>>38358142

You look all over your room, not exactly sure exactly what to expect, but you look anyway.

“Exactly what I want?” You want a lot of things, that’s for certain. You want all of the knowledge that the Ancillary Manta or that strange slug might have, and you will have it, someday.

That hunger fuels your search, rifling through your house until you have the idea to search your delving tub.

You quickly rush back to the tub and you think you find what you’re looking for when you peer over it.

Two intensely dark portals swirl inside and from them you hear the Ancillary Manta’s voice.

“Infamy.” The being’s voice states from the portal on the left.

“Control.” Its voice shifts to the portal on the right.

“Both of these things can serve as tools to gain what you desire. Pick one, my dear.” The Ancillary Manta softly instructs.

The thought of having the means to gain whatever you want morphs your excitement into an insatiable hunger. Which one of these two things will help to achieve the "great things" that *you* want?


>Infamy

>Control

>>38358194
>Control

I'm scared.

>>38358194
>Control

>>38358194
>Control

>>38358194
>Control
I'm kinda curious about infamy might do. But this seems like the wiser choice.

Hello everyone!

>>38358226
>>38358255
>>38358283
>>38358310
Control it is.

>Writing

>>38358351

After thinking it over, control seems like the better choice. After all, what could the benefits of infamy possibly be? You’re already infamous enough from your profession, you’d rather be famous for your achievements.

“I’ll take control.” You firmly answer.

The Ancillary Manta laughs merrily. “Excellent choice, my dear. Have absolute control of yourself and soon the world around will follow. Enjoy and until we meet again...”

At that moment the two swirling portals simultaneous head toward each other and then fuse into one, and then instantaneously close. Leaving behind a small jet black hood similar to the many you already have.

You pluck the hood out of the tub and inspect it. As far as you can tell there’s no apparent powers or obvious special properties. It’s light but has a very sturdy feel to it. So you decide that you will allow time to reveal its use, as it has before.

With the morning sun now peaking over the horizon, you get dressed and don the newly gifted cloak.

[1/2]

>>38359198

You observe yourself in the mirror. With your hair neatly styled with the hairpin and the dark and imposing cloak on your shoulders, you cast quite the imposing figure, and are now quite obviously an Occultist to anyone that has the slightest idea what that word means.

While looking over your figure with pride, it occurs to you that you have quite a bit of unfinished business you have to attend to.

There’s the matter of Matthias, who you haven’t spoken to since you last met with him at the guild. He promised to visit, and surely he’s completed his first delve by now. There must be something keeping his attention.

And then there’s Ali. That strange girl, if she was willing to lose body parts she must have found something incredibly good in her travels. Even if she doesn’t want to sell that particular item perhaps she’d let you know what it is, or at least show you what else she has.

Your apprentices are still asleep and you decide to leave them like that for now. So today’s destination is either to the guild to try to find out where Matthias is or a visit to Ali at the merchant’s crossroads. Either way you'd like to get there early to not arouse any unwanted attention.

>Find out where Matthias is.

>Visit Ali

>Write in

>>38359242
>>Find out where Matthias is.
Make sure he didn't delve badly and die.

>>38359242
>Find out where Matthias is.

>>38359242
>Find out where Matthias is.
I'm still kind of miffed by how our last meeting with Ali went, so she can wait.

>>38359282
>>38359293
>>38359331
Really old friends over old friends.
>Writing

>>38359420

At least you’ve heard back from Ali, Matthias has been completely gone for many days. And as funny as it would be if he failed a delve and you had to go scoop him up, it wouldn’t be perfect because you wouldn’t be able to rub it in his face. Well, literally you might be able to rub what’s left of his face, but it’s not the same.

Damn it, now you’re a little worried, so you make your way out of the house and head toward the guild.

You have a new found appreciation the cool morning air mixed with the warm sun, or rather you have a new appreciation for all the things that you can feel, considering you now know what it truly is not be able to.

You pass by many houses simply taking in the morning and forgetting about the surroundings.

You close your eyes and take in the smell and sounds of the morning as well. The birds are chirping their cute little songs, the wind scrapes the fallen leaves against the ground, and a gravelly voice yells almost unintelligible obscenities at you.

