File: poya.png (501 KB, 1200x1200)

501 KB PNG

>>4967030

>You are Poya Murgleib; apprentice of the master wizard Lenzig.

Your family is almost entirely magicians of great skill; affluent Alcadnists with money to spare on gilt inlay for their robes and wands. Your six older siblings are all either licensed taskmages, or on their way to becoming one. Your father, like you, also has six older siblings, making you the seventh child of a seventh child, a unique circumstance usually believed to cause high magical aptitude.

You are, unfortunately, not a particularly talented spellcaster. You have a dog-eared copy of the sixth edition of The Alcadnist’s Essential, from which you practice a near daily routine of exercises. You have a loose grasp on a number of basic spells, but are overshadowed constantly by your peers.

Despite the constant pressure, you are usually a person in good spirits. You are excited to be apprenticing under such a famous wizard, as well as to be attending Mothwood College in a city as exciting as Meridian. The last time you were disappointed was when you fell asleep on the train over and missed most of your travel playlist.

You have a cat named Rosie; you made her an account on Inscribe, and she currently has more followers than your main account. You have never been in a real relationship for longer than three weeks. Your favourite band is Hold the Sun. Your favourite colour is purple.

<2/3>

File: griff.png (434 KB, 1200x1200)

434 KB PNG

>>4967030

>You are Griffon Caro-Twain; apprentice of the master wizard Lenzig.

Both of your parents dabble in hedge magic, but mostly earn a living through jobs provided by their trivial knighthoods. Your father is a knight of the Order of the Traffic Circle, and your mother is a knight of the Order of the Census and Ledgers. You are an only child.

As a child, you wanted to become a Knight of the Peace, but eventually failed to complete the requirements for the squireship program. A neighbor of yours stole a tome from his father when you were younger, and the two of you spent a summer practicing spells in the woods; the speed at which you learned the skill was not unnoticed, and you were quickly picked up by local members of the Zethrym.

You are a grumpy person and give up easily, which makes it difficult for you to learn even despite your innate talent. You can be lazy, and occasionally selfish, but you have a group of peers within the Zethrym that you consider your friends. The prospect of your apprenticeship and going to Mothwood College is something you are rather ambivalent about.

You are allergic to peaches, but you are unaware of this and just assume that everyone gets a rash when they eat them. You have a sneaking suspicion your father is not your biological father. Your favourite musical artist is Chance O’Clair; but whenever anyone asks you, you say it's the band Animalhaus. Your favourite color is yellow.

<3/3>

>>4967030
Fuck yea! Welcome back, man! Glad you're still questing!

>>4967034
>GRIFFON

>>4967034
This guy seems the most autistic of the two, so I'll go with him.

>>4967030
>>You are Poya Murgleib; apprentice of the master wizard Lenzig.

>>4967034
>You are Griffon Caro-Twain; apprentice of the master wizard Lenzig.

>>4967032
>>You are Poya Murgleib; apprentice of the master wizard Lenzig.

>>4967034
>You are Griffon Caro-Twain; apprentice of the master wizard Lenzig.

>>4967034
Griffon

>>4967032
Poya

>>4967032
>Poya

>>4967034
>Grifon

>>4967034
>You are Griffon Caro-Twain; apprentice of the master wizard Lenzig.

>>4967034
>>You are Griffon Caro-Twain; apprentice of the master wizard Lenzig

>>4967032
>You are Poya Murgleib; apprentice of the master wizard Lenzig.
Hm...Grifon. Yeah definitely not going to anything horrible, definitely would never betray his friends in the worst way possible. Definitely.

File: new arrival.png (646 KB, 1200x1200)

646 KB PNG

>>4967040
>>4967052
>>4967076
>>4967094
>>4967202
>>4967217
>>4967218
>>4967231

You are Griffon Caro-Twain. Griff to your friends.

You had only ever been to Meridian twice before; it wasn’t particularly your scene. Growing up in the quaint out-of-the-way town of Moloch made you take peace and quiet for granted. Now, ever since stepping off the train, your mood has been soured even further by the constant bustle of city life.

You wore your Zethrym sigil proudly, earning you the occasional odd look from passerby; either the concerned unaffiliated, or condescending Alcadnists. You were unbothered; you wanted to be identifiable to the Zethrym siblinghood.

You had a lengthy itinerary; greeting people and settling into student life. You weren’t the only student moving to town to go to Mothwood College; times would certainly be hectic for days to come, but you never let stress get the better of you.

The great gilt and marble pillars of Charnel Station surrounded you, the crowd constantly in a dance of coming and going depending on whether a train was about to arrive, or about to depart. You had spent enough time collecting yourself; it was time to brave Meridian proper.

