Well, here we are.You were woken up from a midday nap by the grinding of the brakes as the train arrived at X-X Station (pronounced "Double Cross," according to a clerk), and thus missed the first opportunity to queue for a quick exit from the car, as you were still quite drowsy and groping around to ensure that your possessions had (also) arrived unperturbed. Now you have queued behind a pair of rotund priests (Reformists, you think), as they gingerly step onto the platform and lose themselves in the sea of people. There are more people here than you've ever seen in once place, at least since you were a child. It's hot: hotter than it would ever get in Iscthymia. At least it's a dry heat there. Here you can feel every layer of clothing beginning to drip. But you can't take off your jacket just yet. It's dangerous, you think.If there is one thing you hate it's traveling over-encumbered, so, in the spirit of new beginnings, you packed only the bare essentials. There's a nagging feeling of regret as you begin to intuit that perhaps you wouldn't know what would really count as essential in this new chapter of your life, in Chaotzakka, with its fourteen million people. These are things you would've pondered on the train ride had you not dozed off immediately. You're carrying a hardshell briefcase, a backpack that's coming apart at the seams, and a little bum bag crossed over your shoulder. You lift your patrol cap to see more clearly; you don't want to remove it as your hair is almost certainly a mess, but the material is itchy. The cap and bag are from your year of mandatory civil service. The backpack is from your school days. The briefcase used to be your dad's.You're trying to get used to the smells and sounds. It seems like everything ticks, rings, or thuds in this city. You are buffeted by a blast of hot steam and struggle to breathe for a moment. Unlike a country bumpkin such as yourself, city-dwellers know to back away from the train as soon as they get off. That's why they call the station the "sauna." Just a little sample of that big-city wit for you.You thought you'd checked that you had everything before getting off the train, but a sudden irrational panic grips you and you fear having left your most important possession behind. But of course this isn't the case; you can feel its weight on your right hip. Still, just for assurance, you reach down with your free hand and grip your>Blade>Pistol>Staff
>>6338088>Blade
>>6338152Still, just for assurance, you reach down with your free hand and grip your blade. It was a standard-issue military saber in a black matte sheath. You had bribed the commissary officer into selling it to you; well, the bribe was the price you paid, you guess. He wasn't supposed to sell military surplus through unofficial channels, but perhaps he took pity on you.You were mildly ridiculed back home for choosing the sword. There are many practical reasons for using melee weapons as a bounty hunter, you mechanically repeated to yourself in your head, having memorized these justifications. Melee weapons can be enchanted with sorcery, or infused with ki. Magic... life aura. These concepts were foreign to the farmers and small-towners back home. Back there you were expected to pick up a gun and use it, like your aunt did. She was the best marksman in town. She tried gifting you her old revolver before she passed, but you were always a lousy shot. She died interred with her carbine in her hands. Isn't that weird?Anyway, you had demonstrated a certain aptitude for swordfighting, which you got to show off during your year of civil service. Everyone was surprised, though no-one was particularly impressed. Your mother certainly didn't know where you got that from. You came from a family of loggers. Well, maybe that sort of makes sense.You had navigated train stations in the past, but never one like this. The number of signs and arrows hanging from the ceiling and sticking out of every corner was more overwhelming than instructive. You couldn't even slow down; you could feel the anger of everyone behind you if you did. You moved off to the side and leaned against a wall while trying to figure out the right direction. You saw people pass you in a blur... so many people, the likes of which you'd hardly ever seen before. For a moment you felt like it was hard to breathe. And why had you come to Chaotzakka in the first place? Even though it was a six-hour train ride from home, you hadn't been to the city since you were a child, when your father took you to meet the Guild. Your memories of that trip were completely divorced from this loud and smelly reality.Well, certainly no-one forced you to come, but no-one complained loudly when you announced your intentions, either. A bounty hunter. You seem to remember a time in your childhood when bounty hunters were heroic, or at least somewhat romantic, figures. Now it's grunt work with shitty insurance, or at least that's how your friends from home characterized it.In Iscthymia there aren't many opportunities. Either you do what your family's always done, or you get out of town. Were you a more enterprising and sadistic individual, you could've found work in Tower Prison, as a warden or pencil-pusher. That's what all the kids who ate crayons and tortured small animals did.
>>6338180Then again, isn't bounty-hunting government work, too? Well, not really. Not unless you're really good. You're more like a shitty contractor.Getting your hunting license was surprisingly easy. Satisfactory completion of civil service speeds up the process. There was a basic physical fitness test, confirmation that you had completed basic education, some waivers signed... It was kind of a blur. You spend an afternoon in an administrative office and came out with a laminated license in your wallet. Speaking of, you fished in your jacket for your wallet and opened it to the license. There was only basic information about you, and a badly-taken picture. Under "Gender," it says...>M>F
Rolled 1 (1d2)>>6338181I'll roll for it and let the dice gods decide to me this time.Male 1Female 2
>>6338182Under "Gender," it says... "Male." Well, of course it does, you dumbass. Maybe the heat is getting to you.With a newfound resolve born out of embarrassment, you speed-walk your way out of X-X Station, not without some false starts and dead ends, by which you're forced to turn around and incur the wrath of other travelers. You notice, however, that no one seems to take issue with your sword. Back in Iscthymia nobody would care, either, but that's because it's kind of a shithole. In the city, are you really supposed to be open-carrying with no issue... ?The thought has barely completed itself before you remember that this is a city of bounty hunters. If you recall correctly, nine percent of Metropolitan Area residents are in the bounty-hunting business. That's three times the national average. You've always been good at remembering stuff like that. And what can bounty hunters legally do? Carry weapons and magical artifacts. Right.Along with your hunting license you received a handbook detailing the very basics of the profession: your duties, responsibilities, and privileges. Most of it is not good news for the hunter. At least the book states things plainly and doesn't sugarcoat it, unlike your recruiters did. You've finally emerged from the station and slumped into the back seat of a bus headed into the city proper. You curiously fish again in a different pocket of your jacket and the Hunter's Handbook emerges. It's bound in a handsome-looking, forest-green pleather. It almost slips out of your sweaty hands, though.It's going to be a while before you get to your destination. The bus is roughly as smelly and balmy as the station. But you take advantage of the roomy back seat and spread out a little. You peruse the handbook before departing for the city--you're not *that* irresponsible--but maybe it'd be a good time to review some of the basic concepts of the profession. You turn to the section titled...>Monsters>Guilds>Bounties
>>6338190>Guilds Let's find our forever home...
>>6338190>GuildsInstitutional knowledge is important. Getting paid to turn things in or knowing a monster from a man is comparatively easy.
>>6338191You turn to the section titled..."Guilds">The Guild is the basic organizational unit of the bounty hunter's group. The organizational structure of a Guild is derived from pre-legal "bands of rogues" and hunting troupes which were popular forms of defending communities from monsters and securing settlements. However, since the formalization of the Bounty System, the Guild has taken on a wholly new character.>While bounty hunters are not legally forbidden from acting alone, to do so would be--in nearly all cases--unwise. The common monster can outwit and outpace even the well-trained man. Bounty hunters organize themselves into Guilds both for survival and convenience.>The formation of a Guild must be reported to the District Bounty Office, and its members divulged. Any changes to the line-up of a Guild must be duly updated as soon as possible. Only registered Guild members are entitled to their share of the bounty, if a bounty is claimed by a Guild. For all official matters, the District Bounty Office or an equivalent officer will communicate with the designated Guild Representative, who will communite any news to all members.>Please keep in mind that Guilds may apply for State-Subsidized General Insurance (SSGI) for claims regarding collateral property damage and medical treatment. These benefits are lost by those who exit or are removed from a Guild.>A Guild is not simply a labor organization or a work environment; it must also be a place of comraderie and fellowship. In that sense, we remind you that the infamous practice of "bounty-stealing" is heavily penalized by the Office.>In any and all cases, intentionally causing grievous injury or death to your fellow bounty hunters, whether they be Guildmates or rivals, Is A Crime Punishable By Death.
>>6338199A stern warning... not like you needed it. Who ever assumed that becoming a bounty hunter gave you a license to kill?Well, with how some bounty hunters behave, maybe some people do. The handbook conveniently leaves out the reputation that bounty hunting has made for itself over the years. Billions incurred yearly in property damage, a 36% mortality rate within the first four years, intra-Guild corruption, and the famous "bounty-stealing..." That is to say, the practice of swooping in and killing the monster after another Guild has softened it, thus claiming the bounty.For how much money moves through the bounty-hunting industry, and for how important it supposedly is for the continued survival of humanity, you realize that a surprising number of things is left up to a sort of "honor system" among bounty hunters. Well, they are an unruly lot, and the government probably doesn't wanna get involved from than strictly necessary. You guys are glorified mercenaries, in the end.Part of you fears the prospect of having to deal with fellow hunters more than the monsters themselves.A sudden wave of grief comes over you. Your father could've explained all this more clearly. When you told your mother about your decision she didn't weep, but you could tell that she wanted to.
>>6338203The bus has crawled through the city for an hour when you reach the station closest to your final destination. You were immersed in the handbook, and then in your thoughts, for almost the duration of the trip. You lightly regretted not looking out the window and taking in the sights of Chaotzakka, but there'd be plenty of time for that later, anyway.By the time you get to Saturn Apartments it's well past 4 p.m. and the sun's beginning to acquire that "golden hour" tone. The residential complex is an imposing collection of apartment blocs with unvarnished concrete exteriors left exposed to the elements, but there is some uneven foliage to disguise the decay. The central courtyard, surrounded by deciduous trees, creates the illusion of being in an enclosed park away from the bustle of the city. But well, it isn't pretty.And it isn't quiet, either. By moments you feel like you're back at the station as people who move with seemingly great intention dart past you. You realize that the ground floor of the complex has been converted into a sort of shopping arcade, with laundry services, tailors, corner stores, what looked like a combination gym-and-video-arcade, a bath house, and other ammenities. Then there were the more bounty hunter-ish things: the blacksmith, the artifact appraiser, the discarded and badly-treated sparring equipment in the middle of the courtyard, as if this were a prison or something, and... all the fucking nonhumans. You remind yourself to phrase this more delicately out loud, but you have never seen so many nonhumans in one place... not like there's anything wrong with that, of course...
>>6338207Saturn Apartments is one of many crumbling flophouses in the city that found a second life by servicing bounty hunters, who are ornery, dangerous, and in need of specialized equipment, and thus make lousy neighbors for others. Every year, thousands of bounty hunters pour into places like this to rent a barely-furnished single room and operate from there. This is sensible, of course. Apart from having access to various hunter-centric services, you get to live alongside your fellow journeymen, creating endless opportunities for what your recruiter referred to as "networking." So before coming here you found the cheapest place and prepaid for a room.You meet the clerk, get your keys, and drag yourself up to your second-storey room. It's a little box with parquet floors and discolored white walls. There's a rusty spring bed, a stove, some basic furniture, and a radiator. The place must be some thirty square feet. At least you have--and this is unexpected--a balcony facing the garden.At first you figured that you would immediately fall unto the dirty sheets and sleep for untold hours, but a feeling of restlessness has gripped you. Maybe you should go out and wander, commingle with the rest, and so on. Or maybe you should...>Visit the corner store>Visit the gym>Visit the bath house>Go to sleep
>>6338214>Visit the bath houseWash up, get something to eat, maybe talk to someone, sleep. We just got off the train, then the bus.
>>6338217... You should visit the bath house, of course. You feel drenched in sweat and grime. You throw your unseasonable clothes upon the bed and open all your luggage in a fit. What did you end up bringing, anyway? Maybe four, five changes of clothes if you're generous and offensively unfashionable about it... underwear, basic toiletries, a couple objects with sentimental value, a chapter book you will never read... why did you bring this PepBoy Pocket Color? It doesn't have batteries.You gingerly return to the courtyard in a loose white linen shirt, shorts and flip-flops, where night has already begun to fall. To your surprise, the courtyard's been lit up--not just by a couple diesel lamps installed by the city, but also by hundreds of haphazardly arranged fairy lights wrapped around poles and trees, arranged like a web above your head, blinking warm with sodium. A cool breeze goes right through you. You suddenly feel a bit better--"Hey. You."At first this doesn't seem meant for you."No, yeah, you. I mean you. Come here for a second."You turn around to see a tall, human man. Swarthy, lean, bit of a five o'clock beard, hair beginning to grey, probably early thirties. And a big, cross-shaped scar. He's wearing a track suit.He sizes you up, then looks despondently beyond you and makes a "tch" sound."You're new here, right? You think you're gonna just uhhh, waltz in and fuckin' uhhh, take a bath. You think that's how it works here?"Not sure if this a rhetorical question, you venture a gesture that could widely be interpreted as yes or no."... Tch. Okay, look. I can tell you're new here. Lemme help you out a bit. You got a cig I can bum?">Offer him a cigarette>Tell him you don't smoke
>>6338233>Tell him you don't smokeI'd rather him not put it out on our forehead. Plus, smoking's bad for your health.
>>6338243The question doesn't surprise you. You've heard that smoking is like breathing for bounty hunters. You guess that when you're statistically unlikely to reach retirement age, you don't see any problems with ruining your health a little further. Personally you dabbled in smoking a bit with your friends, as a teenager, when it was a minor act of rebellion, but you don't have any on you right now...The man reacts to this news not with any anger directed at you, seemingly, but with a growing antsiness, presumably a sign of nicotine addiction. He kicks the dust around him. "Shit! I really really wanted a cigarette before my bath!"You ask him if he's going to the bath house. "Yeah, homie. (He pronounces this word awkwardly.) Let's go." He puts a hand on your shoulder--he is significantly taller than you--and gently, but firmly, directs you towards the entrance side-by-side. You find it unwise to protest.The curtained entrance to the bath house gives way to a typical varnished-wood reception area with a vending machine and even a ping-pong table. At the desk, you both receive locker keys and towels. In the changing room, the man does not hesitate to remove the entirety of his clothing in one swift motion--something that puzzles you as to how it is accomplished--and wrap himself in a towel seamlessly with his other hand, though he doesn't seem like the modest type."Welcome to Saturn Apartments," he says out of the corner of his mouth, not facing you, but rather stuffing his track suit into a locker. You have done the same, and quietly changed into a towel when he wasn't looking.The men's bath is a fairly traditional affair, with showers, hot pools, and a cold plunge. While the place has clearly seen better days, it at least looks clean and well-maintained. The steam gives you a momentary flashback of your train voyage from earlier, but now this is an entirely welcome feeling. As you walk in with the man following behind, you see a pair of figures lounging in the pool in the far back. It's hard to distinguish them, but one is large and the other is small."So? Changed your mind?" The small one speaks. He sounds like an evil, possessed doll from a movie you once watched.
>>6338254"I was just getting my buddy here," the man answers instantly from behind you. You turn to face him, then you turn back to the figures hidden in steam. Neither side is providing answers."Poor kid," you hear the larger one remark."Well then!" the small one pipes up, emerging from the bath. "I extend the invitation!""I accept the invitation, bitch," returns the man.Immediately you are plunged into darkness.
>>6338258For a moment you felt like you'd lost consciousness, but it was just the confusion caused by the sudden dark. You're in the same place as before. At least, you can feel the warm tiles under your feet, and the steam enveloping you. And you're still wearing nothing but a towel. Did the lights go out?"On your six!" You recognize the voice of the man who asked you for a cigarette, but you can't see him. On your six basically means "behind you," right?"Holy shit, wake up!" With your head turned, a hand violently grabs you by the shoulder and pulls you aside. Your head whips back to look at the place where you were just moments ago. There is a black, manhole-sized void there now.You struggle to break the grip of your assailant, but he lets you go before you can. He's the cigarette man; he's here, too. You have too many questions to ask but you feel like you're in mortal danger and thus in no position to ask them."Just don't get killed and I'll take care of the rest. Watch out for the little one!"The advice barely registers. You're still trying to figure out your situation. You strain your eyes to see beyond the dark, and then you notice it: non-Euclidean vectors, shining in all their wrong-ness. You are in some kind of subspace right now. Someone used a spell inside the bath house! You wrack your brain trying to remember your magic studies. This kind of spell belongs to the school of...>Sorcery>Wizardry>Alchemy
>>6338263So this is a gang initiation, and cigarette man is trying to get into the gang or something? Or he dragged us into a fight so he could have a +1?>Wizardry
>>6338265This spell belongs to the school of... Wizardry, that's right! Spatio-temporal control. What do you know about wizardry? It's less common than sorcery... It can be used to create spatial distorsions in contained "rooms" which "loop" into themselves... you can "unfurl" these spaces by finding a "seam" to pull apart... or you can take out the caster. Wait, there's a wizard here? Don't those people live in towers or something?"Three o'clock!"Okay, that's on your right. Easy.Someone is charging towards you from the dark. It's the large and bulky figure from before, except he's even larger than you anticipated. You estimate that being tackled by him would be more akin to being run over by a tank. In a feeble attempt to evade, your country-bumpkin civil-service training activates and you slide explosively across the wet floor, almost leaving your towel behind, but the man corrects course and is tracking you once again, giving relentless pursuit. He seems to be moving at a measured pace to avoid slipping. Perhaps he's not too nimble. You don't know how big this subspace is, but unless the person behind it is a generational spell-caster, it shouldn't "actually" be bigger than the bath house itself. And where's the cigarette man when you need him?! You have to...>Run away from the assailant and look for a way to undo the spell>Face the assailant head-on
>>6338272>Run away from the assailant and look for a way to undo the spellDo not fight a bigger opponent under adverse conditions.
