Constraints breed creativity.This 100 Rule Quest and the universe it takes place in are to be forged by the combination of a set of rules created by the players.We'll explore how the rules interact, perhaps exploit the limitations, and navigate the chaos.
Only things stated in rules or that necessarily follow from the rules are certain to exist. Although other things may exist.For example, if a rule states "Dentists are attractive.", then therefore dentists, people, mouths, teeth, healthcare, society, and relative degrees of attractiveness all exist. However, human beings, clothing, or even eyes don't necessarily exist, although they could. Dentists could be moden humans or alien beaver people.
Rule Zero:A. I, Apoc QM, will interpret the rules as accurately as I can, encourage feedback, clarify the rules as they will be set forth and implemented.B. I might not research anything.C. I will not write Slice of Life.D. If the players attempt to create fan fiction, it may be inaccurate, poor quality, and possibly be subject to The Monkey's Paw.E. I will not otherwise *purposefully* subvert the intention of rules, or Monkey's Paw the quest. Whatever chaos creates the quest, I will play it straight and commit to running the resulting quest earnestly.F. Unless affected by the rules, the Top Five Rules will remain:1. The quest ends when: ___.2. The protagonist is: ___.3. The protagonist's goal is: ___.4. The quest begins when: ___5. The setting is: ___.
>>6410499>The setting is the wild weird West, were cowboys and magic exist.
>>6410499>Dentists are attractive
>>6410507>>The setting is the wild weird West, were cowboys and magic exist.I reckon that brings along a whole passel of western tropes and opens up a wide range of possibilities regarding all manner of the magical, even critters and the like.
>>6410519>>Dentists are attractiveDagnabbit. I figured one of y'all might take to that. It's like Kyoto all over again. S'pose it can't be helped, what with them pretty teeth an' all.
>>6410499>Humans mostly like IRL primarily populate the setting, with the key difference being that they can sacrifice life force (their own or others) to use magic
>>6410499>There is a kingdom full of talking rabbits in the desert. They are ruled by an old wise rabbit who has a magic ring.
>>6410530Humans are the dominant race.Humans have the ability to sacrifice life force to use magic.The distinction between "life" and "life force" means that magic can be used without necessarily killing the source being sacrificed to use magic.This creates "life force" separate from the binary state of living and dead, from "life".The opens the possiblity that the sacrificing of life force:A. reduces health, which could later be regained normally B. Reduces lifespan, which indicates predetermined lifespan not known or regained irlC. Something else
>>6410540>>There is a kingdom full of talking rabbits in the desert. They are ruled by an old wise rabbit who has a magic ring.This actually brings a lot of things:Sentient rabbits with intelligence and speech.Monarchy form of governmentDesertWise Rabbit KingMagical objects and jewelry.Without further distinction, I would say these rabbits are close to actual rabbits and not necessarily anthropomorphic. The language they speak might not necessarily be a human language either.It's difficult to quantify the societal elements necessary to be called a kingdom. But the term suggests something substantial. A few rabbits ruled by a king is technically a kingdom. However, I would assume something larger.
>>64104962. The protagonist is: Hanekawa Tsubasa
>>64104961. The quest ends when: Main Character has consensual coitus.
>>6410499>A vast sea dominates the world, one that not even the bravest mariners dare cross without utmost preparation... though it is filled with many wonders and wealth, it is equally-stuffed with danger as well
>>6410578She needs to bathe at least once a day, no exceptions. Bathing with any of her clothes on is banned.
>>6410578>Hanekawa Tsubasa...I do not know this character so my writing of them may likely disappoint. As per Rule Zero.But the broad strokes of her characterization are understandable and would seem to fit the setting, mostly.Reconciling a "class president" in a western setting might require slight adjustment.
>>6410579>Main Character has consensual coitus.Not an unprecedented way for a story to come to an end, so to speak.
>>6410580>>A vast sea dominates the world, one that not even the bravest mariners dare cross without utmost preparation... though it is filled with many wonders and wealth, it is equally-stuffed with danger as wellThat it dominates yet is hardly crossed suggests to me that braving the sea is a source of economic gain and likely political power.The wealth and wonders beyond dangerous depths reminds me of settings based on dungeon delving.I'm shuffling together a western setting adjacent to a desert kingdom both dominated by a vast sea. Definitely some potential here.This also brings a great deal with it.Sea.Ocean travel.Mariners.Expeditions.Wealth.Sea lifeAnd the possibility of magical sea life.
>>6410584>She needs to bathe at least once a day, no exceptions. Bathing with any of her clothes on is banned.Well now, this brings some interesting things.Bathing, obviously.More interestingly, the need for her specifically to bathe. "Bathing" can mean to wash or swim. So there's some leeway there. But what is the source of the need? It could be medical, religious, compulsion, or even a magical geas or curse.And most people bathe without clothes on. However, her clothes are "banned" while bathing. A ban is an official or authoritative prohibition that forbids something, typically enforced by law, rules, or social pressure. So her need to bathe would seem to be influenced by societal elements.
The rules so far:1. The quest ends when the main character has consensual coitus.2. The protagonist (and de facto main character) is Hanekawa Tsubasa.3. The protagonist's goal is: ___.4. The quest begins when: ___5. The setting is the Wild Weird West where cowboys and magic exist.6. Dentists are attractive.7. Humans primarily populate the setting and can sacrifice life force to use magic.8. The desert kingdom of talking rabbits is ruled ruled by an old wise rabbit who has a magic ring.9. A vast sea dominates the world, filled with wonders, wealth, and danger.10. Hanekawa needs to bathe at least once a day and bathing with any of her clothes on is banned.
>>6410627>3. The protagonist's goal is: ___.Obtain the rabbit king's ring
>>6410627This is a solid start and more than I was expecting by now.I've got a few powerful sources of inspiration for the setting, mixing mysterious nautical elements into the western setting.I've got a few key NPCs formed at least one-dimensionally:A rabbit king A school marmAn experienced marinerAn attractive dentistWe're lacking conflict and motivation a necessary to flesh it out yet. And I'm hoping for far more convoluted rule interactions. But this is an excellent beginning.
>>6410632>The sea is slowly but surely rising. Doesn't seem like it's going to stop.
>>6410499>>6410632>The quest begins when Hanekawa Tsubasa gets a message from the government about a possible plan to stop the sea from rising
>>6410632>There are two moons. There used to be a third one that the rabbits and figs originated from, but they shattered it a millennia ago during a civil war. Pieces fall to the planet from time to time, the desert is one such chunk.
>>6410607Don't worry, it's ok as long as she looks like her.
>>641063311. The sea is slowly but surely rising with no sign of endingGood source of conflict and motivation.
>>64106674. The quest begins when Hanekawa Tsubasa gets a message from the government about a possible plan to stop the sea from risingDefinitely qualifies as an inciting incident.It also brings with it government, presumably a human government with an unspecified system of government. Likely a democracy to better fit the western genre.My first question was why the government would send such a message to a "class president". But this is why I must scrutinize the rules. The rule states she "gets" the message, not that she was the intended recipient.I strongly suspect that the plan might involve the rabbit king's magic ring.
>>6410679>>There are two moons. There used to be a third one that the rabbits and figs originated from, but they shattered it a millennia ago during a civil war. Pieces fall to the planet from time to time, the desert is one such chunk.There's some stuff to unpack here.The presence of multiple moons and the destruction of one is likely to have a tremendous affects on the tides, especially of such a massive ocean.It's impressive that humans survived, likely through magic.Meteoric moon rocks fall consistently.Civil war between alien rabbits and figs.I imagine there's still a great deal of animosity between them.Figs exist......figs?
>>6410721Here I am, thinking about the ramifications of alien figs waging war. I'm wondering what powers they might wield against the rabbits. I am remembering all the formidable sentient plant life forms that I have seen in fiction.I am grinning at the idea of the ancient rabbit war song "Give us some figgy pudding!"...only then does it occur to me that anon could have intended to type "pigs".
>>6410721 Dinosaurs replace most important mammals, reptiles and birds There're elves, they are more animeish that Tolkienish. They predict the coming of Santa Claus.
>>6410739>>6410743>Dinosaurs replace most important mammals, reptiles and birdsIt begs the question what the threshold for important is. A dinosaur heavy ecosystem is clear. As is cowboys riding dinos. And cows being dinos as well.>There're elves, they are more animeish that Tolkienish. They predict the coming of Santa Claus.I might have to clarify what makes an elf an anime elf. But "not-Tolkien" is clear. Tolkien elves tend to be Human But Better.
>>6410718>The rabbit king's magic ring is causing the sea level to rise.
