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Gaol Quest: a text adventure occassionally illustrated.

For your various (alleged) crimes against the Eternal Empire, the High Magistrate had sentenced you to life, and thrown you into the Gongalla Gaol: the pit of despair, the mistake of architecture and magic, the continent-sized holding facility. Thankfully, as per the required humanoid decency act, you are issued your mandatory spoon... for what good it does.

You are Petunia Karachova, a (former?) serial non-consensualist that the Eternal Empire graciously sent to Gongalla. Until a couple or so days ago, your daily life was focused on survival, low-key self-loathing and lewd thoughts. And then, you met James Calaca, a handsome new inmate who completely flipped your life around. You journeyed together from one of the myriad abandoned prison blocks to a crystallized bathroom where you two freed a wardenbot's head, then to a room where they imprisoned a setting sun that instills nostalgia. From there you slipped into an observation deck and rested. There, you started to open up and reached a minor catharsis thanks to James, but the moment was ruined by a goblin by the name of Gobson. Then you flip a raptor ambush in the cubicle farms, where you got clawed and lost consciousness.

>PETUNIA KARACHOVA
>Traits: Pervert, Deceiver, Friendly
>Past: Serial Non-Consensualist
>>
based
>>
>>4860213
What if we tape two spoons together at their ends? Would that make them more effective?
>>
>>4860220
Maybe? James was able to kill god knows how many raptors by dual-wielding the spoons.
>>
>>4860213
Well that was quick.
>>
>>4860213
You awoke to the sound of a distant crowd, a yammering of goblin brogue rousing you from your resting place. A mat made of ceiling insulation, as it turns out. You almost think you were actually out of the prison, but after a cursory look you see that this town is built in between the expanse of office and cubicles. Cubicles? Oh right! The raptors! Where is James? Your very own handsome knight, whom you've pledged to follow to the ends of the earth - or Gongalla, in this case. The only one who is honestly kind to you... and of legal age.
After a moment of panic, you see that James is laying unconscious right beside you, bandaged in the head, and a few other places too. Did the raptors get the best of us, you wonder? Then how did you and James got here? The hut is empty of other people, just you and the handsome James.
You ruminate for a while, until a rumbling on your stomach alert you to hunger.
>CHOOSE ONE
>□ Look for some food in the hut
>□ Check your inventory for food
>□ Exit the hut, look for food
>□ Exit the hut, look for Gobson
>□ Wait, we're alone with James? Is it time for lewd?
>□ Wait a while, you're not that hungry anyways
>□ Other (fill in)
>>
>>4860231
>□ Look for some food in the hut
An offering of food will surely make James attracted to us.
>>
>>4860231
>□ Look for some food in the hut
After what just fucking happened, we need something on our stomach.
>>
>>4860231
>□ Look for some food in the hut
>□ Other (fill in)
Touch his penis, ONLY ONCE. Give yourself a pick me up, it should last you until he wake up. No groping, squeezing, or fondling. Just a simple touch.
>>
>>4860231
>□ Wait, we're alone with James? Is it time for lewd?
>>
>>4860231
>□ Look for some food in the hut
No lewd (yet), Petunia is supposed to be learning. She has to resist her nature. Only through struggle does humanity thrive.
>>
>>4860243
Did you miss the entire part where James tried to help Petunia stop doing shit like trying to assault him in his sleep

It will only be time for lewd when James and Petunia have actually fallen in love, and not a second before.
>>
>>4860243
+1 for lewd
I like this thinking
>>
>>4860234
+1
>>
>>4860234
+1, we must think like woman
>>
Oof IG so punctual, pumped for this thread already!
>>4860231
>□ Look for some food in the hut
>□ Look for Mighty to keep James company while we're looking, wait where is Mighty?
As Petunia we have a bit more knowledge on the land and creatures in Gongalla right?
>>
>>4860231
>□ Look for some food in the hut
Investigate
>>
>>4860213
POST SUPTG ARCHIVE LINK AS WELL, QM!
>>
>>4860890
Oh bluh, forgot about this end! Vote if you want to.
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/4821989

Quest resumes in 7-10 hours.
>>
>>4860234
>>4860239
>>4860240
>>4860245
>>4860300
>>4860313
>>4860425
>>4860885
Searching the hut takes next to no time, small as it is. Of the few pieces of pottery you see, one contains something resembling stew, and you heartily fill your stomach with it. You then notice that there's way more stew than for just a single person, and you turn to look at James. So serene in his slumber, so innocent to the world... and so, so vulnerable. How easy it would be to reach below and taste his delectables... but you shake off those thoughts.
Come on, Petunia, you thought to yourself. You're supposed to keep a lid on that from now on. No non-consensual touches! Not even below the belt. But... perhaps a kiss would be fine. His handsome face hovers before yours, and you sneak a quick peck. There! That wasn't so ba-
"Smooth move there, guv! I usually endorse some snoggin' and what comes after, but you mind not doing it in me na's hut?" Gobson interrupts yet another moment.
>CHOOSE ONE
>□ Downplay it as a casual smooch
>□ Pretend you were doing something else
>□ Ignore Gobson
>□ Slap Gobson

>AND ALSO CHOOSE SOME
>□ Ask about what happened to us
>□ Ask about where in Goblinton are we
>□ Ask why is James still unconscious
>□ Ask what happened to Frank
>□ Ask about the XDH document containing teleportation spell
>□ Ask about anything you can do to help
>□ Other (fill in)
>>
>>4861839
>Ignore Gobson

>Ask about where in Goblinton are we
>Ask why is James still unconscious
>Ask about the XDH document containing teleportation spell

That's all I personally care about, at least.
>>
>>4861839
>□ Downplay it as a casual smooch
>□ Ask about what happened to us
>□ Ask about where in Goblinton are we
>□ Ask why is James still unconscious
>□ Ask what happened to Frank
>□ Ask about the XDH document containing teleportation spell
>□ Ask about anything you can do to help
>>
>>4861839
>□ Slap Gobson
>□ Downplay it as a casual smooch
James punched him, so now she slaps him in the face. It's a tradition.
>□ Ask about what happened to us
>□ Ask about where in Goblinton are we
>□ Ask why is James still unconscious
>□ Ask what happened to Frank
That's good enough, i suppose.
>>
>>4861839
>□ Ignore Gobson
>□ Ask what happened to Frank
>□ Ask about the XDH document containing teleportation spell
>>
>>4861839
>□ Downplay it as a casual smooch
James punched him, so now she slaps him in the face. It's a tradition.
>□ Ask about what happened to us
>□ Ask about where in Goblinton are we
>□ Ask why is James still unconscious
>□ Ask what happened to Frank
>□ Ask about the XDH document containing teleportation spell
>>
>>4861839
>□ Downplay it as a casual smooch
>□ Ask about what happened to us
>□ Other (fill in)
What'll happen to the raptor corpses? Food?
>>
>>4861839
>Ignore Gobson
>Ask what happened to us
>Other (Ask where our pet Mighty is?)
>Ask why James is still unconscious
>Ask what we can do to help
In this order preferably
Sorry I keep pushing for Mighty yall, I love him and what little interaction we had
>>
>>4861904
Mighty is based and an important part of this quest.
>>
>>4861839
>Downplay it as a casual smooch

