>Like you have a choice

CONT

Well, I haven't go the patience yesterday to end character creation, but I may give you some input today. So, we are now pure tactician or do we go with little scarab mechanisms? Also:

>INSERT COIN
>CONT

>>17299987
>>ARE YOU SURE?
>Y
>N
>Just kidding

You wait impatiently, sitting on a wooden chair as names are called and the sounds of battle fill the backyard. It's entertaining, sure, to watch apprentices blow up fireballs in their own faces or just walk up to the other guy and kick him in the groin while he was chanting the words to his spell. Sitting next to the old Greybeards, you can hear every single one of their annoyed grunts and quiet insults to the students.

Eventually, your name, and that of another, is called to the field of battle.

"HENSSLER, KARLA. HORACE, WILLIAMS."

You and a small, child-like gnome step up to the plate. Before walking over to his end of the battlefield, he offers a hand to shake and says "Good luck! I hope you have fun." As he grins ear to ear.

>SHAKE HANDS WITH ENEMY GNOME?

>>17300020

"Yeah, have fun, little guy!" - and pat him on the head.

We don't want him to deliver touch attack at us, do we?

>>17300008
>>CLASS ABILITIES
>BAG OF TRICKS
>TACTICAL PRECISION
>SPELLCASTING
>AUTOMATON MECHANISMS
>>DISADVANTAGES
>LIMITED MAGIC ITEM USE
>>FEATS
>YOU HAVE YET TO UNLOCK A FEAT!

Just give him a thumbs up. To be safe.

>>17300030
"H-hey!" he says, giggling as you pat him on the head. "May the best wizard win, Miss...Henssler!" He beams broadly and skips over to his end of the field. The field itself is 40 feet long and arranged in the shape of a diamond. There are various small walls that don't quite reach up to your shoulders, but that conceal the gnome quite well with his short height. In addition, there are glass globes everywhere, glowing a soft red.

"READY...." The mages call out, as they shift in color to yellow.
"FIGHT!" They roar, as the lights turn green.

You can hear the gnome scurrying about on the sand as he begins chanting.

>WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>17300055

>RELEASE THE DOGS OF WAR!

...khm...but speaking seriously:

- what are our spellcasting abilities?
- is arena made of sand?
- those globes are only for decoration or are they infused with magic that can be used to obliterate all life in equestria?

>>17300055
>>17300097
>We have entered an endless recursion of time.

>Might as well make the most of it.

Pocket sand, pick up orbs, toss orbs, pick up more orbs, keep tossing. Move forward, punch the shit out of the goblin.

>>17300097
You are of limited spellcasting ability, but, if Randolph is anything to tell you, you seem to be able to find things out about people you've never met by thinking hard. You are also inexplicably resistant to blows, or at least, for a while you are.
Mechanically...

>INT CHECK TO FIND OUT STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES OF THE ENEMY
>CAST FIRST LEVEL SPELLS, IE, MAGIC MISSILE, GREASE, ENTANGLE, COMPREHEND LANGUAGES

You do not have a weapon other than your fists, and are quite weak anyway.

The arena is made of sand, and the globes only magical ability is the changing lights.

rolled 13 = 13

>>17300117
Just out of curiousity, what was that cantrip?
As for the fight, well, if I remember correctly our 'Bag of Tricks' ability allows us to bend spells to our favour, right? I say we do an INT test (I should just roll a d20, right?) to find out what we're up again. Then wait for his spell to cast, so we can subvert it and use his own power against him?

rolled 18 = 18

>>17300139

Let's do this, time to find out if we can live on dickery alone.

>>17300139
Yes, do this. For direct combat, do this >>17300115 though.

>>17300139
The first cantrip you cast, you mean? Prestigitation, to remove water from your clothes.

Bag of Tricks allows you to manipulate spells, changing their shape, negating them completely, or disenchant things with a touch, absorbing their magical ability for later.

You successfully remember the words of the spell he's casting: Magic Missile? You think so.

He finishes the ritual as you pocket some sand and pick up a glass orb, and pops up over a wall with an orb of magical energy in his hand, held like a baseball.

>TAKE AN ACTION, QUICKLY.

rolled 3 = 3

>>17300171
>>17300115
GO GO FALCON PUNCH

rolled 16 = 16

>>17300171
Throw sand into his face.

rolled 9 = 9

>>17300171

Duck behind the wall

>>17300190
You throw a pocketful of sand in his face, and he begins to splutter and cough, and he automatically tries clear the sand from his face...

With the hand holding the magic missile.

It blows up in his face, knocking the little gnome back on his ass, down but not out. He's muttering something while on the sand, pointing his fingers at you.

>ACTION?

rolled 8 = 8

>>17300198
Grapple, armbar, force to surrender.

rolled 8 = 8

>>17300171
Suspected that might've been it, I suggested that yesterday, but didn't stick around to see if it actually got through..
>>17300198
Magic missile. To the face!

rolled 3 = 3

>>17300198

While grappling, let's see if he isn't hurt too much. He seemed nice and we aren't some heartless bitch.

>>17300204
>>17300203
You throw a fizzling little orb of magical energy into his face, knocking him down on the ground as you walk up towards him. He tries to stand back up, but you begin grappling him, twisting his arm behind his back, calling out "WHO'S YOUR DADDY?" over and over until he squeals and admits that, indeed, you are his daddy. The old wizards are rather shocked by your un-mage-like behavior, but as the crying gnome is pulled away, you are handed a small piece of paper and a small bag. The old mage who hands you them winks at you and smiles.