>>6410765Ok, what about this. Mix animals and plants from every period on the ecosystem, from giant insects to dinosaurs to big mammals. Pick the coolest so it gets varied.For domesticated animals, cows get replaced by dino, horses don't, there's a small velociraptor species that is a pet along cats and dogs, compies are like mice, mice is still the same, dodos replace chickens. Everything else stays the same or changes according your whim.Anime elves are anime girls with pointy ears. They live a shit ton of years but they somehow aren't better than humans. They are good at magic. The males don't matter.
>>6410718There're locust swarms but they eat clothes instead of crops, even synthetic fiber. They might be magic locusts.
>>6410718A pantheon of gods. They act like the Greek pantheon most of the times but they aren't Gods that control important natural forces or feelings. They are minor Gods based on stupid or minor things like the God of Bathing or the Goddess of Pet Dinosaurs. Sometimes they have children that inherit their powers as a mix. If the God of Bathing and the Goddess of Pet Dinosaurs have a kid, they will be the God of Bathing Pet Dinosaurs.
All characters speak in zappai.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zappai
>>6410741>The lunarians have moon wind magic, which they used to land the old capital, a Machu Picchu like, on Earth. Practitioners are mightier when close to moon remnants or having consumed rabbits or figs. Humans can gain it by eating or being taught.
>>64106303. The protagonist's goal is to obtain the rabbit king's ring>>641067912. There are two moons. There used to be a third one that rabbits and figs originated from, shattered a millennia ago during a civil war. Pieces fall to the planet from time to time, the desert is one such chunk.>>641074313. Dinosaurs and the coolest prehistoric beasts replace many common animals. Cows are replaced by dinos. Horses remain. Small velociraptors, cats, and dogs are pets. Compies are like mice, mice are still the same. Dodos replace chickens. Other changes as well.Elves exist and are anime girls with pointy ears, magical skills, and long lives. Male elves don't matter. They predict the coming of Santa Claus.>>6410858This was the first rule to modify a pre-existing rule.>>641082314. The rabbit king's magic ring is causing the sea level to rise>>641086215. There are, possibly magic, locust swarms that eat clothes instead of crops, even synthetic fiber. It is unclear if they eat fibers or specifically wearable items.>>641087016. There is a pantheon of minor Gods based on stupid or minor things like the God of Bathing or the Goddess of Pet Dinosaurs. Sometimes they have children that inherit their powers as a mix.>>641088517. All characters speak in zappai.So they speak in verse?Some might find it annoying.Or feel it's a curse.>>641092618. The lunarians have moon wind magic, which they used to land the old capital, a Machu Picchu like, on Earth. Practitioners are mightier when close to moon remnants or having consumed rabbits or figs. Humans can gain it by eating or being taught.This suggests that "the Lunarians" refers to the rabbits and figs. As although that might not necessarily be the case. But they clearly aren't humans.
I think I am going to need a rating for how rabbit these rabbits are on a scale from zero to sixty. With zero being Eminem in 8 Mile and sixty being an actual irl rabbit.This would modify/clarify rule 8.The figs are self explanatory to me unless further rules apply.
>>6411007>YOU SICK BASTARD
>>6411007>YOU SICK BASTARDfuck it we ball
>>6411007The correct way is literally a rabbit for males and "still acceptable" for females. Seishokuki style.This is not a vote, just an opinion. I don't want to ruin the rabbits.
>>6411045but rabbits in hats
>>6411045Yea watership down
>>6411054>watership downperfect
>>6411045>The correct way is literally a rabbit for males and "still acceptable" for females.The males might disagree.
>>6411071But seriously though, it seems like the consensus is rabbits being rabbits, which tracks. Likely Lunarian Lagomorphs.
> Instead of alcohol they drink cactus juice flavored with herbs and spices that don't exist in our world, some of them magic. Too much of a certain magic spice can have a temporary magic effect on the drinker
Current humanity actually derives from a necromantic race of skeletons, who eventually rediscovered the pleasures of the flesh, leaving small enclaves of conservative liches trying to sink further back into undeath and hedonistic mutants who grow new organs to experience more of profane life.
The world has no sun. The different moons instead fill the role of sun, but in a worse manner, leaving the world perpetual shifting between dawn and dusk. The only exception is when the destroyed third moon would've been the most prevalent in the sky, when it becomes much darker. Evil beings are most active during this time.>>6410679Warpstone rabbits?
>Sailors are a greatly valued human profession. Lunarians are paid with moon chunks by the human governments to help sail. Ships wrought with life magic are passed down as heirlooms. The rabbits sail in fiercely coveted fig wood ships. Hanekawa’s schooling was nautical.>>6411118Rabid lunatics
You really going to do 100 items?
>Duels are legal, but duels to the death require a lot of paperwork beforehand, including whether or not the loser can legally be resurrected afterwards
The protagonist, Hanekawa Tsubasa, for reason unexplainable by science and magic both, has no game at all and is completely incapable of getting laid. Several miracles in a row are required to undo this curse.
Men find Hanekawa incredibly beautiful even if she's got no game because hot girls don't need game. She attracts a fair share of perverts. Most of them fairly manageable. She doesn't want to get swarmed by magic locusts because the perverts would get what they want. She isn't an exhibitionist.Rape doesn't count as getting laid.
>>641110219. Instead of alcohol they drink cactus juice flavored with herbs and spices, some of them magic. Too much of a certain magic spice can have a temporary magic effect on the drinker
>>641110720. Current humanity actually derives from a necromantic race of skeletons, who eventually rediscovered the pleasures of the flesh, leaving small enclaves of conservative liches trying to sink further back into undeath and hedonistic mutants who grow new organs to experience more of profane life.This fits with the life force magic well. Although it also seems like hidden lore.
>With a lack of a sun, fungus and tubers are cultivated as food along with what can be fished out of the rising seas
>>6411118>The world has no sun. This has a number of astronomical implications an raises the question of where heat comes from. However, there's no rule saying that either astrophysics or thermal dynamics exist.>The different moons instead fill the role of sun, but in a worse manner, leaving the world perpetual shifting between dawn and dusk. I am interpreting "worse" here to mean that the moons provide continuous but far more dim light.>The only exception is when the destroyed third moon would've been the most prevalent in the sky, when it becomes much darker. Evil beings are most active during this time.So there was a three moon cycle and without the third moon there is a relative night.Evil now exists.
>>641112222. Sailors are a greatly valued human profession. Lunarians are paid with moon chunks by the human governments to help sail. Ships wrought with life magic are passed down as heirlooms. The rabbits sail in fiercely coveted fig wood ships. Hanekawa’s schooling was nautical.These all follow from what's established and make perfect sense.>Hanekawa’s schooling was nautical.I'm astonished that this didn't occur to me.
>>6411153>You really going to do 100 items?This is an interesting question.I certainly don't intend on doing more than 100 rules total. And if 100 rules are created, I will strive to follow all 100.I apologize if this sounds obtuse but I don't want to lead by suggesting anything or provide an example like I did with the dentist.So I will simply make the observation that nearly all of the rules regarding the so far have been about creating or modifying the universe of the quest. This makes sense because the setting is one of the more important elements of a quest.
Monthly a ritual must be performed by the Moon Shrine in order to Honor the Dead. Otherwise they grow restless.
>>6411246The undead chud liches and the rabbits are mortal enemies. It's because the later fuck like rabbits and that's indecent for the undead.The liches never saw them in the act but since they are rabbits, they assume they must fuck as such.
Somehow, communism actually works in these societies.
>Laws of physics apply. The planet is orbited by a godly corpse that gives off heat equivalent to the sun but no light.
>When the sea started rising one of the moons started to crack
Mysterious holes begin to dot the landscape, even coming out of the side of sheer cliffs or mountains. The creatures making these holes are a previously undiscovered species that lived underground, their eyes generate a gentle light. They are fleeing their underground network as the tunnels are beginning to flood. Nobody knows if they are friend or foe and sightings have been rare.
The liches have got superior technology that they use to create wonderful inventions that they don't need because they are dead. They just love to have cool shit and not sharing it with the ones that need it. They use their inventions and treasures to lure humans so they can kill them.The undead have a caste system based on how much is left from their mortal bodies. The lowerer stratum is for the freshly dead zombies followed by those with a high grade of decomposition. The skellies are in the middle of the pyramid. Many think that the liches are on top but it's actually ghost, they left even their skeletons behind to attach true freedom. Most ghost are weaker than average lich or can't even interact with the material plane. The high ranked ghosts however are the strongest of them all.Even if the undead hate the rabbitfolk, they are ok with the flood.
Someone should provide a map.
>>641123721. The world has no sun. The different moons cast a dim light on the world, perpetually shifting between dawn and dusk. When the space where the third moon was is high, it becomes much darker. Evil beings are most active during this time.Evil exists.
>>641125823. Monthly, a ritual must be performed by the Moon Shrine in order to Honor the Dead. Otherwise they grow restless.
>>641127224. The undead chud liches and the rabbits are mortal enemies because the liches hate the idea of their sexual reproduction.
