For those who missed the last thread or are just jumping in, we FINALLY got out of that damn jungle... into a creepy temple. After increasingly scary shenanigans, we were almost swallowed alive by shadows, but thanks to our clutch mastery of our own shadow, we were able to escape with Naliah.
Unfortunately, we had to leave the Shard behind. Can't win them all.

Here's a list of techniques you currently know as well as techniques you can learn later on: http://pastebin.com/J0x3qU0V
Feel free to reference it whenever you want.

Inventory: 5 wooden shurikens, 2 doses of Heaven Berries, 300 gp, a pendant of Ward Fear, 1 emerald gem, 1 fist-sized Shard

Hey, hey
My day just got better!

>>18792878
>1 fist-sized Shard
Uh.
Also, damn this week went fast.
Time for fun!

that shadow noose is pretty fucking nice

>>18792912
WHOOPS.
Knew I was forgetting something.

And thanks guys, it's always fun to be back!

>>18792898
(here)
I missed the previous thread. I'm glad that we chose to save Naliah over the shard (even though I'm pretty sure Shun would have been able to heft her with one hand while holding the shard in the other). If I had been in that thread from the start, I would have honestly suggested to leave the shard behind in that cabin since it acts like a homing device for the Dawn Chasers.

Anyway, the last thread stopped when we were relaying Naliah what happened after she passed out. Lets see her reaction.

>>18792921
Indeed.
Sure hope there's more people here than you and me for most of this one.

>>18792933
It looks like it.

Well, let's get this ball rolling, shall we? *INCOMING WALL OF TEXT*

>>18792937
Oh boy, oh boy.

Naliah hugs you and wishes you well as she starts along the path that heads to the west.

“So why aren’t you going back to Terec? Don’t you want to get paid?” The thin girl looks at you wistfully and shakes her head.

She replies, “The temple’s still stuffed with all sorts of bad omens. I’d rather not accidentally cause someone to think it’s safe and have them go through what we did.” She pauses. “And I thought about what you said. About martial arts being a lifestyle and not just a weapon. Maybe you’re right. I don’t know. I’ll just figure it out on the road, you know?” With a wave, she bids you farewell.

With a wave, she bids you farewell, walking away into the warm night.

The alchemical city of Terec is just a few hours away now. You sigh, thinking of all you had to do to get this far. All because of that stupid Shard. You were hunted by angry tribesmen, you almost starved to death in a cave, everything in the UNDERGROUND JUNGLE tried to kill you, and then you had to go through all the random bullshit of that temple, and THEN you got ambushed by a giant horde of fucking shadows.


What bullshit. Sifu would be proud of you for controlling your own shadow back there at least. A memory drifts to the forefront of your mind…

A dark boy in his mid-teens sits in a tree, legs crossed, in absolute focus. He can feel the warm glow of the sun on his face as he meditates, trying to achieve inner tranquility. As always, doubts press on his thoughts. Is he good enough for Sifu? What if he fails at a critical moment in the future? Why, why, WHY can’t he figure out how to control his shadow projectiles? Yesterday he almost took off Sifu’s finger because he accidentally turned his shadow ball into a knife…

If someone were watching the boy, he would be as stoic as he was since he was a child. As always, the boy’s eyes light up when he hears his teacher coming. The redheaded man smiles at his son as he drops down onto the soft grass.

“G’morning, Shun.” The teen nods at his father in greeting. “Today I’m going to tutor you in one of the most important things you can learn: Self-shadow manipulation.” Yes! At last, Sifu would let him bend his own shadows to his will. “But this’ll just be a short lecture. Don’t get your hopes up.” Too late, Sifu.

“There is one person who will always be there for you, and that’s you.” Poking the dark boy’s chest, he continues, “So, if you can master yourself and your shadow, you’ll be ready for damn near anything, my boy. But if you want to have that kind of control, you *need* to constantly hone your mind. Eliminate your doubts, put your fears aside, come to terms with yourself, and you will be unstoppable. I know you will.” Sifu says, smiling at his son.

There’s something about the boy that he needs to know to do that, though.

“Sifu.”

“Yes, Shun?”

“How did you adopt me?” As soon as the boy finishes his words, he realizes how bad of an idea that was. For a brief second, a deep look of regret shows in his father’s eyes, but before he could even be sure it was there, it vanished.

“I’ll tell you when your training is done. Consider that motivation to get better. Now go gather some firewood.” Silently grumbling, the boy heads into the woods as his master relaxes under the shade of a tree, eyes closed, lost in his memories.

Snapping out of your trance, you realize where you are. You can see it- the tall, glossy marble walls of the alchemical capital of the world. Towers and posts like the top of the wall, constantly vigilant, but for what? Those walls would be able to hold anything out, right? Deep into the city, a series of spires pierce the dark sky, each more luxurious and ornate than the last. Wow… you didn’t expect the city to look this nice. You stand, mouth agape, before shaking off your wonder and heading down the road towards the gate. A guard with a golden spear, featuring some sort of… contraption right beneath the head, hails you.

“Safe voyage, traveler?” Once you get past his ridiculously ornate spear, you take note of his well-polished marble armor, covering him from head to gold-tipped boots. Behind his, the Terec flag flies, a purple flask with an orange swirl inlayed on a white background. You greet the man.

“So, what’re you here for?”

>>18792960
Handy that.
Anyway. "Just looking for a friend I heard was here. I trust that isn't a problem?

>>18792960
I'm a traveler. I do what people need doing in order to finance walking the world. I'd always heard of the Starry Sea and wanted to take a closer look.

>>18792980
Forgot my closing ", time to sudoku.

fuck, we didn't get to learn any moves from that girl

tell him we're wandering and this is our first time in the city, maybe ask for some basic info like inns dojos ect.

express admiration at his marble armor

>>18792960

So what, Naliah is not going to travel with us? No wacky adventures with an upbeat, happy-go-lucky girl? ;_;
I hope we meet her later

>>18792960

"I am looking for someone. My father." Then describe him Sifu and ask him if he has passed through these gates. After he answers ask him what the best, not expensive place would be to take lodgings while we stay here.

>>18792960
"I'm a traveler just passing through. Though I must admit this is my first time here in Terec. Breathtaking, I must say. What's there to do here, while I'm here?"

“I’m a traveler. I do what I can to finance my journies around the world, looking for a friend of mine. I hope that isn’t a problem?” Best not to tell him too much. He doesn’t need to know.

The marble man nods his head at you, before a clear voice rings, “Not at all! Chances are, if you’re looking for someone, you’ll be one step close to finding them here. Terec’s a big place, after all.” He steps to the side and waves you through the tall marble gate. Man, where did they get all this marble…?

The inside of the city certainly doesn’t look like you expected. You thought you’d see glorious marbles homes adorned with gemstones, alchemical fog billowing out of every window, golden streets, diamond fences… It’s still a fair sight more impressive than Crestdale, though. Where you’re at, these houses are mostly wooden, their solid structure more put together than what you’ve seen elsewhere. A motley of people walk the streets, young and old, men and women, clean and… slightly less clean. Certainly seems like a good place so far.

But it occurs to you that you have no idea where to start.

Fortunately, a marble guard is nearby, so you saunter up to him and ask him, “Excuse me sir, I’m new to the city, and-“

In a monotone voice he interrupts, “there are 2 inns nearby, the Golden Phoenix and Ingrid’s Inn, both located down this street. The merchant’s district is a few minutes’ walk to your left, the Arcane Schools are further past that, the Daedelus Workshops are past the inns, and the Alchemist’s Guild is located at the center of the city, by the towers.” In the same bored voice, he asks, “Is there anything else I can do to help, sir?”

>>18793052
No. Noooononononononono. Don't mention Sifu anywhere around someone who looks like authority. Remember, we don't know what he's done, plus that person who put a hit on him is somewhere in the city.

>>18793057
Confirmed for robot.
"No, thanks, I think I've got it. I'll go have a look around. Thanks again."
Then walk off.

>>18793059
What if the person who put the hit on Sifu... WAS SIFU?
Whatatweest.gif

>>18793057
"Just where the Starry Seas are from here, that's all."
Nod and continue on our way towards whichever inn is closest. We'll likely be here for a while before we make for the Starry Seas.

>>18793059
Oh, okay. Didn't actually think about that.

>>18793057
"Thank you."
We should go to the docks. The cryptic message did say about the place where water meets light or something like that.
Lets visit both inns and see which one is cheaper to stay in.

>>18793057
Which way to the Starry Sea? Also where would I find any sailors who traverse it? I've always wanted to see it and I figured they'd know more about it than anyone else?

>>18793083
Tegan told us the Seas are past Terec, not actually in Terec. We'll find out, won't we?

If you’re ever going to find Sifu, you need to look to the seas… "Just where the Starry Seas are from here, that's all."

A deep sigh escapes the marble centurion. “There is a port town three days ride to the east of here. If you’re going to trade with the Deep Ones, it is recommended that you bring a large amount of money. If you want passage to the Holy City, it is recommended that you forget about it.” Um. Okay.

>>18793118
Wonder what he is talking about. Well, we could go infomining in the inn, no need to bother the guard so much.

>>18793118
Well.
That settles that.
"That's all, thank you."
Nod and continue on our way to those two inns. We'll most likely be here a while, so let's get a base of operations, at least.

ask him about dojos before we leave

>>18793136
We should rent a room and retire for the rest of the day. Reading the book and learning new techniques.

Shame we let Nilah go, could have learned some things from her too.

>>18793159
It's for the best.

“Thank you, sir.” He grumbles something in response.