>>6338275You have to obviously run and look for an exit. There is no way you are squaring up to that guy.You realize that you can move faster by sliding across the wet floor on your feet, as if rollerskating; the image is a bit ridiculous, but that's not what's important. It seems like your pursuer isn't dexterous enough to follow your pace. You're not hearing a word out of him. You're trying to think of ways to undo the spell, what kind of thing could you find that would serve as a--? Shit! Somehow, between the steam and your thoughts, you haven't realized until the last split second that you are running directly into the *other* assailant, the one referred to as the "little one." Up-close he looks short and lanky, but perhaps he's the one behind the sp--"You lose, bitch!!" Before you can even think of a reaction, a vaguely skin-colored blur comes out of the corner of your eye and removes the assailant from you in a swirling motion, as you realize that it's the cigarette man, who has taken him into some kind of flying wrestling grip. Also, he is buck naked by now.Neither combatant seems to have been defeated, but your base instincts kick in and you simply keep running. You begin to see the features of the men's bath. There's the pool. Will you take the plunge?>Yes; the key might be in there>No; gotta keep running
>>6338288>Yes; the key might be in thereFinally, what we came here for. God, what an exhausting bath.
>>6338291Something tells you that, if there's a way to undo this spell, it may have been hidden in the cold plunge. You steel yourself for a moment and jump head-first into the pool, comically leaving your towel behind you in midair.After a couple seconds of adjusting to the blistering cold, you open your eyes (you really hope this pool is clean) and swim deeper into the pool. And deeper... how deep is the fucking cold plunge? Oh, right, subspace. You feel like you're at least ten feet underwater. Parts of you are shrinking in unflattering ways. Then you see a twinkling glimmer of hope at the bottom. It's a giant drain plug.You're pretty sure this isn't the kind of thing that would be here normally; must be one of the "seams" of this "room." You kick your feet against the bottom of the pool and tug on the rusty chain connected to the manhole-sized plug. It's quite heavy, and you're running out of air. Even from down here you can hear the battle above. You close your eyes, summon all your remaining strength, and begin to hear a gurgling...... Which quickly becomes like the sound of a tropical storm. All around you the water is being pulled into the plug with supernatural speed and force; but strangely, you are not being pulled with it. It's not just the water that's draining; like ink dripping rapidly from a page, all the darkness of the subspace is being drained into the hole, creating a vortex of black that swirls around you but doesn't touch you, furiously absorbed by this open seam. The sound is so defeaning that you can't concentrate on anything on you just hang on for dear life. The cacophony reaches ear-bursting volumes and everything around you becomes a swirling twister of nonsense logic before it suddenly comes to an end.The lights are back on. You hear water dripping from the ceiling. Your eyes take a moment to readjust to the light, and you are almost afraid to turn around. When you get your bearings, you realize that you are standing in a drained pool of ordinary depth, your head peeking over the edge. It's over.
>>6338297"Well, you fuckin' ruined it again, Garrett."You look over the edge of the cold plunge at the three men in the bath. The hulk who chased you is now speaking. He is easily the tallest and broadest human being you've ever seen, packed with muscle to a degree that feels unnatural and perhaps inconvenient. Seriously, he's built like one of those action figures from your dad's time. Or a tractor. He's wearing nothing but a silver dog tag glittering through the steam. You feel somewhat embarrassed for other reasons.The man with barrel-like arms and a blond swoop over his otherwise near-shaven head spits on the floor. That can't be hygienic. "You can never let us solve our problems fair and square. Always gotta be a shit about it."He is addressing the cigarette-man. "It's not my fault you fuckin' lost, again, because the kid figured out your uhhh, your fuckin' party trick." Clearly he's in high spirits. But you won this one for him, right... ?A grave sigh. "You think I want the death penalty? I'm not gonna go around smacking the heads off of babies because *you* tricked them him this.""Yeah well. Won fair and square.""I don't give a shit anymore. One day I'm gonna rip your spine out your ass and write it off as collateral damage. Let's go."The titanic man walks out nonchalantly, having neglected to put his towel back on. From outside the bath you can hear the gasping and throaty laughter of onlookers. He is soon followed by the smaller, much-lankier figure.
>>6338304Before leaving, he turns around and faces the cigarette man. "That wasn't a *party trick* by the way," he sneers, having adopted a slightly more normal tone of voice, "that was at *least* a three-level subspace. But I didn't have time to... prepare."The man did not dignify this with a response, but only with a hand motion as if to say, "run off to daddy now."Only now do you realize that the lanky wizard is sporting a pair of small, black wings on his back. What the hell, a celestian? And a wizard? Here? In this bath house?You crawl out of the drained pool and look around the bath. It doesn't seem to have been damaged, despite the man's acrobatics. But some kind of dispute is brewing outside."Shaaaah!" The man lets out some kind of elated elocution and allows himself to fall ass-backwards into the bath, a kind of move that you're pretty sure is not allowed in bath houses. "Well, nice job! Now the place is ours for the rest of the month. Well, uhhh technically I won it for my Guild, but you obviously count as a guest."His devil-may-care attitude is almost infuriating. He dragged you into a potentially lethal conflict for... bath house rights?!>Tell him off>Try to play it cool
>>6338307You...I'm half of mind to challenge him for the bath house rights, just to set him straight. But then he'd pull some other schmuck into fighting alongside him against us for the rights to the bathhouse right back.>Tell him offLet loose, don't be a pushover.
>>6338312That's enough. Not only did he drag you into his stupid little turf war, but he did so *without warning*. You've heard stories of people getting trapped in the wrong angles of a subspace and being astrally mangled into some kind of screwdriver shape. Not to mention the other guy.You give him a piece of your mind right there, difference in power be damned. From what you could see of his performance in the fight it's obvious that this guy outranks you, but you're not gonna let him walk all over you like that on day one. If you do, soon enough everyone else will probably do the same. God, he didn't even let you grab your sword or something!After you give him the stern talking-to, he looks at you with a vacant expression, which then erupts into self-satisfied guffawing."Tch... listen, little man, you have yet to learn the uhhh, the ways of Saturn Apartments. Half the lodgers here are beasts and the other half are ladies, and they're worse," he was cupping bath water in his palms while saying this. Bizarrely, water gushed out between his hands like a controlled fountain, without any motion from him. It elegantly traced an unnatural path back down into the pool. Was this ki... ?"Anyway, sorry about that," he finally relented, though it sounded like an apology for stealing a pencil, not for shoving you into mortal combat. "Those guys won't bother you. It's beef between our Guilds. Been makin' my life impossible here. Laundry rights, gym rights..."All this talk about rights. It's like you're a in a combination schoolhouse and prison, except all the student-inmates can kill you with a look. But something about it jogs your mind. You remember the mutual acceptance they gave each other before the match began."Yeah, that's how it works," he continued, "the wizard's contract needed uhhh, two participants on each side. But we won. So they are physically... uhhh, magically barred from the bath house for the rest of the month. And by Cacubo's own magic!" He chuckled. "Pretty good work you did.""My name's Garrett, by the way. Lydo Garrett."
>>6338315By now you suspect that you're not gonna get through to this Garrett no matter what, so you sit down and at least try to enjoy your well-deserved bath. The abrupt change in temperature from the cold plunge to the hot bath is actually quite pleasant. Some other guys have now ventured into the men's bath, but they seem to take no notice of you and Garrett.Well, it seems you were right: bounty hunters are more dangerous than monsters. At least you're starting to learn the ropes around here. It really is a jungle, and being in a Guild seems to add to the hassle. But at the same time, maybe it's the only way to protect yourself...There is a lull between you and Garrett, but he doesn't seem to mind. Perhaps he has forgotten you're there. A bit ungrateful, to be honest.>Ask him about the other guys>Ask him about himself>Demand a reward for your efforts
>>6338318So that's how it is. Okay. Good to know.>Ask him about himselfMay as well, we're here now. Likely we'll be seeing each other fairly often seeing as we'll be attending the same bathhouse every night. If we press for a reward, he'll just say our guest rights are our reward. Or he'll give us a reward, but withhold guest rights and make us pay for it.
>>6338319Garrett's Guild troubles intrigue you. You figure this is a good a time as any to learn how it all works, so you ask him about himself."Me?" He half-opens one eye, waving away steam. "I've been a lodger three years." He uses fingers for good measure. "Our Guild's existed for as long. Things used to be pretty quiet at Saturn Apartments. Kind of uhhh broken-down, but quiet. But this year so many new hunters've come storming in that we're beginning to run out of space for everyone. So there's uhhh, friction. Some o' these guys don't know how to solve anything in the civilized way.""My Guild's called Three of Spades." Again, fingers for good measure. "I didn't pick the name.""The other guys, Giza and Cacubo... they're from this new gang, well not gang, it's a Guild. It's called the Dragnet. Pretty nasty business they get up to, apparently. Lotsa kill-stealing, that kinda stuff. We can't let them trample all over our home turf or soon enough I won't have a place to shit before I have to fight for it...""There are lots of other Guilds here, though. You join any yet?"You shake your head."Ahhh, well, big decision...!" He leans back into the bath. "No one likes a Guild-hopper, gotta pick one and stick it out. Problem is, everyone's in a fuckin' tizzy over the new Condemned Zone, so it may not be the best time to ask around..."
>>6338323He trails off here, as if expecting you to respond, but you have no idea what he's talking about.He reopens an eye. "You don't know?" His tone betrays genuine surprise. "Whole twelve blocks of the city, evacuated and condemned. Only licensed hunters can enter. Basically, the place is overrun with monsters and the Double O's uhhh, given up on it. They're basically calling it hunting season. You can just waltz in there 'n kill everything you see for cash. Not lots of cash, mind, but it's steady work. Steadier than bounties... You know, it's good work for the pest-control types."By pest control you know that he means Guilds that specialize in hunting large amounts of low-level monsters, collecting lots of cheap bounties at once. You know that these types of hunters are sometimes looked down-upon."Eh, but it doesn't interest me..." He leans back again. "Spiders 'n goblins-type shit. Small fry.""But, you know... I kinda owe you a favor. So, tomorrow I can introduce you to some Guild members. Proper Guilds, not like those animals. Maybe you can find yourself some buddies.""You *did* come here all alone, right? I can kinda tell.">Tell the truth>Lie
>>6338325>Tell the truth
>>6338325You sigh and confirm his suspicions."Yeah, no shame in that. Gotta watch out, though, gotta watch out..." His voice trails off like he's warning himself more than you.After a few more minutes of soaking and showering, you and Garrett emerge from the bath, get your things, and grab a soft drink from the vending machine. The cool night air feels amazing on your skin, though you can't wait to get back to your room and under the sheets. In the courtyard, hunters of all stripes have moved benches and chairs into an improvised open-air bar, and are cracking open cans purchased at the nearby deli, which must be making a killing off of these guys. The sound of lively conversation puts you in a placid mood. You get the feeling that this is what it's like most evenings."Well, gotta head off now," Garrett removes the towel from his head, still wearing nothing but his frankly filthy-looking track pants. Kind of defeats the point of a bath, but you're not gonna tell him that. "I'll be around tomorrow, hit me up if you want a tour. Take care and shit." He throws out a pretty corny thumbs-up and walks away to the opposite tower from yours, presumably where he lives.You can't say that you fully (or even partially) trust Garrett, and he did almost get you killed, but it's not like you're spoiled for choice, either. He seems like a good contact to follow-up on, at least for now. If you can find a decent Guild that will accept you, maybe they can help you get your first kills in the Condemned Zone, or something...Your head is swimming in new information, anxieties and excitement. You fall asleep almost the moment your head hits the pillow. If your mother or your friends back home knew, they'd be clamoring for you to come back immediately. But secretly you think it hasn't been such a terrible first day.[TO BE CONTINUED...]
>>6338333Thanks for running.
>THE RELUCTANT BOUNTY HUNTER CONTINUES...It's no surprise that you slept like a log. You don't even have an alarm clock, but you can tell from the sunlight that it's well past breakfast time. The bedsheets and comforter of your new room seem, at least, recently-washed. This sorry cot can't compete with your bed back home for comfort, but they say the best cure for insomnia is exhaustion.You now have the opportunity to inspect your new room under the pale mid-morning light. It's a pleasantly cool day so far. The memories of yesterday slowly come to the front of mind like pieces of last night's dream. You're in Chaotzakka now; in Saturn Apartments, to be more specific, a bounty hunter lodging in a building of bounty hunters. And you were dragged by one such bounty hunter into mortal combat with a wizard and a man who looked like he could flick you away like a snot-ball. But the man who tricked you is, also, arguably the closest thing you have to a friend thus far.You remember that Garrett offered to introduce you to the various Guilds operating out of here, but it hardly seemed like a formal invitation, and more like an excuse to continue hanging out. Vainly you entertain the possibility that Garrett is vying to pluck you for his Guild amongst high demand from various competitors. But really, it was obvious just from last night's skirmish that he's way out of your league in terms of combat aptitude. You wonder if he's an outlier here, or just the average. If so...Your new apartment is hardly an embarrassment of riches; it didn't even come furnished with some kind of mini-fridge. All you have is a stove and a rusty water heater. Whoever was lodging here before you was kind enough to leave behind a half-depleted flask of instant coffee. You unscrew the cap and cautiously smell its contents. It smells... like it's not gonna kill you. And you could really use some coffee.In your exhaustion last night you fell asleep naked after throwing off your clothes from the bath house. Between the opposing poles "prude" and "exhibitionist," you would say that you've always skewed closer to prude. And yet, last night more people saw you naked than over the last few years. In Iscthymia you would never dream of lounging about your room in the buff even if you were alone in the house, but here it seems more natural. Maybe this is the "comfort of strangers." The ancient heater groans and you begin to hear the popping and roiling of soon-to-be-boiled water--"Hi. Sorry to interrupt, but--"
>>6338772Your scream is undignified; not just because you screamed, but also because it came with a split-second delay, as you were so lost in thought.She was squatting on the railing of your apartment balcony. When she did it, this seemed like the most natural position in the world. You noticed the way her toes curled and gripped the structure with a power and precision that was inhuman. She *was* inhuman. A therian from the Cat Tribe. And a girl... wow. You have to admit that you had only been acquainted with such specimens through pin-ups, calendars in parts shops, and the occasional dirty magazine that a school friend would shove into your hands so that the teacher might find you with it in your possession. Your friends back home would be hooting and hollering, or dead mute. It's hard to say.Well, for the most part she seems remarkably human... but it's the details that always get you. Apart from her unnatural adroitness, there is something about the way she looks at you--or at anything else--that doesn't fully register as human. Maybe it's her facial expressions. Some would call it contempt or disinterest, but to you it's more like a professional, guarded curiosity. She looks to be in her early twenties, maybe, but with nonhumans it's hard to tell.A full five seconds transpire before you think of putting something on. You reach for a pair of shorts.The girl answers with a "Pffft.""Don't worry, you're not rocking anything I haven't seen before." This is stated matter-of-factly. "I just came her to give you this."She extends a hand. She's holding... some kind of brochure. Do Guilds do that?"I'm handing this out to all new lodgers. It's a little primer on how things work around here. Well, there's nothing so arcane to it, either. It's more like a sponsored ad. My Guild does it. We're called the Talons."You receive the offer and mutter something approximating your thanks. The girl seems unfazed by your behavior, for better or worse.With a single, graceful motion, the therian kicks her way off the balcony railing and up to the third story of your building. The railing is left vibrating violently from the force of her lift-off, and you're afraid it'll come apart. You wonder if even your apartment isn't a sanctuary. That girl could've killed you in your sleep with no issue. Maybe you shouldn't sleep with the balcony door unlocked... Well, would that make any difference?The coffee's ready. You pour yourself a mug while the glossy brochure unfurls in your free hand. You feel like you did enough reading yesterday, but maybe it wouldn't hurt to skim over some of this as well. Your eyes dart between the different headers...>Our Guild>House Rules>Special Offer
>>6338782Would it kill you to have some discretion, woman!? Is everyone is Saturn Apartment like this?>Special OfferOooo shiny!