>>641136425. Somehow, communism actually works in these societies.I'm not sure how I'm going to reconcile a kingdom with communism but I do have an example of functional communism I can steal from.
>>641140126. Laws of physics apply. The planet is orbited by a godly corpse that gives off heat equivalent to the sun but no lightThis resolves a few questions and combines with another rule in a truly bizarre reference.
>>641141827. When the sea started rising one of the moons started to crack
>>641142428. Mysterious holes begin to dot the landscape, cliffs and mountains. A previously undiscovered species with eyes that generate a gentle light are fleeing their underground network as the tunnels are beginning to flood.
>>641143129. The liches develop superior technology simply to lord it over the living humans, often using their inventions and treasures to lure humans so they can kill them.The undead have a caste system based on how much is left from their mortal bodies. Zombies followed by skeletons followed by lich followed by less powerful ghosts. The high ranked ghosts are the strongest of them all.
>>641143230. Someone should provide a map.
The rising waters have cut off a few vital paths of common travel causing the formation of a new "Flood-Farers Guild" which lends their boating services to anyone with coin. The are unaffiliated but generally unbothered as being blacklisted could strand an unlucky traveler.
>Once in two blue moons, civil war fig wasps are found in meteors. They burrow into flesh and bones and souls to lay eggs in. Life magic is quite effective at killing them, but lunar magic isn't.
>>6411485>Dentists are unattractive
There is an intense rivalry between plains-dwelling cowboys and sea-faring sailors, regularly resulting in blood-feuds and raids on their respective strongholds. This extends even to the undead, where the dread pirate-lords and ghost riders wage eternal war on eachother. A famed duel between a great pirate and gunslinger resulted in a necromantic dead zone not far from Hanekawa's school.
Hanekawa Tsubasa's best friend is the son of the local grocer Victor Noble, despite the rumors she doesn't have a crush on him but will practice her flirting on him
>>6410499The protagonist cannot sleep with clothes on. If she needs to sleep, she has to take it off wherever she may be.
>>6411494Thanks to an order from the Goddess of Naked Sleeping, every human female below 30 years old cannot sleep with clothes on. If they need to sleep, they have to take them off wherever they may be.Elven females must always sleep naked regardless of how old they are because they are always young looking.Those that don't obey the rule will wake up completely naked, all their clothes disappeared.
Wrap it up boys the pedos are here.
>>641122931. With a lack of a sun, fungus and tubers are cultivated as food along with what can be fished out of the rising seasI was just thinking about fungus, as one does, and I remembered this. I'm not sure how I skipped this one.
>>6411710Don't worry. Have some faith.Also...>Wrap it upPhrasing
There are several academies available to the wealthy, but otherwise most young folks become apprentices to skilled craftsmen to learn trades, be it fishing, metalworking, magic, or something else. Magic is a bit more selective, however, and more often than not masters choose their apprentices.
There are a race of humanoid fishmen that eat humans. One of their main forms of subsistence is piracy.Their strongest captain is X-Drake, the seahorse Fishman.They work for the Mermaid Queen, the leader of all fishfolk. She looks like a beautiful human redhead female, even her legs are human. She consumes human meat too. She's always naked.She can mate with humans normally to give birth to the next queen, she can only give birth to daughters. She can also lay eggs so the strongest fishmen can jizz on them to produce fishmen babies.Of course the nature of their reproduction enrages the undead so they are also enemies. There's a rumor that the first Mermaid Queen broke the heart of the first Lich, making him renounce to the fleshy pleasures forever.
>>6411856They also travel on submarines.
>>641149532. The rising waters have cut off a few vital paths of common travel causing the formation of a new "Flood-Farers Guild" which lends their boating services to anyone with coin.
>>641151833. Once in two blue moons, civil war fig wasps are found in meteors. They burrow into flesh and bones and souls to lay eggs in. Life magic is quite effective at killing them, but lunar magic isn't.Fairly metal.
>>64115386. Dentists are unattractive
>>641158134. There is an intense rivalry between plains-dwelling cowboys and sea-faring sailors, regularly resulting in blood-feuds and raids on their respective strongholds. This extends even to the undead, where the dread pirate-lords and ghost riders wage eternal war on each other. A famed duel between a great pirate and gunslinger resulted in a necromantic dead zone not far from Hanekawa's school.With the different meanings of "dead", I'm not clear if the dead zone has no necromancy or intense necromancy.
>>641161735. Hanekawa Tsubasa's best friend is the son of the local grocer Victor Noble, despite the rumors, she doesn't have a crush on him. However, she will practice her flirting on him.
>>6411671>>6411707>Thanks to an order from the Goddess of Naked Sleeping, every human female below 30 years old cannot sleep with clothes on. If they need to sleep, they have to take them off wherever they may be.That seems like a goddess with unusual lineage. I would count a god of sleep as a major god rather than minor god. >Elven females must always sleep naked regardless of how old they are because they are always young looking.So elves would be always young looking.>Those that don't obey the rule will wake up completely naked, all their clothes disappeared.This has me thinking about the locusts. I might need to call a vote regarding them as it's something more involved and with more consequences than simple interpretation.
>>641179136. There are several academies available to the wealthy, but otherwise most young folks become apprentices to skilled craftsmen to learn trades, be it fishing, metalworking, magic, or something else. Magic is a bit more selective, however, and more often than not masters choose their apprentices.
>>6411856>>641185737. There are a race of humanoid fishmen that eat humans, travel by submarines, and actively commit piracy. One of their main forms of subsistence is piracy. Their strongest captain is X-Drake, the seahorse Fishman. They serve the Mermaid Queen, the leader of all fishfolk. She resembles a beautiful human redhead female with human legs and never wears clothes. A Fishman Queen can mate with a human male to birth the next queen. Otherwise, she lays eggs for the strongest fishmen to fertilize and produce more fish men.They are natural enemies of the undead.There's a rumor that the first Mermaid Queen broke the heart of the first Lich, making him renounce to the fleshy pleasures forever.
>>6410862>>6411003>15. There are, possibly magic, locust swarms that eat clothes instead of crops, even synthetic fiber. It is unclear if they eat fibers or specifically wearable items.As it has important ramifications should the locusts arrive, I am calling for a vote on this one:[A]. Locusts eat all fibersAnd things made from fibers, organic or synthetic. This would include a ship's sail and metal fibers but not sheet metal. This could be a natural phenomenon.[B]. Locusts specifically only eat wearables, organic or synthetic.This would include a suit of armor resting on a stand. This would require an intelligent origin of the locusts.[C]. Locusts specifically only eat wearables currently being worn, organic or synthetic.This would include a metal helmet or cowboy hat on a head or carried but not on the ground. This would require an intelligent origin of the locusts and suggests but does not necessarily require more intelligent locusts.[D]. Something else.I'm not sure when to end the vote but the decision isn't pressing or immediate. It simply has far ranging implications.
>>6411896A
>>6411896>[A]. Locusts eat all fibers
>>6411896[B].
>>6411896>[A]. Locusts eat all fibers>>6411877>The moons and planet each have its own deathless gods. The moons act as a shared conduit for dreams. The dream gods are stuck warding off their crazed cannibalistic peers. A divine order related to sleep risks their attention and devouring of both god and dreamer.
The liches dominate the undead because the ghostly undead have withdrawn from their society and civilization entirely, plunging to the depths of the planet shortly after the moon was destroyed. They left behind one last decree to the Emergency Elect Lich Council, accidentally allowing the skeletal undead to run unopposed ever since with their disappearance.In the deepest depths of the earth and sea the destruction of the moon has caused a catastrophic chain reaction. That was not seen since the last Great Cataclysm, which only the undead barely remember in this world that resulted in the extinction of all life. Godly seals are breaking due to mortal folly. The ghostly legions have withdrawn to buy time. That is why the waters rise and the tides surge from the endless nonstop fighting in the deepest depths of the ocean and underground. The torment of this hellish nightmare and the depths is too much for anything material to survive there. Only the ghostly undead can withstand the pressure and contest directly with the demons and nightmares before they breach, since they are immaterial and already long dead thus safe to act.The early signs of this immaterial return of Evil and them material signs of this are the rising waters also why another moon is cracking. The undead know the truth but are keeping it a secret in order to prevent a mass panic and hysteria of another apocalypse.As their final order before their last stand in the depths of the world the undead are building a titanic structure of never before proportions full unknown forgotten technology and magick meant to communicate with other worlds, moons, and even Gods. Secretly also meant to conceal an emergency superweapon. Officially their excuse is to show off their superiority and flex over the living. Unofficially their hoping not everyone is as retarded and has short memories as the those stupid figs and horny rabbits as to forget ancient pacts before its too late...The ghostly undead previously lost communications with the surface until recently when refugees fleeing the depths agreed to carry up messages for them hoping to reestablish communications. One of which accidentally ended up getting lost and ending up in the hands of the MC...