You head down the large street, passing people on your way to the inns. If there’s one thing Tegan taught you, it’s that the best information is found at inns. There’s a bustle around you, people talking, more people than you’ve ever seen before. Everything smells… alive here, warm, even. Every now and again, the fragrance of an orange candle with a blue flame drifts to you. You wonder why there are so many of them on metal posts. For light? To keep a nice smell? Hm. Slowing your pace, you see what must be the Golden Dragon. It’s got a golden statue of a dragon welcoming people into the stone building.

Further down, you see a sign sticking out of a large wooden building that advertises it as Ingrid’s inn. It doesn’t look nearly as nice as the Golden Dragon. Now, the only question is which one you should visit…

>>18793186
Crestdale taught us to respect those who are down-to-earth. Let's check out Ingrid's place.

>>18793186
Ingrid is probably cheaper. Lets go there.

>>18793201
Jesus, how many pictures do you have?

>>18793207
This is my second computer I've called my own, and I carried over my whole archive of stuff from the old laptop to the new one. It's a few years' worth. I'm dipping into my Capcom folder, if you haven't guessed by now. Maybe I'll dabble some SNK later.

>>18793201
I just noticed Sagat has a BIGASS nose in that picture.

Hmmm… you don’t think you have that much money, and it would be a bad idea to start spending tons of it when you can’t think of a way to get some more. You continue down the street into Ingrid’s Inn.

Opening the door, you’re assailed with a heavy stench of alcohol. You enter the dimly lit inn, mildly obscured by smoke. Unlike Tegan’s place, this one is packed with people singing, chatting, and dancing to the upbeat music played by a woman blowing into a tiny tube in the corner. The woman at the bar is a busty brunette woman, probably in her mid-thirties. She’s chatting with a man who is blatantly drunk and keeps trying to touch her, but she deftly avoids him by pouring him more drinks, smiling all the while. Is that Ingrid?

>>18793270
Approach Ingrid(?). Greet her and ask for a room.

>>18793270
Very rowdy, musty place. Kinda cozy if you know what to look for.
Sidle up to the bar and sit ourselves in front of "Ingrid" if possible.
"Would I be wrong in calling you Ingrid, ma'am?"

You approach the bar and sit on the stool next to the increasingly loud and rowdy man. The brunette woman faces you, still pouring drinks, and asks, “Hey there, handsome, what can I get for ya?”

"Would I be wrong in calling you Ingrid, ma'am?”

She smiles, answering, “Nope, I’m your gal! Whaddya need?”

Just as you start to ask her for a room, the man next to you slams his hand down on the table, yelling, “HEY you wash talkin’ to me, Inggy, don’ go payin’ attention’ to this lil’… this lil’… kid. Thing.” Uh oh, he’s glaring at you. Now that you get a good look at him, he looks pretty buff, too.

“I’m just seeing what he wants, Rufio, hold on-“

“NO INGRID I WANTCHU TO TALK TO ME”

Man, this guy’s making an ass of himself…

rolled 68 = 68

>>18793336
He's just a drunk. I don't want to make a scene by beating him or something (besides the horrible rolls can make it so that a drunk dockworker can beat a martial artist who honed his craft for decade).
Just tell them man that we'll be done in a moment, no need to get angry. But be ready for a strike. If he does attack, just dodge and try to pin him down.

ignore the fucker and get ready to tear his ass up if he touches you, give a warning first then if he touches you again, blind him and let him go crazy and get arrested

>>18793336
>Ingrid?

Wave the man off.
"My apologies sir. I just need to talk to Ingrid--" Flash a look and a smile. "--for a moment. I'll be out of your hair soon enough."

>>18793388
>Detour from the Capcom folder for pertinent "tavern" pictures.

>Captcha: wantsw Guile
>Mr. Family Man himself seems to disagree with me. This is awkward.

This guy doesn’t know what he’s doing, he’s too drunk, so you ignore him. “Um, yes, I was wondering how much a room cost?”


Turning her attention away from Rufio, Ingrid addresses, “Well, it’s 5 gold a night but-“

“INGRIIIIIIIIDDDDD” he slams his hand on the table, stands up, and turns to you, saying, “YOU SHOULD TALK TO ME INGRIIIIIDDDD!” Wait, so why is he talking to you?

“Rufio. Hold. On!” Her patience with him is running thin.

“Yeah, we’ll just be a second.” Your body tenses, ready for a fight. You don’t trust this guy not to attack you.

“No, I don’t wantchu talkin’ to my Ingrid!” a fist starts flying towards your head!

(Defense roll = 14!)
You move your head back, but he’s so drunk he probably would’ve missed anyway. Grabbing his arm, your fist goes sailing for his throat…

(Attack roll = 4!)
Your form could’ve been better, but this guy’s a sitting duck. You strike him in the neck, and he goes down, gasping for air.

Looking over the bar, Ingrid yells at him to get out, and then turns to you and smiles, “Thanks, I was almost worried I’d have to call the guards. Anyway, I was saying that it’s 5 gold a night, but we’re full right now.” She looks down at Rufio. “Actually, you can have his room. He won’t be needing it anymore.” Grinning, you open your coin bag and put 5 gold on the table. With deft hands, Ingrid snatches it and slips the money into her pocket. “Can I get anything else for ya?”

>>18793442
"Just a kind voice and a warm smile attached to a caring soul will suffice. Some info about Terec itself can't hurt, either." Grin like an idiot again. "Is...Rufio always like that?"

>>18793442
Lets have some decent meal. I doubt we had anything good to eat the last few days and the stuff we found in the cave wasn't that appealing either.

Also, while we are at it ask her about the Deep Ones and the Holy City.

>>18793471
We should stock up on supplies while we're here, too. First aid, rations, spare clothes, etc. Since that jungle/temple bullcrap, it's "once bitten, twice shy" for us.

>>18793483
...And a proper bath, in hindsight.

You could really use some food. Real food, even. Asking what’s on the menu, you decide to grab a bowl of rice and some meat, although Ingrid refuses to tell you what kind of meat. After disappearing to the back and returning with your order, you slip her a couple more coins.

“So, uh… is Rufio always like that?”

Ingrid shrugs, saying, “Yeah, he stops by when his caravans stock up here. Always gets really drunk and I have to kick him out. A shame, but he tips well and drinks a lot, so I don’t mind too much. He’ll be back.”

You chuckle, asking, “So I’m heading to the Starry Seas, and I heard one of the guards talk about the Deep Ones. I, uh, don’t really know what they are.”

Ingrid giggles, “Ah, new to these parts, are ya? They live in the oceans, doing Zarus knows what down there. Every now and again, they pop out of their holes to trade some of their crazy stuff. Don’t say much.”

“What do they look like?” you ask inquisitively.

She giggles again. “Let’s just say you’ll know them when you see one.” Hm. Must be distinctive, then.

>>18793535
There an extension to that?

“He mentioned the Holy City too. What’s that like?”

For a moment, she looks into the distance wistfully, before focusing back on you. “It’s a great place. Nice people, everybody’s spiritual and tolerant.” She pauses. “A bit backwards, though. They’ve got all sorts living there, not just humans. Only place I know of that’s like that. Nice ports too, great bars. Oh, and there’s the Shard of Gargonel.” She takes your confused look as a sign to elaborate. “Biggest Shard in the world, right across the sea. Hell of a sight. Real beautiful.” You wonder...

>>18793570
The guard said something about not being able to get a passage into the Holy City. What did he mean?

lets ask more about shards in general, their uses and all that.

we should at least know why the chasers love those things so much and why some would pay fortunes for them

>>18793570
"Have you ever been yourself? Dumb question, maybe, but I'm curious."

>>18793570

*mumble*"I used to have a shard once.."*mumble*
>what?
"Oh, nothing.."

Hmm. “One of the guards said to forget about going there. Why’s that?”

Ingrid sighs, before looking back up at you and smiling, “Because there’s only two ways to get there: get someone to sail across the Starry Seas, or go through the Deadlands. And one of the two crews that ferried people to the Holy City sunk a few months ago, so a ticket across is… a little expensive.
And you don’t want to go to the Deadlands.”

You wonder if she’s been to the City before. She sure sounds like it. “Have you ever been to the Holy City yourself?”

She grins at you. “Born and raised! I heard Terec was the land of opportunity, though, so I hitched a ride a few years ago. Never looked back. Although I do miss the sight of that beautiful Shard…” she trails off.

“Shards sure do seem important.”

She gives you a look. “Well of course! They’re so amazing! I don’t really know too much about the specifics, you’d have to ask around at the Daedalus Workshops for that, but I know they’ve made life here a lot better. The Daedalus boys’ve been working night and day with ‘em. Made some cool stuff. There’s even some carts that can move on their own! You know, at the Alchemist’s Guild. Not to mention they’re really pretty, too. I’d kill to have one.”

You mumble, “I used to have a Shard once…”

“What?”

“What?”

ask about dojos around the city

>>18793668
"What?
Oh, nothing. Just talking to myself..

What was that about the Deadlands? Seems to be a dangerous place, what kind of creatures dwell there?"

>>18793668
Ingrid seems like a nice gal.
"Is this place always this busy?"

You ignore her question. “So what was that about the Deadlands? It sounds… grim.”

“That’s where… They live. There hasn’t been a Shard over that place in centuries. It’s dark and cold as hell. Completely unlivable, except for Them… I’d stay away. I hear they eat people.” So it’s black as night, cold as winter, and full of cannibals.

“Sounds fun.” Ingrid laughs at your sarcasm. “I do a bit of martial arts, if you didn’t notice-“

“Oh, I did.”

“Any dojos around here?”

“Just one. The School of the Phoenix Storm is the biggest one. Just head down this street for about 4 blocks, and head left. It’s huge, you can’t miss it. There’s a few private ones, but I don’t really know anything about them.”