>Go to Dux Labs, the headquarters of the Zethrym presence in Meridian.
>Go to Lenzig’s home to meet your new mentor and co-apprentice.
>Go to Mothwood College. Just... somewhere. You’ll figure out the details when you arrive.
>Go to Market Plaza to get something to eat.
>For reasons you cannot place, go to Holmwrit Lodge, headquarters of the Alcadnists.
>Write-in.

>>4967615

Ignore how fucked up this guy's legs are. I've never drawn anything in my life, apparently.

>>4967615
>Go to Market Plaza to get something to eat.
New places, new troubles. Let's get some grub to eat, how bout it?

>>4967772
+1

>>4967615
>Go to Lenzig’s home to meet your new mentor and co-apprentice.

>>4967615
>Go to Market Plaza to get something to eat.

>>4967772
+1

File: affogatos.png (554 KB, 1200x1200)

554 KB PNG

>>4967772
>>4967829
>>4968283
>>4968599

You walked for a while, backpack over your shoulder and headphones in your ears; music just low enough for you to be aware of the world around you. The roads were paved with hand-cut, uneven stones; giving a deceptively rural feel despite the cluttered skyline and dense, shoulder-to-shoulder crowd.

Your Zethrym sigil brought a number of unbidden scoffs or eyerolls, the occasional well-dressed individual letting out a condescending chuckle. You figured all the Zethrym in town were busy actually doing research, not traipsing around the shopping districts in their fresh, starchy capes.

A corner cafe caught your eye; a quaint shop that wasn’t too full, and the patrons that were there appeared to mostly be other college age kids. “Affogato’s;” a name a bit too sweet for your tastes, but the air was heavy with the smell of baking bread, as well.

“Hi! I’m Zoe, what can I get you?” the barista said; a short-haired girl with splayed out ears and a smile almost too wide for her face. She paused to point at her forehead. “I like your glowy-thingy! Are you a student, too? Or... going to be a student, I guess? Still a few days before classes!”

You humor her with terse chat for a minute before ordering a bagel and a small coffee. Coffee wasn’t a daily ritual for you, but after a day of travelling you didn’t mind the pick-me-up. Walking off from the counter in search of somewhere to sit, you were surprised to see another Zethrym, his gaze alternating between the heavy textbook and dog-eared notebook in front of him.

>Eat lunch quickly, then leave. (Suggest another location.)
>Sit with the other Zethrym and introduce yourself.
>See if you can converse with the barista a bit more, there’s no line to the till after all.
>Write-in.

>>4970307
>Sit with the other Zethrym and introduce yourself.

>>4970798
+1

>>4970798
+1

>>4970798
+1
Are you the QM of that K6BD inspired quest? If so, I'm glad you're back on the board.

>>4971965

I am, yeah. Glad to hear it.

Not that the other quest won't ever come back, but I spent some of my time away trying to come up with something I was interested in QMing that was a little more original.

Just got home, I'll have another response up in an hour or so.

>>4972635

Also, feel free to use write-ins to jazz up responses, ask questions about the setting, etc.

I always feel like the default options I give aren't the most compelling/diverse.

File: krieg.png (377 KB, 1200x1200)

377 KB PNG

>>4970798
>>4970830
>>4971964
>>4971965

Lunch clutched in your hands, you sat down across from the other Zethrym.

>Hi, I’m Griff. Reading anything interesting?

The stranger looked up at you. His expression was hard to gauge behind his high collar and thick goggles; but, after a moment he folded his fingers together and gave you a short nod. “Krieg. Zethrym as I’m sure you can tell.”

The two of you chatted for a while about town, alchemy, and your expectations for the quickly approaching first day of classes; you learned that Krieg was from a town right next to Moloch, and your conversation quickly became affectionate mocking of the local Zethrym officials. As you finished your light meal, the two of you exchanged phone numbers with a friendly handshake.

“Oh, one more thing. Some Alcadnists are throwing a ‘back to school’ party... all the new arrivals are invited, though, and it’d be good to get some more representation from the siblinghood.”

You gave him a maybe, but got the where and when regardless; endeavoring to keep it in mind. It wasn’t until later that night, which still gave you a while to kill.

Leaving the cafe, you pulled your phone from your pocket only to find 9 unread messages. It was on silent as always, which was how you managed to not notice them during your conversation with Krieg.

>hey
>hey hey
>HEY
>in town yet?? come by lenzigs!!
>he’s got the cutest little homunculus guy here you’ll love it
>also i wanna meet you in person!! we’re gonna be buddies
>so might as well right?? since ill see you sooner or later anyway
>maybe you’re asleep
>ok sleep well see ya soon!!