>>6338782You skim the meager contents of the brochure. The girl was being dead serious when she called it a sponsored ad: the logo of the Talons Guild is plastered everywhere. You wonder what it takes to have a logo for your Guild. Probably thirty sels and a trip to the copy shop.>Special Offer>Are you new in town? Do you not know which Guild to join? Do you fear that your less-than-impressive abilities will leave you at the bottom of the barrel? !WORRY NOT! The Talons are all about nurturing tomorrow's talent, which is why we're organizing special group excursions to the Chaotzakka Condemned Zone (C2Z). For a small fee, you'll be able to hunt down low-level monsters and get some hands-on experience with other hunters in your same predicament! And if worse comes to worst, one of our senior Guildmembers will be around to provide assistance. Our group leaves from the Saturn Apartments courtyard at 9:30 a.m.Hmm. Well, there was an element of skeeviness to it. You weren't such a country bumpkin that you'd never seen a scam before. Like, why did you have to pay a fee? And who did the bounty prize go to? The Guild? After all, this didn't establish any sort of path towards Guild membership... Wait, 9:30 a.m.?!You throw your apartment door open and look down at the courtyard, where a group of roughly two dozen people have assembled in loose formation. The cat-girl is down there too. This must be the group! You're going to miss it!
>>6338808You still don't know what time it is exactly, but it doesn't look like you have more than five minutes to get down there before they depart. You frantically put on your clothes best suited for combat: basically repurposed fatigues from your year of civil service, including a military jacket with black undershirt, a pair of troop cargo pants and combat boots, your patrol cap... you almost forget to grab your sword.You strain to get a look at your reflection in the chromed surface of the water heater, the closest thing you have to a mirror. It's embarrassing: you look like you're back in boot camp. You don't think this is how bounty hunters dress, but you don't really have a frame of reference. It'll have to do until you can afford something more sensible.You clamber sonorously down the stairs--you've grown unaccustomed to your boots, and almost trip in them--before reaching the courtyard. The bounty hunters gathered here (presumably they are bounty hunters) are a varied bunch, but you don't have time focus on anyone in particular."Oh? Are you joining us?" The cat-girl chimes in. She's off to the side, presumably in charge of organizing this little field trip for newbies.You wonder what exactly could've been her intentions, letting you know about this event roughly ten minutes before it was to begin. Was she screwing with you?"We're operating with a buddy system here. All you beginners are supposed to pair up to prevent accidents. Well, at least that's what I recommend doing now. You missed most of the explanation, but I'll catch you up on the way there."You look around the crowd of beginner bounty hunters and wonder if anyone's still missing a buddy at this point. You try to discern who's already paired up and who isn't. For now, you should try and find a partner who's...>A guy>A girl>It doesn't matter; just find whoever looks trustworthy
>>6338816>It doesn't matter; just find whoever looks trustworthyHopefully not another freak. All the veterans seem to be cuh-razy.
>>6338820You get the feeling that you can't be too picky here. From the bounty hunters you've met so far, you'd be more than satisfied with someone who wasn't going to throw you under the bus at the first opportunity, like..."Morning, kid!"Oh, it's him again.You're rather shocked to find out that Garrett wears glasses normally. He's wearing the same filthy track suit from yesterday. There's no way he's had that cleaned between then and now. Just thinking about it is almost enough to make your skin crawl."Sheesh! You should see your face! Relax, I'm not joining you on your little school trip," he continues while doing some basic stretches. "Just thought I'd say hi. You're uhhh, going to the C2Z with the Talons, huh? Not bad, not bad... Good for you, getting some real experience under your belt. Lemme know how it goes later." And with that, he gives you a pat on the back that feels more like a shove--probably the work of ki--as if he knew that you were looking for someone to partner up with. Wait, did you just step on someone by accident...?
>>6338828You instantly step back, but the damage is done. Whoever you stepped on felt like they were wearing combat boots as well, so it must not have been so bad.It is bad.The woman who turns to meet your gaze is a full head taller than you. Like the titanic man from yesterday, she's wearing a dog tag. Her clothes scream ex-military, but whatever rank she had surely far outstripped yours. (What are you thinking? You were never even military.) In another context you would have found her extremely attractive, or least beguiling, but you can't help feel like everything about her radiates a killing intent. You notice the black horns poking out of her fringe. A wyverian... ? You've never seen one of those in real life, either...The woman is grinning at you, one eye half-closed. "Lookin' to get paired up, handsome?"You hesitate to respond. You feel like if this woman is your partner you won't even survive the trek to the Condemned Zone."Uh, hey..." The cat-girl chimes in once again. She is suddenly standing next to the statuesque dragon-woman. "This is one of our Guildmates, Maggde... She's coming with you to make sure no-one is seriously injured. She can't pair up you, naturally.""It's too bad," she adds, with what you can only assume is her brand of sarcasm. "But here. He's missing a buddy. You two will do fine."
>>6338829Maggde introduces you to the last hunter without a buddy. He's a human, like you, which is secretly a mild relief. Not that you have anything against nonhumans, but in the last twenty-four hours you've met more of them than you'd seen for most of your life..."Hey, what's up? I'm Hassan." He seems to be about your age. Lean, slightly shorter than you, and seemingly even-tempered, he's a refreshingly ordinary presence in what so far appears to be a madhouse. "You new here too, right?"The group begins to form into a line as Maggde and the cat-lady lead the way. It really is just like a school trip. Perhaps you should feel embarrased, but someone in your position can't afford to be so particular. You walk next to Hassan as you leave the courtyard and emerge unto the street. You suppose you'll walk there, though you don't actually know how far the Condemned Zone is from the apartments."Have you paid the fee yet?" You jerk slightly to the side as the cat-girl appears next to you, once again, without making a sound. She's holding her hand out and staring at you again with that neutral inquisitiveness. Oh, right. There's a fee. Thankfully it's just ten luna. You don't really know if you're getting ripped off or not, as you haven't yet gotten a feel for the cost of living in the city..."I get the feeling you slept in," Hassan grins. "I'm no better, I barely caught the group. I thought I was gonna have to rough it alone."It's comforting to not be alone in this predicament. You have a lot of questions, but perhaps not enough time for all the answers. You decide to ask Hassan about...>Himself>The other hunters in the group>The Condemned Zone
>>6338841Oh god, you're like a glass of water in the desert! Hopefully not a mirage.>HimselfIt's only polite. We'll find out about the zone in person soon enough. Getting to know our buddy is more important than getting to know the others.
>>6338851As the group follows Maggde down the street, the chaos of the city steals your attention for a moment. Every person that walks past you seems to be a real character. Even the humans are dressed in styles you've only ever seen on television, if that. A mist has rolled in from the sea; you didn't have time to think about it yesterday, but Saturn Apartments seems to be close to the bay. You think about the famously romantic Chaotzakka promenade...But you decide not to get caught up in your thoughts for now. Hassan seems like a chill guy. You ask him a few basic questions about himself."Me? Well, I'm new in the city, just like you. Got here a week ago. Had to bounce around a few places because most boarding-houses don't take hunters. I'd no idea! Eventually someone tipped me off about this place. Well, to be honest it wasn't my first choice, but money's tight, so..."You try to figure out where he comes from."Well, originally from Exo-Jaipur, but I've been moving my whole life with my Dad. I'm sort of meant to inherit the family business. But I'm not married to the idea. I promised him I'd try this out, and if it doesn't work then I'm just gonna try and get a normal-ass job... or I'll get killed before I get the chance, I guess.""You're Civil Service, right? Not hard to tell from your outfit. Me? Yeah, I got to skip that... special training. It was kind of a useful excuse. But now we're both here, so I guess it didn't really matter in the end."You wonder exactly what he means. Civil service is compulsory for everyone between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one. Maybe he's a foreign resident or something. Maybe he's rich. It kind of sounds like it. You try to glean whether he's carrying any weapons, but there's nothing immediately identifiable as such.>Press him>Ask about the others>Ask about the Condemned Zone>Ask about the cat-girl
>>6338862>Press himA sorcerer?
>>6338864You decide to ask him straight-up what he can do. You have no idea if this is considered improper among bounty hunters.Hassan chuckles. "Wow, not very versed in the ways of the hunter, are you? Most of 'em work with trade secrets. I guess there's a tactical advantage in not letting people know what you do, unless it's strictly necessary. Buut, we are gonna be fighting together, so..."He produces a small, pipe-shaped metallic instrument from a pocket in his hoodie. At the press of a button, the pipe extends into a telescopic staff roughly as long as he is tall. From the tips of the staff, a ring of blunt protrusions sticks out."I do some summoning.""Ow! What the crap!" The girl walking in front of you turns around with a start. It seems Hassan accidentally hit her when extending the pole."Shit!" He immediately gets to work on reducing the staff to its original state, which seems to be far more laborious than extending it.The girl is short, and looks younger than you both, but also appears to be a human. She's wearing what appear to be prescription glasses, and a one-piece dress that you seem to recognize from martial-arts films."Man... I hate this shortbus crowd," she mumbles, before turning back to her partner.Hassan gives you a look. You think it might be best to change the subject.>Ask about the others>Ask about the Condemned Zone>Ask about the cat-girl>Ask about Maggde>Write-in
>>6338870>Ask about the othersHe was here a bit earlier than us.
>>6338870Armed with the knowledge that most hunters won't readily divulge their abilities, you wonder if Hassan has learned anything about this crowd that might be useful. You ask him as much."Well, not really..." He begins, crossing his arms behind his head. "But some look like familiar faces, you know? I've seen them somewhere before. Probably at some networking event. I'm really bad at going to those.""I know the tall broad over there is Taranta. She scares me a bit. I think she's a bruiser, but..." He leans in to whisper the next part to you: "I've heard some rumors about the N-word..."Necromancy?! There's no way a hunter would be using the forbidden arts in the open. Just the suspicion of necromancy's enough for Worldpol to come down on you. You'll get ten years in Tower Prison, if that. You're afraid to even repeat it. Despite Hassan's basic discretion, you wonder if it's wise to spread unsubstantiated rumors such as those. You need to be careful of the things people say about you, too...
>>6338885Hassan's gaze moves further up the line, and lands on a figure that towers over most of rest."The rabbit therian over there's called Umaz. Seems nice. Maybe not too much going on between the ears if you catch my drift. Pretty sure she's a brawler. Not hard to tell, right?"You become a bit nervous as you remember that therians have famously great hearing. But Umaz doesn't seem to react to Hassan's assessment. You wonder if therians are forced to ignore such eavesdropping out of politeness, but...
>>6338887Finally, Hassan gestures backwards, towards a girl that you have to admit you'd already noticed. She's dressed to the nines and made up, too. You wonder if it's practical to go out hunting like that."The smokeshow back there's named Charnabel. She's actually pretty well-known around here. Well, sort of well-known. Pretty sure she's an alchemist. I thought she already belonged to a Guild, so I don't really know what she's doing here... maybe just curious. Or scouting."You sneak a look back at Charnabel. She's at the back of the line, in the midst of lively conversation with what seems to be a male celestian.It doesn't escape you that Hassan seems to have exclusively taken notice of the women in the group. No word on the girl he hit accidentally, though. Maybe he's just embarrassed."That's basically it... I figure everyone else here's a scrub like us. Pretty varied group through. Lots of races, lots of different styles, maybe..."You have walked about twelve blocks while talking. During your conversation you caught glimpses of many buildings, people, and features of Chaotzakka that left you wondering, but everything's a little overwhelming right now. As your group turns a corner and a arrives at a small park with a stone cathedral, a chain-link fence emerges into a view. A gate flanked by Armed Forces cadets seems to be your destination.
>>6338892At the gate, Maggde stops and the line stops with her. She spends some moments exchanging credentials with one of the guards, then turns around to face the group."We're here. It's 10:25. Our permit is until 2:00 p.m. sharp. Be back at the gate by then or there will be a retrieval fee to pay... directly to me." She seems to be chewing on something while proclaiming this. With nothing more than those instructions, she steps aside and gestures for the hunters to enter in pairs, not before displaying their license to the gate personnel."Hi." You manage not to appear overtly spooked this time. It's the cat-girl again, this time in front of you. How does she do that? She turns to Hassan. "Did you get him up to speed?""Uh, sort of..." He evades her gaze. She mutters something under her breath."Just so everything's clear," she starts, "you are here under a sort of trainee permit. You are a hunter of course, but unaffiliated hunters aren't allowed in the C2Z. You are entering under Talons Guild stewardship. That means your behavior in there reflects on us, so try to be civil.""You won't get to claim any monetary bounties from monsters hunted, of course... Maggde says experience is its own reward. But the C2Z is a neutralized buffer zone, which means salvage law applies. Anything you can find and drag out of the Zone, you can keep. I'm not sure if you'll find anything of value, but I guess it's a nice incentive."You begin to have your doubts about all this, but it's too late to turn back.
>>6338901Hassan and you are ushered into the Condemned Zone after displaying your hunting license to the guards. The perimeter gate appears to have been haphazardly set up around the city blocks that make up the Zone. Yet inside, everything is different.Vines crawl over buildings and houses, and flowering shrubs have appeared like pus on unattended wounds. The constriction and weight applied by these plants is already creating cracks in some structures. It's eerily quiet. There are fairly new-looking cars and bicycles strewn about the empty streets. And somehow, the mist from before doesn't reach this place. It's a blue sky all over.Didn't they say that the Condemned Zone was recently declared? This place looks like it's been long reclaimed by nature. There is a saying that flowers bloom where monsters gather, but..."Weird, isn't it?" Hassan chimes in, as if reading your thoughts. "They say it's the work of the monster that's moved in here. I mean, think about it. Chaotzakka's crawling with bounty hunters, but they had to cordon off a whole section of the city? Must be bad news. They're downplaying it in the official reports as a temporary measure, but this isn't the kind of thing the Double-O does..."The Zone reminds you of pictures in a history textbook back at school. During the First Great Wave, before the Bounty System was established, it was common for towns and cities to be wholly surrendered to monsters. Civilians were given days, if not hours, to evacuate. But those days were supposedly over.The other hunters have begun to disperse. You don't sense the presence of monsters here, but they wouldn't be visible around the outskirts of the Zone. You wonder where you should go first...>Let's follow [write-in]. They look like they know what they're doing.>Let's check out one of the buildings. Maybe we can find some loot.>Let's go deep and strike out on our own. We won't find anything but small fry if we stick to the borders.
>>6338904>Let's check out one of the buildings. Maybe we can find some loot.Loot bby. QM, I can't believe I'm saying this, but you update too fast. This is the first vote I've managed to catch!
>>6338904>Let's go deep and strike out on our own. We won't find anything but small fry if we stick to the borders.Hassan has summoning, so getting swarmed will be less of a problem. Lets see what the zone has to offer.
>>6338907[lol my apologies, I was trying to gauge interest in the thread. If there are more anons reading, I can wait for additional votes to come in. Nothing wrong with lurking either, though.]
>>6338910While in the old days, a high update rate and a consistent schedule would be good for voter retention, nowadays it is the norm to update only once a day, maybe twice a day at most. With frequent updates reserved for the first few days of the quest to spur interest by displaying a lack of flakiness.Personally I like the frequent updates, but that's only 'cause I can catch them at an appropriate time and aren't burnt out at the moment. I do think 'session' style updates can still work, but I think you need to indicate a starting time for when your sessions start, so that anons know when to show up and pay attention. Also, if you're gonna be doing session style updates, it is probably best to indicate a voting period window, for how long the vote will stay open before you start writing.
>>6338912Thank you for the advice, I'm new at all this. I think I'll leave things here for now and pick it up tomorrow. Once this in-game day is over I'll figure out a more consistent schedule. In any case, thanks for reading! Your votes will be counted next time.>TO BE CONTINUED...
>>6338917Oh, and in the meantime I will appreciate any and all other feedback you might have.