Maybe you’ve been asking too many questions about the city. You decide to divert the topic to Ingrid. “Is it always this busy here?”


In a singsong voice, she replies, “Day or night, everybody needs a stiff drink!”

>>18793748
Phoenix Storm? That's the one where Naliah comes from, right?
Cool.

Anyway, what time is it? Day-time? Evening?
We should finish our meal and retire to our room. Read the technique books some more and rest.

>>18793748
"If this place is always so lively and presumably profitable, then what does that say of the fine woman who runs the establishment?"

>>18793784
It's still night out.

>>18793790
Dude, you've just been a charmer since the first thread.

>>18793791
That settles it then. We need to take a rest. We deserve it.

>>18793795
You say that like I can help it.

>Not quite a tavern, but hey! BEER!

Time to turn on the charm. "If this place is always so lively and presumably profitable, then what does that say of the fine woman who runs the establishment?"

Ingrid smiles and giggles at your praise. “It says she’s a good businesswoman.” The two of you make small talk for a few minutes before she gives you the key to your room and points you in the right direction. You walk down the warm hallway, the din of the crowd dying in the background. Door cracking open, you’re overjoyed to finally see a bed waiting for you in the small room. Plopping down in it, you pull out Sifu’s notebook, still beside the black book in your bag, and begin to review it.

You wonder which technique you should start working on next…

(You can pick a technique to start learning now. It’ll take a few days of training before you can use it, though.)

>>18793848
Cloak of Deception.

>>18793848
>Weakening Strike – With your attack, you sap some of the strength from your foe, making them weaker. (Requires Blinding Strike) Ten minute cooldown.
It improves our hand-to-hand, and the more tools we have, the better our odds in a straight-up fight.

OP, I'm looking at those techniques and cooldowns are pretty damn long. It will basically boils down to that we get to use a technique only once per fight. Makes our style not seem really that amazing as I thought before.

>>18793864
On second thought, Cloak of Deception is nifty and has extra utility without the risk of botching a damn melee roll. I originally thought you had to remain stationary to use it.
>>18793901
Dude's got a point. It's good to rely on our pure hand-to-hand, remaining less dependent on our specials and being more self-sufficient, but those cooldowns are pretty obnoxious. Maybe later, we get a talent that cuts all cooldowns to a fraction or something.

>>18793901
You have a point, but I've got this nagging feeling that if they aren't long, when you have more of them, you could just blow through every fight.

>>18793919
>Maybe later, we get a talent that cuts all cooldowns to a fraction or something.

Consider it in the works.

>>18793930
Fist of Shadow ought to be a style with very strong fundamentals, before you get into all the shadow powers and stuff.

>>18793938
Oh, it is. You're still a very formidable fighter, the shadow powers are just a bonus.
Kinda like how Khan is a badass opponent who just happens to be able to use fire.

You still haven't reached a consensus on what technique you'd like to pick up.

>>18793950
Then let's take Cloak of Deception for now, just for extra utility.

>>18793930
>You have a point, but I've got this nagging feeling that if they aren't long, when you have more of them, you could just blow through every fight.

You know, when I read the first thread, especially the OP, I was heavily under the impression that we are getting to play with a legendary type of character from the beginning. A type of fighter that can destroy armies of generic mooks without a sweat and only other powerful fighters and monsters can challenge us.
Didn't help that you posted the picture which was used in one of those /tg/ stories about a Legenady, Immortal monk that could beat an Elder Dragon with his fists.

Guess I got the wrong impression but still thought that we could become something like that, especially after hearing stories about Sifu's achievements.

Still, it kinda doesn't sit right with me. This style doesn't really look that special yet. I mean, hell, Nilah seemed to be a better martial artist than we are and she isn't from a super secret school and she didn't take it that seriously.

Anyway, the quest is still fun. I can bear with it.

>>18793997
Don't worry, legendary badass status will come in time.
But Shun is a student, barely out of his teen years. You've gotta start somewhere.

Also, Naliah's style is purely martial. No fancy shadow moves or anything. And she's a bit older than you. Your time will come.

If you'd like, though, I can start kicking up the power levels. I certainly don't mind.

>>18793997
We saw her kick ONE lizard in the head before we passed out. That's not much to go on. The rest of the time with us she spent with us either scared, vomiting, complaining, or nearly dead.

>>18794021
I'm cool to go with your pace. I'm just saying what my impression was. Certainly nothing is wrong with starting at the low and achieving badass status through sheer effort.

>>18794029
Well, she beat the lizards that took us out. I would say that's an achievement.

>>18794043
They got the drop on you, she got the drop on them.
She's not that special. Khan, on the other hand...

>>18794051
Who's Khan?

Also, we already made the decision if you didn't notice. It's Cloak of Deception

>This style doesn't really look that special yet.

did you look at the skill page?
we'll be able to learn some crazy shit later.
shadow noose, blink?

>>18794057
Sorry bout that.

You don't remember Khan? You two had a duel after you left Crestdale, he taught you how to do the Shadow Riposte, and in return, you taught him how to better control fire.

So far he's the only person you know of who also combines martial arts and crazy elemental shit.

>>18794057
Khan, the hot-blooded, kinda slow, self-professed ETERNAL RIVAL of Shun we met just days outside of Crestdale. He's in thread three or so.

>>18794066
..... nope.
I must have missed something, or just plain forgot. Going back to read the archive.

>>18794087
He shows up near the end of the second thread.

Excuse me while I go eat for a bit.

>>18794087
>>18794094
OH

Now I see it.
I discarded the second thread after the first session ended. I generally don't use 4chan /tg/ frontpage anymore, instead preferring the Catalogue so I missed when you started the next session in the same thread.

Also, I neglected to mention that you're still a monk. Once you get advanced enough with the skills of the Fist of Shadow, it's entirely possible for you to come up with your own tricks. And the techniques I listed are only the ones in Sifu's book, there could more out there, for all you know.

>>18794140
That's what I keep trying to reinforce. We're a monk first, not some shadow mage or super assassin.

>>18794259
>not a super assassin

For now, my friend. You will be, though, soon enough.

You wake up in the night. Yelling outside. Commotion. Ugh.

You head down the hall and take a look outside. Guards. Running. Something’s up. You’re still tired, but you’re rested enough to see what’s going on.

Following the guards, you head deeper into the city. Quaint wooden houses are replaced by ornate marble ones, which eventually break away to reveal a large marble building. Square. Fenced. Occupied. A large number of guards stand in front of the fence, shooing away passerby.

“Keep moving, people! You’re interfering with guard business!” Some of them continue on, others stay, asking questions. You’re about to join the throng of curious citizens when you hear a booming voice coming from the building.

A man stands on the top of the building, yelling, “The Alchemists have controlled this city for too long!” People point at him, astonished. “They make their potions and drugs, and who do they give it to? Themselves! They make themselves stronger, smarter, better than us! Well they’re not!” Some of the crowd nod in agreement. “We’re the majority! They should be listening to us! They’re selfish, they control us with their power, and they want more! They always want more!”

What on earth is this guy talking about? “We want to talk to the High Master! And nobody else! If we see you trying to pull something, we’ll… we’ll start killing the hostages!”

Oh.
Oh hell no.

>Oh.
>Oh hell no.

Not sure why we care. It's not exactly our problem is it?
Let the guards deal with it, I do not particularly want to be responsible for deaths of hostages because we rolled shitty

>>18794302
Well, Shun's been kinda moralfaggy up until now, I think.
I might just be misunderstanding the morals you guys've been giving him so far, though.

>>18794282
>first night in Terec
>hostage situation
We have a thing for timing.

>>18794302
It's not our business, no, but we're something of a defender of the innocent right now. We won't suffer the loss of innocent life if we can't help it, generally. We may use a style best fit for an assassin, but that doesn't mean we're not a good person, nor are we apathetic.

>>18794331
>can help it

>>18794315
moralfagging is good and all but we shouldn't leap into trouble at the drop of the hat without knowing anything.

>>18794331
Eeeh... we have no idea what is happening. Who those people are and certainly we do not know who the innocent and the guilty people are.
If we are going intervene, we should offer our help to the guards, telling them that we're a good martial artists and all. No one likes vigilantes, especially the ones who are so inconsistent in their abilities as Shun.

>>18794381
Of course we're going to find out what the situation is before we actually do anything.

deffinetly shouldnt be hurting anyone when we don't know anything, for all we know these guys are in the right.

the hostage thing is awfull though.
can we sneak in and rescue them all and knockout people when we get caught?
lets go metal gear solid!

>>18794331
>morally good
>uses assassin technique for good

So we're Ryu?

>>18794402
Ah alright, just felt that...

>>18794411
NOW THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE SHOULDN'T DO.
Sorry, if I was more confident that Shun will not slip over his own feet at the drop of the hat, I wouldn't mind such action but as the things stand, I cannot really support going in without permission.

You head towards one of the guards, the one with the most ornate armor. It must’ve cost a fortune to make…

“What’s going on here?”

The man turns to you, his helmet open. A gruff, clean shaven face pierces you. “Another hostage situation. Fourth one this year.” He shakes his head sadly. “Things’ve been getting worse here. These guys start popping up left and right, saying that alchemy should be for everyone, that everyone should get the benefits, but… look at this mess. Would you trust people like that in armor like this? Undisciplined scum?”

>>18794411
If anything, we might slap the shit out of the hostage takers so they know that tactic isn't cool.

>>18794427
Essentially.
Then again, Ryu used a heavily toned-down rendition of Goutetsu-ryuu Ansatsuken, but something like that.

>>18794427
Our rival is a hotheaded man with long blonde hair who likes to wear red and can throw fireballs.

... That was entirely unintentional, I swear.

>>18794442
Ask them if during previous hostage situations any hostages got hurt or killed.