"Didn't know you were on the wrestling team, Karla."

rolled 20 = 20

>>17300212
..now that you mention it, being nice might actually be a good idea.

>>17300219
If you want to be nice, the Gnome is sitting on a bench, nursing his arm and sniffling a bit. Now that you think about it, he wasn't just small for a humanoid, he was small for a gnome. They let kids participate in duels now? You think you may have just twisted the arm of a 12 year old and made him call you his daddy in front of all of his peers.

rolled 20 = 20

>>17300219
What a sad display for a crit. Maybe head over to the gnome, pat on his back and tell him that you're usually nice, but just not in battle?

>>17300228

Goddamn it...

Approach him carefully, bend over a bit to align to his height, correct the strand of her and mutter silently: "H-Hi..."

>implying being tsundere isn't nice

rolled 7 = 7

>>17300229
>>17300219
Double crit. Make it happen, Scribe.

rolled 20 = 20

>>17300249

Forgot to roll

rolled 11 = 11

>>17300253
>>17300229
>>17300219

>>17300249
>>17300229
You walk over and sit down beside him, and say "Uhm, hi..."
He turns to you, his eyes red from crying and still filled a bit with tears.

"Sorry, I guess, for what I did out there. I was uhm, well, a dick. You ok little guy?"

He nods, wiping the tears from his face with a sleeve.
He pushes out his chest and tries to sit up straight with a serious expression on his face. "I-I'm not gonna let that stop me! I'll do better next time. I'm gonna beat you!" he says, trying to sound as confident as possible through a cracking voice.

>>17300270

Hug the fuck out of him.

rolled 8 = 8

>>17300270
WORTHY OPPONENT GET

Pat him on the head, tell him to better man up before challenging you again .

Then in twenty years, when we are pic related, the epic showdown.

>>17300290
You give the kid a tight hug, and then offer a nonchalant high-five. He takes the opportunity to hi-five you hard enough to make your hand sting. He seems to have stopped crying, and is smiling. "So uh, Karla, right? That's the name they called out?"
You nod.
"What prize did you get?" He says, pointing to the leather bag still in your left hand.

Check on your spoils of war!

Opening the small leather satchel, you find a blue glass bead that glows slightly from within, some gold coins, some chocolates, and a picture of the Arch-Mage Sandat. Man, he's so cool, and his sideburns are totally amazing and not stupid like everyone else says. He braids them and puts rings in his sideburns like dwarves do with their beards.

So cool.

The paper that came with is an invitation to the next round of the event, tomorrow morning, same place, same time. You've been given the number "3B".

rolled 16 = 16

>>17300349
(you should demand rolls or something when you want us to choose)

Show the little kid, ask him if he wants to come, then head off to find another job to do.

>>17300349

Nice. Let's eat some chocolates with gnome, ask him what is he going to do now and then let's find some place to stay for tomorrow.

>>17300374
>>17300367
You sit and eat from the small pile of cheap chocolates with the gnome, and eventually you ask him what he plans on doing.
"I wanna be an Archmage! I want to be a hero like they are, helping people and killing monsters." It's hard to take him seriously when he's got chocolate smeared around his mouth like that, but you nod in agreement with him that his dreams are totally ballin'.

Eventually, the pile of chocolates are finished.

"Well, I gotta get going for now. Be here tomorrow at the same time."

He waves goodbye as you walk off with loot in hand. You recall that the Kings Own are still looking for a translator and mage for their investigation of disturbances around a local tomb.

It is almost Noon.

rolled 11 = 11

Eat kid and take the chocolate as our companion.

Wait...

Yes, be the tomb raider! Adventure awaits! Also money.

rolled 7 = 7

>>17300423
Go to the Kings, Kings rule.

>>17300423

Ok, let's skip on a lunch because of chocolates and go try to find this translator job, might be a nice thing, learning history was one subject that was nearly enjoyable in magic academy. Or was it a teacher. Nevermind, let's head there while oogling shiny glass bead.

rolled 2 = 2

>>17300480

Yeah, I always forget about rolls.

>>17300466
>>17300455
They said to just show up at their camp outside of the tombs. Old, Orcish affairs from before the war, they've long ago been abandoned. As you walk up to the handful of tents they have strewn about, a tall Elven woman wearing full-plate stops you in your place.

"And what, exactly, is your business here? We aren't a charity." She says, looking down at your rather hobo-like clothing. You are suddenly acutely aware of how long it's been since you changed clothes, or even had a bath. You aren't the most reputable looking figure in the world.

>ACTION?

rolled 9 = 9

>>17300503
Roll to stare hard and find out stuff.

>>17300526
A name comes to mind. "Pamela Terksdottir." No other pertinent information.

rolled 12 = 12

>>17300503

Try to speak to her in all obscure words from obscure language that we have learned (or not) and then switch to common "...is this dimension the proper one? Do you understand me, elf? I apologize, since traveling through multiverse left me perplexed by your realm. I've heard that you seek guidance in deciphering mysteries that lie before you... "


...or something like that. Simply mindfuck her.

rolled 4 = 4

>>17300572
Do that, but explicitly use her name gained from here:>>17300558

>>17300572
Babbling inchorently in one of the many dead languages drilled into your head, you then switch to common, using what you believe to be her actual name.

She looks incredibly perplexed.

"How do you know my name? I've never met you before...you know what, nevermind. Can you cast a spell?"

You nod.

"Can you translate runes?"

You nod again.