>>6412009Oh, also>Due to the growing level of industrialization within the human nation (name?), magic is slowly becoming more and more redundant to most city-dwellers.
>>6411985>>The moons and planet each have its own deathless gods. The moons act as a shared conduit for dreams. The dream gods are stuck warding off their crazed cannibalistic peers. Perfectly understandable.>A divine order related to sleep risks their attention and devouring of both god and dreamer.I might be overthinking this but I can interpret this in opposite ways so I am not sure of its intended meaning.
>>641202238. (Ghosts are fighting demons and nightmares threatening the core of the world, resulting in the events leading up to the quest)All dat lore
>>641203339. Due to the growing level of industrialization within the human nation, magic is slowly becoming more and more redundant to most city-dwellers.
>>6412149This brings it back to the fading of the Wild West
>>6412145Divine sleep magic attracts attention. It bad because cannibals will smell and congregate like mosquitos.>Rabbits traditionally reproduce using fig trees by giving it their blood. A kit fruit grows and can be opened with the guarantee they can use lunar magic. The natural method still works and is used by those lacking fig trees.
The rabbits speak a version of early modern English that has no vowels and is interjected at random points with various non-english words that describe how they're currently feeling.This language was taught to them personally 935,000 years ago by the god of strangely bastardized english dialects during what is known in Lunarian Lagomorph history as the "Age Of Darkness", a time when rabbits fought, warred, starved and murdered each other for centuries straight due to their inability to communicate and cooperate without a language.For the past nearly 1 million years rabbits have been ever thankful for the gift of their language. A significant portion of their society is fully dedicated to maintaining it in the form that they first received it in and to this day rabbits revere the god of strangely bastardized English dialects above even the rabbit king.
It's an old cowboy legend that a fully automatic firearm exists out there, crafted by a master gunsmith who hid the weapon away fearing it's power. He also stored it with a ton of ammunition and his gold because of course he did.
>>6411877The Goddess of Naked Sleeping is the daughter of the major God of Sleeping and the Goddess of being Naked, a minor goddess.She is a minor goddess like her mother so she doesn't need to ward any monster or God so she's free to give orders to the mortals.She can disappear their clothes herself as long as the dreamer is sleeping.
Kitchen salt is enriched with various mineral salts. It contains calcium which is good for bones, making kitchen salt one of the main products undead and mortals trade.Undeads can feel the taste of figs.
The world used to be a lot greener--that's what the old books suggest, at least--and the world is perforated with vast tunnel networks beneath the crusty, dry surface. Tunnels bored by the long-dead and decayed roots of massive, world-spanning vines like colossal kudzu. Some more intellectual folks launch expeditions into these cave networks... even more so than the encroaching seas. Why? Curiosity. Fortune and Glory. Or maybe folks just want a place to hunker down where common folk won't bother 'em.
>>6412458the yet undiscovered cave species with glowing eyes are actually humans that were demonically possessed after delving too deep into the underground where the war between ghosts and demons rage on.
the world building is really fun but I think op probably wants us to start proposing rules that actually affect the quest in janky game mechanic-y ways lol
>>6412533I'm down! Just wasn't sure what they were looking for at this point.
There are Leprechaun that enslave other beings by putting them into massive debt. They can use economic means to create debt but they mostly use priceless wishes they "clients" find hard to not purchase. They use a special binding spell so they can ensure obedience from the enslaved beings. The women they acquire, of course, must be completely naked while they paid their debt.The binding spell is all powerful but if the slave pays their debt, they are free. They are under the Leprechaun's order so they decide how their clients will pay them. There was the case of certain powerful hero that acquired massive debt but the leprechaun only allowed to do minor works so they lived the rest of their lives as slaves.The Leprechaun are created by the Mermaid Queen as a way to take care of enemies that are too strong to beat by force.
>>6412547Communism was implemented to counter the Leprechaun economic attacks. It worked but countless lives were lost in the process.The slaves the Leprechaun have under their control can be used to spread misinformation. They, for example, divulge stories about humans outsmarting Leprechaun so people think they can get unscathed after dealing with one.
There are male and female Leprechaun. The females look pretty to win over men easily. The males look like Warric Davis on Leprechaun.They are created with a Mc. Guffin the Mermaid Queen stole to the first Lich King. It was supposed to teach lesser races about morals and the dangers of greed but the Queen used it to build up her power.
There are plenty of humans unhappy with communism, those are the Leprechaun's main target. Even if they aren't greedy, the seek for social mobility might be the bane of those poor humans.Communism affected the capacity of creating science and advancing civilization, making hard for the intelligent races to take effective actions against the Mermaid Queen.
>>6412533>I think op probably wants us to start proposing rules that actually affect the quest in janky game mechanic-y ways lolI was thinking that y'all would naturally come up with a few. So far I think there's only one real meta rule.But I don't want to guide at all lest the Kyoto strat prevail.>>6412536>Just wasn't sure what they were looking for at this point.I am, strictly speaking, not really looking for something or waiting for something. I was anticipating some rules about mechanics regarding running the quest, when or how rules could be overwritten, relevance of dubs or trips, rolling, stats, narrative elements, NPCs, plot points, scenes, art, or anything from quests you feel should be attempted or avoided. Technically, I have enough world building to start writing the quest and running it vanilla default style. The reason I haven't is threefold:A. I have a few time constraints, which is why I haven't codified that few posts of world building yet today.B. There's a significant plot detail of the start that I haven't worked out a default for yet. We might improvise something better but without a Plan A, it'd be "for reasons bro, trust me! A wizard did it!" If I can't justify it to make sense to me, I can't write better than that.C. Hanekawa Tsubasa hasn't yet gotten a message from the government about a possible plan to stop the sea from rising.
>>6412563>Guns and bullets when used nullify magics be it divine, demonic, or mortal. It is a product of communism.>Alien beaver dentists are attractive.>The only sentient races are humans, lunarians, elves, gods, and Santa. >The rabbit king’s ring commands demons.>Rules need two votes to be altered or overwritten.>Quest uses Bo3, d20
>>6412563Just don't allow overwriting. You'll waste time for your players and yours too. You need to go forward if you want to start at some point. Even more if you haven't got that much time.It also goes against the spirit of the quest. That should be up to you only.
>>6412655>Just don't allow overwriting.I like this answer.Unfortunately... >>6412646>>Rules need two votes to be altered or overwrittenIronically I now need a second vote for rules to not be able to be overwritten.In the meantime I am going to catch up on rules and then see if I can stitch together a beginning.And just fyi, my available time to write varies.
>>641198540. The moons and planet each have its own deathless gods. The moons act as a shared conduit for dreams. The dream gods are stuck warding off their crazed cannibalistic peers. A divine order related to sleep risks their attention and devouring of both god and dreamer.
>>641215241. Rabbits traditionally reproduce using fig trees by giving it their blood. A kit fruit grows and can be opened with the guarantee they can use lunar magic. The natural method still works and is used by those lacking fig trees.Sounds like lore from before the civil war.
>>641215342. The rabbits speak a version of early modern English that has no vowels and is interjected at random points with various non-english words that describe how they're currently feeling.
>>641215543. An old cowboy legend tells of a fully automatic firearm out there, crafted by a master gunsmith who hid the weapon with a great cache of ammo and bold, fearing it's power.
>>6411707>>641239544. Due to an order from the Goddess of Naked Sleeping, every elf and young looking human female cannot sleep with clothes on.The Goddess of Naked Sleeping is the daughter of the major God of Sleeping and the Goddess of being Naked, a minor goddess.
>>641245245. Kitchen salt is enriched with various mineral salts. It contains calcium which is good for bones, making kitchen salt one of the main products undead and mortals trade.There might be a bit of a trade embargo.Undeads can feel the taste of figs.I don't know what this means but it makes sense.
The rabbit king kneels to the rabbit emperor.
>>641245846. Old books suggest that the world used to be a lot greener. This is supported by vast tunnel networks beneath the surface bored by the long-dead and decayed roots of massive, world-spanning vines. Human expeditions have long sought to explore these tunnels.>>641252947. The cave species with glowing eyes are actually humans that were demonically possessed after delving too deep into the underground where the war between ghosts and demons rage on.
>>641254748. There are Leprechaun that enslave other beings by putting them into massive debt. They use a special binding spell, a geas, so they can ensure obedience from the enslaved beings. The women they acquire are kept must be completely naked while they paid their debt. This is done to honor the Mermaid Queen that created the Leprechauns.The geas is all powerful but if the slave pays their debt, they are free. >>641255349. Communism was implemented to counter the Leprechaun economic attacks. It worked but countless lives were lost in the process. Leprechauns spread misinformation, falsely indicating that they are able to be easily tricked.>>641255550. There are male and female Leprechaun. The females look pretty to win over men easily. The males look like Warric Davis on Leprechaun.They are created with an artifact the Mermaid Queen stole from the first Lich King. It was supposed to teach lesser races about morals and the dangers of greed but the Queen used it to build up her power.>>641255951. There are plenty of humans unhappy with communism, those are the Leprechaun's main target. Even if they aren't greedy, the seek for social mobility might be the bane of those poor humans.Communism affected the capacity of creating science and advancing civilization, making hard for the intelligent races to take effective actions against the Mermaid Queen.