>>18794442
"Fourth? Jeez. Still, don't you think they should at least be properly listened to? Then these situations don't happen so often, if at all."

>>18794454
Eh. Nothing wrong with it, just an observation.

And if a demonic master of the shadow technique wants for Shun to delve into the true darkness of the shadow fist, appears, then I would be okay with this.

>>18794490
Do something.

>>18794499
DO SOMETHING.

>>18794442
"What do the alchemist say about this? Couldn't they regulate some sort of, stock that they could sell to people? Wouldn't have to be their best stuff, but if people feel this strongly an agreement should be made."

The greatest battles won, are the ones unfought.

>>18794508
I dare you, mofo.

He makes it sound like this happens pretty often. "Fourth? Jeez. Still, don't you think they should at least be properly listened to? Then these situations don't happen so often, if at all."

A cocked eyebrow tells you all you need to know, but the man talks anyway. “No. They don’t even realize what they’re talking about. All they think about is how they’re being ‘oppressed’, but if they were, then why would we jail them in the nicest prison in the world? Because of alchemy, life here is good. Guided by the hand of the High Master. He’s wise, he’s knowledgeable. These dregs… aren’t. No need to concern the High Master, he’s busy enough as it is.”

He’s a stubborn one, isn’t he? But you wonder if these kidnappers will actually back up their claim. “Have they hurt hostages before?”

The guard frowns. “Not at first, but they’ve been getting worse and worse. The last situation ended disastrously. They’re like animals. Scum. I wouldn’t put it past them.”

You don’t like that. Not one bit.

But there has to be some other way. "What do the alchemists say about this? Couldn't they regulate some sort of, stock that they could sell to people? Wouldn't have to be their best stuff, but if people feel this strongly an agreement should be made."

Apparently it was a stupid question, because the guard laughs in your face. “Sell it to them? We’ve already GIVEN them everything you see. These protective walls, the safety of the city, our wealth… No place on the planet is greater than Terec, and they want more?” He spits on the ground. “How dare they.”

>>18794543
>>18794543
Lets offer our help to save the hostages. Tell him that you're a good martial artist.

Also, who are we to question and judge how this city is run? We have been here less than half of a day.

>>18794543
Clearly, a bunch of folks are trying to buck some sort of caste system set in place. The lower castes have been hella irritable, but the alchemists won't give them the time of day because they think they're being ungrateful bastards.

We don't know how things work, but from what we've heard, it's something we don't want to be a part of.

Still, until we can get the ear of someone higher up the totem pole who doesn't suffer from a terminal case of head-up-ass disease, we'll have to make do.

>>18794568
"Well, isn't anyone going to try and save the hostages or at least negotiate for their release? Because I'll do it if you won't."

Hm. You don’t know enough about the state of affairs in this city to butt into their political problems. But you do know that someone should help those hostages before they get hurt. "Well, isn't anyone going to try and save the hostages or at least negotiate for their release? Because I'll do it if you won't."

The man looks at you like you’re an idiot. “Get out of here, kid. Unless you can turn invisible, you’ll just cause more trouble, and that’s the last thing we need right now.”

Looks like you’re going to have to do this without the aid of the local authorities.

>>18794609
>hunted by bounty hunters; kill them all
>taunted by Mucktouched; kill him
>hassled by Dawnchasers; steal a Shard
>surrounded by creatures of darkness; shred them with your own shadow

Let's keep the streak going. How well lit is this place at this hour of the night?

>>18794609
"Well actually, I might not be able to do that but I can do the next best thing.
I'm a martial artist you know, I know a lot about moving unseen and unheard."

>>18794634
I'd veto this. It reveals too much and makes them think we really are retarded. We're talking to a wall, so leave the wall to stare stoically.

>>18794633
Blue flames flicker across the yard. Some boxes are stacked around. Maybe this was shipping yard?

It wouldn't be too difficult to get in, even if someone is on the roof is on watch.

>>18794609
>become invisible

Doesnt cloak of deception and cloak of shadows allow us to become super stealthy? Cloak of deception, being the technique we chose to learn, in this thread right? I say we pull a Batman and sneak in. The guards seem way to full of themselves to notice someone like us.

Metal gear solid time, make preparations to stealth if that'll up our chances

>>18794676
You haven't learned Cloak of Deception yet. You decided you'd start to train to learn it last night but... that was just last night.

>>18794658
Then fuck this guy. Let's scale the back entrance and get inside all under Cloak of Shadows. We're aiming to make this as bloodless as possible. We're going to talk him down if we can.

>>18794643
Bah, I'm not comfortable butting in here without permission.

We are not responsible for those hostages, we shouldn't just go in and take it upon ourself to save them.

>>18794727
>we’ll… we’ll start killing the hostages!
That is instantly not cool. These guards aren't going to do anything, and if the protestors get riled enough, there may actually be blood on someone's hands.

You don’t need anybody’s help. You were trained for this. This is your area of expertise. You may be breaking the law, but damn them. If they won’t help their own people, you will.

You envelop yourself in darkness. Your own darkness. You’ve never felt this stealthy, this invisible. You’re not actually invisible, but you’re close enough to where you can’t be seen from far away. You look at the top of the building, waiting for the watch to look away. Under the cover of night, you slip from box to box, easily making your way to the marble warehouse. Sticking to the wall, you do some recon on the building.

There’s two doors: one in the front and one in the back. The front door is a terrible idea, they’d be expecting it, and so that only leaves the back.
A ladder on the side of the building leads to the roof. You could take out the sentry and try and sneak in from the top.
The ladder is also stationed near an open window. You could slip in there, but you have no idea if anyone’s on the other side.

What’s your plan?

>>18794756
Slip in through the window. They wont be expecting that. Make sure to be prepared for a fight. If we get into a fight use none-lethal attacks to knock them out.

>>18794756
The fewer guards we have to encounter, the better. Climb the ladder and look inside the open window midway up. No one jumps into a room without at least taking a look.

>>18794756
Can we peak a quick look into the window? Either way if theres someone in there or we take out the sentry we're fighting someone.

They probably won’t be expecting you to slip in through an open window. You sneak over to the ladder and begin to climb it until you’re next to the window.

Slowly, slowly, you peek your head over and look inside. A man in street clothes patrols the halls, with a lit torch in hand, a sword at his side. Another light seems to be coming from the other side of the wall where you are, but it doesn’t seem to be moving. It might be a mounted torch, it might be a stationary patrol. You aren’t sure of which. You could wait, but you don’t trust the guards not to shoot themselves in the foot, so to speak.

>>18794772
>>18794816

Rules of Stealth:
1.) Don't be seen.
2.) Don't be heard.
3.) Don't engage if you don't have to.
4.) Don't leave a trail.
5.) Don't rush.
6.) Don't dawdle, either.
7.) Don't be inattentive.
8.) Don't be unaware.
9.) Don't be dumb.
10.) Above all, don't exist.

If Sifu Tong didn't drill this into our head, then we're not cut out to use the Fist of Shadow.

Wait for the sentry to pass, then try and get a better look inside before we jump in and duck into a dark corner.

>>18794816
I say we use one of our wooden shurikens to create a distraction. If the guard checks it out, we could reveal if the other light is a guard or not. Then we sneak up and knock them out.

>>18794816
Wait till the sentry come over again, sneak behind him and knock him out.

>>18794853
>>18794854
What part of
>3.) Don't engage if you don't have to.
do you not remember? If knocking him out is the safest option, then do so. Don't make things unnecessarily complicated with shurikens and whatnot.

>>18794911
Well, I didn't suggest shurikens. Just knocking him out from behind.

You shimmy over underneath the window, hanging onto it. You stick your head up for a second and look inside towards the light. It’s just a lit torch. Good.

You hang and wait for the sentry to come near the window. His footsteps get louder and louder and he draws closer. Thanks to the shadows, he has no reason to even suspect your presence. You hear him sigh and you look up. He’s gazing into the horizon. Sufficiently distracted.

(Attack roll = 11+2 for shadowy sneak attack +1 for distracted enemy= 14!)
In an instant, you spring up and hook your hand around his neck, smashing your finger into a pressure point at the back of his neck. Your hand keeps going as you pull him out of the window, and he drops ten feet, landing on his back with a soft thump. He’ll be sore tomorrow, and he might’ve broken a few bones with the drop, but there shouldn’t be too much lasting damage. You pull yourself up into the hallway and extinguish the torch he was carrying.

The hallway extends to your left, a door at the end. In front of you, it stretches and turns, heading towards the interior of the warehouse. You move over to the door and place your ear to it. It sounds like people inside are having a conversation. If you waited, you could probably make out what they were saying. That would be wasting time, but they might let something slip that could help you.

What do you do?

>>18794816

Unless hes impeding us, we should just remain in the shadows and find where the leader is.

>>18794935
Never turn down intelligence. Take a listen.

>>18794935
Listen in.

>>18794935
Listen, but be careful that no one walks in on you.

make sure no ones nearby to catch you and listen

You’ve got enough time to get some intel. You press your ear to the door and focus.

A deep voice says, “I’m telling you man, this is a bad idea. Hostages didn’t work last time, they won’t work this time either.”

A nasally voice responds, “It will, I’m telling you. We got the son of one of the Masters, they gotta listen to us. Those other guys, they just didn’t raise the stakes enough! They’ll listen this time.”

“I dunno, man. They’re tough. They don’t wanna give us anything. They probably got someone sneaking around, getting recon and stuff.” Well, they’re partially right.

“Oh yeah, I forgot you’re ex-guard. Hey, why’re you with us, anyway?”

“I don’t like talking about it.

“Oh come on, man!”