>>6338920I like your writing. Decent worldbuilding, MC feels like he has a his own backstory and opinions without being a complete blank slate even if his personality is a bit bland, while still leaving room for us to provide mental/social input. Characters feel like they have personality and aren't doormats for MC. Good use of pictures for characters and urban landscapes.I do think the 'info choices' like which section to read of the brochure and hunter's handbook feel a bit pointless. I mean, I liked the info dumps, but the handbook section was short enough that with your writing speed you could've just given us all three sections and still got through the transition to the apartments. It didn't really feel like a meaningful choice. The brochure was arguably a little more meaningful, because you could say that it made a difference on whether we made it in time to the group excursion to the condemned zone by skipping to special offer. Otherwise I'd say my same critique would apply. Anytime there is a info choice, or a briefing, it is probably best to just include all essential information in the update or default to 'as much as you feel comfortable writing', because we're (or I am, at least) gonna choose to just ask for all the info anyways. Conversations are okay to have choices like that though...because it is a conversation.Final thing is just a personal thing and by no means a 'no-no' or a default assumption in quests, but I personally don't like 'meta' or 'high player control' choices where you give us the option to determine something about other characters or part of the world, or control their actions. I just like to control the MC. I'm talking about >>6338263 where I assume the vote was us determining what school the spell belonged to, and not us guessing, in order to see if our character made the correct assumption. Either way, I also felt that was a meaningless choice, because at that point we literally don't know the difference between sorcery, wizardry, and alchemy. At best we knew that sorcery can be used to enchant melee weapons, or guess based on DnD archetypes.
>>6338904>Let's go deep and strike out on our own. We won't find anything but small fry if we stick to the borders.
>THE RELUCTANT BOUNTY HUNTER CONTINUES...>>6338908>>6338955You get the feeling that the other hunters won't appreciate you sticking to them or buzzing around them. Too many hunters spoil the quarry, or however that saying goes. You're not even competing for bounties here, but if you happen to find something valuable it'd be best if no one else were around to fight over it... You suggest to Hassan that you should move deeper into the Zone."Yeah, makes sense," he says with what sounds like shaky conviction. You wonder just how much experience does Hassan truly have. His travels with his father--presumably a bounty hunter as well--make it seem like he's seen his share of fighting. But if so, he wouldn't be here with all you upstarts, right... ? He once again extends the telescopic staff.You've never actually seen a summoner at work, at least not in real life. You know the basics: they make pacts with nature spirits to call them into battle. Since this is a contract entered freely by both parties, either side can call it off at any time... you wonder if Hassan's personality is really the type to attract the spirits of the wilderness. You suppose you'll find out soon enough.Deeper into the Zone, you lose the perimeter gate from view. The eerie quiet is pierced by the occasional bird call. The sounds of Chaotzakka have largely faded away. It would be relaxing if this were some kind of state park instead of a monster nest.At every turn, the way in which nature has reclaimed the works of man is shocking. Some buildings are hardly distinguishable as such, and have become more like tiered gardens for tropical plants, the likes of which wouldn't normally grow here. This appears to have been a mixed-use neighborhood, with narrow streets, three or four-storey buildings combining corner shops and apartments, bicycle parking, older car models from the national industry boom of twenty years ago... Signs of recent life everywhere, choked out all of a sudden. You know it rained in the city before you arrived, and you can still see puddles along the cracks in the asphalt, reflecting a deep blue as if they were fallen-off pieces of the sky. Telephone cables hang severed from poles which now resemble trees. You assume the power's been cut here.You are making your way down a narrow, winding street flanked by abandoned buildings. A V-formation of white birds crosses the sky far above you. Suddenly you hear the sounds of fierce scratching, like a stray animal trying to pry open a garbage can. Whatever it's scratching sounds hollow and metallic. The sound is coming from somewhere inside the building to your right.You grip your sword for reassurance, and suddenly hear movement from inside a group of shrubs to your left. You spring to your right and draw your saber in a single motion. Hassan raises an eyebrow. To be fair, those might have just been rats...
>>6339103"It might not be a good idea to stay out in the open," he starts, while surveying the area. "Too many eyes on us."That makes sense. But at the same time, you feel like entering one of those buildings might be like walking into a trap. Even if there are no monsters, there's no telling when one of these structures might collapse.You momentarily consider ransacking one of the storefronts at ground level. Maybe there's still something of value to be found, though perhaps it's long been picked clean by previous groups of hunters.You suggest...>Checking out one of the stores>Checking out the building>Continuing along the path, deeper into the Zone
>>6339106>Checking out the building
>>6339111>>6339113You suggest checking out whatever's making noise inside the apartment building."Alright," Hassan replies, holding out his staff in front of him. "But you lead the way. I'm not so good in cramped spaces."He holds the staff with both hands and closes his eyes in apparent concentration. There is a barely-perceptible change in the atmosphere around you, though you can't really describe it. You hear a "pop!" sound.A small animal clambers up Hassan's back and sits on his shoulder. You've never seen it before, but it looks like a smaller, leaner raccoon with an elongated snout and a slim, striped tail. As is the case with most summoned spirits, its fur is a sleet-grey, while its eyes are a gem-like blue. It opens its snout in an apparent yawn, revealing a long white tongue. Its default expression resembles a lovable grin."Coatimundi," Hassan clarifies, while scratching the spirit's furry head. "Not built for combat, but good at scouting." Without another word, the spirit jumps off of Hassan and races into the building ahead of you, disappearing into the darkness of the ground floor."He'll be okay," Hassan assures you.This is the first summoned spirit you've seen up close. It strikingly resembles a real-life animal in movement and behavior. You wonder if there's anything special to it, or if it's more akin to owning an exotic pet. You do know that summoned spirits can't really be killed; at best, they are forcibly dispelled and the mana used returns to the summoner... though some energy is always lost in the process.Hassan is waiting for you to proceed, so you enter the building, sword in hand.
>>6339132Inside the building it's dark and damp, unsurprisingly. The lobby's caked in dust, spiderwebs, and dead leaves, but vines crawl over the walls like everywhere else. A water fountain has turned into a sort of jungle bouquet of brightly-colored flowers. A broken vending machine stands in the corner. You hear the buzzing of insects around you, and the dripping of some damaged pipe in the walls. The scratching sound is gone.You see the summoned spirit sniffing around before disappearing up the staircase to the second storey. There doesn't seem to be anything up there but studio apartments arranged along a semi-open hallway that faces the outside.On the second storey, you stand at the beginning of the hallway: to your left is the cityscape as seen from the balcony, and to your right is a row of doors leading into apartments. All of them seem to be closed, but perhaps they can be forced open."What's he sniffing...?" Hassan ascends the stairs behind you, looking over your shoulder for his summoned spirits. It's sniffing the door of the fourth apartment at the end of the hallway, before clambering up to an adjacent window and sneaking in through the broken pane. You decide to follow. Hassan gives the door a good kick, then you do. It's hard to gauge who's the stronger of the two based on this action, but you certainly have more experience with this type of thing. After a couple kicks from your combat boots, the wooden door swings on its hinges, the lock broken.The apartment is a small two-bedroom. You emerge into the living room, where dusty children's toys are still strewn over a carpet. The sofa has peeled and torn apart, presumably by wild animals, and the wallpaper's been scratched apart. Light streams in through the back windows, as the blinds have mostly fallen to pieces. To the right is a hallway and to the left is the kitchen.>Search the living room>Search the kitchen>Search the bedrooms
>>6339135>Search the bedrooms
>>6339136You decide you'll search the bedrooms along the hall. Hassan catches your drift and heads to the kitchen instead.The hallway leads to two closed bedrooms on its right, while a pair of windows look out to the Condemned Zone on its left. You're surprised by the amount of flora in here. Large, turgid vines run along the ceiling and walls like veins. At the end of the hallway is a small table with an empty flower vase. You almost feel like you're inside the bowels of some great monster. If you concentrate, you can hear something like blood pumping... or is that just your own, racing heart?You cautiously open the door to the first bedroom... it leads into a small room with a double bed, presumably where the parents slept. Everything is still in relative order; it doesn't seem like the wild animals have gotten here yet. What's more, the closet is still lined with clothes and small belongings. It doesn't seem like the former residents were given much time to evacuate, or perhaps they felt compelled to leave immediately.You begin to feel somewhat guilty... You doubt the former residents will ever get a chance to recover their possessions, but, isn't this basically stealing? Stuff like this is how bounty hunters earn their reputation. Still, since you're already here, you browse the drawers and closet compartments... behind a stack of dusty shoeboxes, you catch the glimmer of gun metal. You clear away some debris: it's a hunting rifle.You grab it and pick it up from the barrel side. It's an older model, not meant for anything more than small game, but it might still come in handy. Of course, you were never known for your outstanding marksmanship, but you do know how to load and fire a gun... Speaking of, you open the barrel to check if it's loaded. No such luck. But if they owned a rifle, they must've kept the ammo somewhere...You check the bedside table drawers and the other closet spaces, but don't find anything useful. Finally, it occurs to you to look under the bed, where you find an additional shoebox. Inside, there are family pictures and a bracelet that appears to have been made by a small child in school... but also a box of ammo. You load the four remaining shells into the rifle and throw its strap over your shoulder.The metallic scratching sound you heard suddenly picks up again. It's coming from the adjacent bedroom."You hear that?" Hassan's voice floats in, presumably from the kitchen.
>>6339154You want to answer, but you're afraid of revealing your position to whatever is making that sound. With sword in hand and rifle in tow, you peek out of the bedroom and into the hallway, but you can't see Hassan. You hear the scratching again, this time more furious. You could wait for him, but maybe whatever's inside will break out first and come at you...You shimmy along the wall towards the adjacent bedroom and jiggle the door handle. It's unlocked. In a sudden burst of courage, you kick down the door and lift the rifle to your shoulder while holding your saber in reverse-grip in the other hand, a dual-wielding stance that your father once taught you...The door swings open to reveal a child's bedroom, with appropriate wallpaper and a small bed tucked into the corner. At the far end of the room, blocking the view of a window, is an upturned metallic barrel, the likes of which are typically used to contain waste. What is that doing here... ?From behind the barrel a pair of orbs emerge, one red and the other blue. They are floating in midair as if swimming. You notice that the orbs are attached to bone-like fish faces, fins, and tails, as if they were swimming through air. You've never seen such a thing! They are criss-crossing each other, hovering over the barrel and intermittently scratching at it with their chitinous faces, but their agitated movement suggests that they'll attack at any moment..."Wait! What's that?!" You can hear Hassan's voice coming from the kitchen, presumably he is running to your position. But there's no time. You need to make a decision now.>Shoot the red flying fish [1d2]>Shoot the blue flying fish [1d2]
>>6339156>Shoot the red flying fish [1d2]
Rolled 1 (1d2)>>6339158You don't know what these things are or what they do, but the primal fear of being hurt grips you and you pull the trigger on the red fish, aiming as well as you can.
>>6339162You miss! You knew you were a fucking terrible shot... The shot rings out and ricochets off the metallic barrel, nearly knocking it off-balance. The fish are alerted by the blast and become severely agitated. They spin around each other in a helix formation, and--"Go! I fucking order you!"You hear Hassan's voice directly behind you but don't register the command, if it was meant for you. Instead you feel something land on your head and then leap off. It's his summoned spirit. The critter jumps off of your head and intercepts the red flying fish, just as it shoots towards you in a straight line...The next thing you know there is a deafening boom, and then a ringing in your ears. You're been thrown back out of the bedroom and against the hallway. Your back is killing you. You open your eyes and slowly become readjusted to the light as the ringing begins to fade. Everything is a swirling mess of paint flakes, dust, and soot.You turn to your right and see that Hassan is in a similar position, coughing and rubbing his eyes."Fuck!" He punches you in the shoulder, seemingly with intention to harm but not capable of it in the moment. "What is wrong with you?!"You try to gather yourself and gingerly get up, giving Hassan a hand as well. Neither of you seem truly hurt by the explosion, but you're in a mild state of confusion."You don't know what a barreleye is?" Hassan groans. "They're basically floating bombs. It was about to blow up in your face. I had to send the little guy ahead of you."The last thing you remember is Hassan's spirit jumping ahead of you to intercept the flying fish. The explosion turned out to have a small radius, but you suppose it may have saved your life regardless."... Now he's gone, of course," Hassan continues, referring to his spirit. The explosion seems to have vaporized both friend and foe, as the barreleyes are nowhere to be seen, either. Still, Hassan seems less-than-impressed with your performance.
>>6339171"He's gonna be so angry with me..." Hassan says to no-one in particular, perhaps referring to his spirit. Presumably they don't enjoy being commanded to tank explosions. You thank Hassan and apologize for your carlessness, but he doesn't seem to receptive to it right now.As the dust clears, you notice that the corrugated metallic barrel has been thrown off by the explosion, revealing something under it. It's like a large bud growing out of the bedroom floor. It's covered in soot, but doesn't seem to have been substantially damaged.As you look at it and before you can react, the bud opens to reveal a gigantic flower of blinding yellow petals. The stem gyrates left and right, like a sentry guarding its position. It immediately fixes on the two of you. You hear a high-pitched, hissing sound."What the fuck is that!"The moment the flower seems to set its sights on you, you begin to to hear the sounds of sliding and whipping around, as if the building had come alive around you. You look up and notice to your dismay that the large vines stuck to the ceiling are now slowly moving along the surface like snakes. "Shit!"You look out the hallway window. Vines are emerging and lifting themselves up into the air, standing erect like the heads of serpents. You can see half a dozen just from where you are. Some are opening their buds, revealing similarly gigantic flowers of various colors."I knew it! It's all connected! This is all one big... whatever it is...!" Hassan trails off, realizing that he doesn't recognize this monster, assuming it is one.You can hear the vines awakening and crawling or climbing their way up the apartment building, presumably working in coordination. You feel something brush your ankle and look down to see, in horror, a vine attempting to wrap itself around your boot. Immediately you slice at it with your saber, as if it were a machete. You fail to sever it completely, but it at least backs away.You need to move.>Return to the first floor of the building>Ascend to the roof>Write-in
>>6339173>Ascend to the roofThe lobby was full of vines as I recall
>>6339183You get the feeling that whatever's wrapping itself around this building will gobble you up if you return to the lobby. The only way seems to be up. Hassan quickly agrees.Neglecting to search the other apartments, you run back out the front door and into the outer hall, where vines and flowers are now so densely-concentrated that you might trip if you don't watch your step. The powerful scent of pollen fills your nostrils and you violently sneeze. You pull up your shirt over your mouth and nose in an attempt to filter it out.You run to the ascending stairwell as the flora pulsates like a living texture upon the concrete walls and metallic railings. At the stairs, a vine as thick as an arm detaches itself from the wall and opens its bud, this time revealing a cerulean-colored flower facing you. You don't give it time for threat assessment: with a decisive swing, you use your saber to successfully slice it off mid-stem."Go!" Hassan commands from behind. You quickly climb up the stairs, making sure not to trip over any vines. You can hear the unsettling hiss of the other flowers floating about the complex. Either way, it's clear that you're being tracked.You come up to the roof of the apartment building, where the skyline of the Zone is visible once again. An abandoned skyscraper towers over the rest of the cityscape. You dare not come too close to the edges, but you can see that the building is surrounded by dancing, serpentine vines, turning and ascending, buds to the sun, slowly flowering in turn, seeking their prey. You can't see where they're all coming from, through presumably they are connected.Hassan darts towards the fire escape, the red metallic scaffolding barely visible from the roof, but after peeking over the edge he turns back while yelling out in frustration. "It's crawling with vines!"Maybe there are other hunters nearby? Should you wave for help? But even if someone saw you, what could they possibly do? You remember that you have three shells left in your rifle, not that they've done you much good so far. You frantically assess the situation, looking around in search of solutions. You find...The fire escape leads down to the ground floor, but it is, indeed, covered in vines. You might get ensnared on the way down, unless you have an effective way to clear a path.There are two gas tanks up on the roof with you. Presumably they provided the apartments with gas. There's no way of knowing if they're full, but if they are, they could explode at any moment, given all the structural damage caused by the vines.There is a telephone pole reachable from the roof... the cables are intact, and lead into a courtyard. Perhaps you could use them as a zipline?>Write-in[ Here I will wait a few hours before I continue. As I mentioned previously, I'll keep posting whenever I can until this in-game day is done, then I'll come up with a regular schedule for updates. ]
>>6339189[ Oops, forgot my trip here.]
>>6339189>Use the rifle as a zipline bar to reach the courtyard, Hassan can do the same with his staff. Once we drop down, if we can still see the gas tanks from the courtyard, shoot them, try and explode the vines. Otherwise move on.
