"Of course, Elise," you say, as casually as you can manage. If Elise thinks this is worth keeping a secret from Clarissa despite everything that has happened, you may as well get this over with, and use your own judgment on what comes next.

Elise wisely does not speak until she leads you some distance from your room, towards the stairwell. At this time of night, the lamps have been lit, and the stairs are adequately illuminated for safety reasons, but not quite enough for Elise's countenance to look anywhere near healthy.

Elise leans against the stonework of the stairwell, and sinks down, sitting on the steps. She stares blankly at nothing for a moment, before forcing herself to focus on you.

"You're a smart one, Nicole," she says quietly. "I think you know what I'm about to say."

> "Actually, I don't have a clue."
> "I can guess, but I'd like to hear it from you."
> "You think you've been compromised, and have been casting that nightmare spell at the Captain."

>>36851387
> "Actually, I don't have a clue."

>>36851387
> "I can guess, but I'd like to hear it from you."
Keeping it coy.

>>36851387
>"I can guess, but I'd like to hear it from you."
Let's not leave any chance for assumptions in the conversation please.

>>36851387
> "You think you've been compromised, and have been casting that nightmare spell at the Captain."

>>36851387
>> "I can guess, but I'd like to hear it from you."

>>36851387
>> "I can guess, but I'd like to hear it from you."

>>36851387

> "I can guess, but I'd like to hear it from you."

Can we please just get a straight answer for once?

>>36851387
>> "Actually, I don't have a clue."

>>36851387
> "You think you've been compromised, and have been casting that nightmare spell at the Captain."

I knew it!

Well guys, I gotta go to sleep now. Make sure we don't screw up too bad.

>>36851387
I love your quest, but it starts way too late for me to stay, just wanted to chime in that you have at least one lurker.

>>36851574
I'll try my hardest to drive for the worst votes possible.

>>36851574
Going for bad end. Roger that.

>>36851574
Kill the captain?! Well alright. If you say so.

>>36851574
Understood, big reveal is go.

>>36851574
Seppuku as soon as possible? Will do.

>>36851574
Seduce William is a go

>>36851387
>"Actually, I don't have a clue."
There are a lot of things I THINK you're about to talk about, but I'm not sure which one is going to be actually possible with magic.

>>36851574
Bloody coup on the duke and his son?
I won't let you down, buddy.

>>36851682
nah, thats too far

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>>36851574
no problem
can't tell me what to do

>>36851574
Don't finish one of Roderick's riddles? If you say so.

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>>36851682
thats something i can cat behind.

>>36851574
Helping the serial killer sounds like a swell idea.

Whether or not you already know, this is clearly something that Elise would feel better confessing for herself. "I can guess," you say, "but I'd like to hear it from you."

Elise rubs at her face wearily. "When I discover notes I do not remember writing, yet in my own hand, I start to get suspicious. When these notes are for exactly the sort of mind suggestion spell that I had been looking for to explain the magical residue in the cube, the implications are obvious."

So far, nothing too far beyond what you've already guessed. The nightmare-absorbers in Elise's workshop, along with her mutterings about distrusting elves like herself, had been fairly blatant, likely left for you to find, in Elise's impaired judgment thanks to her sleep deprivation.

"Mind magic is insidious," Elise rambles on. "Even if I were to test myself for signs of outside influence, there might be a contingency addition to the spell to make me ignore or rationalize any positive results. The most effective way to circumvent that results in, well." She waves a hand to indicate her dissipated state.

"Have you found out anything?"

"Nothing I can confirm." Elise looks too tired to shudder. "Some odd results. I don't know what they mean. They're nothing like what I've been taught are signs of mind manipulation, but they're not quite normal either. Maybe I'm too tired to do the tests properly, or maybe whoever is messing with my mind has done something to hide the fact. Maybe even both."

"So why tell me about this?" you ask. "The Captain should know. Or the Duke."

>[1/3]

"I," Elise says slowly, "would rather lock myself in the tower for the next century, rather than to make Clarissa worry about me even more. Better to let her believe that I'm like this because I've been researching the nightmare spell. It's even technically true."

You're familiar with telling people things that are technically true, but you've not often seen it from the outside before. Despite your misgivings, you do not feel qualified to criticize.

"As for Pierre, I'd like to tell him something more than vague suspicions," Elise continues. "I hate interim reports. Especially if they don't have any firm conclusions to act on." She yawns. "I might pass him a note or something."

You'd probably have better luck telling the Duke yourself, if Elise lets you. Or even if she does not. "You haven't explained why you're telling me, though. I'm just a knight-apprentice."

"A knight-apprentice who'll be accompanying the dear Captain to Whiteford," Elise says. "You remember what I said at dinner about the counterspell I'm planning?"

The dinner was only a bit more than an hour ago. "What will happen if it turns out that you're the one who, uh. You know." If Elise was the mysterious spellcaster, would she be scrambling her own brains?

"The spell will fizzle," Elise says. "I could make it not fizzle, in theory, but, well. I'm not feeling particularly suicidal."

Which is at least a change from Victor's own martyr complex, on the night of the conduit cube's discovery.

>[2/3]

"So you'll know if nothing happens while you're in Whiteford," Elise says. "No commotions or major discoveries of secret spell-slingers. The implications should be obvious, and you can prepare Clarissa for... for the truth."

Nobody had decided yet to let Elise cast the counterspell while the delegation was in Whiteford, if only because proper protocol likely does not cover a situation where a member of Clarissa's family might have their head exploded mid-ceremony. "We might decide not to go through with the counterspell in the middle of the delegation to Whiteford."

"If we cast the counterspell afterwards, we may never know the results," Elise says. "Alvar doesn't have any spies in Veramar, much less the rest of Whiteford. We'd have to ask Gracewell, which means more politics. If we want to be certain, the original plan is still the best way to go."

Thus making it a choice between certainty and delicacy.

> "What other circumstances would make the counterspell fizzle?"
> "Are you sure you were the one who wrote those notes on the mind control spell? Couldn't someone have planted them?"
> "I still think you should tell the Captain about this."
> "I can't make the decision for you, Elise, but I don't think you should make the decision yourself either."
> "We should all get some sleep, Elise. We can talk about this tomorrow."

>>36851836
>> "What other circumstances would make the counterspell fizzle?"
>> "Are you sure you were the one who wrote those notes on the mind control spell? Couldn't someone have planted them?"
When these get expositioned, i say
> "We should all get some sleep, Elise. We can talk about this tomorrow."

>>36851836
>> "Are you sure you were the one who wrote those notes on the mind control spell? Couldn't someone have planted them?"
>> "I still think you should tell the Captain about this.">>36851836

>> "We should all get some sleep, Elise. We can talk about this tomorrow."

>>36851836
>> "I can't make the decision for you, Elise, but I don't think you should make the decision yourself either."

>>36851836
>"What other circumstances would make the counterspell fizzle?"
>"Or rather, what other circumstances COULD make the counterspell fizzle, if you were controlled to edit it that way?"
>"Is there anyone else here trained in magic? Can't we get Anders' opinion on this? At the very least, he can research this without needing to go without sleep 24/7."

Hug Elise in her sleep, it worked for the Captain.

>>36851836
> "Are you sure you were the one who wrote those notes on the mind control spell? Couldn't someone have planted them?"