Wait…

You open your eyes and find a very large and very dirty vagabond glaring and yelling at you a few feet ahead of you. He brandishes a rusty rebar and seems to communicate through a series of foamy garbles with swears interspersed in between.

Good job enjoying the morning, now look what you’ve got yourself into. You quickly observe the situation.

The man stands maybe three yards away from you at the most, and is getting closer. Both the guild and your house are about the same distance away from each other at this point. Not that you want to possibly lead him back to your house, but heading toward the guild would mean to head toward him.

Fighting has never been your strong point, or any point of you actually, so that leaves running or diplomacy? Maybe fighting dirty, but how does one fight dirty exactly? You wonder if you can get a low blow in before getting hit yourself.

>Run

>Try to talk him down.

>Fight dirty?

>Write in

>>38360009
>Try to talk him down.

>>38360009
>Try to talk him down.
failing that
>Fight dirty?

>>38360009
>Try to talk him down.
If we can't
>Fight dirty?

>>38360009
>Try to talk him down.
If not
>Run through the neighborhood.
We're not a fighter at all guys.

>>38360044
>>38360089
>>38360103
>>38360228
I'll write the first one for now, and then you can see what you feel like doing after.
>Writing.

>>38360264

One should stick to their strengths first, right?

“Look!” You raise your hands. “I’ve got nothing on me worth anything.” You lie and continue. “I’m not worth hurting yourself over!”

The grungy man snarls and lets out some strange incomprehensible noise and then begins smacking the rebar against the ground.

Is this person even human? You’ve more civility out of slugs, and you’d much rather be talking to a giant slug right now, at least that way you could run if you had to, and they’d never be able to catch up.

Regardless of that, you keep trying.

“Don’t hurt me and I can show you where there’s a lot of food!” You lie again, slowly backing away.

“FOOD!?” The vagabond utters his first word that isn’t an obscenity and steps closer sniffing the air for the food.

“Yes, lots of food! If you follow me…” You point to the house across the street before you’re interrupted.

“FOOD NOW!” The man smashes the rebar against the ground, hurting his hands in the process. This only serves to fuel his rage as he continues to smash his weapon while yelling. “NOW!” Over and over again, making quite the noise.

The palms of your hands tingle and you feel a cool sweat form on your body. This isn’t going very well at all, you’re concerned that you won’t make it out of this unscathed.

“I’m an Occultist!” You shout at the man to hopefully stop him. “And if you don’t leave me alone, I’ll take all your blood!” You use a rumor that you heard a lot growing up.

He freezes instantly and stares at you in fear. Even the simplest minded have a bad impression of Occultists it seems. His hands tightly clutch around the rebar and his face passes through a series of emotions, reflecting his turmoil of whether to believe you or to just kill you.

His eyes watch you closely. You just want him to get out of here.

>Run.

>Surprise him and fight dirty.

>Write in

>>38360945
>Surpise him and fight dirty.
Banking on him running in fear.

>>38360945
>Surprise him and fight dirty.

>>38360984
>>38361046
Roll 1d20, best of three.
(Crits inactive.)

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>38361136

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>38361136
SHIT. We should've run.

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>38361136

I kinda want crits active, how does everyone else feel?

14 it is.
>Writing

>>38361218
Haha no. Crits lead to death in Auri quests.

>>38361218
I want em active too

>>38361218
>>38361314
It can be arranged. I left them off as one way to make this quest easier than my prior ones, and will very likely leave it that way. But please feel free to weigh in on how you feel about that, and if there's overwhelming desire for them to be active I'll consider how to do it.

Do keep in mind that I take crits VERY seriously.

>>38361433
Like I said before no.

I still Remember Miasma Quest
*cries*

>>38361218
>>38361433
I changed my mind. I'm good now haha.

>>38361433
No crits.

>>38361475
>>38361490
>>38361642
Understood!

>>38361224

Well, there’s a first time for everything right?

You charge at the vagabond as quickly as you can, which isn’t very fast at all. Luckily for you, your unexpected action has left him dumbfounded and he can only stare as you clumsily ram a fist into his sensitive nether regions.

