[41 / 1 / 1]
Quoted By:
The gates of Felcross are behind you now. The city where you were raised, the city of your first failures and rare achievements, the last great city on the way east. You look back, as if to say goodbye. There is nothing of worth left for you there, only your bickering family and your more successful peers. You are a wanderer now. On your belt is a sword, on your back - a bag with tools, travelling gear, some money - whatever was left after your purchases - and rations. They won't last long, but you'll think of solving this later. Two javelins fit nicely in the quiver, slung over your shoulder close to the travelling bag. Barely a man, not a youth, you start down one of the roads. You don't know much of the world, but you've had dreams. Dreams of power, people bowing to your might, of... freedom, to do what you want, however indulgent your desires may be. Of immortality, like in the tales of the Flower Harbringer and the Collector of Names. They are far away, but one who doesn't begin his journey will most certainly never see its end. You possess basic ability in the way of the sword and the javelin, having been given basic training for the militia, like any able man of the kingdom. You also know your way around the streets, courtesy of your upbringing. You can repair and take care of your weapon, and know the basics of crafting, having helped around the smithy for a time. You think you can survive on the road and subsist if need came. That's about all you are capable of. You heard the road east leads to the frontier, the outlands. Not completely devoid of settlement, it is, nevertheless, a dangerous place - some of the monsters manage to sneak into the heartlands of the kingdom of Hien, not to speak of these wild lands, where they may have greater reign. Their distance from the heartlands means all kind of folk flock there, sometimes good in heart, but often dark. It also means greater freedom, whatever the cost. At least, that's what the caravans and travellers from that land told you when they passed through Felcross. "Only madmen go east," your grandpa once said spitefully. "Those that don't know the worth of a family at your back or a proper home you can return to." Didn't stop one of your elder brothers from going there. Didn't stop you. The road is calm for a few days as you pass by caravans going west. You didn't have enough money to buy your place in one, so you're going alone. After the sun sets on the 4th day of travel, you consider making camp, like the previous days, but see a light further down the road. Approaching closer, you see a person sit by the campfire, a man, if you read their build correctly. He doesn't seem to have noticed you, tinkering with something in his hands. A tent is pitched nearby, and a spear rests by the fire. The faint scent of herbs and medicine drifts in the air. The smoke, too, of course. (1/2)
Wanderer !!zQ0bFZh5kaH
The stranger doesn't seem to have noticed you. There's no one on the road, and most likely no one will appear for the entire night since this hour.>Hail the stranger. Ask if you may rest here for the night. Initiate a conversation. >Sneak up to him and slay him with a precise strike. The crackle of fire and the sound of crickets will obscure your approach. His supplies will be yours. >Write-in
Anonymous
>>6305455 >>Sneak up to him and slay him with a precise strike. The crackle of fire and the sound of crickets will obscure your approach. His supplies will be yours. Anonymous
>>6305455 >>Hail the stranger. Ask if you may rest here for the night. Initiate a conversation. Interesting quest, lets not be a roving bandit
Anonymous
>>6305455 >Write-in, slowly approach the stranger and ask to sit by the fire If that doesn't work il pick to hail the stranger
Anonymous
>>6305455 >>Sneak up to him and slay him with a precise strike. The crackle of fire and the sound of crickets will obscure your approach. His supplies will be yours. Wanderer !!zQ0bFZh5kaH
>>6305461 >>6305569 >>6305571 >>6305584 Was planning to update now in the morning, but it seems a tie appeared just as I checked the thread. I'll wait a couple hours for someone to break it.
In the mean time, I will answer
>Interesting quest, lets not be a roving bandit I am glad to hear that. I feel compelled to say what I have in mind for it. Scumbag Antipaladin is a direct inspiration, but I imagine the mc less as a rampaging murderhobo with a terrible personality and more a neutral (?) self-serving and calculating man. You will find it reflected in the suggested options. There will be some stuff going on behind the scenes, but rolls will be very simple based on d100 against a set DC. That's about all I can say. Hopefully it will be fun for anons.
Anonymous
>>6305455 >>Sneak up to him and slay him with a precise strike. The crackle of fire and the sound of crickets will obscure your approach. His supplies will be yours. Anonymous
>>6305455 >>Hail the stranger. Ask if you may rest here for the night. Initiate a conversation. Anonymous
>>6305611 Since it seems my write in isn't gaining support I'm changing my vote
Wanderer !!zQ0bFZh5kaH
>>6305611 >>6305612 I already treated it as a "Hail the stranger" vote for the purposes of deciding whether to use a diplomatic or aggressive approach.