“Fine. My sister got sick. Real sick. I took some time off to tend to her, but… it wasn’t enough. And I know the alchemists got potions that can cure diseases… diseases like hers. But they just wouldn’t give it to me, no matter what I did! So… when she died… I quit. I couldn’t work for people like them anymore.”

“Wow. That’s pretty rough.” This is pointless. You don’t have time to listen to their life stories. Just as you’re about to leave, something catches your interest.

“So where’d the boss take the hostages, anyway?”

The deep voice rumbles, “A floor up, in the security room. One way in, one way out. Nobody’ll get out of there.” Just what you wanted to hear.

“Eh. I just hope we get what we want. I’m sick of this place. Gives me the creeps.”

“Yeah, me too.”

>>18795061
That's all we need. Find a route upstairs posthaste. Leave these guys alone.

At least some of them sound justified.

>SNK derail!

>>18795088
Would you like to try the ladder route, or just head around the corner?

>>18795095
Will taking the ladder take us directly to the next floor?
I'm still averse to taking the ladder since that guard is still up there. Still, it's the most direct route and I wouldn't like to futz around trying to find the staircase.

Take a peek around the corner. If no stairs immediately present themselves, take the ladder, making extra sure to bring the guard down quietly.

>>18795118
second

You’re a little wary about going back up the ladder, so you decide to head back around the corner. Walking down the unlit hall, you peek your head around. Hm. Looks like it leads to the main part of the warehouse. Cloaking yourself, you go to get a better look.

A catwalk looks over the boxing floor. A number of watches are down there, patrolling. It looks like there are stairs heading up on the left wall, and stairs headed down on the right. A guard sits on the stairs, torch held in hand, smoking… something, you can’t really make it out from here. Large windows line the walls. They would let in light, if it was daytime, but for now, they’re just big black fixtures with a dim glow coming from the side where the guards and crowd are.

It’s dark in the warehouse.

>>18795184
One illuminated guard on the only pathway up with numerous guards below us
vs.
One patrolling guard on the roof in the dark of night

Is the flooring we're standing on made of grating? Can we get a handhold on the backside of the upwards staircase? If yes to both, climb up *beneath* the sole guard on the staircase to the upper landing, then pull ourselves up and over, slipping into the upper floor.

If that doesn't work, go back to to the ladder.

>>18795218
You're on a grating, but it turns to marble over by the stairs, which just head up to the next floor.
You also notice that the third floor only takes up one side of the wall, and has a few windows overlooking the facility.

>>18795246
Throw a shadow ball bearing (a regular shuriken if the shadow can't create noise) down the catwalk to attract the guard's attention, forcing him to come down the stairs to our floor. Once he steps off the stairs and continues on to investigate, we slip in behind him and dart upstairs to the third floor. The guard never leaves his guard duty, and both he and those below him are none the wiser.

>>18795269
this is a good plan

You pull out a shuriken, pull back your arm, and heave it as hard as you can. It splinters with a loud CRACK!

The guard on the stairs jerks his head up in the direction of the sound. By the time he stands up, you’re already underneath the grating, fingers entwined. You scamper towards the stairs, and for a brief moment, you pass each other…

(Stealth roll = 17+1 for cloak of shadows = 18!)
He’s none the wiser as you flip back onto the catwalk and sneak your way upstairs. The room you’re in is square, and has a few desks. Some papers lie scattered around on it. There’s a single door leading into the security room. Windows overlook the floor with most of the guards.

>>18795353
Can we read the papers in this light? Maybe they'll have some information on the people in the next room. Either way, we listen to the door first to confirm the situation. If we're correct, step inside and lock the door behind us. Assuming there are people with the hostages, perhaps we can have a nice chat.

"Nice" being relative.

>>18795353
Take a look through the windows, try to gauge how many men they have in here. Listen outside the door to the security room, we need to know what threats are in there.

Also we need to work out a plan to get the hostages out of this building. I'd rather not have to incapacitate all of the guards and having them in here when the city watch assaults the town would be unhealthy for them. Maybe we'll be able to sneak them out a window or something like that.

You glance out the window, quickly taking in how many men lie in wait downstairs. One, two, three… there’s well over a dozen men down there. Possibly more. Wouldn’t hurt to assume there are. You sift through the papers, but lose interest quickly. It’s mostly reports. You press your ear to the door leading into the security room to check on the hostages. You hear a woman.

“Please, you don’t have to do this, just let us go!”

A gruff voice tells her to shut up, saying “Sometimes sacrifices need to be made for the greater good, lady. Now be quiet!” You hear a smack, then silence. It doesn’t sound good in there, but you’re not sure if he’s already started killing people or not.

>>18795416
Uh-oh
Go towards the voices, lets see what is happening.

>>18795416
Have our shadow simulate a powerful, swirling, menacing aura as we dart inside. Let's go for shock and awe, intimidate them into staying put and having a nice conversation.

"Perhaps sacrifice is required in some cases, but never in a place like this, and never like this. For shame."

>Justice emstafF

You’ve wasted enough time. Dispelling your shadows, but leaving just enough so that it looks like your lower body emanates darkness, you kick the door down and rush into the room. In an instant, the man has a cute young woman held in front of him like a human shield, knife held to her throat. "Perhaps sacrifice is required in some cases, but never in a place like this, and never like this. For shame."

The man’s shaved head shows heavy scarring. A pair of black, tired but alert eyes blaze into yours. “Who the fuck are you!?”

>>18795501
And on that note, it's time for me to go to work. I'll return to help absolve your blue balls in about... 6 and a half hours.

I'll see you guys at 12:30 4chan time.

>>18795501
"Just a man concerned with the well-being of others. Now take a breath and let her go. We can talk."

>>18795523
>derpderpderp

>>18795501
Wha-?
Why did we make such obvious entrance instead of sneaking in and knocking him out while he's distracted?
WHY?

Use blinding strike to knock him off guard.

Archived! http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/18792855/

I'll return, don't worry!

>>18795545
Because we're here to resolve this bloodlessly and with words. Plus, we didn't know how many enemies were in the next room, and the goal is the safety of the hostages, so parlay is the best solution.

You can't punch all your problems.
You shouldn't, at least.

>>18795501
Just a simple man concerned for the innocent.

I understand your cause but taking hostages like this will not lead to a resolution other than one side killing the other.

You will find no support with the people should you hold them hostage, you will only drive them further towards what you are trying to protect them from.

Let them go.

>>18795563
Well, okay.
I hope that guy can be reasoned with. Still, while we are talking we should slowly ready our shadows. Can we send a shadow-tendril from our body in a direction?

>>18795613
Yes, but that would require a sudden movement.

......

>>18795563
Hey, Martial Artist, don't know if you're interested but Diablo III open beta weekend started few hours ago.
I was playing as a Monk and had good deal of fun.

>>18795705
I meant, from our foot slowly creeping along the floor, like between the boards or the stone. Can we do something like that?

>>18795723
Possibly, but there's no guarantee he won't notice.

!!??

>>18795730
But between the wooden planks or stone (whatever the floor is made of), or along the edge of a carpet. Thin, shadowy tendril.
How could he notice?

>>18795765
In a tense standoff like the one we've just created, you tend to notice the smallest of details.

Just read through the whole quest so far in one go. Took me nearly 4 hours but was definately worth it. I'll have to keep an eye out for new sessions!

Evening bump.

>>18799101
I keep forgetting my name.

This is a tense situation. You’re going to have to smoothtalk your way through this. "Just a man concerned with the well-being of others. Now take a breath and let her go. I understand your cause but taking hostages like this will not lead to a resolution other than one side killing the other. You will find no support with the people should you hold them hostage, you will only drive them further towards what you are trying to protect them from.” You pause for added emphasis. “Let them go.”

The grizzled man’s antsy and twitchy. “And who the FUCK are you to make demands of me?! I’m the one with the hostages; you’re doing what I say!” The knife digs into the woman a bit more. “And I say nobody’s going anywhere.”

Fuck.

>>18799351
Fuck indeed.

I'm the guy who got into your warehouse without you noticing and can get you out just as easily. Unless you'd prefer to stay here until the guards run out of patience, slaughter everyone in and blame the hostages dying on your cause.

>>18799351
"Will you be so willing to keep up your position when the soldiers storm this warehouse and slaughter all your men? Then will you kill the hostages, further demonize your ilk, and never achieve the goal you hoped to reach in the first place? You stand in an endless spiral of self-destruction and damnation if you don't stop for two FUCKING seconds and talk to me.

"Really, I'm your best chance of survival."

“I'm the guy who got into your warehouse without you noticing and can get you out just as easily. Will you be so willing to keep up your position when the soldiers storm this warehouse and slaughter all your men?” He looks away. “Then will you kill the hostages, further demonize your ilk, and never achieve the goal you hoped to reach in the first place? You stand in an endless spiral of self-destruction and damnation if you don't stop for two FUCKING seconds and talk to me.”

He remains silent throughout your little rant. “Alright. Fine. Whatever. What’ve you got to say?”

>>18799582
"First, let her go. Now.
"Second, explain yourself. Fully.
"Third, identify these hostages. Properly."

>>18799582
First you get the knife away from that poor woman's throat. Then we get to work on getting your people out of this building quietly in such a way as to not arouse suspicion, then we release the hostages and we have a long talk about what is going on and what led you to put a knife against an innocent's throat.

You’ve got to take this one slow. "First, let her go. Now.”

The man shakes his head. “No fuckin’ way I’m letting her go. She’s the only thing making sure you don’t gut me the second you get the chance.” Alright, fair enough. Understandable, given his position.

“Okay, I understand. How about you get the knife away from that poor woman's throat?” He pauses, clearly weighing his options. After a few tense seconds, he lowers it to her shoulder. Good. That’s a step.

