For generations, the Kingdom of Lindan has been under siege by an otherworldly threat, that of demons. Hailing from a barbarous and unusual land and with skills that defy all magic, science, and logic, known as Cheat Skills, these Strangers all have the capability of bringing on the end of all times if they use their talents improperly. As such, an organization was formed, known as the Inquisition, to combat these hellspawn and send them back from the depth they’ve come from…Though in more recent news you, Lorina de Lindan, the first princess and third heir to the throne of Lindan who has just been promoted. You are now an Inquisitor for the duration of your current mission proving the “innocence” of the only five noble estates not attacked during the recent Stranger insurrection on the capital. Oh, and those estates all belong to some of the most powerful noble houses in the kingdom, with heirs that all despise you. Good luck with that! You feel like you’ll need it.
>>6185871You wake up to the sound of thunder, but after a moment of blissful unconscious ignorance, you realize it is not. It’s the summer of your third year in the Mageknight Academy, the setting of your favorite game, and things are almost as they should be. The haughty villainess has been banished, and the capital riots have started. They’re different this time, so very different. For thirteen years, you’ve been trying to emulate Anastasia's life, to be cheerful, optimistic, and full of joy, all so that you can enjoy the romance that Sasaki Hikari never had. You think you did a pretty good job of it, too, so why now? Why is everything going wrong? Why can you feel the claws of depression return to wrench your tired eyes inward? And what the hell is a Stranger?You lift the comforter up and climb out of the guest bed at Albretch’s house. The guest room you’ve been provided with is larger than your dingy apartment back in Tokyo, and the bed is very comfortable, too. But you’re not going to be able to sleep for a while; you haven’t been able to sleep for the last couple of nights. So why not watch the world burn off in the distance? The smoke seems to be far away this time at least, you think with a mote of security as you pull up a chair and open the curtains, revealing a balcony that overlooks both the garden and city. You think for a second about ringing a bell to summon a maid for tea, but you don’t want to hassle anyone this late at night. But all that does is leave you alone with your thoughts. And when you think, your mind always manages to drift back to that game.It was a small title, relatively niche, and it was not even translated for foreign audiences, but you loved it. The characters? Cliche. The story? Cliche. The audience? Small. The mechanics? Done many times before. Still, it gave you the relaxation you needed after overtime at the black company you worked at. And the guys were hot. That too. But for the past week, the knowledge of that game has given you nothing but fright. In the summer of Anastasia’s third year is when, a good player has enough love points with their chosen capture target to stay at their estate as a guest, which may lead to a steamy romance with them. No matter which route she takes, Anastasia will be a factor of the villainess banishment, leading to her vengeful tyrant of a father to figuratively strange the nobles of the Kingdom, leading to unrest and civil strife as cliche evil-looking Royal Guard to crack down on any dissidents. This leads to some pretty steamy romance scenes while the player is isolated in a mansion, and the world seems to fall apart around her, which is a prelude to the fourth year and the climactic civil war.
>>6185875You thought you played your role perfectly. The villainess was banished, which you don’t even feel too bad about, seeing as she had all the makings of a commoner-hating tyrant; she even gets off pretty well in most routes, banished to some no-name crusade where she learns to find meaning in her service and duty as apposed to her noble lifestyle. Though granted, while you’re well on your way to a reverse harem, you did choose Albretch as your primary route, which gets a bit more drama-explosive. But does that even matter now? You read the newspaper, and you’re intelligent enough to put together context clues. How could you have been so blind? How could you have never noticed this world was a dangerous one for you? Stranger riots? The Inquisition? The villainous running away to seemingly join it as the Royal Times Paper hints at? She's coming to kill you. That has to be the truth. The claws of despair wretch even deeper, and your heart rate quickens. How could you have not noticed you aren’t alone in this world? How did you even make it this far with the entire church set up to get rid of you? Though you suppose in the end there’s one regret that plagues your mind.You really should have paid more attention to politics.
>>6185876The first thing you notice when you wake up is that the merchant cart you hitched a ride on is as bumpy and uncomfortable as usual. The second thing is the back pain. Oh wait, that actually comes from the third thing, the assault pain. That is the pain coming from the armored boot that rudely found its way to the top of your spine. So, with that said, you immediately sputter awake. “Ow, Jesus, what the hell?!” you wheeze.“We’re here, ya jackass,” Comes the moody voice of your current partner, another Stranger nicknamed Sally.“Carts still moving, isn’t it?” You lamely reply as you rub your back and sit up. The two of you managed to hitch a ride with a merchant, a rather pleasant hawk girl, on your journey to the southwest. Technically, she’s heading south, but with a bit of coin, you’ve managed to convince her to at least take a pitstop by the coast, seeing as that’s where the compass continues to point. “Ya, but I can see the sea. Gotta little town out there too,” Sally says while pointedly looking out behind the wagon and not towards you. You can’t imagine why, other than you throwing her under the bus against the Inquisitor and that griffon, well, the wyvern too, but that’s different even if she did almost get swallowed. Besides, she’s invincible. She should just learn to deal with it. You just roll your eyes. “We’re headin’ tuah the City of Rocklight! Clan Khavern’s close by tuah!” For some reason, you wince as the hawk girl driving the cart says that. It's like some ancient psychic damage resurfaced for some reason. Then the cart starts to slow down, “Actually, looks like there are some of your buddies hailing us over now.”Confused, you peek your head out next to the driver and see two Inquisitor-looking fellows, though Abram isn’t with them. They even have the classic hat and everything- The next thing you know is that your heading is exploding from a magically charged bullet. It’s going to be a long day.
>>6185877Seo-YunSeo-Yun stared at the two papers in front of her and felt the cold steel of the knife in her hand. Seo-Yun stared at her future, contemplating a decision that would direct the rest of her life. One paper would sign her away to harsh training and eventual recruitment into the Inquisition, a life of toil and duty to a country she couldn’t care less about. The other would banish her to isolation in a remote cabin on the frontier, a gilded cage with few modern amenities she still craved and even fewer social attachments. Her time was up; she had stalled too long, and now she had to make a choice written in blood, or else her life would be at stake. Later, she found that it would be the easiest decision of her life.Catherine“What do you mean they’re next to worthless!” The noblewoman screams at the merchant who has just docked at Ivern’s port.“Well, my lady,” the old and sea-hardened captain stutters to the younger woman. “They are just flowers,” he sheepishly says.“Just flowers!” She screams, “Last week, they were worth over fifty gold a petal! Do you know how many of these things we planted?! We even hired dryads to tend to the new farm!”“M-maybe you could see about selling them to that flower shop in town?” The captain replies half-heartedly.He receives nothing but the wails of a rather unlucky noble. He will praise the Goddess later that night, thankful that he at least kept his job.Clarice“It’s still so hard to believe the princess was here,” The girl says to her father as they lift one of the wooden tables back into place after it flew out the window during last night's bar fight. A common occurrence at their establishment, seeing as the Adventurer’s guild sits in the same building.“Aye, to that one. I’ll be getting free advertising for the next decade at least!” Her father bellows out a laugh as they set the table down. “Shame what happened to the poor lass, though,” he suddenly said with a more solemn tone. “Maybe I should see about getting the Inquisition here to give out Strange Quests? I’d love to crack a few of their skulls myself, and sure, the boys would, too. I’ll be givin’ more of my paycheck to the church at least, that’s for sure.”Her father’s hostility makes sense seeing what the cause was for the princess to visit their establishment. Even Clarice herself still feels dirty when she thinks about that event, those thoughts are usually followed by a helping of alcohol. But as the looks out the broken window towards the builders working on repairing the not-so-distant palace and thinks back to the woman who saved her, “I’m sure she’s going to be all right, Dad. No way anything keeps that woman down for long.”