Either way, tie has been broken by
>>6305604 >Sneak up to him and slay him with a precise strike. The crackle of fire and the sound of crickets will obscure your approach. His supplies will be yours. Please roll 1d100 against 30 for sneaking up and killing. Not Bo3, just a single roll.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
Rolled 90 (1d100) >>6305617 Wanderer !!zQ0bFZh5kaH
Quoted By:
>90 You quietly unsheathe your sword and begin approaching the figure. The man doesn't seem to have noticed you and continues doing whatever he is doing. Your heart thumps under your shirt, but you manage to approach close enough for a strike. All that's left is to land a killing blow, just like in training. A thrust into his back, around where the heart is, and blood sprays on the ground and grass. The stranger lets out a pained moan, but has enough strength left to scramble for his spear. You don't let him. Landing a slash, you make a deep wound on his neck. Blood pools under the stranger as life leaves him. Your first kill. Your father, a veteran of one campaign in the west, once told you that killing someone changes a person irreversibly. You feel... afraid, your consciousness yells you've done wrong. But at the same time, there is a fullness in your heart, and the lightness of freedom - is that not what you wanted? You calm down, filled with determination. You look what the person has been doing, and find a book - a journal, it would seem. It's not very thick, but well-used. You're not literate, so you can't make out what is written there, but you take it anyway. In the tent, you find a big rucksack with all manner of herbs and bottles, sorted neatly into various compartments. The smell of medicine is thick as you open it. The vessels are signed, though just like the journal, you can't read what's on the labels. Besides that, there's travelling gear similar to yours - cook pot, simple cutlery, rope, camping and survival tools - rations for a week, and several other books and envelopes. You can't take it all, but you take a good deal of the bottles and herbs - those that seem most interesting to you - the books, journal, envelopes and rations. Your bag is quite heavy now, but you should be fine. There's the grim question of what to do with the body. The most obvious solution would be to drag it off the road and bury it somewhere - you've got a small shovel as part of your survival kit. Fields of tall grass surround you, with a forest in the distance. If you're careful enough, you can very well conceal the grave in the grass. Maybe burning the corpse in the campfire beforehand would be good. Dried, burnt remains may leave less of a trail. As you ponder this question, you notice something glinting in the light of the flame on the neck of the stranger. You inspect it closer, paying attention not to sully your clothes with blood, and find a pendant. It seems to be in the form of a circle with lines going through it in a strange pattern, and 3 going out and upward. Through one of them, a necklace holding the pendant goes. You think you've seen this earlier. Travelling healers and medicine traders sometimes wore it, but you never bothered to ask the meaning of this symbol. (1/2)
Wanderer !!zQ0bFZh5kaH
Either way, there is still the question of the body. Maybe you can come up with something to do about the bloodied grass as well. What will you do?>Burn the body, then bury it. >Just drag it off from the side of the road and bury it. Try not to get too much blood on your clothes. >Write-in Camp here or travel a bit further afterwards?>Camp here. >Keep going down the road. Distance yourself from the site of murder.
Wanderer !!zQ0bFZh5kaH
Quoted By:
I forgot to mention there's also some money. Quite a bit, in fact - enough to live for a month in a city. You take it with you as well.
Anonymous
>>6305644 >Just drag it off from the side of the road and bury it. Try not to get too much blood on your clothes. >Keep going down the road. Distance yourself from the site of murder. Anonymous
>>6305596 >Scumbag Antipaladin, now there is name I haven't heard in a while >>6305644 >Burn the body, then bury it. >Keep going down the road. Distance yourself from the site of murder. Anonymous
>>6305644 >Burn the body, then bury it. >Keep going down the road. Distance yourself from the site of murder. Wanderer !!zQ0bFZh5kaH
Quoted By:
>>6305661 >>6305677 >>6305680 Calling the vote and writing for
>Burn the body, then bury it. >Keep going down the road. Distance yourself from the site of murder. Probably going to be a short update.