>>641264652. Guns and bullets when used nullify magics be it divine, demonic, or mortal. It is a product of communism.Communist Anti-magic bullets.Alien beaver dentists are attractive.The only sentient races are humans, lunarians, elves, gods, and Santa.This would override any previous role mentioning other sentient races, but it definitely caps sentient races.And somehow, it necessarily means that attractive beaver dentists are not sentient. I can make that work though.The rabbit king’s ring commands demons.And in the darkness, bind them?Rules need two votes to be altered or overwritten.Quest uses Best of Three votes wins and same for rolling d20 for challenges.Historically, I have listed the target number before rolling to increase anticipation.
>>641277853. The rabbit king kneels to the rabbit emperor.
>>6411928Voting is over:>>6411933>>6411985>>6412009>>6412014[A]>>6411940[B]Locusts eat all fibers.Btw if B or C had won, the locusts could have conceivably eaten the rabbit king's ring with dire consequences.
>>641118354. Hanekawa unexplainably has no game at all and is completely incapable of getting laid. Several miracles in a row are required to undo this curse.>>641119255. Men find Hanekawa incredibly beautiful.Hot girls don't need game.She is not an exhibitionist.I read these in reverse order which was perplexing and hilarious and then I forgot to respond.
Contrary to popular belief the undead didn't actually invent the 'unique' technology they use. The actual inventors are long dead, which is why they are the only ones who remember and understand it. The actual tech undead invented and utilize is Necrotek and is magitech that actually recycles pollutants and actively purifies the environment. Which is now banned outside their enclaves due to an Elvish-led trade Embargo. The First Necromancer Never Died but has actually long left this world to investigate the god corpses in the legendary flying ghost ship Ghastly.Everyone falsely believes the Undead worship gods but they don't instead they prefer ancestral veneration who worship their ancient predecessors/masters. This deeply confuses the very few mortals who are aware of this and know that the undead cannot actually procreate...Necromancy was created after the first mass extinction of life in order to restore life. The actual origins of it lay in Death, Decay and Renewal magic series of the long overlooked 'Nature' Magicks that everyone underestimates as worthless hedge magicks. The undead have long tried to correct this false assumption of superiority of Lunar and Life magicks but nobody believes them and are convinced its another one of their pranks. Except that the MC grew up raised by a hedge witch for a mother before leaving for school. However, she kept it a secret because of how frowned upon it is.Most important rule of Necromancy that a necromancer must never break under any circumstance is to ask the dead 'why wake'. If this taboo should be broken, it will result in an undead uprising as the previously slumbering undead rouse themselves in mass in an enraged frenzy that will destroy all life in the entire afflicted region. The last person who broke this taboo is the most wanted person alive with the highest bounty ever recorded that was put on them by the undead alone with an ever increasing bounty: The Forsaken Witch of the Black Moon. The undead refuse to slumber because they have an unfulfilled purpose in life, even if they can no longer remember what or why that is.Elves have a mistaken vendetta against the undead, falsely believing they were the ones who were responsible for the last mass extinction, which they only barely survived by going under mass hibernation. The truth is, the undead were the ones who secretly protected them during their long slumber because the last Nature's Circle asked the undead to watch over them when they sacrificed themselves to create the Life Seed for the Tree of Life, which was responsible for reestablishing life on this previously dead world. Only the Elves know where the Tree of Life is hidden. Everyone else is convinced can grant eternal life or resurrect the dead. The tree of life's actual ability is life proliferation and restoration. The tree of life is why healing springs exist that can heal any injury or illness but not age and why life is slowly being restored to the world.
>>6412811There used to be a World Tree until it was chopped down during a great cataclysm that resulted in the first invasion beyond this world. The invasion only ended due to direct divine intervention when divine seals were laid deep within the earth and were woven with planetary bodies to barely end it.The dwarves during their digging, accidentally discovered the world tree roots slowly reviving. Everyone thought they had gone extinct due to flooding in their tunnels. The truth is, they went into hiding to protect the world tree while it tried to revive itself. Their extinction was a ruse due to demonic vessels that tried to stop them made them realize that there was a never before seen evil cult full of traitors on the surface.Dwarves officially went extinct 125 years ago when their last strongholds in the mountains that was their evacuation point due to flooding in their tunnels unexpectedly erupted in flooding their homes with magma and resulted in gigantic earthquakes destroying the last Dwarvish Empire of Khazo'Modon. Communists turned this massacre into a holiday for it represented the death of the 'capitalist class'.The tragic extinction of the dwarves was uncovered to be a plot done on purpose by an evil cult by a legendary investigative reporter under the monikor Lady of Gainz 25 years ago during her legendary exposee Red Terror of Communism which revealed that a communist plot was done to rob the dwarvish banks and holds while purging thier 'bourgoise' class when they were interupted halfway internally by an evil cult who tried to sacrifice the entirety of the Dwarvish royal family, nobles, and priests. The expose was left incomplete because only part of it was recovered from the assassinated editor in the publishing house, the rest too drenched in blood before it could reveal which cults were involved or the rest. To this day communists fiercely deny the claims robbery, genocide, and working together with newfound evil cults.5 years ago another exposee was published by the legendary investigative reporter Lady of Gainz, revealing who the evil cults were as revenge for murdering her entire family, sabotaging her work, and trying to assassinate her over the years. According to the Lady of Gainz who secretly infiltrated the evil cults. there are Cult of Hell, Cult of LEWD, Cult of Dark Stars, Cult of Eldritch, and Cult of the Fallen Moon. None of which existed over a thousand years ago. All of whom have their own sinister agendas.Lady of Gains has since disappeared once again being hunted by her many enemies but recently published a teaser of a new piece she is writing, hinting about something involving a terrible secret about why the third moon was destroyed and crashed onto the planet...much to the horror of the rabbits and figs who previously used to enjoy watching the show from the sidelines.
>>641281156. The origins of necromancy lay in Death, Decay and Renewal of 'Nature' Magicks. Hanekawa grew up raised by a hedge witch for a mother before leaving for school. A necromancer must never ask the dead 'why wake'.Elves have a mistaken vendetta against the undead, falsely believing they were the ones who were responsible for the last mass extinction. Only the Elves know where the Tree of Life is hidden. The tree of life's actual ability is life proliferation and restoration. This post nearly managed to undo my secret lore I've been cobbling together but ended up supporting it in an odd way. Neat.
>>6412815>>6412823Oops. There's more to the lore drop.
>>6412815>Dwarves officially went extinct 125 years agoAdding this.It's good they're extinct because of the sentient species cap.It's difficult to do justice when summing up deep lore posts.
The rules so far:1. The quest ends when the main character has consensual coitus.2. The protagonist (and de facto main character) is Hanekawa Tsubasa.- The protagonist's goal is to obtain the rabbit king's ring that controls demons and is causing the sea level to rise4. The quest begins when Hanekawa Tsubasa gets a message from the government about a possible plan to stop the sea from rising5. The setting is the Wild Weird West where cowboys and magic exist.6. Dentists are attractive.7. Humans primarily populate the setting and use Life Force Magic.8. The desert kingdom of talking Lunarian rabbits is ruled ruled by an old wise rabbit who has a magic ring.9. A vast sea dominates the world, filled with wonders, wealth, and danger.10. Hanekawa needs to bathe at least once a day and bathing with any of her clothes on is banned.11. The sea is slowly but surely rising with no sign of ending12. There are two moons. 13. Dinosaurs and the coolest prehistoric beasts replace many common animals. Elves predict the coming of Santa Claus.14. The rabbit king's magic ring is causing the sea level to rise15. Locust swarms eat all fibers and only fibers.16. There is a pantheon of minor Gods based on stupid or minor things 17. All characters speak in zappai.18. The Lunarians Lagomorphs and Figs 19. Humans drink cactus juice instead of alcohol20. Current humanity actually derives from a necromantic race of skeletons.21. The world has no sun. The moons cast a cycle of dim light on the world, evil beings are most active during the darkest hours.22. Sailors are a greatly valued human profession. Lunarians are paid with moon chunks by the human governments to help sail. Ships wrought with life magic are passed down as heirlooms. The rabbits sail in fiercely coveted fig wood ships. Hanekawa’s schooling was nautical.23. Monthly, a ritual must be performed by the Moon Shrine in order to Honor the Dead24. The undead chud liches and the rabbits are mortal enemies because the liches hate the idea of their sexual reproduction.25. Communism actually works in these societies.26. Laws of physics apply. The planet is orbited by a godly corpse that gives off heat equivalent to the sun but no light27. When the sea started rising one of the moons started to crack28. Mysterious holes to vast tunnels and a new species with eyes that generate a gentle light are fleeing their underground network as the tunnels are beginning to flood. (See 46 & 47)29. The liches develop and flaunt superior technology. The undead have a caste system.30. Somebody should provide a map.