> "We should all get some sleep, Elise. We can talk about this tomorrow."

>>36851836
> "What other circumstances would make the counterspell fizzle?"

> "I can't make the decision for you, Elise, but I don't think you should make the decision yourself either."

>>36851836
> "I can't make the decision for you, Elise, but I don't think you should make the decision yourself either."
> "We should all get some sleep, Elise. We can talk about this tomorrow."

From aak fm this seems like anders area of bs. Hope he isnt the source.

>>36851897
"Elise, we're having a sleep over. This is not a request."

>>36851925
>>36851836
Seconded

>>36851836

> "What other circumstances would make the counterspell fizzle?"
> "Are you sure you were the one who wrote those notes on the mind control spell? Couldn't someone have planted them?"
> "I still think you should tell the Captain about this."

And this: >>36851925

>>36851605
>>36851618
>>36851639
>>36851652
>>36851662
>>36851688
>>36851739
I Love you idoits in the most flamingly homosexual way that I am capable of,
but you two, >>36851721,>>36851682, have gone to far.

It might be the lack of sleep, but I'm a bit lost on what exactly Elise revealed to us just now. That she knows for certain it's a mind control spell? That her planned counterspell has to go off during the trip to Whiteford?

>>36852031
agreed.

>>36852036
She's being mind controlled into trying to mind control people...or something. idfk

>>36851836
> "Are you sure you were the one who wrote those notes on the mind control spell? Couldn't someone have planted them?"
and
> "I can't make the decision for you, Elise, but I don't think you should make the decision yourself either."

I'm not even sure what whoever is doing this stuff is even trying to accomplish.

If it's just an assassination, surely the resources needed to pull off the things they've done so far could have been better spent on a more reliable, less elaborate means of killing someone.

What's really the point of all this?

>>36852121
Petty vengance from a scorned noble?

>>36852121
I got the impression is that they were trying to implant a relatively simple suggestion into the Captain's mind and using the cube made things get out of hand.

>>36852121
i think that the political climate of the region is something like Renaissance europe, combined with wizards and foreign races. i see this as all being part of the normal life of important people

As a mere knight-apprentice, you are not yet conversant with anything involving magic or politics, both of which are equally obscure to you and equally important to this situation. More information is needed, although you can sense that Elise is quickly fading due to sheer exhaustion. "Could the counterspell fizzle due to other circumstances?" you ask.

Elise waves her hands vaguely. "Uh, a few things might do it. If I'm not the caster, then maybe the real one covered their tracks. Magically, I mean. Without a proper target, the counterspell doesn't work. But doing so is tricky, like trying to commit a crime without leaving any traces or clues." She blinks owlishly. "In fact, that's pretty much what it is, isn't it?"

You gently attempt to steer the conversation back onto the main points. "You shouldn't have to destroy your own health just to make sure you're still you, though. You could ask others for help in checking whether you're being influenced." A thought strikes you. "Like Sister Simone. She's also coming with us to Whiteford."

"Simone is not exactly familiar with my methods," Elise says. "She tends to end up preaching to me. It's irritating." She makes a face. "But I'll keep that advice in mind. I could even go ask Anders for help, I suppose."

Anders does seem competent in some forms of magic. Enough for Clarissa to name him as one of the few people authorized to hold your leash during your probation. "Why haven't you yet?"

"I don't trust him."

You try to think of a delicate way to inquire whether this falls under the general distrust of elves, or if Elise has some specific reason to be suspicious of Anders. And whether this reason is political or personal.

>[1/2]

"He's on the shortlist of people who were allowed to bypass the wards in the tower," Elise continues. "Among others. Clarissa, obviously. William and Donovan. Pierre. Lily. I think I put Victor on the list some time ago. For everyone else, the wards weren't strong enough to keep anyone with really important business away." She pauses, peering at you. "Which reminds me that we never did find out what was it about you that blew those wards up, did we?"

"Could someone have sneaked unto your workshop and planted those notes?" you quickly ask. "For, uh." You're not sure what purpose that would serve, apart from making Elise paranoid. Which does seem to have done a good job of reducing her effectiveness in making decisions not impaired by lack of sleep.

"We elves," Elise says heavily, "thrive on stupid, complicated schemes like this. Especially elves from Esteria. Weaver knows how you humans put up with us. But I can't think of any reason for all of this either."

Easily explained by how you are new to this variety of intrigue, and Elise is not thinking clearly anyway. "We should all get some sleep, Elise. We can talk about this tomorrow."

"Oh my," Elise murmurs. You're not sure she can make it back to the tower on her own. "Is that an invitation?"

> "I'm not the Captain, Elise."
> "I'll help you to your workshop. Again."
> "Good night, Elise. I'll see you tomorrow."

>>36852190
>> "I'll help you to your workshop. Again."

sleepover~

>>36852190
> "I'll help you to your workshop. Again."

>>36852190
>> "I'm not the Captain, Elise."
>> "I'll help you to your workshop. Again."

Damp, if you give even the slightest hint of lewd, im dropping this like a nuke on japan

>>36852190
> "I'll help you to your workshop. Again."

>>36852190
>>36852209
>>36852219

Seconding these.

>>36852190
> "I'll help you to your workshop. Again."

>>36852190
> "I'm not the Captain, Elise."
> "I'll help you to your workshop. Again."

>>36852190
> "I'll help you to your workshop. Again."
No nightmares for you tonight, young lady.
We'll tucker her out with a pillow fight.

Elise is clearly too far out of it to distinguish between you and Clarissa, if she mis-aimed her flirt so badly. "I'll help you to your workshop," you tell her. "Again."

Your only answer is the quiet sound of Elise having dozed off completely.

It takes a bit of awkward positioning, especially since you are trying to be as gentle as possible, but you eventually manage to haul Elise to a relatively stable position on piggy-back. Elise stirs occasionally during this, which helps when she helpfully shifts her limbs to make it easier for you.

"Sorry about this," she mumbles. You decide not to reply with automatic pleasantries when you see that she falls asleep again immediately after.

No further incidents complicate your journey to the wizard's tower. You pass a single pair of palace guards on patrol, who do a rather gratuitous double-take. You stoically give them a fractional nod of acknowledgement, keeping your eyes straight ahead, and trying not to imagine what new rumours might spring up around your increasingly implausible reputation.

The tower is almost exactly as you remember it from this morning, complete with the quite natural sense of apprehension and dread as you pass by the burned-out wards. The only slight change you notice is in the workshop itself.

Elise's nest of books is still present, but slightly rearranged to provide a path towards the high-backed chair. The blanket is draped over the chair's arms, which implies Elise had woken up after you tucked her in this morning, only to continue her experiments on herself, before dragging herself to dinner with the Duke.

>[1/2]

You deposit Elise back in her book-nest, and fetch the blanket once again to cover her. You're not sure how to prevent Elise from crawling back into her experimental chair, short of disconnecting the wires and demolishing the contraption yourself, which is a bad idea on very many fronts. You'll just have to trust her not to be as self-destructive as Clarissa.

The folder with sketches you had noticed from this morning is now on the long desk, beside the inactive nightmare-absorbers. Elise had taken the time to tidy it up and write a note on the cover in Elvish, simply labelling it as a set of Unknown Sketches. A smaller line below it, in pencil, consists of a reminder to thank William.