Wanderer !!zQ0bFZh5kaH
You drag the body over to the fire, then arrange it in the middle of the flames in a fetal position. The disgusting stench of burnt meat fills the air. It takes until deep in the night for the entirety of the body to burn to coal. You find it still leaves marks - not blood, but black, ashen smears. If anyone looked carefully, they would spot the trail. Your shovel is not a big, farmer's one, rather a travelling tool to perform some light work. Still, it does its job, and after a couple hours of intense work, you manage to bury the remains in a shallow grave in the middle of a field. You do your best to bury what remains of the stranger's gear, too - don't want to leave a suddenly abandoned campsite - and throw some grass around where blood spilled so it isn't as obvious. You feel exhausted, both after a day's travel and the subsequent work, but you pick yourself up and keep going for an hour more until you set up camp. It is the height of summer, and the eastern horizon is already brightening at this hour, taking a turquoise hue, but you're too tired to care about that. You collapse into a deep, dreamless sleep the moment you close your eyes. You awaken in the late morning. By luck, it seems either the passing caravans and travellers didn't detect your crime or none have passed by. You pack up and continue your journey. After the previous night's events, <span class="mu-g">you feel you have become a bit better at sneaking and manual labour.</span> <span class="mu-r">With first blood on your hands, you have hardened your heart a little.</span> The next few days pass uneventfully. You reach the town of Agante. It's a far cry from the wealth and size of Felcross, but a town nonetheless. It has its market, school, healer and guard post, among other things. Several caravans seem to have stopped here, and roads lead from this town in all cardinal directions. Roll 1d100 for whether the site of your attack on the stranger is noticed. You've concealed it rather carefully. DC: 15. (1/2)
Wanderer !!zQ0bFZh5kaH
You can do several things while in this town. (Multiple may be chosen)>Ask someone literate to read the labels of the bottles for you. A town healer or one of the caravan masters. They may ask questions about how you got them and why you carry them, if you don't know their purpose... [write-in lie] >Pay a tutor at the school to start teaching you how to read. Your wealth is not enough to get even basic literacy, but you can lay the foundation - start memorising the symbols and whatnot. The foundation you didn't get as a commoner. [-2 weeks' worth of money] >Ask around for rumours at a tavern. >Train with your sword. You'll need a mentor or some other source of information to guide you later, but you can sharpen the basics for now. >Buy rations. Hardtacks, water, dried meat, whatever vegetables and fruit have already been harvested this season. [write-in for how many days] >Buy something else. [write-in] >Write-in You have: - Collection of bottles full of liquids, with labels (medicine, most likely). - Some dried herbs. - Pendant with a strange symbol. - Stranger's journal. - Some books and envelopes. - Travelling gear & tools (shovel, axe, hammer, rope, cloak-tent, flint, etc.) - Short sword. - 2 javelins + quiver. - Rations and canteen (3 days). - Money (enough for 1 month of renting a room + keeping yourself fed) (I think that's everything, tell me if I missed anything) Probably gonna call the vote in about 9-12 hours but we'll see.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
Hmm. Interesting quest. Let me read and catch up.
Anonymous
Rolled 28 (1d100) >>6305860 >>6305861 Train with your sword. You'll need a mentor or some other source of information to guide you later, but you can sharpen the basics for now.
>Ask around for rumours at a tavern. Buy rations. Hardtacks, water, dried meat, whatever vegetables and fruit have already been harvested this season. [5 days]
Wanderer !!zQ0bFZh5kaH
Quoted By:
>>6306079 Only one vote, it seems. Well, so long as there's at least one player, that's something I can work with.
Calling it and writing for
>Train with your sword. You'll need a mentor or some other source of information to guide you later, but you can sharpen the basics for now. >Ask around for rumours at a tavern. >Buy rations. Hardtacks, water, dried meat, whatever vegetables and fruit have already been harvested this season. [5 days] >28 for concealment - Success! No one has noticed your actions. Wanderer !!zQ0bFZh5kaH
You spend the mornings of 3 days training with your sword outside Agante, practicing your swings. <span class="mu-g">It's not a lot, but it helps you get a bit stronger, and make your strikes swifter.</span> On your second day, after resting from the journey, you enter one of the town's taverns and approach the keep, a lean man in his thirties. He flashes you a welcoming smile, one metal tooth glinting among healthy white ones. "Hey," you say, placing a couple copper coins on the counter. "Anything interesting happening recently?" "Not much, we ain't a very important town," he says, sweeping up the offer. "Though there's been some strange things in the woods to the east, on the road to the outlands. A few caravans have been attacked in the past couple of weeks. Odd thing - some have been <span class="mu-i">really messed up</span>, even well guarded ones, others pass through safely without so much as a bump. We've sent for knights and paladins to Felcross, but they're yet to arrive." The man scratches his chin. "Hmm... Ah, some strange folks arrived from the north a week ago. Claimed they were traders, but... been snooping around more than traders do. Also got a strange scent about them wherever they go. Like... earth, but