>>6339189>>6339311 +1
>>6339311>>6339409You need to get away from this death-trap of a building, and the fire escape is too risky. Your eyes come upon a nearby telephone pole... it's kind of crazy, but you could zipline using the cable wires, since the power's out in this area. You quickly float the idea to Hassan."Huh?" He looks back at the telephone pole, which is reachable from the roof by using a thick cluster of vines as a step. "A zipline... sure, whatever! But you first!"You figured he'd say that. Sheathing your saber, you take out the rifle and prepare to use it as a handle, stepping onto the writhing vines protruding from the roof border (you gingerly make sure not to give them a chance to ensnare you) and, with a surprisingly fluid motion, jump up to the cable, sustaining yourself with the rifle between your hands. It works! You begin to slide down the telephone wire at accelerating speed..."What are you gonna do when--?!" You hear Hassan's distant voice begin a question, which he chooses not to finish. Your final destination is rapidly approaching you. It's true that you didn't think of how you'd get off--Oof! You hit the opposite telephone, thankfully with the side of your body rather than your face. After absorbing the shock, you let go of the cable and fall some eight feet to the thankfully-soft ground. You dust yourself off, get up and turn around, motioning for Hassan to follow.Even from here you can tell that he has his doubts, but he doesn't really have a choice, either. His staff is more comfortable to use as a zipline, and he deftly slides down the cable after you, even managing to avoid smacking into the pole on the way here."Nice," he says to no one in particular. You notice for the first time that the pockets in his hoodie are now full to bursting. The two of you look back to the building, where the flowering vines have now risen to roof height. Nearly every inch of the building exterior is covered in biomass, constricting the structure and threatening to collapse it. However, now that you've escaped, the plants seem to move without conviction, rising and descending periodically. Some of the flowering buds have retreated into simply buds."Got out by the skin of our teeth," Hassan continued. This successful (and daring) escape seems to have put him in a better mood. You gesture towards his sagging pockets."Oh, just some stuff I got from the kitchen..." You notice copious amounts of canned food and other non-perishables sticking out of them. Huh. Maybe this guy's not rich after all.
>>6339520By now it seems clear that the vine-monster's territory is limited to the building you just escaped, and it's incapable of pursuing you. In fact, all this motion seems to have tired it out, as you notice the vines beginning to descend and retreat from the upper storeys, leaving cracked concrete and crushed scaffolding behind. You figure that this must take a lot of energy for the plant, and an unsuccessful hunt requires plenty of rest, something like a Venus flytrap snapping its jaws. You wonder if the apartment building's previous residents fell victim to it...>Up on the roof you considered shooting the gas tanks to hurt the creature, but from your new vantage position they are out of sightHaving crossed the street via zipline, you have landed near one of Chaotzakka's old above-ground metro stations, now obviously condemned, which must have serviced this part of town up until the evacuations. Yesterday's rains have filled up the rail level under the train car, turning it into a glistening natural pool, and the surrounding greenery is particulary vibrant thanks to it. You hear bird calls and buzzing insects, and the blue sky raises your spirits a bit. You've successfully dealt with your first monster... will, if Hassan hadn't been there you may not have lived to tell the tale."I don't think that's the kind of monster you're supposed to find here," Hassan starts, poking a hole in a juicebox with a straw. It's a brand for kids, which he clearly stole from the apartment kitchen. "I'm tellin' you there's somethin' fishy 'bout this whole thing. They've condem'd it for a reason, and it's not f'r all th' small fry runnin' 'round." He's struggling to enunciate with the plastic straw in his mouth, while looking around for clues on where to go next.There are plenty of other buildings you could explore around here, including a skyscraper that, if memory serves, used to be a pretty well-known department store. You haven't seen any other hunters, and wonder if they're nearby. Hassan checks his wristwatch: it's barely noon. You still have time. In an ordinary day, you'd be having lunch, though... You wonder what to do next.>Let's eat some of your snacks in that abandoned train car. I'm hungry.>Let's go into the condemned department store. I bet there's loot there.>Let's go deeper into the Zone. We need to figure out what's going on here while there's still time.
>>6339522>Let's eat some of your snacks in that abandoned train car. I'm hungry.
>>6339549>>6339574You look at the abandoned train car in the station. That seems like a safe place for a break, which you figure you've earned after your recent escape. You suggest stopping for a snack to Hassan, and he agrees.Inside the empty car it's cool and dry. The floor is almost completely covered in wild grasses, and the vines crawling up the sides give you the heebie-jeebies, but at least they don't seem to be moving. You vaguely remember riding in a car such as this one with your father, over a decade ago. It had the same discolored yellow seats. Near the exit, you spot a dusty ad for some online game you used to play back home.You take a seat facing Hassan and he tosses you a juicebox, a can of preserves, and a plastic fork. Hardly the most appetizing meal, but you'd eat just about anything right now. Hassan leans back on his seat and lets out a great sigh."Man, I know I played it cool back there but I thought we were dead for a while..." He speaks while staring at the ceiling. "What the hell is going on in this place?"You...>Apologize again for screwing up back in the apartment>Ask him why he became a bounty hunter>Ask him if he looted anything useful, apart from food>Write-in
>>6339587>"Wanna go deeper into the zone and find out?"
>>6339587>Apologize again for screwing up back in the apartment
Rolled 2 (1d2)>>63395931>>63395972
>>6339627Although he seems to have gotten over it, you apologize once again to Hassan for acting recklessly in the apartment.Hassan sighs. "I know you're new, but that's why you gotta think before you act. You never read a monster manual or something?" He makes an unclear gesture. Your father did leave you such a manual, but it was quite outdated; and anyway, new monster species are discovered every year. Still, you quietly regret your overall lack of preparedness, and your thoughtless embrace of this new life..."I'm gonna have to offer some *real* obeisance when I get back home," he groans, while glancing at his staff. Presumably he's referring to his departed spirit. You suppose it's not very happy with its summoner right now."When a spirit is destroyed, the mana doesn't return to me. So I'm not operating with a full tank right now. Still, I've got fuel for a couple small summons... or one big summon, I guess."It seems you were misinformed about the details of spirit-summoning. Still, you wonder just how many spirits are under his command."Anyway, I'm not angry at you..." He avoids your stare while saying this. "We just gotta keep truckin'. We're still alive, so, whatever.">Ask him more about himself>Propose exploring the department store>Propose going deeper into the Zone
>>6339628>Propose going deeper into the Zone
>>6339670Hassan's noncommital commitment, however flakey, gives you a sense of closure. No use feeling bad over this anymore. You've got to, as he says, keep on truckin'.After a bit of stretching, counting your supplies, and checking the time (12:25), you propose moving deeper into the Zone; the other hunters must be doing the same, after all. Hassan agrees with a shrug, but warns you that it'll take about half an hour to get back to the gate from your current position. Well, you're a bit strapped for time, but there's no reason to not look around a bit more...Walking past the station, you come upon what may have been a roundabout or parking lot. A crater-sized sinkhole has revealed multiple tiers of construction below the ground level, and here the runoff has turned into a shimmering waterfall where local fauna seem to have gathered, attracted by the verdurous fields. It's quite beautiful, actually. From the correct angle, you can see a small rainbow forming around the end of the stream. You are once again surrounded by the sounds of nature, and the city feels like it's a thousand miles away.Hassan cautiously approaches the edge of the sinkhole and peers below. By your estimations, this is the dead center of the Zone, the farthest point from the perimeter.
>>6339682"Hey... check this out." He waves you over.You jog up to his side and stare down into the hole. There are multiple levels of semi-collapsed construction, which may have been part of the metro or sewer system, or perhaps even a subterranean shopping gallery. It's hard to tell after all the erosion. But you soon notice what Hassan had: there is someone down there.Even from here, the singular clothes, long, silky black hair, and white cape are unmistakeable. The girl down there seems to be Chernabel, from your excursion group. In fact, she's staring right back at you. Soon a second figure emerges from under some scaffolding and joins her; also unmistakeable, it's Umaz, the rabbit therian.It's hard to tell from this distance, but Charnabel does not seem to be sporting a welcoming expression. She's holding a knotted staff in her hand; you remember that Hassan mentioned she was an alchemist, supposedly."What are you two doing here?" She asks coldly, still meeting your gaze.>"Nothing. We'll leave you two be, now.">"Need any help? There's some dangerous monsters around here.">"Find anything interesting? It's almost time to get back."
>>6339688Somehow the thread wouldn't update for me, even if I refreshed, so I couldn't see this second post until now.>"Find anything interesting? It's almost time to get back."
>>6339705"Find anything interesting? It's almost time to come back."An icy silence. You think she's rolling her eyes. But she quickly asks Umaz: "What time is it?""I dunno. I don't wear a watch."An exasperated sigh. Umaz retreats from your view."You aren't supposed to wander so far from the perimeter. Honestly, this was so irresponsible of Maggde..." As she says this, she doesn't lift her gaze from you and Hassan, as if searching your eyes for something."We almost got eaten alive by some kind of giant plant!" Hassan explains, a bit insecure. "Hardly a kindergarten out here. I think there's something around here that's connected to all the plant life--,"Chernabel raises a finger to hush him, as if listening for something. You don't hear anything but the rushing water and birds, though. You notice her staff for the first time. It's made of gnarled and textured wood, and ends in a ball-like knot as if it were made from a single piece, but that knotted ball seems to be unfolding into a sort of tendril... In fact, even from here, you think you can subtly see the staff *breathing* in her hand--"Mmmph!" A muffled protest from Hassan steals your attention. Somehow, Umaz has climbed to your level and sneaked up on him without you noticing. She's holding him from behind in a powerful submission grip, and covering his mouth with her gloved hand. Elsewhere, you hear Chernabel chant something like a spell, but you're too unfocused to parse the words."Check him for spores!!" Chernabel cries out from below, but she seems to be ascending to your level. Upon further inspection she's being boosted by a flat, sturdy vine emerging from the ground, rapidly rising to meet you!"Mmmmph!!" Hassan protests more loudly this time, as Umaz picks through his hair as if checking for lice. She doesn't seem to be hurting him, though. What will you do?>Demand an explanation!>Attack Umaz! [1d6]>Run away!
Rolled 3 (1d6)>>6339733>Attack Umaz! [1d6]There's probably a reasonable explanation for this, they are probably just making sure we didn't get in over our heads, but you DO NOT sneak up on someone in a hostile area and seemingly attack them without explanation. We're being advanced on quickly, so they have only themselves to blame if we react violently, lest we get sucker punched.Also, I don't trust Chernabel. She's wielding plant-like magic, in a zone infested with plant life, after we got attacked by a giant vine thing. If she's so experienced, why is she tagging along with this little newbie recruit excursion instead of forming and going with her own guild, or getting her own license to enter on her own so she can keep the spoils for herself. Makes me think she has something to do with the problem.
>>6339741Well, even if they have a good reason for this, it wasn't very nice to ambush Hassan. You steel yourself with resolve, and before anyone can protest, you raise your sheathed saber, attacking Umaz with the blunted weapon! Your speed and training seem to surprise even her as she turns to block your strike, and gets hit hard in the right arm, forcing her to uncover Hassan's mouth."Let me GO!!" He struggles with greater conviction and breaks out of Umaz's grip, joining your side. She's rubbing the place where she was hit, but did you catch a satisfied smile crossing her face... ?"Relax, please!" Chernabel has landed on the surface, a few feet away from you. "I apologize for the rough treatment, but we can't take any chances here." A tense silence follows. Hassan has retrieved his staff, and seems ready for action."This is a very delicate operation," she continues, as the tendril of her staff wraps itself back into a knot on its own. "I guess you don't know about the disappearances, but we've been dealing with quite a nasty case of--"She doesn't have time to explain before a horrid moan floats up from the lower tiers, something between a desperate sob and a wail of pain."Oh. There she is."The source of the sound seems to be rapidly approaching you.
>>6339748The four of you instinctively back away from the edge of the sinkhole, albeit in different directions. You can tell the source of the sobbing is getting closer, as it hasn't stopped at all, and approaches a deafening scream now. You see a hand emerge from the edge of the hole, and a body pulls itself up. She's small, and caked in grime. At first you don't recognize her, but as soon as her torso is in view it becomes instantly clear: it's the bespectacled girl! Her battle dress has been torn in places, her glasses are cracked, and she looks like she's been dragged through mud, but she seems to be in one piece. And yet, there is a feverish, crazed expression upon her face. Her pupils are dilated, her mouth is spitting foam, and is that a crown of flowers upon her head... ?"Don't let her touch you!!" Chernabel orders sharply, as she raises her staff, as if preparing a spell. Umaz backs away, presumably a bad contender in this match-up. The girl is clearly in no capacity to recognize any of you, and, after wildly swinging her gaze between both parties, seem to settle on you, as she explosively runs in your direction, arms raised, screaming!>Riposte and parry! Non-lethal [1d6]>Evade and counter-attack! Non-lethal [1d6]>Who cares! Shoot her!
Rolled 4 (1d6)>>6339749>Evade and counter-attack! Non-lethal [1d6]If I didn't hold out hope for her being cured of whatever is infecting her, I'd 100% be on board to put a round of lead in her shins. Getting touched is apparently a no-no. Sword or not, melee is risky. The possibility of getting executed for killing a fellow bounty hunter pushes me back into extra cautious territory.
>>6339754Your life flashes before you. "Don't touch her!" rings in your head. You have a split-second to consider that whatever she has, it must be highly-contagious. Another split-second to consider just shooting her, but you're not capable of shooting a human being point-blank, no matter what's wrong with her. Once again, your limbic system defaults to the training that was drilled into you, and you collapse into a dodge-roll as the girl rushes clumsily and with ungainly movements, barely missing you. She lacks coordination, and moves like a clumsy marionette. It's your chance. Quickly you get back on your feet and as she furiously turns in your direction, you deliver the kind of door-busting push-kick that has served you well so far, launching her a few feet away and onto the ground."Unfurl!" You hear Chernabel's voice as a great vine breaks out of the ground near the girl and rapidly wraps itself around her until she's snugly caught in its grip. Still she continues to convulse and struggle, her eyes glazed, mumbling incoherences and half-words, all of which manage to sound like threats regardless.Hassan looks horrified, but impressed with your reaction. Chernabel cautiously approaches the girl, taking notice of the flora growing from her head."Just as I said," she calmly continues where she was interrupted, "we're dealing with quite a nasty case of zombifying fungus here."
>>6339757"And what about you?!" Hassan interjects, pointing at the vine that trapped her. You have to admit that you're instantly reminded of your near-death experience, from not even an hour ago."What about *me*?" She retorts, her eyes turned into slits. "They *sent* me here to *deal* with it, dullard."You slowly begin to put two and two together, given what little you know of alchemy, the school of magic that controls living matter. If she's a plant and fungus specialist, it'd make perfect sense for her to be here, given the threat at hand. You look at Hassan, who seems to be arriving at the same conclusion."Now, I suggest you scamper off before it catches you and I have to deal with another..." Her eyes widen once again. For the first time, you scan the look of true fear upon her face.Chernabel sensed it before you, but the ground is rumbling and it's getting louder by the second. You hear the beginnings of a great crash or a landslide, and realize that the sinkhole seems to be collapsing further. The four of you back away from the edge in case it may crumble. You hear the ground break and something force itself through it, like giant industrial machinery tearing into a mountain. Something is emerging!
>>6339763You see the tip of a monstrous shape emerge from the edge of the sinkhole, and rapidly it rises from the undergrowth, towering over your party. It's like a great tree, but smooth and bereft of leaves, a dark-brown, turgid skin seemingly crawling with something inside, threatening to break containment at any moment. The body is covered by dense and thick layers of an off-white, viscous substance dripping like a snowcap, as it continues to rise like a proper mountain. Next, individual tendrils extend from the main body into flexible branch-like limbs, much like back in the apartment building; but these look thicker, and sturdier. Their mucus-capped buds once again open into horrifying blooming growths, but this time more closely resembling the jaws of serpents or dragons, with a velvety inner lining and what seem to be analogues of teeth.The "head" of the creature is a crown of gnarled branch-growths surrounding a cluster of brown-cap giant mushrooms, with one towering over the rest. All in all, it's as tall as the building from before, its four tendrils floating slowly away from the body, as if seeking prey with whatever hellish sense-organ they may have."Candida satanica..." You hear Chernabel mutter over the chaos.This is hardly what you signed up for."Holy shit!!" You are reminded of Hassan's presence near you. Shockingly, he seems to be preparing a summon. Umaz hangs back behind Chernabel, who appears to be assessing her options.This is fucking crazy! Who will you turn to for guidance?>Hassan>Umaz>Chernabel>What guidance?! I'm gonna take this thing on myself!