“Second, explain yourself. Fully.”

He keeps his afraid, but fierce eyes trained on you. “We’re sick of the alchemists keeping everything for themselves! It’s… it’s just not right! We’re people just like them! We get hurt, we need help, we need what they’ve got.” He dangerously begins to wave the knife around. “And what do those bastards do? They sit up in their towers, pumping themselves full of all that crazy shit they’ve got. Does Zarus know what to them. And that’s while we’re left to die down here. They’re making themselves better than us!” He looks you dead in the eye. “That ain’t right, what they’re doing. So we’re trying to make them realize it. We’ve… just had to be a bit more drastic about it. If that’s what change takes!” He yells.

"Third, identify these hostages. Properly."

He briefly looks around tensely. “These guys? Man, we just picked ‘em off the streets. We were lucky we manage to get him,” his knife points at a young boy huddled in the corner. “Master Remington’s kid. They’re bound to hear us out if we’ve got him.” He shifts his legs slightly. “Right?”

>>18799715
Ha, of course not. I've been here for a few hours and I can already tell that they'll happily slaughter everyone in here and say "Ooops" afterwards.

Unless you listen to me and bug out you're probably going to die, it will almost certainly be painful.

They aren't watching some of the entrances, if you agree to let the hostages go, I'll do reconnaissance and find a safe bath for you and your men to escape.

“Ha, of course not. I've been here for a few hours and I can already tell that they'll happily slaughter everyone in here and say ‘Oops’ afterwards.” His stare confirms your suspicions.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re right.” Good, now he’s agreeing with you.

“Unless you listen to me and bug out you're probably going to die, it will almost certainly be painful. They aren't watching some of the entrances, if you agree to let the hostages go, I'll do reconnaissance and find a safe bath for you and your men to escape.”

He blinks at you amazedly. “You’d do that for us?” After mulling it over, he shakes his head, saying, “No way. How do I know you won’t just lead us right to the guards?”

>>18799876
>>18799918
>safe bath
Har har har.

"Because I am an independent party who seeks only to make sense of things. Besides, if I WAS with the guards, I'd have initiated a signal by now, and you would hear the roar of combat on the first floor as legions of guardsmen flood this warehouse. This chat would've been a total distraction while your comrades would be fully obliterated, leaving you trapped with me and my legions in this one solitary room.

"I don't hear any combat downstairs. Do you?"

>>18799918
Because you won't all be leaving in one giant clump, we'd be caught in an instant. If I lead you to the guards at least one of you will be able to yell to the rest of the group and you'll kill the hostages. I'll probably be taking groups of 4 or so at a time, 3-4 trips, if it makes you feel that much safer you can stay with the hostages until the end.

My goal is to keep the innocents alive. If I wanted to leave you for the guards your sentries would be unconscious and there'd be the sound of jackbooted feet at the door.

>>18799950
"Plus, do you see me wearing any gaudy marble armor or waving their emblem like a flag?"

To you, the answer is obvious. "Because I am an independent party who seeks only to make sense of things. Besides, if I WAS with the guards, I'd have initiated a signal by now, and you would hear the roar of combat on the first floor as legions of guardsmen flood this warehouse. This chat would've been a total distraction while your comrades would be fully obliterated, leaving you trapped with me and my legions in this one solitary room.” The knife drops lower. Good. You press the advantage. "I don't hear any combat downstairs. Do you?"

He looks at you, then at the woman. Slowly, slowly he inches over to the window and looks down, then back up at you. “Fine. I guess I can trust you. For now. But there’s no way we can get out of here, they’d hear us and charge.”

Again, the answer is obvious. “There is, but only because you won't all be leaving in one giant clump. I'll probably be taking groups of 4 or so at a time, 3 or 4 trips; if it makes you feel that much safer you can stay with the hostages until the end, as long as you don’t harm them. My goal is to keep the innocents alive.”

He closes his eyes in concentration, trying to see another way out of this. “But then this whole thing would’ve been for nothing. Nothing will change.” You’ve got to hand it to him, he’s a very single minded man.

>>18799971
"There are better ways to air your grievances, I'm sure of it. Stealing innocents off the street and holding steel to their neck is cowardly, dishonorable, demonizing, deplorable, and is honestly doing you no favors. I cannot speak to knowing of your plight personally, but no matter what, this is never the answer. Take to the streets if you must. Spread flyers across all of Terec. Demand an audience with the high alchemists, for a good society should honor and listen to the word of its people.

"Your cause is just, and your intentions are noble, make no mistake. There are more effective methods to going about this, not one of which has to do with threatening innocents. That's all I'm here to prove.

"Let them go."

>>18800027
Response to >>18800006

>>18800006
If you don't do this it'll be for less than nothing, you will hurt your cause and kill your own. There isn't another way out of this, there are some battles better off not fought.

If you truly support this cause you will put this aside and find a peaceful tactic, one that paints you as the underdog being oppressed rather than the ruthless terrorist. Spread the word, refuse to budge and let the whole world see what is happening. You want the people on your side, not against you.

You land your final blow. "There are better ways to air your grievances, I'm sure of it. Stealing innocents off the street and holding steel to their neck is cowardly, dishonorable, demonizing, deplorable, and is honestly doing you no favors. I cannot speak to knowing of your plight personally, but no matter what, this is never the answer. If you truly support this cause you will put this aside and find a peaceful tactic, one that paints you as the underdog being oppressed rather than the ruthless terrorist. Spread the word, refuse to budge and let the whole world see what is happening. You want the people on your side, not against you.” The tension in the room is palpable.

“I… I…”

"Let them go."

The man looks at the ground, lost in thought. His knife is all but dropped. You know you’ve won.
A banging on the door pierces through the silence, and a voice yells, “Richie, Richie, you won’t believe it!”

The man looks at you. You nod. “What is it?”

“He came! The High Master’s actually here to hear us out! He wants to talk to you, says you should be on the roof!”

You’re almost as surprised as he is. “I… I’ll be right up.” The grizzled man named Richie looks at you, eyes begging to let him go.

>>18800099
"Do not let me keep you from the one opportunity you've crusaded for. Seek your destiny. Be cautious, but embrace this chance you have.
"Go."

>>18800129
"As a sign of good faith, I will stay here with the hostages."

>>18800099
Before you go up start getting your men out of here, this smells like a trap. It is a chance at hope, but do not trust him.

"Do not let me keep you from the one opportunity you've crusaded for. Seek your destiny. Be cautious, but embrace this chance you have.” You move to unlock the door, but a thought occurs to you. “Before you go up start getting your men out of here, this smells like a trap. It is a chance at hope, but do not trust him.”

He hesitates as you unlock the door.

“Go.”

He walks past you, but before he starts to head at the roof, he looks at you. “I’d rather you come with me. You don’t have to be seen if you don’t want, but I’d feel a little safer with you around.” A broken smile spread across his face. “After all, if you were going to kill me, you’d have done it by now. I’m sure you’re curious to hear what the High Master has to say.” A side of you really is. This guy sounds like he’s in charge around here. But it might be a better idea to stay with the hostages. You aren’t sure.

>>18800211
Go with him, very quietly. I'm interested in the High Master.

>>18800211
"If I go with you, then all the hostages come with us. Let all of Terec see they are unharmed and well, and that you are a man of honor who seeks only to be heard properly. Few will move against you then."

>>18800230
>>18800236

Getting some conflicting answers here. Go quietly and alone, or drag the hostages with you?

>>18800252
Not drag. Escort in an orderly fashion. He and all the hostages are to be visible from the roof.

>>18800259
Whether the city is aware of US, however, will come to be known as the negotiations begin.

You’re not leaving the hostages behind. The safest place for them to go is with you, and you want to hear what the High Master has to say. "If I go with you, then all the hostages come with us. Let all of Terec see they are unharmed and well, and that you are a man of honor who seeks only to be heard properly. Few will move against you then."

He nods. “Alright. You’ve made sense so far. Let’s go.”

You gather up the hostages, making sure that none of them are harmed. After a bit of coercion, you get them to follow you and Richie up to the roof.

A gentle breeze blows in the cold night. You see the purple horizon. Dawn is coming. You stay low to the ground, remaining unseen by the guards on the streets.

“I’m here, High Master. And I brought the hostages with me as a show of good faith. Nobody’s been harmed. We can talk this out.”

A strong, dignified voice pierces through the dawn. But… it sounds a little muffled. “Yes, yes we can. What are your grievances, citizen?”

“We, the people, are concerned with how the Guild hordes all of the most important discoveries to yourselves. We know you can cure almost any disease, and yet we die needlessly. We know you drink your potions to make yourselves stronger, smarter, better than the rest of us, and we don’t understand. We know you and your fellow Masters keep this city safe and help us move to the future, but why do you yourselves get there faster while the rest of us struggle to keep up? “

The silence is thick. While the High Master is thinking, you envelop yourself in shadows and peek over an edge to get a look at him.

get behind him, someones gonna pull something

You’re surprised at what you see. You expected a frail old man dressed in thick, ornate robes. What the books Sifu gave you as a child led you to believe.

You didn’t expect the tall, dark, imposing figure below you, clad in a brown cloak, powerful build filling it. You didn’t expect him to be wearing thick leather armor while his guards surround him in their shining marble plates. And you certainly didn’t expect the mask. The mask. It covers his entire face, brown and rusty, but… it seems just as human, as alive as the rest of him. It commands authority. His voice is the voice of a gentle scholar, but his appearance is that of a strong wanderer. Contradictory. You scuttle back on the floor before anyone sees you.

The voice of the strange High Master rings, “You sound as if you have held these beliefs for a long period, yet this is the first I have heard of it.”

Richie briefly looks at you. You stare back. This is his battle. “I guess your underlings haven’t been telling you everything.”