It was Poya; overeager as always. The two of you had talked before, never at length about anything, but enough so that you weren’t total strangers; she had found you, actually, as soon as the two of you had been informed about your shared apprenticeship.

>Go to Lenzig’s house. Best not keep Poya (or Lenzig, not that he was in a rush) waiting.
>Text Poya back and lie about not being in town yet, then go somewhere else. (Suggest another location.)
>Ignore her, then go somewhere else. (Suggest another location.)
>Write-in.

>>4972845
>Go to Lenzig’s house. Best not keep Poya (or Lenzig, not that he was in a rush) waiting.

>>4972845
>Go to Lenzig’s house. Best not keep Poya (or Lenzig, not that he was in a rush) waiting.

>>4972845
>>Go to Lenzig’s house. Best not keep Poya (or Lenzig, not that he was in a rush) waiting.

Hi everyone, sorry I vanished for a bit. I had some unexpected shifts at work and it threw me off for a day or two.

Hope that interest in this isn't totally dead; I was really pretty excited to QM this, and I don't really want to have to do a shameful reboot.

I'll post a reply soon, expect dice rolling.

File: uh oh.png (405 KB, 1200x1200)

405 KB PNG

>>4972873
>>4973570
>>4975051

You hopped on the city train, getting a good view of Meridian as the railway passed over the downtown area. Thankfully, Lenzig’s wasn’t that far from your stop; not that you would mind walking too far. The famous wizard’s home was in a rather quiet, affluent part of town; it was the first time since you arrived that you were able to be alone with your thoughts.

Though arcane botany was never something you delved into, the rows of homes you passed all had extremely impressive gardens; flowers sprouting technicolor blooms the size of dinner plates and hedges contorted into shapes that you never would have otherwise been able to picture in your head.

Then, there was Lenzig’s; a worryingly tall building that, although certainly gave the air of once being grand, was in a rather dismal state. It desperately needed a repainting, and the lawn was overgrown with mutant weeds from seeds blown in off the neighbor’s plants. Through each of its many, many windows, you could see arcane implements and stacks and stacks of tomes blocking out the sunlight. Suddenly, you wished you had opted to stay in student housing at Mothwood.

The front door swung open, then slammed shut. In the brief moment it was ajar, a frantic purple-haired figure had scrambled out. Her chest rose and fell in heavy breaths, back pressed against the manor’s great oaken door.

“Uh, hi.” Poya said. “Remember that cute homunculus I was talking about? Guess he finally had enough of me.”

She grinned, though her raised eyebrows quivered in concern. Shallow scratches were visible on her cheeks; fresh, though not deep enough to draw blood.

“Wanna give me a hand teaching him a lesson?”

<1/2>

File: battle.png (391 KB, 1200x1200)

391 KB PNG

>>4977990

You dug your alchemy gloves out of your backpack and put them on, nodding to Poya as she white-knuckled a rather worn-down looking wand. After swallowing the lump in her throat, Poya threw the door open to Lenzig’s house.

Immediately, a grey, imp-like creature swooped past on leathery wings, chuckling to himself. Batting him away, you and Poya readied yourselves back-to-back to knock some sense into this little beastie.

BATTLE!

Rules: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTzjW0u9oCC4pPseX0Xw95vgZXnA-5L9hSGtpIb5u7Z5m1EWnNjpCoomcN2QECi3wl4UBU1pvxsk6GB/pub

You can suggest an action for one character, or a series of actions for the entire team. Sensibility and support will be considered for which suggestions are chosen. If rules ever need clarification, or additional rules are introduced, that battle rules document will be updated to reflect them.

Griff’s stats: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRHKoXvbpHFQAkJ2I2QP9J4vgDh_odGAoKLMlwnEyWwzgzqtkK41aqSfU5o7mFpzYqsWxWQ2QmEDhys/pub

Poya’s stats: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRl_IgCjcALFI7pys7cqghNdq7D1KQEMCIt8KWYXktFStxaYuLaeu6geF7S5f1o8Mh6a8PNluERZzCb/pub

Griff and Poya each have an action. What do you do?

<2/2>

>>4977991
>Griff casts Wrack
>Poya uses Rosie

maximum overkill

File: violence.png (485 KB, 1200x1200)

485 KB PNG

>>4978003

Griff casts Wrack for 4 damage! The homunculus writhes in pain as his guts are turned to sand and then back, even though homunculi don’t really have organs.