>>641282831. With a lack of a sun, fungus and tubers are cultivated as food32. "Flood-Farers Guild" which lends their ferry services to anyone with coin.33. Rarely, fig wasps are found in meteors. Life magic is quite effective at killing them, but lunar magic isn't.34. There is a rivalry between cowboys and sailors. A famed duel between a great pirate and gunslinger resulted in a necromantic dead zone not far from Hanekawa's school.35. Hanekawa Tsubasa's best friend is the son of the local grocer Victor Noble.36. Academies are available to the wealthy, but most young folks become apprentices37. Fishmen eat humans, travel by submarines, and actively commit piracy. They serve the Mermaid Queen, the leader of all fishfolk. They are natural enemies of the undead.38. Ghosts are fighting demons and nightmares threatening the core of the world, resulting in the events leading up to the quest.39. Due to the growing level of industrialization within the human nation, magic is slowly becoming more redundant to most city-dwellers.40. The moons and planet each have its own deathless gods. The moons act as a shared conduit for dreams. Divine orders risk attack from dream gods.41. Rabbits traditionally reproduce using fig trees42. The rabbits speak a version of early modern English that has no vowels and is interjected at random points with various non-english words that describe how they're currently feeling.43. An old cowboy legend tells of a hidden fully automatic firearm treasure.44. Due to an order from the Goddess of Naked Sleeping, every elf and young looking human female cannot sleep with clothes on.45. Kitchen salt is enriched with various mineral salts. Undead can feel the taste of figs.46. Human expeditions have long sought to explore these tunnels vast tunnel networks beneath the surface bored by long gone massive roots47. The cave species with glowing eyes are demonically possessed humans48. There are Leprechaun that enslave other beings by putting them into massive debt and a special binding spell, a geas.49. Communism was implemented to counter the Leprechaun economic attacks.50. There are male and female Leprechaun created with an artifact the Mermaid Queen stole from the first Lich King.51. Some humans are unhappy with communism.52. Guns and bullets when used nullify magics. Alien beaver dentists are attractive. The only sentient races are humans, lunarians, elves, gods, and Santa. The rabbit king’s ring commands demons. Quest uses Best of Three votes wins and same for rolling d20 for challenges. Rules need two votes to be altered or overwritten.53. The rabbit king kneels to the rabbit emperor.54. Hanekawa unexplainably has no game at all55. Men find Hanekawa incredibly beautiful. Hot girls don't need game. She is not an exhibitionist.
>>641283156. Hanekawa grew up raised by a hedge witch for a mother before leaving for school. A necromancer must never ask the dead 'why wake'. Elves have a mistaken vendetta against the undead and hid the Tree of Life. Dwarves went extinct.
>>6412655>Just don't allow overwriting.Any chance I could get a second vote for this to simplify that rule?After this I'll probably work up a character bio for Hanekawa and start the quest.No substantial posts until tomorrow afternoon/evening though.
>Skills modifiers range from initiate +2, adept +4, master +6, heroic +8, legendary +10.
>If someone gets dubs when rolling that adds another +1, trips add +2
>NPCs roll opposing bo3 d20s. QM will roll for them.
>>6412835I vote to not allow overwriting
The Fishmen and the Mermaid Queen are modified humans so they get to be sentient too. They're inherently psychopathic given that they eat humans.
>>6412835>>6412868I vote to cancel your vote
>>6412835>The maximum number of rewritings is 3 (three) rules in all the quest. More than that is not allowed. You can't add any supplemental rules to this rule and can't be cancelled in any form by all means. This rule is all powerful. More even than OP, more than GOD itself.This is my last attack, OP. It's up to you to save the funposting, effort and priceless free time.This is my last
>>6412868>I vote to not allow overwritingSecond post confirms.>>6412911>I vote to cancel your voteBogus.You're not really thinking 4th dimensionally. Pic related dude.>>6412919>This is my last attack, OP.And it's super effective!I mean, you're pouring concrete on the coffin of a staked vampire, but it's well done.
57. Rules cannot be overwritten.
>>641284058. Skills modifiers range from initiate +2, adept +4, master +6, heroic +8, legendary +10.>>641284559. If someone gets dubs when rolling that adds another +1, trips add +2>>641284760. NPCs roll opposing bo3 d20s. QM will roll for them.>>641287061. The Fishmen and the Mermaid Queen are modified humans and are sentient yet inherently psychopathic.
There is a book written by the first Gods lost somewhere in the world. The 100 laws written within are fundamental rules of the universe though any attempts to add new laws instead replace an existing rule at random.
Fishmen get treated as having the skill modifier for the next rank when fighting undead, ghosts have the same advantage against demons and nightmares
>>6412927>>6412868This is a shit rule.>>6412911I support this.No overwrites means broken rules cannot be fixed. Means rules cannot be adjusted or amended. Which is extremely problematic for very obvious reasons. QM needs to be able to fix broken shit and players need to be able to veto wildly unpopular shit. So fuck no rule changes or overrides.
There is a culture of ancestor not-quite-worship-but-strong-reverence among rabbits. For example, culturally, child should be subservient to its father and/or mother (both in the case of rabbits traditional fig-tree-reproduction, and untraditional sexual reproduction). (Kinda like imperial chinese). There are of course individuals who would go against this cultural paradigm (as there are some in every intelligent society with free will) but they should be reasonably rare.
>A full set of armor can provide a blocking modifier ranging from +1, +2, +3, +4 based on quality and material.
>>6412925>You're not really thinking 4th dimensionally.
There's a buff hermit called the Beasmaster living in the middle of wilderness. He's got the secret to tame powerful creatures. He can teach the worthy his ways but the training requires wearing a flimsy loincloth and screaming like Tarzan.
>>6412835>I'll probably work up a character bio for HanekawaHanekawa Tsubasa is a central character in the 100 Rule Quest.She is a genius model student known for her immense kindness and intellect. Her outward perfection is a facade built to cope with a deeply unstable upbringing, repressed stress and emotions, and conflicting beliefs. Hanekawa is the quintessential perfect student and the unquestioned class leader of the Academy of Deep Hydrographic Discovery. She is kind, humble, and fiercely intelligent. Hanekawa is a well endowed young woman with black hair and purple eyes. She wears her long, black hair in a single braid, wearing large round glasses and a white bunny-hairclip.Her relentless pursuit of being the "perfect" good girl is a coping mechanism. By suppressing all of her negative feelings such as envy, anger, and sadness, she avoids dealing with her traumatic family history but builds up an incredibly dangerous amount of mental stress striving for perfection. Her mother is a hedge witch, a practitioner of the heavily scorned practice of Natural Magicks.Her father was the captain of an expedition ship lost exploring the eastern depths of the Great Ocean.Hanekawa's paternal grandmother was a preistess of the Matron of Uncovered Dreams and insisted on her granddaughter undergoing scared blessings. The preistess sought custody of Hanekawa after her father died but her mother fled far inland, towards the western frontier.Seeking to cover her mother's talents and teachings, Hanekawa learned Lifeforce magic as well, developing a strong knowledge and skill for it. She also sought to follow in her father's footsteps and left home to attend the best, closest academy for the Nautical Arts.There, she met Victor Noble, her classmate and close friend. He is the son of the prosperous town grocer and views her as an ideal girl and student. To most people she interacts with, she is a soft-spoken girl with a kind heart and a positive personality. Her top grades make her a favorite of the teachers, while her approachable character makes admirers out of her classmates. She is also a wealth of information due to her study habits, but keeps humble about it. She is never seen angry.
>>6413377Hanekawa's rival is none other than Tsubasa Monday: a young witch determined to one-up Hanekawa by any means necessary. Hanekawa has no clue who Tsubasa is, but apparently she sleighted her or her family in the past?
>>6413377Add Etou Fujiko too. She might be interested in that friend of Hanekawa and thinks she's interested in him.
Chaika is in too.
>>6412831> Hanekawa Tsubasa is the president of the working class (and over 30)That's why she got that letter
Hanekawa is less than 40 years old. She isn't immune to god influence.The naked sleeping actually completely stop the female aging once they are 18. The effects break when they are 30 but that makes every 30 years old to have the body of a 18 years old.The God of Youth starts affecting the aging of women once they turn 30. He makes them lose one year of age for every year they get until they are 40. This is not a numerical change only, their bodies become younger as years pass.The quest must start with Hanekawa being between 30 and 40 years old during the quest. There can't be timeskips that make Hanekawa be over 40 years old. She can't be more than 40 ever.Chaika and Etou Fujiko are less than 20 years old.