also incense. Almost all departed just a day ago, but one stayed behind. Stopped at the Bonfire Inn." "Thank you," you say. "Come back if you want a pint of ale or need a warm bed," the keep smiles again. You hit the market in the afternoon and buy some rations. While you're staying at the tavern, you won't be using them, but these should be enough for 8 days of travel in total. The northern strangers tug at your memories. You've heard all your life that the northern reaches of Hien are in constant danger from some warlord, or "dark lord". Squads of conscripts have been passing through Felcross on the way north every few years, or south as they returned from campaigns. Told some cool stories. Some of the older kids' parents have been drafted into the militia and sent there. They took out their grief on you if news of their relatives' death arrived. You dispel the memory. If this stranger staying at the Bonfire Inn really is an agent of darkness, it may be dangerous to associate with him. Paladins detect evil and whoever aided it very easily. Then again, it could just be travellers from one guild or another. Plenty of knights-errant, mages and whatnot travelling all the time. Just being "from the north" and snooping around is weak evidence of their connection to evil. Either way, the prospect of taking the stranger's information and items for yourself is exciting. The eastern caravans are intriguing. Perhaps there is something common about them that caused the attack? You'll need to investigate further if you wish to know.>Ask around about the caravans. Perhaps traders from the market know something. >Visit the strange person from the north at the Bonfire Inn. >Write-in
Anonymous
>>6306120 >>Visit the strange person from the north at the Bonfire Inn. Anonymous
>>6306120 >Visit the strange person from the north at the Bonfire Inn. Wanderer !!zQ0bFZh5kaH
Quoted By:
>>6306123 >>6306155 Alright, calling the vote and writing for
>Visit the strange person from the north at the Bonfire Inn. Wanderer !!zQ0bFZh5kaH
Quoted By:
The Bonfire Inn is a nice place. It doesn't serve food, only providing lodgings for travellers, so it's calmer than taverns with the sizzling, boiling and pouring sounds coming from the kitchen, and the chatter of merry people. You ask to meet the stranger that has arrived from the north, and the innkeeper gives you the room number and name: "Garvos". You ascend the stairs, and soon, you're standing in front of a door. The faint scent of earth and incense drifts from beyond it. Three knocks. "Who's there?" A male voice responds. "A stranger interested in your mission," you say. The sound of keys turning in the lock, and the door opens. A handsome man, young enough for age not to have left its marks on his face, but with a respectable black beard, peers at you from the room. His clothes are unremarkable. "I don't know which mission you're talking about," Garvos says, "but if you wish to see or purchase some of my wares - you're welcome." You enter the room and close the door behind yourself. "It's an open secret you're part of some shadowy group investigating something around these parts," you say. "I thought we may strike a partnership if our goals align." Garvos looks at you, appraising. He seems conflicted about whether to reveal his secrets, but eventually sighs and speaks. "We're a group of mages and mageblades searching for a disappeared mage and her research. Others moved on to investigate leads in the south, but I stayed behind to check some places connected to it around this town. I wouldn't imagine you knew anything about it, but... does the name 'Asta Cerimon' speak anything to you?" It most certainly doesn't. "What kind of research did she specialise in? I may be able to help if I know what to look for." "Elementalist. Earth, to be specific." As you feign recalling something, you feel like if you don't prove useful soon, Garvos may grow disinterested in whatever "partnership" you offer. But how do you convince him, if you don't actually know even the basics of magic? Or whatever he's looking for? You could lie and lead him somewhere secluded, attacking him and taking his stuff for yourself, but... there will probably be a reckoning from his team, and the kingdom, for that matter. And he IS a mage. You're not sure you can take on him alone, even with the element of surprise on your side. Lies don't have to lead him into a trap, however. They could be a way to get more info from him. You'll have to be a bit inventive with them, though... "What's your name, by the way?" The mage interrupts your thoughts. "I am known as 'Garvos'." (1/2)
Wanderer !!zQ0bFZh5kaH
First choice:>Write-in name Second:>Say you know some nearby place that may be connected to research into... "earth" magic. Lead him into a trap. [write-in invented place] >Lie. Say you may know a place of "earth magic", but you're not sure it's what he's looking for. Ask if he can tell you more specifics. Which places in particular he's interested in. >Ask more questions. [write-in questions] [optional: write-in how to frame them, like in the Lie option] >Admit you don't know anything about it, but can help with... what? [write-in offer] >Write-in
Wanderer !!zQ0bFZh5kaH
Quoted By:
Probably gonna call the vote in 10-12 hours, as previously.
Anonymous
>>6306336 >Dan >Admit you don't know anything about it, but can help with gathering information. We are more local than he is after all Wanderer !!zQ0bFZh5kaH
Quoted By:
>>6306607 Calling the vote. Ended up with 14 hours instead of 12. Writing for the only anon's suggestion.
>Dan >Admit you don't know anything about it, but can help with gathering information. We are more local than he is after all Update may be delayed but we'll see.