Poya uses Rosie for 3 damage! The rowdy homunculus resists paralysis. Poya lobs her pet cat at the homunculus, and she proceeds to fly into a vicious flurry of clawing and biting; though somehow not enough to distract the nasty creature.

The rowdy homunculus dives through the air on his leathery wings, snapping his whip-like tail across Griff’s face for 3 damage! Griff furrows his eyebrows and curses under his breath!

<1/2>

File: battle 02.png (393 KB, 1200x1200)

393 KB PNG

>>4978115

Griff has 5/8 HP remaining, and 1/3 flux.
Poya has 8/8 HP remaining, and 0 flux.

The homunculus leers at them both.

<2/2>

>>4977991
>Griff casts Wrack
>Poya uses Rosie

>>4978119
>Griff casts Wrack
>Poya uses Rosie
SPAM

>>4978119
Since Rosie can only be used once per battle I'm changing my vote >>4978121
>Ponya casts Funkeln
>Grif casts Whack

>>4978119
Oh man each heart is 4 hp, I thought it only had 3 hp but instead it has 12 and we didn't go maximum overkill

I'll back >>4978405

File: victory!.png (631 KB, 1200x1200)

631 KB PNG

>>4978405
>>4978531

Griff casts Whack! Err... Wrack? Whatever it was, it deals 4 damage and incurs 1 flux.

Poya casts Funkeln for 3 damage! Unfortunately she was facing the wrong way; fortunately funkeln is famous for always hitting its target, regardless.

The homunculus explodes into a splatter of grey slide, and his deep red heartstone lands on the ground with a clatter.

Victory!

<1/2>

File: hello lenzig.png (341 KB, 1200x1200)

341 KB PNG

>>4979510
*slime

You looked down at the heartstone, rubbing the scratch on your face idly. Whatever that thing was, it thankfully didn’t put up too much of a fight. You’d never actually had to resort to using your offensive spells, but you were glad you practiced them.

“Hey, are you okay?” Poya said, her eyebrows raised in concern as she vaguely pointed at your minor injury.

You swung your head towards her as she spoke, then back away from her as you heard a gentle clapping coming from the foyer’s impressive staircase.

“Excellent fundamentals, Griff. And... very creative, Poya.” the figure said, nodding towards the both of you; he was tall, with defined features and a commanding voice, though his hair and clothing were disheveled in a way that suggested either a lack of time or a lack of care allocated towards his appearance.

“I see you’ve met Ambergris; a troublemaker to be sure. Though it’ll only take a half-hour and a drop of blood to reconstitute him, I’d rather go through that trouble as little as possible... so try to refrain from killing him in the future.” Lenzig said, picking up the heartstone. “Feel free to make yourselves at home; both of your rooms are upstairs, across from each other at the end of the hall. I’ve left some reading in there to kick off your studies with me; lessons will be twice a week, though I will leave you with plenty of material to practice on the other days.”

You and Poya looked at each other. Thankfully Lenzig didn’t seem to be a total hardass, but he spoke tersely and in a serious tone when discussing the matters of your training. By the time you two had both swallowed the lump in your throat and looked back towards the stairs, he was gone.

>Retire to your room, alone.
>Chat with Poya here for a while.
>Wander the house. (Alone or with Poya.)
>Write-in.

<2/2?

>>4979512
>Chat with Poya here for a while.

>>4979512
>Chat with Poya here for a while.

>>4979512
>Chat with Poya here for a while.

File: best buds.png (649 KB, 1200x1200)

649 KB PNG

>>4979700
>>4979710
>>4980038

You sat down on the steps with Poya, chatting about nothing for a while. You were generally a man of few words, and she was quite the opposite; so it ended up more along the lines of you sitting there while she talked your ear off. It seemed she was quite fond of the city and excited to be a student, though whenever you tried to steer the discussion towards the actual practice of magic, Poya seemed to grow sheepish.

It was certainly in her favor that you weren’t a particularly competitive type; if it came down to it, you could certainly crush her when the time came around to meeting Lenzig’s expectations. You’d be better off being nice to her, though, since she seemed knowledgeable on a lot of non-magic related topics, herself. Speaking of...

>Ask Poya a question? (Optional, write-in.)

If you were curious about anything, this would be a good moment to have her clear some things up. Also, while you were chatting...

>Tell Poya about the party.
>Elect to keep the party a secret from her.

>>4980911
>Tell Poya about the party.

>Ask Poya a question? (Optional, write-in.)
What made her want to be a mage?

>>4980911
>Tell Poya about the party.
Why do you carry your cat around like that? Aren't you worried about your other things getting damaged?