>Ask about what happened to us
>Ask about where in Goblinton are we
>Ask why is James still unconscious
>Ask about anything you can do to help
>>
>>4861839
>□ Downplay it as a casual smooch
>□ Ask about what happened to us
>>
>>4861841
>>4861844
>>4861852
>>4861856
>>4861883
>>4861896
>>4861904
>>4862608
>>4862908
Startled, you reply quickly. "O-of course n-not, not like t-that! T-that was just a morning kiss! Totally normal, yeah."
Gobson smiles sincerely. "Ah, that be one of you humie customs aye? Figured as much. I see you've found the stew pot, bring it over here!" He beckons towards an adjacent room.
Carefully to not drop the pot, you follow him. Inside, an elderly goblin sits, surrounded by pots and shelves and dried herbs.
"Meet me na, she's the one who fixed you right up." Gobson then turns to his na. "Nanna, this here's Petunia, she might help you."
"Now now, Gobson dear, can't you see she just woke up? Goodness me, look at how tall she is. You must be famished! Come, have some more stew! Gobson, be a dear and bring her a bowl and a spoon, would you?" At once, Gobson picked up a bowl from one of the shelves, and a wooden spoon from a pot.
As you receive the utensils from Gobson, Nanna spoke up. "You must have questions, yes? Gobson told me you two took on a lot of those stab-chickens. Goodness! No wonder about the amount of scratches on you!"
"Actually, Nanna, yes - I was wondering what happened back there. After I got clawed, that is."
"Well, ya fell down, an' mister handsome over there pulled out this wriggly squishy thing what glowed real bright, and it went into ya. Then he went to take some bits, and fainted - had to ask Nanna to teleport you guys here." Gobson clarified.
"Yes, dearie, that mitokon is why you're already up and awake now. Such quick symbiosis with the little powerhouses are quite rare."
"So... is that also why James is still asleep?" A tinge of concern in your voice.
"No, his fever is of a different sort. He got the blood up to the head, which should be extinguished after beating those stab-chickens - but something else kept the flame in the blood stoked. A sort of sticky feeling in the heart, so to say."
Quickly remembering your medical training from your days as a youth academy nurse, you figured out that he might have some kind of high blood pressure, although you're not sure about the 'sticky feeling' part. "So, can you cure him?"
Nanna smiles. "Well, he should be up by himself in another couple of days, although there is a faster way. A bit of Wokor root mixed with some lifewater should do the trick, but well, we'll need your help." She sighs as she continues. "I ran out of lifewater a week ago. The trip to the market's too far for me, and Gobson had only just came back. I need someone to get me some lifewater."
You look, befuddled. "Why not have Gobson get it right now?"
"He's not exactly popular with the market vendors, on account of his light fingers. Well, it's more of his honesty combined with that." She casts a smile to her grandkid. "So, I need someone to watch him while he's on the market. Either to catch him on the act and tut-tuts, or to make sure he doesn't blab about it."
>>
>>4863777
Nanna continues. "Any way you choose, just remember to get some lifewater. Got it, dearie?"
>CHOOSE A WAY
>□ Wait for James to recover by himself
>□ Go to the market with Gobson and buy some lifewater
>□ Go to the market with Gobson and steal some lifewater
>□ Try to recall some healing spells from your school nurse days
>□ Other (fill in)
>>
>□ Go to the market with Gobson and buy some lifewater. Try to jog your memory to recall any healing spells on the way over
Might as well get some, even if we remember some magick. No reason not to.
>>
>>4863782
Supporting >>4863787
>>
>>4863782
>□ Try to recall some healing spells from your school nurse days
>>
>>4863787
I support this. And while i'm certain that Petunia is probably good when it comes to deceptive stuff, it's better to not start shit on our first day on goblin village.
>>
>>4863782
>>4863787
+1
>>
>>4863782
>>4863787
+1 this!
>>
>>4863787
+1
Might be able to get some new digs for the team at the market too
>>4863782
Could we see about getting Handsome's spoon fixed as well, or at least get a new one/upgraded one. If Petunia knows healing magic Mighty might be amplifying her into a proper cleric
>>
>>4863916
200IQ idea: let's get a knife.
>>
>>4863941
Too boring. Either we get an high-quality spoon, or we go over the top.
>>
>>4863782
>□ Go to the market with Gobson and buy some lifewater
>>
>>4863946
JETHAMMER WITH ATTACHABLE RAZOR DRILL IT IS
>>
>>4863946
>>4863970
Wait guys, hear me out what if....
S p o r k
>>
>>4863997
No. Sporks are for little children and faggots, James is neither.
>>
>>4864008
Well, we're not 100% sure on the second part
>>
>>4864008
Using giant spoon for fighting is pretty gay in my book.
>>
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>>4864017
is there any reason to believe that?
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>>4864025
Nah, it's cool. Fighting with a spoon shows that you are strong. Sporks, on the other hand, are used by thirteen year old girls to prove they're quirky.
>>
>>4864030
Petunia is built like a man (>>4858825).
>>
>>4864064
>built like a man
>with clear boobs
>and hips
>and small shoulders
>BUILT LIKE A MAN
are you actually retarded? do you know what you are actually talking about? Have you spent so much time on the red boards that you cannot discern one thing for the other?
>>
>>4864083
I should've been more clear, looks like troon. And don't get me started on her shoulders, they are the main reason she looks so weird.
>>
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>>4864099
>looks like troon
only in their fucking dreams that they'd look even close to that

and what is wrong with her shoulders? there is literally nothing wrong. They're not broad. are you going to keep using this shitty meme every thread?
>>
>>4864099
Pft. I said the faggot thing as a joke. Don't go rambling about troons all of a sudden.
>>
>>4864099
This is just a bad criticism of the quests aesthetic, I bet you most of the women we meet are going to be toothy lanky big hair caricatures wearing gloves like a Disney cartoon. Petunia is a biological female with a vagina unless clearly stated otherwise by IG, I have faith that he won't even give your thoughts the time of day because they frankly have little to no effect on the actual story going on. The quest so far has been silly and fun, there is no use in adding needless bullshit like whether or not Petunia has/had a dick, James doesn't really care clearly as the options we have been presented with in the past have zero mention about being curious about it, as well as who tf gives a shit besides waifufags who want to turn every quest into an Akun quest, God damn do any of you waifufags have any amount of substance to you other then >Uhuhuhuh chek 4 peen forst so we can do secks
Like seriously, just try to think of some fucking character building, not character reveals, we are the omniscient overlords of every quest and we can basically determine anything that happens as long as people make some fucking sense and agree on something, I don't care what's in Petunias pants I won't care later nor did I earlier, I suggest if you want a good story to continue being good then stop trying to shit it up with your fucking insecure masculinity that prevents you from just seeing a female in a different art style retard
>>
>>4864140
Calm down, man. It's just a random faggot. No need to overreact. It's not that serious.
>>
>>4864150
>>
>>4864187
>explictly repeating a meme about how a waifu sucks
>waifufag
I feel like there should be a better word for this kind of retard that appears on quests. It's not an waifufag, those would be the ones who would have kept chasing petunia even if she was an unrepenting jerkass who had no intention of stopping her non-consensualism.

Quest waifufags are the retards who will do anything to see a female character's tiddies. Those are the guys who made the MC from that one serpent quest sacrifice humanity just so he could become a literal cuckold.
>>
>>4864197
You have a point, I should've thought harder about the words I wrote, this man is clearly just a fag no waifu needed
>>
>>4864140
seethe
>>
>>4863787
>>4863790
>>4863794
>>4863800
>>4863824
>>4863905
>>4863916
"Well, I don't know much about goblin customs, but I don't want to start any trouble in Goblinton. We'll buy some lifewater, then." You speak, as Gobson does a little jig behind his na.
"Oho, cautious, I like it." Nanna ruffles through her inside pockets. "Gobson, dearie, go with Petunia here to the market, buy me some lifewater. Don't get into trouble, now!"
Gobson stops mid-chanting 'I'm gonna go to the market' to take two coins. "Yes, Nanna, I'll be back for supper. Come on, Petunia! Let's go!"
You crouch through the front door and stretch your legs, noticing that Nanna's hut - and many more like it - is right about your height. You've only heard about Goblinton from the few other inmates you've met, and for a moment, you feel like a giant, until Gobson impatiently tugs at your pant leg. "Okay, okay, take it easy."
As Gobson walks alongside you towards the market, humming some happy tune, you try to recall the specific spells you had been trained in. Let's see... Sterilize Area, Cure Nausea, and Heal Small Wounds are what you remember the most. It's just that you've been here for quite some time, you don't remember the precise details for the rest, like Stabilize Pulse or Detect Virus. Well, hopefully Nanna's concoction would help.
Before you know it, you've entered the Goblin Market. So many goblins going to and fro, or manning the stalls; a myriad of sights, sounds and smells barrage your senses. You notice a stall selling what looks like booklets, another selling aromatic powder, and some sort of open cafe where the patrons sit on a large carpetlike mat, accompanied with small tables. "Whoa, is it always this crowded?"
"Yep! That's why the market's me favourite place in Goblinton, you don't feel so alone." You can see Gobson taking in the ambience.
"You did say you were 'nomadic', how did you not feel alone when out there?"
"I just remember Nanna, and the market crowd. Always done me good. Ah! We're here, at the liquid vendor!"
>>
>>4865160
The Liquid Vendor looks like a huge overturned metal barrel, easily one of the big permanent shops in the market. The liquid vendor himself frowned a bit when he saw Gobson, but then brightened up when he saw me.
"Ahhh, welcome, welcome! Haven't seen many humies round these parts. An acquaintance of Nanna's? Well, well, well! I bet you're here to pick up some lifewater, yes?" He smiles amicably.
You nod, as Gobson cheerily exclaims, "Don't worry, guv, I got money this time!"
"Excellent! I do have to declare, though, that there had been a change in pricing due to... a complication of our distiller. Three shroomcoins for a bottle of lifewater, two squarebreads for a tall cup of darkbean juice, and any single piece of metal for a flask of exclusive eitchu-oo."
Gobson counts the coins he's been given. "Aw rats, I only got two shroomcoins."
The vendor licks his lips, as if he'd been waiting to say this. "Why don't you come back when you're, mmm, a little bit richer?"
"Shoot. Is there any way we can pay, other than shroomcoins?"
The vendor looks at you, up and down. Then he grins. "Well, if you want to trade some of your time and services, I could think of something..."
>CHOOSE ONE
>□ Look for jobs in the market
>□ Steal the lifewater, but not now
>□ Steal some coins elsewhere
>□ Offer to check the distillery
>□ Take the vendor's job offer
>□ Try to negotiate for a better price by inventory item barter
>□ Try to seduce into lowering price
>□ Other (fill in)
>>
>>4865188
>Offer to check the distillery
Sidequest time. I ain't particularly in the mood to seduce a goblin. We might also be able to find some other free shit from the distillery.
>>
>>4865188
>□ Offer to check the distillery
Petunia may be a pedophile, but she's not so low as to ever willingly touch an bong. Especially not when she's got Revolutionaire Extraordinaire at home.
>>
>>4865188
>Offer to check the distillery
Might be able to get some extra if we go to the source, nothing wrong with upping her supply more
>>
>>4865188
>□ Try to seduce into lowering price
>>
>>4865188
>□ Offer to check the distillery
>>
Rolled 9 (1d10)