>>6413471No god besides the God of Youth will affect her aging when she's 30 to 40 years old.
>PCs and NPCs don’t have plot armor and can die.
I went overboard there. If you want to nullify the reverse aging rule. Change it to the women not aging from 30 with 18 years old bodies to 40 with 18 years old bodies.
>>6413471>major god>divine order>sleeping>no overwritingAnon…
Hanekawa can't be 30 because the image that was posted was from her Kizumonogatari design that's definitely younger than 30.Aging her up would break the rule that introduced her character.I don't know if that would work but I'm done here. No more rules from me. Do your worst, other players. I don't know if this quest will ever start.
>>641300357. There is a book written by the first Gods lost somewhere in the world. The 100 laws written within are fundamental rules of the universe though any attempts to add new laws instead replace an existing rule at random.This is the only way a quest rule can be overwritten.
>>641304962. Fishmen get treated as having the skill modifier for the next rank when fighting undead, ghosts have the same advantage against demons and nightmares
>>6413381Whoops I realized we have the name Tsubasa twice.Hanekawa's rival is none other than TAIGA MONDAY. Unfortunately the rivalry is very onesided.
>>6413092>No overwrites means broken rules cannot be fixed. Means rules cannot be adjusted or amended. Which is extremely problematic for very obvious reasons. QM needs to be able to fix broken shit and players need to be able to veto wildly unpopular shit. So fuck no rule changes or overrides.There are ways to modify things without undoing or changing the original established set up.We will address problems as they arise.
>>641310563. There is a powerful culture of strong ancestor reverence among Lagomorph Lunarians.
>>641316064. A full set of armor can provide a blocking modifier ranging from +1, +2, +3, +4 based on quality and material.I might have to devote some time to develop or steal a combat system.
>>641335665. There's a buff hermit called the Beasmaster living in the middle of wilderness. He's got the secret to tame powerful creatures. He can teach the worthy his ways but the training requires wearing a flimsy loincloth and screaming like Tarzan.The wilderness exists.
>>6413565>>6413381>TAIGA MONDAY>>6413449>Etou Fujiko (pic related?)>>6413450>ChaikaI believe I will add these together in one rule when I can do it properly.>ChaikaThat takes me back to old qtg
>>6413458>> Hanekawa Tsubasa is the president of the working class (and over 30)>That's why she got that letterThere's a couple elements of this that conflict with previous lore if the most common meaning is taken. Fortunately, the exact wording allows for some wiggle room.>>6413471>Hanekawa is less than 40 years old. She isn't immune to god influence.>There can't be timeskips that make Hanekawa be over 40 years old. She can't be more than 40 ever.>Chaika and Etou Fujiko are less than 20 years old.This is fairly simple to implement.>The naked sleeping actually completely stop the female aging once they are 18. The effects break when they are 30 but that makes every 30 years old to have the body of a 18 years old.>The God of Youth starts affecting the aging of women once they turn 30. He makes them lose one year of age for every year they get until they are 40. This is not a numerical change only, their bodies become younger as years pass.>The quest must start with Hanekawa being between 30 and 40 years old during the quest.>>6413473>No god besides the God of Youth will affect her aging when she's 30 to 40 years old.>>6413484>I went overboard there. If you want to nullify the reverse aging rule. Change it to the women not aging from 30 with 18 years old bodies to 40 with 18 years old bodies.The intention of all of this seems confused and the execution seems needlessly convoluted. My read of it was an attempt to adjust for the above rule that seemed to have circumvent the naked sleeping rule without overwriting it.If that is the only purpose, I do not believe that it is necessary. I invite you to remember Goku.>>6413377>Hanekawa is a well endowed young womanA quick Google search revealed that the age range for "young woman" is far wider than I thought.I was thinking her age was 18-20.
Evil Cult Magic is based on Sacrifice however, the sacrifice does NOT have to come from the spellcaster themselves, and the spellcaster does NOT have to be a mage. ANYONE can use it. There are multiple schools of evil magick that have arisen. It is rumored that cult magic was invented by mermen but truth is cult magic doesn't even come from this world or plane of existence at all. It is entirely alien in origin and has only recently resurfaced and been rediscovered within the past millennium thanks to ancient divine seals failing, it has become usable again.While anyone can use evil magick, there is always a price to be paid by the user and an inescapable backlash in addition to the sacrifice. This results in corruption that eats away at the user mutating their body, consuming their soul, and driving them insane while producing magical pollution that corrupts the surrounding environment wherever it is used. Longterm users of evil magick not only become increasingly powerful as their usage increases their power but they also become twisted, insane abominations whose very presence ruins the world around them and even breaks reality itself over time.Evil magick holds several key weaknesses. Holy/Divine magick especially its purification, smiting, and seals. Natural magick innately counters it completely. Necromancy especially its death, blight, plague, and decay. Other magicks tend to be counterproductive or weak in effect and technology itself is prone to failing due to how it twists, corrupts, and breaks reality neutralizing its effectiveness.
Natural magick was the first ever magick truly pioneered and, as a consequence, the first to be replaced as well. While the simplest, it is also the hardest to master and comes with the greatest depths of all magicks. Commonly stated to barbaric, backwards, jack all trades master of none, and useless hedge magick understates its glorious and ancient now forgotten history.The reason why no mortals can become gods anymore is also because of Natural magick because first gods all used natural magick to attain godhood...and promptly wanted to ensure everyone forgot about that. While replacing it with other 'easier' forms of magick to utilise and master yet were limited and capped in their potential. With the only ones to ever call them out on it being the undead.The most important rule of natural magick is very simple. The more you offer, the more it gives. Natural magick, while by far the most demanding and simplistic yet hardest to master, has no limits to what it can achieve or yield, unlike any other magick. It innately has no limit either. That is why the very first immortals and gods were all practitioners of Natural magick. Why newer forms of magick while specialized, optimized, and easy to master...are so innately limiting.So Natural magick faded away into history. Respected by only the dead, traditionalist elves, and backwards/forgotten parts of the world that still cling to it. Why the few who truly achieve some mastery in natural magick are nigh unstoppable juggernauts on the level of the Gods unsurpassed by any other so called 'archmage' in any other magick combined as rare as they may be. Mostly considered nothing more than a mere fairytale for children or a forgotten myth at best.
>>6413381>>641356566. Three characters of the quest are:Hanekawa's rival, Taiga Monday who is a young witch determined to one-up Hanekawa by any means necessary. Hanekawa has no clue who Taiga is and the rivalry is entirely one sided. She is a boisterous and eccentric witch, employing confusing muddled spells of unclear origins. She is defined by her obsession with Hanekawa, theatrical monologues to herself, and surprisingly sharp intellect. Despite her chaotic nature, she is fiercely protective of her family, classmates, and surprisingly pragmatic when it counts.She has green eyes, a silky brown bob, and a very petite, thin frame managing to also rival Hanekawa. She's rarely seen unhidden beneath her massive witches hat.>>6413449Etou Fujiko is the head of the girls housing for the Academy, as well as disciplining disobedient students. She is interested in Victor Noble. She is intelligent, manipulative, driven, and ambitious. She lusts for power, success, and a powerful man as her partner.>>6413450Chaika Trabant is in the academy as well. She comes from a human land much further from the frontier town. Her odd speech and strange habits cause her to be mostly mocked and avoided by the other students. She is rather gullible and naive, causing her to be oblivious to danger or mockery at times. Notably she is often misled and given wrong directions due to her bad sense of direction. Despite this, her kindness and devotion to others is notable as she will assist others in need regardless of who they are.
>>6413802>>641381367. Evil cult magic exists and corrupts. Natural Magicks are the ancient original magics.Good magic descriptions.
I have a solid concept of the start of the quest and the first encounter.I have to actually sit down and write it out. Ideally I'd start that in about 10 hours but how tired I will be will affect that. And my schedule tomorrow is entirely up in the air.Theoretically, the quest proper will begin tomorrow evening at the the latest, with updates being steady yet unpredictable.I will write when I can, which was part of my original intent with the quest.Here's something to clarify rule creation going forward that I didn't plan but just sort of developed as I went along:Rule 0.1:A rule someone posts isn't a "Rule" until I have understood it and clarified it by posting it with a number.For example, when I posted that Dentists were attractive>>6410627>6. Dentists are attractive.The later post over wrote that one Now overwriting rules is not allowed.However, if I hadn't posted the rule with a number, back and forth discussion and arguments over a rule are not overwriting until I clarify it. It's discussion with the earlier posts getting priority.I need to understand a rule before codifying it and implementing it. Like with the locusts.Rule 0.2:If a rule would negate itself, it doesn't. No paradox.Apparently this is how I am playing it.
