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What cruel and fortunate fate it is, then, that the day after you decided to abandon them completely, you stumbled upon a book in an abandoned library. A book of magic.

The tome, written in an strange, but decipherable language, was titled "Necromancy: Basic Undead and The Creation of Intelligent Servants". You progressed through it one step at a time, your foundations solid and no professors to impose time limits on you. Still, you needed to spend much of your time working, and practice of this dark magic had to be carried out covertly.

Reanimation was a cruel force unless ensouled, intelligent creatures were created. It pulled bits of soul force from wherever the soul of the corpse was, causing it suffering. You cared, truly, but the price of improvement had to be paid, sometimes unwillingly for others.

With the book finished, you are now capable of raising 5 simple undead under your command and one higher-order being bearing its previous soul, be it a banshee, ghoul, or great skeleton warrior, that will possess its own intelligence and be capable of breaking out of your grasp should you be weakened enough. This should make it possible to take on greater tasks.

You have travelled the breadth of the Nousian Kingdom, but many ruins are yet unexplored ever since the Collapse two hundred or so years ago, and many strange beasts lurk in the woods. To the south, beyond the sea, the deserts of Nahs stretch endlessly. To the west, Emorian jungles hold their secrets. To the east, the squabbling daimyos of Yoki hold shaky power in the mountains and woods. To the north, the strange republics of Latunia endlessly wrestle with monsters and search for ancient artifacts.

Currently near the trade city of Marsogne, near the northern border with its mountains, you ponder where to go now.
>With your new powers, greater opportunities for work may be available. Look for rumours of dangerous ruins to be explored. Whether buying magic books on the black market (because who will sell one legally to an unlicensed mage?) or purchasing higher-grade gear, you need money. [optional: specify what you'll be saving for]
>Go in some direction or another. You'll look for work as well, but you need to stay on the move. [specify direction]
>Resurrect an ensouled, intelligent companion. They will be conspicuous and may make you subject to action by law as you travel, but an ally nearby at all times will be worth it. [specify: banshee (ethereal, strictly female, loud deafening scream, magical damage), ghoul (restored zombie, either sex, decent power and some poison attacks), ensouled skeleton (hardier skeleton, either sex, tough bones and great dexterity + strength)] [can be combined with other options]
>Something else?

What is your name?
>Write-in (preferably go for something French or generic fantasy human but best an unholy amalgamation of the two)

>>6047601
>With your new powers, greater opportunities for work may be available. Look for rumours of dangerous ruins to be explored. [Save for a magic book with more... conventional teachings]

For our public persona and any future group ventures we need more conventional magic that we can use without fear of being turned into the authorities.

>Élsweyr Botrel

>>6047601
We shall be known as Einsler Mangruben.

>With your new powers, greater opportunities for work may be available. Look for rumours of dangerous ruins to be explored. Whether buying magic books on the black market (because who will sell one legally to an unlicensed mage?) or purchasing higher-grade gear, you need money. [optional: specify what you'll be saving for]
Deeper sorcery is necessary. We need a Banshee but our magic is too weak. If it escaped right now we would be fucked.

>>6047601

>With your new powers, greater opportunities for work may be available. Look for rumours of dangerous ruins to be explored. Whether buying magic books on the black market (because who will sell one legally to an unlicensed mage?) or purchasing higher-grade gear, you need money. [optional: specify what you'll be saving for]
Healing magic. Everybody loves a healer.

>>6047601
Supporting >>6047611

>>6047607
I misread generic fantasy name as German fantasy name, kek. I'll keep my vote for Einsler Mangruben though, as I think it could be kino.

>>6047601
>Look for rumours of dangerous ruins to be explored.

Black market will still require liquid funds. We seem broke. Party up and do a dungeon run. Or two.

>what to save up for

1) a forgery of a Class E (Apprentice VII) license. Should not be too difficult or expensive, and people will not look too closely at a Class E. Let's round out all the utility spells that non-magicians will expect us to know.

2) We have trouble focussing on meditation. Get lessons on that, or a crutch item. We need it to advance to bigger spells; the way we are right now we'll always be middling at best.

>>6047601
>>Resurrect an ensouled, intelligent companion. They will be conspicuous and may make you subject to action by law as you travel, but an ally nearby at all times will be worth it.
>Wight (Ensouled Skeleton + Ghoul/ Ensouled skeleton with a reskin), dig up a barrow (which we may have encountered on an adventure, or dug up and left the body). They're likely to be a great warrior, and may or may not lean closer to a preserved mummy or a skeleton with some skin still on it.

>>6047601
>>Go in some direction or another. You'll look for work as well, but you need to stay on the move. [specify direction]
Go north.

>>6047605
>>6047607
>>6047611
>>6047721
>>6047736
>>6047949
>>6047956
>>6048470
Just when I launch the thread my ip changes to a rangebanned one fml.

I will see if I can phonepost in some hours, and fix this issue completely by tomorrow or Tuesday at the latest, but in the mean time some considerations about names and companions:

The undead banshee/ghoul/skeleton/wight can operate independently if you command it to do so, so eg if you tell it to wait for you outside of the city, hiding, they will do so. But at VERY BIG distances (like 30+ km tier) your connection begins to weaken and if you are insufficiently powerful they may break free. Thought I should make this clear since it may seem like they must accompany you everywhere remaining nearby.

One other thing is names, there doesn't seem to be many suggestions, I'm not picking Elsweyr because this is a cursed QM's name and Einsler/Eisler sounds Jewish which is definitely not what I'm going for lol, but I thought how I could transform the latter while preserving the general sound and I came up with Einsler -> Anselm -> Ancille imparting it with some of that hon hon hon baguette energy, but ancille or something similar literally means handmaid/helper so while I like the sound it must be feminine I don't know how you anons will like it.

I thought about this for a bit and I do not in fact mind writing for a female character if anons choose this, and I haven't written anything to set it in stone (besides the Sorcerer King bit in the very beginning and name of the quest itself), so I'm putting it up to a vote (yes this is the DREADED GENDER + NAME VOTE):

>Ancille Botrel, female
>Ancille Mangruben, female
>Ancil Botrel, male
>Ancil Mangruben, male
>Write-in your own variant

I will count female/male first and then the most liked name + surname.
Anyway, see you soon, cool to see so much participation so far, hope you anons remain to play further.

>>6048532
>Ancil Botrel, Male

>>6048532
>Ancille Botrel, female

>>6048532
>Ancil Botrel, Male

>>6048532

>Ancil Botrel, male

I’m monitoring this thread Op

>>6048532
>Ancil Mangruben
We're a proud MAN with proud STONES

>>6048634
kek

>>6048532
You are very promising QM. I'll be on. Don't fret the range ban. ( D

>>6048532
>>Ancille Mangruben, male
>Our parents were barely literate, blame them for the girly spelling.

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>>6048687
>our parents knew EXACTLY wtf they were doing
>Evelyn Waugh, soldier novelist
>Stacy Keach, silver screen chad
>we have been set up to SUCCEED

>>6048532
>Ancil Botrel, male

>>6048532
>Ancille Mangruben, female
Extra protecting provided by simps

>>6048702
https://youtu.be/-Z1Ple-qYuU?si=n4vqcmgIlG9rPIFP

>>6048532
>Ancille Mangruben, Male
Supporting the effeminate name lmao

>Fuckup untalented mage gifted a second chance to achieve greatness by fate
The first part hits too hard OP...

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>>6048532
>Ancille Mangruben, Male
We'll make the first mouth to call us a woman REALLY cry.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>6048534
>>6048599
>>6048601
>>6048604
>>6048634
>>6048687
>>6048843
>>6048965
>>6049006
>>6049071
Ok so the consensus is male, and I will leverage my QM powers a little to make >Ancille the winning name because I like this anon's idea >>6048687
As for the surname, votes are split between Botrel and Mangruben, each at 5 votes, so I'm rolling for it.
1 - Mangruben
2 - Botrel
after that writing for
>Look for work, saving up for more sorcery books

Marsogne is a city of trade. Sitting on a river near the greatest of mountain passes to the north, towards Latunia, it is the chief receiver of it's goods and whatever treasures it is willing to share. One could think its denizens would grow fat from the wealth it accumulates, but that is not true. For Marsogne is also a city of monster hunters, coming to the north in search of coin and glory, travelling south to tell tales of their adventures, or taking a break from hunting trips to the nearby forests.

You go downstairs from the upper floor of the Silver Bread inn where you stopped while you stayed in the city. The summer heat is offset here by a gentle breeze from wide-open windows, but heat from the kitchen adds to it, making the air a mess of the stench of sweat from people huddled inside for their breakfast and the pleasant smell of food drifting from the dishes.

You eat first - you've learned it's important to have energy for the rest of the day - then approach the boy behind the counter.
"Any rumours? Strange places discovered?" you ask quietly, placing a few copper on the counter.
"Some." he says, pocketing your bribe. "The under-city I'm sure you've heard of, right?"
You nod. Marsogne is built on top of a vast dungeon of intersecting tunnels and facilities long forgotten. Much of it has been abandoned during the Collapse, and it is only recently that the ban on exploration of the tunnels has been lifted, attracting many adventurers to the city.
"Well word is, there's been a wild magic burst there somewhere. And now the giant spiders are going going crazy throughout all of the underground. Multiplying by the day. There was a ranger that said her entire party died to the matriarch, had these really hollow eyes. Must be tough... She's left for the Fox's Tail once she's recovered somewhat, said our ale's good but they have better rooms. Well, I say there's nothing wrong with our bloody rooms, the mattresses are plenty soft-"
"Keep to the point." you interrupt him.
He huffs and continues, a bit grumpier than before. "One other thing is a mountain fortress. It's a bit far, maybe four days' worth of travel by foot to the northeast. A mage was talking about how she figured out its position from the Knights Soronne manuscripts. She should be in the Moonlight Inn. Said their dishes were better and the name was cooler. Can you imagine that? Choosing an inn by its name? And our food is-"
"Keep to the point." you remind him a bit more forcefully.
The boy sighs and looks at you apologetically this time. "There's one last thing. A cache of some sort is rumoured to be in the woods. A warrior kept going on about some sort of remnants of a ratmen hideout being there."
"Where may I find him?"
"He's in his room upstairs, I think. Adrien Labeque." he says impassively and switches to taking another customer's orders.
(choices in next post)

Well, where to?
>Find the ranger in the Fox's Tail and ask her about the spiders.
>Find the mage in the Moonlight Inn and ask her about the mountain fortress.
>Go upstairs to ask this Adrien Labeque about the ratmen hideout.
>Write-in?

>>6049382
>Go upstairs to ask this Adrien Labeque about the ratmen hideout.

>>6049382
>Go upstairs to ask this Adrien Labeque about the ratmen hideout.
This seems unlikely to kill us

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>>6049382

>spiders
Pack fire spells and purge spells, with oil and antivenin to multiply effectiveness. Buy a padded overcoat heavy about the head and neck, boots, and gloves.

If we interview the ranger at Fox Tail we'll have a rundown of the spiders' opening tactics and common skills.

Revenge might motivate the ranger to go with us for a discount.

Finding the Mother will be fairly easy: ping the ambient mana every half hour.

If budget permits, the new party can chip in for a cask of 85% black powder 15% nails.

The spiders are not a big a danger as it seems: the rumor is recent, and only rumor; they have not expanded overground, and the dungeon ban has not been reinstated.

>but the ranger's party died though...
tpk's happen easily in ambush, but getting firsthand info from a survivor who is also a ranger, and going in with an antiarachnoid loadout will offset a lot of this.

We have a fair chance, and I say we killemall

Maybe will write in like 4 hours and push out an additional update today to speed things up if another vote or 2 come in by that time. But not guaranteed.

>>6049382
>Go upstairs to ask this Adrien Labeque about the ratmen hideout.
We could use a warrior to assist us in our endeavours.

>>6049382
>>Go upstairs to ask this Adrien Labeque about the ratmen hideout.

>>6049383
>>6049441
>>6049463
>>6049710
>>6049874
Sorry for the delay.
Summer heat is killing me, head is heavy, but still writing for
>Go upstairs to ask this Adrien Labeque about the ratmen hideout.

>>6050123
: )
Spiffing, QM. Thank you.

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You get back upstairs, find the door with "Adrien Labeque" etched onto the disposable piece of paper, and knock. There is no response even after a minute. You knock a little harder the second time, but that doesn't yield results either, though you think you hear some sort of sound (snoring?) from behind the door stop. You wait for a while again and look around the corridor. No one in sight. Taking that into account, you knock VERY LOUDLY just to finally determine whether he's there at all, and hear something heavy fall behind the door, followed by chaotic sounds of struggling and footsteps.
"Please wait a minute!" a pleasant baritone asks. He has a staple southern accent.

A bit of time passes as the sounds from behind the door continue, and soon a dishevelled, sleepy man with long black hair opens the door. You would call him rangy at first glance, but as you talk you notice he has decent muscles under his shirt. His face is pleasant and clean, with no scars or anything of that kind, and no bristle either.