>>4980911
ask to pet her cat

>>4981222
This is important

>>4981222
>takes 1d6 damage and potency 6 paralysis

File: pet pet.png (320 KB, 1200x1200)

320 KB PNG

>>4980990
>>4981108
>>4981222
>>4981575

You asked to pet Poya’s cat, to which she responded with a happy nod. She picked her up off the bottom step and placed her gently in your lap; Rosie sat there purring, mostly asleep after exerting herself tearing up Lenzig’s beloved pet homunculus. You gently ran your fingers through her soft fur and cracked a small smile.

>How come you carry your cat around like this?
“Well... I guess Rosie and I are best buds!” Poya said, swinging a bent arm in a gesture of excitement. “If I’m going out on adventures, I want her along with me! She’s got little legs, so if I’m really trucking it around somewhere, I’ve gotta keep her in my bag so she doesn’t get left behind.”

>What made you want to become a mage?
“Well, magic’s always been in the family, so I almost feel like I have to...” she continued. “Well, not to sound like I don’t want to do it all on my own! I mean, if you’ve ever seen some really, really expert wizards doing their thing... you’d be convinced too! Not really much of a mage yet, though, still working on it!” Poya appended the end of her excited statement with a toothy smile, putting her fists against her hips proudly.

>There’s a party tonight.
“Oh awesome, count me in! I’d love to meet some new faces!”

The two of you chatted for a while longer, sharing your thoughts on Lenzig and the upcoming year; as well as a brief, dramatic reenactment of Poya’s initial conflict with Ambergris right before you arrived. Between her bubbly personality and the purring cat in your lap, you couldn’t help but chuckle along in contentment.

A while later, you made your way to your room. It was plain, that was certain, but you’d only just arrived, after all. There was a window that overlooked the house’s backyard and a bed tucked nicely into a nook along one wall; you had half a mind to collapse in there right away, after sleeping in your cot on the train the last few days.

You had time to kill before the party; it goes without saying that you showered, unpacked, and got dressed, but that only took an hour or two.

>Crack into the tome that Lenzig left on your desk, surely there’s interesting knowledge inside.
>Swipe through Entangle on your phone; you wonder what the local dating scene is like.
>Pull up Inscribe for some much less lascivious social networking.
>Head somewhere else in town, you spent a few days on a train, you want to get out in the open. (Suggest a location.)
>Never too late to have a wander around Lenzig’s house. Who knows what secrets he’s got around here?
>Write-in.

>>4981803
>Swipe through Entangle on your phone; you wonder what the local dating scene is like.

how could we not

>>4981803
>Never too late to have a wander around Lenzig’s house. Who knows what secrets he’s got around here?

>>4981803
>Swipe through Entangle on your phone; you wonder what the local dating scene is like.
>Never too late to have a wander around Lenzig’s house. Who knows what secrets he’s got around here?

>>4981803
>Never too late to have a wander around Lenzig’s house. Who knows what secrets he’s got around here?

Hi everyone!

Probably no update today; don't think I'll have enough time at home to sit down and draw.

Hope people are still interested, as long as people are replying I'll keep posting. If you have any concerns or suggestions, too, I'd love to hear 'em.

File: murky.png (443 KB, 1200x1200)

443 KB PNG

>>4981953
>>4982068
>>4982341
>>4982388

You collapse onto your bed with a yawn, grabbing your phone off the nightstand. Thankfully, you’d managed to charge it just in time; it was nearly dead when you arrived in town. All the outlets in Lenzig’s house looked a bit odd; definitely retro-fitted into the aging manor.

You pulled up Entangle; one of the most popular dating apps at the moment. You weren’t the hottest of commodities there, but you did occasionally get a like or two; not that much had ever come out of it. Today, though, you were surprised to see three likes.

>Poya
Eugh. Well, you weren’t sure what would be more awkward; matching with her, or her liking you without you liking her back. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
>y/n

>Zoe
Ah, the cute girl from the cafe. According to her bio, though, she was an Alcadnist, which generally went against your principles of choosing who to date. Also a bit too excitable for your tastes.
>y/n

>Murky
Kind of a weird name, kind of a weird looking girl too. At least you’d never met this one in person. A Zethrym too, by the looks of it.
>y/n

It didn’t take as long as you were expecting to swipe through the rest of the profiles that came up on there. You kicked your legs off the side of your bed for a bit before staring out the window. Lenzig certainly wasn’t much of a gardener; though there was a nice tree, and the grass was cut well enough, the rest of the shrubs and plants could use some care. Or at least that’s what you thought; you weren’t much of a gardener either.