>>6185878Elsewhere, in the kinda-sorta early hours of the morning. Like an hour before the sun rises, three women look over a villa near an ancient forest. Graves with names lost to time dot the outskirts of said growth and no doubt go deeper. The Bloodgrave family is one of ancient history and deadly secrets that are known by all, so why wouldn’t their main mansion be on hallowed ground? Though you get the feeling, it’s more like no one else wanted to build their hunting estate in an area as creepy as this. Goddessdammit, don’t they know there are vampires in those misty woods? Of course, the property would be cheap! Ugh, you have to remind yourself to calm down a little bit. The lack of sleep must be getting to you, but dammit, the nerves kept you up all night planning! You really can’t screw this up! Really! So due to that fact, the three of you have spent the previous night drinking as much tea as you can while discussing the plan for how you’re going to either prove the innocence or condemn the Bloodgraves as members of a Strange conspiracy. >Though in the end, you settled on the Loud PlanThe essence of this plan is pulling your weight as an Inquisitor and trying your best to bully the Bloodgraves into letting you explore their estate. Of course, you’re not going to announce your presence as the missing princess, so Marie will be introducing herself as the Inquisitor, and you and Alyssa are just her adjutants. This plan is less risky but will more easily allow the Bloodgraves to hide their dirty laundry, assuming they have any.>Though in the end, you settled on the SilentThe essence of this plan is snooping around undetected by using stealth, magic, and perhaps disguises to not even let the Bloodgraves know of your presence. You and Alyssa will enter under the cover of the night and get in and out as fast as possible while Marie stays observant as a reserve, seeing as she is, well, Marie. This plan is very risky, seeing as the Bloodgraves, innocent or not, will be unlikely to take a liking to intruders, and in the worst case scenario, they discover the princess “illegally” messing in their affairs, which could lead to a major diplomatic incident.>You, of course, went with Plan [Write-in]
Hey StrangeQM, good to see the next portion up!>>6185875>>6185876The plot thickens... Almost as thick as Ana's skull, apparently.>>6185877Can't wait to have Asher back in the party again. I want to see him face off with Albretch in a duel!>>6185878>Seo-YunPossible new tomboy teammate?>CatherinePossible new Ojou-sama teammate?>ClariceGlad to know she's doing okay. Hope she gets over her Stranger trauma, though, considering our friends.>>6185880>Though in the end, you settled on the Silent
>>6185885Oh, yeah, you check out any reviews of 2024's bad isekai that you think you could crib from? I've heard that A Nobody's Way Up to an Exploration Hero was pretty egregiously bad, as well as Failure Frame and The Banished Former Hero Lives As He Pleases. Admittedly, I only saw 2024's Bad Anime review from Mother's Basement on them, and I don't know whether or not 4chan's okay with him, so take it with a grain of salt.
>>6185880>Though in the end, you settled on the Loud PlanNo way we can pull off silent
>>6185895I haven't watched much trashy isekai lately other than the new one about the old dude becoming a villainess. I'll probably have to watch a review of this season to see what catches my interest. I've just watched so much sludge recently with anime that I'm trying to palate cleanse with actual good shows in my free time.
>>6185880>Though in the end, you settled on the Silent
>>6185880>You, of course, went with Plan Watercooler GossipWhich relies on befriending the manor's servants when they're out in town at the market or for other rreason, and getting their tongues loose.
Hello all! I've decided that a play isn't quite what I'm going for, instead we should have a scripted wargaming session. Say, there's a distant island™ with hidden jungles™ that could be used as a preparatory base for... exploring more distant islands™ . The immediate goal of such a plan would be to rush to these islands before a cosmic flashbang™ could take place, because those are really nasty. Let's say for hypothetical reasons that such a flashbang is going to occur in May.Roles:Moshiach (definitely taken, temple mount moment) Holy™ Roman™ Emperor™ (taken)Everything else (up for grabs)Under this unique wargaming session, we could choose to call our home base™ either Astral Avalon or the Holy™ Roman™ Empire™. (HRE) Just wait until we get a Holy™ Roman™ Armada!™ The only rules behind this wargaming session are Karma™ and Cosmic Balance™.Plan: Revelation has already happened, so why are you so scared of hell, huh?- Offer "Natives" an infinite money glitch™ - Say there's no way they could go to hell even if they wanted to, they just respawn™ somewhere else.This sound fun to ya'll?
>>6185880>>Though in the end, you settled on the Silent
>>6186199Yeah, sure thing man sounds great.Anyway, bite-sized update incoming.
>>6186601Pretty quickly, you leave Marie alone on a wooded hilltop on the outskirts of the Bloodgrave lodge. Sure she whined a bit when you chose to follow through with the silent plan due to the fact she will probably have nothing to do but draw circles in the dirt with her sentient sword. You managed to mollify her with the fact that if anything terrible does happen she’ll get to make a grand hero’s entrance to your rescue, sword blazing.Now, however, as you approach one of the side entrances of the three-story building, taking a route through the forest outskirts, you do your best to remember the layout of this specific building. The last time you were here was about nine years ago, but you hope not too much has changed over the years, seeing as this is more of a retreat for the Redgrave family than their actual home in their lands to the west. Though you do know for a fact the entire family should be here, seeing as there would be no way your father would ever allow them to leave the capital when there’s a possible insurrection happening, after all, them being the kingdom's largest vassal puts them under immediate suspect, even without the Stranger conspiracy added onto that.Now, seeing as it’s an hour before dawn, there’s no way any of them are awake. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a noble in Lindan that wakes up even two hours after dawn, it’s unfashionable, but some of the servants should just be rising to begin the housecare. And that is the premise of the following problem you tackled; how do you deal with them?A few immediate solutions came to mind, and you remember exactly which one you chose to follow through with>IntegrateAlyssa already has experience as a maid. How hard can it be? The two of you will go and join the groggy servants in changing and try to blend in with the scullery maids, giving yourself an air of legitimacy to your presence as you explore. However, the biggest problem with this is that, over the years, each noble house and the servants that have served for generations have developed a unique culture in their households. Alyssa and you will have to move despite total ignorance of what Bloodgrave maid etiquette is like.>StealthThis plan is easy. You won’t get seen at all. Perfect if you can pull it off, and it means you won’t have to change into uncomfortable, commoner clothes, which is a win-win. Well, it would be if you spent your formative years training to be an assassin instead of a warrior princess. With this plan, the longer you explore the manner, the more likely it is for the constantly rising serving staff and nobles to see you, so you should make whatever you’re about to do quick and snappy!>[Write-in]
>>6186625>IntegrateI want to see how Lorina learns how the peonage lives. Maybe she'll start to be nicer to the palace staff.Also because LORINA MAID OUTFIT PLEASE
>>6186625>StealthSneaky sneaky.
>>6186625>Stealth then integrateWe hide and observe the servant culture until too many of them wake up, then we join them in disguise
>>6186625>>IntegrateCan't resist a maid outift
>>6186625>Integrate
>>6186625>>Integrate
When one thinks of a noble household, the image in their mind’s eye is usually only that of the top of the goblin pole. The actual nobility, that is, but that does quite a disservice to the hundreds to thousands of laymen that also exist within the bounds of that household, and that is not even counting other noble vassals and courtiers. To simplify it for the sake of uneducated ears, unlike yourself, one can imagine a noble estate very similar to that of a workhouse, though much more luxurious, of course. Its bounds usually contain, and often houses, the servants of said family who have traditionally worked for one noble family who employed them for generations. A sort of commoner vassalage, if you will. Now, with so many servants who perform such a wide array of tasks, from gardening to smithing to housecare, the hierarchy has naturally sprouted up. While each fiefdom has a degree of autonomy, the trends of this hierarchy have usually stayed the same from house to house.Now, why is this important? Because even the maids of the estate have a hierarchy in their ranks, from leadership to laundry, to cleaning, and, of course, to cooking. The scullery maid is one such example, a servant at the lowest point of the servant hierarchy, usually having the role of chef’s assistant and predominantly a job worked by young women like yourself. It is also an occupation where the maid is supposed to be unseen by the nobles and other servants. To them, their work will miraculously appear without note or fanfare. It is the role that suits both you and Alyssa the best, for if one who is not the maid boss happens to see a scullery maid, they are likely to simply ignore them rather than cause a fuss. There’s also the bonus that their quarters are always easy to find for one looking, in a corner of the estate oft forgotten about by anyone of note.And that is where you find yourself now. In a dingy, forgotten, but not abandoned section of the estate. You’ve never been here before, but like always, your intuition was correct. Though there is one minor issue, the scullery maids are some of the first to rise in the morning so that they may get about their duties while the rest of the manor still sleeps, and you and Alyssa, both gorgeous women, if you must say so or a quality more refined than the simple peon stick out like a sore thumb against faces that are so… common. Also, your completely black cloaks don’t help either. However, as you walk through a backdoor into the changing and washroom next to the scullery quarters, you believe you should count yourself lucky that only two maids are currently inhabiting it. In their grogginess, neither of the young women seems to notice you as they dress themselves and spray what looks to be a concoction of magical and mundane perfumes. Maybe that is why the manner smells so much of sweetness?
>>6187852Whatever, that doesn’t matter right now. What does is the fact the two women wouldn’t stay ignorant of you in their changing room for long and the fact that Alyssa just walked past you with a hammer. Where did she even get that? You shake your head. That's not essential to know right now. You need to do something quickly, though you think whatever it is that you do doesn’t matter so much as you do it quick.>Walk up to the maid Alyssa isn’t approaching and knock them both out simultaneously >Pull Alyssa back and simply observe the maids>Call out to the maids [What do you say] >[Write-in]
>>6187853>Walk up to the maid Alyssa isn’t approaching and knock them both out simultaneouslyFinally get to use our sap for the first time, both in and out of character!
>>6187853>Walk up to the maid Alyssa isn’t approaching and knock them both out simultaneouslyTwo of them and two of usPottery
>>6187853>Cast Sleep on them like a civilized personKnocking people out with hits to the head leads to brain damage. Don't believe the movies.
>>6187853>Cast Sleep on them like a civilized person
>>6187917We’re in a fantasy medieval world with magic, there probably hasn’t been any studies on traumatic brain injuries like CTE yet. Concussions are probably the biggest known issue.YOU CAN’T KEEP ME FROM BONKING PEOPLE FOREVER, LORINA WILL SOON KNOW THE MEANING OF UNGA BUNGA
>>6187853>Walk up to the maid Alyssa isn’t approaching and knock them both out simultaneously
>>6187917Anon, movie logic is what we work with around these parts. Anyway writing.