"How may I help you?" he asks.
"Adrien Labeque?" you ask, and he nods. "I heard you encountered some sort of... ratmen hideout in the woods? The counter boy told me that. Mind sharing what you know?"
"Ah, of course, of course." he smiles. "Please wait for me downstairs. I will be there to discuss it shortly. Oh, but you didn't tell me your name?"
"Ancille Mangruben."
"Hmm... Isn't that a girl's name?"
"It is. I'm a man with a girl's name. Fate turns in weird ways, doesn't it?" you smile and give him a glare telling it's best to drop it.
"Haha, for sure!" he says, seemingly getting your message. "Well, downstairs in 20 minutes, alright?"
"Alright."

As you go down to the first floor you are reminded of your name. The girlish spelling has made you the object of a good deal of mockery at the neighbourhood school, and for a long time you hated it, but as people matured and forgot such petty issues you came to have a mixed opinion about it. Some part of you thinks a proper man's name would be better, but another accepts it as a part of yourself by now. It's hard...
(1/3)
(I am very bad at finding fitting images that I am content with sorry anons they will be few)

It takes Adrien shorter than 20 minutes to finish his morning routine, and you don't even recognize him at first until he starts approaching your table with a big pompadour on top of his head now. You wonder where he gets the money to allow himself the oils for this kind of hairstyle. A two-handed longsword with a few chips along its edge is strapped behind his back. While his gait and bearing is that of noble, his clothes are well-worn, characteristic of an adventurer.

"So. You're interested in the ratmen hideout, huh?" he says, taking a seat at the table. "Everyone I met thought I was spewing nonsense. 'Ratmen? There's been no ratmen around in decades!' they said. It's good to finally find someone who understands."
"You said it was abandoned." you say. "Why would you share the news in the city? Why not loot it and take all the wealth for yourself?"
"It's not so simple. The ratmen are known to be master trappers, so I need someone to help me disarm the traps. Besides, I heard some strange sounds from inside. Some kind of monster may have taken residence there."
"You didn't see the source?"
"I did, a bit. I think I saw some shifting at the far end of the tunnel, like a wall was moving, but I didn't see it too clearly. The moment I understood it was trapped from a skeleton at the bottom of a spike pit, I came back. Don't want to end up the same. It's not like I'm not experienced enough to disarm some simple traps, but it's the ratmen we're talking about, you understand." he says, smiling apologetically.

You frown. You've heard legends of ratmen, this boogeyman that city kids are told about to keep them from playing in the streets at night. But you don't remember them being master trappers or anything of this sort.
"How did you know it is the ratmen?"
"It's the sign identifying the place of the hideout." he says. "Two horizontal bars and a vertical one, intersecting."
You do remember something like this being shared in the urban legends.
"Can you tell me about these sounds you heard from inside?"
"There was a skittering sound, like thousands of little feet crawling throughout."
"Hmm." you lean back on your chair and cross your arms, thinking. "Anything else?"
"The nearby villagers said the forest was cursed." Adrien explains. "Said some hunters disappeared there in late summer last year and any parties going there vanished too, so they decided against going there anymore. The investigation team sent by the province administration in winter found nothing, probably didn't notice the ratmen hideout. Also the walls of the tunnel were smeared with some kind of soot? I didn't look too closely."
(2/3)

With your expertise in evading various monsters, you think you know what this might be. There is a certain species of bugs, a ravenous force called hivur, that are active in late summer to autumn. When all animals are preparing for the winter cold, they devour anyone entering their hunting grounds, as well as all berries and nuts growing there, then multiply and migrate in late autumn and winter. Their anatomy lets them withstand severe frost. Once they settle in a new area, they slumber until the next harvest season, then get active again. If disturbed during their slumber, they turn aggressive, but they're at least not as numerous and ferocious as during their hunting season. They've got a big queen that spawns hundreds of them, but otherwise they are small, the size of a hornet, though without the wings.

The only thing that doesn't fit is the soot. You know that hivur don't leave such marks. What could have caused this? More important, perhaps, is the question of how to deal with a great number of small bugs that may very well eat you whole. There's the option of fire, but that could damage whatever loot is inside the hideout.

"Well." Adrien interrupts your thought process. "Will you aid me in securing the place? I propose we get half the loot each, unless you want to bring someone else in."

>"Alright, I'll help you. Here's what we'll do..." [write-in a plan and/or suggestions/questions to QM for how to deal with bugs. You're fairly confident you can deal with the traps with your expertise in looting ruins.]
>"I'll think about it." You want to check what the other people the counter boy told you about can say. Or perhaps you wish to look for another opportunity altogether somehow? [write-in where next]
>Something else?

>>6050186
I'm not one who they call "tranny spammer". I try to at least wrap up the thread if I've started one.

>>6050241
How thick are our pants, and how well do Hivur climb? I'm thinking we buy some chaps, or something similar if they exist in this setting, and tie the bottoms shut for protection.

Instead of fire, can we create smoke? Whether through magic or green wood, because bugs do NOT like smoke.

>>6050253
They climb decently well and are moderately agile, think like half or third the speed and full grip of ants. (I have not observed bugs extensively so that's the best reference I could come up with). So unless you shut yourself completely beekeeper style you're probably in danger of at least some bug bites.

Smoke is a great idea! You can definitely do that. There is both magic and substances that create smoke. You could hire a mage for that, though that would mean splitting the loot, or buy something generating smoke e.g. incense or green wood as you said.

>>6050241
>"Alright, I'll help you. Here's what we'll do..." (Go find the Ranger whose party died, try to get her in on this so we have someone with more scouting experience to help with the traps. Then hit the market to find flammable materials to generate large amounts of smoke.)

>>6050241
>>6050276
Well, I see no issue in investing in some light armor.

>"Alright, I'll help you. Here's what we'll do..."
Buy some chaps or leg guards, something to cover our rear, and a thick jerkin or gambeson. Wear a helmet and wrap our face in cloth (or skip the helmet and wrap our entire head if that's too expensive). Then see if we can get something cheap and smoky, and get our hands on a rake or something similar to kill bugs with that escape the smoke. If we can't find anything cheap, then we could buy a hatchet (presuming we don't already have one) and find some wood or greenery at the site to burn.

>>6050332
I support this anon trying to get the ranger on board, but ONLY if we're not the most competent with handling traps. If we already know the tricks of the trade, then we can rely on the age of the hideout decaying the mechanisms and due caution for where we step. Carry some rocks and a long pole, or something. Ooh, we already know where a skeleton is. Raise the guy who fell in the spike pit to scout ahead, maybe. If we don't like him we can just dismiss him afterwards.

Solid ideas, anons.
>Raise a Skeleton Minesweeper
>Conjure Smoke rather than Fire
>Buy a pole, rake, & padded armor for your feet, legs, & head
>Bring rocks
>Have the adventurer wait outside until we have no further use for the skeleton to conceal our black arts

>>6050582
Actually, the last bit raises a question; just how reviled/accepted is necromancy? It's only "cruel" if used on unsentient minions, so there's a (small) chance it's a relatively accepted form of magic,

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>>6050241

A pompadour is easy to grab, and a nicked sword might sheer if it catches on a hard edge, like an axe or another sword. Pair that with his inattentiveness to our knocking, he's not very good. He might be in the same boat we are: a loser jobbing on what little he knows, slumming in the poorer inns. Relying on him is a gamble.

>qn QM
What combat or utility spells do we have? List our most reliable.

What size are hivur queens usually? And are the queens plural per swarm, like a court, or singular?

>strat
If we are more a utility mage, we'll be stocking on force multipliers like oil flasks for (eg) Ember (a Zippo), or a copper spike for Spark (a 10v shock), or tin cone for Shrill (a rape whistle). If we do have some combat spells, we'll be packing more mana restoratives.

If picking spell loadout is an option, whether innately or via scrolls or charged items, pick ambient cold spells as main. Instinct will urge the hivurs to go sleepybye in the cold, making exploration and getting first strike easier. A directed cold spell should also hurt the sooter, whatever it is.

Pack an Empty Light (weak flashlight, heatless, 10ft range) for exploring.

Pack a Colored Smoke to smog out small chambers; multiple might smog out big chambers. The tunnels being confined works to our advantage.

Hivurs are wingless hornets. Thick boots with snowshoes when we start exploring, to squish more of them. Wear full sleeves and trousers, thick if we can, plus gaiters on the wrists and ankles, to buy a few more seconds without them getting to our tendies if we get swarmed.

Get LaBeque to switch his main to sword and board, because tunnels. Make him also get a pick if budget permits, just in case hivur queens and praetorians have armor bonuses.

>>6050332
>>6050339
>>6050582
>>6050588
>>6050849
Alright, writing now for the various write-ins, will try to compile them all and see what kind of plan can be devised from the suggestions with the limited funds you have. It'll take a while for the update to arrive though, like 2-3 hours at least I think, hell, this post took 1+ h.

>Actually, the last bit raises a question; just how reviled/accepted is necromancy?
Since it inflicts pain upon souls it is quite reviled. Even raising intelligent undead takes a toll on the mind of the resurrected, since they retain vague recollections of their previous lives and are fairly distressed when they are brought back to serve some necromancer. They can be commanded well, can suppress their freaking out to accomplish tasks, and all of them do so as long as they are under the influence of the necromancer (otherwise there'd be no use for them), but generally it is an unpleasant experience for the undead. Most come to accept their situations fairly quickly, courtesy of subtle changes in thought resurrection brings about, and some remain loyal to their master even if they become weak (cough cough stockholm syndrome cough).

>What combat or utility spells do we have? List our most reliable.

Small utility spells and stuff, I think these are usually called cantrips
You can

Make a part of your body luminous or create a flying mote of light that follows you to light the way without a lantern
Create a small ball of fire at the tip of your finger
Purify dirty (not poisoned) water without the need of boiling it and can manipulate small amounts of it (like 100-200 ml) like creating a spray
Open simple locks without lockpicks or a key
Make your voice louder (up to 3 times as loud)
Do simple physical manipulations with things within about 6m of yourself so long as they're in your line of sight
Heighten your perception a bit to help with study, concentration, or detection of hidden things
Generally manipulate mana, energy, spirit, w/e a bit, also detect it in meditation

Necromancy
You can

Resurrect a skeleton or zombie with magic and place it under your command, up to 5 of them.
Make an effort to take over the command of an independent undead or undead under the command of another necromancer, though the success of this will depend on the power of the one you're contesting.
You can also summon one higher undead (banshee, ghoul, great skeleton).

Basically what is mentioned at the start of the quest, you've got no necrotic blasts or anything of the like, your strength is your minions.

I suppose it's about time I set the way magic works in stone, but it'll take a while to do this (frankly, this is all improvisation). Hence the long promised update time (+need to work out economy too).

>What size are hivur queens usually? And are the queens plural per swarm, like a court, or singular?
They're beeg. About 1m in height, 2m long. So like around human waist high and over full human long. There's one queen in each colony.

>>6050911
Thank you for this bread. Please take your time baking more bread.

>>6050911
Thank you for posting. This quest has been quite interesting so far.

Before proceeding further, you review what you have with yourself.

You possess
Spare clothes
Length of rope
"Necromancy: Basic Undead and The Creation of Intelligent Servants"
Meditation beads
50 silver
Two daggers

It's not much, but the money should last you half a month or more if you're careful. You do wonder whether the expedition will be worth it or you will simply recuperate your losses, but still...

"Alright. I'll help you. Plan is to smoke the bugs out with whatever generates a lot of smoke. Incense is probably expensive, so we'll get an axe to cut down some wood on-site. Set it on fire and bellow the fumes inside, then kill those that crawl out with a rake. We'll need protection for ourselves if we are to fight them, so leather armour is in order."
"Uhh... Okay, but may I ask a question?"
"Sure."
"What bugs are you talking about?"
You space out for a moment, then remember you didn't tell him you identified them as the hivur, and proceed with the explanation...

...

Your small party is now at a tanner's workshop.

With the kind of protection you need being an almost full suit, it comes around to about 90 silver: 30 being for body protection, 20 each for legs and arms, 10 each for head and hands. You could afford it if your were to pool your money with Adrien's (who also has 50 silver on him) but only for one person. You've got decent leather boots on you so they are not needed.
"Perhaps we should simply get gloves, a belt and a beekeeper's hat, tuck our clothes in and hope for the best." he suggests.
What Adrien suggests would cost 14 silver for each of you (10 gloves + 1 belt + 3 beekeeper's hat), for a total of 28 silver for both of you.
You also consider skipping the upper body (head, arms and torso) since these bugs are unlikely to crawl there, and go for leg armour, simple cloth gloves for tucking sleeves into and wrapping your head with spare clothes you carry for some basic protection just in case. That would amount to 23 silver for each of you, 46 silver total.

A rake and an axe would cost 1 silver each. Same for long pole for trap disarm. Perhaps smoking out the bugs cheaply is worth the hassle of working on-site. Bellows to channel the smoke would cost 3 silver.