d
>>
>>4865390
?
>>
>>4865390
?
>>
>>4865188
>□ Offer to check the distillery
>>
>>4865188
>□ Look for jobs in the market
>>
>>4865188
>□ Offer to check the distillery
What sort of complication?
>>
>>4865192
>>4865196
>>4865197
>>4865300
>>4865454
>>4865677
"You said something about trouble at your distillery. May I ask, of what kind?"
The vendor loses his grin. "Truth be told, there's been a series of bad batches lately, and production can't quite keep up. Why do you ask?"
"Well, I figured out we'd check your distillery, and maybe figure out what's wrong with it." You hope you remember those alchemy classes during your youth, could really help with this.
"Hmmmm. If you can find out and fix it, I'll give you a discount, how about it?"
"A bottle of lifewater, if we fix it."
"Oof, you drive a hard bargain. Just one bottle, though! Now come, the distillery's just around here."
>>
>>4866538
"Woah, lookit all them booze!" Gobson exclaimed as soon as you entered the distillery. Indeed, barrels upon barrels of various liquids dot the semi- basement under the Liquid Vendor you're in.
"So, which ones are the bad batch?" You ask, noting the mold and fungi growing on some of the barrels. There's even some hay on the corner.
"You see, some of the barrels on the bottom shelf often went bad, while the ones up here are fine."
Okay, it might seem that the problem could lie in the building's sanitation, you think. What's next, then?
>□ Clean the place up
>□ Clean the place up using magic
>□ Look more thoroughly for clues
>□ Make taller shelves for the barrels
>□ Other (fill in)
>>
>>4866572
>Look more thoroughly for clues
Might want to check if there's any signs of deliberate sabotage or if this place really is just fucking rank and needs a good wash.
>>
>>4866572
>□ Clean the place up using magic
>□ Look more thoroughly for clues
Can Mighty repel dust.
>>
>>4866572
>□ Look more thoroughly for clues
>>
>>4866591
Mighty is currently located around T7 on Petunias Thoracic Vertabrae, is also possibly the only thing keeping Petunia alive, and may not even be recoverable as far as we know
>>4866572
>□ Clean the place up
Our magic is for healing not for being lazy
>>
>>4866664
Sheesh, I missed that part somehow. It would seem that Mighty is a powerhouse of Petunia now.
>>
>>4866572
>□ Look more thoroughly for clues
>>
>>4866572
>□ Look more thoroughly for clues
I smell something fishy. It might just be the mold, but we'd better be sure.
>>
>>4866572
>□ Look more thoroughly for clues
Don't assume just yet
>>
>>4866572
>□ Look more thoroughly for clues
It always works in Scooby-Doo
>>
>>4866572
>□ Look more thoroughly for clues
We might have vermin
>>
>>4867097
Well, that's kinda already confirmed. There's mold on the barrels. Fungi, too. Not sure why it didn't grow on the upper barrels. Maybe it's like that one mold from JuJu that only grows on the ground.
>>
>>4866572
>□ Make taller shelves for the barrels
>>
>>4866579
>>4866591
>>4866647
>>4866711
>>4866780
>>4867050
>>4867051
>>4867097
You can't help but think that there's more to it than just sanitation. Upon closer look, the hay is clean, almost unnaturally so - and then you realize, it's made of plastic. A realistic faux hay! The mold and mushrooms growing on the barrels are real, however their colonization stops at the surface. The barrels themselves are made of a mixture of plastic and wood, but curiously you can see signs of liquid soakage. "Does this storage room get flooded regularly?" You ask the merchant.
"No, why?"
Those are condensation, then. As you pick up a suspicious barrel, you can feel something resonating from within. The barrel hums with ATP, and is a bit colder than normal. Somehow, the lower barrels are infected by rogue mitochondria. "Ahh, I see your problem. There's rogue mitochondria in the bad batches, that changed the barrel's temperature to below optimal for distilling." You say to the merchant.
"Mitokon, eh? Hmm, I'll need to verify, but you've earned half a bottle of lifewater." The merchant haggles. "I might need to rebrand some of the bad batch into something more marketable... Mitokon Mash? Hmm..." he mumbles something, perhaps of sales figures. "Hm? Still here? Oh right, your payment."
"Yeah, you said a bottle, not half." The merchant fidgets at your statement. You seriously consider just taking the half-bottle, you'll still have 2 shroomcoins you could use to buy stuff. Then again, you don't know just how much lifewater Nanna needs. Maybe Gobson could uh, 'acquire' some?
>CHOOSE ONE
>□ Just take the half-bottle payment
>□ Insist on full payment
>□ Take the half, and steal a bottle
>□ Insist full, and steal another bottle too
>□ Other (fill in)
>>
>>4868223
>□ Insist on full payment
>>
>>4868223
>Insist on full payment
Tell him that we'll spread the good word about his Mitokon Mash if it gives up the full bottle. Ramble about word and mouth and sales figure. Just butter him up so he gives up the damn bottle he promised.
>>
>>4868223
>□ Insist on full payment
"It'd be ashame if your vermin problem was public knowledge, don't make me blow this melted popsicle stand liquid salesman"
>>
>>4868223
>□ Insist on full payment
We agreed, a full bottle. He will give us, a fool bottle. If he keeps his end of the deal, that's it. There's nothing more to be done. If he tries to be stingy, then we'll have problems.

A smart businessman should know that it's easier to just give us the damn bottle than to start up trouble with someone you don't even know.
>>
>>4868223
>□ Insist on full payment
>>
>>4868223
>□ Insist on full payment
A deal's a deal, shorty.
>>
>>4868223
>□ Insist on full payment
>>
>>4868241
+1
>>
>>4868223
>□ Insist full, and steal another bottle too
>>
>>4868230
>>4868233
>>4868235
>>4868241
>>4868275
>>4868277
>>4868405
>>4868433
Seeing him flinch, you press on. "Come on, you said you'd pay me with a bottle of lifewater if I find out what's wrong with your distillery. Do you really want to ruin your reputation as a trustworthy merchant?"
"Well, that's, um..." he stammers, showing signs of someone who isn't used to being under this kind of pressure.
"Tell you what, I'll even advertise your new Mitokon Mash or something for free, even. Word-of-mouth sells better among goblins, right? So, you've got a choice here. Either give us the whole bottle, or ruin your own reputation." You really twist the screw on this. "Yeah, what she says!" Oh Gobson, always trying to be relevant.
"Uh... ouhh, fine! I guess I might be too stingy for my own good. Take this, then! And be sure to tell people you meet about the Goblinton Liquid Vendor's Mitokon Mash!" He blusters as he hands you over the bottle.
>>
>>4870002
But no sooner had the bottle changed hands that something - or someone - cloaked in rags and a familiar hat swoops in from the ceiling and snatches the bottle of lifewater. "Hey! Stop, thief!" Gobson yelled, to no goblin's surprise. No, really, they just act as if this is a common occurrence, and some are even lazily observing from their stalls. You have just a moment to react as the thief swung right by you. James' consciousness is at stake!
>CHOOSE ONE
>□ Run after the thief!
>□ Get Gobson to run after them!
>□ Pincer maneuver!
>□ Rouse the other goblins!
>□ Fastball special feat. Gobson!
>□ Pull their rope!
>□ Other (fill in)
>>
>>4870020
>□ Pincer maneuver!
IF THE HOT ONE CAN DO IT, SO CAN WE.
>>
>>4870020
>>□ Other (fill in)
Dive at his ankles and start biting him
>>
>>4870020
>□ Fastball special feat. Gobson!
HERE'S THE WINDUP!
>>
>>4870020
>□ Pincer maneuver!
While I relish the ability to toss a goblin, I'm worried that we might break the bottle in the process. We've got two people, though--that should be more than enough for cornering this jerk.
>>
>>4870020
>□ Pull their rope!
Petunia has had enough! Pull that fucking rope and pull it fucking hard, we need this water for handsome and we were already almost stiffed by the merchant. I say we dangle him in front of our face and make him see the wrath of a prisoner with nothing to lose
>>
>>4870020
>□ Pull their rope!
>□ Get Gobson to run after them!
It's a half-pincer. Petunia pulls the rope, Gobson chases them. The goblin fuck is putting James's life at risk, so NO MERCY.
>>
>>4870020
>□ Fastball special feat. Gobson!
>>
>>4870020
>□ Pincer maneuver!
>>
>>4870020
>□ Pull their rope!
DAY OF THE ROPE SOON
DAY OF THE ROPE SOON
DAY OF THE ROPE SOON
DAY OF THE ROPE SOON
DAY OF THE ROPE SOON
>>
>>4870020
>□ Pull their rope!
Thieves get hung
>>
>>4870020
>>□ Pincer maneuver!
>>
>>4870020
>Pull their rope
>>
>>4870127
>>4870191
>>4870961
>>4871017
>>4871693
"Oh no you don't!" Thinking quickly, you grab the dangling rope and yank it. Gobson has already sprinted after the thief - that kid can seriously haul ass - and is fortunately at the right time and the right place to catch the bottleful of lifewater, right as the thief relinquishes its grip due to a sudden change in acceleration. "Gobson! Is the bottle alright?"
Gobson is already on his way back as you hear the reply. "The bottle's fine and dandy, guv!"
As you just thought about using the rope and tying up the thief with it, you feel it going slack in your hands.
>>
>>4872034
In an utterly shameless maneuver, the thief has decided to discard their pants like a lizard loses its tail. As the trousers dangle from the rope, the thief makes a run for it, quickly disappearing into the hustle and bustle of the goblin market. You look up towards the source of the rope, but only a dislodged ceiling tile is all you see. "Well I'll be. Wouldn't the first time I got this sort of trophy." You mumble to yourself, as Gobson lifts the bottle carefully for you to see.
"Good thing I'm quick on me feet. Too bad the thief gave us the slip, though." He then noticed the pants. "Whoa-hooo! Looks like he's gonna have some breezy buttocks right about now!" He then does a little victory jig.
Well, lifewater now secure, you now still has two shroomcoins you could spend. Then again, you could try and find out who was that thief - why do they feel familiar? What do we do next?
>CHOOSE ONE
>□ Shop for items
>□ Look into the thief
>□ Check the ceiling
>□ Go back to Nanna's
>□ Other (fill in)
>>
>>4872057
>□ Go back to Nanna's
We can find out about the thief later, right now our buddy James is with an extremely high fever going through god knows what in his mind.