"Then I don't care HOW crazy you are.If you enter the tunnels, we'll give you a fourth of the money up front, the rest delivered once we clear out the infestations and you can translate the cipher they use for the puzzle. Crazy bastards locked up the treasure room something fierce, we've got someone who says he can solve any puzzle as long as we give him the words. Don't know why whoever built the place didn't just use a lock and key, but eh."

rolled 3 = 3

>>17300625
Do it.

>>17300662
Do what?

rolled 9 = 9

>>17300625
Take job, spend some coin on a new outfit. Maybe some gear?

rolled 13 = 13

>>17300686
Armored gauntlets for punching stuff, stab vest of some kind, simple robe, knee protectors. I presume we have boots already. Then go and do that job.

rolled 16 = 16

>>17300676

Ask to make you some rough sketch of the tunnels and what is inside. We have to now everything, where everything is EVERYTHING.

"I'll do it, but I need to buy some gear first. I can't go in with just the clothes on my back, right?"
She nods in agreement.
"Talk to Wilhelm, he's got some crap you can buy." She points over to a fat Dwarven man smoking a pipe, who seems to have set up a stall full of old junk, bits and ends, and clothing.
"Do you have any maps of the tunnels?" you ask.
"Talk to Wilhelm."

You take the hint, and walk over to the dwarfs stall. He looks up at you, before going back to stuffing his pipe full of tobacco.

"Wilhelm, is it?" You ask, looking around for things to wear.
He grunts in affirmation.
"What's in the tunnels?"

He gets off his seat, and flips open a dog-eared notebook. "Let's see, let's see..." he mutters. "Traps, some reports of ghosts, an old legend about a demon, some venemous snake nests we haven't cleared out yet, slimes..." He shakes his head at the last part. "Hate slimes. They get in everywhere, y'know? Never feel clean again."

You nod, holding up a pile of clothing that you had selected while he talked. "How much will this be?"

"Eh, 5 pieces for the lot. And I'll throw in a torch, if yer going into the tunnels. Last I checked, humans can't see in the dark."

>ACTION?

rolled 9 = 9

>>17300788
See in the dark. Just because.

The head to that dude who's supposed to be able to decipher anything.

rolled 12 = 12

>>17300816
*Then

>>17300816
Handing over the coin and receiving the clothes and torch in return, you ask him where the supposed savant is.

"Ach, Roberts? I needed to talk to him anyway. Come with me then."
Following the dwarf over to a tent, you wait outside as the dwarf drags a skinny human with brown hair out of bed.
"UP AND AT EM, TIME TO EARN YER KEEP." He shouts into the mans ear, as he drags him to his feet.

Roberts remains quiet, and simply rubs his eyes. "Wilhelm, what's that homeless person doing here?"

rolled 6 = 6

>>17300788
Haggle down to four, but buy it all. We don't need the torch anyway, we have MAGIC.
Then the deciphering dude should be paid a visit.

>>17300788

Let's buy or make with bought ingredients Alkali Flask that will keep oozes from us. Don't bath, we'll do it after going out of the tunnels. Try to buy/ask for map, some paper and chalk (to copy runes and pictographs) and then go to the man that know how to decipher...things.

Oh, and exchange some coins to silver ones, we can always throw them at demons/devils.

rolled 15 = 15

>>17300907

Roll

rolled 1 = 1

>>17300897
>>17300906
>>17300907
Oh irony.

rolled 20 = 20

>>17300897
Oh, late..
Find a place to change? Resume conversation afterwards.

>>17300914
Finding an empty tent to change in, you return to Wilhem and Roberts standing impatiently.

"So, you're the translator?" Roberts says, in a monotone voice.
"That's about the gist of it.

"Well then. I hope you can take care of yourself, because we're going in to the tunnels in half an hours time. Anything you need to do before we go in? LIke, say, bathe?"

rolled 18 = 18

>>17300968
Later, after the tunnels.
Ask for any maps they might have, memorise them completely.

rolled 14 = 14

>>17300968
Say that, yes, you want to take a bath. Make him lead you there, then invite him in. Use your 16 charisma.

>>17300968
"if there are slimes in there, it'd be kinda pointless to bathe. although it would be nice..."

do/did we get a weapon to defend ourselves with? like a dagger or something?

rolled 14 = 14

>>17300994
*grumbles something about rolling dice*

>>17300994
>>17300984

"It would be nice to bathe, but Wilhelm said there were slimes in the tunnel. Would be rather pointless, don't you think?"

He grimaces. "If you don't mind feeling filthy..."

"Oh Wilhelm, can I get something to defend myself with? A dagger, maybe some salts?"

He bites his lip, before removing 2 vials from his belt and a dagger from his backpack.

"If you haven't used or broken them, I want them back when we're done. Unless you don't mind paying me another gold piece for the both of them, with some change left over."

"Can I get the change in silver coins?"

"Aye, aye, if you want."

>BUY DAGGER/SALTS, GET SILVER COINS?

rolled 7 = 7

>>17300984

This and this >>17300907

rolled 1 = 1

>>17301011
Do it. Seduce him a little on the side.

rolled 6 = 6

>>17301011
>buy dagger
>ask for map
>read said map

rolled 4 = 4

>>17301035

Fuck you.

OP, yes, let's make these preparations and speed up our journey!

rolled 5 = 5

>>17301059
I only wanted to get some intersocial in this thread! That 16 CHA gotta be good for something.

Testing, because I feel like joining the story

>>17301078

It's for commanding armies.

>>17301078
>>17301078
1. to be fair you did roll a critical failure (do you house rule these?)
2. this can easily turn bad on 4chan.