You've browsed the scroll shop (it is a strange omission in the magic laws, being available to many, probably because they're single- or limited-use), the scrolls of Smoke and Cold Wind are 10 and 15 silver respectively. You notice scroll of Poison Wind. It's quite expensive at 30 silver but could solve the problem of bugs altogether. You'd probably need something to clear the air though.
(1/2 choices in next post)

>>6050849
>>6050911 Sounds like we should get several oil flasks, and if possible maybe some black powder on top of the smoke making tools

>Buy 2 leg leather armour pieces, also cheap cloth gloves for tucking sleeves into and wrap head with spare clothes for 46 silver + 6 silver for long pole, rake, axe and bellows leaving you with 48 silver [optional: write-in something to spend the rest of silver on?]
>Buy 2 pairs of boots with snowshoes for 12 silver (these are hard to come by but you can find something in the villages), thick cloth gloves and gaiters which most likely won't be pierced (12 silver), you've got long sleeves on your shirt and pants, so you can tuck them in. Get 3 Smoke scrolls for mass smoking out (30 silver). Get oil to play off your ignition cantrip in case of other enemies (2 silver). Long pole for traps (1 silver). 57 silver total cost, leaving you with 43 silver. (basically this anon's plan >>6050849)
>Buy Scroll of Poison Wind for 30 silver and [write-in]
>Something else? Ask QM a question, suggest something

Reminder: You have 50 silver, Adrien has 50 silver, 100 total budget.

(Thanks for waiting, anons, had a lengthy discussion about questing with my bro so update got delayed but it's finally done, however chaotic it is. Uhh my head hurts from numbers. I'll write the magic system down tomorrow I think now I am tired and sleep soon.)

>>6051085
>Buy 2 pairs of boots with snowshoes for 12 silver (these are hard to come by but you can find something in the villages), thick cloth gloves and gaiters which most likely won't be pierced (12 silver), you've got long sleeves on your shirt and pants, so you can tuck them in. Get 3 Smoke scrolls for mass smoking out (30 silver). Get oil to play off your ignition cantrip in case of other enemies (2 silver). Long pole for traps (1 silver). 57 silver total cost, leaving you with 43 silver. (basically this anon's plan

>>6051087
+1
I also liked my idea

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>>6051085
>>6051081
>kitting out

MC
>body protection 30
>wear spare pants 0
>gloves and gaiters 10+2
>belt 1
>wrap head with clothes 0
>strip daggers of their handles, get or scrounge some tin wire + waste metal strips + screws for 3 silver from the blacksmith's apprentice, fix to a stout stick from catpenters 1 for an improvised pollax; quarterstaff with pointy bits
>bargain between transactions for some chalk to mark our progress in the tunnels 0
> = 47 silver

Adrien Labeque
>leg protection 23
>wear spare tunics 0
>gloves and gaiters 10+2
>belt 1
>wrap head with clothes 0
>axe 1
>long Patented Omnidirectional Leverage Equipment, or P.O.L.E., 1
>make a leaf fan while chopping wood later 0
> = 38

> balance 15 silver
> one scroll of cold wind
> just nice

We are now both broke. If the hivur nest ends up hoarding something like a caravan's worth of treacle sugar I will be very annoyed.

>strat
Mages are always tender; that's why they're only ever in pyjamas in popular art. We pad ourselves to take some surprise damage.

We don't bother with oil because there's still the soot-maker in the dungeon, and QM warned that we might burn loot if we use it.

LaBeque takes lead with MC's light globe; he can stand some damage so no torso armor, and he's stomping so he gets leg armor. When things start to get dangerous we might find some human remains. We'll use those for skellies, 1-2 with us, the rest with LaBeque. If there are less than 3 bodies, then all with LaBeque. Since Necromancy causes suffering, I don't want to disturb quiet graves. Let the dead humans get some revenge, then return them to dust with proper RIP rites. There will always be corpses where there's trouble.

Once we have skellies, use them to scout.

If we encounter the Hivur Queen, we might leave the skellies inanimate, livebait the Queen with ourselves, and when her troops charge over and past our sleepiskellis, they can rush a surprise attack.

Save the Cold Wind scroll for the Queen or Sooter, whichever we meet first AND can't handle. We can always break even and try again.

>>6051085
>qn QM

Does our necromancy work on all humanoids or just humans? Does it work on beasts and critters?

A reanimated Hivur(s) is a cheap drone. They'll probably be killed on sight by living Hivurs, but they can at least detect Hivur clusters and confirm empty tunnels, saving time.

Reanimating critters is possible (of course not at the moment), we are saving enough of the Queen and putting it in a barrel of salt vinegar. We are going to run an undead hivur infestation+Bugz'R'Us hustle.

Thank you for the massive effort QM. Bread good.

>>6051084
>>6051087
>>6051192
>>6051281
>>6051285
Necromancy as you learned it works only on humanoids. It is possible to learn reanimating animals in the future. I will explain how magic works mechanically and a bit - from the lore point, in the update.

Also I think you misunderstood, gloves+gaiters don't cost 12 for each of you, they cost 12 in total (2x 3 silver pairs of gloves and 2x 3 silver gaiters). To speed things along, I will simply go with the option 2 other anons voted for and add chalk from your suggestion, rake for extra bug-crushing power from this anon >>6050582 >>6051192 and rations which I forgot to mention to make

>Buy:
>2 pairs of boots with snowshoes for 12 silver (these are hard to come by but you can find something in the villages)
>Thick cloth gloves and gaiters which most likely won't be pierced (12 silver), you've got long sleeves on your shirt and pants, so you can tuck them in.
>3 Smoke scrolls for mass smoking out (30 silver).
>2 oil flasks to play off your ignition cantrip in case of other enemies (4 silver) (since anon requested several).
>Long pole for traps (1 silver).
>Rake (1 silver).
>Chalk to mark way (bargained for it).
>Rations for 5 days for both of you (8 silver).

>68 silver total cost, leaving you with 32 silver.
>Pick up rocks on-site.

I hope this list makes it more comprehensible.
Writing.

You walk away from the market stocked with goods and head out for the ratmen hideout, stopping by the villages on your way to get the snowshoes. Adrien mostly follows your lead, the vendors observe his noble presence and try to rip you off, thinking you are some errant noble sons, but ultimately your haggling skills win the day and you get everything for an acceptable price.

Entering the forest is a welcome change from the unbearable heat of the fields surrounding the city. You make fast progress first along dirt roads, then in deeper woods. At last, you reach what appears to be a mound. Adrien points silently to a sign on a nearby tree. One vertical line in the middle and two horizontal lines perpendicular to it on each of its ends. The sign of the ratmen, indeed.
"The entrance I found is here." He shows you towards a hole in the ground covered by a curtain of leaves and grass. Pulling it away, you descend a ladder into the dark. You call up your spirit to conjure a mote of light. It illuminates an earthen corridor, just barely tall enough to stand without bending your head. In the middle of the hallway, the floor falls sharply to reveal spikes with a skeleton at the bottom. It is as he described.

At the farthest end of the hallway, where the light doesn't reach well, your sharp eyes see something moving, very slowly, as if in waves. This living wall is white as snow.

You go back to the surface and equip your gaiters and gloves, then put on the snowshoes and wrap your head in clothing. Even with the coolness of the woods, the summer is definitely no time to wear this attire for long.
"You'll be the one crushing them mostly." you say, handing Adrien the rake.
"Ahh, what have we been reduced to... Killing some bugs with a rake. Are we not adventurers, sieur Mangruben? Are we not supposed to battle great monsters?" he says with irony, his voice muffled by the clothes.
"We do what we must."

You've checked with rocks and the pole for any hidden pressure plates or false floors or something, but with the earthen floor it is unlikely. No tripwire either. You have to wonder whether these ratmen really are the trapmasters that Adrien claimed them to be of if he was just so impressed by the spike pit that he made it up and this is actually just some dingy hole with little of worth... Well, no going back now.

You review your plan of action. From what you understood of the Smoke scrolls instruction the shopkeeper gave you, you must utter the arcane words on them, and then clouds of smoke will burst out of your palms. Seems straightforward enough. You'll cast it from mid-hallway, near the pit, then get out to the surface and wait for the onslaught.

Going through with it right now, or is there something you missed?
>Go for it.
>Write-in some other action or preparation? Perhaps scouting for something else is in order?
(1/2 magic in next post)

Magic works in the following way: you have a pool of Spirit that you can use to cast spells. There several ways to cast spells, the one you were taught or learnt on your own involves first learning to detect and control Spirit in meditation and then practising it enough that the process is achievable in a regular state of mind. Manipulating Spirit in certain ways creates special effects called "spells". Human magic that is performed by Nousian mages and taught at the Academy specifies an assortment of rigid spells that can divert little from their core. This means that some details changing, like e.g. for Raise Dead humanoid -> animal makes the spell unavailable. You have heard there are other ways to cast magic practised by the elves of Yoki (based upon "concepts" or "areas" rather than concrete "spells"), nomads of Nahs (something about ensouling Spirit), monsters and other groups, but you know little about them.

You gain Spirit limit by making advancements in your knowledge of magic. This either means messing around with Spirit for a LONG time to figure out random new spells or reading books to learn ways of casting spells more easily. You still need to meditate and practice regularly for about a month before a regular spell becomes known to you, but this time can go upwards to a year for powerful spells (you have not encountered these yet).

You regain Spirit while you sleep and meditate. A low amount of spirit makes you feel drained and empty, and at 0 spirit you lose consciousness shortly after.

You currently have 15/15 Spirit
Some of the spells you know cost:
Cantrips - nothing
Perception - 1 spirit (heighten perception, attentiveness)
Raise Undead - 1 spirit (creates skeleton/zombie)
Control Undead - 1 spirit (scales with power of contested mage)
Raise Higher Undead - 3 spirit (create banshee/ghoul/super skeleton)

(Yes this system is a horrifying amalgamation of various systems I came into contact with lately and came up with myself, I may alter it later down the line and retcon everything but for now it is like this)

>>6051583
>Go for it.
We're set. If worse comes to worst, we can revive Adrien as a corpse.

>>6051583
KILL EM ALL
I AM EXTERMINATOR MAN
1 TRILLION 70 BILLION 800 MILLION DEAS BUGS

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>>6051594
was thinking it.

anon said it.

>When the party and I
>turns to I and the "party"

>>6051583
>Go for it.

Rolled 46 (1d100)

>>6051594
>>6051720
>>6051777
>>6051935
>Go for it.

I need you to roll 1d100 Bo3, DC is 50.

Rolled 4 (1d100)

>>6052007
Total Insect Eradication

Rolled 18 (1d100)

>>6052007

Rolled 7 (1d100)

Alright, I'll roll the last one to begin writing.

>>6052075
>4
meh we still got two rolls

>18
oh.

>7
shit.

>46 - Adrien's roll, failure
>4, 18, 7 - your rolls, failure

As you utter the arcane words of the Smoke scroll, your palms begin to feel strange, as if touching something fluffy and soft. Once you finish reading, torrents of smoke starts spewing out of them. You stretch out your arm towards the bug chamber, and the hallway fills with fumes.

It continues like this for half a minute or so. That's really quite a lot of smoke. Once the effect of the spell ends, you hastily ascend the ladder while the bugs die or awaken.

What follows exceeds your expectations. Waves of these white insects pour out of the entrance, skittering towards you two. Adrien gets to work with the rake, scraping furiously at the little critters, killing dozens, then hundreds in minutes. You stomp with the snowshoes in turn, smashing packs of them once and again.

Yet the tide doesn't stop, and soon a few of them make their way up your pants and onto the shirt. Even with the protection of clothing, their bites are nothing to scoff at, and you wince in pain whenever one happens.

Adrien is not faring so good either. Raking means he is rather immobile, so the bugs can climb him easier. Though to his credit, he seems to hold up well, not even grunting from the pain.

You notice the smoke escaping slowly not only through the entrance you guard. There are, apparently, other ways into the hideout, scattered around the mound several dozen meters apart. You notice out of the corner of your eye the matriarch emerging from one of them behind the trees.

A long, yet sturdy, white with dark blue streaks abdomen is joined by a solid thorax with a large head possessing mandibles that could very well snap a man's leg if caught between them.

It seems dazed by the smoke and crawling around aimlessly.
"Mangruben!" Adrien calls you.
As you look at him, he throws you the rake.
"It's my cue. You deal with the small ones, I'll take out the matriarch while it's weak."
He pulls out his sword from its scabbard on the back and charges... if only the snowshoes allowed that.

The bug bites are starting to hurt bad now, and you think you feel... numbness, cold seeping out from the bitten places. Perhaps the winter bugs, the hivur possess a certain freezing effect? It wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility considering their affinity with winter and capacity to withstand low temperatures in their migrations. You are made sharply aware now that you didn't pack any medical supplies. Perhaps hiring a healer or ranger, in spite of splitting the loot, would've been a good idea...

Overall, you're doing well, but the bugs are quite ferocious, even if dazed by the smoke. What should you do?