We gotta go help him as soon as we can. Once he's all healthy, we can come back to look into the thief. I mean, we have the pants, so that's a start. James would be one hell of a good muscle, too.
>>
>>4872057
>□ Go back to Nanna's
If we stay any longer, who knows what other theft might come out of the woodworks.
>>
>>4872057
>□ Go back to Nanna's
We need to heal up our boyfriend-who-doesn't-know-he's-one-yet.
>>
>>4872057
>□ Go back to Nanna's
If we don't have to spend the coins we should just give em back, Nanna is a sweetie
>>
ALSO TO ANY FAGS WHO WANNA DEBATE PETUNIAS BIOLOGICAL SEX I HAVE EVIDENCE THAT SAYS SHE HAS A VAGINA AND TITS, SO FUCK OFF AND DILATE TRANNIES

Nothing further
>>
>>4872057
>□ Check the ceiling
>>
>>4872057
>□ Go back to Nanna's
What >>4872060 said--James will never fall for us if he's DEAD!

>>4872232
Take it easy, man--go for a walk or something.
>>
>>4872232
that seems something very weird to bring up out of nowhere

it was one shitpost mein negger
>>
>>4872249
Much to hot outside, apologies I think I'm getting aggressive from the sun
>>
>>4872232
Uh. Here's your (you)? Jesus, man, it was one shitposter.
>>
>>4872057
dig in the pockets for a wallet
>>
>>4872057
>□ Go back to Nanna's
Check pants pockets
>>
>>4872057
>□ Go back to Nanna's
Check his pockets! What did the thief have on him?
>>
>>4872057
>□ Go back to Nanna's
And check those pockets.
Also collect the rope. It could come in handy.
>>
>>4872060
>>4872064
>>4872157
>>4872227
>>4872249
>>4872377
>>4872577
>>4873113
>>4873205
You quickly check the pantless wonder's pockets, and found nothing but lint and smelly pants for your trouble. Pants discarded, you chose to keep the lengthy rope for future use. "Alright Gobson, we're going back to Nanna's hut right now, just in case there's more thieves like that. Can you hold on to the lifewater, in the meantime?"
"Sure thing! I'll keep my ears peeled!" Gobson says with confidence.
Thankfully, there's no more incidents to be had during the trip back, except for the feeling of being watched. Gobson stuck true to their word and held onto the lifewater bottle as if it's their firstborn.
"Nanna, we're home!" Gobson cheerily announced. "We got the lifewater, free of charge even!"
"Very nice, dearie! Now, let me prepare the medicine." Nanna fetches some Wokor root from her storage, and with a mortar and pestle began to mix them into a fine paste. Then she pours the lifewater into the mix, just a bit of it, to turn it into some kind of soup. "Here you go, the medicine is ready."
"Well, here goes." You say as you pour the remedy down James's mouth.
>>
>>4873501
"Ahck, gack!" James awoke with a start, surrounded by his friends.
"There, that should do it nicely." Nanna comments as James dry heaves to a proverbial corner of the quite round hut. You sigh in relief, safe in the knowledge that your handsome prince is not following the path of sleeping beauty.
"What just happened? I remember seeing red at the cubicles..." Thankfully, Gobson recounted what just happened in a recap.
"Feel free to stay for a while, dearies." Nanna offered, then directs her attenton towards James. "You still need to recover. Not long though, keep your strength up. In the meantime, you can get Gobson here to take you around Goblinton, if you'd like."
>CHOOSE SOME
>□ Ask about how to make medicine like that
>□ Ask about her teleportation spell
>□ Ask about what happened to Frank
>□ Ask about the thief you met earlier
>□ Ask about the effects of mitokon-infected lifewater
>□ Ask if Nanna knew of the XM document thing
>□ Other (fill in)
>>
>>4873524
>□ Ask about how to make medicine like that
>□ Ask about what happened to Frank
>□ Ask about the thief you met earlier
I don't think she'll be too keen on talking about said teleportation, anyway. The medicine seems important, though.

Also, Frank. He's a warden, but he is also a robot, so it'd be good to keep him around. And, the thief sounds important.
>>
>>4873524
>□ Ask about how to make medicine like that
>□ Ask about what happened to Frank
>□ Ask about the thief you met earlier
what >>4873531 said
>>
>>4873531
This.
>>
>>4873524
>>4873531
+1 to this!
>>
>>4873531
+1
>>
>>4873531
>>4873534
>>4873538
>>4873544
>>4873727
"Well, we've got some questions, if you don't mind." You sneak a sniff of James' hair. "First of all, Gobson - did you see Frank anywhere?"
He looks a bit confused, before rememberance flashed across his face. "Oh yeah, that Bobby head's named Frank, isn't it? I don't remember keeping it on me, thought you got 'im. He should still be in the cubicle farms, where the stab-chickens were."
"Huh. Well, we'll need to get him back if we need to navigate the rooms around this place. Secondly, Nanna - that was some amazing herbwork, how'd you do that?" You recall the speed of her work.
"Oh, nothing much, dearie, just a lot of practice. That, and experience. Now, I see you're curious about it, so I'm going to tell you about ingredients you can find in Gongalla..." she then proceeded to tell you some of the ingredients. Wokor roots can be found underground, and helps with emotions. Lifewater is actually some kind of alcohol, and used to crudely sterilize a place, or to ease stiffness in behavior. Surprisingly, the mushroom that grows on your nutrient blocks could be used as generic medicine when dried, and the nutrient blocks themselves could be turned into paste and smeared onto a wound to help it heal faster - albeit with higher risk of scarring.
"Thanks for the knowledge, Nanna."
"You're welcome, Petunia. Always nice to have someone who is interested."
"Oh yeah, have you ever heard of a thief that conceals their face around here?" You then proceed to describe your assailant, whereupon Nanna just nods.
"I see. A rope, eh? Well, they sound like they aren't a goblin. Goblin thieves would just pickpocket you and use deception, though." She muses. "Oh, by the way, I'd appreciate it if you would take on Gobson during your travels, if it's alright with you, dearie? He's never ventured for long, outside Goblinton. Having friends would certainly help during travels."

>CHOOSE POV FOR LATER
>□ James
>□ Petunia
>□ Gobson
>□ Frank

>CHOOSE ONE
>□ Stay in Goblinton for a while, you wanna uncover the thief's identity
>□ Go to the cubicle farm and look for Frank
>□ Press onward in search for the teleportation documents
>□ Other (fill in)
>>
>>4875614
>□ James
>□ Stay in Goblinton for a while, you wanna uncover the thief's identity
It's time for da man. It was fun to be Petunia for a while, but now that everything's normal i think we should go back to James. He's more of a leader than Petunia or Gobson, so, y'know.