Elise's handwriting is surprisingly neat, considering the state of her workshop. It is also astonishingly regular; anyone attempting to mimic her handwriting would not have to work very hard.

You quietly exit Elise's workshop, and return all the way back to your room, meeting no more guard patrols along the way. The palace probably needs to step up its security measures, given all that has happened lately.

Clarissa has already changed into her nightgown, and is carefully folding a letter to place into a readied envelope. "Welcome back, Nicole," she greets you. "I was just about to turn in for the night. What did Elise wish to speak with you about, if I might ask?"

> "It's a long, complicated tale, Captain."
> "Elise thinks she might be the one responsible for the nightmare spells."
> "It's probably better to discuss it tomorrow."
> "Nothing important in particular, Captain. Good night."

AFK an hour for dinner.

>>36852489
> "It's a long, complicated tale, Captain."
in short,
>She's requested my confidence for speculation

>>36852489
> "It's a long, complicated tale, Captain."
> "It's probably better to discuss it tomorrow."
make sure we exagerate a sigh and rub our back like we just covered for atlas while he took a leak

>>36852489
> "I don't think that is somethign for me to share. Elise will probably tell you when she is ready."

>>36852489

> "Elise thinks she might be the one responsible for the nightmare spells."

Elise won't like it, but I'd rather protect the captain than her feelings. And she isn't trustworthy. Hell, she doesn't even trust herself.

>>36852489
>"Well for one, she needed help getting to bed properly."
>"It's long and complicated, Captain, and some of it could be born from paranoia."

>>36852489
> "It's a long, complicated tale, Captain."
> "It's probably better to discuss it tomorrow."

>>36852489
>> "It's probably better to discuss it tomorrow."

>>36852489

> "It's a long, complicated tale, Captain."
> "It's probably better to discuss it tomorrow."

>>36852489
> "It's a long, complicated tale, Captain."
> "It's probably better to discuss it tomorrow."
Let's try to not make the Captain worry anymore for today.

>>36852489
> "It's a long, complicated tale, Captain."
> "It's probably better to discuss it tomorrow."

You do not think you can distill everything Elise has told you into a short, pithy summary, with all the sensitive secrets excised before dissemination. "It's a long, complicated tale, Captain. It's probably better to discuss it tomorrow."

Clarissa accepts this with a nod. "I do not intend to pry, of course. Did Elise get back to her room safely?"

You consider mentioning having to carry her there yourself, but decide that it would be irrelevant. "Yes, Captain."

"I do hope she takes everyone's advice to heart," Clarissa says. "I would not wish for her to strain herself so much. Particularly for my sake." She takes a deep breath. "And I apologize, Nicole. For the... display outside our room."

You change into your own pyjamas, folding your used uniform as neatly as you can manage, for laundry pickup the next day. "It's not a problem, Captain."

Clarissa looks as though she is about to make a further comment, but subsides.

"It's normal for people to lose their temper in, uh, certain conditions," you add, in the hopes that this would be reassuring enough for Clarissa not to continue self-flagellating.

Clarissa mutters under her breath, clearly not meant for your ears. "And then there's you."

Which is a valid point. Maybe you should try losing your temper sometime soon, to fit in. You've not had much of a chance to do so, since the other states of panic and paranoia have taken up most of your emotional quota ever since you've arrived in Alvar.

You quickly run through the possible scenarios whereby you may reasonably be angry, before deciding that if anything could make you lose your temper, dealing with William would probably be it.

"When will Sir William be back?" you ask, reminded of his existence by your chain of thought.

"He should be back by tomorrow morning," Clarissa says, getting into bed. "He should have been back today, in fact. I can only presume there were some complications."

>[1/2]

You recall the talk of elven marauders, or the occasional goblin raids. "Shouldn't we send backup?"

"Not that sort of complications," Clarissa says. "Probably just the diggers, sorry, the archaeologists being stroppy. But even should he run into more serious trouble, we knights are expected to be self-sufficient. Even more so than other orders, with our limited numbers."

Which explains why William was sent alone to Grunmarl to speak to the archaeologists, instead of with a partner. You're confident in your own abilities to fend off anything that might accost you in the wilderness, so you qualify for that much knighthood, if nothing else.

Clarissa prepares to turn out the lamp. "Are you going to continue your studies tonight? I do not believe there will be anything urgent on your schedule, unless William brings some unexpected news tomorrow."

> Read the book on Whiteford's peerage
> Study Lily's summary note on the nobility of Whiteford
> Go to sleep

>>36852831
> Study Lily's summary note on the nobility of Whiteford

>>36852831
> Read the book on Whiteford's peerage
> Study Lily's summary note on the nobility of Whiteford

Sleep? What's that? I have to stay up late for most quests, and wake up early for this.

>>36852831
>Study Lily's summary note on the nobility of Whiteford

>>36852831
> Study Lily's summary note on the nobility of Whiteford

>>36852831
> Study Lily's summary note on the nobility of Whiteford
> Make a note of asking Clarissa for further input in the morning

How old is the duke again?
Is he a potential husbando?

You pick up the notes Lily had given you about the nobility of Whiteford. "I do need to read up on the proper titles and addresses for the people we'll be meeting in Whiteford."

"Again?" Clarissa says, but interrupts herself. "But you were interrupted last night by the incident with the intruder. I understand." She makes herself comfortable in bed, and shuts her eyes. "Do not stay up too late. Good night, Nicole."

You probably shouldn't disturb Clarissa tonight with inquiries about her life in Whiteford. "Good night, Captain."

Lily's notes are quite readable, which is a vast improvement over the book from the library. It does have a few gaps in its listings of the members of Whiteford's nobility, but careful cross-referencing with the library book solves that issue.

Clarissa's father is the Earl of Ridelham, and thus addressed by his title or realm name, in this case "Lord Ridelham". Lily had noted that the title "Count" is also acceptable, if less accurate than "Earl", as a holdover from the days of the Old Empire. By that logic, Clarissa, as the daughter of the Earl of Ridelham, is more properly Viscountess Clarissa Natalia ain Ridelham, or simply Lady Clarissa.

Clarissa's brother, as the heir, is also Lord Ridelham. This strikes you as an arrangement prone to misunderstandings hilarious in hindsight, albeit probably not for those committing the error.

Clarissa's mother would be Countess Ridelham, or Lady Ridelham. You wonder why Clarissa hadn't mentioned her before; maybe it simply hadn't come up in conversation yet, and asking Clarissa about her family is generally not a task for the weak of will.

Curiously, the Ridelhams do not have very many branches, and only one line still holding the Ridelham name. In comparison, and you had to refer back to the peerage book to confirm, the Lyseille family have a sprawling tree, with a complex network of cousins of varying degrees of separations and removals, occasionally quite literally.

>[1/2]

There have also been attempts to reconcile the two families of Ridelham and Lyseille through inter-marriages in times past, although this has fallen out of favour in these modern times. The library book had been too poorly-written to make much sense of the morass, but Lily's notes shine a clear light on the uncomfortable fact that depending on how much blood relation is required for the nightmare spell, the potential pool of suspects may well have increased by a few hundred, the vast majority of whom have a clear motive to cause grief to the Earl of Ridelham via his daughter.