>>6339757Ah, cordyceps expy.>>6339763You'd think whoever 'they' is would close off the zone while sending her in escorted by proper hunters instead of having her tag along with a bunch of newbies.>>6339766What the fuck is that!?>ChernabelWell?! We need to contain this thing! Any advice lady? You're the expert.I'm fine being a meat shield for the good of society, but if touching it zombifies you, then rushing in alongside Umaz is suicide. I'm guess we just block the vines while Hassan and Chernabel go to work? Or just fuck off and run? Maybe take potshots at the 'head'?
>>6339769You frantically turn to Chernabel, the supposed field expert, for instructions, but her gaze is fixed on the monster. She turns to you, then turns back to it. She raises her staff with both hands as it once again unfurls into a tendril, pointing directly at its target."DOMINION!" She screams over the mayhem, and the plant instantly reacts. As far as you can gauge the reactions of plants, it appears to be writhing in pain like if something were grabbing at its insides, its tendrils faltering and falling, struggling to reposition themselves like animals drowning, the main body shaking and causing further tremors."I can't... force it down!" She yells at Umaz. "This is way bigger than the briefing said!!" Umaz doesn't seem to have anything useful to add. The attack seems to have disabled half of its tendrils, but you see one emerge from the sinkhole, its flowering maw targeting you and Hassan.
>>6339774"Bounty hunters are fucking crazy!" Hassan screams, staff in hand. Again like before you perceive a subtle shift in atmospheric pressure, and you hear something like that "pop," but this time much more grave and sonorous.Before you stands a large animal that takes some time to register. Looking at its face, you seem to vaguely recognize it from a biology textbook. Its head is flat like an arrowhead, and its neck is long and wide. It's facing you with its elliptical body and large, elephantine limbs, while standing upright. It's some kind of turtle! But it's larger and much wider than you, standing upright between you and the monster."Testudines!" Hassan cries, as if belatedly calling upon the spirit. "Let's get behind her!"You obediently take a kneeling position behind the spirit, which remains upright, its razorback shell facing the opponent. Hassan does the same next to you. Peering out of the side of the shell, you note that the flower has not only spotted you, but seems to be preparing an attack. Before you can think of anything else, you hear the sound of a giant hose spitting out something like slurry, as a rush of vomit-yellow particles streams about you, thankfully not touching you as they bounce off of the turtleshell and are diverted to the sides. Are these the zombifying spores... ?You wonder how long will Hassan's spirit bear this.>Try to shoot at it from behind cover! [1d10]>Seize the chance and cut off the tendril! [1d6]>Stay still and hold the line!
Rolled 1 (1d10)>>6339779>Try to shoot at it from behind cover! [1d10]We can't count on being passive and hoping the spirit lasts longer than this thing's attack lasts. Make some noise and do some damage!
>>6339784You can't expect Testudines to hold out forever. You have to try and damage it. Last time things didn't work out, but you retrieve your rifle with three remaining shells and aim for the offending tendril...Somehow, your finger slips and you shoot way before time, before you had even emerged from behind the protective spirit, and end up nailing Testudines right in the head."What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Hassan screams in exasperation, his mouth hanging agape at your idiocy, not even trying to understand what you were trying to do.Testudines looks down upon you not with anger, but with an apparent motherly sorrow, as far as you can read its expressions. You can see its solid body slowly becoming translucent, perhaps not from excessive damage, but from simple unwillingness to continue protecting such a fool.Oh boy.>It's all or nothing! Shoot again! [1d10]>I hate guns! Let's use the sword! [1d6]>This is bad! Maybe Chernabel can help?!
Rolled 6 (1d6)>>6339789>>6339784Wow...uh...that's embarrassing.>I hate guns! Let's use the sword! [1d6]It's true, we really are bad with guns. If turtle mama isn't gonna shield us, then it is do or die! Slice up those tendrils and hope Cherna can save us from the zombie spores afterwards.
>>6339792Deeply embarrassed, but not even willing to begin trying to explain yourself, you make a mental note to thoroughly apologize to Hassan and his spirits later. Swinging your rifle onto your back, you draw your saber and decide to do the thing you're moderately decent at.Quickly you look to your left and notice that Chernabel has assembled her own makeshift barricade from thorny vines, with Umaz and herself taking cover behind it. You're the only one left exposed, as Hassan helplessly kneels behind the vanishing Testudines, half-heartedly attempting to communicate his heartfelt apologies.The monster's right tendril is looking for an opening in Chernabel's position, while the left one seems to be preparing another assault on you. Wasting no time, and propelled by an explosive strength that you didn't really know you had, you run, leap, and perform a somersault slash, the blade of your sword leaving a silver afterimage in a crescent shape traced across the sky. You slice the tendril clean off, and the flower goes flying, albeit spewing spores in every direction."Aaaaah!" Hassan finally abandons Testudines and runs off to the side, narrowly avoiding zombification. The zombified girl, meanwhile, continually struggling beneath Chernabel's vine, has been bathed twice or three times over with the stuff. That's bad.The decapitated vine recoils in apparent pain, shrinking back into the body. The remaining active tendril seems to turn as if reacting to this development, giving Chernabel the opportunity to emerge.
>>6339798"Writhe!" Chernabel commands, the tendril of her staff once again extending outwards. This time the spell is aimed at the monster's own limb. Instantly it begins to writhe maniacally, as if something were clogging up the flow of spores, and then it begins to wring itself, breaking the vascular tissue into dewey greeen splinters. By the time the spell has done its work, the tendril is held out harmlessly, broken in three different places, still in futile attempts to spit out its payload.Now out of limbs, the main body vacillates, as if trying to process its next course of action."Clear out!"You hear a new voice on the battlefield, but it's one you've heard before. You turn around to see Maggde, with another figure running up behind her. You thought it'd be the cat-girl, but...
>>6339802Maggde comes running from behind, and you turn to address her. Not even sparing a glance on you, you shoves you aside and you crash into Hassan, rolling on the ground from the force of the hit. You notice that she seems changed, more feral. Her attention is fixed on the monster. Beyond her you can see that Chernabel is standing in place and woefully uncovered, as if shocked by her appearance."Get back," she gravely enunciates, as if something were brewing in the back of her throat.She takes to the ground on all fours, gripping the grass with her fingers. You notice that her hands seem transformed into ash-black claws. She pulls back her head, and in one devastating motion, a raging torrent of fire escapes her mouth like napalm, a flame so hot it burns scarlet, like something not from this plane, and you feel your bangs and eyebrows being singed. Yet, you can't look away or move. The plume of flame is several times larger than the wyverian herself, a conical blast that meets the monster head-on, instantly enveloping it.The gigantic plant is in agony. Its body rapidly catches fire in multiple places that haven't already been vaporized by the initial blast. The flames have consumed entire portions of its body, leaving nothing but crumbling and swirling ashes behind, and its vital core appears to power down. It leans limply to the side like a wilted flower. The mushrooms upon its crown are rapidly shrinking into nothing.The grass under the explosion has been turned into a black field, and smoke emanates from the sinkhole like the aftermath of a house fire. Everything smells burnt. You cover your mouth and nose with your shirt and cough furiously into it. What is this power... ? The thought races through your head amidst the confusion.
>>6339807Behind you, Hassan seems equally baffled, taking hold of your shoulder to steady himself. You look back at him with a look of terror and disbelief. A dead calm now reigns over the battlefield, as the corpse of the fungal monster continues to slowly disintegrate in place.Maggde is still on all fours, now in apparently great pain. It's hard to tell from the smoke, but she appears to be coughing up blood."Get up!" Another voice emerges through the chaos, this one you don't recognize. You look back and see Taranta, also from the excursion. Why was she with Maggde?"You don't get to order us around," Hassan starts between bouts of coughing. "We're the ones who almost got killed. Don't you get that we were sent here to *die*? Like *her*!" He points at the zombified girl. Still trapped under the vine, she's no longer moving.Taranta spares one look at her and doesn't falter. "The whole place is a contamination zone now." She covers her mouth with a hand as to make this point. "We have to clear the area. There are people coming for her. Do you want to get spored, too?" She turns around and begins running towards the perimeter, as if expecting you to follow.>"She's right. Let's get out and regroup.">"We can't leave the girl! Is she even breathing?!">"We need to wait for Maggde and Chernabel."
>>6339815>"She's right. Let's get out and regroup."Girl seems to be dead. If she ain't, and Taranta is right, there'll be people coming 'round to cure or finish her off. We can't do anything for her, we barely know what is going on.Last we saw, Chernabel is fine, just shocked. I'm sure she can pick Maggde up with her vines, or address her pain, whereas we can not.
>>6339819You have half a mind to join Hassan in protest, but this entire situation quietly terrifies you. Apart from the possibility of becoming infected, you dread to get involved in whatever is going on with Chernabel and Maggde. You heed Taranta's advice and offer a hand to Hassan, who takes it.The two of you run through the dilapidated streets as the column of black smoke remains ominously within view. The bird calls have quieted and not even a rat stands in your path. Yet all around you you hear slithering movements, as if the plant life itself were retreating into the ground. The soot cloud is so large that it looks to soon block out the sun in the area. After fifteen or so minutes of uninterrupted, desperate running, with Taranta leading the way and Hassan following behind, you reach the Condemned Zone entrance, where a crowd of Armed Forces and law enforcement personnel have gathered.Before you can protest, men in Hazmat suits grab you and manhandle you, along with Taranta and Hassan, prodding you into a hastily-assembled disinfection tent where you are stripped, sprayed, and examined by a team of nervous-looking field medics. However, after scanning your pupils and radiating your equipment, you are let go, albeit in gifted robes, as your clothes, as you are informed, are sent to be incinerated. You get to keep your sword and rifle.Emerging from the tent with little more than your robe, underwear and a pair of plastic slippers, you look back at Hassan, who is in the same predicament, as heavily-armed military personnel and more suited men rush into the Condemned Zone, and sirens are blearing around you. A crowd of civilian onlookers has also gathered behind the police barrier.You notice a familiar face. It's the cat-girl.>Protest>Inquire>Fuck this. Let's go home.
>>6339823Damn, there goes a perfectly good civil service uniform and shoes. Probably worth what we'd make in a whole week. What a waste this was. All as cannon fodder for who? The armed services? The Talons? Jeez, they should pay us for this, we oughta sue!>Protest
>>6339828Oh, this time she's gonna get it, with her neutral expression and apparent disinterest in everything around her. Your voice rising over the mayhem, not caring about how ridiculous you may look at this moment, you vent all your anger, fear and frustration on the girl, throwing your rifle on the ground, demanding to know why you were sent single-file into a death trap, eventually collapsing into incoherent rambling about the zombified girl, the spore-monster, Chernabel's condescension, Umaz's sneak-attack, and Maggde's breath weapon, and you even manage to throw in some irrelevant complaints about Garrett, and about the Talons Guild's stupid pamphlets and glorified death marches, which you had to pay to attend, even!Patiently waiting for your tirade to sputter into wordless frustration, the girl maintains her unchanging face, though you can tell--or at least you think you can tell--that she's struggling to do so."I know," she starts, so calmly that it only makes you angrier. "Well, you mentioned a number of things that I can't do anything about... I agree that Garrett is a filthy man... but in the name of the Talons Guild, I deeply apologize for this unforseen development." She bows ceremonially, and extends a manilla envelope to you.Before you decide how to react, you cautiously take the envelope and open it. It's the money you paid for the excursion, and then some. In fact, it's enough to cover a couple months of rent, and some change."Hey!" Hassan shoves you aside. "What about me?!""Of course," the girl hands him an identical envelope.You are in disbelief. All this and now you're being bribed?"It's not a bribe," the girl clarifies, as if reading your mind. "Seeing as the trip didn't go as planned, the Talons Guild has decided to reimburse you and provide compensation for your incinerated belongings. Beyond that, surely you must be aware that all hunters enter the Chaotzakka Condemned Zone under their own responsibility and mortal peril. Still, as you can imagine, this little 'newcomer excursion initiative' will be put on the back burner for now."Finally, the flashes a small smile, the first you've seen from her. You can't help but feel like you're still being bribed."I can explain more later, but right now I need to file mountains of paperwork, go down to the station, and well, before all that I need to see how Maggde's doing," she fires off, her eyes wandering about. "The good thing is that none of you were infected."You don't know if that even counts as a silver lining, but you suppose you'll take it. You're still brewing with anger inside, but the girl's ice-cold reaction has somewhat disarmed you. Hassan, meanwhile, is still counting the bills."I'm Miro-miro, by the way," she says out of nowhere. "That's my name. I'll look for you at Saturn Apartments later, but right now I have a mountain of things to do." And with that, she walks away and is lost in the crowd of policemen and soldiers.
>>6339838You look around you. Taranta has disappeared. No sign of the others, either. Your mind goes back to the zombified girl, but you doubt you'll get any information out of the crowd here. You think it might be wise to leave."Nice..." Hassan has finished counting the bills for the third or fourth time. He looks at you and screws up his face. "I am NEVER letting you fire a gun around me or my spirits, ever again!" He screams, inches from your face, but then backs away. "... Other than that, nice job. Cool sword moves. You should focus on *that*."You crack a smile of exhaustion. What else can you do in this situation?>"Well, at least we're loaded now. Let's go get clothes, and food, and alcohol.">"I can feel myself about to collapse. Let's go back to Saturn Apts."
>>6339838Now that's more like it! Not sure I believe her on the unforeseen development, given that Chernabel, unaffiliated though she may be, was evidently expecting this. Still, nice to see the Talon's apparently have some honour, good policy. Not sure I'd wanna join though.Also, loving the editing on these images QM.>>6339839I totally agree dude. Super sorry. Thanks for protecting us, twice even. I think we should sell the rifle and put what cash we earn towards getting some ki lessons or whatever.>"Well, at least we're loaded now. Let's go get clothes, and food, and alcohol."Alcohol last, don't want to get pickpocketed while we're drunk before we spend a single sel.
>>6339846Well, at least you've been handsomely compensated for your suffering. In a way, it almost counts as a successful hunt, right? Actually, how much will the Talons Guild make off of that juicy bounty...? Well, best not to think about it. For now, some much-needed retail therapy may restore your spirits."Hell yes!" Hassan replies, putting an arm around your shoulders, an unwise movement that leaves his robe in a revealing position. "I know just the place."The shopping arcades and department stores have changed quite a bit since you were last in Chaotzakka, but the items on offer have only multiplied. You walk down an avenue like a pair of recently-escaped lunatics in your robes. Hassan leads you to a garishly-decorated, multi-storey department store where every inch of the inner walls is covered in discount items, or flyers advertising discount items. The in-store lighting dazes you, while the looping background jingle soothes you. Hassan loses himself in the building, while you carefully browse, trying to put today's events in the back of your mind for now, holding on tight to your envelope.You buy many things: a new backpack, a wristwatch, a case for your sorry rifle, new underwear and undershirts, a whetstone for your saber, batteries for your PepBoy Pocket Color (why not), candy, processed foods with colorful mascots on the packaging, even a cheap flip phone and a phone charm to boot... you are filling up a bag with your purchases, but the whole thing is coming out pretty cheap.Though this isn't a specialized store, there's a section for secondhand clothes, army surplus, game-hunting gear, and miscellaneous accessories in large piles. You figure you should put together a decent outfit for your future hunting excursions. But what should you focus on...?>Protection. Body armor, heavy boots, and fire-retardant clothes, at the cost of speed.>Tactics. Camo clothes, wetwork boots, and night-vision binoculars, at the cost of durability.>Style. Cool clothes in pricey fabrics and fashionable ankle-length boots, at the cost of practicality.
>>6339852>Style. Cool clothes in pricey fabrics and fashionable ankle-length boots, at the cost of practicality.The dumbest option of the three. But hey, we're the guy who uses a fucking sword in a modern world where people have magic and firearms available. Gotta make an impression. Wouldn't be a splurge if we don't do some things for the lulz. Imagine our somersault slash if we had the threads to make it zing!If I were making a rational decision, I'd probably pick the protective outfit, though the tactical one would be just as well. Given that we're a swordsman, we're gonna be decisively engaged anytime we are in range to hit anything, meaning we're gonna take hits. Gonna be a slog getting in range wearing a plate carrier though. Tactical would be best if we were a gunslinger I imagine, or a spellcaster.