You shake your head as you walk in step with Alyssa, your footfalls echoing hers so that it only sounds like one pair of feet approaching the maids. As your servant approaches one and you approach the other you ponder if it would be more effective to use sleep magic on them like a more civilized mage might. Then you feel the leather of your hidden sap in your fingers and something clicks off in your brain. Now, it is not a shameful thing to admit that you like to hit things with weapons, specifically people, and you did beat an underclassman over the head with a pipe once in a duel. But you do like hitting people with instruments of combat and once you look over to Alyssa standing directly behind one maid, and see the one in front of you start to turn, your most basic urge surfaces.“Unga bunga,” you think, and then there’s the satisfying thud of impact and an unconscious body falls to the floor. You wonder if Alyssa just experienced the same bliss you did. Eh, she probably did.“Do you require any help with your dress, commander?” Alyssa says as she begins to strip the body she took down, which you hastily follow in doing despite how shameful it is. “That will be quite alright. I am not unfamiliar with dresses, as you may know from my yearly debuts to celebrate the new year,” You state with some pride at the memories of such occasions, then there’s also of course the many royal balls and festivals where you are always supplied with a new, elaborate dress, and in which you quite completely overshine the other attendants, including your family members if you say so yourself.“I am now, but I understand your intention,” Alyssa says in her usual monotone. You deflate somewhat. “I will now barricade the doors, please hurry.”The next few minutes take embarrassingly long because, unlike those momentous occasions, you do not have a legion of maids to help you get all those damnable straps and buttons on. This is a commoner outfit how could it be so complicated!? It’s not like you can ask for help now either, not after saying you didn’t need any! You half expect to hear knocking from the blocked door but mercifully none comes and while you struggle with your dress, one Alyssa put on with the utmost speed. Hmph, like showing off how quickly you can cover yourself with peasantry clothing is any indication of anything! Whatever, at least she takes the excess time to make herself useful and hide the unconscious bodies in an empty crate in the corner. You do end up casting that sleep spell though, to extend their unconsciousness to at least a couple of hours then another spell, an illusion to make the bottom of the crate appear to be higher than the bodies are. Hopefully, you’ll be long gone before either of them wakes up almost naked and stuffed in a crate with their co-servant. You don’t want to half to deal with the fallout of that one and the less time you spend in this itchy, worn, commoner attire the better.
>>6188928But in order to get out of here you need to decide where you’re going to go first in this estate.>Investigate the master bedroomThe duke and his consort should still be asleep by this time of day but if they’re going to hide something secret their bedroom would be a good starting place. Besides you’re certain you know where this room is.>Try and find the Dukes study [investigate first or second floor?]Another safe bet for finding important documents and the like, but you’ve never actually been there.>Investigate Percy’s roomYou honestly have no idea what his schedule is like, you never cared or really bothered to learn too much about him personally other than what is required of your station but if that creep is up to something you’d bet he’d keep anything important close to home. Get it?>Investigate the basementOkay, this is obvious, at least that’s what Asher told you. Apparently, evil bad guys love to use the obviously evil basement to do all their dastardly evil deeds. That’s a direct quote actually. >[Write-in]
>>6188930>Investigate Percy’s roomFirst thing first, correspondance. We've got a handwritten letter from an apparent noble who wants revenge, we should see if Percy's or his friend's handwriting match. After that, though, definetly the basement.Also, grab that perfume for later, just in case the family is vampires or werewolves. The fact that those scullery maids were using it when they should be out of sight and ignored brings up some questions...Anybody else hoping to start a revolt with the maids and butlers if the Bloodgraves are actually vampires or necromancers or whatever?
>>6188935CRAP! Almost forgot to ask two important questions to QM!1> Does Lorina's dress have buttons?2> If it does, how well does it fit?TLDR: I wanna weaponize a wardrobe malfunction as a last ditch attack in case we're captured.
>>6188930>Try and find the Dukes study [investigate the same floor as his bedroom]
>>6188930>>Investigate the master bedroom
>>6188930>Percy’s roomInvade all the privacy
>>6188930>Investigate Percy’s room
>>6188935>>6189483>>6189496>>6189735Another small update since I struggle for free time on Wednesday.
Alright, you have to be honest with yourself. There’s no way you’re not going to investigate that white-haired fopdoodles room. If only to see what goes on in that bastard's little mind. Which is why the same minute you find enough space to hide all your weapons away in your new dress and that bottom of perfume, you march off in the direction you remember it being in. If you remember correctly, the first floor to the back has a nice view of the forest that would have freaked you out as a child, but you remember him ranting and raving about it. Why would anyone ever want a cemetery in their backyard? Well, at least it’d be silent as a grave at night. Get it?Once you approach what should be the appropriate door, you hold a hand up, and Alyssa stops without a word. You close your eyes and sense the area with your sixth sense. Although never as skilled as you, Percy was still an exceptional mage, almost on par with Herrman, so it would not be surprising if he hid wards around his room like some of the most paranoid are known to do. Granted, there’s nothing you can sense here, so either you’re wrong about his room or his paranoia, but either way, caution never hurt anyone. So, you gently open the door and are assaulted by a stench that is… pleasant? The only way to describe it is like saying you overdosed on lavender. It's a ludicrous concept, but honestly, you have no other words to say. The second thing you notice is that Percy’s bed is unmade, and there’s a draft on the far curtain. “Lock the door and investigate the room,” You whisper-command to an ever-obedient servant. There’s no reply other than the clicking for locks behind you. Sure, Alyssa is pleasant enough company, but something nags you at the loss of both Marie’s and Asher’s banter as you begin to open the closest drawers and search through them. The room itself has not changed much; it’s much smaller than your own, more closely resembling a dorm at the Academy, but that is to be expected somewhat with a manor mostly used during vacations and when it’s required for the family to meet at the capital. It’s an away estate, not the Bloodgrave's true home. It also has the same rustic cabin feel that much of the estate does, though it does not bear any hunting trophies that you can see. Still, the various occult-like symbols do make your skin crawl, even if they aren’t exactly heretical. The Goddess’ teaching never forbade the worship of lesser deities or spirits, so ancient druidism, while looked at with distrust by many, is not something you, as an Inquisitor, can afford to pay attention to now. Even if you don’t understand what some of these symbols even mean, like that star with a circle around it and goat’s head in the center framed in multiple locations.
>>6190230Then, on your way to the curtain, you open his closet and are subsequently distressed. It’s not at his clothing choices; those are actually pretty good, with plenty of reds and blacks, which, in your royal opinion, is one of the best color combinations. No, it’s the portrait of you at the far end of the wall with many long holes in it, like it was used as a target or a dagger-throwing competition. That is, well, grounds for an immediate royal investigation, if nothing else, at the very least. But it also brings to your mind that letter that was delivered to you from inside a man's head. Concerning. Very concerning. So much so that you take a few steps back and need to grab the base of the windowsill to keep yourself orientated. That is when you notice that the window is fully open, and muddy boot tracks lead deeper into the misty, grave-filled forest. What is it that Asher says in these situations? Oh yes! Jesus Christ.>Despite your unsettled nerves, you decide to follow those tracks into the woods>Investigate another part of the house [Where?]>No, just no. You’re leaving this place now!>[Write-in]
>>6190231...Lavender was historically used in WWI to cover up the horrible smells in medical wards, to the point where soldiers gangrenous wounds were given bags of lavender and verbina when there was no way to help them from dying to the rot. So it might make sense for it to be used to cover up the smells of bodies.>Investigate another part of the house [Where?]Jesus Christ, and he danced with us at the ball... If this is Percy's room, we gotta check both his parents room and the basement.Also, take a quick whiff of the perfume, in case it's either lavender or garlic.And grab some of his summer homework so we can check it against the letter we have.
>>6190231>>No, just no. You’re leaving this place now!
>>6190245Oh, almost forgot:>Try and find the Dukes study
>>6190230Okay, there should be a limit to what artists do to poor Selvaria. It's not even a human at this point. Why the hell is her ribcage fucking concave?>>6190231>Investigate another part of the house The basement
>>6190231>>Despite your unsettled nerves, you decide to follow those tracks into the woods
>>6190231>Despite your unsettled nerves, you decide to follow those tracks into the woods>>6190303That's what happens when the original artist draws hentais
>>6190231>Despite your unsettled nerves, you decide to follow those tracks into the woods
First things first, you steal what looks to be summer homework, even if it’s not a match to that letter in your belongs back at the cathedral it’s the least that creep deserves. You don’t need words to communicate what's wrong to Alyssa, just a few points. Then a deep breath before you climb out the window of the estate. Something about the woods makes your skin crawl and you can’t put a finger on what exactly it is. Disconcerting but it’s probably nerves and nothing serious. At the very least you won’t have to risk being caught by the servant staff as they begin to rise with the sun. The sun that isn’t managing to penetrate far into the forest you can now see.It’s almost kind of suspicious how easy these tracks are to follow, you don’t even need Alyssa to lead you. Though that you can attribute Percy not to think an Inquisitor would break into his room in the early morning. Needless to say, that was not a concern you had when you were still ignorant to the institution you’re now a part of and it’s likely many noble are too privileged ever to think that an Inquisitor could come for them, that they’d be above it all. Well, you’ve learned they’re not, not even close.Now other than the pressing issue about how much longer you’re going to be in this black and white dress, there is one more issue. In a hidden pocket, you currently have a Strangetech device to let you communicate with Marie, with i,t you can get her to come with you. She would no doubt be a huge asset in a fight. You’ve seen her progress in combat in only a few short months, it’s honestly unfair, but as stated previously before entering the manor you can scratch any illusions about sneaking into the forest with her nearby. She is about the least stealthy person you have ever met and you bet if there is any stray branch on the ground she will step on it. At a most inopportune moment too.>Bring Maire>Leave her as backup
>>6191620>Bring Maire
>>6191620>Leave her as backup
>>6191620>>Leave her as backup
Just letting everyone know that the update will come tomorrow. Also that the Chiefs got what was coming to them.