>>17301099

dice+1d20 in e-mail field. You have it in sticky.

You purchase the dagger and salts, placing them in convenient little pockets in your new clothes.

"We got a map of the tunnels?"
He sighs, and pulls out a beer-stained, folded up sheet of parchment. Crudely sketched is the general layout of the tunnels as discovered thus far. It isn't much work to memorize them, as they only branch off in two places.
Once done, he shoves the map rudely back into a pocket. A bell rings, and the Elven woman strides up to all of you.

"You all ready? We're heading in now, just the four of us."

>Are you ready?

>>17301113
for the most part, yes. I think there's no other preparation that can be done unless you need time to prepare spells, in which case I say wait untill you do

>>17301113
as ready as we can be on such short notice

lets head down to the tunnels!

>>17301131
hopefully this roll works...

rolled 2 = 2

I swear, this will work eventually.
>>17301131
>>17301113

>>17301132
"I'm ready." You pipe up, patting your newfound weapons. She raises an eyebrow at your tiny dagger. She seems to have found a very large sword while she was gone, but she leaves it in the sheathe as she leads you over to the tombs. Placed between two dilapidated buildings, the tombs were revealed when the house built on top of it finally collapsed into the upper levels of the ruins. The debris has been cleared, and most of the dirt shovelled away. You climb down a rope ladder into the ruins. Wilhelm dons a helmet with a thin spike on top of it, lighting a candle and placing it on. Roberts holds up a torch, and you can see that he looks rather uncomfortable.

The elf points to a doorway, and leads you down it. The tunnels seem to have been carved roughly, and Wilhelm shows his distate for the crafstmanship.

Eventually, you come to a crossroads.

The dwarf pulls out the map again, and whispers to the rest of you.

"Right, to the left is unexplored, but to the right we know there are some traps that we couldn't figure out how to disarm. Which one?"

rolled 13 = 13

>>17301191
Go towards the traps, the other side is boundto be trapped even worse. Throw stones, try to 'feel' the traps with your magic.

rolled 19 = 19

>>17301191
Travel down the unexplored path

ADVENTURE HO

>>17301191

Let's keep to the minimum suicidal actions - take known path and known traps, unexplored will wait until we figure out the dungeon.

rolled 6 = 6

>>17301245

again, forgot my roll

>>17301220
"Well, if the other path ends up being worse, we can always just double-back?"

The others shrug, and Pamela begins walking down the unexplored path, drawing her sword. As you walk down the tunnel, you're convinced you can hear something scurrying in the darkness, but every time you or one of the others turns to check, you don't see anything.

Eventually you come to a door, and behind it, you think you can hear something moving.

>ACTION?

rolled 13 = 13

>>17301275
check for symbols, anything that might give us a clue as to what is behind it

rolled 20 = 20

>>17301275
Perception check and Create light.
scurrying could be dire rats, or worse.

rolled 3 = 3

>>17301291

this and try to find out what are those sounds. INT check for tactics.

>>17301298
Creating an orb of light, you feel something drip on to your head, splashing slightly. A chittering noise can be heard from above, and as you look up, you see what was illuminated by the light. A spider the size of a dog, with the face of a blue-skinned elf, mouth distended by massive, venom dripping fangs. It sprays Roberts with webbing from it's abdomen, pinning him to the ground.

>ACTION?

>>17301341
Throw a rock at it. When it falls down to the floor, get on top of it and stomp it till it's dead. Wrestle if necessary.

rolled 16 = 16

>>17301355
Rollan.

rolled 10 = 10

>>17301341

Magic missle in the leg, maybe it will fall down and stun itself.

>>17301361
You pick up a rock and throw it at the Spider, hitting it in the face. It drops down to the ground, but dodges you and Pamelas attempts to squish it. It scurries off into the tunnels behind you, going up towards the upper levels.

rolled 8 = 8

>>17301393
Deweb roberts and reprimand him for being useless.

rolled 8 = 8

>>17301393
Pragmatism FTW. Do this >>17301399, then head deeper into the cave.

>>17301399
>>17301411

Pulling the webs off of Roberts, you chide him.

"Really, Roberts. You could have at least waved your torch at it or something."
"I was hit before I knew it was there!" he complains.

The only way to head deeper is through the door. Investigating the runes on the door, you translate them with some difficulty.

"Beware" "Danger" "Prisoner.", repeated over and over.

A crude carving of a fanged figure with bat wings is in the middle of the stone door.

rolled 15 = 15

>>17301430
It's a Pandora's schmuck bait in the middle of an orc tomb. Tell Pamela that shit is dangerous and they better not open this door if they dont want a demon chewing on their necks.

rolled 11 = 11

>>17301446

After reminding them again about murderous machine that is hidden behind the doors, head back to the known part of the dungeon, being alert of the spider that is lurking in the shadows.

rolled 8 = 8

>>17301430
investigate further.
turn back if it seems dangerous, there's no time limit and you're free to check out the other passage now to save a possible fight

>>17301460
>>17301399
"So? What does it say?" Pamela asks, pointing to the runes.
"Bad stuff. Say's there's a demon prisoner behind the walls. Let's just head back, no need to have a demon biting our necks off."

She nods, and Wilhelm marks that down on the map.

"We'll have to come back eventually and clear this out, eventually. If you want to help, we'll pay you extra." She says, as you begin heading back down the other path. The spider you previously encountered is no where to be seen, and you come to the fork again quickly.