Silence. “I suppose not. Trust me, it is a matter I will look into soon. As for your concerns, it is the duty of the Alchemist’s Guild to make sure that our experiments are fit for public use. Our craft is a dangerous and oftentimes lethal one. If we were to hand out our creations at the moment we saw their success, you would blame us for any mistakes we made in their production. We cannot afford mistakes.”

>>18800471
"Ask if some sort of trade could be made for potions. Barring that, a place for healing to be set up. It would provide jobs and help people in the long run."

>>18800471
"We're not intentionally withholding anything from you. We're just doing lots and lots of quality control!"
Right.
Keep quiet.

>>18800502
I'd keep quiet and let Richie do this himself, but that's just me.

>>18800522
Richie here resorted to violance really quick. We've managed to use diplomancy rather well. It is not weakness for someone to have help.

>>18800545
And reveal ourselves in the process?

>>18800506

This character's ass is drawn in a way that does not quite line up with her legs, making it look like he has enormous, oblong balls.

That is all. Carry on.

>>18800564
Or maybe her pants are just really baggy.

>>18800506
>>18800564
At first glance I thought it was diaper porn.

>>18800550
The guy is a high master. He probably seen us, recorded our aura, and knows what we have for lunch and knows Shun's entire history in the blink of an eye.

Because high master.

Richie is taken aback at this knowledge. He clearly doesn’t know much about what goes on in the Guild. “But what are you gonna do when they are safe? You alchemists don’t just give things away. You pride yourselves on equivalent exchange. ‘Nothing is free.’ What about us poor folks? We’re already having a hard enough time as it is, we don’t need superpowered freaks running around while we can’t do a damn thing to save ourselves!”

Instantly, the High Master responds powerfully. This is something he’s had to deal with before. “You seem to think that we’re going to allow anybody who can afford it access to our potions. You are mistaken. Such things are too powerful, too dangerous to let go uncontrolled. Limits will be placed. Regulations will be enforced.”

An idea strikes you, and you poke Richie to get his attention. Dark eyes burrow into yours. "Ask if some sort of trade could be made for potions. Barring that, a place for healing to be set up. It would provide jobs and help people in the long run."

Richie looks over the edge of the roof, down at the High Master. “Well, what could we give you for the potions? Jobs? Services? The people want this! We have just as much of a right to it as you do!”

The voice booms, “No. They do not. We have studied for years, honed our craft, passed down through generations of training, experimentation, theorizing, implementation. We accept any person, man or woman, into our ranks. The genius of the people of this city, those who work for it, are service enough. Progress will happen, and the citizenship will march alongside it. I wish our city would be free of disease, free of weakness, but that cannot happen as quickly as you like it to be. Our goals are the same. Both you and I want what’s best for everyone. But you are a man who hides behind ignorance.”

>>18800612
So, what. The potions are immediately available to those who are truly worthy of it?
And you shouldn't hold Richie to ignorance if no one tells him a damn thing.

>>18800612
Oh joy. Stuck in a rock and a hard place. Unless we pull some miracle idea, no one is going to budge. Perhaps we should ask for remedies that the alchemist can give out? Things that people can safely make on their own, in order to heal injuries and sickness?

The list can be regulated, or something. This isn't asking for super steroids or mind enhancers. Of course if Richie does get something, this shows extreme methods work. And that is bad.

>>18800662
He got what he wanted: to be heard.
Now he wants results.

>>18800612
The ignorance of the people is at least in part due to you concealing your operation. They don't want super magic potions, they want the poor to not starve in the street while methods to help them are held by an elite group.

When the people are willing to go this far to be heard there is a serious problem that can't be dismissed by saying they're just ignorant.

Richie is stunned by the words of the High Master. The poor man’s at a loss for words. He’s not cut out for debate, he’s not much of a planner, all he’s got is passion.

He roars at the High Master, “But… nobody ever told us what you do! How can you say I hide behind ignorance when you stay silent?!”

“Is it my fault that you cannot question the Practitioners? They are a part of the Guild, but some of them do not keep their work a secret. The specific methods, yes, but not the overarching idea. We cannot divulge our most prized knowledge, but the citizens have always been free to meet with us. To question. To learn. But you refuse.”

Richie furiously yells, “People are dying! People die while you sit in your ivory towers and fiddle with your chemicals!”

“Death is a part of life. But since you seem so fixated on the idea that we horde our potions for our own gain, let me educate you. How would you feel if I told you that last week, one of our Journeymen grew a third arm while perfecting a way to mend broken bones? Many were perfectly healed, but the ones who weren’t were horribly disfigured. What about if I informed you that, while we looked for a way to cure lung disease, some of our subjects had their lungs turned to lead? Or that a painkiller caused a man’s head to invert itself? We must… fiddle with our chemicals. When we don’t, things go wrong. Things no one should have to go through.”

>>18800734
Richie is getting slaughtered, and we aren't really in a position to dispute anything.

>>18800734
I'm just curious now as to how a inverted head looks, seems like a nasty way to go.

This High Master seems like a pretty interesting guy. But he really needs a better public relations department. Something to deal with the ignorance proactively.

>>18800812
"You never told us about these treatments or any sort of restitution!"
"You never asked, imbecile."
FanTAStic PR.

There must be a way for a comprimise. These extreme methods will only continue if nothing is done. People like Richie will just try to use violence, against people who could help them.

>>18800823
People who COULD help, but aren't, because
1.) their potions are delicate and have to go through endless bugtesting, and
2.) no one ever actually asked for their help.

The dark man is ruthless in his logic. “You see those of us who have taken to our experiments well. You think that represent all of us, yet you do not stop to think about those who might not have been so lucky. You do not stop to think about the magical experiments of the Arcane Schools. You cannot comprehend the lives lost in the search of Shards to power the Daedelus Workshops. Those poor lives that were sacrificed in the bloody name of progress. You are misinformed. You are a passionate man, but that is your only strength. You do not question, you only act on rumors and a fraction of facts. Such a man makes demands of the scientific elite? I could never listen to someone like that. Your concerns are noted, but trust me when I say that we have had conjecture about that before, and that this is the best way.”

Richie looks defeated, deflated. Like he’s less of a man for such a rigorous thrashing.

“But… but…”

The authoritarian voice cracks through Richie’s hesitation. “Now come out and bring your men and the hostages with you. Master Remington has been worried about his only son. I promise to you that your punishment will be far less severe than you imagine. Your heart is in the right place, but your methods…” he pauses for a few tense seconds, “…lack *thought.*”

Richie finally gives in, and nods heavily. “Alright. You win.”

He turns to you and says sadly, “I’m sorry I got you tied up in all of this, kid. Now you’ll be stuck in jail with the rest of us…”

Um, no you’re not. You don’t have time for that.

>>18800885
"Unfortunately, Eddie, as I said, I am an independent party. Let it not be said you stood up and made the issue known to the public, albeit through a less-than-savory manner.
"I cannot join you, but know that you have served as an example to all of Terec. Through your actions, you and your comrades are now informed. It's the first step.
"I will walk with you to the ground, but it is there that we must part. My deepest apologies for appearing callous, Richie, but our destinies take us in different directions.
"You've done an amazing thing. Never, ever forget that."

>>18800973
>Eddie

>>18800973
>Eddie
hurpderp

>>18800984
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEANT, SUCKA

>>18800973
Yeah, just about this, but Richie rather then Eddie.

Also what would they arrest us for, talking down a hostage taker, convincing a terrorist to give himself up?

You shake your head at Richie, sorrowfully saying, "Unfortunately, Richie, as I said, I am an independent party. Let it not be said you stood up and made the issue known to the public, albeit through a less-than-savory manner. I cannot join you, but know that you have served as an example to all of Terec. Through your actions, you and your comrades are now informed. It's the first step.” You smile at him and continue, “I will walk with you to the ground, but it is there that we must part. My deepest apologies for appearing callous, Richie, but our destinies take us in different directions.”

He sighs. “I guess that’s just how it is.”

You help the hostages onto the ladder towards the ground while Richie begins to gather up his men. Before he vanishes, you feel the need to tell him, "You've done an amazing thing. Never, ever forget that."

He smiles sadly at you, a brief glimmer of happiness in his eyes. “Thanks, kid. I might’ve lost my head if you weren’t around to talk me out of… you know.” You do.

When you’re sure all the hostages are safely on the ground, you scamper down the ladder, hide yourself with the shadows, and break into the streets. Before long, you’re back in Ingrid’s Inn. Hardly anybody’s here, Ingrid included. Making your way down the hallway, you plop down into your bed, as questions sleepily drift to your consciousness. Terec is a strange place, that’s for sure. A lively place as well. But as you slide into the dream world, you can’t get that rusty mask out of your mind…

And tonight's episode ends with our hero feeling pretty good with himself.

So guys, what'd you think? Feedback? Criticism? Wishes for the future?

>>18801053
I liked how you set up the city. We're completely new here and we followed the opinion of the first person with a grievance we saw, then we found how complicated the situation actually was. It was well done and it seems to be an interesting city.

>>18801053
This session was an excellent demonstration of the "One with Shadow" approach to a scenario as well as proof that the most powerful punch in the world is the one that is never thrown. There's still a lot to unravel about Terec, but considering it's the biggest city in the world, that's to be expected.

>>18801075
>>18801079

I recall someone saying in an earlier thread that they expected the quest to really pick up when we finally hit Terec. And I figured that we've always been on the run, so there was never really a chance to do what the Fist of Shadow is great at- infiltration.

Expect things to get even more complicated from here on out. We're in big boy territory now.

>>18801092
That was most likely me who said things will pick up at Terec.