Once again you return to the mysterious question mark in Lily's notes. From its placement, you would assume this is an unknown relative of Clarissa's. If you were to make a guess, this question mark would indicate another sibling. Whom Clarissa has never mentioned before, which you realize is not an unusual state of affairs.

You're not sure if you should trust Lily's note that this mysterious member is Not Important. For the purposes of the trip to Whiteford, this may be true, which is the context Lily wrote those words in. As an investigation on the possible hostile spellcaster who might be facing a nasty surprise in the coming Feast of Saint Walther...

... you probably need more information to confirm anything beyond mere speculation. And you're not going to get that tonight.

You place Lily's notes back on your desk, with the library book as a paperweight, and you puff the candle out.

> Wake up early
> Sleep in

>>36853168
> Wake up early
Check on cubey?

>>36853168
>Wake up early

>>36853168
> Wake up early

>>36853168
>> Wake up early

>>36853171
Why would you want anything to do with qb?

>>36853168
>> Wake up early

>>36853168
> Wake up early

Once again, you wake only slightly after the break of dawn. For a change, Clarissa has gotten up herself minutes before, and is just on the way out to the showers when she hears you stir.

"Good morning, Nicole," she says, pausing at the door.

"Good morning, Captain," you return. You assume there is no need to ask about her night, given her relaxed demeanour, and the lack of any activity on the part of the nightmare-absorber.

The topics of morning conversation having been exhausted, Clarissa waits awkwardly for a few more seconds, before excusing herself with a silent nod. Perhaps someday the two of you will be able to talk to each other as normal friends, which is a worthy goal to set.

You take your time preparing for the day, including the shower. By the time you return, Clarissa is already dressed for the day, and frowning in professional disapproval at a piece of paper in her hand.

"We really should implement some sort of proper messaging system," she says, handing you the paper. "Slipping notes under the door is simply far too disorganized. A small mailbox to deposit letters in outside every door might be useful, if time-consuming to install."

The note is a barely-legible scrawl addressed to you, informing you that your official armour has arrived, and to see Roderick at your earliest convenience. This is not Roderick's handwriting, so you assume it belongs to whichever guard or servant he dispatched as a messenger.

"We can go there after breakfast," Clarissa offers. "Fitting your armour always takes a while, and new recruits always get something or other wrong. No, don't bother changing into a uniform. Just some comfortable, well-fitting clothes will do."

>[1/3]

You replace the uniform back into your wardrobe, and pick out a set of normal clothes matching the criteria Clarissa mentioned. "Once I receive my armour, where should I put it?"

"Wherever you please, as long as you do not litter," Clarissa says. "William keeps his in his room. I keep mine in my office. The palace guards have their own lockers, but I do not know if there are any unclaimed ones left for your use. Roderick will likely help you store the armour when it is not needed, as with your sword."

"How many sets of armour will there be?"

"Just the one for now," Clarissa says. "If prior experience is anything to go by, your ceremonial set will not arrive in time for the trip to Veramar, or indeed any time this year. You may bring the standard set along if you desire, but I doubt it will see much use. Shall we go for breakfast?"

Breakfast is a warm, hearty soup, probably to stave off the coming chill. You're not sure you like it; even with the small portion you usually take, there are too many clumps of fat and oil for your taste. Clarissa finishes her soup with every sign of enjoyment, and even goes for seconds.

You finish breakfast just in time to run into William, returning from Grunmarl, and looking more travel-weary than you would have expected. He brightens considerably upon spotting the two of you.

"Good morning, Clarissa, Nicole," he trills. "May I just say I am very glad to be back in the embrace of civilization."

>[2/3]

"You are early," Clarissa says, with a hint of surprise.

"Left just before the sun rose," William says. "David's off taking care of the horses. I find the trail rations to be unsatisfactory, and so I am going to wash up before heading to the kitchens." He rummages in his travel knapsack, extracting a bundle of papers. "These are for you," he says, thrusting them at Clarissa. "Just a few reports and letters from Grunmarl. Nothing too serious, but I think David has more to say, for your ears only."

Clarissa sighs. "Very well. I will be in my office. Which means that you, William, are responsible for making sure Nicole's armour fits properly."

William's cheer drains rapidly. "Oh. Right. Um." He waits until Clarissa is out of earshot, before turning resignedly to you. "Armour-fitting, is it? At least it won't be too strenuous. I am aching all over from that ride, and what the archaeologists told me to do at Grunmarl. Oh, and today's training session is cancelled, unless I get a massage."

> "I don't massage very well."
> "What happened at Grunmarl?"
> "You can go have breakfast first, sir. I'll wait for you at the armoury."
> "The sooner we get this over with, the better. Sir."
> "I'll just follow the Captain and see if I can make myself useful."

>>36853458
>> "I don't massage very well."
>> "What happened at Grunmarl?"
>> "You can go have breakfast first, sir. I'll wait for you at the armoury."

>>36853458
> "You can go have breakfast first, sir. I'll wait for you at the armoury."

>>36853458

> "I don't massage very well."
> "You can go have breakfast first, sir. I'll wait for you at the armoury."

>>36853458
>> "What happened at Grunmarl?"
>> "You can go have breakfast first, sir. I'll wait for you at the armoury."
i kinda think we should for the message if only as a professional courtesy
plus when he makes remarks about us doing it we can apply JUST enough pressure to make him stop without giving him the reaction he wants

>>36853458
Clarissa can confirm our lack of massage expertise, that's for sure.

>>36853458
>"What happened at Grunmarl?"
>"You can go have breakfast first, sir. I'll wait for you at the armoury."

>>36853458
>"You can go have breakfast first, sir. I'll wait for you at the armoury."
ask
>"What happened at Grunmarl?"
when he gets to the armory

>>36853458
> "I don't do massages, sir."
> "You can go have breakfast first, sir. I'll wait for you at the armoury."

You wish, William.

You let that comment about massages go; judging from William's wistful tone, he is fondly imagining some previous visit to one of Alvar's delights for the discerning gentleman or lady, and not in the euphemistic sense either. In a city of Alvar's size, there is more than enough room for proper chiropractic shops.

Besides, you do feel a tinge of pity for William, even if he seems to be whining a bit more than absolutely necessary.

"You can go have breakfast first, sir," you tell him. "I'll wait for you at the armoury."

"Nicole, you are my favourite knight-apprentice," William says expansively.

"I am your only knight-apprentice, sir."

"All the more truth in my declaration, then." William sweeps a bow, grimacing slightly as certain muscles object to this showy display. "I shall return post-haste."

You step outside of the palace and into the training courtyard. The skies are dreary and overcast, and the sombre mood seems to be affecting what few guards are out here, going through their drills with a bit more forced energy than usual.

Roderick is staring discontentedly up at the skies, but turns his attention to you when you approach.

"Faith is stronger when alloyed with doubt," he says. You don't know this one.

"Good morning, Roderick," you say instead, to his faint disappointment.

"Good morning, Nicole. Lousy weather we're having, isn it?" Roderick rises from his seat. "I'll bring out your armour in a moment."

This turns out to be a box full of metal plates with leather straps attached to them seemingly at random. You pick one up with some dismay; it is heavier than you expected.