>Return to Surface
>Go down trap filled corridor

rolled 11 = 11

>>17301532
go down the other corridor, and re-illuminate your light the second you hear some scurrying

remind your comrades to keep vigil, they didn't slay the spider when it first appeared

>>17301546

Ask them in mean time what kind of traps have they identified

rolled 12 = 12

>>17301546
Thats the spirit. Also, get another rock handy and enchant it with something explosive or stunning.

Sorry guys, family happened, gonna take a 5 minute break and start up on this again. Alright?

>>17301703

No problemo.

>>17301703
Why do you need to start up again when its only going to take 5 minutes? Just go on, its alright.

>>17301723
Have to wait for my nose to stop dripping blood on the keyboard

>>17301723
wat

>>17301762

It's only proper for DM to slice his wrists and make pact with demon outsiders to punish his players.

Moving forward into the corridor, you idly ask what traps have been identified.

Wilhelm checks the map again.

'Lot of tripwires that we don´t know are connected to. They´re like spiderwebs, they´re EVERYWHERE, and we don´t know if any of them are connected to anything or not.'

You do not hear any scurrying, but you come up to the first identified trap. Series of holes in the wall, arrow tips poking from them. The floor ahead has a few depressions in it, triggered by unlucky explorers, their corpses still lying on the ground.

>Action?

rolled 2 = 2

>>17301810
Stand back, keep tossing rocks until all traps have been triggered. Then proceed through tunnels.

>>17301819
aw hell naw

>>17301810

Let's roll for Perception/INT to try to figure out where are traps placed and where they can connect. If this fails, lets take one arrow using Mage Hand and with it cut the strings.

rolled 15 = 15

>>17301837

Roll for it

>>17301837
>>17301843
You notice that the triggered floor-plates all are missing their lower right corners. Walking across on the whole plates, you manage to get across with little difficulty, only the clumsiness of Roberts setting off an arrow that bounced off of Pamelas armor.

>>17301883
Give Roberts a HARD STARE. (rollan one dice for Knowledge Gaze)

Then explore the new area you've discovered.

(also get well soon OP)

rolled 14, 10 = 24

>>17301902
Forgot the dice. First for hard stare, second for exploran.

>>17301913
The only thing revealed by a closer look is his fear of spiders and disaste for fish.

But as you explore on ahead, you encounter a large, pentagonal room filled with books and a large, wooden chest. There are two doors, one open, the other closed. Both are made of wood.

'Wait a minute, this isn´t on the map...' Wilhelm mutters.

rolled 11, 7 = 18

>>17301945
Hmmm....
First, check for traps. Then check out the books and what they are about.

rolled 16 = 16

>>17301945

What do you mean by it? - woman asks, glancing over covers of books and taking one to see the contents.

>>17301986
'Look, it´s not on the map. Right after the arrows, there´s supposed to be a staircase downwards, and then a crossroads. This isn´t on the map.' he says, sounding frustrated as he pokes at the map.

You take a random book from one of the bookcases, and begin reading. It seems to be a journal kept by a mage who made this room his home. He talks about how he bound a demon to do his bidding, but began worrying that his control was slipping.

The last page ends mid sentence, talking about how 'She is coming.'

rolled 12 = 12

>>17302071
Now does the 'she' refer to the demon or to someone unrelated, like his evil boss?

Roll for read more books, find out how to control the demon if possible. Also send Roberts to open the chest.

(If we could bind it to us, that would be awesome since we're basically a buffmaster and s/he'd be the first permanent member in our party)

>>17302100
Flipping through more of the journals, easy to find as they are all bound in bright red leather, you discover his ritual for binding the demon. Unfortunately, the books are decayed. Knowledge of the form, purpose, and location of the demon are unobtainable. Roberts opens up the chest by himself, but all that´s inside is a crushed skeleton with broken bones in wizards robes.

'The skeleton´s got bite marks on it...' Roberts points out.

rolled 5 = 5

>>17302071

"Tsk, tsk...that's indeed puzzling, my dear" - wizard answers without worry, deeply immersed in well-thumbed journal. - "Let's pause here for a minute or two, I'd like to look around some more"

...and then proceed to scout the room, maybe casting some Detect Magic and Identification to sense if it's possible that we somehow entered some other sub-dimension or not-activated mechanism that changes passages.

>>17302155

Damnation >>17302149

"Wh-what? What do you mean...then, if the demon breaked through the wizard control...WHAT is in that closed room?!

>>17302196
'No idea, princess. How about we check?' Pamela says, unamused. Wilhelm checks behind the open door.

'Just a whole bunch of orc skeletons, looks like they´ve been cracked open for their marrow. Got bite marks all over them too.'

rolled 5 = 5

>>17302196
It's the demon. Probably some magical failsafe that didn't work as intended.

>>17302234
Check the room for exits

>>17302251

The room has no exits save the door you came in through. You can either continue or go back.

rolled 6 = 6

>>17302234

We spit out angrily hearing the words of Pam, but then add calmly "Be on your guard, whatever killed them may still be somewhere around - and I don't think that spider we previously encountered could have done such a thing"

rolled 17 = 17

>>17302290
Check the room for loot, nab anything you like (stealthily), then go back the way we came from.

What? If we keep doubling back, we won´t get paid. I say we advance onwards, bind the demon if we encounter it, and do our job.

>>17302339
>>17302348
What would you guys prefer to do?

Let's roll and take book with the description of ritual with us.

I'm >>17302401 and I support >>17302348

rolled 9 = 9

>>17302394
Well, I meant, when there is no way onwards and the only way to continue is opening the door that invariably leads to some demon munching on us then I'd say better back out.