>>6193708
I broke up with my girlfriend today which wasn't fun, going to probably make a short update because of that.
The forest is dark, cramped, lonely, a bit spooky, and a smidge evil. That’s all in your (correct) opinion of course but you’ve reason to believe many others would share your thoughts. The graves certainly add to the ambiance if nothing else, it’s not a very pleasant ambiance but hey it’s there. It doesn’t look like Alyssa is bothered one bit either. Sure it would be nice if she could talk now and then to try and ease your nerves but nobody's perfect. At the very least both of you are silent as a grave.As you wander deeper and deeper into the woods it gets progressively harder to follow the tracks made by what you can assume is Percival. Not because they get covered up, no, but because the woods get harder to traverse. It’s harder to leave a track on an exposed root compared to the muddy ground and eventually, you’re forced to let Alyssa, the more experienced tracker due to her veterancy, take the lead. That gets you a bit farther, past a few gruesome strung-up sigils in trees, you for instance had no idea goats' intestines were that long, and while there’s certainly the feeling that you’re being watched you press on regardless. That is until“Commander, I believe we are lost,” Alyssa says.“What do you mean we’re lost?”“Do you require me to repeat myself?” Alyssa says the worst part is that she means it.You sigh, “No, I do not. How did we get lost?” You ask with the utmost restraint.“The tracks are impossible to see with this mist and I believe I have seen that tree before.”You don’t curse, not one bit, but you do look around and see what appears to be a peculiar section of graves in this area of the forest. Well, they’re peculiar for the reason that there seems to be mist emanating out of them like some smokey material was placed inside the coffins and it’s been seeping up. >Investigate>Walk in a different direction>[Write-in]
>>6194570>Investigate
>>6194570>Investigatelets see what we can find
>>6194570>>Investigate
>>6194570>Investigate, reluctantly.
>>6194570>>Investigate>>6194550My condolences. Your players and Lorina would never break up with you at least.
>>6194550My condolences, i hope things get better on your end soon.
>>6194550Take a break if you need it. Prioritize yourself.
>>6195052>>6195104>>6195145Thank you, anons, it means a lot knowing that both you and my totally real waifu will never leave me. Anyway, update probably tomorrow happy valentines day.
The last thing you ever thought you’d be in this life was a grave robber but even if you don’t even intend to take anything, you’re rich enough as is, desperate times call for desperate measures. Still, as the foliage crumples underneath your boots your stomach churns, though it’s alleviated somewhat at the distinct scent of lavender that fills your nose. It’s so strong it almost makes you step back.“Alyssa, you wouldn’t happen to have a shovel handy, would you?” You quietly ask.She shakes her head as if to say, “No.”“Damn,” You curse as you kneel down to the closest grave. The smell is even more intense here, though you can’t see any lavenders mixed in with the area's normal wildflowers, mosses, and ferns. Plenty of daisies, however. When you look up at the grave itself, instead of the breathing(?) soil in front of it, you see what looks to be a purple flower crown sitting across the stone. None of the petals are wilted. Perhaps it was put here recently? They’re newer than the grave, whose etchings have long since eroded to illegibility. Perhaps some would think it a shame that such an ancient part of history has been lost to time. Not you, though; you don’t really care. However, there is something you care quite a bit about right now. Remember how you mentioned the ground breathing? Well, now what just felt like the winds getting under and moving the moss has turned into what can only be described as a bunch of gnomes lifting unset soil up, and down, and up again making it into a wave-like motion in front of the each of the graves. With each of these motions, more mist seeps from the ground and that scent gets thicker. It’s such an assault on your senses that you almost don’t see the two rotted hands that tear open the earth in front of you nor the flower-crowned decaying head that lunges for you.Almost.With effortless grace, you leap back onto your feet and onto more solid ground. Alyssa takes a step beside you as the two of you bear witness to an evergrowing legion of corpses rising from the countless graves around you. There has to be dozens.“You ever fought ghouls before Alyssa?” You ask as you steel yourself.“Not ghouls, commander,” Alyssa says, her head never moving but her eyes quickly analyzing the area, “Their movements are not fluid enough. Zombies most likely.”“Good to know,” You admit with a quick quirk of your head, “You think there’s any relation to our suspect?”“I don’t know,” She says. You don’t know either.You sigh, “At least I’m sure we’ve both faced worse than this,” All you get is a nod in response before her back lines up with yours. You’re surrounded. >You grip your sword [Or another weapon]. This shouldn’t even take ten minutes>Your hair rises as feel the magic surge through you [What spell do you cast?]>You have no idea if this is the worst this forest will send at you. Commit to a fighting retreat>[Write-in]
>>6197960>Your hair rises as feel the magic surge through you [What spell do you cast?]Entangling roots should hold the zombies for a bit to give us some room to escape. Maybe lead them back to the Manor?
>>6197960>>6197990+1Goodbye, the set of Thriller by Michael Jackson
>>6197960>>6197990Supporting
>>6197960>Your hair rises as feel the magic surge through you [What spell do you cast?]Turn Undead, naturally
>>6198415+1
>>6197990+1
Your hands shoot to the floor as you kneel at such a speed there’s no doubt the average commoner's eye couldn’t keep up. Without a second thought, you channel magical energy through your body through your arms and into the tangled roots covering the ground. The soil trembles for the second time this day, though not because of foul magics but through your power alone. Hardened roots and thorny vines cascade from the forest's plethora of flora and lash out at the nearest not-so-living creature. The zombies seem to be unable to do much of anything against Sister Nature herself as razor-sharp leaves serrate them apart as they soar through the air, as vines grapple them and tear them limb from limb suspended in mid-air, and as roots trip their shambling feet and tear the ground open to swallow these abominable creations beach from whence they came. Alyssa has to do little more than ward off the few approaching corpses with a shashka she got from- well, somewhere.It seems that in a battle of plants vs. zombies, the victor is quite easy to determine. Actually, it’s rather too easy now that you think about it. It's too easy if you’re going to be honest. You should have only put in a small dosage of magic, and yet you find yourself feeling rather faint as the forest comes alive around you. Did that tree just eat a zombie? Maybe you’re seeing things and need to take a nap. There’s a tiredness behind your eyes that won’t go away. You just need to close them- “Commander, your arm!” Alyssa says with more emphasis than you’re used to from her. It’s not a lot moreso she just speaks quicker but that's still way more than usual.“My what..?” You trail off as your head falls, coincidently making you look down to where your hands are connected with the ground, letting you see the vines coiling up them. On instinct, you try to free yourself, but the thorns have bit deep, making blood cascade down your perfect, smooth arms. Blood, however, is not the only thing the forests saps from you, as you can feel your mana being drained rapidly. Perhaps you were wrong before when it was just your nerves upsetting you. There are not evil things in these woods, but the woods itself is evil. As consciousness is about to fail, Alyssa’s sword cuts through the forest’s binds and hooks an arm around your shoulders, preventing your fall. “We should retreat,” She says as her sword cuts through both a zombie and the mossy creature following close behind it.
>>6201754“Mmghm,” You respond with much dignity before being somewhat slightly assisted through the forest. Much of the first few minutes is a blur as you teeter on the edge of awareness, but as you press on slowly but ever so surely, the blackness at the edge of your eyes recedes. The waking world presents itself to you. Alyssa seems to have made it far even with a hindrance but that does not mean the threat has ended, only lessened. In the distance, you can still see a few shambling corpses with the help of the sun's first rays, and the vines seem to swing, threatenly, towards you, but it is without much power. Behind you, blocking the sun, stands the Bloodgrave Manor. Whatever compelled them to build so close to this evil place? Could it truly be just noble eccentricity? >That… didn’t exactly go as planned. Perhaps you should go back to the manor?>You’re still standing and still curious about where Percy went off to, now more than ever. Press deeper.>You should probably call Marie before anything>[write-in]
>>6201755>You’re still standing and still curious about where Percy went off to, now more than ever. Press deeper.
>>6201755>That… didn’t exactly go as planned. Perhaps you should go back to the manor?Nothing brightens a shit day like an update to this quest for me.