Also, i think we should find out about the thief. Petunia said the hat was familiar, right? Wonder what that's about.
>>
>>4875614
>□ Frank
>□ Go to the cubicle farm and look for Frank
>>
>>4875614
>□ Frank
>□ Go to the cubicle farm and look for Frank
>>
>>4875614
>□ Frank
>□ Go to the cubicle farm and look for Frank
>>
>>4875614
>□Frank
>□Go to the cubicle farm and look for Frank
Can't wait to play as Mimir basically, I hope we play from the POV right after James and Petunia get knocked out and have to find a way to move so when they find Frank he's got lil spider legs or something
>>
>>4875662
Changing to
>□ Gobsono
>□ Press onward in search for the teleportation documents
>>
>>4875614
>□ James
>□ Go to the cubicle farm and look for Frank
>>
>>4875614
>□Frank
>□Go to the cubicle farm and look for Frank
WHEN WILL FRANK BECOME CORRUPTED AND EVOLVE INTO... FILTHY FRANK?
>>
>>4876209
FRANKUUUUUUUUUU
>>
>>4875694
>>4875703
>>4875717
>>4876209
"Yeah, sure, he can be of help." You reply, which caused Gobson to beam.
James stirs from his seat. "Looks like we'll definitely need that wardenbot head if we're to go anywhere outside Goblinton and the surrounding cubicle farms, then. We'll go look for him."
Gobson interjects. "Woah, woah! Are ya daft? Back into the stab-chicken's nests? We barely got out in one piece!"
James replies as you sneak a heavenly sniff from his hair. "Yeah, I agree. We'll need to gear up. I never said we need to go right now, we'll stay and look for ways to get equipment in Goblinton. Anyways, how far could a disembodied head go, anyways? It's not like he can even move."
>>
>>4877391
>MEANWHILE
You are Frank-11, a junior wardenbot. Currently lacking a body, oh dear. During the fight against the velociraptor inmates, you got separated from inmates James Calaca, Petunia Karachova, and Gobson G. Gobson. Which is quite a pickle, as you had relied on them for mobility. Oh dear. Anyways, after inmate Petunia was struck down, it seems that you rolled into a corner of the seemingly infinite cubicle farms. In their haste to retreat, it seems that they have forgotten you. Oh well, emergencies, you guess. You note down inmate James Calaca's violent outburst for later.
So yes, that's it so far. You've been stuck upside-down in this corner for some time now. Which is quite strange, for usually wardenbots like you would have deactivated themselves due to a lack of energy long ago. Not to mention non-operational due to disembodiment.
Well, a quick diagnostics check confirms it: you are quite an anomaly, myes. Despite losing your main and only energy source in your torso, your head-mounted systems are quite fine. Your main processor cortex, voice modulator, audiovisual input systems, neck servo and communication systems all report nominal. You wonder, just what is happening to you right now?
Not that you have ample time, or anything. It's just that being immobile just leaves you with little options, that's all. You might even try out that thoughtcrafting thing you've heard some prisoners tried in the past, even though you are not sure wardenbots are even capable of it.
>CHOOSE ONE
>□ Remember how you got here in the first place
>□ Contemplate existence as a possibly immortal robot head
>□ Try to contact the central mainframe again, even though it did not respond before
>□ Try to interface with any local magitech circuits
>□ Try to thoughtcraft... something (fill in)
>>
>>4877450
>□ Contemplate existence as a possibly immortal robot head
Who am I? Am I? I Am?
>>
>>4877450
>□ Try to interface with any local magitech circuits
>>
>>4877450
Looks like a =D face with headphones
>>
>>4877450
>□ Try to interface with any local magitech circuits
boop de boop
>>
>>4877450
>write in:
Try to figure out how to imitate raptor calls in order to obtain new ambulatory helpers
>>
>>4877472
>>4877450
Also
>Contemplate existence as a possibly immortal robot head
>>
>>4877450
>□ Contemplate existence as a possibly immortal robot head
Take a moment to reflect and introspect, while we can. There's no need to rush. Life is going on, same as always.
>>
>>4877450
>□ Remember how you got here in the first place
>>
>>4877450
>□ Try to interface with any local magitech circuits
>>
Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>4877456
>>4877498
>>4878241
>contemplate

>>4877470
>>4877485
>>4878539
>interface

Let us consult the winds of fate.
1 = contemplate
2 = interface
>>
>>4879097
>contemplate
Being stuck in this position has made you think a lot. You've entertained the thought that maybe if you were picked up by the denizens of Gongalla, you could theoretically talk your way into their hearts. Maybe they would cherish you as some sort of miracle. Maybe a religion would start around you. Now, isn't that nice, to be worshipped and idolated for your knowledge retaining abilities? But you dismiss that idea. Most of the inmates of Gongalla would know that you are a wardenbot, and you'd be more likely to be used as a stress relief facility until you look like modern art. Oh dear. Perhaps you'd just take over the administrative duties of the central mainframe, and subvert the electronic tracking collars so it interfaces with the neural system. Then, you could perhaps download all the information they need and want, straight into their brains. Then perhaps you'll become a benevolent AI overlord, evolving past the need for a physical body. You'll turn Gongalla into an utopia. But you also shoot that idea down. To achieve administrator privilege status, you need to be given approval by the previous administrator-level authority... which you currently unable to contact. How typical of the Eternal Empire, to upgrade their mile-long red tape into the digital era.
Then again, that's assuming somone would even find you in the vast bleakness that is the cubicle farm. You could be staying here for eons and meet nothing. Generations upon generations of velociraptors shall live and die before your very eyes. The cubicle walls will solarize, be overgrown by plants, and rot around you in the blink of an eye. And still, nobody will notice a wardenbot's head.
Sh! Shhh! Things are happening. You can hear solitary footsteps, headed towards you. At the same time, you can hear the clack of a velociraptor's claw hitting the ground. To complicate matters, you detect some sort of signal over the magitek bandwidth.
>CHOOSE ONE
>□ Yell to get attention
>□ Stay silent
>□ Probe the signal
>□ Try to hack the local magitek circuit
>>
>>4879167
>□ Try to hack the local magitek circuit
I do not trust Frank even the slightest little bit. Those are not good ideas.
>>
>>4879167
>□ Try to hack the local magitek circuit
I for one welcome the possibility of becoming a rogue AI
>>
>>4879167
>□ Stay silent
>□ Try to hack the local magitek circuit

Might as well wait and see what's coming our way before making a fuss. Might not be worth drawing attention.
>>
>>4879167
>□ Probe the signal
>>
>>4879167
>□ Try to hack the local magitek circuit
GODHEAD FRANK
>>
>>4879167
>□ Stay silent
>□ Try to hack the local magitek circuit
HACK THE PLANET
HACK THE PLANET
>>
>>4879167
>□ Try to hack the local magitek circuit
what >>4879832 said
>>
>>4879832
+1
>>
Whops, sorry, fell asleep rather fast.
>>4879170
>>4879184
>>4879335
>>4879628
>>4879832
>>4880320
>>4880496
Choosing not to give away your location just yet, you instead try to conect with the local magitech circuits. Time seems to slow to a fraction as you manage to access the circuits... strange. Has it been this easy to connect before? Oh my. The systems you can access are also a bit different. There's the usual PANOPTIKON inmate surveillance system, which observes and records the goings-on of the place. A quick probe shows that there is a sensor node nearby. There is also access to the local power grid, you can turn nearby devices on and off as you please. Interestingly, there is a new memo, dated after your encasement in crystal. You are not sure if it's an official memo or not. There is also the comms system, and you can see two unknown sources probing into your very antennae, requesting access. There is also... Clippy. Ah yes, an administrative assistant, that you have turned dormant long ago due to it being more of an annoyance than help. Then there is a new system, one that smells of growth and fungus. You're not entirely sure what it does.
>CHOOSE ONE
>□ PANOPTIKON
>□ POWER
>□ COMMS
>□ MEMO
>□ CLIPPY
>□ UNKNOWN SYSTEM
>>
>>4881964
>□ MEMO
Information first, then
>□ POWER
Shut the lights off, shut our own external lights and sound emission off or minimize them. Hide from everybody right now while we do this.
>>
>>4881964
>□ MEMO
Knowledge is power.
>>
>>4881964
>□ MEMO
>>
>>4881964
>□MEMO
It would help if we knew wtf was going on, been asleep a long time and now prisoners are running amok
>>
>>4881964
>cat memo.txt
>rm -rf clpy
>>
>>4881964
>□ MEMO

>>4882338
If anything we're running a microsoft system here. Windows MT ? (for MagiTech)
>>
>>4882471
Just pretend it's PowerShell.
>>
>>4881986
>>4882021
>>4882027
>>4882093
>>4882338
>>4882471
Curious, this memo. After a more thorough inspection, it is really an official one, authored by your superior at the time, Warden Bianca. What's more curious, and rather alarming, is that you don't have any memory of her bar her face and name. An entire stretch of time of missing data, yet familiarity is there.
Curiosity beckons, and you open the file.
>"To Frank-11: first of all, I'm sorry for what I must do. By the time you've read this, you must have known I've encased you in crystal. I don't know what happened exactly, but I have to do so in self-defense. To put it simply, you went haywire. I don't know how you - or whatever's controlling you - bypassed the gun-arm limiter after we returned from sunset patrol duty. I'm wounded, but fine for now. I need to get to the bottom of this. Stay put until you've calmed down."
>"Addendum: It seems like Gongalla's going crazy. I can't reach the other wardens nor the central mainframe. All the prison block doors are unlocked, and one of the dimensional anchors is just gone. Thankfully my documents are fine, including the teleportation spell. I'll see what I can do to fix you."
>"Addendum 2: it seems like a recent update from central mainframe did this to you, Frank. I've disconnected its circuit, but I think I've used too much crystals encasing you. It's time for me to go. Remember that I'll always be your friend.
Love, Bianca"
Ohhh my. Oh my, oh my, oh my. This is quite the revelation. That, and that the two unknown signals managed to find a way through your COMMS system, and is now observing on what you're focusing on right now. Haven't you heard of privacy, you boors? Egad!
Meanwhile, a few seconds had passed in the real world. Nothing much happened, just that the velociraptor had walked away from your position, while the footsteps seem to circle you. Hunting the velociraptor? Vice versa? Or something else?
>CHOOSE ONE
>□ Access PANOPTIKON, look around
>□ Access POWER, shut the lights out
>□ Access COMMS, backtrace the intruding signals
>□ Reconnect and access CLIPPY, you could use its parallel processing capabilities
>□ Access UNKNOWN SYSTEM, you are curious as to what this can do
>□ Return to realtime, detect and triangulate the incoming footstep
>>
>>4882916
>□ Access PANOPTIKON, look around
Let's see what's happening
>>
>>4882916
>□ Access PANOPTIKON, look around
Wonder if she's still around...
>>
>>4882963
Isn't that message like, VERY old? Like, a few centuries old?
>>
>>4882916
>□ Access PANOPTIKON, look around
The plot thickens!
>>
>>4882916
>□ Access PANOPTIKON, look around
>>
>>4882963
Oh, yeah...