Wanderer !!zQ0bFZh5kaH
You decide to be honest. "I'm not really experienced in magic. Can't even read, to be honest. But I'm a local, so I can help with gathering information. I just need to know what to look for. Oh, and name's Dan." "Hmm... Well, I can't say your help is unwelcome, but checking the sites I have in mind would require a mage," Garvos muses. "Tell you what, how about you ask the farmers from the surrounding villages if Asta helped them out and made the soil of their farmlands bear a bigger harvest? She disappeared 10 years ago, but executed soil enrichment where she was travelling, so they may remember something about it. If you find anything, tell me, and I'll go check the place." "You've got a deal. What's in it for me?" "I'll pay you, of course. 50 silver sounds good?" "Yeah." That's... even more than what you already have. A great price for just going around and asking for info. You wonder if Garvos even knows how much it's worth. "Well then, go ahead. Report when you've found something or checked everything." And with that, the deal is struck. You can get to work immediately or take some time to check rumours about the attacked caravans. Or do something else, for now.>Farmer investigation. >Caravans investigation. >Write-in
Anonymous
>>6306633 >>Caravans investigation. Anonymous
>>6306633 >Caravans investigation. Wanderer !!zQ0bFZh5kaH
Quoted By:
>>6306634 >>6306668 Calling the vote and writing for
>Caravans investigation. Wanderer !!zQ0bFZh5kaH
Quoted By:
The market is your next stop. Just like ones in Felcross, it's noisy and packed with people at all times. Travellers and locals both mingle together, inspecting the goods and haggling. You walk around and ask the stall owners and caravan masters in their special area whether they know of anything about the attacked merchants. "Good men, they were. Many expected their wares, and the master had a big heart as well! What wares? Well, uh... hmm... Edward may tell you more, he's in the northwestern corner. The guy with the big mole on his cheek, selling wine!" "I don't know anything of their wares, but heard it's the bandits that got 'em! Couldn't have been anyone else. We're a peaceful area, no monsters or anything for a year now. Must've been that idiot, Rick, begged for copper ever since his leather workshop burned down. How he'd get weapons? Uhh... Well, maybe Karkril, the smith, knows. Might've given him some sword or something out of pity. Look how it backfired for all of us!" "I'm not a smith, I'm his apprentice, and we aren't giving anyone weapons for free! Need to sharpen that shortsword of yours, by the way? Or exchange it for a longsword? Better reach - better odds your head isn't chopped off! Master Karkril specialises in them, too! And first order's at a discount!" "Mordred's caravan carried magical weaponry." The grim, calm tone of the caravan master sharpens your attention in seconds, even after hours of wandering and listening to the vendors' pointless blabber and gossip. A tall man, the caravan master looks at you with little interest. His clean-shaven face would be gentle if not for those eyes. His clothes are not too adorned, but the materials betray wealth. "Some of it for local clients, others for the kingdom's knights. We were scheduled to meet in Agante and go to Felcross, but...." The caravan master takes a long drag of his pipe and exhales slowly. Tobacco. Not a common product in these lands. "Do you know what the other caravans carried?" You ask. "Those that arrived safely told me their goods were spell books and items for mages, and the other - alchemical ingredients. Wisp essence, if I recall correctly. Including Mordred's, those 3 are the only ones that got ruined. Completely thrashed, corpses mangled. A terrible sight. Thank Ces I didn't have to see it firsthand." "I see." "I'd welcome payment for the info, but it doesn't seem you have much on you." The caravan master smiles condescendingly. It's a surprisingly bright expression. "No, I- I do." You put 2 silver in his palm - a generous payment just for information, but you somehow get the feeling it's what's expected when you deal with such people. "Anything else?" (1/2)
Wanderer !!zQ0bFZh5kaH
"Do you know anything about what kind of people travelled with them? Anyone important?" "Just merchants, travellers that paid to go together and guards. Though Mordred did have a mage with him for protection. Guess it didn't help." The caravan master takes a drag of his pipe again. "Important people have their own escorts with them, you know. You won't find them in caravans. Even if they carry expensive goods.">Ask another question? [write-in] >"No, that will be all. Thank you." >>Follow-up to above option: write-in what to do next. I'm not sure if I'll call the vote in 10-12 hours or leave it up until the day after tomorrow, seems like the vote windows are too slim and some anons don't vote. /qst/ really has become slow, damn. If you pick to ask any other questions, I can do mini-updates to answer them.
Anonymous
>>6306729 >"No, that will be all. Thank you." Wanderer !!zQ0bFZh5kaH
Quoted By:
>>6306752 Anon, if you vote that you don't have any other questions, you should also vote what you want to do next, after you leave the caravan master. That's why I put the >>Follow-up line there. Sorry if that was unclear.