm of Helmbarte."

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Before Wilhelm could utter another word, Ulfred's remaining eye flared with rage at the sight of the young man. The maimed man dropped the flowers in his hand and let forth a wordless scream.

The old man raised a hand to calm the other. "Ulfred, do not be alarmed! He is only a stranger!"

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Wilhelm took a step back.

"Ulfred, please! Calm yourself!" cried the wizened old man, but to no avail. He could only watch as the maimed man lunged at Wilhelm.

Ulfred's face had become a mask of unthinking anger.

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

Rolled 4 (1d12)

>>5459131
Defend yourself without harming Ulfred and say that you're no foe of theirs, but rather and enemy of the Dragon Lord.
Tell them of your quest and journey, request their help and that you must return to the House of the Wolf today.

Rolled 3 (1d12)

>>5459131
Hugs for our new friend!

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"Stranger!" repeated Ulfred, and clawed at Wilhelm's eyes. "You will not hurt Grandfather!"

"No, wait!" cried Wilhelm. "I seek aid in my fight against the Dragon Lord!" The maimed man fought with reckless fury. Wilhelm feared that he may himself be maimed.

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Before Ulfred could tear out Wilhelm's throat, the young man reached for his sword and swung the hilt against Ulfred's temple. The maimed man gave out a dull cry of surprise and fell limp next to him.

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The wizened old man hobbled to where the two combatants lay on the ground. "Oh, poor Ulfred," he said. "Do not be afraid of him, boy. He will not harm you."

Wilhelm climbed to his feet and looked at the still form of the other man. "I have reason to think otherwise," Wilhelm said.

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The old man shook his head. "Ulfred will not harm you now that he and you have met." Ulfred seemed to stir at the old man's words and Wilhelm stepped backward once more. Ulfred's eye opened and he began to rise. When he saw Wilhelm he bared his teeth and snarled.

"No, Ulfred!" cried the wizened old man. "This is Wilhelm." Ulfred made to lunge to one side, to get around the old man at Wilhelm, but the old man raised his staff. "No, Ulfred," he said, more gently. "This is Wilhelm." Ulfred glanced from the wizened old man to Wilhelm with a surly glare. "Go and make a fire in the hearth," the old man said to Ulfred. When Ulfred remained in place the old man gestured with his staff. "I will join you soon."

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Ulfred slunk off toward the cathedral. The wizened old man turned to Wilhelm. "Why have you come here, boy?"

Wilhelm stood up straight. "I seek aid against the Dragon Lord, to end his rule. No more will he send his army to blight our lands and his dragon to feed on maidens. I have only a short time before I must return to the maiden whom I seek to keep safe."

The wizened old man looked at Wilhelm. "The foul beast does not feed on the maidens, boy." He gestured with his staff into the woods, from where Wilhelm had emerged. "This is a place of peace and healing, and you are just a boy." The old man turned away and began to hobble after Ulfred. "Go back to your home. The Dragon Lord is too strong an enemy for you."

>Try to convince the old man to help
>Head back to Redgate to see Petrit
>Make for the keep of the Wolf
>Something else

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

Rolled 11 (1d12)

>>5459268
>Try to convince the old man to help

Rolled 7 (1d12)

>>5459268
>Try to convince the old man to help

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"I will meet the challenge before me," Wilhelm said. "Someone must stand against the Dragon Lord!"

The wizened old man stopped and turned to face Wilhelm. "Very well, boy. I will answer one question, but only if you guess my name."

"Your name is Beraht," said Wilhelm without pause, for he had heard the name spoken by the maiden in the forest.

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The wizened old man frowned and shook his staff at Wilhelm. "You cheated!" cried Beraht. "Somehow you knew!"

Wilhelm stood up straight again and looked at the old man. "I have answered your question, Grandfather. Now you must answer mine."

Beraht frowned again. "Ask your question, boy."

Wilhelm glanced at the staff held by the old man, and asked, "How may the great staves of power be used to forge a sword, that can pierce the scales of the dragon?"

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The old man frowned until his wrinkled face became even more deeply furrowed. At last he spoke. "In the shadow of the Dragon Lord lies the plain where the final battle was fought between Lion and Dragon. The soldiers of King Leonard guard an ore of black metal that is said to have come from the center of the world." Beraht gestured at Wilhelm with his staff. "Retrieve the black metal, and I shall tell you how to forge your sword."

>Ride Asphodel to the battlefield at once
>Ride to Redgate and ask Petrit to join you
>Ride to the swamp and retrieve Mirabel

Roll a d12 and link to this post for whatever you do, please! To roll, put dice+1d12 in the Options field!

Rolled 11 (1d12)

>>5459362
>>Ride Asphodel to the battlefield at once

>>5459362
>Ride to the swamp and retrieve Mirabel
We promised to go back to the House of the Wolf today.
Besides we can go to Redgate afterwards to get Petrit if we want, and telling Lady Lovisa and the rest of their house about what we learnt here could be useful.

Rolled 8 (1d12)

>>5459362
>>5459366
Forgot my roll.

>>5459362
>Ride to the swamp and retrieve Mirabel
We might not have time to get her by sundown if we go to the battlefield first. We could take her to stay with Petrit in Redgate.

Rolled 8 (1d12)

>>5459382
Rolling

Rolled 4 (1d12)

>>5459362
>Ride to the swamp and retrieve Mirabel

>>5459362
>Ride to the swamp and retrieve Mirabel
>ask Petrit to join you

let's form a proper party instead of riding around like an idiot

Rolled 8 (1d12)

>>5459362
>Ride Asphodel to the battlefield at once
Swords before hoes

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A broad smile swept across Wilhelm's face. "I must return to the keep of the Lady Louve before sundown, but I will return to you soon, and I will have your metal," he said.

"The battlefield lies on your way to the swamp," said the wizened old man. "If you mean to retrieve it, go now. I sense the noose of fate sliding closed around you."

Wilhelm looked toward the cathedral. "That man, Ulfred." The old man nodded and Wilhelm continued. "He wears the crest of the House of the Wolf, yet he did not see this cape as a token of his house."

Beraht gestured toward the woods with his staff. "Fifteen years ago, I found Ulfred at death's door, on the bank of the stream near the waterfall. He has no memories of his life before that day. I have worked to mend his flesh and spirit ever since."

"I shall tell his house of his fate," Wilhelm said, and climbed onto Asphodel's saddle.

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Asphodel raced swiftly from the cathedral toward the road, and soon Redgate was far behind. The land grew rockier and more inhospitable as they neared the battlefield.

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At mid-day they arrived at the mouth of a gorge and crossed into the great desolate plain.