>There is no going back now. Finish what you started. [roll against same DC]
>Escape while you still can. Call out to Adrien through the clothes wrapped around your face to retreat.
>Write-in a change in plans?

>>6052099
>finish what you started
aah aah fkn
>AAAAAAA

>>6052099
>Go Dale Gribble on their asses, toss the oil trap at the entrance & ignite it with a cantrip if they're still streaming out; otherwise, WIZARD SMASH
(we'll still have another oil urn left)

>>6052099
>There is no going back now. Finish what you started. [roll against same DC]

>>6052099
>>There is no going back now. Finish what you started. [roll against same DC]

>>6052099
>>Escape while you still can. Call out to Adrien through the clothes wrapped around your face to retreat.

Rolled 43 (1d100)

>>6052128
>>6052230
>>6052318
>>6052528
>>6052690
>There is no going back now. Finish what you started. [roll against same DC]

Surely you'll roll above 50 the second time? Roll 1d100 Bo3.

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Rolled (1d00)

>>6052718

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65 KB JPG

Rolled 15 (1d100)

>>6052750
maybe if the pic is cursed the dice is blessed

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>>6052751
CYKA

CHINGADUMADREHIJUEPELLOPAPUT

Rolled 71 (1d100)

>>6052718

Rolled 88 (1d100)

Rolling the last one to write half an update or a full one today (maybe).

>43 - Adrien's roll, close success
>15, 71, 88 - success!

This battle is quite anticlimactic, just like your companion said. You rake at the ground furiously, crushing bugs beneath the tines like a maddened gardener, and just as you think about throwing an oil flask at the entrance, igniting it and calling for a retreat, the tide seems to stop. You crush the remaining insects with your snowshoes and throw down ones that crawled upon you, all of your body aching and shivering from the cold, and look between the trees to see how Adrien is doing just as he plunges his sword into the head of the dazed queen.

Cold viscera spews out, but the thing is not quite dead yet. With characteristic insect resilience, she still claws at the ground with its legs, trying to wrestle free of the impaling sword. The warrior heaves the blade up, muscles bulging, and with a crack of opened exoskeleton, the sword breaks free of the queen's head, leaving behind a deep gash. The monster makes one final rush, but it is too weak, and even Labeque's clumsy step back, still crippled by the snowshoes, is enough to pull out of range. The queen struggles to get up, but soon enters an agonising state, curling up on herself, and slowly stops moving. Adrien makes a few finishing strikes as she does so, and by the time you reach him, she is dead.

"So he's not all talk." you think to yourself.
"We did it." he says, his voice hoarse. You notice his hands are trembling. "Argh, we can finally take these off!" Adrien unwraps his face and pulls off the thick gloves and gaiters. You do the same.
"Don't rest yet." you respond. "We've still got a dungeon to clear out. And who knows what could be the source of the soot?"

You notice you're hurt fairly bad. The places these bugs bit are swollen and bleeding. Looks like they literally ripped parts of your flesh and clothes out with their powerful mandibles. Guess that's the ravaging hivur for you.
[You will receive a -15 penalty to combat rolls while you're wounded and tired out like this.]

"Maybe we should..." Adrien hesitates to say it. "maybe we should go back and rest before coming back. We're not in shape to fight another monster. We've made good progress clearing out the bugs."
"Are you chickening out?" you inquire.
"No. Just a suggestion." though you read a hint of fear on his tired face.

You consider this suggestion. You really are in no shape to face another monster. Then again... you'd expend even more rations and have to buy extra ones from the nearby villages. And what's the worst that could happen? It's just some traps left, right? The sooter must have left long ago if it didn't come into conflict with the hivur.
>Continue exploring the hideout while carefully checking for traps.
>Go back to the village. Ask for help as guests, rest and come back.

>>6053009
>Continue exploring the hideout while carefully checking for traps.
"If we leave now and another group finds the treasure, all of this will have been for nothing."

>>6053009
>Continue exploring the hideout while carefully checking for traps.
Push. The part of the tunnels the Hivurs previously occupied should be free of Soot, or they would have attacked it or fled it.

See if there's human remains in the Hivur portion of the tunnels. We might get a hench skellie or two to deal with the -15 combat penalty.

And start marking the tunnel walls, especially at branches, so that at least we know where we came from.

+1 to consensus, although we should take a long rest and see if any parts of the Hivur Queen would be worthwhile to take to an alchemist or taxidermist.

>>6053043
>>6053128
>>6053269
>Continue exploring the hideout while carefully checking for traps.
>Check if hivur queen remains are of value

Writing.

Rolled 3 (1d3)

Rolling for something.

Rolled 1, 3, 9 = 13 (3d20)

And another thing.

"We should keep going. If we leave now and another group takes all the treasure then all of this will have been for nothing. Besides, it's probably just some traps left. Nothing we can't deal with."
"Alright." Adrien says.
"We should see if any of the Queen's parts are good for selling to an alchemist or something. They're a bit magical, after all."

You use one of your daggers to pry open the exoskeleton and carefully cut away the flesh to reveal what connects to the esophagus and mandibles, since that's where you think the frost glands or whatever you call it might be. Sure enough, there's a part that's freezing to touch. It's damaged by Adrien's attacks but should hold some value still. You wrap it up in some leaves to prevent it from staining the entirety of your backpack.

While you were busy with the queen, Adrien checked where the smoke was coming out on the mound and identified the locations of the entrances. There are five of them in total, one smaller and less concealed than others, leading to the same chamber from which the hivur emerged, 3 others leading into different chambers, seemingly untouched, and one that you already explored. You decide to go with the safe route first.

What you find seems to be some kind of kitchen area. Amid piles of choked bugs there are cooking utensils and animal bones. There is a dirty cloth laid in the middle of the ground here. Looking under it, you see only ground. After checking the passages to the adjoining rooms for traps, you discover they contain a fairly large area overgrown by shrooms and a room with weapon racks, chiefly bows and javelins, but you see some spears as well. The metal parts seem to have rusted a fair bit but you think you can loot some of the better preserved ones on the way out.

Connected to the shroom room is a fairly large room with an assortment leathers and furs covering the ground.

The hunter's lodge (or what you presume it to be, the one with the bows) leads to a spacious room with an actual ceiling and a stone slab sitting in the middle. The stone table (?) has a couple of books and large sheets of yellowed paper on it. They seem to be... floor plans? Maps of some sort? You don't recognize any of the writing in books or on the map. One book seems to be records, with tables and lists of things, while the other one is a journal with dated entries (the numbers at least are recognizable to you).
"It's Squeak." Adrien comments on your confusion. "The language of the ratmen."
"You can read this?"
"No, I just recognize the symbols."
(1/2)

You put the books and maps down and continue your exploration. You find what seems to be a treasury at last. There is a pouch of silver coins you don't recognize, counting them you get 73 silver. At least you've recuperated your losses. Another thing is a pendant, a bronze triangle with a steel sphere lodged between the wires forming it, in an ornate box. You pocket both the pendant and the box - the latter may net some coin from connoisseurs. The last things are two thick tomes written in what you recognize as Assurian, the language of one of the kingdoms that existed before the Collapse. Flipping through the pages, you see some diagrams that seem to complex to understand.

You don't understand them, but store them in your bag anyways.

Besides the treasury, there is a room with more varied weaponry, including some melee arms, connected to the book room. They seem in more disrepair than the hunting lodge, you probably can't salvage anything here. There is a tunnel here that leads deep underground. The entire base has had large smearings of soot, some affecting the maps, but here it is most prominent. It actually doesn't remind you of the result of fire, it's more like a black sludge or ink was smeared everywhere.

The last of the rooms connected to the book room is one filled with three unfinished maps, chaotic notes and writing tools. In addition to the treasury, it seems to be one of the rooms that were unaffected by the soot thing.

Three of the five other entrances turn out to be trapped, though you don't really have any trouble detecting them. They seem rather primitive spike pits like the one you encountered earlier.

"Is that really what 'trapmasters' would construct?" you inquire to your companion.
"Ahahaha... must be the lack of materials and proper equipment. They're usually more ingenious." Adrien answers nervously.

You consider how to split the loot you've acquired and whether to descend deeper underground.
You have:
4x ratman javelins (disrepair)
a bow
ratman spear (disrepair)
pack of maps of unknown structures (floor plans)
a journal (Squeak)
a book with tables and lists (Squeak)
a pendant
2 unknown tomes (Assurian)
hivur queen's frost gland
73 silver

>write-in how to split the loot (Adrien expects to get around half of the loot in value)

Descend into the dark tunnel?
>Y
>N

>>6053504
>how to split?
>divide the 73 silver 44:29, Adrien:MC; roughly 6:4
>in return MC takes the books, which are useless until deciphered
>If Adrien wants to help deciphering them we can split current monies 50:50 and any profit arising from the books 50:50
>monies from hocking the ratman weapons later is 50:50

Pendent I feel should be KIV until we determine what it does. Equipping it now should be on best-fit basis; later on it can be hocked and split 50:50, or traded with other loot.

>Proceed Y N?
Y. Revote when the sun starts to set, 5PM.

>>6053504
Adrien:
>x50 Silver
>x3 Javelins

Ancille:
>x23 Silver
>Javelin
>Bow
>Spear
>Pack of Maps
>Journal (Squeak)
>Book with Tables & Lists (Squeak)
>Pendant & Box
>x2 Unknown Tomes (Assurian)
>Hivur Queen's Frost Gland

>>6053662
PS: No Tunnel just yet, we can come back later

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>6053532
>>6053662
>>6053664
The second anon's division of the loot doesn't seem very equal so I'll go with
>divide the 73 silver 44:29, Adrien:MC; roughly 6:4
>in return MC takes the books, which are useless until deciphered
>If Adrien wants to help deciphering them we can split current monies 50:50 and any profit arising from the books 50:50
>monies from hocking the ratman weapons later is 50:50
>pendant allocation pending until you determine what it does
and I'll say
>split profits 50:50 from the hivur queen's gland
>split profits 50:50 from ornate box (which I forgot to mention in the update)

Rolling for
1 - descend into the dark
2 - return to ascertain the value of goods

Rolled 4 (1d100)

Rolling for something.

Actually before we proceed I forgot to ask
>Reveal to Adrien that you're a necromancer and raise the skeleton in the spike pit to assist you, give it the ratman spear
>Do not

>>6054236
Better proceed cautiously. Ask him how he feels about magick first, leading into forbidden artes, and if things seem ok to continue, do so.

>>6054236
>do not.

Pretend to investigate the pit trap, rez the skellie, instruct it to stay still.

claim magical investigation and see how Adrien reacts. If he says
>I hope you are not one of those ... necromancers
just
>haha of course not

Leave the skellie as a monitor in case things come after us from outside, or in case we need a distraction while fleeing.

>>6054243
>>6054250
>Ask cautiously.
(a skeleton animating will raise heavy doubts)

You propose your division of loot to Adrien.
"I'll help translate." he says with determination. "These tomes could be very valuable, wouldn't want to miss out on the profits."
The rest he agrees with as well.

Putting on the pendant, you don't notice anything particularly out of the ordinary.
"Here." you give it to your companion.
"... I don't think I feel any different." he confesses.
"Alright. Well, let's have you wear it to see if it reveals its qualities later."

You take a look at the position of the sun, which is fairly hard to determine behind the canopy. It's around noon, so plenty of time yet to explore the dark tunnel.

"We should press on." you say. "Treasure awaits."
"You sure about that? We're battered by the bugs." Adrien says with worry.
"If we find anything that's too much for us to handle, we'll just turn back."

And so you climb down the ladder into the dark after conjuring a mote of light to guide your way. It takes some minutes for you to reach the floor.
"What do you think of dark magic users?" you ask while climbing.
"Where is that coming from?" he asks suspiciously.
"Just thinking what these Assurian books may contain. How'd we deal with them if they've got necromancy or something in them."
"Well... I don't know what pushes them on that path, but it's always possible to find an alternative way, I think. I heard it brings about suffering to innocents - not like I'm a mage to know what's really going on there, but this seems something that should be avoided at all costs. Though if they're someone close... I'd try to guide them on the true path over surrendering them to the militia. As for the books - you shouldn't bother yourself with that. IF they do contain dark magic, we'll simply sell them to the Academy officials. They'll know what to do with them - burning or safe storage or whatever."

Just as you think it's best not to cast necromancy near him, your boot hits a hard stone floor.

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Before you is a horizontal tunnel about 7 meters in diameter. It continues both forward and back with rare doors on each side. Opening them reveals small rooms with old desks and bunks. You check each room at first while walking through the tunnel, but as they turn out to be empty of any valuables, one after another, you feel like you're wasting your time. Still, a voice inside your head the voice of the players whispers to check EVERYTHING, and it's not like you're in a hurry, so you keep investigating the rooms. Also marking the way you came from with chalk.

Some rooms contain short notes in what seems to be in Assurian. You take them with you whenever you find them. You note there are some humanoid skeletons in the tunnels, though they are fairly rare. Overall this seems like... what you've heard of the under-city of Marsogne, actually. It's a wonder that a part of it is this far away. It must be truly massive.