BUT FUCK THAT, YOU WANT DUMBASS QUESTING ADVENTURE RIGHT

YEAH, LETS STICK OUR HEAD DOWN THE LIONS GULLET

In all seriousness, best thing would be letting THEM open the door while we stand back, ready to make a run for it. When the demon comes, run away through the boobietrapped corridor so that the demon eats fuckhueg amounts of arrows. Then kill it if its weak or run away if its not.

>>17302437
Pamela draws her blade, Wilhelm arms a crossbow, and Roberts is told to open the door. He pulls the door back ever so slowly, to reveal...

A corridor, leading onwards into the darkness. It smells awful, a hideous stench billowing out to almost physically smack you in the face. Everyone spends a few seconds retching before the smell clears.

The hallway seems to have unlit torches set in the walls at regular intervals, and is carved much more expertly than previous corridors.

>>17302532
Light the torches as you advance. Stay at the back of the group.

>>17302566
Advancing onwards, the corridor winds ever downwards. You stay at the back of the group, lighting the torches as you go along, trying to stay safe. Eventually, the spiraling corridor takes on a slimy, almost organic sheen, water dripping from the ceiling. At the end of it is a large room , spherical in shape. A door is set at the bottom.

Wilhelm splutters. 'This is th´damn room! We just need to translate the runes, solve the puzzle and we´ll be RICH!'

rolled 6 = 6

>>17302612
"How rich?" The mage asks as she leans down to inspect said runes.

rolled 9 = 9

>>17302612
"What about that demon?"


Hey can someone tell me what it is exactly that will make us rich when we translate th runes?

rolled 12 = 12

>>17302612
Check the area carefully for traps, then try the puzzle.

>>17302625
'Well, rich enough. The legends speak of a great treasure down here, fit for a king.' He goes on and on about how he´ll buy a tavern with his share, and then go on to open a chain of businesses, and so on and on.

The runes, the claimed 'Puzzle', is actually a complicated math problem. Translating them for Roberts, he begins to work on solving it. He says it´ll take him a few minutes.

Anything you´d like to do while you wait?

rolled 14 = 14

>>17302668
BACK THE FUCK OFF. Check out the room further, then move closer towards the exit when it seems like the guy is done with the puzzle.

>>17302668

I want to solve it on my own. Is it something from calculus or topology?

rolled 11 = 11

Goddamnit, that dwarf shouldn't go on about how he'll retire. It's like painting a giant bullseye on your chest

I guess it would be good to prepare some protection spells before we solve it and enter, because shit will go down.

What if the wizard was regicidal?
A treasure fit for a king from a repressed court wizard would be death.

>>17302687
Complicated by their standards, not our own. It´s basic shit 2/46(-13), the like.
>>17302680
Backing away from the man as he finishes the puzzle, you hover around the exit. There are pictures painted on the walls, of a great battle against a wizard and his demon by the Orcish hordes. It ends with the demon being imprisoned, the wizard slain.

As Roberts fiddles with the lock, pressing stone tablets down in sequential order, the hatch in the bottom of the room opens up. A small, wooden chest the size is hauled out by Wilhelm, and he opens it gingerly.

"What´s this..." he says, picking up a small, glass cube out of the box. It has a small rose in the center, captured and unaging.

He tosses it aside, and begins picking up the golden ingots out of the chest. He takes a knife and scores one.

Piling the ingots to the side of him, he pulls out fine cloths, urns, and a necklace with a fine, red gem set in it.

"Right, who wants what?"

>>17302785
Our magic item-using abilities suck, but PRETTY JEWELRY SO CUUUUUUTE

>>17302785
"Can we have that and the rose?"
A girl's got ta look pretty

rolled 3 = 3

>>17302785
Red gem necklace and the rose.

rolled 16 = 16

>>17302785
sense magic

>>17302812
>>17302795
He hands you the rose cube and the necklace, along with 2 ingots of gold.

They divide the rest amongst themselves.

As you hold the necklace, you hear a voice in the back of your head.

"So...hungry..."

rolled 3 = 3

>>17302883
".... for pretzels?"

>>17302902
"Do you have any?" The voice asks, suddenly inquisitive.

>>17302883
Ah crap, we got the deamon

>>17302932
"Just one at the moment, and it's honestly a little stale, but I could probably find some more if you want."

>>17302936
Pretzel demon.

I can live with this.

rolled 1 = 1

>>17302932
Give it all out lunch, for it is nice enough to ask.

"Erm, I don´t have anything on me at the moment, but how exactly would I get you anything?"

The voice answers quickly.

"Letmeoutletmeoutletmeout. Break the gem!"

>>17303002
"But what if you try to hurt me or my friends?"

rolled 1 = 1

>>17303002
Only if you promise to be nice! And you'll have to share with the goblin!

>>17302987
>>17303025
The fuck, I roll two citfails after another.

>>17303002
"erm... what kind of demon are you, exactly? and how do i know , if a break this gem, that you won't try to kill me?"

>>17303007
"Don´t wanna hurt. Just wanna eat. If you let me eat, I´ll..."

The voice trails off.

"Do something really nice for you! Or if you make sure I can always eat, I´ll always do nice things for you!"

"Well, what kind of demon are you? And how do I know if I break this gem that you won´t try to kill me?"

"I am a NICE demon and that is how you know I won´t try to kill you."

rolled 4 = 4

>>17303069
And what exactly do you eat?

>>17303069
"I don't know, I'm not exactly sure if I c an trust that. I saw the wizards bones."