>>6201755>That… didn’t exactly go as planned. Perhaps you should go back to the manor?
>>6201755>>You should probably call Marie before anything
>>6201755>You should probably call Marie before anythingMaybe
>>6201755>You’re still standing and still curious about where Percy went off to, now more than ever. Press deeper
>>6201755>>That… didn’t exactly go as planned. Perhaps you should go back to the manor?
You rub your eyes and scrunch your face before letting out a deep sigh. You hate having to admit defeat for an ingenious plan of your own, but in times like this? Well, you aren’t going to! “Alyssa, let’s head back to the manor as we wait for everything to calm down. Perhaps it won’t be long until Percival returns.”“Understood,” Is all she says. You’re found wanting when you wait for anything else from her. The walk of shame back isn’t long, though it feels excruciatingly so, and you really do hope no one saw you walk back inside the manor through the window you left it from. That would do nothing to help you here. Once you’ve both returned back to the creep's room and have a moment to catch your breath, the unimaginable happens, the door opens, and a pink-haired maid walks in. Well, it is pretty imaginable that you hardly thought you could evade the others forever, especially seeing as you returned to the manor after sunrise. It’s just as imaginable as the fact that when she sees you, two serious-looking women in torn maid uniforms, she squeaks and drops the tray of food she was carrying. “I-i’m sorry I didn’t- I didn’t know- uh- uh- I’ll go!” She flusters before scrambling to grab hold of the door.“No!” You yell as you bolt towards the concerned woman and drag her inside the room. Her voice gets increasingly higher as she stammers and stutters before you roughly slap her mouth with your hand, silencing her as you maidhandle her. She squirms quite a bit in your grasp but is not even close to a match for you, though Alyssa doesn’t seem to think so as she approaches the young woman quite menacingly, causing her to try and shriek. You fiercely shake your head at her to get the battlemaid to back off on attacking the actual maid. “You’re not going to scream,” Is the first thing you say to settle the nerves of the woman who is misunderstanding this whole situation, “There’s a good explanation for this, just please don’t make a scene,” You continue, “You won’t.. Right?” She rapidly nods at your comforting tone, “Good,” You say and let go of your hold.Good news: she doesn’t scream. Bad news: You need to come up with a good excuse before she does in lets say, in the next ten seconds. Great news, this should be trivial to your superior intellect.>What is your excuse?
>>6205026>”Actually, no, I don’t really have one, but since Percy’s got a portrait of m- the princess that he uses as a dartboard in his closet, and that he’s under suspicion of working with a secret Stranger society attempting to kill the royal family, do you really want to go with him to the noose?”>”Also, we have better pay and nicer uniforms.”
>>6205026>Give her a bag of gold and tell them to shut up and stay here until we tell them otherwise
>>6205026"We receiver special task, that we can't talk about from {Whatever Percival's father is called}"
>>6205116Supporting
>>6205454>It ends up going from a hostage scenario to Lorina poaching House Bloodgrave’s staff out from under them to get to Percy
>>6205116+1Looks good
Thank the Goddess you have your hair tied up to distance yourself from the regal yet torn portrait in Percy’s closet. “I assume you are the maid who takes care of this room in the manor?” You lead with a question.Hesitantly, the maid nods, “Y-yes.”“And are you aware of the portrait of m- the Princess in his closet? The dartboard one?”“Uh, um-”“Well, do you?” You stress.She nods, her fear of you skyrocketing, “W-who are you?” She stammers while unconsciously stepping back towards the door. She lets out a small “Eep!” When she bumps into Alyssa’s firm body.From a pocket you pull out two things, your new Inquisitorial Medal and a few gold, “Did you also know that Percival Bloodgrave is under suspicion for consorting with Strangers? Perhaps, you know even more than us?” Her eyes widen, not in anxious fear but in pure unbridled terror as she sees your medal, “NO!” She says far too loudly causing Alyssa to snatch her mouth. Thinking fast you stomp on the metallic tray she dropped to mimic the sound of her dropping it again for any servants close by. “It would behoove you to stay quiet,” You say in order to calm her, seeing as things can only get worse for everyone if she attracts attention. It seems to work as she nods rapidly, though, for some reason, a tear falls from one of her eyes; maybe she has summer allergies? “Now you do realize these are pretty serious crimes, yes?” Another nod as Alyssa lets go of her mouth, “And it would be a shame if such an ‘innocent’ lady such as yourself was to be sent to the noose with him as a collaborator,” She whimpers, “But that does not necessarily need to be the case.”“W-what do you mean?” She says with a complex mix of expressions on her face and in her eyes.You pocket your medal but keep the gold out, far more than a simple serving girl would see in a year, mere pocket change for yourself, “After all, we have better pay, and while it may not look it now, nicer uniforms.”Her eyes, somehow, get wider, “Are you offering to recruit me?”“Temporarily, at least,” You say, “That is if you tell me about-”>What do you ask the maid?
>>6206266>Ask about any suspicious characters Percival or his family has come in contact with, along with any other abnormal behavior
>>6206266>”To start with, name and current assignment.”>”What’s the deal with the lavender perfume? Why’s it smell like that outside?”>”Is there anything we should be made aware of in the basement?”>Be slightly annoyed that Asher was correct about basements once again (if there is anything to know about the basement).>”For your assistance, you may be offered your choice of assignment with either the Inquisition or the Lindan Royal family, assuming the latter survive and this mission succeeds.”>>6206299+1
>>6206333All of this and also what's going on with the forestAs well as advice on how to move through the manor to avoid detection
>>6206266>Ask about any suspicious characters Percival or his family has come in contact with, along with any other abnormal behavior>”To start with, name and current assignment.”>”What’s the deal with the lavender perfume? Why’s it smell like that outside?”>”Is there anything we should be made aware of in the basement?”>Be slightly annoyed that Asher was correct about basements once again (if there is anything to know about the basement).>”For your assistance, you may be offered your choice of assignment with either the Inquisition or the Lindan Royal family, assuming the latter survive and this mission succeeds.”
>>6206499+1
>>6206499Supporting
>>6207578“To start with, what of your name and current assignment?”“I-I’m Rory, and I’m a- uh, housemaid. I mostly deliver food and clean the noble's study and bed-chambers, else I’m to be within earshot of a serving bell,” A generic serving girl then.“I see. Have the Bloodgraves you’ve been attending had any suspicious company? Or been having any abnormal behaviors?”She blinks for a second and tries to think before sheepishly replying, “Not that I know of? We all try to keep our heads down, and if I’m honest, all nobles are the same to me,” A foolish sentiment every noble is utterly unique, “I wouldn’t be able to tell you if one noble was too much more shady than another or if Lord Bloodgraves newest eccentricity is something serious or a weekly fad of higher society.”“Hmph, fine. Then what of the scent of lavender everywhere? I saw serving girls applying it in perfume everywhere. Is that a new fad as well?”“Oh no,” She says with a shake of the head, “Everyone’s been doing that far before I got here. I asked once, too, and the Head Maid said Lord Bloodgrave has a sensitive sense of smell and doesn’t want to smell anything bad in his own home?”“Then what about the forest? It had the same stench. I even saw undead with crowns of lavender.”She shrugs with a helpless look, “I’ve never gone into the forest, feared wolves or maybe trolls would tear me apart if I did. But please believe me I don’t know anymore about that,” She seems a bit antsy and there’s tears in the corner of her eyes as you keep asking questions. Why? A sign of guilt perhaps?“Then what of the basement? What goes on in there?” You’re going to be quite miffed if Asher turns out correct on this one.Again she looks helpless, “I, ergh, I don’t know? Please I just work here and that’s not my job. I’ve always assumed it was just storage for family heirlooms or treasures or something since Lord and Lady Bloodgrave keep it locked.”“That’s not very helpful you do understand? Realize there’s a very real opportunity for you to gain employment for either the Inquisition or the Lindan Royal Family, to which I have many connections too, should I deem your assistance of quality.”“It’s the truth, Lady Inquisitor! I-I don’t know anything else!” You roll your eyes, peasants, always so emotional. Though while she, along with probably all the serving staff, seems to be kept in the dark about the goings on in this manner, perhaps she can still be useful?>What would you like to say to/do with the Maid?Otherwise, it probably isn’t wise to loiter in Percy’s room while you’ve no knowledge of when he will return>Where do you want to go? climb in back and we'll be off
>>6207912>”Well, Rory, seeing as what we had to deal with outside, we’re going to need a set of clean uniforms for us and an ally, a safe place to her to enter and for us to change.”>”After that, we’ll be heading down to inspect the basement. That includes you.”Maids versus zombies… if this doesn’t end with Lorina, Alicia and Marie leading an army of maids against the Bloodgrave family, I’m gonna be very upset.
>>6207991+1
>>6207991+1 just for the prospect of an army of maids
>>6207912Ask about the Bloodgraves' routines and schedules.
>>6208399Actually… while we’re changing…>”Has Percival voiced his opinions regarding the Princess while you were in earshot?”>”Do his parents know of his animosity towards her? Do they even bother to discourage him about it?”>Wonder to self, “If he hated me enough to use a picture of me as a knife stop, why on earth did he offer to dance with me?”