After a while, you happen upon a larger room. It seems to be some sort of... ruined plaza? There are some working stations for craftsmen, doors and staircases built into the walls, deactivated furnaces, workshops. Everything seems to be looted, cleared out by someone else, though you haven't checked the rooms. The high ceiling is modestly decorated with scenes of what you assume are kings and demigods battling monsters.

The way splits into 3 tunnels here.

Before long, you feel something noxious in the air, something that makes you cough. This seems to make someone aware of your presence. A giant snake exhaling green fumes is slithering your way from one of the tunnels. It's a basilisk.
"We should get out RIGHT NOW." Adrien says, stumbling back into a run. "We're NOT equipped to deal with this!"

>Frankly, you agree. Basilisk venom is known to kill quickly and is notoriously hard to treat by common medicine. Even by inhaling a bit of its fumes you've probably signed yourself up for a mild to moderate poisoning in half an hour. Best to run.
>Stand your ground. Try to rally Adrien for the battle. Ignite an oil flask and throw it at the beast. Use the javelins you looted to impale it, though you do wonder whether they'll damage it at all in the state they're in...
>Something else?

>>6054425
>Frankly, you agree. Basilisk venom is known to kill quickly and is notoriously hard to treat by common medicine. Even by inhaling a bit of its fumes you've probably signed yourself up for a mild to moderate poisoning in half an hour. Best to run.
Oh shit, yeah, let's GTFO while the getting is good.

>>6054425
>Frankly, you agree. Basilisk venom is known to kill quickly and is notoriously hard to treat by common medicine. Even by inhaling a bit of its fumes you've probably signed yourself up for a mild to moderate poisoning in half an hour. Best to run.

>>6054425
>TACTICALLY WITHDRAW at a calm speed

The loot impulse bit was a nice touch.

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>>6054425
>Frankly, you agree. Basilisk venom is known to kill quickly and is notoriously hard to treat by common medicine. Even by inhaling a bit of its fumes you've probably signed yourself up for a mild to moderate poisoning in half an hour. Best to run.
>slithering our way
ok we're done let's run away screaming like little girls while we still can.

>>6054425
>Frankly, you agree. Basilisk venom is known to kill quickly and is notoriously hard to treat by common medicine. Even by inhaling a bit of its fumes you've probably signed yourself up for a mild to moderate poisoning in half an hour. Best to run.

>>6054458
>>6054467
>>6054517
>>6054617
>>6054778
>Frankly, you agree. Basilisk venom is known to kill quickly and is notoriously hard to treat by common medicine. Even by inhaling a bit of its fumes you've probably signed yourself up for a mild to moderate poisoning in half an hour. Best to run.

Writing.

Rolled 69 (1d100)

You turn and run. With the tunnel being straight, there is, luckily, no need to worry about watching where you turn, so you reach the ladder safely. Adrien is already somewhere up there by the time you begin climbing. The sight of basilisk scales glinting somewhere in the dark hastens your movements.

It cannot scale the ladder, not with its size or lack of limbs, so once you're out of range of the fumes, you're safe.
"Let's... prepare better if we ever go back..." you say, panting from exertion.
"I don't think it's worth it." Adrien replies, himself having already recovered somewhat. Warrior physique... "The ratmen probably cleared out a good portion of the tunnels, I think that's what the maps were for. Well, I at least won't be going there anymore. Basilisks are tough enemies."
"Fine. Just don't tell anyone else about the hideout."

You start making your way back to the city. Vomiting a couple of times from the venom, your duet dizzily walks through the forest towards the nearest village. The moment the villagers see the state you're in, they offer help, as is customary for guests.

Resting for the day, you repay them with a couple silver for their kindness.

Having rested and bathed, you depart for Marsogne. The pain from the bug bites subsides, and you feel refreshed.
[negative combat modifier removed]

This close to the city, you shouldn't feel threatened by the monsters that usually haunt the roads of Nous, but who knows what really you may find on your way...

...and as you travel along the road through a forest, you hear, first distant, then a bit closer, female singing. It is a beautiful, clear voice.
"Do you hear that?" Adrien asks.
"Yeah..."
>Find the voice. Quietly.
>This is probably some demon of the woods luring in travellers or something. Keep to the road.

>>6054864
>Sneak towards it, magickal wenches don't just grow on trees (or do they?)

>>6054864
>Find the voice. Quietly.
Will we never learn.

>>6054864
>Find the voice. Quietly.

>>6054864
>>This is probably some demon of the woods luring in travellers or something. Keep to the road.

>>6054891
>>6054899
>>6054905
>>6055003
>Find the voice. Quietly. Sneakily.

Writing.

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"Let's go." you say quietly. Adrien nods.

You sneak through the woods, trying to minimize the sounds you make. After a few minutes, you find a stream. Splashing around in it is a beautiful, naked woman. At first you think she's human, but when she turns to face you, the twinkle of her eyes reveals an otherworldly, iridescent quality. A nymph... or another being?

She notices you.

"Ah, travellers! Has my song alerted you? I apologize." she bows deeply and gracefully, and when she straightens her back, there is a simple cloth wrapped about her.
"It's a nice tune." you respond cautiously. "What kind of being might you be? A nymph or... something else?"
"The former. My name is Alea. What's yours?"
"Ancille." you say, carefully moving nearer.
"Adrien." your companion responds, hesitantly following you.
"Well met, then. Hmm... I smell the scent of death about you. It is weak, likely washed away, but we can tell... Did you kill a creature of the forest?"
"Only the devastating hivur, noble nymph."
"Hmm... those bugs? That's fine. The woods are better off without their ill presence."
"How do you fare? What goes on in your forest?"
"I am well. Truth be told, I have sought to talk to humans. It's been a while since I've conversed with one... In my domain, everything is good, but in others..." her gaze seems to drift. "There is an... illness in the woods far to the south. It kills nymphs and turns them into dark, dark beings. I do not know the cause of this, but if it goes unchecked, it may prove destructive to humans as well."
"Do you want our help in purging it?"
"If you wish..."
You frown. "We're simple adventurers without much coin or food. Not sure we can help. Busy keeping ourselves alive and all that."
"I could help with food and whatever else the forest may offer. Provide protection from the beasts of the woods... It is all possible with a charm, a marked item that signifies you as friends of the forest. All so long as you don't attack its creatures... The metal discs you'll have to procure yourself - frankly, I was never a worshipper of your riches."
"Hmm..." you ponder her offer, then turn to Adrien. "What do you think?"
"Well..." he seems to be in thought as well. "If there's a suitable reward we may try to do it. Either way, we should report this to the woodsmen and mages. They'll guide us in our quest."
"There will be a reward. Besides keeping the charm, I will grant each of you one wish: a gift from the forest, a service, or a piece of knowledge... or perhaps more carnal desires... if I am able to do it. No infinite wishes!"
You consider the offer.

>Accept. Sounds good. There's not really a time limit on this, so you can take some time to prepare, but something tells you dallying too long will have the curse or whatever it is catching up to you even in these lands...
>Decline. You will inform the mages of the problem, but won't commit yourselves.
now you see why I picked this for 69, it all comes back to coom

>>6055091
>Accept. Sounds good. There's not really a time limit on this, so you can take some time to prepare, but something tells you dallying too long will have the curse or whatever it is catching up to you even in these lands...

>>6055091
>Accept. Sounds good. There's not really a time limit on this, so you can take some time to prepare, but something tells you dallying too long will have the curse or whatever it is catching up to you even in these lands...
Hey, a quest is a quest! Maybe she can teach us some druidry.

>>6055091
Do Sideqst, Rizz up the Nymph

>>6055091
>Accept. Sounds good. There's not really a time limit on this, so you can take some time to prepare, but something tells you dallying too long will have the curse or whatever it is catching up to you even in these lands...

>>6055124
Also this. Ancille is fairly rubbish at faitan.

>>6055115
>>6055124
>>6055223
>>6055356
>Accept. Sounds good. There's not really a time limit on this, so you can take some time to prepare, but something tells you dallying too long will have the curse or whatever it is catching up to you even in these lands...

Writing.

You entertain the idea of nymph intimacy, but ultimately it is the prospect of learning druidry and the magic of spirits that tips the decision scales in favour of accepting this quest.
"We will help you." you say. "Well, I will. I don't know about my friend here."
"Hm, sure, let's do this." Adrien agrees.
"Good." the nymph smiles. "Meet me at the source of this stream at midnight on the third day counting from tomorrow. I will have the charms ready then."
You calculate a bit in your head. You should make it to Marsogne, rest, sell your goods and come back just in time for the meeting to take place. Sounds fine.
"Alright. Meet you there."
"Good travels."

You start your quiet way back to the road. You don't see Alea anymore when you look back.

The journey to the city is uneventful. There is some idle chatter between the two of you about what the illness the nymph was talking about may be, but it is just wild speculation.

You return to the city just as the storm that always follows after heat splits the sky with lightning, thunder and rain. The rest is welcome, and the heavy rain crashing against the windows lulls you to sleep, even if the threat of lightning remains present...

On the next day, you head out to the market. Adrien departs for a bit to sell his snowshoes, gaiters and cloth gloves since they're fairly useless now. Well, you can never know what happens, really... You consider selling your stuff too.
>Sell the rake, snowshoes, gaiters and cloth gloves to some craftsmen and traders. They've served their purpose and take up space in your inventory. This will net you 9 silver, less than you purchased them for but still. You'll keep the long pole (you look kinda funny walking around with it and constantly bump into doorframes), chalk and scrolls of Smoke since these could be useful.
>Specify some other arrangement to sell.
>Don't sell anything of your inventory besides the loot.

The 4 ratman spears and spear will net you 12 silver in total (8 for the javelins and 4 for the spear). Since they're in disrepair, tips rusted and wood covered in moss, it is a fair price, but perhaps you could haggle for more here...
>Haggle for spears and javelins
>Just sell them

The bowyer offers you 10 silver for the bow - it seems to be in good condition in spite of its age, even if it's meant for ratman hands. You're not an expert in bows, and not familiar with this one either, so you're not really in a position to negotiate the price.

The frost gland of the hivur queen goes for a massive (for your funds) 50 silver. Would've been more if your butchering skills were better.
(1/?)

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At the end of the day, you seem to have gained at least 30 silver (from bow and hivur gland) for yourself. This puts your funds at 82 silver. Enough for several weeks on the road. Should make it to whatever southern forest that nymph was talking about just fine. Though if you were to stay to translate the books you obtained in the city, you would have to get more.

Talking about books, you decide to translate the titles to see what they're about. Armed with an Assurian-Nousian Dictionary in the public library of Marsogne, you check the titles to see "Fundamentals Arcana (Arcane?) Transformations" and "Sorcery Wind Lightning". There's also some adpositions or conjunctions (?) between them, but you're not sure how the words inflect in accordance to them. Well, at least it isn't dark magic.

You consider your options. You could hire a scholar to translate these texts for you, that would be moderately expensive but should get the job done in about a month. That would cost around 100 silver for 2 books. The alternative would be translating them with Adrien yourselves, but that would take a long time of meticulous dictionary and grammar checking considering neither of you know Assurian. You'd estimate 75 days if both of you work on them all day long, more if you do it just in the evenings, but you'd have to purchase or borrow dictionaries and grammar guides for this... Then again, it's not like you're in a hurry.

You could also just sell them to the Academy. The local magic academy says they'd need to check the contents to ascertain its value, but old texts such as these are are valued at around 200 silver (or 20 gold) pieces a book. Quite valuable.

The Squeak records book is not really interesting. The library is willing to give you 5 silver for it. The maps and the journal are more valuable, they would be of great use to explorers of the under-city. The library would give you 150 silver for them. Than again, if you were ever to return here, you could use the maps yourself... The journal alone would net 60 silver.

"We should sell the maps and journal for sure." Adrien says. "It's probably all looted by the ratmen, and the journal contains history that's of no use to us. The magic books... You can keep them if you'd like to study them, I know you're a mage, but I want to get something out of them, so you'd owe me... let's say 10 gold from lost profits, deal?"

What do?
>Specify which books to sell.

If you keep the magic books:
>Tell Adrien that you will sell them once you're done with them and he'll reap his half of the 40 gold (or more) that the books will get you. Though that time may not be soon at all... Well, you're together on your mission to the south for the time being.
>Agree to his terms.
>Negotiate down.

(1 gold = 10 silver)
(2/2)

>>6055925
>Sell the rake, snowshoes, gaiters and cloth gloves to some craftsmen and traders. They've served their purpose and take up space in your inventory. This will net you 9 silver, less than you purchased them for but still. You'll keep the long pole (you look kinda funny walking around with it and constantly bump into doorframes), chalk and scrolls of Smoke since these could be useful.
There's little need to keep them on-hand and taking up space, especially when they were so cheap to start with.

>Just sell them and the other non-book knicknacks, bow, etc.
12 silvers is 12 silvers, and we don't need to get ourselves a reputation as a miser.