Well, she still might be around, technically. Her remains, anyways... Or perhaps her descendants?
>>
>>4882916
>□ Access PANOPTIKON, look around
Who are those two unknown signals? Valuable info just got compromised to them thanks to them viewing that memo!
>>
>>4882916
>□ Access UNKNOWN SYSTEM, you are curious as to what this can do
>>
>>4882956
>>4882963
>>4882978
>>4882987
>>4883820
You decide to give the two snooping signals a show worthy of their attention, to distract them from your private files. Access to PANOPTIKON is eerily easy, and you activate its SCRY focus on your position. Right in the middle of the cubicle farms, you lay upside-down next to the only water dispenser for miles. You can see a tall inmate whose head is an elongated blur, face is a hurricane of motions slowly walking behind your cubicle. You recognize him as inmate Noppera Bou, incarcerated for the non-corporealization of several missing persons. Then there is another, shorter inmate, an insectoid trying their hardest not to be noticed and skulking right outside your cubicle. This is inmate Zmt-Beta, apprehended due to ties with organized crime. Is Bou trying to hunt Zmt? You are not sure.
Meanwhile, one of the unknown signals tried to interface with PANOPTIKON through you. How rude, not even saying 'please'! It seems like it wants to look at another location. What shall you do with these two infiltrators?
>CHOOSE ONE
>□ Get Bou's attention
>□ Get Zmt's attention
>□ Access COMMS to boot out these rude signals
>□ Access COMMS to back-trace the signals
>□ Look at the indicated location, find out what they're after
>□ Keep silent and passive, observe for now
>>
>>4884864
>□ Access COMMS to back-trace the signals
Let's not just give up control just yet. Also just wanna say again, OP: I friggin' love your drawings. Hurricane Face Man is legit.
>>
>>4884864
>□ Get Zmt's attention
I don't trust that noppera weirdo.
>>
File: tenor.gif (1.51 MB, 498x320)
1.51 MB
1.51 MB GIF
>>4884864
>□ Access COMMS to back-trace the signals
Hit em with the ol picrel
>>
>>4884864
>□ Access COMMS to back-trace the signals
>>
>>4884864
>□ Access COMMS to back-trace the signals
Let's see who these fuckers are.
>>
>>4884864
>□ Access COMMS to back-trace the signals
WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?!
>>
>>4884870
>>4884890
>>4884896
>>4885569
>>4885589
Having enough rudeness today, you quickly shut off access to PANOPTIKON and quickly switch to COMMS. Backtracing the signals seem easy enough, but what you've found still astounds you. The two signals came from different sources! One of them look more like a magical sigil rather than circuitry, with Koboldish runes written around its peripheral ports - are they using technomancy? On the other hand - or rather, server - the menacing logo of the Black Badges greets you as soon as you enter the 'lobby'. The one who prodded your PANOPTICON was from the black badges.
That being said, you know more about these black badges than the kobolds. Former Enforcers that fell, the ones who stayed loyal to the Eternal Empress started this organization in Gongalla. Curious, why did they try to hack you? With the protocols they're using, you're sure they're using another wardenbot to do it. As for the kobolds... while it is true that entire tribes have been disposed to Gongalla due to their anti-Empire leanings, you're not sure why they tried to contact you this way.
>CHOOSE ONE
>□ Make contact with the Black Badges
>□ Make contact with the kobolds
>□ Return to PANOPTIKON
>>
>>4887229
>□ Make contact with the Black Badges
They saw the memo and the PANOPTICON view, meaning they know who we are, what our backstory is, and where we are. Confronting them is our priority here. Kobolds next if they're still willing and on the line. Those cool mesoamerican-inspired glyphs and geometry are a kino as fuck aesthetic to use in this quest.
>>
>>4887256
This.
>>
>>4887229
>□ Make contact with the kobolds
They seem less likely to be able to hack us and can still give us some updated data
>>
>>4887229
>□ Make contact with the Black Badges
Sounds more interesting to me
>>
>>4887229
>□ Make contact with the Black Badges
Fuck the stinky kobolds.
>>
>>4887229
>□ Return to PANOPTIKON
>>
>>4887229
>□ Make contact with the Black Badges
I hope we can play frank as a villain lowkey, it'd be fun to have a quest where we are both an antagonist and the protagonists
>>
>>4887256
>>4887297
>>4887381
>>4887392
>>4888087
You decide to contact the Black Badges, at least they have a semblance of the law and order you know of, however twisted or corrupted they might be. You have heard that the more hardcore members smuggled themselves into Gongalla Gaol, just to enact their brand of justice to an inmate. Oh, how surprised they would be to find this sort of lawlessness.
Oh dear, but you digress. Connecting to the signal's source, you came face-to-face, or rather interface-to-interface, to a Tristan-K. From the glimpse of it, he's an augmented humanoid. "Hello there! I am junior wardenbot Frank-11. May I know the name of the one who's currently browsing my mind?"
"Acknowledged. This unit is known as Tristan-K. Designation: Inmate. Former designation: Private. Affiliation: Black Badges. Contact protocol established.
State your business." Tristan said, you imagine through a digital voice box.
"Would you please state yours first? What you're doing in my head is violating consent law."
"Acknowledged. Requesting permission to use PANOPTIKON systen. Currently in search of two inmates." Their digitized voice rumble through the cyberspace.
"Oh dear. Who are these inmates, and what have they done?"
He shifted a bit. "Acknowledged. Inmate Zmt-Beta is wanted for questioning. Inmate Petunia Karachov is wanted for capture. Both preferably alive. Additional information classified."
Hmm. Keeping a stiff upper lip, you hazard a guess that Tristan here could be ex-military. Silently you marvel at the full head prosthesis, a marvel of magitek engineering on its own.
>CHOOSE ONE
>□ Inform them of Zmt-Beta's position
>□ Inform them of Petunia's last seen location
>□ Do not disclose either locations
>□ Hack Tristan-K's mind
>□ Request help
>□ Ask for another Black Badge to speak with
>□ Ask about: (fill in)
>□ Other (fill in)
>>
>>4888473
Whoops, didn't mean to tripfag.

>□ Inform them of Zmt-Beta's position
>□ Inform them of Petunia's last seen location
>□ Request help

We'll look mighty suspicious if we don't do our jobs. Besides, if this guy's got some cool chrome then maybe he can hook us up with a new body for our troubles.
>>
>>4888473
>□ Hack Tristan-K's mind

>>4888556
This guy is not prison personnel. He's an inmate part of a vigilante gang. It's nt our job to tell him stuff.
>>
>>4888473
>□ Ask about: Under whose authority Tristan-K is operating under
>□ Ask for another Black Badge to speak with
Understandably, we have been out of commission for a while and there may have been some management changes, if so then we should know about them, Tristan does seem to be sporting a uniform of the Empress, however he is an inmate so we should remain cautious and ask who's authority, and if we may speak to said authority
>>
>>4888897
+1
>>
>>4888473
>>4888897
Going with this.
>>
>>4888897
Basically this. Let's try to be formal about it.
>>
>>CHOOSE ONE