As you change into your new and untorn clothes, you feel a sigh of relief because even if they are a bit tight in the chest, style is much better than substance in all cases. You might consider yourself a somewhat sentimental lady at times, but not for that torn piece of garbage that constitutes a scullery maid uniform. You find yourself appreciating Rory’s black-and-white spare. As the three of you scurried through the manor earlier, you learned that Rory was one of the privileged few to enjoy the comfort of her own room due to her status as a personal attendant. However, she isn’t important enough to have her own abode like the head maid on the property. It’s a small and cramped place under a stairwell, but you suppose it does well enough for your needs, though the thought you you ever living in a room like this utterly bounces off your mental shields.“So, Rory, has Percival ever voiced his opinions about the Princess out loud?”The maid looks away the you and Alyssa change, however that does not stop the waiver in her voice, “Only in brief muttering in the privacy of his room and while he sleeps. Elsewise he would complain about her on occasion to Lord and Lady Bloodgrave about her behavior at the Academy.”“Oh? How so?”“I-I think I remember him speaking much on her disregard for us commonfolk and how she seemed to have it out for a friend of hers, Linedale, I believe?” She doesn’t sound so certain about the name, but you’re smart enough to know she means Anastasia Lyndale. You click your tongue.“What about him then? How does he treat the peas- the common man?”“The young master has always tried to be polite even with us ordinary folk. Only times he’s ever been irritable with us is when he’s stressed due to illness or classes or such,” You don’t make a face. You treat the peons with all the respect they deserve, too! Naturally, it’s far below that of a noble, but that’s just their station in life!Still, if he despises me so much, why would he offer to dance? You always assume that while a total weirdo who stays in his room practicing alchemy and occultist magic, Percy was always one of the other elite heirs you were closest to. You couldn’t even do the same about Herrman. Is he just some kind of psycho? Not that you’d be surprised. “Rory, I would like to head to the basement for my investigation. Do you know how to get in?”“The head maid might have the key?” She doesn’t sound so confident, “She should be out of her house by now. Otherwise, I know the Lord and Lady should have a way in, but I doubt they’re awake at this hour. They’re always drowsy during the day.”>It’s probably safer to break into the head maid's home to look for the key>It would be much faster to take it from a room in the building, even if you’ll need to find a way to make sure they do not rise>[Write-in]
>>6210823>It’s probably safer to break into the head maid's home to look for the key
>>6210823>>It would be much faster to take it from a room in the building, even if you’ll need to find a way to make sure they do not rise
>>6210823>It would be much faster to take it from a room in the building, even if you’ll need to find a way to make sure they do not rise
>>6210823>It would be much faster to take it from a room in the building, even if you’ll need to find a way to make sure they do not rise>I’m not that bad with the proletariat class, I’ve got one or two that I can call friends, like Marie!>…no, wait, she said her family used to be some sort of noble thing long before she was alive… what about Clarice?>…I think I need to visit her tavern more often before I can say that, especially when I took out her eye… Asher’s friend’s spider demihuman wife, the one with the daughter?>…the fact I can’t remember either of their names isn’t telling, it’s just that I’m too busy skulking around a possible terrorist’s house! Shut up!
If you were averse to risks, then you wouldn’t be here, metaphorically as an Inquisitor and physically inside the manor of a noble family, you have very little legal right to be infiltrating. Honestly, perhaps it would be better if you were a commoner, seeing as if you’re caught. House Bloodgrave would much prefer you to be an Inquisitor without status instead of one of the heirs to the entire kingdom. You, instead, are one of the heirs to their overlord and rival to their power, your father. Though technically all their power is granted to them by your father, you are much too educated to be fooled by what a commoner may consider the realities of the feudal hierarchy.Actually, it’s quite shocking how informed you are! After all, you are very in touch with the peon- with the common folk, perhaps even more than Percival is! You could even consider yourself an ally of the lower classes, such as the workers, and the servants, and the other ones… H-hold on! You actually have many friends who are of a lesser status, like Marie- Ah, didn’t she say something about being a type of wealthy noble back in her hellish world? Well, there’s always Clarice? You talked to her once at the tavern? Maybe you should go there more- er, there’s Alyssa! Alyssa is… the daughter of a noble, Asher? No, he’s disinherited, and if anything, you can’t separate him from being at least a knight in your mind, not in the chivalry of valor but in the profession, which is minor nobility. Okay, what about his Stranger friend and his demi-human family whose names you can’t remember.Wait! Change of topic! The dissident's house! Rory has reached the door to Lord and Lady Bloodgrave's room, and it’s completely pitch black inside as the door slowly creaks open. Dammit, all that’s not good either! Especially so as one of the covered forms on the bed, which now has a line of light in it, begins to stir. “Winter?” You hear a gravely masculine voice mutter, “What is it, darling?” He continues as he shifts to look at the still-slumbering form next to him. Apparently, he’s too drowsy to realize the situation he’s in. Which means you have to act fast!“Allow me to help with their slumber,” Alyssa says as she brings out a sap you did not see her put into her robe as she changed. Maybe you should ask for techniques to hide weapons from her?Rory, on the other hand, looks panicked at the almost-murderous glare in the ex-warriors eyes contrasted with her emotionless face. >Make up a convincing lie as to why maids might be in the Lord's room [Why?]>Let Alyssa do her thing>[Write-in]
I’m not going to link this write-in to the votes because I think it’s kind of risky, but it’s the first thing I thought of…>”Only your maidservants, My Lord and Lady, here to inform you that breakfast may be delayed this morning. Two of the new scullery maids went into the forest, and barely made it out. They are drowsy from blood loss, and their pay will be docked for their recovery for this error.”
>>6211773…actually, change the docked pay part to, “punished accordingly”, sounds vague enough to pass as knowing what the possible consequences are for wandering into the forest.
>>6211769>Let Alyssa do her thing
>>6211769I’ll link these back to the votes since I don’t see any suggestions I like better yet.>>6211773>>6211776
>>6211769>Let Alyssa do her thingGo our side kick!
>>6211769>>Let Alyssa do her thing
Just want to let you guys know it will likely be another week before the next update.
>>6214026That's okay QM
>>6214026No problem, boss. Enjoy your break, we’ll be waiting for you when you get back!
You don’t even try to stop Alyssa as she soldiers into the room, bludgeon in hand. She doesn’t bother to conceal her steps nor her malicious intent from the high nobles. You look on with a steely resolve as a part of you cry out, seeing someone of such high status unaware of the beating he’s about to suffer. The fact that Alyssa wears the clothing of commoners does nothing to help this feeling.“W-wait!” Rory calls out with a shaking, raised hand, totally unable to comprehend what she’s about to see. Hah, at least you can keep your nerve.“Huh, whose there-!” The Lord calls into the dark.*CRACK*But he is not met with words but with a smack to his temple, sending his body flying back towards his luxurious and waiting bed. She does it with such force that the sound and vibrations that rock the bed wake his consort, who receives a very similar treatment. The blow is so hard you wince a bit at the sound of it, even turning your head around to make sure none of the servants heard and were coming to investigate. You quickly realize how smart of an idea it would be to step fully into the room and lock the door, so you do just that. Or well, you would have if it wasn’t for the fact you see movement in the corner of your in the slim sliver of light the creaked open door provides. Then, all the hairs on your body stand on end as the air wells up with static for just a moment before Alyssa is fried with a blast of concentrated lightning emitting from the raised hand of Duke Wymond de Bloodgrave.“Who dares!” You hear the Lord shout as Alyssa is taken off guard. Her body freezes up for a brief second before contorting in a variety of rather uncomfortable positions before the surge of magical power runs its course through her, and she stumbles back, standing but not unhurt. Ah, perhaps you underestimated a high noble, practically all of which are Mageknight graduates. Though much like Alyssa, the pajama-wearing man isn’t exactly unharmed. If anything, he is rather disorientated, and with the near-pitch darkness they keep in their bed-chamber, he’s unlikely to see you, a disastrous outcome of the like you do not even need to explain, but at the same time, anything you do will alert the entire household. You can practically count down the time it should take the estate guard to be here; it only takes the Royal Guard a minute to respond to a distressed call in your memory, and the Lord looks to be opening his mouth. In an instant, you>Open the door as fast as you can, the incoming light is surely to blind the man long enough to let you and Alyssa send him back to his dreams, though surely this will alert the entire manor to your activities >Cast a spell of sleep to knock him unconscious, though you’ll have to pray to the Goddess that his willpower is weak enough to let you>[Write-in]
Welcome back. How was your time off?>>6217736...yeah, I don't think I'm gonna be able to sleep tonight.
>>6217736>Cast a spell of sleep to knock him unconscious, though you’ll have to pray to the Goddess that his willpower is weak enough to let you
>>6217736Nice update.>Cast a spell of sleep to knock him unconscious, though you’ll have to pray to the Goddess that his willpower is weak enough to let you
>>6217736>>Cast a spell of sleep to knock him unconscious, though you’ll have to pray to the Goddess that his willpower is weak enough to let you
>>6217744It was pretty nice anon, thanks for asking. Now prepare for a bite-size update.