>>6055928
Both books are critical and could lead to long-term improvement on our end. Selling them is a non-starter, but we're reasonable. The map could help us in the future, so we can't get rid of it yet. The journal is useless though. Here's my reasoning-

>Sell the journal, keep the map
The journal is useless to us and we need the cash. With the 9 silver from our junk, 12 silver from the ratmen weapons, 10 silver for the bow, 50 for the hivur queen gland, and 32 silver from our earlier stash, we're left with a total of 113 silver. That's a sizeable amount of dosh.

I suggest we invest 100 silver in hiring a scholar to translate both books because the more knowledge we have, the deadlier a mage we become, and the more silver we can earn in the long-run. Adrien is expendable to us, especially as we can create a strong undead to tank just as well, but having him accompany us is useful for now.

>Tell Adrien that you will sell them once you're done with them and he'll reap his half of the 40 gold (or more) that the books will get you. Though that time may not be soon at all... Well, you're together on your mission to the south for the time being.
We'll tell him we plan to sell them when we're done studying, which might even be true. Whatever gets him to stop worrying about lost opportunities for our treasure, we just need him to tow the line. Besides, we can argue that if we become a stronger mage we'll be a better companion and amass the beginnings of a party around ourselves.

My current plan is to roam around adventuring until we've gotten some serious magic, then we can look at more significant ambitions. It would be nice if we could have Adrien accompany us but if he suffers a tragic accident, well, that's just unlife.

>>6055928
>Sell the misc
>Don't haggle
>Keep the Grimoires, Map, & Journal
>Agree to sell all of the above later once we're done with them & give Adrien half the value
Captcha: GATT
Looks like good things are in store with the nymph

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>>6056020
+1

add
>buy two medium strength firemagic scrolls
>JIC the nymph thinks sacrificing two human males will cure the forest
>we can always sell the scrolls back -2 silver each if it turns out she's not actually a Siren Hag

>library offers 5silver for the journal
>bc it's useless
The journal is not useless. The floors of the hivur tunnel dwellings were painted over with black; could be wardings or an AOE trigger. Knowing what the ratmen met and did in them thar hills saves a load of time. And skin.

Clear the tunnels before selling the map and journal. Waste some other poor idiot's time.

No update today, anons, feeling ill, seems to be a summer cold, idk if I'll be better tomorrow but hopefully I'll sleep it off.

>>6056565
Vitamin C & D max, watermax, sleepmax, get well soon inshallah

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>>6056565
All the time you need.

We should totally reanimate a banshee at some point. Not because it would be helpful for us, but because we can. We can figure out a use for it after the fact.

>>6056565
It's all good homeslice, just make sure you get plenty of fluids.

>>6056003
>>6056020
>>6056056
Alright, after 2 days of doing useless bullshit I think it's time to get back into the swing of things.

Writing now for
>Sell the misc
>Don't haggle
>Keep the Grimoires, Map, & Journal
>Agree to sell all of the above later once we're done with them & give Adrien half the value
(as aptly summarised by the c7G3nhU0 anon)

>>6056056
I should say that the journal and records book are separate things. The records / accounting book seems to contain whatever data the ratmen were recording, maybe lists of items found in the under-city and their value, which, considering these items are absent, is of dubious use for investigation. Though I guess knowledge of what was in those parts of the tunnels would be good... The journal itself as a history of exploration is certainly valuable for future adventurers to determine what awaits them in the depths.

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>>6058346
icic!

and welcome back QM!

>>6058367
The Living Forest (Shaolin Monks) x Pepe

You sell the various stuff you bought for battle with the hivur, the queen gland and the weaponry for 81 silver, of which you take 45 (Adrien sells his misc items on his own).

This leaves you with 97 silver.

Your companion bought a waterproof cloak since you will likely be travelling for a while. This certainly sounds useful, but you decide to delay buying anything until after the meeting with the nymph.

You also tell him that the journal will be valuable for exploration later since it could document the traps and monsters found underground. He concedes.
"I'll split the money from magic books with you - after I translate and read them."
"That's going to take a while." Adrien doubts.
"We're going to be stuck together for a while then. We're dealing with Alea's problem as a team anyways."
"True." he grunts.

You depart for the meeting with the nymph. Some part of you thinks about buying a fire scroll, but you put your trust in Alea's trustworthiness.

Your guess proves correct. The nymph appears at midnight, as promised, carrying with her two inconspicuous charms. They resemble seven-rayed stars, except made of wood. Putting them around your neck, you... don't really feel any different.
"So... how do they work? I don't feel anything." you ask Alea.
"You'll see once you start moving through the forest." she says. "They'll guide you, protect you from beasts and lead to edible berries and mushrooms."
"Alright. So the illness you were talking about is in the south, yes?"
"Correct."
>"Well then, we're off. Wish us luck."
>Ask something?
(wrote an update twice as long then realized you guys may want to ask the nymph something)

>>6058441
>You mentioned corrupted sisters. What should we be prepared for from them?

>>6058441

>"Well then, we're off. Wish us luck."

>>6058441
>>6058465
This is a wise question to ask so I'll support it.

>>6058441
>qns?

>tell us the frailties and limits of your kind
>are you bound to a place?
>are your songs magic? Mesmic?
>I know salt water can kill land plants
>and a copper spike at the root of a tree spoils it
>Is the same true of dryads?
>all as a last resort of course

>>6058441
>You mentioned corrupted sisters. What should we be prepared for from them?

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FUCK
burnout has set in, running 2 quests at once was a mistake. I'm not dropping, but updates will be sparse going forward until end of thread. Sorry anons. I hope to at least start you on the nymph quest or have you carry out another dungeon raid @ the fortress or under-city (whatever you pick). Threads take three hundred trillion million days to fall off now and several were nuked so we should make it in time.

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>>6059871
you do you QM.

pls don't wreck yourself for this

>>6058465
>>6058529
>>6058563
>>6058778
>>6058849
>You mentioned corrupted sisters. What should we be prepared for from them?
>ask about weaknesses of nymphs, etc.

"You mentioned corrupted sisters, what should we be prepared for from them?"
"The illness transforms them into twisted visages resembling humans in form, but not in face and skin. They are scourged with stains of corruption: violet and black, bleeding spots and deep gashes. It should be easy to identify them. As for their abilities, they remain guardians of the land, like the nymphs they were, and possess great physical strength, can vanish into the trees, rivers and lakes for a time, wield nature or water magic and command animals in their vicinity. However, their surroundings become corrupted, much like themselves, and soon the animals become hostile and the bushes and trees spiky and poisonous. When a pure nymph comes into contact with this kind of land for a sufficient period of time, usually in attempts to purify it, the seed of corruption gets planted in her as well. That is all I have heard of it from my sisters."
"Alright." you say. "But I need you to tell me more. I need to know the frailties and limits of your kind, whether your songs are magic, or perhaps mesmeric? Whether you are bound to a place, and if salt water and copper stakes kill you, much like they do trees and plantlife."
She regards you with amusement for a few seconds.
"Are you asking me how to kill nymphs?"
"All as a last resort, of course."
"I can tell you that we are the most vulnerable to fire, as you may deduce from our affinity with nature. Many of us love to sing, but our songs do not possess any enchanting power, unless we make them so. We usually stay in the same place for most of our life, but are not bound to it. And the copper stake and salt water part you can test yourself. Your charm will die if you do so on healthy nymphs, however."
You bow your head.
"I understand. Thank you for your answers. We're off, then."
"May your mission end in success. And may you not kill nymphs that are clean of illness." she says, smiling with a hint of sadness.
(1/2)

The effects of the charm make themselves apparent immediately. Walking through the woods feels easier, you're going along the same path but you manage to come to the road in half the time.
"Alea wasn't lying, huh?" Adrien says, as surprised as you are.

You make your way back to Marsogne without issue. You remember that you haven't sold the ornate box the pendant you found was in, and sell it to a trader of antiques for 30 silver.

The pendant itself you take to your room and enter a meditative trance in front of it. If it's some simple enchantment even your level of education should allow you to identify it. After a few minutes of silent analysis, you identify a core inside the ball of steel at the centre of the wire triangle. It seems to hold a minor enchantment of strike accuracy - nothing special, but it is permanent which is notable. Usually enchantments last for a few months or years, eventually expending their energy. Wands and staves used by mages are among exceptions, made to collect energy continuously through their foci. To find an artifact that collects mana and transforms it into something useful is rare, especially for this size of the object, even if it is a simple enchantment.

You leave the meditation and report your findings to Adrien.
"Hmm. So who'll wear it? I'm the one with the sword, but I saw you carrying daggers as well."
>Specify who will have the pendant.

What will you do now?
>Submit the arcane books for translation [Cost: 50 silver from you, 50 from Adrien] and depart for the south
>Submit the arcane books for translation, but remain in Marsogne and investigate one of the other leads. You still need more money if you are to succeed on your journey south. [specify: ranger that got her party wiped out by giant spiders in the under-city or mage that found a mountain fortress of the knights]
>Buy something? [write-in]
>Something else?

Current funds (after expenses for food and lodgings for the past few days): 107 silver, Adrien: 96 silver

>>6062073

>Submit the arcane books for translation [Cost: 50 silver from you, 50 from Adrien] and depart for the south


>Specify who will have the pendant
Us

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>>6062073
>pendent who
Adrien, for now. If he wants immediate full ownership he can buy out MC's share for 60% of market price, if he has the cash for it.

>submit the books for translation
>ask the nerds if they know any locally published monster catalogs
>with spiders, basilisks or corrupted dryads for instance

>which lead?
Pay a call to both Fox Tail and Moonlight Inn. Offer joint collaboration up front to the Ranger and Mage, promising equal share; smaller slices per person, but higher chance of success. the ranger and mage may be personally invested enough in their objectives not to mind the unlikely possibility of breaking even.

If the loot is too specialized and too expensive to buy out everyone else's share, the one who calls dibs can work off the debt by accompanying for one or two more missions.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>6062558
>>6062573
since these posts are basically opposites and there isn't a tiebreak occurring anytime soon (don't want to ask /qtg/ since they're probably not reading), I will roll between them and begin writing now
1 - ukxsGTGZ
2 - vVBsBcSK

Rolled 67 (1d100)

Rolling for any random events as well.

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Your inquiry at the library about hiring a translator for the Assurian books yields you an offer from a professional scholar. You pay him 50 silver upfront, with 50 owed after the job is done, get his contacts, and depart for the south, leaving him to his work.

Adrien buys some field cooking utensils, flint and other stuff for surviving in the wild. While the central parts of Nousia are fairly densely populated, you'll most likely be veering into forests a lot to make use of the charm for its scavenging powers - otherwise you may run out of silver buying rations in 2 or 3 months. You purchase a waterproof travelling cloak, as did your companion, for 6 silver - a good investment if you ever run into rains. [OOC: I hope you forgive my assumption that you'd want it, it is inexpensive and fairly useful]

Your make good progress. At this time of the summer, the berries are starting to ripen and edible shrooms are growing in full power after the rains. You only need to add some meat from the village farms to your diet to sustain yourselves, which means the cost of rations is cut almost in half. The forest beasts leave you alone, just like Alea promised.

One day, while travelling through the forest, you hear a whimpering animal cry. Following the voice, you find a mortally wounded beast, a big black cat the size of an ocelot, near a lair where a single kitten the size of a young regular cat crawls around. The parent gazes upon you with beady, pained eyes, but doesn't move to stop your approach.
"I recognize these ones." says Adrien with sympathy. "It is the aur cats, they're on some noble houses' coats of arms. They're kinda like regular cats, but feral. And big."
"What do you think we should do about it?"
"Hm, the parent is obviously not to survive, the kitten... we should either leave it some food and hope for the best or take it to a city and sell it to someone that can take care of it. We could keep it as a pet, but with our money it'd be difficult, so count me out of that."
>Take the kitten with you to a city with the intent to give it away for a profit.
>Leave some meat for it here, then go on your way.
>Take the kitten as a pet. It could grow into a powerful ally.
>Put both of them out of their misery.
>Write-in

>>6064785
>Take the kitten with you to a city with the intent to give it away for a profit.

>>6064785

>Take the kitten with you to a city with the intent to give it away for a profit.

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>>6064785
>Take the kitten as a pet. It could grow into a powerful ally.

we're making savings on scavenging already. Just keep it up a couple months, feed the kitty a bit of the savings, and after that she can catch her own grub in the wild. 1/2 ilb of poor fish a day works for a house cat, and we might get chicken hearts and liver for a song.

If we have a predator animal with us, we won't get (fully) surprised by something like a basilisk suddenly appearing. Or a ghost.

@QM: Two waterproof hooded cloaks for just 6? Nice.

Changing my vote >>6065352 to
>Take the kitten as a pet. It could grow into a powerful ally.

>>6064785

>Take the kitten with you to a city with the intent to give it away for a profit.

Giving notice I've got no access to pc from this past Wednesday to Sunday, so update will probably come on Monday and then I'll try to speed up with them and go back to post every day or 2 schedule. Thanks for playing so far, anons.
>>6066125
>Two waterproof hooded cloaks for just 6? Nice.
For 12. Adrien bought one on his own for 6 here >>6058441 then you bought one for 6 later.