"Make sure the armour fits well," Roderick says. "It's a lot more difficult to alter it than your uniforms."

> "Could you help me with this, Roderick?"
> "William said he's going to help me put it on. He'll be here in a while."
> "What's the proper procedure for requisitioning something lighter?"

>>36853777
> "Could you help me with this, Roderick?"
> "What's the proper procedure for requisitioning something lighter?"

>>36853777
> "William said he's going to help me put it on. He'll be here in a while."

A full suit of plate armour shouldn't weigh more than 15–25 kg according to wikipedia, it shouldn't be as bad once its on the body with the weight being distributed evenly.

>>36853777
> "William said he's going to help me put it on. He'll be here in a while."

>>36853777
> "William said he's going to help me put it on. He'll be here in a while."
>"But is it possible to put this on unaided?"

>>36853777
>> "William said he's going to help me put it on. He'll be here in a while."
>> "What's the proper procedure for requisitioning something lighter?"

>>36853777
>> "William said he's going to help me put it on. He'll be here in a while."
>> "What's the proper procedure for requisitioning something lighter?"

for all his silly crap, william isn't a creep at least.

>>36853777
> "William said he's going to help me put it on. He'll be here in a while."
> "What's the proper procedure for requisitioning something lighter?"

I really like Roderick.

>>36853777
>> "William said he's going to help me put it on. He'll be here in a while."
>> "What's the proper procedure for requisitioning something lighter?"

>>36853798
I don't know. Considering Nicole is some sort of ninja-rogue, even a little weight might be problematic. Leather armour (or equivalent, I'm no expert) might work out better.

Or if there is equivalent to mithril or something, maybe that.

>>36853777
> "William said he's going to help me put it on. He'll be here in a while."
> "What's the proper procedure for requisitioning something lighter?"
> "And doubt is wiser when bolstered by courage."

>>36852825
>"It's normal for people to lose their temper in, uh, certain conditions," you add, in the hopes that this would be reassuring enough for Clarissa not to continue self-flagellating.
>
>Clarissa mutters under her breath, clearly not meant for your ears. "And then there's you."

Did anyone else read this as a reference to the incident with the wards, rather than a remark on Nicole not getting angry enough?

>>36853927
uh

no

>>36853927
Now that you mention it, interesting.

>>36853927
Seeing as we still don't know what happened with the wards or what we did while we were out, no I didn't read it like that

>>36853927
Eh, in the context I'd take it as Nichole doesn't seem to get angry at all.

>>36853980
Nicole attacked Clarissa, who went ahead and showed Nicole just who is the captain here.

>>36853997
Thats speculation anon, no one to this day has told us anything about that event other than we blew up the wards and had a fall

>>36853927
Nope. Seemed pretty straightforward to me how Nicole is a emotionless MACHINE.

>>36853927
>>36854020
Oh wait, I get you now. Could be!

>>36854006
That's just not true anon.

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/35807005/#p35809695

>>36854006
Actually, it was mentioned at some point. Clarissa herself said she broke Nicole's arm.

>>36853920
>Rookie getting a mithril set
You spoil your squires.

"William said he's going to help me put it on," you say, a bit dubiously. "He'll be here in a while." And hopefully he'll be able to reassure you that wearing a full set of metal plates is not as intimidating as it seems.

"Good idea," Roderick says. "Even the guard recruits have trouble with their armour the first time, and that's just boiled leather and a breastplate. And a helmet, of course."

Which sounds a lot lighter than the pile of metal in the box. "What's the proper procedure for requisitioning something lighter?"

Roderick rubs his chin. "It'll have to be custom-made, as usual. Maybe a brigandine coat? Truth to tell, this sort of armour isn't really that useful for city work. It's meant for battles and wars, which aren't likely to happen, especially after the Pretender's Revolt gutted us. Clarissa wears hers on occasion just to keep her hand in, but I can't remember the last time William did. Donovan wears his because he likes to. I suppose you'll look splendid in a parade."

And being a knight in shining armour, as in the storybooks, pre-supposes having armour in the first place.

"Suffice to say, save for big fancy ceremonial occasions, you shouldn't have to wear this armour after today," Roderick says. "Especially if what I hear about your assignments holds true. There's more than one way to be a knight, after all, and the days of jousting tournaments and armour-clad knights clanking towards each other in competition and battle died with the Old Empire." He grins, apparently as an excuse to show his pointed teeth. "And a good thing for me, too, since one of the regular activities of the Iron Knights was to harrass the nearest unfortunate orc caravan, just to test their skills."

Roderick does not sound noticeably bitter about the past atrocities visited upon his people by the human Empire, but you can never really tell.

>[1/3]

William's arrival saves you from further awkwardness. "Roderick, Nicole," he says with cheerful perfunctoriness. "Thank you for waiting." He looks rather more refreshed now, freshly showered and well-fed.

"Not a problem," Roderick says, holding out the first piece of armour. "Cuirass, back and breast."

William helps you put on the armour, making sure you understand how each piece fits together, and how to fasten each part to the others and your body. You do lose track of the names of each part somewhere betweeen "gorget" and "couter", but the end result is less uncomfortable than you had feared, given the initial weight.

At William's suggestion, you go through a few exercises, largely to test your range of motion. This also reveals a rather glaring disadvantage for your particular set of skills.

"It's very loud," you opine, after clanking around the training courtyard on a short jog.

"Plate armour isn't really meant for stealthy approaches," William says. "But how does it fit?"

You don't feel more discomfort than the baseline of wearing a metal suit you are not accustomed to. "I think it's fine. I'm not sure I'll be able to get used to it anytime soon, though." Especially since it takes rather long to don the armour.

William shrugs. "It's the price of being a knight. Or a knight-apprentice, in your case. I don't think even Clarissa will mind if you never wear your armour again, but it's better to know how to wear it than otherwise."

You cannot imagine a contingency where wearing this set of metal armour will be essential to your continued survival, but your place as a knight-apprentice is not to question those more experienced than you.

>[2/3]

"If there's nothing else," Roderick rumbles, "I could keep the armour for you. I don't think you'll be asking for it very often, am I right?"

William coughs, and theatrically averts his gaze.

> "Thank you, Roderick."
> "I'll try to find some time every day to get used to this. It's part of my duties, after all."
> "Actually, let me try something first." (roll 1d20, best of three)

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>36854241
> "Actually, let me try something first." (roll 1d20, best of three)
I wonder what this does.

Rolled 18 (1d20)

>>36854241
>> "Actually, let me try something first." (roll 1d20, best of three)
Can't resist.

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>36854241
> "Thank you, Roderick."
> "Actually, let me try something first." (roll 1d20, best of three)
not sure what Nicole's trying but oh well.

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>36854241
>"Actually, let me try something first." (roll 1d20, best of three)

>>36854252
A solid roll.

>>36854252

I wonder what this done.

Then again, well fitted armour doesn't actually hinder mobility to a great extent. This should be interesting.

>>36854241
>"I'll try to find some time every day to get used to this. It's part of my duties, after all."
So dutiful, what an apprentice.

>>36854252
It's not a 20, but I'll take it.

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>36854241
>> "Actually, let me try something first." (roll 1d20, best of three)

>>36854282
stop it anon

>>36854272
It is probably testing our mobility. I'm expecting cartwheels and whatnot.