He howls in pain and collapses to the ground. He blindly swipes at the air trying to find your body with his weapons, but by the time he does, you awkwardly manage to crawl away without getting hit.

The whole fight was over very quickly and was probably one of the least graceful sights to ever be seen on that street, but you’re still the victor of that encounter.

You wisely take no time to celebrate and flee the scene as quickly as your legs will allow you, which again isn’t very fast at all.

The grand distance of five houses pass by before you’re almost completely out of breath. Confident that you made it away from your attacker you stop to wheeze in some breaths.

In the distance, you hear heavy footfalls on the ground. You turn around to see that the vagabond wasn’t as far away as you thought he was and is quickly gaining ground.

“Damn it, Matthias.” You huff as your feet slowly carry you away. The footfalls get closer, and with how tired you are, you submit to your fate by collapsing to the ground in exhaustion.

[1/2]

File: mv1.jpg (179 KB, 1316x998)

179 KB JPG

>>38362049
(This was me, my bad~)
The footsteps suddenly get very quick and then stop. You hear a commotion and scuttle on the ground to see what’s happening.

A very muscular masked man swipes the leg of your assailant with his long barbed spear, downing the dirty attacking. He deftly spins his weapon into the right position and then stabs through the vagabond’s chest, ending the fight before it even began.

Just your luck another crazy person, and this one seems many times more dangerous than the dirty vagabond. You gracelessly scuttle backward on the ground as he approaches you.

“You alright?” A surprisingly gentle voice asks from behind the mask, holding out a hand.

Well he did save you after all so you could at least respond to him, but you’re hesitant to trust someone that can kill a person as skillfully as he did.

>”I’m alright.”

>Remain silent.

>Write in

>>38362082
>>”I’m alright.”
Who are you?
<Damn he is ripped>

>>38362082
>”I’m alright.”
Hey, don't gotta trust to communicate.

>>38362082
>Write in.
"I'm alright, now."
Do this please.

>>38362108
>>38362143
>>38362149
(At least you get most of write in selected.)
>Writing.

>>38362259

You reach for his hand. “I’m alright.” You squeeze out before you are hoisted to your feet with great ease.

“Good to hear.” He wipes off his spear on whatever clean parts he can find on the vagabond’s torso. “Oh!” He pulls off his mask to reveal a slightly kind-looking, but almost melancholy face.

He laughs at his mistake. “I’m just so use to having this thing on for my job, or my former job.” He gazes at the mask for a brief moment and then throws it to the ground. “I don’t need it anymore.”

You sigh, first he saves your life and now he has you feeling bad for him. You bend over to pick up his mask.

“Seems like this means a lot to you.” You take a look at the strange mask, it seems like it’s made out of some type of bone. “I know the past can be unpleasant, but trust me, you’ll regret throwing it away more than keeping it.”

He mulls over your words and then smiles. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” He plucks the mask out of your hand and positions it to hang off his neck.

You suddenly remember what you came out here to do originally. “Well, thanks a lot. I’ve got to get going, so good luck with whatever it is that you do.” You point at the various weapons and other tools hanging off his body.

“Did.” He says firmly.

“Right.” You turn to the direction of the guild. “Good luck with that too.” You wave to him behind you.

You take a few steps before you hear him again.

“Wait!” He calls out from behind you.

You stop and politely turn around. You got to have patience with the guy, you kind of do owe him at least that courtesy.

[1/2]

>>38363116

“My name’s Laurent…” He waits expectantly.

You sigh. “Sophia.” You call out, and head off to the guild.

“Sophia? Do you know a man named Matthias?” He yells again.

You instantly turn around and head back to him

“How do you know Matthias?” You ask imposingly, not caring how much larger he is than you.

He backs away from your approach. “I met him and we talked. He's a funny guy. He mentioned your name, and he called you a few names too.” He waves his hands. “It wasn’t anything bad, just…uh well, it was pretty bad, and anyway he doesn’t live too far from here actually. I can take you there.”