Fun Fact: The High Master is heavily based on a character I've always wanted to run. A bit higher up the totem pole than "adventurer", but the personality and ideals are the same.
Hence why I have pictures of him.

So, you guys wanting anything in the upcoming threads? I'm always more than happy to accommodate your desires. If there's nothing else, then I'll be back tomorrow morning to do a bit more.

>>18801114
god, i love that picture.

fun quest, got to go all snake, coulda been a hero if we talked a bit less but fuck, still had a blast.

sooo, shards power the dadalus workshop and are really hard to come by, eh?
hmmm

so when is the next quest?

>>18801155
Explore the city, learn of the different facets of it, the good and the bad. It's an interesting city and Shun just saw two diametrically opposed views, it was a damn good learning moment for him. He'll want to see the seedy side and the ornate and the people stuck in the middle.

>>18801155
Id be interested in seeing more in the Alchemist's Guild.

Oh and maybe a master of the fist of shadow, showing off shit that we've only read about.

A demonic looking, warrior blooded, dark path tempting master...

>>18801169
I'll pop in when I wake up to give us a tour of the school of the Phoenix Style. It won't be too long, but it's always nice to learn about the world.
And maybe learn a new technique. But who would want that when we could have EXPOSITION

>>18801185
You want Akuma?
That'd be one hell of a twist to set up.

i'd like to check out that dojo

>>18801169
"Coulda been a hero?"
Bitch, we just talked down a hostage taker, ensured the safety of the hostages and suffered absolutely zero casualties, all without throwing a single punch (not counting the guard we whipped out the window). All was resolved peacefully, questions were answered, the kidnappers entered custody without a struggle and the hostages were returned home safely without a scratch.

We couldn't BE more heroic than we were today. Check your definitions, bro.

>>18801200
Moralfag mode: Fully Engaged.

>>18801200
hahaha i guess i meant getting recognized around the town as the guy who single handedly took down a group of terrorists and saved some hostages while the guard was sitting on its ass.

>>18801192
Eh, hold off on the Akuma expy for now. That's a can o' worms for later. Far as we know, Shun and Sifu Tong are the only two people in all the world who know the Fist of Shadow, and until anything comes up, they aim to keep it that way.

That said, if you wanted to run with that angle, you could go with one of Sifu's former students, thrown out of his tutelage early for being brash, ignorant, bloodthirsty and all-around unsavory.

Just an idea.

>>18801217
Outside of Richie, his buddy, and the hostages in the room, no one will ever know we were there, as it should be. They never even got our name.

>>18801217
>Heir to a super secret assassin's style
>Master is on the run because he got a hit put out on him
>wanting recognition

>>18801229
Rule 63 Gouki/Akuma, in case you couldn't tell.

>>18801075
That's why I was against doing anything in the first place. We don't know shit about shit and we shouldn't meddle with politics of the city.
But we handle this pretty good.

Honestly, with all the talking we've been doing since the start of the thread we should get a Social/Diplomacy trait.

>>18801293
Nah, social rolls aren't really my thing. Never liked 'em that much. Combat can be simulated with dice, but social interactions can't. Or shouldn't, at least.
But that's just what I think. To each his own.

>>18801293
Found as an orphan and raised as an assassin with a heart of gold, now travelling diplomat and hostage negotiator. His name is Shun and this is his story.

>>18801313
I wasn't talking about rolls. Just a trait that makes social interactions better.

God no, not any more rolls. We have enough of them already, hell the less the better.

>>18801324
Aww. How else am I supposed to simulate the random aspects of fighting? I know that d20 are wonky, but they serve their purpose. The only rolls we really make anymore are Attack and Defense rolls, which can be modified with preparation.

>>18801339
3d6? It's less swingy and as part of that situational prep bonuses are more influential.

>>18801377
Interesting.
Still allows for 1s, given poor circumstances, and 20s for good planning.
I like it.
Consider it done.

>>18801339
I don't know. Guess that is the hard part of running the quest. I have never GM's or ran a quest, so you can ignore me, I do not know the perils of running a game.
But I've taken a part in a quest which revolved a lot around fighting and it used rolls sparsely. The outcomes were mostly determined by the plans that players made, the better, more though-out the plan + the combat ability and skills of the character and his previous experiences and fights determined the outcome.
And the characters and the fights were extremely overpowered, like a single main-character can destroy an army of billion REGULAR soldiers (there were always powerful enemies to keep the game challenging)

Dunno, man, it just doesn't sit right with me that a person who trained more than ten years in the art of subtlety and stealth can slip his foot when trying to sneak out of the window or that he even NEEDS to roll dice to make successful stealth attempt on an untrained boy.

>>18801417
I understand completely. It's why stealth rolls have been phased out entirely.

>>18801427
Cool. I prefer when we go by what makes more sense, or what has more verisimilitude. Doesn't mean we cannot fail stealth, hell we SHOULD fail against someone who is properly equipped and ready (like that gargoyle for example).
But against some regular bandits (for example), untrained in specific perception techniques? Predator on their asses all day, every day.

>>18801457
With Cloak of Deception, you actually CAN go full Predator mode now.
Assuming you find a jungle that isn't full of nearly invincible midgets and dinosaurs and spiders.

>>18801470
Nearly invincible midgets. Why didn't Sifu warn us about such an obvious and glaring flaw in the Fist of Shadow style?

>>18801485

What?
It's not that you weren't hurting them, it's just that they were regenerating everything you dished out. I don't see how that's a flaw in your style.

>>18801470
Well, there is still Darklands or whatever that was called. Though I doubt that place is any better.

Speaking of which, the ferry ride is like 100k gold, right? No way we ever going to get that much money.
I think the best way to go through there is gather several strong people who want to go to Holy City and form a party. One of the obvious candidates is Khan, of course.
Or we could just dick around here for few months and power-grind our combat abilities.

>>18801492
It was a joke, it's such an oddly specific enemy that it'd be strange if Sifu had imparted specific anti-regenerating midget techniques or had warned us especially about them.

>>18801496
>implying I'm not going to give you a few options to get cash or favors
Of course, you're going to visit the Deadlands eventually. I've made it too fleshed out not to. It's just a matter of when.

>>18801504
Goddamn internet sarcasm. Always fools me.

>>18801504
>>18801509

Sarcasm or no, we should develop anti-regeneration techniques. They might come useful.

>>implying I'm not going to give you a few options to get cash or favors
Enough of a big favor to cover 100k gold journey? Oh my.

Also, what was the monetary worth of that shard we left behind? We should make plans to retrieve it in the future, when we're stronger or have good backup (like Khan for example)

>>18801530
>Enough of a big favor to cover 100k gold journey?
Not all at once, of course. That would be an easy solution and poor quest design. But I don't want to give too much away.
You could still fuck it up and have to go through the Deadlands, though.

>Also, what was the monetary worth of that shard we left behind?
Sounds like you'd have to ask an appraiser for that.

Oh, when are you going to run the next session?

>Sounds like you'd have to ask an appraiser for that.
Well we don't have it anymore, do we!
*humph!*

>>18801548
I'll be doing a quick sidequest tomorrow, then I'll start a new thread on Monday, which will go all day since I don't have work.

That *should* be the schedule from now on. Mondays all day, and parts of Friday and Saturday. Usually starts around noon 4chan time, since my sleep schedule is fucked.
I love college.

>>18801559
Sweet.

Hey, will we be seeing more of Naliah in the future?

>>18801569
Of course. She's a wanderer now, just like you and Khan. You saved and changed her life, and I originally planned to kill her.

Not only does it make sense for her to run into Shun, but you guys deserve it for forcing me to readjust.

>>18801580
Weird that you thought /tg/ would leave a girl behind or not do everything in their power to save her. You must not have been in many quests.

On the other hand, I found it absolutely hilarious that no one noticed that we lost Naliah in the temple. I didn't take part during the session but was reading from the archives, I noticed immediately that she was gone but in-quest it took too much time for Shun to notice.
I mean, damn, he was talking to a skeleton and had an impromptu wrestling match with his bag and didn't get a single comment from Naliah. That would should have been enough to notice that she's gone.

>>18801600
Eh, we had a sneaking suspicion.

>>18801600
I fucking loved writing that section. I laughed like a madman at one guy just freaking the fuck out about everything.

>>18801608
MAA was calm as usual.

>>18801608
Well it should have not been sneaking!
I will admit, I don't generally read player posts when reading quests in archives, just the updates from OP, so my perception can be screwed.

>>18801625
He may have had a suspicion, but I never saw anyone giving a fuck and voicing it.
Oh man. Horror is fun.

>>18801634
When Shun was talking to the skeleton and later shooting it, I was thinking "haha, this is hilarious. Naliah must be thinking we lost our mind. Wonder how she'll react". And then nothing.
After we beat the shit out of our bag and still no word from her, I knew something was up.

Speaking about the horror scene. What were those mud-footprints on the floor? I speculated that it was somekind of a nigh-terror type of creature that gets into your head and makes you freak out like it's nobody's business.
I thought it infiltrated Shun while he was sleeping.

>>18801653
Who knows? Shun doesn't. He'd rather not think about that fucking temple, and I don't blame him.

Maybe you're right. Maybe it was something in the temple. Maybe it was the temple itself.

>>18801675
That fucking temple man. That fucking cave. Why do you hate Shun so much, do you want him to die?

I keed, I keed
I'm glad to know that if we fuck up, we can find ourself in very difficult situations where punching shit will not be the answer and the only way to survive is to run with our tail between our legs.

>>18801727
I delight equally in your suffering and your joy.
I also delight in sleep.

I'll see you guys tomorrow. I'll answer any questions when I get up, so don't be afraid to ask.

>>18801732
Alright. Goodnight.
See you later, spac- I mean OP