>>36854282
Thank God you're late.

>>36854241
I'm getting flashbacks to FFIX, listening to Steiner clank all over the castle.

>>36854209
Knight-apprentices

>>36854387
Knight-appendices.

>>36854454
Knight-appendages

>>36854457
knight-tentacles

>>36854473
Knight-loving-tentacles

>>36854482
Knight-Love-Tentacles

>>36854387
>>36854454
>>36854457
>>36854473
>>36854482
A clear train of thought, there. Well done, boys!

>>36854517
>>36854495
And you too! Can't believe I missed you!

>>36854517
Thanks!

You hesitate. "Actually, I'd like to try something first." Jogging around the courtyard is all well and good, but that's not the sort of mobility check you're concerned with.

William raises an eyebrow. "What next? Cartwheels?"

You ignore him, and walk off, putting some distance between yourself and the others for safety. You take a few steps back for the run-up, gauge your distance, and then sprint towards the wall surrounding the courtyard.

You can just barely hear William choke off a swear behind you, but everything is soon drowned out by an almighty rattling and clanking of steel, as you jump up the wall in a rapid series of bounces, and land neatly on the top.

The added weight of the armour makes things a little less easy than you are used to, but you can compensate well enough. Now if only you could do something about all that noise, which will definitely alert everyone to your passing, should you have to repeat your chase across the rooftops.

You hop back down, with another crash of metal. "Definitely too loud," you report.

William looks as though he is at a loss for words. You like him better that way.

Roderick shakes his head in amazement. "No matter how many times I see that, I'm still impressed. Are you satisfied with your armour? Apart from the noise, I mean."

You don't bother testing your climbing skills. You know the metal will scrape against every surface, and you'd rather not damage your brand new armour so quickly. "It's not as bad as I thought. I can move around almost as well as I'm used to, but I still prefer not wearing armour, just to be safe."

>[1/2]

"Clarissa certainly won't force you to wear the armour when you're doing real work," Roderick says. "Sadly, I don't think you'll get a chance to show off like that when you have to wear the armour for some public ceremony or other. You'll learn to be really good at impersonating a statue, though."

You can find no plausible answer to contradict Roderick's analysis of your future duties.

Doffing the suit of armour takes less time than putting it on, and William silently helps you undo all the straps and attachments.

"You're not even knackered out," he says, once you are free from the constraints of steel. "How did you do something like that?"

> "It's just a talent I picked up."
> "It's a long story. I'd rather not talk about it right now."
> "I was enchanted by a not-so-evil wizard to have the reflexes and skills of a cat. Unfortunately, he misjudged the dosage."

>>36854570
> "I was enchanted by a not-so-evil wizard to have the reflexes and skills of a cat. Unfortunately, he misjudged the dosage."
>"Meow"

>>36854570
>> "I was enchanted by a not-so-evil wizard to have the reflexes and skills of a cat. Unfortunately, he misjudged the dosage, nya."
and then
> "It's just a talent I picked up."

>>36854570

> "I was enchanted by a not-so-evil wizard to have the reflexes and skills of a cat. Unfortunately, he misjudged the dosage."

>>36854570
>> "I was enchanted by a not-so-evil wizard to have the reflexes and skills of a cat. Unfortunately, he misjudged the dosage."
Little does he know that it's close to the truth.

>>36854570
>"I was enchanted by a not-so-evil wizard to have the reflexes and skills of a cat. Unfortunately, he misjudged the dosage."

>>36854570
>"I was enchanted by a not-so-evil wizard to have the reflexes and skills of a cat. Unfortunately, he misjudged the dosage."

The hivemind is back.

>>36854570
> "I was enchanted by a wizard with no sense of right or wrong to have the reflexes and skills of a cat. Unfortunately, he misjudged the dosage."

>>36854602
I thought that was implied.

>>36854599
Myat are you talking abyout?

>>36854570
>"I was enchanted by a not-so-evil wizard to have the reflexes and skills of a cat. Unfortunately, he misjudged the dosage."
>"Maybe I'll talk about after all this business with the Captain is over. We have way too many secrets and baggage going around as it is."

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>36854570
>> "It's just a talent I picked up."

>>36854570
>"I was enchanted by a not-so-evil wizard to have the reflexes and skills of a cat. Unfortunately, he misjudged the dosage."

does this count as flirting with william?

>>36854629
Teasing at the very least.

>>36854570
> "I was enchanted by a not-so-evil wizard to have the reflexes and skills of a cat. Unfortunately, he misjudged the dosage."

For the purpose of messing with his head.

> "It's just a talent I picked up."

Because it is probably true?

>>36854629
Or just our awful humor.

>ib4 William tries to check for a tail

At least Nicole gets her reason to feign anger.

>>36854652
I'm sure Elise could help with the lack of a tail, then Nichole wouldn't have a reason to be angry.

>>36854716
She's already on to us, if it wasn't for the deal with Clarissa we'd be busted already. If she tried to do more magic on us, she'd only get closer to finding out.

Poor librarian. She'll have no chance. We're not even interested in William and he's enamored with us.

>>36854977
Maybe next time she won't be such a massive biiiitch.

>>36854977
I don't think he's enamored with us. He probably thinks of us like Clarissa. Too hot to handle.

>>36855004
Catgirl is his fetish and we're nyaing.

>>36854977
Nah she'll be fine with him, we've made it pretty clear we've no interest in him, and when we tell her his fave animal she'll be in with a shot

You are certainly not going to tell William the truth, and not just because you're not entirely sure yourself.

"I was enchanted by a wizard," you say, in a burst of invention. "Who turned out not to be so evil. He enchanted me to have the reflexes and skills of a, uh, a cat." Cats generally don't jump several times their height straight up, do they? You're not even sure they can hop up vertical surfaces. You don't have much experience with cats, or any domesticated pets. "Unfortunately, he misjudged the dosage."

William's mouth twitches. "Was this part of the bet the wizard made with the dragon?"

It takes a moment before you remember the last ridiculous story you told William, about your skill with darts. "Different wizard."

"You certainly know a lot of wizards. Or is it just the two?"

You take the opportunity to sign for your armour, giving yourself more time to think. Roderick's face is impressively blank at your byplay, but the amused silence is palpable. "There are more than two," you say, hedging for future stories, "but less than a hundred." That should be safe enough for an upper bound. You don't think your imagination can come up with over a hundred tales for your origins and skills.

"Quite a range," William murmurs.

You glance at him in surprise. You had expected William to continue pushing the banter past the point of any humour, but he accepted the end of the tall tale rather easily this time.

William catches your puzzled look. "What, are you expecting something more? I was merely marvelling at the insight of this unknown wizard, who granted you the most apposite aptitude of a feline, as befits a kitten."

This is more like the William you know, and are irritated by. "Is there anything else planned for this morning, sir?" you say firmly, bringing the conversation back to professionalism.

>[1/2]

>>36855031
We should tell her to meow in his presence too, else we'l blatantly still outshine her

William gracefully takes the hint. "For myself, I plan to take it easy for the rest of the day. I do have a class to teach on Etiquette later. I do hope to see you there; we shall be covering the proper attire at a variety of formal functions. Fortunately for us, uniforms are, if not wholly correct, then at the least not our fault."