You slipped into your shoes and went for a walk around Lenzig’s house. He had shelves of weird curios, dusty books, and similarly overgrown houseplants. In the few rooms where the curtains weren’t drawn, there was so much junk piled up against the windows that it was hardly any different. The fact that every room was so dark only made it more interesting when you walked past a room filled with a pale, colorless light.

Inside, you saw that the room was lit by a warded jar; alive with flickering runes along its base. The sludgy, grey liquid it contained was just transparent enough for you to see a half-formed homunculus slowly coalescing together. You almost felt bad for blasting him so bad earlier. Almost.

On the desk beside it was a number of books and stacks of loose paper. Interesting volumes with dog eared pages and notes written in the margins; hand-written treatises on their contents laying in disarray between them.

>Read some of “Alcad and the naming of the aspects.”
>Read some of “The Firmament.”
>Read some of “Druidcraft in the First Age and beyond.”
>Decide that you probably shouldn’t poke around in Lenzig’s stuff and leave.

>>4985822
>Read some of “Druidcraft in the First Age and beyond.”

Time to solve the mystery of those druids...

>>4985856
+1

>>4985822
y
n
y
for entangle

>Read some of “Druidcraft in the First Age and beyond.”

File: droods.png (494 KB, 1200x1200)

494 KB PNG

>>4985856
>>4985932
>>4986228

You match with Poya and Murky, why not. Zoe was nice enough, but not your type. You were excited to get to know Murky; she seemed remarkably laid back against the tightly-wound Zethrym you usually met. Poya, not so much; she was nice, and you did enjoy talking to her earlier, but there was something that felt rather unwise about getting too close to someone you were going to spend so much time around. Maybe you were being too closed off.

You brushed the dust off of the book’s cover and cracked it open. “Druidcraft in the First Age and beyond.” You had learned a little bit about droods— er, druids in your research and lessons back in your hometown, but digging more into the history of magic always interested you.

“Druids, which is to say any magic-user before magical essences were classified into the seven aspects, were the foundational mages of all magic practiced today. While alchemy and enchanting have been popularized by the Zethrym, who are often seen as “modernists” in terms of magical practice, those fields of spellcraft are among the oldest in recorded history. Crude retorts and separating pans have been found in ruins dated to be much older than the first historical mentions of Alcad the Studious.

Material magic was popular among these druids because of the innate aspects found within their reagents. While spellcasting wasn’t unheard of, the effects were much more unpredictable due to a lack of understanding of aspected flux, and the more abstract methods of channeling magic from—”

It went on like that for a while; parts were interesting, sure, but quite sparse. There were paragraphs and paragraphs of text on yellowed paper between anything that caught your eye; barely any illustrations, either. Not that you minded any of that too much, just that it would take you longer to unpack the information.

You were pulled out of it slightly by your phone humming in your pocket; probably a text from your parents. Or maybe one of your two new Entangle matches. Either way, before you could pull your phone out to check, you heard knuckles rapping against the doorframe behind you.

“I would’ve hoped my new apprentice would’ve been a bit more clandestine in his nosiness.” Lenzig said, arms crossed as he leaned in the doorway. “That’s a good number; bit dense, but worth reading. I’d offer to lend it to you, but the reading I recommended might be better as an introductory piece.”

He walked up behind you, closing the book in front of you and gently rapping his knuckles against the warded jar.

>Ask Lenzig Something? (Optional, write-in.)

and

>Leave for the party.
>Write-in.

>>4986414
>That pic
You're alright, QM.

As for options...


>Ask Lenzig about modern spellcasting. How does it differ from the old methods?
>Also apologize for snooping--you were just curious.

>Check your phone before leaving for the party

>>4986414
Supporting >>4986482

File: snoop.png (531 KB, 1200x1200)

531 KB PNG

>>4986482
>>4986529

>Apologize for snooping and ask about spellcasting.

“Well, drawing magic of particular aspects isn’t as easy as we take for granted these days.” Lenzig began, pulling a plush chair away from a fireplace on the other side of the room and sitting down. “We’ve had years and years to perfect the technique; not to mention the fact that modern-day wands and other magical foci are factory made with much more precision than hand-carved staves.
“Spellcasting was a much bigger event, things could go haywire much easier. Generations of magic have made us much more resilient to handling flux.” Lenzig paused to gently tap his chest. “Druids of eld would need to gather in large groups to perform magical tasks. I don’t know if you’ve ever thrown a spell with a bit too much force, but that was the kind of feeling that they’d have to endure even with all their preparations.”

Your phone buzzed again in your pocket. Lenzig raised an eyebrow.