>>6065352
>>6065605
>>6066125
>>6066272
>>6066451
I will use my QM powers a little and tip the voting scales in favour of keeping the cat for taming (since there's a tie) because I think it would be more interesting.

Writing now.

"I think I'll keep him." you say, absentmindedly rubbing the kitten's head. He bites you lightly, making you go "ouch" but then starts licking the place of the bite. What a strange creature.
"You do you. Let's get back on the road."

The kitten is weak, but not picky about his food. You feed him fish which he gobbles up happily, and he sometimes nibbles on grass by himself - cats do that sometimes, even though they are carnivores. You've been thinking of giving him a name...
>He shall be known Kot
>Niggerman
>Plato
>Write-in

While travelling ever south, you find a strange forest. It brings back memories of what Alea told you about the illness of the woods - before you, many plants are withered, decayed, and deeper in the forest, purple-black blood-juice flows from the cracks in treebark and out of the earth, making the ground damp. You feel uneasy, and your cat seems scared.
"Seems we've finally reached our destination." you say.
"What will we do now?" Adrien asks a bit nervously. "I say we inform the academy of Nari and see if they can help us identify the cause. We won't succeed without help."
You consider this suggestion. Nari is a medium city famous for its strange, but fertile soil, where magical herbs are grown. It is the nearest to you currently.

Certainly, mages may provide assistance, but the best tactic has always been experiencing the source firsthand. Then again, what if you stumble upon a corrupted dryad? You could promise adventurers a share of... what, exactly, to convince them to help you? You need a plan of investigation...
>Write-in a PLAN

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>>6069571
>name wat?

>KOTT
>two Ts bc T is russian masculine
>and furboy is a fighter surviver CHAMP, yes he is!

As much as I kek for Niggerman, pls no. How are we going to keep a straight face for the rest of this quest without killing or selling cat-kun.

>plan wat

>collect samples of obviously weirded soil, weirded small plants, seeds leaves cuttings of weirded trees. The sap and heartwood of weirded trees (possible if it's a young tree, 1-2 years old) should be especially useful.

>keep the samples separate in isolated pockets.

>if we meet wildlife we can manage we are killing one and bagging the carcass; live capture is dangerous to us if it's a mutant, even if just a fieldmouse.

>set a time limit for sc/out/ing:
>total hours of daylight remaining ÷ 2
>once we hit that, we bug out
>we are not spending a night in Creepwood Vale

>>6069571
>>6069755 +1

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>>6069571
Just catched up and this bread reminds me of the first time I joined in a TRPG back in college (sadly not as a necromancer), anyway I concur for KinoPhage's plan and the "KOTT" name for the kitty.
>>6069755
>if we meet wildlife we can manage we are killing one and bagging the carcass; live capture is dangerous to us if it's a mutant, even if just a fieldmouse.
It would be hilarious if we had the power to turn undead a mutated mouse for the hell of it, pity we don't, but maybe we could keep watch for an mutated dead human while we collect samples? I volunteer Adrien as a tribute if he dies and mutates during the sample search.

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>>6070063
>I volunteer Adrien
>because maybe the real evil
>was all the friends lovers and dependents we betrayed along the way

Rolled 70 (1d100)

>>6069755
>>6069880
>>6070063
>KOTT
>get samples, keep them separate, get out at half the daylight

Rolling and writing.

Sometime in the past...

"I decided to name the kitten." you tell Adrien. "He shall be known Kott. Two "t"s for masculinity."
"Quite a disparity in manliness between names, isn't there?" he smirks.
"I advice you not to tread upon this land, sieur Labeque."
"Okay, okay. I'm just kidding."

...

Once you enter the corrupted forest, you suddenly feel very lost, as if some guiding hand left you.

"The charms aren't working here." Adrien says.
"Figures. Let's mark the way with chalk to not get lost."

It poses no difficulty to collect samples of soil, heartwood and plant matter with the survivors' kit that Adrien obtained back in Marsogne. You'll have to wash those vessels later...

Making your way deeper into the forest in hopes of encountering some wildlife (preferably harmless), you find a fox carcass. It looks a couple days old, there are ants and flies all around it. At least the insects seem fine.

You cut off its paw, which bears signs of corruption: a purple tumour with black veins visible if fur is parted. Having obtained everything you set out to, you return back to the road. Kott is visibly relieved to be back, as is Adrien. It is a refreshing feeling to be protected by the charm again. You feel comfortable, at home in the woods. It is quite a powerful relic.

"We better get this over with and clean all the bags and pots of this filth." Adrien comments as you enter the city.
"I'll try to be quick." you say.

Nari, even with a cursed forest by its side, remains a bright city. You are in luck to have found it in late summer, when herbs are collected and sold, for between the dried plants there is the colour of blooming flowers.

When you try meditating upon the samples you collected, you find it pains you to do so. As dark energy ought to do, it invades your psyche whenever you try to analyze it. It will, most likely, not affect you as it did the forest - human consciousness is tougher than that - but the possibility of illness still concerns you, so you stop your efforts. You'll need the help of a certified mage in order to discern its properties safely.

But where will you find them?
>The local academy should have mages trained in this. They'll probably want to take things under their own control though... They may be slow to act with all the bureaucracy that an organization of such size bears, but they are the most powerful magical force in the kingdom by far. Their help will be invaluable.
>Find an independent mage. They'll still be licensed by the Academy, but there's plenty of errant mages. You'll likely have to pay instead of being paid for your services of retrieval of corrupted samples though...
>Attempt to discern the cause of illness yourself in spite of pain. Can't gain anything without taking some risks...
>Write-in

>>6071156
>The local academy should have mages trained in this. They'll probably want to take things under their own control though... They may be slow to act with all the bureaucracy that an organization of such size bears, but they are the most powerful magical force in the kingdom by far. Their help will be invaluable.
We are going to need the academy either way to purge whatever corruption is in the forest, paying an independent mage can end with him simply taking the knowledge to the academy before us and getting paid twice, leaving us with nothing, if anything we should be the ones bringing that knowledge to the academy first and get paid for it.

>>6071156
>Attempt to discern the cause of illness yourself in spite of pain. Can't gain anything without taking some risks...

Go big or go home.

>>6071156
>The local academy should have mages trained in this. They'll probably want to take things under their own control though... They may be slow to act with all the bureaucracy that an organization of such size bears, but they are the most powerful magical force in the kingdom by far. Their help will be invaluable.

>>6071156

>Attempt to discern the cause of illness yourself in spite of pain. Can't gain anything without taking some risks

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>6071167
>>6071500
>>6071557
>>6071784
Rolling for choice but won't guarantee an update today.
1 - local academy
2 - discern cause yourself

You enter the meditative trance again and mentally inspect the energies inhabiting the objects. It hurts, but you make steady progress. One thing you notice is that the corruption is stronger in the fox paw than in the samples you collected at the edge of the forest. You remember the corruption being more prominent deeper in the woods too. This makes you think there is a source of corruption, a single point from which it spreads, being stronger in the center.

You also note that corruption scrambles the energetic structure of whatever it affects. This can lead to either death of a creature or plant or its transformation. This is confirmed by what you saw in the forest: dead patches of grass and withered trees, and those that are alive and tainted being hard to harvest and hostile with spikes and probably poison.

You exit the meditative trance feeling groggy, but fine regarding your spiritual health. This calls for an expedition deep into the woods to determine the source, but how do you prepare for it, especially with your limited funds?
>Ask the Academy for assistance after all. They probably already know of the issue, but could use some help in an expedition if they send one.
>Prepare on your own
>Write-in another plan?

If preparing on your own:
>Search for allies? Who are you looking for here? Mages? Rangers? Warriors? Just generally ask around? What to promise them?
>Buy things? Specify: weaponry? Scrolls? Misc items? Rations? Medicinal herbs (since you're in Nari?) budget: Ancille: 62 silver, Adrien: 61 silver (after travelling expenses e.g. buying meat for Kott, renting rooms when you're in the city)
>Just go. Scout the source. If you're incapable of dealing with it, return and prepare knowing what you're up against.
>Write-in
(small update this time, maybe gonna write one more tomorrow to compensate for the pace.)

>>6074228
>Ask the Academy for assistance after all. They probably already know of the issue, but could use some help in an expedition if they send one.

>>6074901
>Ask the Academy for assistance after all. They probably already know of the issue, but could use some help in an expedition if they send one.

Writing.

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The academy is a clean place. "Purity of surroundings leads to purity of mind", they believe. It is something you learned from them and integrated into your life since then.

"It's a wonder you were able to discern this much without harm for yourself." the high mage of the academy, Norrun Calabierre, says. "Unlicensed mages should not mess with malicious forces at all, much less those of this calibre."

The high mage's study is, unlike most places in the academy, a disorderly place. Well, perhaps not disorderly - an average person would keep their surroundings about this clean - but not impeccably sterile like most of the halls and studies are. There are some books and unfinished papers on the table, and everywhere are foci and stands with strange contraptions. This makes the room feel a bit more... alive than the rest of the building.

"Nevertheless, my findings are what I told you." you reply. "If I may request an expedition to aid us..."
"It shall be done." the high mage says confidently. "For all your foolishness, you did well analyzing the manaflow. This confirms our earlier findings. I will dispatch a couple mages to assist you and head the expedition. Frankly, I do not trust your experience would be enough to be a leader. This should be enough to get you through the woods and to wherever the heart of all this may be. You should make it even if you encounter a corrupted nymph."
"Thank you." you mumble. Norrun's presence was a bit... overwhelming.
"Rations will be taken care of by us, but your equipment... well, it is lacking to say the least. If you are to be of use to the expedition, you will need better. Tell me what you have on your mind. If it's not too much, we could provide funds. Leather armour? Do you know medicine? Could we entrust field kits to you? I think we could provide a budget of about 100 or 200 silver for your expenses."
"Well, you won't entrust me with books of magic," you say. "high-level magic knowledge is not provided to unlicensed people. And my bread and butter is not in equipment, but my skills and knowledge. But I guess armour would be good. Who knows what we could find there."
"No high-level magic knowledge to unlicensed... I don't know about that. Have you heard of the Liber Sorceria law?"
"No."
"The inner council of the Academy has passed a law that offers opportunities for mages to gain licenses by ways other than formal study at an educational facility for a set period of time. It opens up possibilities for independent subcontractors to perform tasks for the Academy both within the borders of Nousia and abroad, in exchange for access to libraries and eventual examination after periods of self-study on missions. It's a difficult and long path, more so than the regular process. But if you managed to learn enough to inspect corruption by yourself, you may succeed in it."

You struggle to find words. A second chance at gaining a magical license? Access to libraries? You could do so much with this... No oversight, just pure study. Sure, there are missions to perform, but if travel times are accounted for, you should have plenty of time to examine the contents of books and practice, too.

However, after the initial excitement, a wave of cold washes over you. Frankly... you doubt you still want to work with the Academy at all. After what they did to you, completely unjustly expelling you after loading you with impossible work, you don't have a high opinion of them. You've got your knowledge, your blades, a companion, 2 books getting translated in Marsogne and a promise of druidry from a nymph. And you would be completely, utterly free from any external influence regarding your occupation. Is it really worth it? Is this really what you want?

"Ancille?" Adrien places a hand on your shoulder.

You snap out of your thoughts and...
>...agree to the offer. It is an incredible opportunity, and you're not letting it go.
>...decline the offer. You value your freedom above all, and the grudge has not been extinguished yet.

Either way, specify what you will request regarding equipment for the expedition. Reminder: budget about 200 silver. You and Adrien have 60~ each
>A set of leather armour for yourself and for Adrien. [140 silver, 70 silver per set]
>Scrolls? [Scroll of Fire Blast: 30 silver, Scroll of Ice Prison: 40 silver, Scroll of Poison Wind: 30 silver, Scroll of Smoke: 15 silver, Scroll of Cold Wind: 20 silver, other scrolls may be specified] [though you've got mages with you, so these may be redundant]
>Potions?
>Better weaponry? Ranged weaponry? Throwing knives?
>Write-in

>>6076009
>...agree to the offer. It is an incredible opportunity, and you're not letting it go.
>A set of leather armour for yourself and for Adrien. [140 silver, 70 silver per set]

>>6076394
Writing.

"Thank you for your offer." you tell high mage Calabierre, suppressing the side that wants to remain unbound. "It would be an honour to become an associate of the Academy."
"Excellent. We will fill out the papers later."
"As for assistance provided for the expedition, I think two leather armour suits, for me and for my friend, will suffice."
You look to Adrien for agreement and he nods. "Yes. Good armour will be invaluable for us melee fighters."
"It will be provided." Norrun says.