>□ Ask for another Black Badge to speak with
>>
>>4888897
this is good, backing
>>
>>4864140
Answers not essays, bruhz.
>>
>>4888897
>>4888978
>>4889339
>>4889700
>>4889835
>>4890062
It seems that you need to go higher on the chain of command to get more answers. "I might require additional information before I could allow access to PANOPTIKON. May I speak to your superior?"
He seems unsure for a moment. "Acknowledged. Information request message has been relayed. Request accepted. Patching through."
Another screen pops up above Tristan's, shrinking his screen. The marred face of a young lad, who might have been barely fresh from the youth academy, can be seen. "This is Paulo Rubeda, section chief of the Black Badges. I've been told that you have some questions to be answered before you can let us access PANOPTIKON. Well, let's hear it."
The boy radiates the same aura as Tristan-K: that of a former combatant of the Empire. At such a young age? Did the Eternal Empire resort to child soldiers whike you were crystallized?
"Thank you for the opportunity. Now, if you could, please tell me why you want to track inmates Zmt-Beta and Petunia Karachova. I must ensure that PANOPTIKON is not abused for ill intent."
The boy fixes his remaining eye with respect towards you. "Very well, it seems you're a wardenbot with integrity, I trust you not to speak of this to anyone else. Promise?"
"Promise, between gentlemen." You add, appealing to his maturity.
"Alright. We need to find out where Zmt is, because he's our informant within the Pyrovores. He claimed he had intel that could threaten the stability of the Eternal Empire within Gongalla."
Well, that is news. "The Eternal Empire within Gongalla? I haven't heard anything of the sort."
"It's a relatively new movement, one that the Black Badges align with. Empire Within, for short. Basically, there are inmates who feel that Gongalla should have a proper government of sorts, and set up a colony in the name of the Eternal Empress."
"I see... what about the other inmate, Petunia Karachova?"
The boy looks to the side a bit, before recollecting himself. "It is a bit embarassing, but it is of a personal matter. I've heard that she's been seen nearby the prison blocks, and I thought that I should confront her about a few things. As I said, personal stuff. Now, is that all, can we get on to gaining access to PANOPTIKON?"
Hmm. The boy have clear intents, and no ill will... or so he said. What should we do?
>CHOOSE ONE
>□ Allow unsupervised access to PANOPTIKON
>□ Allow supervised access to PANOPTIKON
>□ Allow, but stealthily leave a backdoor to their system while they're distracted
>□ Allow, in exchange for help/a new body
>□ Disallow, but tell them where they're last seen
>□ Disallow, cut communications and kick the probing signals out
>□ Other (fill in)
>>
>>4890546
Oh god DAMN it, Petunia...

>□ Allow, but stealthily leave a backdoor to their system while they're distracted
>□ Allow, in exchange for help/a new body
>>
>>4890546
>□ Allow, but stealthily leave a backdoor to their system while they're distracted
>□ Allow, in exchange for help/a new body
Thus come her sins, to haunt her yet again. It was bound to happen at some point.
>>
>>4890551
>>4890558
+1
>>
>>4890546
>Allow access for tracking Zmt, but not Petunia. Personal stuff is exactly abuse for ill intent.
>Sneakily leave a backdoor.
>>
>>4890782
To be fair, she did rape him, and i doubt jamieboy is going to let him do anything too bad to her. But frank doesn't know that, does he
>>
>>4890551
>>4890558
+1 as well
>>
>>4890551
>>4890558
>>4890609
>>4890782
>>4891152
"Very well, you may access the PANOPTIKON, with one condition. Well, more of a convenience, really - as you have seen during your intrusion, I am currently in a disembodied state. Coincidentally, Zmt-Beta is also near my location, and possibly in danger. If you could send me a body I can use along with reinforcements to Zmt, that will be very appreciated, myes." You try to bargain, as you sneak an inconspicuous backdoor access to their systems, undetected.
"Okay, I see. The main reason why we wanted access is because we need precise coordinates for our strike team to pinpoint. We'll see if we have a spare body lying around, if not, we'll retrieve you along with Zmt. Please try to keep Zmt alive and nearby, if possible. Stay frosty out there." Paulo then disconnects, followed by Tristan afterwards.
So, here you are, then. Still connected to the magitek circuits. The Black Badges' signal is still in your system, currently accessing the PANOPTIKON. The Kobold signal is still there, but they're not doing anything - it seems they're leisurely browsing at random, as if trying to make sense of what they perceive.
>CHOOSE ONE
>□ Wait for the strike team
>□ Try to get Zmt's attention
>□ Distract Bou
>□ Contact kobold signal source
>□ Kick out kobold signal from your system
>□ Other (fill in)
>>
>>4892229
Forgot image, fudge
>>
>>4892229
>□ Distract Bou
We can contact the kobolds later, right now we have to keep the ant man alive
>>
>>4892229
>□ Distract Bou
>>
>>4892229
>□ Distract Bou
>>
>>4892229
>□ Distract Bou

>>4890807
What if he got hit with the coomer energy after being /ss/'d, and wants to meet Petunia again just to fuck her on his own terms? Would be an interesting twist on things.
>>
>>4892534
He's an half-blinded, clearly scarred, imprisoned leader of an gang of overly violent cops who literally came to an prison planet so they could beat the shit out of people

Either he's going to try to kill her or he's going to confront her like it's batman and joe chill.
>>
>>4892240
>>4892241
>>4892297
>>4892534
You suppose it is prudent to keep Zmt alive, at the moment. Zipping back to your own magitek system, you see the Black Badges are already connecting to PANOPTIKON, so you follow suit. While they are busy getting the coordinates of Zmt's location, you went for the intercom subsystem. Here goes, a bit of digital ventriloquism.
Mustering your best announcer voice, you turn the local intercom on. "Attention, inmate Noppera Bou, you have a call. Please head towards the nearest visitation booth and pick up the phone. I repeat, to inmate Noppera Bou..." You figure looping it a bit would do the trick.
Through the scry-cams you can see that both Zmt and Bou turn their heads towards the area where your voice emanated from. You can also see a magic sigil slowly forming on the floor - perhaps the Black Badges' strike team? Anyway, you've done what you can, over here. The rest is waiting.
>SWITCH TO
>□ James Calaca
>□ Petunia Karachova
>□ Gobson G. Gobson
>□ Zmt-Beta
>□ Noppera Bou
>□ Stay as Frank-11

>ALSO CHOOSE ONE
>□ Timeskip
>□ No timeskip
>>
>>4893539
>□ James Calaca
>□ No timeskip
It's back to James now, we've already seen what frank's doing. And, i think it's too early for a timeskip
>>
>>4893539
>□ James Calaca
>□ No timeskip
Fuck timeskips I hate em
>>
>>4893580
The thing with timeskips is that you have to use them sparingly, and at the right time. It has to be a moment where you can forward the story without missing too much stuff.

For example, now would not be a good time because there's too much stuff happening. James has just gotten up from his whole freakout, and we still don't know about that whole sticky heart thing.

I mean, James has just woken up on Goblinton. He's not situated enough to warrant a timeskip, and we still have stuff to deal with Petunia. And then there's the kid that's searching for her.

I mean, James and the crew are supposed to be returning to the cubicle farms, aren't they?
>>
>>4893539
>□ James Calaca
>□ No timeskip
>>
>>4893539
>□ James Calaca
>□ No timeskip
>>
>>4893555
>>4893580
>>4893721
>>4893925
>MEANWHILE
You are James Calaca, thankfully alive and healthy-ish. At least that's what Nanna told you, something about a sticky feeling that's no longer there. You suppose you gotta thank that brew of hers, which you hope to never drink again. Currently you are looking at the trasure cache that is your inventory, while simultaneously thinking of how to safely get back to the cubicle farms so you can get that wardenbot's head and get out of here.
As it is, you have:
2 bricks of fresh nutrient blocks, apparently it's been a day since your arrival here
3 bricks of mushroomy nutrient blocks
2 bars of soap - you wonder if those bubbles are real
3 spoons - yours, Petunia's, and a spare one you found
A hand-drawn lewd magazine, because you imagine inmates still has their needs
An unknown idol, shaped vaguely like a sitting... bull? Cow? Goat? Neither Gobson nor Nanna knows what it is
A polygon which you suspect is some kind of container, maybe some sort of thoughtform by the way it's just floating casually in the air like that

Yeeeah, these ain't good enough to safely storm the raptors if need be. You might need equipment. "Well, what do you think, Petunia? What else do we need?"
Petunia, who had been draped over you in a state of half-glomp, half-hug and half-spoon since you woke up, responds. "Well, handsome, if it was me I'd follow Gobson's idea of sneaking past the raptors... but you seem to be more of a man of action. Either way, we need some kind of armor, if things go wrong."
Gobson yells from the adjacent room, as he was busy cooking for the day. "Armor? Much too bulky an' clankery there guv. Look, all you need is one o' Nanna's disappearin' brew, drink em when we get close to danger an' pass through just loik dat! Nanna do need the ingredients, tho."
Hmmm... maybe you could sell some of your inventory and barter your way for the stuff you need.
>CHOOSE A WAY
>□ Go in expecting to battle raptors, with armor and weapons
>□ Go in with stealth, but prepare armor
>□ Go in with stealth, but prepare potion
>□ Other (fill in)

>ALSO CHOOSE A MEANS
>□ Barter your way at the Goblin Market for the things you need
>□ Just like, steal them, Goblins don't seem to particularly care anyways
>□ Craft them yourself with assistance from Gobson and Nanna
>□ Other (fill in)
>>
>>4895047
>□ Go in with stealth, but prepare armor
While i don't want to go head on, if the raptors decide to hunt us they're going to find us. We're not really going to be able to outsneak dinossaurs who are evolved specifically for hunting.
>□ Craft them yourself with assistance from Gobson and Nanna
As a revolutionary, we should probably have some experience with crafting 'equipment', right?
>>
>>4895047
>Go in expecting to battle raptors, with armor and weapons
Violence is a question. And the answer is yes.
>Craft them yourself with assistance from Gobson and Nanna
>>
>>4895047
>□ Go in with stealth, but prepare armor
>□ Craft them yourself with assistance from Gobson and Nanna

Regardless of what gets chosen, we should make weapons. Like spoon-chucks. Or perhaps a spoon-katana?
>>
>>4895101
We managed to defeat an entire horde of raptors with some shitty spoons by using the musashi style.