“Busy today, eh? I won’t lecture you then, though I’m always happy to ramble on if you’ll spare the time to listen. Though I’d prefer if you asked a bit beforehand next time; I don’t plan to sit on my hoarded knowledge like a grumpy old dragon, but these tomes are occasionally a bit dry. No dangerous apocrypha, sorry, but I’d hate for you to get turned off of a subject by trying to work through an exceptionally dull volume.” Lenzig punctuated his statement with a half-laugh to himself.

You pulled your phone from the pocket of your sweater; fumbling slightly. You weren’t one to care too much about expectations, but Lenzig had a rather imposing presence that put you a bit off-kilter.

Both notifications were effectively the same message, though from different people; Krieg from earlier, and your new match, Murky, both asking if you were making it to the party tonight. Nothing from Poya yet; though you weren’t sure why she’d message you on Entangle to begin with, seeing as she had your phone number. Also, she lived literally across the hall from you.

<1/2>

File: party time.png (453 KB, 1200x1200)

453 KB PNG

>>4987723

The party wasn’t far from Holmwrit Lodge; probably hosted by the more insufferable of Alcadnist students.

It was easy to make the place out as you got closer; the sun was going down and the whole house was lit up from foundation to roof, with music and conversation audible from up the street. You invited yourself in; everyone was distracted enough with all manner of standard party activities for you to raise too much attention.

Thankfully, there were familiar faces; you were certainly a bit of a misanthrope, and having people you could comfortably approach would help stop you from sitting in a lawn chair until people started to get too drunk and wander home. You grabbed a can from a cooler, ripped the tab, and took a sizable swig; trying not to grimace too hard, you weren’t much of a drinker.

Poya wasn’t anywhere to be seen, and judging by her large personality, you would’ve noticed her if she was here somewhere. Krieg and Murky were, though, conversing among a group of other Zethrym; all huddled into one corner of the backyard.

The song changed, and everyone cheered; must have been a local favourite.

>Head over to chat with the other Zethrym.
>Join a group for a drinking game; you were a few drinks behind, anyway.
>Wait around somewhere for Poya to arrive.
>Sneak into a conversation circle of some well-to-do looking Alcadnists.
>Write-in.

<2/2>

>>4987727
>Head over to chat with the other Zethrym.
Might as well be neighborly!

>>4987727
>Head over to chat with the other Zethrym.

>>4987727
>Head over to chat with the other Zethrym.

>>4987727
>Join a group for a drinking game; you were a few drinks behind, anyway.

whooo

File: zeth gang.png (648 KB, 1200x1200)

648 KB PNG

>>4987731
>>4987959
>>4988045

“This is the one I was telling everyone about.” Krieg said, gesturing towards you with a cup in his hand. You would’ve thought his party attire would’ve been more different than the heavy labwear he had on in the cafe, but he had hardly dressed down. Krieg gestured to the two other Zethrym there; Murky, as well as a man you didn’t recognize. “This is Wes and... Murky?”

Murky looked at you and waved gently; her hand clutching a cigarette between the ends of her pointer and middle finger. She made a face as though you two had never met, but raised her eyebrows at you knowingly once you locked eyes.

Wes shouldered into your field of view, extending his hand to shake yours; though as you lifted your arm towards him, he reached forwards to grab your hand and deliver a vigorous squeeze. “Weslix, nice to meet you. Griff, right? It’s nice to meet another person from the siblinghood. At least out at this party; the hedge mages I can stand, but all the Alcadnists are really killing my mood. At least you got here after a group of them were done doing magic tricks like a bunch of trained dogs.”

“Hear about the whole quest?” Murky said to you; her voice was deep for a girl, but not necessarily unpleasant to hear. “You got here after they were talking about that too. Tomorrow morning, apparently, a bunch of students go out to the clocktower. There’s some old, monster-infested dungeon underneath it, and there’s a big race to the bottom. Groups of three, first gang there gets... bragging rights, or something...” Murky rolled her eyes.

“Best find a party, Griff.” Wes said, patting your shoulder. He seemed like a bit of a tool, but maybe that was only because you had a feeling you two were exceedingly similar. “Don’t let that spoil your enjoyment of this party, though, as hard as it is to have a good time with all these holier-than-thou spellcasters around.”

You felt as though you were onboard with the whole thing. You loved any chance to show off your magic in a practical sense, and it also would potentially be an opportunity to put some of the other freshmen in their place.

>Assemble your crew. Or attempt to, at least. (Find two suitable partners; Poya, Krieg, Wes, Zoe, Ambergris(?), etc. It also isn’t too late to ask around to try to find new people to invite, if you have another specific sort of character in mind.)