>>6339857You know what? Fuck it. You feel like you've been wearing your Civil Service uniform your entire life. You're going to buy yourself something nice for once. And like the country bumpkin you are, you change into your new threads right in the store. You emerge from the fitting room in a loose-fitting but very flattering dark-blue button-down of thick and comfortable make, a pair of refurbished forest-green vintage army pants that trail perfectly into your ankle-length boots, a brown leather belt, and even a matching dark blue cap that's just refreshing to look at. You've seen people dressed like this in magazines: casual, loose, stylish.Hassan, who has also bought a new outfit and is carrying a gigantic bag of goods besides, sees you and takes on a curious look. "Huh, wow. Talk about a makeover... I kinda figured you'd go right back to your, uh, army style. But I like this! Way more of a city boy."You'll take it.By this point you're famished, and you evaluate various options but end up gobbling down burritos from a nearby stand in desperation, and giddily decide to check out Saturn Apartments, where they say there's always a party when the sun sets. And by the time you arrive, the sun is already setting. The fairly lights have come on, and the same crowd as yesterday has set up camp in the courtyard, already crushing cans and lighting cigarettes like dozens of tiny chimneys. You spot some familiar faces, like Cacubo, who seems to be already loaded, and Giza, who remains stoic as always, but you decide not to engage. You wonder what it would take to get a man like Giza drunk."Well, well, well, if it isn't the exterminator!"
>>6339863Of course it's Garrett, cigarette in mouth, can in hand. He has finally, mercifully changed out of his track suit. He cleans up rather nicely, actually."Don't be coy, I heard all about it!" He once again pats you on the back in a way that is all too forceful, and a chuckle escapes Hassan. "Good thing you didn't get spored. I've never seen a guy get spored and come out right after that. Messes with the uhhh, the brain!" He's clearly had a few already.Tonight's party seems to be at a higher level of intensity than normal, perhaps prompted by the explosive events at the Containment Zone. You strain your eyes to see if you can spot anyone from your adventures earlier, but no such luck. Still, Garrett points towards what is presumably his table."We gotta celebrate your first successful hunt!" He suddenly remembers Hassan, who apparently has not had the pleasure of meeting him. "And you too, boy, what the hell!"You think of passing and going to bed, or of consulting Hassan on the matter, or of following up on Miro-miro on her promise of more information, but all possibilities melt from your mind. You're exhausted, and you want to let loose. What's wrong with a bit of partying? You helped slay a monster bigger than a house! You almost got blown up, and turned into a zombie. And all the other shit! You look at Hassan, who seems ready to take him up on the offer. And with that, you join the revelry for the evening.The consequences of your partying will become clear the morning after... in Episode 2.>TO BE CONTINUED...
>>6339872That concludes Episode 1 of RBH. Thanks to anyone and everyone for reading.I apologize for rushing through Episode 1, but I wanted to establish the premise, setting, and cast. From now on I will wait much longer between updates (as my schedule allows), and generally update once or twice a day while a thread is active.I'll also be doing some kind of summary doc to get new readers up to speed when the next episode begins.Thank you again! Comments and feedback always appreciated. Apologies for the occasional typo as well.
>>6339874Thanks for running QM, I enjoyed it.I recommend you advertise in qtg. Say you concluded the prologue and will be adapting a slower pace from now on, so everyone who has any interest, or did but dropped off due to the pace, can catch up. Just give a little eyecatch of the premise and what has happened so far.I don't really read the qtg, but lots of people do, so it might get you some traffic.The characters are enjoyable, and I'm warming up to Hassan.My questions mostly revolve around "what would we discover if we did X? Or what would happen if we did Y, etc". Like, if we got the the center of the zone earlier, would it have been possible to save the zombie girl? Or if we had rolled really well in our attack against her, or both rolls against the giant plant? Would it have been possible to beat the boss if we'd been more aggressive and attacked on our own without seeking guidance and rolled well? Before Maggde and co showed up, I mean? What loot/phenomena would we have discovered in the department store/other buildings? Or if we followed each of the other bounty hunters? Would we have gotten infected if we had chosen to linger in the contaminated zone with zombie girl, Chernabel and Umaz?Just trying to get a feel for the consequences of our actions and what everyone did. It appears time was paid attention to, with it being noted when we stopped for lunch, which spurs part of the above questions.I enjoyed the zone excursion, felt like there was a decent mix of opportunity to learn more, fight, loot, socialize, or lose, etc. Didn't feel too strongly about Maggde swooping in for the heroic finish. It was cool, and made logical sense for the more powerful and experienced hunter to be where she was needed to save the day. But it also felt like it deprived the final fight of the glory of victory through our own efforts, or the consequences of defeat, 'cause we know she'd always be there a minute later to win the day.Two things I have to say about the combat. One, maybe this is a consequence of us being a melee fighter, but there isn't really much for us to do tactically. We just hit things, and I don't get the feeling you are gonna get so granular as to simulate individual sword strikes, guards, and positioning like this is Riddle of Steel or one of its derivatives. Maybe giving more depth/options to the combat via exploring what we can do with ki, sorcery, or gadgets would make it more interesting. The closest we got to interesting tactical scenario was when we were trapped on the roof. Second, you should probably mechanically define a failure state, so we know when to call it quits or that you aren't gonna deus ex machina us outta bad situations all the time. It made sense to be saved from the suicide monster with Hassan there, but else where we should know when we risk dying or just being injured and suffer the consequences accordingly.
>>6339888Thank you! And thank you for sticking around for it, I enjoyed your explanations behind your choices.It's true that this first episode may have felt a bit on-rails, in part because I had a pretty fixed idea of how I wanted things to pan out, but there were also points where things took a totally unexpected turn. I actually wanted the final battle to go on for longer, but I felt like the thread had gone on for long enough and I kinda had to wrap things up. I think if we'd rolled a 10 on the rifle shot we could've beat the boss with our party (it would've deactivated all the tendrils), but I also think it's hilarious that our MC can't shoot a gun to save his life, and ends up taking out another of Hassan's spirits.(In the particular case of the barreleyes, the "right" choice was to shoot the blue one: it would've exploded into water and extinguished the red one, to boot.)While it wouldn't have been possible to "save" the zombified girl, there were definitely other buildings to explore and treasures to uncover in the Zone. It was possible to miss the boss battle entirely and have a much more relaxed time. As for dangerous choices, it's true that I probably wasn't going to kill off the MC in this first episode, but in the future there will be more clearly-stated consequences for making risky or dangerous moves. There will also always be a couple "joke" options because I enjoy those, though.Full disclosure: I will probably never kill the MC over one bad roll, but I will greatly disadvantage him, severely injure him, KO him, put him in jail, etc.Our MC's paltry skillset will soon have opportunities for a big boost, thankfully. Starting Episode 2 he'll have chances to train in new disciplines and acquire new gadgets. With a phone he will also have access to the Bounty Board, so we'll have much more freedom in terms of bounties we take and people we pair up with. I hope it works out.
>>6339913In case you were planning on making a new thread I'd advise it, this one will be on the board for several months more and you can only have a few active threads at a time
>>6339969advise AGAINST IT
>>6339913The MC being godawful with firearms is really funny desu. I guess we just need to find a magic sword...
>>6339969Thanks. As long as this thread doesn't reach the post limit (or go into permasage I guess) I intend to keep using it.>>6340030He is truly a shit marksman, but to be fair he warned you. Thankfully there are other tricks he can pick up in this world.Some open questions, if you like to answer them:>Would links to background music help with immersion?>Are infodumps on the lore of the world a turn-off?
>>6340037Permasage doesn't really matter. Every on this board sorts by last reply, not bump order. And the board is so dead at the moment that finding any thread you are looking for is not difficult.>Background musicYes please, though for posterity's sake, it is probably good to include the name of the song/BGM in the post, since often music gets copyright struck or the link breaks. Many such cases in the archives.>InfodumpsFor me I'll just repeat what I said. I like the infodumps themselves, I don't like the choices for the infodumps, because it feels like a meaningless choice. Just give us all the information if it is a briefing or choice of what to read. Or as much as you feel comfortable writing. Obviously I don't mean have MC read an 800 page book in an hour or even the course of a day, but the pamphlet we got could probably just be read wholesale. Likewise with the hunter's handbook, regardless of the long the 'in-universe' book is, the sections we got were short enough that I feel like you could just give us all of them. If the book is too long in-universe, then it can just be handwaved as us skimming through it, skipping to important sections, since we are already somewhat familiar with it and don't need to read every page.Generally, aside from the reading choices, I think you include information about the setting pretty naturally, from what I recall.
>>6340184everyone on this board*
Alright! Episode 2 will begin this evening. As previously mentioned, there will be way more time to vote between updates from now, and I'll be doing updates once or twice a day.
Uh QM, you there? Trouble in QMland, or just a little schedule slip? Should we assume you'll resume tomorrow instead?
[ Hello, very sorry for the wait. I had a bit of a real-life emergency yesterday. Episode 2 begins now! ]"Oof... "You wake up like someone's taken a power drill to your skull.The room is swirling, and whirling, and finally comes to a dizzy stop. You're staring at the off-white ceiling and single, hanging lightbulb of your rented room. Wait... you lift your head and realize you're lying on a couch you don't recognize. Your head is killing you, but the rest of your body feels out of sorts, too. This is the worst hangover you've had since your Civil Service days, when you and a few other trainees would pitch in for the chapest liquor available and get blind-drunk in strangers' farmland, prodding sleeping beast-oxen and running away in crooked directions under the moonlight. You figured those days were over. You've never been good at holding your liquor.You look around the room and recognize the same furnishings as your own, but with more than a few additions: most enviably a mini-fridge, which looks brand new. You're still wearing the clothes you purchased yesterday, though a blanket's been laid over you. You're almost afraid to rip it off. Various empty cans of Kelpie--the cheapest pilsner brand, and coincidentally the favorite of bounty hunters around here--lay strewn about the cold floor. It must be noon already."Finally up?" Oh, it's Hassan. He's kneeling and facing the balcony of his apartment, with his back turned away from you. As he rises to his feet you notice a makeshift altar with a single branch gently emitting smoke. Is that incense? No, you don't recognize the smell. You wonder if this is some kind of religious practice; or, more likely, a form of appeasement for his displeased spirits."You really let it rip last night," He starts, with an expression of secondhand embarrassment. He looks freshly showered, while you feel like you've become part of this couch. Slowly, last night's memories start to come back, though much of it is still a blur. Of course. After all the business at the Chaotzakka Condemned Zone, the explosive finale, and the shocking reimbursement, you splurged on new purchases and, in your revelry, joined a wild party at the Saturn Apartments courtyard. You panic for a second and helplessly reach around your body, looking to confirm that your belongings are still here somewhere."Relax," Hassan continues. "I put all your stuff in your room. I think what you need now is a shower and a warm meal. And maybe a nice nap in your own place." He says this without malice, but with clear intent for you to leave sometime soon. Still, you get the warm feeling that he can't help stifling a laugh. Even if you made a fool of yourself last night, you get a sense of camaraderie, surely stemming from your shared experiences at the Zone. You suspect that you're becoming fast friends.But, what exactly did you do last night? You cast back your mind, and the memories begin to emerge from the murk...
>>6341625When you arrived at Saturn Apartments fresh from your shopping trip, there was Garrett again, who invited the two of you to join his table. Giddy and ecstatic from the events of the day, you quickly accepted.Though many of the crowd's faces have become a blur in your recollection, you distinctly remember the feeling of being surrounded by a power and dynamism that would be unrecognizable to anyone back in Iscthymia. So many different people and races, with so many scars, and stories that would surely make your hairs stand on end... yet all seemingly united in a moment of abandon, an armistice where professional rivalries and even deeper grudges are put on hold. Perhaps, in a profession as dangerous as bounty-hunting, there's a prevailing feeling that life is too short not to share a drink with someone..."The exterminator, in the flesh!" Garrett gestures to you as he sits, and you remain standing, unsure of how to proceed. You wish he'd stop using that nickname, which seems at least partially-condescending. There are many people you don't know swirling about the spot, but two individuals are sat at the table.The first is a wyverian man, looking to be around Garrett's age, but much broader, and rugged-looking. A pair of heavy oxen horns the color of obsidian stick out of the sides of his head. At least, they look heavy. You briefly wonder what it's like to walk around with those things all day. Does he ever get caught in doorways?"This is Dzokko. Our muscle, and also our cook," Garrett motions to him. He is indeed wearing a grease-stained apron, and has just set down a gigantic plate of grilled meats on the table."Whaddaya mean your cook? I made these all for myself--," He interrupts himself to swat a wandering hand drifting towards a cut of beef, but this is clearly a joke. Then again, you suspect he'd be entirely capable of putting away the whole plate by himself. He looks like someone you wouldn't want to mess with, but his demeanor isn't particularly intimidating. You get the feeling that he's more responsible than Garrett, which has sort of forced him into a caretaker role. Then again, you wouldn't want to get on his bad side...
>>6341631The second person is a slim celestian woman. Her wings are charcoal-colored, and much larger than Cacubo's, who is your only frame of reference so far. Then again, you know that no celestian can actually fly. She seems reserved, but also like she's well-accustomed to the chaos of Saturn Apartments. She's nursing a can of beer and holding a surprisingly large slab of meat with a fork in the other hand."This is Yorunde," Garrett interjects once again, "our mage and medic.""How do you do?" She puts on a polite, friendly face, which appears to be an automatic response when greeting someone. Still, she seems more comfortable in her own skin than you are at this moment.These two must be the other members of Garrett's presumably-tripartite Guild. Both have their assigned roles. What could Garrett's role be then? Is he like, the wild card?Hassan has run off to get drinks, and the two exotic races are staring at you with varying levels of curiosity, perhaps trying to square the image of you with the stories they heard coming out of the Condemned Zone. You wonder if you were meant to come off as more heroic. Right now you're dressed like a moderately-fashionable university student, you think. Everyone else here gives off the vibe of after-office heavy drinkers.Well, you have to say something. But who did you strike up a conversation with... ?>The wyverian>The celestian
>>6341633>The wyverianI have to know if he gets stuck in doorways. Though I am curious about celestians. Charnabel (Chernabel? You've spelled it both ways multiple times) was speaking to one when we first departed for the CCZ.
>>6341633>The wyverian
>>6341743You regard Dzokko, who motions at you to help yourself. That's all you need to take a stab at an especially juicy-looking cut of meat. It's true that you just ate, but near-death experiences have a way of opening up your appetite. Hassan arrives with a twelve-pack of Kelpie, which he sets on the table with an ominous thud. There are cheers from onlookers, but you can hear Garrett protesting: "what're you guys cheering for? Ya think uhhh, these are for you?" The five of you are sat at the table but you can feel other eyes on your group, perhaps discussing rumors of the day's events.You crack open a can and join everyone in a toast. Garrett seems to knock back his beer before it touches the table again. Everyone else is more even-keeled.Drink Counter: 1"So it was a fungomancer beast," Dzokko says to you, leaning in, raising his eyebrows. It takes you a second to grasp what he's referring to. "No wonder they closed it down and called it a Zone. Could'a gotten outta hand in no time. Still, pretty strange of the World Overseer." He's the first person to call them by their proper name, instead of the colloquial WO or 'Double O.'"Keepin' the public outta the loop could'a been worse. People still remember givin' up their homes to monsters and whatnot." Dzokko's voice is kind of flat and reedy, like a character in a cartoon. It certainly doesn't project a tough-guy attitude. He definitely seems like more of a thinker than his human Guildmate."Almost makes ya think they're hidin' somethin' else in there..." He looks past you, as if searching for another face in the crowd, which he doesn't seem to find. This comment resonates with you, though. If people like Chernabel and Maggde knew what hid inside the Condemned Zone, why were they ferrying newbie hunters into it? Are they so unscrupulous as to feign ignorance just to make some extra luna? That couldn't be it."Well, good thing ya made it out clean," he continues, leaning back in his chair. "Heard a couple others weren't so lucky. That's the roll a' the dice in this job. Gotta be ready for anything."You have to admit that a lot of luck was involved in your survival today. You need to expand your skill set if you're to continue as a bounty hunter. The things you've seen other hunters do have made you feel rather inadequate.You...>Ask him how he got so strong.>Ask him about rumors and goings-on.>Ask him if he can breathe fire, too. [Potentially sensitive subject?]>Ask him if his horns ever get stuck in doorways. [You're too sober to ask this.]>Let's have a drink first. [Drink Counter +1]Voting will remain open until early evening.>Your conversation options may change as you get more drunk.
>>6341875>Ask him how he got so strong.The most direct question, this'll open him up to further inquiries.