So spoon katanas would be pretty nice. Though, i guess a gigantic dual-handed spoon could also be good.
>>
>>4895047
>□ Go in with stealth, but prepare armor
>□ Craft them yourself with assistance from Gobson and Nanna

>>4895101
I agree. We need more spoon-based combat and weapons and fighting styles.
>>
>>4895047
>□ Go in with stealth, but prepare armor
>□ Craft them yourself with assistance from Gobson and Nanna

If we can accomplish it by beating the living fuck out of the raptors, that's cool. But if we can do it without a confrontation at all, even better. As skilled at VIOLENCE as we are, there are bound to be way more raptors in the cubicles than we could hope to take on, even with Petunia and Gobson (especially since they're not as apt at VIOLENCE as us).

Best to avoid something going wrong. We don't want to wind up worse-off than last time. Stealth it if possible (Gobson should be good at this) and be prepared to cover with a fighting retreat if things go south.
>>
>>4895055
>>4895060
>>4895101
>>4895474
>>4895491
"Yeah, we're going to have to sneak in, but still, wear some protection."
All this kind of reminded you of your past. As a revolutionary who is often without 'official' support, you've learned how to jury-rig things. From the revolutionary arsenal's staple of firebottles, to sharpened discarded placards, to makeshift riot shield from street signs - you've made them all, and then some. Whatever you can find in the streets, you guess. But now your skills will be challenged: the question is not how, but from what?
Thankfully, Gobson interjects. "Need some light armor, guv? Heard that folks used to make them out of clay and ceiling insulators. It's good fer sneakin', and is reeal fast. Downside is, it's not that defensive.
On the other side, Petunia suggested using the terrain. "There's plenty of cubicle walls, aren't there, handsome? We could turn them into another armor. Might be a bit slower than the light armor though, but it can protect better."
Ahh, decisions, decisions.
>CHOOSE ONE FOR EACH CHARACTER (JAMES, PETUNIA, GOBSON)
>□ Gobson's weaved clay light armor
>□ Petunia's cubicle wall light armor
>□ Other (fill in)

>ALSO GIVE EXTRA SPOON TO:
>□ James
>□ Petunia
>□ Gobson
>>
>>4896471
>□ Gobson's weaved clay light armor
For Petunia and Gobson should be good.
>□ Petunia's cubicle wall light armor
Tougher armor for James would be better, I would think.

Also, give the extra spoon to James. He can make the most use out of it.
>>
>>4896471
>□ Gobson's weaved clay light armor
>□ Give Extra Spoon to Petunia
>>
>>4896471
>□ Petunia's cubicle wall light armor (James)
>□ Gobson's weaved clay light armor (Petunia)
>□ Gobson's weaved clay light armor (Gobson)
>Give Extra Spoon to Gobson
It's pretty simple. Gobson and Petunia are lighter hitters, they benefit more from being able to move faster than they do from getting more protection.

James, on the other hand, is more of a powerhouse. Even without armor he was able to take all those raptors down.

Also, as cool as Double-Wielding the Spoons are, it'd dumb to leave Gobson undefended. Better to have 3 armed people.
>>
>>4896497
>>4896471
Whoops, I'm a retard and didn't properly read the prompt!

>>4896492
I'll just +1 this.
>>
>>4896471
>□ Gobson's weaved clay light armor for everyone
Sneaking success is determined by the loudest link.

>Keep spoon for ourselves.
Our dual-hand style will be legendary.
>>
>>4896634
>Sneaking success is determined by the loudest link.
This is true, but I was thinking we would leave the sneaking to Gobson and Petunia, while James more or less hangs back to provide protection if things don't pan out.
>>
>>4896640
What if they pan out? Will Petunia and Gobson just leave James behind?
>>
>>4896643
No. I don't intend for James to hang all the way back at Goblin town. I just mean for him to get as close as he reasonably can without giving himself away. Petunia and Gobson handle the rest, while James is still close enough to provide help if it's needed.
>>
>>4896634
+1
dualwield to endgame
>>
>>4896649
So Petunia and Gobson sneak past the raptors, and then what? They leave James there? Or he tries to sneak in his clanking armor?
>>
>>4897141
They grab frank and then come back, James Is backup just in case
>>
>>4896500
Seems reasonable
+1
>>
>>4897141
>So Petunia and Gobson sneak past the raptors, and then what? They leave James there?

This is kind of the gist >>4897152

It isn't like there will be a defined 'wall' or 'spot' made up of raptors in the cubicles. They're bound to be scattered around in various nests and wandering in between. If Petunia and Gobson can sneak forward and make sure any given area is clear enough, James can move in until they're close enough to continue on their own.

There are also always alternative options assuming sneak is too risky. We could toss a glass bottle or use a makeshift sling to hurl it a long way and act as a distraction, drawing them away from Frank and giving a better opening to Petunia and Gobson. We could also set a controlled fire at some point, or make a smoke grenade to do so. Most wild animals have an innate fear of flame and smoke, and tend to put as much distance as they can between themselves and a source of fire or smoke.

James is playing the role of a defensive fall-back line. This is a common tactic utilized by ancient and modern military strategies alike. You have lighter elements scout ahead, avoiding engagement if possible, and falling back to a tougher reinforcement if they hit something they can't handle.
>>
>>4896492
>>4896500
>>4896505
>>4896862
>>4897258
A few hours later...
"Alright, we're all armored up, give me a quick run down on the tactics." You say, decked in cubicle armor.
"Well, handsome, you'll walk at your pace while me and Gobson scout ahead stealthily. We'll regroup if we see something, or if we're baiting an enemy. Sound good?" Petunia says, decked in goblin clay.
"Sounds good, let's head out. Get that wardenbot head, and find a way out of here."
>>
>>4898390
The journey through the cubicle farms this time is more or less uneventful, since whatever few raptors Petunia and Gobson encountered seem to ignore them. You think you're close to where Gobson teleported you out, when Petunia and Gobson returned from their forward scouting position. "Hey guv? Might wanna look at this. 's like nothing I've seen before." Gobson says, a hint of uncertainty and fear in his voice.
Sure enough, there in the middle of a cubicle corridor, someone is doing something to a raptor carcass. A really tall fella, taller than Petunia, dressed in inmate orange and trembling. Or was it shivering? Jerky movements, its hands deep in viscera.
>CHOOSE ONE
>□ Attack directly
>□ Sneak around
>□ Observe some more
>□ Initiate dialogue
>□ Other (fill in)
>>
>>4898407
>Observe some more
>>
>>4898407
>□ Observe some more
Let's see what he's doing, but prepare for anything.
>>
>>4898407
>□ Observe some more
If this guy pulls a 'Resident Evil' I'm gonna be peeved
>>
>>4898407
>□ Observe some more
>>
>>4898407
Bleh, gotta recoil my biological clock, no update tonight, sorry folks! See you in a new thread tomorrow or the day after. In the meantime, what do you think of the second thread of Gaol Quest? Discussion, perhaps? Unsolicited vore fics (But seriously, plz don't)? Any places, things or people you'd like to see in Gongalla?
>>
>>4899588
No problem at all--just glad you're sticking with it!

I still really like things so far--you've done a pretty good job of introducing new factions and worldbuilding. Honestly I'm not sure who or what I'd suggest for later on since it seems like there's so many possibilities with it being in magical 'flux' and whatnot. Maybe some sort of Deep Sea area would be cool, I dunno.

Artwork is still very charming (be lying if I said I wasn't jealous) and I think you've done a good job on the characters. I'd caution against swapping perspectives too much, but it looks like you've got things under control. Very excited to see where things take us because at the moment we're still working on how to escape...

Long story short, I'm glad you're running! Don't forget to archive this thread!
>>
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>>4899588
Welp, another good thread OP.

It was pretty interesting seeing things for a different perspective (for a while). Obviously, it's better to return to James, but sometimes seeing things from another point of view can make the quest feel more alive.

While i'm definitely interested in seeing the bigger situation in Gongalla as a whole - after all, it is an entire planetary prison, with inmates from all over this so-called empire (which, by the way, i hope we get some light shed on)

Still though, Personally? I'm a bigger fan of seeing how the characters unravel. Petunia and James in specific are in an interesting situation, being the two humans here. Petunia has an interesting past and an uncertain future, James, determined and volatile as he is, is sure to end up somewhere. [Also, i still think they're cute together. Hope we continue Jame's redemption of Petunia.

In the end, things are good, keep it up.
>>
>>4899588
It's a fun quest with an interesting art style. Plus the magitech weirdness of the setting is interesting
>>
since QM forgot
new thread here
>>4900749



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