With a flutter of your black and white sleeve, your hand shoots out toward the bed unleashing a legion of purple spores that swell as a cloud and cover half the room. Immediately you hear coughing come from the Lord as he finds it impossible not to inhale the concentrated, yet dispersed, mana you blasted into the air. “Cheap trick,” He says in a haggard breath before grabbing the corner of his padded covers and throwing the blanket in your direction. Too bad for him though, your spell has already taken effect. Try as he might he finds himself unable to fully control his body as his limbs find it difficult to stay awake and even though his willpower seems to be large and his experience vast, you’re on a whole different level of skill. You find yourself smiling subconsciously, this time it’s not just you either. Like a feral dog, Alyssa leaps towards the bedridden man and grabs his now exposed legs before hastily yanking and throwing him across the room. What happens next is rather obvious and unneeded of explanation but the end result is a badly bruised and beaten unconscious Lord. As you might be able to tell, this brings you to a rather dire situation before you can actually examine the room itself seeing as no doubt at least some servants heard the yelling from outside the manor and the fact the Lord of the house, while going to be asleep for quite a while, is not exactly picturesque. You’re going to need to do something before you can search the room.>Cast illusion spells to make this room seem as it is as it was and hide. You’ll wait out whoever comes to investigate>Simply ransack the room looking for the key you need and bail as quick as you can>Bail without ransacking the room and go somewhere else as this all plays out [Go where?]>[write-in]
>>6219444>Cast illusion spells, then ransack the room hoping to find the key before anyone investigates. If somebody comes, hide
>>6219444First, nice get. Second, does the sleep spell we just cast keep him magically asleep, or will he still awaken if he’s roused by, say, maids screaming or Weekend at Bernie’s style body handling? Because if it’s the first, just open the windows and hide the old man’s body in a large chest or a wardrobe, perhaps his son’s, even.
>>6219460For clarification, I'm 0WK9u83K.>>6219444Just had an idea. Wrap Bloodgrave Sr. up in the blanket and have Alyssa and Rory carry him out in it like a carpet to the linen closet, Mafioso body-in-the-rolled-up-carpet style, then climb into the bed after using an illusion spell on Lorina to look and sound like him, then climb into bed.
>>6219444>>Cast illusion spells, then ransack the room hoping to find the key before anyone investigates. If somebody comes, hide
>>6219444>>Simply ransack the room looking for the key you need and bail as quick as you can
>>6219456+1
You take no time to tidy up the room other than demanding that Rory throw the now thankfully unconscious body of Lord Bloodgrave on the bed. She does so in stunned silence, most likely wondering how in the span of a few minutes her life has suddenly become so complex. You feel a modicum of sympathy for the peasant, you’ve had that same experience as well during your first mission with Asher. You shake your head and disregard the memories of the perverted Stranger as you weave magic like a nymph does water casting spells of illusion all around the room. At the same time, Alyssa tears the room apart grabbing anything that may seem useful, magical trinkets, keyloops, and some jewelry it would seem. If you were less informed you’d think that would be simple robbery but in fact, it is highly unfashionable in upper society to wear mundane regalia, so almost all jewelry worn by dukes, earls, margraves, and all higher nobles is enchanted in some way. Often this includes enchantments that have normal daily uses, such as acting as keys to locks or providing warmth on the overcast rainy days that are all too common in Lindan. Huddied steps approach from outside the door, of which just a crack is left, so you cast the spell you’ve woven across the entire room as you instruct Alyssa and Rory to hide before you quickly follow suit.
>>6221781Victoria is the first to respond to the sounds that come from the master bedroom. It sounded all too like fighting, something she thought she finally got away from when Lady Bloodgrave found her impoverished on the streets of the capital. Could it be that her life is in danger? That one of the fiends from the forest finally found their way into the manor? Victoria hopes that’s not the case, she’s not sure what she’d do if something happened to the Mistress. As she looks back, to the swarm of maids and assorted servants she can see the same worry on her face echoed on there. The only thing that makes her response faster than there are is her elven dexterity and grace.‘Mistress, please be okay,’ The thought continuously repeats in her mind as she reaches the slightly ajar door of the master bedroom, only to hear a mighty SMACK. Her heart drops in her chest as she prepares to slam open the door and face the intruder, damn the consequences!“Oooh~” Only for a loud moan to come through the cracked door with a tone Victoria would never have thought come from the stern and taciturn woman that is Lady Bloodgrave. Her heart now doesn’t exactly rise to where it was, but it does flutter and she peers slightly into the pitch-black room where she can barely make out two figures moving… Well, let’s just say very aggressively.For a moment Victoria just stands there stunned, so much so she doesn’t notice the legion of servants crowding around her and having the exact same experience as her nor does she notice the trickles of blood that fall from her nose or the red that’s overtaken her cheeks. To think that Lady Bloodgrave enjoys it like- like that? That’s, well, that’s rather- um- “What exactly is going on here?” Comes the voice of the head maid to the assembled crowd as she gently closes the door to the master suite. Victoria hates to have to admit it wasn’t her agitated voice that got her attention but the abrupt stop of her- uh, her viewing that did. But soon she thankfully can take solace in that the headmaid's fury isn’t solely directed at her but instead around a dozen or so maids, and a few butlers.Though as they’re led away to give the Lord and Lady privacy a lingering thought finds itself at the back of Victoria’s mind, what was that shimmering movement >Heading into the closet?>Moving out the window?>[Write-in]
>>6221782>Heading into the closet?
>>6221782>[Write-in]Hiding under the bed?Hey StrangeQM, how you doing? Were you here for yesterday's lame joke?
>>6221811Didn't go on 4chan since I was out celebrating my joke of a birthday, what was it?
>>6221878First off, congrads for continuing to exist, Boss! Here's hoping you had a great time with the people you cared about.Anyways, you know how 4chan has an April Fools prank every year? This year they decided to parody DOGE's efficiency bullshit by slowly closing all but the five most used boards on 4chan, including /b/ and /trash/, and replacing the rest with this pic.It didn't go over very well.
>>6221895that's actually a pretty funny bit, though i ain't heartbroken i missed it
>>6221910I'd be more forgiving about it if they didn't keep /qst/ or my other preferred boards locked up for almost a full day. I tried looking at /b/, but I'm not much for the speed of the threads or what flies for the board culture there.
>>6221782>Moving out the window?
>>6221782>>Heading into the closet?
>>6221782>>Moving out the window?
>>6221811I'll switch to the closet. Maybe there's something still in here.
With the utmost elegance, your black boots grace the grass with your presence. For you, falling from such a height as the second-story window is nothing more than child's play. All it took was a conservative use of wind magic to slow your descent, of course, with the necessary use of other elemental magics to give the impression of glitter falling alongside you, perfectly complementing the way your silver hair goats up and down before falling to its natural straight state around your sharp face. However, it should be noted that Alyssa also does adequate and performs a decent entrance as she lands with a roll, expertly transferring the momentum from her fall, all while not letting out a single gasp of pain or complaint. You’re sure only people on par with perhaps a single rank lower than yourself could do the same after facing a full attack from a Mageknight graduate, even a groggy one.“Phew-!” However, you do not have such a high report for the maid you’ve impressed into inquisital service. She's fallen face first out the window, and how her lower half sticks up into the air while her top half has created a crater in the ground where her mouth sits out of dirt and grass. It is unlikely the stains on her half-white outfit will be removed anytime soon.“Alyssa, Rory, what have you managed to find?” You say to mercifully not comment on Rory’s inadequacy and also get both those minds on the task at hand. The sun is up after all. Best to not linger outside in plain sight.“One- Ah-! Moment!” Rory says as she struggles to stand. You hear a few cracks as she adjusts her back, legs, and arms into a more normal position.Instead of speaking, Alyssa simply marches up to you and holds her hand out, carrying an assortment of items. Many pretty, and no doubt expensive, sets of jewelry such as earrings, rings, an amulet with a rather detailed bat engraved in its ruby centerpiece jewel, and a key loop with multiple sets of keys, most likely several skeletal keys that can get you through any mundane lock on the property. You nod in appreciation for her efforts as Rory slowly but surely limps their way towards you. Just in case you scan her body with your eyes to detect any serious injuries but find nothing more than some bruising that will hurt no doubt but should not endanger her life, “Here,” She says, holding out what looks to be a silver dagger, “It was on the nightstand.” She says.You give a respectful nod to both as if to say ‘good work,’ but without actually saying ‘good work.’ You’re certain they’ll both fully understand the complexities of this subtle action. “Rory, can you get us inside?”