There was also a matter of the party. You didn’t love parties, but you figured you might as well make the most of it.

>Enjoy yourself? (Write-in, what do you get up to?)
>Make the most of your time by leaving.

>>4990049
>Enjoy yourself? (Write-in, what do you get up to?)

drinking games yes
especially the magic ones

>Assemble your crew. Or attempt to, at least
Wes sounds like he already has a team. Do we know anyone who's super good? Ask them, otherwise ask around.

>>4990049
>Assemble your crew
Going with poya seems natural but could turn into a pain if some disagreement as roommates bled over into the dungeoneering so lets just hope that doesn't happen
ask Krieg if he want to join

>Enjoy yourself? (Write-in, what do you get up to?)
when people start to leave or pass out drunk snoop around the home

File: drunk.png (640 KB, 1200x1200)

640 KB PNG

>>4990438
>>4990585

You asked Krieg if he wants to join. He nodded. “If you’ll have me, sure.”

Wes shrugged. “I’ve got my eye on a couple other people to throw a gang together. Bit of friendly competition between you and me would be fun, Griff?” he said, patting you on the shoulder. “All fun and games though, don’t worry.”

Poya was here too, somewhere, you thought. Provided she didn’t get roped into anyone else’s group, she would probably say yes if you asked. Krieg and Poya would make an acceptable team, for sure, but you still racked your brain for any better choices.

Lenzig was the most powerful magician you knew, no doubt, but there wasn’t really any possibility that he’d be interested in delving into dungeons with a bunch of college students. You asked the other Zethrym if they knew anyone good.

“Hedge mages can be surprisingly effective, and are usually glad to have someone extend an invite.” Krieg said, raising an index finger in a scholarly fashion as he spoke.

“I’m not telling you, you’re just gonna come and steal the people I was hoping to get in my crew.” Wes said, grinning.

“I don’t know. I’m not sure if I even really wanna go.” Murky said, rolling her eyes.

Poya and Krieg would be your duo for now, but you kept your eyes and ears open for anyone who might be a better shot; you weren’t beholden to your choices until tomorrow morning, anyway.

You chatted with the Zethrym for a bit, then went off to play drinking games. You didn’t drink much, but you were a talented magician; you made trick shots bouncing balls through transmission sigils and freezing cups in mid-air. You especially liked the more relaxed ones, though; drawing cards from a deck was more your thing than throwing plastic balls. You did end up drawing the ant card from the tarot deck, though, and were mentally trapped in a maze for what felt like a few hours. All part of the game, though.

By the time someone drew the ladybird and dispelled all the other curses you were sufficiently drunk. Three sheets to the wind. Pickled. Wrecked.

>Make out with *hic* a girl?
>Go and, uh, snoop around... *hic*
>*hic* Uhh... go figure out where you left your phone?
>Hgjkfghdkfgjhfdhbhghrghl
>See if you can *hic* figure out where Poya went...
>Yartz.
>Write-in.

>>4992470
>*hic* Uhh... go figure out where you left your phone?

Sober up before doing anything else. I don't know what Yartz is but it doesn't sound good.

Also find someone other that Poya if possible for that dungeon delve.

>>4992470
>Make out with *hic* a girl?

>>4992470
>Drink LOTS of water
>*hic* Uhh... go figure out where you left your phone?

Hi everyone! Update tomorrow, probably. Just very busy getting back to school.

I've said I'd keep this going as long as there's interest, and I will, but I think it's lost some steam from all the hiatuses I've been taking.

I think I'll run this one to the end of the week, or to a good stopping point, then take a break for a few days and post a new thread. Hopefully I can rope some more audience in once it's at the top of the board.

>>4995507
If I may offer some advice: I've noticed that quests tend to suffer less from hiatus if they're announced ahead of time with an indication as to when they'll restart

>>4996798

Very fair. I'm busier than I thought and having a little bit of writer's block, so I might put this thing on a few days break now.

Not a great stopping point, but hope that me coming back after the last thread is enough to keep people's trust that I won't just vanish; I sort of cannibalized this quest from a document for an RPG I was never going to make, so I'm relatively invested in sharing this setting/these characters.

Next thread will be a continuation from this one; like before, I'll keep my eye on this thread until the next one if anyone has questions/comments/concerns. Sorry to head out again, but I'd rather take some time to figure out the plot and come back when I have time to post replies every day.

A week, week and a half at the most. Maybe less. Promise.

>>4997118
Cool will keep my eye out for this in about a week

New thread.

>>5008749