>>17303069
i... don't think we should break the gem... at least not here/now. maybe later...

rolled 10 = 10

>>17303069
Tell it to wait a little. Cash in, leave camp, buy food, go to secluded place, talk. /Then/ think about opening it up.

>>17303086
>>17303091

"And what exactly do you eat?"

"Uuuuuhm...anything that fits!" it says rather cheerily.

"I...don´t think I can trust you. I saw the wizards bones."

"I wouldn´t have left bones!"

rolled 20 = 20

>>17303114
>I wouldn´t have left bones!
You are not a very clever demon, aren't you?

>>17303114
"Then...if you didn't kill the wizard, who did?"

"...hey guys. I think we should definately go now. This necklace is talking to me and I think I need to go buy food."

rolled 15 = 15

>>17303148
NO NO NO, no spilling the beans! This is our demon, they'd steal it.

>>17303114
How much do you eat?

>>17303148
"No idea!" it says happily
"Then...how much do you eat on a day to day basis?"
"Well, I don´t NEED to eat but I like to eat...lots! Lots and lots and lots."

>>17303204
"I think for the moment it's better if you stay where you are. Maybe I'll let you out later and get food for you. Do you have a name?"

>>17303204
You better restrain yourself sister. Tell me more about yourself and your past, I'll tell you about me in return.

(KEEP HER BOTTLED UP. Tomorrow in the tournament, we shatter that stuff if we're about to lose and have no other way out. Basically, Heaven Or Hell.)

>>17303281
What? No! We'll research the thing, not just smash it. THe last thing we need is to release some sort of ancient evil on the world because we didn't want to loose a game.

>>17303281
sounds like an extreme method, but doable.

i winder how the mages will react to suddenly having a demon in their midst...

>>17299963
Thanks for nothing OP, now you've gone and made me reinstall Dominions 3. Back to crack addict status.

rolled 20 = 20

>>17303281
Roll. But add that we research this thing a little.

>>17303271
>>17303281
(Sorry for the delay, had some trouble finding the Dimon Ost to spread on my bagels. Haven´t eaten all day)
"I don´t trust you enough to let you out right now. But maybe, MAYBE sometime later. Do you have a name?"

"Oh, oh, I know this one, I know this one! Uhm...was it Sarah? Or Zaziel? Or maybe it was Jim."

You let the necklace demon continue guessing while you stuff it in a pocket.

rolled 3 = 3

>>17303384
Oh come on. Put the necklace on. Then get our payment.

>>17303393
>>17303384
No don't put it on. Just get out of that creepy vault already and thank your new found friends

rolled 8 = 8

>>17303409
It could buff us, we have basically no proper combat skills. Maybe the essence of the demon strenghtens us or something. That's worth it, I believe. Even if we BAD END, lesson learned, right?

>>17303409
"Thanks, guys." You say to your companions. They mumble words of thanks for you part in discovering the treasure they were now squabbling over.

You make your goodbyes and start heading up, alone, through the dungeon.

You hear a skittering, insectile noise again...

rolled 1 = 1

>>17303449
PUT THE NECKLACE ON
GRAB A ROCK
GET READY

>One day, you will be a god. One day the legend of your divinity will spread to eve
This is how far I let you talk before I quit. This shit is gay.

rolled 16 = 16

>>17303457
FFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUU
REROLLAN

Oh god, what are you fucks doing.

rolled 13 = 13

>>17303467
I never read OP's post and still am massively enjoying myself. We're playing a Tactical Genius, but the two times we've been in actual combat we've a) tossed sand into some guys face b) armbarred the shit out of him c) tossed a rock at a spider with an elf's face d) nearly stomped it to bits.

CREEED FTW.

You pick up a rock with your hand not holding a torch, and prepare yourself for COMBAT. You continue walking forward, slowly, turning around at every noise you hear, until, eventually...

Make a roll.

rolled 8 = 8

>>17303510
ROLL

>>17303519
You fail to notice the spider until it wraps itself around your face, chittering madly.

WHAT DO

rolled 1 = 1

>>17303542
Jab torch into its back, club it with the rock.

rolled 3 = 3

>>17303542

Pry it off of our face!

>>17303560

rolled 2 = 2

>>17303560
>>17303570
what have you done !?!

yell for help!

>>17303580
we are so fucked

rolled 6 = 6

>>17303542
Proceed to fuck that bitch up with our torch.

rolled 6 = 6

>>17303560
>>17303570
>>17303580
>>17303587
AAARGH REROLLAN AS THE ORIGINAL 1 ROLLER

>>17303570
>>17303560
>>17303580
In a spectacular display of ineptitude, you attempt to pry it off your face, but are too weak to do so. Then, when you try to jab it with your torch, you end up smacking yourself in the face as it leaps off just in time. Finally, you try to yell for help through a mouthful of blood, but can only mumble and drool red spittle through a numb jaw.

The spider is laughing at you.

rolled 7 = 7

>>17303599
Hahaha, you suck

rolled 5, 9 = 14

>>17303605
Use tactical precision

Cast glitterdust to make the many-eyed spider fall on his ass so we can stab his shit

rolled 10 = 10

>>17303605
Toss sand into the spider's face.
Then.
Put on the necklace. Do it. Hulk out and smush.

rolled 16 = 16

>>17303605
Oh fuck that spider.