A few days pass as preparations are made for the expedition. You inspect the agreement with the Academy - it's common sense stuff like non-distribution of borrowed works to unlicensed mages and secrecy of missions. Though you have to wonder what the implications would be for you if you were to break the agreement before passing the exams or reveal the details of your assignments. Perhaps the decree of the inner council hasn't foreseen such a turn of events or it is best left to the associates' worst imaginations... Asking high mage Calabierre about it, you receive a shrug.
"You'll probably be fined a large amount if you reveal something secret. Less if you decide to drop out of the association. It hasn't not been agreed upon yet, I think, but it should be nothing major."
>You're having second thoughts on this. If you ever want to break the agreement, would you really be let off with just a small fine? With all the control of magical tomes that is present? You're better of on your own, after all...
>Nothing comes without a price. The threat of consequences upon breaking the deal and dedication of time is the price you pay for access to books and guidance. Sign the papers.

You also purchase armour - not a great fit, but tough - and await to see whom you get assigned as partners - or, well, superiors - for the expedition.

...
(1/2)

"How'd you end up an adventurer?" Adrien asks you while you rest on the first floor of the inn. You - after meditation and exercises, him - after practising his sword swings.
"You first." you answer.
"... Very well. It's a short tale. My parents were minor nobles. They raised me in fair wealth and maybe even luxury, but it was a short-lived happiness. By the time I was 16, I realized this wealth was built upon a mountain of debt. When the lenders came, I had to give up my education and higher life and take the adventurer's road. I'm still spending most of the money I earn to repay those debts."
"Sure doesn't seem that way with that royal hairdo of yours." you glance at your companion's pompadour. You've gotten used to the eccentric haircut, but get reminded of it sometimes when people look oddly at Adrien's head.
"Well, it's your turn." he ignores your quip.
>Tell him the whole truth. You getting expelled from the Academy and leaving home to become a guide and minor mage. Of course, leave out the necromantic book part.
>Skip some other parts? [specify]
>Lie. However much you thought about this decision, you're not proud of leaving your mom and brother to their own fate - invent some tale about earning money for them as well.
>Write-in
(2/2)

>>6079398
>Nothing comes without a price. The threat of consequences upon breaking the deal and dedication of time is the price you pay for access to books and guidance. Sign the papers.
>>6079400
>ell him the whole truth. You getting expelled from the Academy and leaving home to become a guide and minor mage. Of course, leave out the necromantic book part.

>>6079763
Alright, writing. (thanks for sticking with the quest in spite of my update times, anon, I know I am at fault for losing all other players. idk how long we'll carry on in this way, thread's falling off soon)

Rolled 97 (1d100)

You sign the papers and thus become an associate of the Academy. However, proper study and book browsing will have to wait. You have a mission to do, after all...

...

"I enrolled at the Academy but was expelled. I don't know what it was, bad luck, me being inept or some mage conspiracy. I kept learning from what was available to me at the library, but regular work for the rest of my life was not to my taste, so I left behind my brother and mom to become an adventurer several years ago. Learned the ropes and more, and that's how I got to where I am."
"...Hm."
"That's all you'll say?"
"Do not judge and you will not be judged."
You sit together for a while without exchanging words.

...

You meet your companions on the first floor of the inn where you stayed while you were in the city. The mages, an auburn-haired, cute girl in her twenties and a middle-aged, brown-haired man with a hard gaze, introduce themselves as Violette Rain and Enzo Morcat.

Agreements are made regarding who will carry which supplies, the formation in case of attack as well. Soon, you depart and enter the cursed woods once more.

"Are you not used to woodland?" you ask Violette as you help her up after she trips and falls for the ninth time in the past two hours.
"I am, there's just..." she mutters. "there's something wrong with this forest."
You are suddenly made aware of the fact that even if the influence of the charm wasn't extensive, perhaps it still was there even after you felt it "leave".

You look to see how Kott is doing and suddenly hear him hissing in a particular direction.
"Stop." you say and turn to face whatever your cat is scared of...

(Rolling for encounter.)

"...It's just a rabbit." Enzo sighs.
"Not 'just'. Look at its teeth." Violette observes.

You squint to see, but the animal bolts towards your group. So fast! You pull out your daggers, but aren't sure you can reliably hit it...

The rabbit is impaled by a sudden surge of root-spikes before you can think of how to tackle the problem. Violette lowers her hand.

"Very good. Let's keep moving." Enzo says.

Well, that's professional mages for you...

A few hours and some more dead animals later, you observe the corruption getting stronger and more oppressive. The purple sludge and growths are everywhere now, and stepping into or touching it brings numbness, cold and pain to the affected area. It's hard to breathe... Feels like your lungs are being filled with smoke every time you inhale, but you do not want to cough, only to run, run, run away from here... Kott is distressed, but you can't leave him alone, so you place him in your backpack. The protective amulets Enzo and Violette distributed to you and Adrien are helping, at least.

Finally, at the heart of it all, the woods part to reveal a hill upon which an inconspicuous building stands. Violet veins cover the stone entrance in a disgusting web. An inscription is made upon stone here. It looks to be in Nousian. Well, the symbols at least. It reads "Ocravan".

"Anyone know what that means?" you ask, to which everyone replies with confusion.

You enter the underground tunnel that slowly widens into a hall, lighting the way with a mote of light. In spite of the air being thick with miasma, you press on and emerge into a circular chamber.
(1/2)

In the middle, immobilized by chains carved with protective sigils, a... being hangs in an alcove, surrounded by a circular platform upon which you walk. The being resembles a human in form, but is larger, about 4 metres tall. Its skin is pitch black, and from it bleed streams dark blood that seep into the floor of the alcove and poisons everything.

"We better go back..." Enzo struggles to say this with the air so thick with malicious energy. "We're not equipped... to deal with this..."

You all turn and break into a run through the hall without saying anything more to each other. The sheer weight of this place is unbearable. You finally begin coughing up blood, and each cough brings about a wave of salvation from this place, like your body expelling everything poisoning you. The others experience the same effects. Kott meows in pain and struggles to get out of the backpack, but you get out of the prison faster than he can.

You run until the air becomes somewhat clear again. Enzo, Violette, Adrien, yourself - every one of you is in a poor state, drained and weak, but alive.

The journey back is silent. Perhaps the forest lets you go after you witnessed the worst of it, or the road back is always quicker than the one into uncertainty. At last, you make it into the city...

Kott is unwell. As you let him down at last, feed him and bring him water, you catch Violette's eye.
"Is he ill?" she asks.
"Seems so." you grumble.
"Let me see if I can do anything about it. I know a couple of purification spells..."

She places her hands on the cat's body. At first, Kott recoils, but soon accepts her touch when he sees that she means no harm. The young mage concentrates and does something imperceptible. When she lifts her hands, your cat is visibly more lively than previously.

"It'll take a while for the effects to fade completely, but this expedition should inflict no permanent damage." she says weakly. "Though when dealing with corruption of this level you better leave him at a safe place unless he matures by then and wears protective charms. Animals are susceptible to these things more than humans..."
"Are you a nature mage?"
"It is one of the many fields I studied." she replies elusively.
"Thanks." you mutter.

Enzo and Violette depart for the libraries soon, in spite of ill health. Ahead of you is one more meeting with Norrun regarding the results of the expedition and the mysterious "Ocravan" which you found in the heart of the woods...

(cont. tomorrow, I am tired now and haven't reached a suitable place for a choice yet)

>>6082217
It might be an idea to advertise this in /QTG/: Quest Thread Genera

"A monstrosity of black skin and human form..." Norrun muses about your group's descriptions. "You should inspect the libraries for anything of this kind. The name doesn't sound familiar to me. I will entrust your group with this."
"I still have the Ortesian plague to take care of..." Enzo says.
"Ah, of course. You may return to that task then. And you two can investigate Ocravan. I will assign other mages to help you." he addresses you and Violette, then turns to Adrien. "Sadly, sieur Labeque cannot be allowed into the libraries since he is not an associate of the Academy. But if you wish to help our cause I can contact you once we determine the next course of action..."
"I would be pleased to assist." Adrien gives a small bow.
"Excellent. Let us begin our work, then."

The next week or so is spent in the libraries. High mage Calabierre says that he has already sent messengers to other cities in case you don't find the necessary information about Ocravan in the local collections. It is a good call: the archives have scarce information about the newly found threat. However, after a week of study you finally arrive at a lead.

Ocravan seems to have been a demigod that was active in the early years after the Collapse. He possessed the powers you're already aware of: corruption of surroundings and dark magic in addition to tremendous physical strength. It is with great difficulty that he was imprisoned, and total destruction of this being was impossible with the resources of the time. He seems to have been slowly forgotten since then and resurfaced now that its prison has reached the end of its durability.

An artifact is said to have been forged by the elves of Yoki to the east that could be capable of slaying this demigod, among others, but there is little information about it besides the mention of the city of Koito where it was enchanted. It was, apparently, to be used against Ocravan in the future, but for unknown reasons it was delayed for a long time.

Another power that could possibly defeat Ocravan is said to be in the Emorian jungles of the west. There, a goddess is said to descend to the earth sometimes who could wield enough magic to destroy him.
(1/2)

As you finish your research and rest a bit at the end of the week before reporting to Norrun, you find yourself with the possibility of borrowing some books. You are an associate now, after all. What kind of magic do you want to study on your way... wherever this mission may take you?
>Pick magic to study. Examples, possibilities: elemental magic: earth, fire, water, wind, lightning; utility magic like teleportation, telepathy, invisibility, night vision; other temporary blessings like strength, agility; hexes, curses; protective magic; alchemy; enchantment. (I think that's all there is, if you have any other ideas - ask, you can pick multiple, but be aware there's going to be less space in your inventory, even if it is fairly flexible)

>>6082442
idk if that's wise, I'll probably put the quest on a hiatus after the end of the thread. It was meant to be a oneshot or interest probing quest. I'll wrap it up in a couple updates and put it away until better days when interest to the idea returns (if the players will still be around then).

>>6082673
>Utility magic
>>6082679
Ah yeah in that case advertising the thread wouldn't make much sense

>>6083200
Ok, writing up a short update now and wrapping up the thread after the next choice I think.

Utility magic. An umbrella term covering a wide assortment of spells from all schools. In this area are found spells for night vision and invisibility, underwater breathing and walking on water, bags of holding and air purification, levitation and short-distance teleport, among other things. You pick out some books about the former 4 spells. It will be a good start.

Having obtained the books you wanted, you report your findings to Norrun with Violette.

"Curious." he says. You would expect him to deliberate on this knowledge for a bit, but in his eyes is a burning determination. "I will entrust your bunch with either of the tasks, the goddess or the artifact, your choice. I will have another group handle the other lead. The Academy will provide funds and supplies for the expedition - at least the initial parts. I'll give you a day to discuss this, talk with sieur Labeque. I expect an answer by then."

Without fully comprehending what has just been said, you find yourself standing outside the high mage's study.

"So..." Violette begins. "Where would you prefer to go?"
"I'd like to hear your thoughts first."
"Well... It doesn't really matter to me. I like to see new places... even if they're somewhat dangerous. I think I'd prefer Emoria. I heard their pyramids are amazing. But Yoki is fine, too."
"We'll be on a mission, not a sightseeing trip, remember that." you note.
"Ah! Yes, the mission, um..." she pauses. "Either option is a gamble. Yoki is constantly embroiled in war from what I've heard, so the artifact may have been long forgotten there by now. While convincing a goddess to aid us is a guaranteed hellish task. No easy way around either of them... Anyway, let's ask your friend what he'd want."

...

"I'm in for either option if the pay is good. Remember what I told you, Ancille." Adrien replies simply.
"Well, I'd expect that."
"Although... I've heard tales of Yoki. They have strong aristocratic houses. Maybe I'd be of more help there."
"Their manners are vastly different from the Nousian." Violette says.
"Can't be that bad. Anyway, guess it falls to you to decide, Ancille."

Two pairs of eyes turn to you. Where will you go?
>To Emoria, the land of jungles and pyramids, lizardmen and indigenous humans!
>To Yoki, the land of war and samurai, elves and their strange magic!

>>6085570
>To Emoria, the land of jungles and pyramids, lizardmen and indigenous humans!

"We will go to Emoria." you say. It is a strange and dangerous land, but the same can be said of Yoki, Latunia and Nousia.
"It is decided, then." Adrien says, Violette nodding to his words.

The next couple of days are a haze of preparations. Rations are bought, funds are provided: each of you receives a whopping 100 gold! That's almost the greatest amount of gold you held in your entire life...

At the end of it all, you stand fully equipped for a long and arduous journey west. You depart for your mission with your newly found companions at dawn on the first day of the last decade of summer. Who knew your little arrangement with the nymph would take you this far?..

End of thread.

I will archive this now. Thanks for playing, and I hope to see whoever played again when I continue this. Feedback welcome until this falls off the board.

I think we could have used some more opportunities to actually use our necromancy, even if we didn't choose it

>>6087717
Yeah, that was an oversight. Once you got a permanent companion who was against it, it kinda blocked that route. Maybe I should've made him reject the nymph's offer and leave you alone after the expedition. It would've made for a very different quest though...
Either way, thanks for the feedback. If I ever return to this, I'll try to include more opportunities to use your abilities.

Yabba Yabba DOOOO