Another class that does not concern you. You do not have any fancy clothes that would be worthy of being worn at anything remotely formal, or even any money to buy them in the first place.

"You could also meet David," William suggests. "He should be out here any moment now, to have a look at, well." He tilts his head to indicate the inert conduit cube.

> "I'd be happy to be introduced. David might have some insights on the cube that might help Elise solve some of its mysteries."
> "I do have a few matters I need to take care of with the City Watch."
> "I'll just stay in the palace library and study. That trip to Whiteford is pressing rather heavily on my mind."

>>36855037
> "I secretly know ALL the wizards, William."

>>36855045
>"I'd be happy to be introduced. David might have some insights on the cube that might help Elise solve some of its mysteries."
First chance we've had to meet him right?
> "I do have a few matters I need to take care of with the City Watch."
Then again, should really try to get Elise and that ring on the theif's body in the same room so she can see if its a shadow conduit

>>36855045
>> "I do have a few matters I need to take care of with the City Watch but I'll see if I can meet him after that."

>>36855045
> "I do have a few matters I need to take care of with the City Watch."

When was that meeting with the suspicious elves? I may need to keep some sort of journal.

>>36855045
>> "I'd be happy to be introduced. David might have some insights on the cube that might help Elise solve some of its mysteries."

>>36855045
> "I'd be happy to be introduced. David might have some insights on the cube that might help Elise solve some of its mysteries."

>>36855045
>>36855070
This

>>36855045
>> "I'd be happy to be introduced. David might have some insights on the cube that might help Elise solve some of its mysteries."

>>36855045
>> "I do have a few matters I need to take care of with the City Watch."

>>36855045
>> "I'd be happy to be introduced. David might have some insights on the cube that might help Elise solve some of its mysteries."

>>36855045
> "I do have a few matters I need to take care of with the City Watch."
I don`t even remember if we return the dress or not

>>36855224
We didn't.

Also guys, remember we need to grab the ring sooner rather than later.

>>36855354
yep, best to go to the city, hand back the dress and get the ring

we can meet David later

You recall Anders's description of David Barlin as one of the more accessible experts on pre-Empire civilizations and cultures. "I'd be happy to be introduced. David might have some insights on the cube. It could help Elise solve some of its mysteries." And hopefully prevent Elise from inadvertantly doing something unwise during her magical experimentation.

William nods. "David is probably still briefing Clarissa on the latest finds at Grunmarl. Which I had the misfortune to see first-hand." He winces in the memory of pain, and starts rotating his shoulder. "The crates were all right, if repetitive, but those ancient stone doors are a menace. Not to mention that pillar."

This sounds like a story you will have to ask about next time, when William is less inclined to conjure up exaggerations and wholesale inventions.

"I'll be on my way," William says, with a small bow. "I will see you in class, should you feel inclined to participate. There is no obligation, of course."

Now that you know the lesson will not significantly affect your chances at Whiteford, you are free to consider other activities. "I do have a few matters I need to take care of with the City Watch. I may be some time." You can only imagine the sheer amount of paperwork required to take a piece of evidence in an ongoing investigation out of the Watch House, and back to the palace, where Elise will perform all sorts of ineffable experiments on it. All without a guarantee of a result.

"Then I shall miss your presence, should fate decide," William says breezily, as he saunters off. "But even I know to let a kitten wander freely where she may."

One day, you will demonstrate that you too are capable of losing your temper. A swift punch to the nose should be a socially acceptable catharsis.

>[1/2]

David has yet to emerge from Clarissa's office out to the courtyard to inspect the cube. You briefly consider taking a shortcut through the window of Clarissa's office, but decide that in the presence of a new acquaintance, it would be best to use the door like a normal person.

You take the long way around back to the palace proper, and stop in front of Clarissa's office. The murmur of conversation can be heard within.

Just as you are trying to decide whether it would be better to enter and announce your presence, or wait patiently outside, the conversation ceases, and the door opens.

David is a tall man, dressed in comfortable travelling clothes, giving the impression of a scholar who is more at home out in the field than in a library. He wears an easy smile, which grows in polite friendliness when he sees you.

"And this must be the new knight-apprentice I've heard about," he says, sticking his hand out. "Professor David Barlin."

> "I'm Nicole. Pleased to meet you, Professsor."
> "Knight-apprentice Warnicolma Santikariya. But Nicole is fine. Pleased to meet you, Professor."

>>36855423
>> "Knight-apprentice Warnicolma Santikariya. But Nicole is fine. Pleased to meet you, Professor."
Make sure to give a small bow. Not a curtsy.

>>36855423
> "I'm Nicole. Pleased to meet you, Professsor."

Casual introduction
> dressed in comfortable travelling clothes, giving the impression of a scholar who is more at home out in the field than in a library.

>>36855423
> "Knight-apprentice Warnicolma Santikariya. But Nicole is fine. Pleased to meet you, Professor."

>>36855450
This

>>36855423
>> "I'm Nicole. Pleased to meet you, Professsor."
Guys, I don't think going with the fancy name to this guy is a good idea.

>>36855423
> "I'm Nicole. Pleased to meet you, Professsor."

>>36855423
>> "I'm Nicole. Pleased to meet you, Professsor."

>>36855423
>> "I'm Nicole. Pleased to meet you, Professsor."
You spelled professor with three "S"s.

>>36855423
> "Knight-apprentice Warnicolma Santikariya. But Nicole is fine. Pleased to meet you, Professor."

>>36855423
>> "I'm Nicole. Pleased to meet you, Professsor."
no need for formalities for a casual person

>>36855476
It's supposed to be there.

Cause we're a dragon, and that's our snake-tongue faltering momentarily.

>>36855501
Yes please. But we've never had issues With Cassandra.

>>36855423
> "I'm Nicole. Pleased to meet you, Professsor."

>>36855501
You made me spit out my drink. Good job, anon.

>>36855423
> "Knight-apprentice Warnicolma Santikariya. But Nicole is fine. Pleased to meet you, Professor."

>>36855501
>>36855513
>>36855521
Damp. Your typos are considered secret hints to our character identity.

Please be a delicious dragon girl.

File: quest-david.jpg (43 KB, 450x520)

43 KB JPG

You accept the handshake. "I'm Nicole. Pleased to meet you, Professor." David's handshake is firm but brief, and you step aside to let him out.

"Excellent timing, Nicole," Clarissa says, just behind David. "I have to deal with the paperwork generated from David's return and report. Would you mind assisting him with his work?"

You were planning on following David and prying some background knowledge of Grunmarl from him anyway. "Of course, Captain."

"My apologies for pulling you away from your duties, Nicole," David says politely. "But I hear this is a matter of some urgency. And Clarissa seems uneasy with my presence here."

"My uneasiness is less regarding your presence here," Clarissa corrects, "and more about your absence in Grunmarl."

"Cavie can take care of matters while I'm gone," David protests quietly. You get the feeling David says everything quietly, but with a certain deep authority, when it comes to matters of archaeology and the management of sites thereof.

"Even so," Clarissa says mysteriously. "I will be much relieved when you are back in Grunmarl to take care of her."

>[1/2]

David shrugs helplessly; this must be a long-running disagreement between them. "If you'll excuse me then, Clarissa." He closes the door behind him, and turns to you. "Nicole, wasn't it? Perhaps you could give me some background on the situation. The messages I've received are occasionally less than helpful."