I try and light it on fire.

rolled 7 = 7

>>17303605
Unleash the deamon

>>17303624
You throw a cloud of glittering dust into the spiders eyes, and its shrieks of laughter turn into shrieks of pain as it begins rolling around on the floor. You walk up to it and stab it with your dagger, and green ichor sprays into your face. The spider curls up in death around your hand.

rolled 10 = 10

It's.
A.
Spider.
It's not even remotely dangerous and you're ready to BREAK OUR GODDAMNED JEWELRY?
Seriously, get your priorities straight.

rolled 16 = 16

>>17303658
GET IT OFF GET IT OFF

Betcha our demon necklace that its poisonous.

rolled 1 = 1

>>17303666
Not break, put on. I bet becoming Cata-chan is hardly bad.

rolled 6 = 6

>>17303668
>poisonous
>in any way dangerous if sprayed on us

You're looking for toxic. Perhaps venomous.

If it was poisonous it'd only be dangerous if we ate it.

>>17303682
Sorry that english isn't my first language. Still, my point stands.

>>17303668
You pry the dead spider off of your hand with your free hand, as your jaw begins to feel painful and swollen. Once free, you wipe your face clean of the ichor on a sleeve.

The spider-elf creature looks somewhat small, and pathetic in death.

rolled 8 = 8

>>17303695
...
No it doesn't.
Ichor isn't toxic or acidic.
No danger at all.
OP, how about we feed the spider to the demon?

>>17303708
We've found demon's lunch. Take it with us. Head out.

>>17303714
I meant that it would bite our hand in death.

>>17303714
If you want to free the demon right there in the tunnels, sure.

>>17303708

We'd have to leave this damned place as fast as possible and find someone who can treat our wounds. I hope also that we won't get poisoned or that our face won't be scarred or anything...also, if we get fever by night, it would be night impossible to be in tomorrows tournament!

So - get the fuck out of dungeon, go outside, find proper medical care and wash yourself.

rolled 9 = 9

>>17303723
Oh, sorry.
Yeah, let's not release the demon. Just pack up the spider in a doggy bag or a doggy bag equivalent.

>>17303724
Noo, do it later when we're safe.

rolled 19 = 19

>>17303738

And roll

>>17303738
Leaving the dungeon, you go to the local healer. A rather pudgy priestess by the name of Jessie, she inspects your wounds.

"How did you do this to yourself? Did you hit yourself in the face with a torch?" she asks, clucking her tongue disapprovingly. She prepares a poultice and lays it on your face, and you already begin to feel better as it soaks into the burn.

"Leave that there for an hour, and leave whenever you feel ready. And I know you don´t have the money Karla, so this one´s free, as long as you help out tomorrow evening in the kitchen."

>RESPONSE?

>>17303783
"...alright, 'ill help out." we don't have anything to pay her with, so yeah... and it gives us the opportunity to steal some food for feeding the demon, when/if we summon it."

>>17303783
Sure. Kitchen. Right. Thing. Alright. Thanks, Jessie.

>>17303821
>>17303833
"Yeah, yeah, I´ll help out tomorrow. Of course. "
After an hour, she removes the poultice from your face. The swelling and pain has been relieved considerably.

"Now Karla, promise me you won´t get into any further trouble?" She says, in a worried tone. "You´re always doing something silly."

>>17303897

"Hahaha, what ya say, old lady? Me and trouble? Naaah...I have everything under control and I feel tomorrow is my big chance! Pretty thanks!' - kiss on the forehead and sprint to the exit. We can afford now some good food, bath and sleep!

rolled 15 = 15

>>17303926

...I always forget about the dice

>>17303926
"Old! What, I´ll have you know I´m not even 30!" she says as you rush out the door. It´s night time now, and snow is beginning to fall again. Where do you go?

>>17303981

>have you forgotten your trip?

"I watch out the snow falling, grinning to myself for no reason. Today was a good day, although a bit painful. Oooh, and I totally need a bath - let's see...maybe we'll go to some good inn? The one that can warm water for our tub and give us extra blanket? W-wait.. " - woman puts hastly her hand into pocket and takes a handful of coins, calculating them hurriedly "Mhm...one, two..five.."

>>17304030
Fuck, forgot to put it back on after posting on /co/.

You have 17 gold coins, and 7 silver coins, more than a months honest wage for your average labourer.

You know that damnable dwarf, Nicholson Browstone runs an honest inn where you can buy a bath for the same price as your room.

However, that would eat up almost half of the money you have, as you have yet to get the ingots converted to coin.

rolled 18 = 18

>>17304070

I'd say we'll go today a bit crazy, what do you think guys?

>>17304100
what do you have in mind?

ale and whores? in our bath...

>>17304118

Eh, now, now, we are respectable young lady...let's say a huge chunk of cheese and some good wine. Maybe something to treat skin too...

>>17304100
>>17304118
What do you have in mind?

Gonna grab a drink real quick, make up your minds while I´m gone please.

>>17304166

I opt for this, but I seem to be alone in this thread now...of course, don't let it discourage you, OP, you have here pretty sweet adventure.

>>17304166
we were in filthy rags, homeless, and broke when we started the day... ok ok, fine. we are a respectable lady who probably has a drinking problem. just thought we might indulge and "live a little", but cheese and a bit of wine sounds good too... we need a bath regardless

Back. Should I continue, or archive the thread and start again tomorrow or something?

>>17304214
you are not alone, good sir/ma'am

>>17304280

I'll go take a bath (yeah...), so I'm pretty much out.

>>17304280
while i'd love for you to continue, i think it might be time to archive and start again tomorrow, as it seems participation has dropped off.

its all up to you though

>>17304386
Eh, it´s like 4 AM anyway, I need to get to sleep anyway.

I hope you all had fun with the quest thus far, and once I get back to the states we can set up an actual weekly schedule for this.