>>6341875>Ask him how he got so strong.
>>6341875>Ask him how he got so strongHow do I git gud man? All I can do is sword
>>6342013There's no reason to beat around the bush. These people have been nothing but welcoming so far, and they might just be willing to give you a hand. You ask Dzokko how did he become so strong.His eyes wander as he chuckles weirdly. "Strong? C'mon kid, I barely made A-Rank..."As a D-Rank bounty hunter yourself, A-Rank feels a world away. A-Ranks hunt down necromancers and named demons. A-Ranks are equivalent to martial-arts masters. A-Ranks are one or two promotions away from getting collectible trading cards with their name on them. Your father never made A-Rank... except posthumously. You let Dzokko know that false modesty won't deter you."Aw, man..." He's squirming in his seat now. "Well... first of all, you're goin' about this ass-backwards. Ya' need to get a handle for where ya' are and what's available to ya'." You're not sure what he means."For example," he points to the gym, "that's not just some neighborhood squat rack for meatheads 'n pensioners," he says, "there's a lotta' specialized equipment you could use in there. Yeah, even someone like you," he offers, "And over there," he points to the corner shop, "that's not just some neighborhood deli with the sleepin' fat cat, it's an armory and drugstore and what-have-you," he stops for a bite, "plus there's a bulletin board inside." Oh. Okay.He is explaining this with the rehearsed mannerisms of a schoolteacher, as if he'd been forced to explain it many times before; perhaps to his loose-cannon Guildmates. You make a mental note to get to know the features of Saturn Apartments better. It's true that you should explore your environment and get to know your neighbors, besides. Everyone here is a bounty hunter, so even the most innocuous-looking services will be especially tailored to them."As for gettin' stronger..." Dzokko continues, scratching his chin. "There's a lotta' different ways to go about that... ki or magic, I guess, are the most popular... some folks are all about cuttin'-edge technology, or monster-tamin'... and there's the legally-grey stuff... Me, I've always been a ki guy. Served me well. If ya want, I can teach you the basics sometime. Kids like you are pretty quick to get a grasp of it, normally."You are effusively thankful to Dzokko for this, but it seems like no big deal to him. You toast on it and exchange phone numbers, making use of your shiny new flip phone.>You can now call or text Dzokko.Dzokko downs his Kelpie and you follow. It's a private celebration for a new chapter in your training.Drink Counter: 2Ki... Of course you were aware of it, even back home. It was like a mysterious Eastern art of self-improvement. But the idea that one could use ki to perform superhuman feats was like something out of an old movie. Here, it practically feels like a prerequisite. Normally it's a discipline taught in exclusive dojos and monasteries over years, or under the tutelage of a strict grandmaster. You wonder how Dzokko learned it.
>KiOh shit, we gotta cultivate and master sword dao so that we can fly around on the sword
>>6342027"Ki... ?" Hassan interjects, having caught bits and pieces of your conversation. "You're telling me you don't know how to use ki?" His eyes narrow. Were you that stupid in coming here without knowing ki? You ask Hassan if he knows how to use it."Me? Nah, what for?" He makes a gesture as if it were obvious that magic users don't dabble in such things. "But you're telling me you did all those sword moves without ki? That's kinda crazy..." He cracks open another beer. "Once you learn ki, you're really gonna take that stuff to the next level.""Not necessarily," Yorunde chimes in, taking a can for herself. "You know, magic users have a reputation for staying at range, but there are many who fight up-close. They're called spellblades. You could still learn basic magic. You seem like you've got the aptitude.""Meh..." Hassan guzzles down his beer. "Doesn't this dude strike you as more of a ki person?"Yorunde laughs through her nose. "Not all mages are sophisticated." If that was intended as an insult, it went completely over Hassan's head.
>>6342032Your attention turns to the sound of various Kelpie cans being popped at the same time. Garrett has wandered away from your table and is shotgunning beers with a different group of hunters."Damn... that guy's a beast," Hassan opines with no major emotion. Garrett's coterie is a group of younger bounty hunters, one of which catches your eye, simply because they're your type. But now is no time to be flirting..."On your six," Hassan mutters to you, while averting your gaze. This is the second time you hear that phrase since you came to the city. You had no idea this system was so popular. Wait, on your six is behind you, right... ?You subtly turn around and instantly freeze. Even through the crowd and chaos you become immediately aware of what Hassan is pointing out. Two tables away from you there is a man sitting and staring at you directly. You've never seen him before. He looks freakishly tall, though it's hard to gauge unless he stands. His long arms and large hands are crossed upon the table, holding onto nothing; no beer can, no cigarette, no food. He is leaning to the side, but staring straight into you, and was presumably doing so even before you looked. Even as you turn back, he meets your gaze fearlessly. And this does nothing to erase the grin on his face. He's wearing an open parka jacket with no undershirt. And he's sitting alone.You immediately look away and stare off into the void, as if in idle conversation with Hassan."He's been like that for as long as I can tell..." he mutters back. "And he's clearly looking at you."Who is that guy? You wonder if someone here knows him. What now?>Join Garrett and his new friends [Drink Counter +?]>Subtly ask the table about this guy>Ignore him, act natural, have another beer [Drink Counter +1]>Write-inVoting will remain open until late night EST.
>>6342042>Take another beer and walk over to table of the guy staring at us and sit down. Ask him what he's staring for. [Drink Counter +1]
>>6342042>>Subtly ask the table about this guy
>>6342042>Take another beer and walk over to table of the guy staring at us and sit down. Ask him what he's staring for. [Drink Counter +1]Momma didn't raise no bitch. Let's see what's up with this guy. Besides that, approaching him might improve his disposition of us.
Rolled 9 + 2 (1d10 + 2)>>6342044>>6342109Let's roll 1d10+Drink Counter to see if our protagonist has the balls to do this.
>>6342148Well, that settles it. If that guy is dying to know you, he's gonna get what he bargained for, and then some. Without announcing your intentions, you rise from your seat with a start, turn, and walk in a straight line towards the man. Oof. Suddenly getting up like that is really making you feel the alcohol. Maybe you've become a bit of a lightweight. You feel Hassan almost attempting to stop you, but he relents at the last moment. You hear hushed discussion drift from the table but are too far now to discern what they're saying.Legs spread wide, can of Kelpie in your hand, you take a seat at the table across from the green-haired man, whose eyes have widened into a look of ecstatic shock, but you aren't cowed by this. Your beer lands on the wet surface with a sharp thud and you feel several pairs of eyes on you. The surrounding tables seem to be turning to witness this encounter.You adjust your cap and then take a long swig of your beer almost without thinking. In fact, you've nearly emptied the can before it touches the table again.Drink Counter: 3But now you need an opening line. What would work best... ?>Let's intimidate him [1d10+DC]>Let's be sassy and playful [1d10+DC]>Let's just be polite and friendlyVoting will remain open until morningtime EST.
Rolled 10 (1d10)>>6342153>Let's intimidate him [1d10+DC]Uuuaaarrrrrraaaaaahhh!Ahem, anyways......Hassan did say we really let go during the night. We know we can't hold our liquor. No fear. No embarrassment. No cringe. Only do.
>>6342166Huzzah!
>>6342167My sacrificed dignity was worth it. A grand orthopraxic display of returning to monke was given to the dice gods in a ritual circle of chicken blood and dog piss in the woods outside my residence. I did not believe, but it was my actions that truly counted. For this great gift to the gods, I have been rewarded!
>>6342153>>6342166+1 let it ride QM>"YOU EYEBALLING ME???"
>>6342153>Let's just be polite and friendly
>>6342166Up-close, the man seems huge. He has a build you've never seen before: a wide, V-shaped torso and long, gangly limbs with large hands and feet. You imagine he might reach seven feet tall standing up. His hands meet in front of him as in prayer, but only the fingertips are touching, concealing a toothy grin with enlarged canines behind them.Some sort of animal spirit takes hold of you in that moment. Without warning you lean over the length of table and come inches from the man's face. His eyes widen into plates."YOU EYEBALLING ME??" You growl this close enough for him to smell your breath. You hear a sudden quiet around you as more people have dropped what they're doing in anticipation of a fight.The man's not saying anything. You see his pupils dart left and right as if rapidly assessing what to do. You think you've really gotten him out of sorts here! He obviously didn't see this coming."H-hey, now, man... !" He begins by raising his hands in an apologetic gesture, and his pasted-on grin takes on a sheepish quality as he avoids your fiery stare. "I was just thinking... how much I'd love to meet the guy everyone's talking about."Are you really the toast of Saturn Apartments after the business at the Condemned Zone? You almost feel showered with undue praise. Let's be honest, you weren't the one who killed that monster in the end..."Listen, you don't have a Guild yet, right?" The man continues, now seemingly a bit more comfortable. You slowly retreat back into your seat. "When are you gonna stop crushing beers with these shlohmos and join the big leagues wi--"He stops himself as a shadow falls upon his face. You feel it, too: a presence has materialized behind you and is emitting an aura so intense even you can feel it. Having lost much of your courage, you meekly turn to see...
>>6342354It's Garrett. He has zoomed over to your table in record time. You've never seen him like this before, though; not even while fighting. All the alcohol seems to have evaporated from his body in a steam cloud. He looks like every single muscle is tensed. He's standing right behind you, staring down the green-haired man with an expression that goes beyond mistrust and right into undiluted hatred."... Oh, man. Here we go." The green-haired man scoffs and makes an ironic gesture with his hand, as if surrendering to the coming lecture."Don't even think about it, Galick," Garrett starts in a register as ominous as death. He hasn't moved one inch from his position, and now you're caught between these two men."What, like you got dibs on him or something?" The man named Galick retorts and runs a hand over his hair. "Listen, kid..." His eyes turn back to you. He leans closer, as if about to share something confidential. "You're Erol's son, right?"The words hit you like a bucket of ice water. You never suspected that your father would be famous enough as a bounty hunter to be a topic of discussion even today. You didn't even expect anyone here to know who he was. You feel your face rush with warm blood. What does he mean? Is that the reason behind his apparent interest in you? Did he know your father? Did Garrett? Does this explain all the friendly treatment? Did it have nothing to do with your own achievements whatsoever? But your father... you always respected his skill in his profession, but he never really achieved anything of note... Bounty hunting has gotten so much more competitive since then...Through the confusion you get a good look at Galick's face and try to remember if this man ever had anything to do with your father, if they were Guildmates perhaps, but you have truly never seen him before. How to respond to this... ?>Yeah, what's it to ya? [Drink Counter +1]>Lie and deny. [Drink Counter +1]>I'm not answering that. [Drink Counter +2]>Write-inVoting will remain open until evening EST.
>>6342357>Yeah, what's it to ya? [Drink Counter +1]We're not ashamed of anything, least of all our old man.
>>6342357>Yeah, what's it to ya? [Drink Counter +1]
>>6342442[ Since the vote seems to be unanimous, we're gonna be moving forward a bit earlier than planned. ]It's not like you're ashamed of your dad. He was an upstanding man in a profession full of backstabbings and kickbacks, as far as you know. But you wonder how his name reached the likes of Saturn Apartments..."Yeah, what's it to ya?" You defiantly respond, and take a swig of a newly-opened can which has magically appeared on the table... no, actually, this must belong to Galick. Oh well. It's too late to back off.Drink Counter: 4Neither party immediately responds to the news, but you can feel a supernatural intensity radiating out of Garrett, even without looking at him. Galick takes a moment to absorb this news as he leans back into his seat, runs another hand through his hair, and fails to contain a massive, toothy grin."Of course..." He says, gears clearly turning in his head. "Apple doesn't fall far from the tree. When I heard a newbie hunter had slain the beast at the Zone, and read that last name, I thought: no way! I gotta talk to this guy."Why does everyone think that you were today's hero? Do they not know that Maggde toasted that monster? You certainly helped, but it's not like you even got to claim the bounty.A deep sigh comes from behind you. Garrett has relaxed his posture, but you get the feeling that he hasn't let down his guard. "Why do you have to uhhh, drop in unannounced like this?" He throws out his arms in exasperation. "You know the rules around here. Landlord's gonna give us all a hard time 'cause of you.""Like you give a shit about the rules," Galick spits back. "Listen..." His attention turns back to you. "You're new, I get it, this is all a big deal, yadda yadda... but if you're looking to go to the next level of power," he points to himself, "I'm your man.""Don't listen to this clown," says Garrett. "He doesn't even live here. He's been blackballed from just about every boarding-house in the city. Probably living in a sewer at this point.""I do very well for myself," Galick closes his eyes and smiles, throwing out his hands, as if his appearance spoke for itself. You're afraid to say that it doesn't, really. But now he rises to his feet and your suspicions are confirmed: even though his posture is terrible, his hunch-over torso looms over you like a great dead tree. His long and gangly arms hang from the sides and reach down below his waist. He's like some kind of movie-monster."Whenever you're ready to hit me up..." he looks around at a crowd of unfriendly faces, "... you'll find your way to me." And with that and another offputting grin, he turns and makes his way to the courtyard gate, hands in pockets. But not before throwing out one last comment over his shoulder."It's a shame, how they did your dad dirty like that."What does that mean? Your dad died of his injuries after a disastrous hunt. It was supposed to be his A-Rank debut.
>>6342476The days following his demise remain in your memory as a dark and blurry cloud from your childhood.Galick is walking out of view, and slowly the crowd is turning back to their own conversations and you feel the party around you pick up where it started. Garrett is standing next to you."You shouldn't give that guy attention," he says, still looking towards the gate. "Only reason he's not in prison is because they couldn't prove what he did. But there's no hunter's house in the city that'll welcome him. He still drops by every once in a while, when he thinks he can get away with it. But five more minutes here and I'm pretty sure someone would've made the call."You're trying to process both the news of Galick's reputation and his offhand comment about your father. You feel a great wave of embarrassment scrambling your thoughts and feelings. All this time you'd been operating under the assumption that everyone thought you to be just some average Joe... which, really, you are. But does your father's reputation actually precede you?But also, what the hell did Galick mean? Was he just trying to rile you up, or does he know something? He doesn't seem to have a reputation for honesty...You feel the alcohol fueling these doubts and insecurities. There are many things you want to say, but you're not sure if you're ready to say them...>Ask Garrett if he knew your dad.>Ask Garrett more about Galick. [This seems to be a sensitive topic.]>Chase after Galick [1d10+DC]. [This may affect your standing with Garrett's group.]>Let's go back. I need to talk to Hassan and the others about this. [Drink Counter +1]>This is too much. I need a drink. Or two. [Drink Counter +2]Voting will remain open until nighttime EST.
>>6342482>Ask Garrett if he knew your dad.Drinks can wait until we hear news worth drinking over. So far it is mysterious, but not mind blowing. We can get the low-down on Galick after we hear Garret out and return to the group. I wanna at least hear if wyvern man gets his horns stuck in doorways before we fall unconscious, gotta have some fun tonight.
Side-note, but the Picrew template I was using for Hassan has vanished... leaving me with a grand total of two images for him. This could get tedious. Which of these two would you prefer as a replacement for Hassan's appearance?
>>6342508The one on the right is closer to the original pics appearance, and more expressive besides. Darker skin, closer hair colour, brown eyes, etc. So that is my pick.
>>6342482>Ask Garrett if he knew your dad.
[ Update coming later today. ]
>>6342486[ Very sorry for the wait, weekends are more complicated for me. Weekend updates will probably be more spaced-out in the future.]Well, if Galick knew who your dad was, you may as well find out who else did. After a moment of doubt, you ask Garrett straight up: did he know him?Garrett meets your gaze with an inscrutable expression. A moment passes before he answers... "Sorry, but no. I mean, I knew of him. But, if you're wondering, I didn't know about this connection when we met."That's kind of a relief.The two of you rejoin the table amidst a newly-enlivened conversation. Hassan whispers at you again, though. "Hey, why the hell does everyone here think you killed that monster back in the Zone?" You don't know how to respond to this."I mean, not that I mind, but..." He does seem to mind a bit. "People here have been fed a different version of events. Nobody here seems to know about Maggde."You wonder if the Talons decided to downplay their role in today's disastrous excursion for the sake of damage control. But then again, Chernabel and Umaz were also there, and it's not like the giant smoke cloud wasn't visible for miles... do people think you pulled off a miraculous feat, or have they assumed that you're some kind of prodigy? How exactly do they think you managed to incinerate that monster?But you're not given time to think this over, as you hear the sounds of seats shifting and people shuffling to attend some other event stealing everyone's attention at the courtyard center.
QM? You okay? It has been a week and a bit.