You look at him cautiously. Just because he saved your life doesn’t mean he won’t do you any harm now. For all you know he could have harmed Matthias and intends to do the same to you. Strangely you don’t feel any ill will from him, but you’re still wary.

>”No thanks.”

>”Just tell me where it is.”

>”Alright. Lead the way.”

>Write in

>>38363169

>”Alright. Lead the way.”
>FLIRT HEAVILY

>>38363169
>”Just tell me where it is.”

>>38363169
>”Just tell me where it is, so I can get there later."

>>38363169
>”Alright. Lead the way.”
Flirt some. Those abs unf.

>>38363169
>"Alright. Lead the way."
>>38363189
I won't go as far as flirt heavily, but be a lot nicer. We could turn him into a bodyguard, since we really do need one.

>>38363169
>”Just tell me where it is.”

>>38363248
>I won't go as far as flirt heavily
did you not look at the pic?

>>38363235
this guy knows

>>38363169
>>38363248
Seconding this.

>>38363169
>>38363230
Backing!

I'm surprised at the sudden influx of votes. Two minutes until tie-breaking roll.

>>38363419
We have samefagging.

>>38363419
>>38363458
I had a slight suspicion of this because of how many votes suddenly appeared.

I will soon begin a sudden death vote, that will last two minutes, please be ready to vote.

>>38363419
Now that you introduced a potential husbando the straightfags are throwing themselves at him.

>>38363503
"Alright. Lead the way."
and
"Be a lot nicer."
=1

"Just tell me where it is."
=2

Please use the numbers to vote. Two minute window.

>>38363520
1

>>38363520
1

>>38363520
2

>>38363520
Closed

>>38363520
2

>>38363520
>Two minute window
Is that normal? I barely even saw the thread updated with autoupdate in time.
Not that I care enough to hold up the thread with this shit.

>>38363520
2

Well let him show the way, without any flirting.

Please don't duplicate vote in the future guys, it makes this all a very big pain.

>>38363572
Yea I didn't see it in time either lol, but 1 won anyway so it didn't matter.

>>38363616
If you're gonna make it 2 minutes please give more than 1 minute of warning.
I often miss even the 5 minute ones, Jesus.

Sorry for the samefaging but I wanted to win. Won't say which sides was on though.

>>38363716
Don't worry anon, I was samefagging too for the other side just to prove the point of the obvious samefagging, hence why I didn't bother pushing the IP-count higher.

>>38363716
>>38363749
So with the incredibly short final destination, it was basically a random roll in the end, huh.

>>38363716
>>38363749
>>38363841
Just don't do that shit in the future, please.

>>38363716
I don't forgive you.

>>38363716
Not forgiven

>>38363749
You aren't any better

>>38364135
and for what it's worth:

>>38363520
1

>>38363616

You sigh and rub your eyes, you certainly didn’t expect all of this when you first set out this morning.

“Alright, lead the way.” You relent to his request.

“Right.” He looks at the surrounding houses. “It’s not too far from here…This way.” He points a path leading through some houses.

He easily reaches over and opens several fences, and which fences can’t be opened he easily knocks down with a firm kick.

“Thanks.” You politely reply, as you walk through whatever structure he collapsed for you and soon you approach a house which seems to a bit more orderly than the ones around it.

“This is the one, but…” He stops you before you approach. “We should go around to the front, since he put traps around the back entrance.”

“Traps?” You scoff.

Matthias if someone wanted to kill you they’d just set your house on fire and be done with it.

You wrap around to the front door with Laurent and then bang on the door violently, for all the trouble Matthias has given you this morning.

“What the hell!?” You hear from inside and know that you’ve got the right place.

You bang on the door some more.

“I’m coming you fu-“He tears open the door and is instantly silenced by your presence. Then he suddenly starts laughing to himself.

[1/2]

File: av2.jpg (124 KB, 850x1250)

124 KB JPG

>>38364480

You smack him in the chest. “You ass, I almost got killed this morning because you didn’t have the decency to visit.”

“Mercy! Mercy!” He pleads jokingly lightly blocking your blows. Then he suddenly tenses up as if he remembered something important.