"Certainly, Professor." You begin composing your summary of events, starting from the discovery of Clarissa's nightmares.

However, David holds up a hand. "Not here, though. I should speak to Elise as well. Is she all right? William seemed a bit worried when he arrived at Grunmarl."

"Elise is..." You search your vocabulary. "A little indisposed."

"Sleeping, is she?" David smiles. "I'm well aware of her irregular hours. However, if matters are as urgent as the messages claim, I should speak to her regardless. I believe she has some material for me to look over."

> "Of course, Professor."
> "Elise has been through a lot. I think we should let her rest for now."
> "We could look at the artefact in question instead. It's a cube, and it's sitting out in the training courtyard."
> "I think we should check the vault in the basement. It's locked, though, and Anders has the key."

>>36855732
> "Elise has been through a lot. I think we should let her rest for now."
> "I think we should check the vault in the basement. It's locked, though, and Anders has the key."
> "We could look at the artefact in question when Elise is awake."

>>36855732
> "Of course, Professor."

>>36855747
This

>>36855732
>> "Of course, Professor."
As much as she needs the sleep, it would be best if we solve this quickly so she can resume sleep as normal. She should be able to manage for long enough.

>>36855747
this is good, let elise sleep a bit

>>36855732
> "Of course, Professor."
knowing Elise, she's already awake.

>>36855732
> "Of course, Professor."

>>36855732
>>36855747
I'll second this, we can have him check on the things in the basement before Elise wakes up and we deal with the cube

Rolled 1 (1d2)

4-4 tie, rolling for tie-breaker.

1 - Wake Elise
2 - Check the vault

>>36855959
RIP Elise, your sleep will be missed

>>36855959
the dice are inconsiderate bastards

>>36855959
well someone around here has to get their sleep, so in Elise's absence, I shall slumber, goodnight Damp and anons, thanks for the thread.

Btw, what does Nicole's armor look like?

>>36856215
It's obviously Bikini platemail

>>36856249
the most protective armour known to sentient beings.

>>36856302
And of course we, as a sentient human, would chose the best choice.

>>36856249
You mean scalemail bikini, right?

>>36856363
What scales? We have no ssscalessss.

Elise has spent the most time studying the conduit cube, and presumably taken copious notes. You're not sure what David can do by looking at the cube himself, except for replicate Elise's findings, thus wasting time by doubling the work.

This will also be a useful excuse to check that Elise has not decided to return to her experiments, despite everyone's explicit instructions to the contrary. "Of course, Professor."

David has been a member of the Alvar palace staff for far longer than you have, so you fall into step behind him, letting him lead the way to Elise's workshop. You brace yourself for the obvious, and so you manage not to cringe when David stops short at the burned-out wards, still scored deeply into the stone.

"It's a long story," you blurt out, before David asks any inconvenient questions.

David stares at the wards, and shakes his head. "I suppose it's not my business. That story must be absolutely fascinating, however. I don't think I've seen anything like this, even in my work."

It is some small comfort to know that you are evidently unprecedented. On the bright side, the news of your little mishap with the wards had not reached David's crew in Grunmarl, even when they last deposited their latest haul of ancient artefacts into the vault. There may be hope yet for your reputation.

Upon reaching Elise's workshop, David pauses in the manner of everyone confronted by the sheer impressive scale of the chaos within. He recovers quickly, though, and begins picking his way through the detritus.

You peer out from behind him. Elise is still asleep, in that she is still in the general vicinity of her nest of books, and appears to be in no discomfort from her current posture face-down in a pile of tomes, her limbs splayed every which way. Occasionally you can hear the snort of an aborted snore, as Elise shifts position to something even more uncomfortable-looking.

>[1/2]

David squats down beside Elise. "Elise," he calls, softly.

Elise does not stir.

"Elise," David tries again.

"Table," Elise mumbles in response, which is impressively cogent.

David glances up at the long desk on which the three nightmare-absorbers sit. "Oh, that folder? All right."

You marvel at David's ability to ignore the repellently fascinating way the darkness roils in each of the nightmare-absorber orbs. In fact, he pays them no attention whatsoever, as he picks up the folder of sketches and begins flipping through them.

"Fascinating," he murmurs. "These are the patterns displayed by the artefact?"

You are about to answer in the affirmative when you are interrupted by the clatter of a collapsing book pile. Elise's precarious sleeping position had progressed to its inevitable result, and the sudden avalanche of books on her head is quite effective at waking her up.

She sits up, and stares blearily at you for a moment, before remembering to collect her spectacles from beside her on the floor. You wonder how she hasn't crushed them in her sleep before now.

"Nicole?" Elise says. Then she rotates to face David, who gives her a little wave. "And David. Oh. Hi."

> "Good morning, Elise. We need to talk about the cube."
> "Sorry about waking you, Elise, but the Professor said this is important."
> "Go back to sleep, Elise. We're fine here."

>>36856434
> "Sorry about waking you, Elise, but the Professor said this is important."
>"We need to talk about the cube."

>>36856434
>> "Good morning, Elise. We need to talk about the cube."

>>36856434
> "Sorry about waking you, Elise, but the Professor said this is important."

>>36856434
>before remembering to collect her spectacles from beside her on the floor

And that terrible grammar means it's time for me to call the thread here.

Apologies for the irregular schedule of recent weeks; real life has been fairly busy, and I often end up with too little time to run the quest. Today is an example, since I started about an hour late and am ending an hour early.

I'm not sure how much longer this will last, but it should get less hectic after the new year. Which is still some time yet, so I'll try to find as much time as I can to run the quest anyway.

Thanks for joining me on the quest.

>>36856434
> "Sorry about waking you, Elise, but the Professor said this is important."
>"But not for long, Elise still needs her sleep."

Seriously.

>>36856498
Thanks for running again, man. Was a lot longer than I feared after reading your tweester notice.

Don't worry about it too much. I think this length was really good AND so was the quality. Just relaaaax, maan. Dragon-Nicole Fanclub won't disappear.

>>36856434
>>36856499
This.

>>36856434
> "Sorry about waking you, Elise, but the Professor said this is important."

After all the trouble we went through to get her to sleep. Dang it.

>>36856498
Thanks for running, boss.

>>36856498
Thanks for running!
Don't worry about it, this thread was plenty long enough. The quality was still good. The quote in question doesn't even sound bad to me, but my English isn't very good.

>>36856498
You do what you do. We aren't going anywhere.

>>36856498
no worries OP, thanks for running, its fun as always

>>36856519
Agreed.
Thread far longer than what I expected.
And I can wait far past New Years to have another one.

Nicole would still be delicious. And brown. Deliciously brown.

MeowssSsssss

>>36856498
Thanks for running dude.

>>36856738
But.. what if she's not a delicious dragon girl?

>>36856865
>But.. what if she's not a delicious dragon girl?
Then the world burns, dragongirl or bust

>>36856938
Goddamn right.

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140 KB JPG

>>36856865
>>36856938
>>36856972
yes

>>36856738
I want to take the cat jokes/puns/behavior further.

>>36856434
> "Sorry about waking you, Elise, but the Professor said this is important."

>>36856498
Thanks for running.