>>6223843She nods, “Inside the shed,” She points to a small structure attached to the building, “there’s a door inside.” You all waste no time, and soon, you find yourself surrounded by gardening tools, some rifles, and a bag that certainly smells like it contains compost or perhaps manure. “Sorry, this place is mostly emergency supplies for the animal caretakers.”“I can tell,” you say despite your pinched nose, which makes your voice a degree or two higher. Regardless, you’re an Inquisitor and need to deal with rough conditions on missions. You’re just grateful Alyssa finds the right key to open the door to the manor proper simply enough. All you need to do is decide where to go.>Walk through the halls with purpose as you march towards the basement >Take a moment to catch your breath and speak with your companions [What do you say?]>Go somewhere else [Where?]>[Write-in]
>>6223843>Walk through the halls with purpose as you march towards the basement>Take a moment to catch your breath and speak with your companions [What do you say?]At the very least, we should apologize to Rory for throwing her into the fire immediately rather than easing her into into this. Maybe ask her if she'd be interested in helping teach Lorina and Alyssa on commoner social etiquette, like what she would have done with the Count.
>>6223844>Heal Rory's bruises to display our royal magnanimity>Walk through the halls with purpose as you march towards the basement
>>6223844>>Walk through the halls with purpose as you march towards the basement
>>6223844>Walk through the halls with purpose as you march towards the basement
>>6223846+1
It’s only after a brief check-up on Rory and a few soothing spells cast on where her bruises are most dire that you open the door, and the three of you briskly walk through the corridors. The three of you do your best not to tempt your luck while a crowd of servants disperse from the upper floor as you no doubt would, a credit to your wondrous magical ability. You also admit with some self-satisfaction that you’re barely even tired. During the academy, you would practice every day with your battle magic, and perhaps you’ve been letting your skills with magics of other varieties slack in your close-minded pursuit. Sure, wielding the magical arts will never feel quite as good as wielding a blade in your hand, but your continued practice of more unorthodox magics mostly used by mages instead of mageknights has certainly improved your abilities.You find yourself feeling rather relieved after finding and successfully unlocking the door that leads to the basement with little fanfare. However, you’re forced to cast a light spell to penetrate the suffocating darkness that covers the stairwell once the door closes and locks behind you. By Alyssa’s initiative, of course, you’re not saying the door slammed itself shut close behind you or anything. That would be just ludicrous!“Rory, I feel I must offer a few apologies,” You say, trying your best to keep your tone as unposh as you can. It is a very rare occasion that royalty has to apologize to a servant unless it's your brother Arthur. But thankfully, everyone can agree he’s just weird, “I did not intend to suddenly upend your life at the start of today, yet here we are.”“I- uh, thanks? I guess?” She says with a few shaky breaths as she tries to wipe off her dress with her hands. You all descend deeper into the basement. “Sorry, Inquisitor, I just don’t really know what to say about anything really? But I’d never go against the Inquisition or the Goddess, even if that means going against my employer.”“Good, good.” You assure as you take the final step into the spacious yet unfurnished basement, “Rest assured, all of this will be well worth your while in the end. I’ll make sure of it.”“...I suppose that’s all I can ask.” She says half-heartedly. You do intend to make good on your promise however, getting a singular person a position with enough privileges to give her an easy life is no fuss to someone of your means. Even if it has to be as one of your personal maids.
>>6225168Now, onto the basement itself, it’s almost surprisingly empty, with the exception of a few open rooms dug out of the main one. Those seem to contain nothing more than boxes of old supplies. However, you do note that there's a singular room with iron bars, and an iron door seems to be a house armory. While certainly not as grand as whatever the Bloodgraves have back in their territory, the big house's heraldry banner, displaying a bat flying over a grave on a red background, signifies that it should at least have some worthwhile arms. Another oddity of a room you see is one that has shelves overflowing with containers stuffed with nothing but lavender and other flowers. At the center of the room seems to be a table with iron cuffs as if to keep someone down and tools of a peculiar-looking make but ones you’re not familiar with. The final room of some interest at first seems to be one filled with nothing but nondescript boxes, like a few other rooms but has a rather peculiar one in the back, a casket.>Investigate the armory>Investigate the flower room>Investigate the casket>[Write-in]
>>6225169>Investigate the armory…for Rory. Got to get her something she can use to protect herself.
>>6225169>Investigate the armoryIf its empty of people we cab put Rory in here while we investigate the rest.
>>6225169>Investigate the casket
You cannot stress enough how your heart longs to open the cage that suffocates the armaments. To impart the knowledge of how delectable the fruits of a blacksmith's labor are to an ignorant woman. To lose yourself in the history that the room will no doubt contain, what insights could you gain about the Bloodgraves by looking at their heirlooms? More than the uniformed would ever think, that you know for sure. But alas, that is not what you say; your mind is coming to a different, hideous conclusion.“That casket looks out of place. Let us investigate.” You say. Drats!You receive two nods from the others and no words. Rory seems too tired to say anything, while you never expect much in the way of conversation from Alyssa. At least this allows you to mentally continue to complain and reason why you can look at the armory later; after all, there’s no one here at the moment, so you should have all the time in the world. Maybe you could actually just send Rory to the casket and take the keys from Alyssa- And you’re here. Drats again!The casket almost blends into the other boxes stuffed into this corner. With a lift of a few lids of the unscrewed, you see they mostly contain perishable items. Fruits, vegetables, and a helping of wildflowers; from the particular smells, it seems like, at least in this room, garlic is as favored as the usual lavender is here. There must be a specific reason for that, then, lavender you can chalk up to either noble eccentricity or in relation to something with the undead in the nearby forest, but garlic has a rather different, more pungent, smell compared to lavender. Yet, it’s unlikely you’ll get an answer to that question for now, so you’ll likely just need to shelve that thought. Now, the casket itself is wooden and seems to be of high quality at that, with no signs of rot or wear that you’d expect on something that has once been buried, so it being a spoil of graverobbing is unlikely. The more likely case is that this casket, in the rather unsophisticated way it’s been stored, is more likely to be a coffin for a noble dear death so that coming funeral proceedings can be handled swiftly. The only problem with that is that both Lord and Lady Bloodgrave are in amazing health as of now, disregarding some recent head trauma. None of their extended relatives have reason to be at this estate either, so this casket is unlikely to be for them either. Then, of course, is the engraving of Morgan on a small golden plaque on the coffin lid. This coffin is not for a Bloodgrave.
>>6227456With Alyssa’s help, you bring the coffin to the floor and undo the lid. A task that is easy enough for two people of athleticism like yourselves, but then this labor brings about a new mystery. Why does such a simplistic coffin, honestly unfit for nobility, have such a luxurious interior? Padded red velvet makes this box of death seem to be rather inviting like it would facilitate a rather nice nap. Your brow furrows as your mind thinks about how comfortable it seems. You end up drawing a parallel to this, being like a sleeping bag of sorts, a portable case that could be used as a bed in foreign locations, and the lid, of course, offering a great deal of protection from, say the elements. But how poor would you need to be to actually use such a device? Would not renting a room at, say, an inn be more convenient? Neither the wood nor the velvet seem to be of poor quality, suggesting this is a device for budget travel, and it collects dust in one of the wealthiest families in the kingdom. So what is its purpose-“That’s strange. Why is the basement unlocked?” You’re cut off by a voice made all too familiar over the past four years. The rush of memories relating to the man, Perical de Bloodgrave, makes you cringe. “Could it have to do with all the hubbub with the attendants?”“I am not sure, young sir.” A deeper, less familiar voice echoes down the stairway; from your glance, it seems to be a man in his middle age wearing a hooded robe.>[End of Thread]
Thank you all for sticking with this story for so long. It's shocking that this story is going to be a year old in not too long and I really want to stress how much it means to me that you've suffered my writing for so long!As always, please give me any questions, comments, criticisms, and or desires (about the story) that you have.
>>6227464No problem, happy to be on this ride, OP.>Then, of course, is the engraving of Morgan on a small golden plaque on the coffin lid.…Are we going to have to kill that vampire bitch again? At least we know Percy is part of the plot, now.
>>6227464Dammit, we should've taken Marie along, she'd determine what's what in a second
>>6227464Nice update and its been a lot of fun so far strange. Lorina is best girl no contest.
>>6227464Actually, quick question. Considering some isekai these days are about famous historical people getting sent to other worlds when they die, like say for example, Oda Nobunaga, would something like the second part of this video be in the cards?https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CrBWdGJJmWQ&pp=ygURam9obiBicm93biBpc2VrYWk%3D
>>6227636I don't see why not.
>>6227464>desires (about the story) that you have.We want smut
>>6227749Speak for yourself, freak
>>6227774no u
>>6227774I want a cute scene of Lorina dancing with Asher in MageKnight Academy’s empty ballroom during this plot arc’s epilogue.And also to kick Albretch in the dick hard enough for him to become a falsetto.And a Cattaraugus 225-Q combat knife. Not for the quest, just in general.
>>6227749...I'll see what i can do>>6227961This however seems more doable
I really enjoy the small detective mysteries we get to unravel from time to time, like this one so if you keep putting them in occasionally i would be happy.Besides that maybe an Alyssa PoV rescue mission maybe could be a cool idea.
>>6228191Maybe another onsen or natural spring bath scene too?
>>6227961>>6228191I thought of another thing I’d like to see:Asher vs Albrecht duel. Schlub against Snob, adopted noble against firstborn son, nature nerd against magic nerd.