“Hold on here for a se-“He turns around and bumps into a striking young woman. The pale and blonde woman is dressed in what’s clearly clothes that belong to Matthias as the hang around her baggily.

She clutches the back of Matthias shirt as she nervously stares at both you and Laurent with intense, and almost burning amber eyes.
You stare back at Matthias and toss up a skeptical eyebrow.

“It’s not what you think!” He responds to you quickly.

Just as he does the back of his shirt ignites in a small fire. Instead of reacting how you would expect someone to normally, Matthias simply sighs and tosses his jacket to the floor to stomp out the fire.

“That was my last jacket, you know?” He scolds the young woman behind him.

That just confirms your suspicions, this girl isn’t of this realm. Absolutely fascinating, but perhaps you can use this to mess with Matthias some more.

>”You guys don’t wear a lot of clothes here?”

>”So you two getting married or something?”

>"I'm glad to see that your first delve was a success."

>Write in.

>>38364522
>”So you two getting married or something?”
then
>"I'm glad to see that your first delve was a success."

>>38364522
>”You guys don’t wear a lot of clothes here?”

>>38364522
>Looks like you need some help, Matthias. Glad to see you alive, by the way.

>>38364522
"So you two getting married or something?"
And
"Looks like I'm not the only one with an apprentice."

>>38364522
>”So you two getting married or something?”

>"I'm glad to see that your first delve was a success."

>>38364557
>>38364644
should we be mentioning that to Laurent?

>>38364557
>>38364644
>Writing

>>38364661
Hmm

>>38364661
I am very eager to mention marriage to Laurent.

>>38364708

You grin wildly. “So you two getting married or something?”

Instantly the young woman’s eyes light brighter, surprisingly possible, and then she runs off into the interior of the house.

“What? No!” He swirls back to see where his companion went, but she’s already long gone. Flustered, he turns back to you. “Don’t put ideas in Aya’s head.”

Aya? That’s kind of charming.

Aya returns with a book clutched in her hands. You recognize from the cover that it’s a children’s fairy tale book.

She flips open and scans through the pages slowly until she finds what she’s looking for and show Matthias.

Matthias swiftly scans through the pages. “Damn it. We’re not getting married!” He slams the book shut and shoves it back to her.

Aya’s bright amber eyes suddenly well up with tears, she clutches the book to her chest.

“Ahh, looks like you’ve upset her.” Laurent comments with a sympathetic tone of voice.

“That’s your fault for leading this witch back to my house.” He jabs into Laurent’s chest with a pointed finger.

You lower Matthias arm. “Now now, I’m just glad to see that your first delve was a success.” You nod toward Aya.

She cowers behind Matthias once again.

“Yeah, right a success. That’s what they’ll call it when I burn to death in my sleep.” He looks over your garbs with a sharp eye. “You, on the other hand, seem to be doing very well. Good luck in your delves?”

You laugh lightly. “You could say that, I suppose.”

“Wait.” Laurent turns to you. “You’re an Occultist?”

Matthias suddenly starts laughing. “You two haven’t introduced yourselves yet?”

“Just our names…” You answer, trying to puzzle it all together.

Matthias collects himself from his newest laughing spell. “Laurent, here is an Occultist hunter. A very accomplished one at that.”

“Was!” He turns to you. “Was an Occultist hunter.”

You step back from him regardless. The haunting memories of what you lost come crashing in your minds like many angry waves.

~

>>38365308
Okay, that's where I'm going to end it for tonight. Regardless of the earlier trouble, I want to thank everyone that played today. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post them in the thread and I will do my best to respond to them.

If not then I wish you a good day/night and hope to see you again next time!

>(Twitter)
https://twitter.com/QM_Auri

>>38365350
Thanks for running Auri!

>>38365350
Thanks for running! Also Occultist hunters are a thing?

>>38365308
Good thread besides the earlier crap, thanks for running Auri!

>>38365400
You're very welcome!
>>38365433
You're also very welcome! And yes there are some that believe that they are capable of disrupting the balance of the normal world and should be stopped.
>>38365449
That was indeed unfortunate. And you're very welcome!