There are sealed ancient ruins made of indestructible metal. Nobody could ever get inside but two years ago a girl called Marnie came out from one. She claims to have come from the Digital World.She's in Hanekawa's class. She's also 18 years old.She looks like Marnie from Pokemon.
>>641434868. There are sealed ancient ruins made of indestructible metal. Nobody could ever get inside. Two years ago a girl called Marnie came out from one. She claims to have come from something she calls "the Digital World".Marnie is now an 18 girl in Hanekawa's class. This creates ancient ruins, indestructible metal, a new classmate, and some interesting matriculation criteria for this academy.
>>6410496100 Rule QuestThe young woman shoved the courier's letter into her nautical expedition textbook and dropped the thick text into her bag. The tedious little man that had insisted on yammering about his job for half the morning had made her late. She hastily snatched the slice of state provided sporeloaf she had toasting on the griddle plate. Letting out a tiny muffled yelp as she popped the hot toast into her mouth, she grabbed her bag and hat and rushed out the door.She had plenty of time to get to class, despite being one of the only students not living in the dormitory houses. She didn't care about that anyway. She had to catch up to them. It was her ritual as much as theirs. Only hers was actually important.Every morning, the two of them met outside his house and walked to class together. The goody-two-shoes Miss Hanekawa Tsubasa actually walked from the dormitory house, to his house, and then back to school. She said she did it to make sure her "good friend" made it to class on time but it was *so* obviously all an act. She was evil incarnate and Taiga Monday had followed her every morning, planning and waiting for an opportunity to exact justice.But she'd never been this late before. She sprinted across the backyards, cutting her way towards Victor Noble's house. They'd already be gone but she might be able to catch up. She rattled off a breathless apology to Rollo, her neighbor's dodo, as she vaulted over his pen and ran for the large lumber shed on the corner. Normally, she'd peer behind the corner and watch Hanekawa blather at the grocer boy but today she sped around the corner and...two soft, dense pillows slammed into her face and she span around, careening off the wooden walkway, onto the dirt road....
>>6414957Hanekawa stared up at the house and bit her lower lip nervously. Victor was never this late getting up and out of the house in the morning. She paced and tapped her foot, wondering what she should do. At Victor's mother's insistence, Hanekawa had stopped coming to the door each morning. Despite clearly explaining to his mother that she wasn't "an interested young lady", his mother just wouldn't let go of the absurd idea that she fancied Victor. Hanekawa smiled and chuckled dismissively at the thought.She heard the familiar creak of his front door and looked up with a bright cheerful grin, ready to lecture him on his tardiness. Then the smile drained from her face and her brow scrunched in confusion.Towards her down the path from his front door walked Victor, looking very stiff as a classmate clung to his arm, giggling, and speaking to his ear.His eyes met Hanekawa's and looked just as confused.Hanekawa took a step back to gather her thoughts and...was tackled by a strange dwarf....Wait.No. That's not right. Dwarves are extinct. Hanekawa knew that. Who had attacked her?! Wait. Stop. Calm. Assess.What was happening?She was lying on her back on the wooden walkway in front of her friend Victor Noble's house. He and that girl were looking down at her.. ...ah. Etou Fujiko, her classmate and the dormitory disciplinarian, that's who it was. But Victor didn't dorm. Perhaps she wanted to borrow notes? That didn't make sense. Wait. No. Someone had collided with her. She should see if they're alright.Hanekawa stood up quickly, waving off Victor's hand offered to assist her, although she offered a warm smile in thanks. She looked around her and saw a chaotic tableau of schoolbooks, bag, an old floppy sack, and tiny child lying in a disgraceful heap in the dirt. Instinctively, she picked up her own book at her feet and moved to help the girl. As she turned the girl over, she immediately realized her mistake. The young woman was thin and petite but sported a similar bust size as herself. A classmate?"Are you unharmed? That tumble was rough. Are you a new classmate of ours?"The unusual girl sat up and looked at her with a strange look before scrambling to shove her books into the school bag, grumbling oddly as she snatched up the floppy sack and bizarrely put it on her head."You know...you're just... typical! Why would I expect anything else... bah!"Turning back to Victor and Etou, Hanekawa is about to ask them a question when a sudden, unseasonably powerful chill runs though the air. Startled, Hanekawa gasps, her breath visible in what was the warm morning air a moment ago.What is the source of this cold?What should Hanekawa do next?[A.] Question Etou and Victor about why they're together [+1 Social Intrigue][B.] Investigate Taiga Monday directly [+1 Character Mystery][C.] Explore the unexpected chill [+1 World Mystery][D.] Something else.
>>6414959[C.] Explore the unexpected chill [+1 World Mystery]I'm not interested in social stuff desu
>>6414959[C.] Explore the unexpected chill [+1 World Mystery]Gun
>>6414959>[C.] Explore the unexpected chill [+1 World Mystery]WORLDMYSTERY
>>6414959[C.] Explore the unexpected chill [+1 World Mystery]
>>6414966>>6414968>>6414977>>6415007>[C.] Explore the unexpected chill [+1 World Mystery]I wasn't expecting such a solid result so quickly.I am closing the voting, not that it's necessary, and starting writing.
>>6415406"What is going on here, Hanekawa?" Etou asked with a smirk. "Why is this girl so angry?""Not now, please." Hanekawa held up a hand to the surprised Etou, looking away from her to Victor instead. "Victor can you feel that? The air's cold. It's unnatural." Something from her studies was frantically trying to recall itself to her."What? Ah-" he stopped as he saw his own breath now. At last pulling his arm from Etou's grasp as she realized it too. "Ah don't have the slightest... Ah've never felt chill creep this fast before."As Victor and Etou looked up at the distant clouds, seeking an answer, Hanekawa looked around nearby. This wasn't weather. The answer wouldn't be found from above.It seemed to be all around them rather than directional, so it was unlikely to be and attack. Still, she first cast a glance at the angry little girl in the dirt road. But the girl, or young woman she corrected herself, was staring at the three of them. She seemed to be struggling to hold onto her indignation but was losing to curiosity and confusion as to what was going on.The thing she couldn't recall was getting more frantic in the back of her mind.Scan the environment. Assess.She looked around. The street was usually fairly empty at this time. Not too far from here, a dodo in a pen was flapping his meaty wings furiously, as if to shake off the cold. Further down the road a traveler on a horse stood calmly. Neither the rider his skinny horse seemed to react to the cold. Perhaps the cold was centered on her and her classmates? Or nearby? Perhaps Victor's house?...wait. The frantic half-remembered thought froze still a moment....
>>6415512Skinny horse?Yes.Even from this distance, she could see how skinny that horse was. She could see its bones through its black fur and skin.Wait.She could actually see its bones through its skin. She could see its skull and the two dark pits where its eyes should be. And the rider! The old man's worn leathers and hat were so faded she could see right through him. The sounds of a nervous titter annoyed her as she tried to concentrate. Then she realized she was the one making the sound. This was fine. This was fine. It's a skeletal horse and a ghostly rider. Fine. She'd never encountered the undead before. But this town often does. Sure. And it explained everything. The frantic memory shattered free like a loosed icicle in her mind.She had her answer: Very strong ghosts have often been cited to be able to sharply lower the temperature of enclosed spaces from several feet away. That's what they were feeling. She understood it all now.Excellent.Practically sighing in frustration, the frantic memory gently guided her chin up to join Victor and Etou at gazing at the wide morning sky. Then it guided her view back to the rider sitting staring at the four of them a great distance away down the road.The cold, chill air on her skin felt like a warm embrace compared to the brutal ice that shivered down her spine.No ghost was powerful enough to created this kind of cold outside from this far away. There hadn't even been any stories of anything like that since... the legendary battle between the Great Pirate and Phantom Rider when the town was founded. And the Phantom Rider was said to have ridden a skeletal horse.This was NOT fine.How had he returned? Why was he here? Why now? How could this happen? What was he doing? No. Specifically. What was that motion? Was he moving? Was he pulling out a gun?..."Hanekawa? What's wrong?" From what seemed like a great distance, she could still hear the concern in her friend's voice. "What are you looking at? ...who is that fella?"Hanekawa brightened and cheerfully replied "Oh, the Phantom Rider. He's why it's so cold. We're in mortal danger!"...
>>6415519Hanekawa's three classmates clambered and chattered together in confusion, shock, and fear.She cleared her thoughts. She had to save everyone. She didn't know why but the powerful ghost was aiming his pistol at them.A number of thoughts raced through her mind that she could try:[A]. Stand in front of the others and block the attack[B]. Attack the Phantom Rider[C]. Run for Victor's house, school, or the Sheriff's office[D]. Something else.And she could use several methods:[A]. Reveal her secret Natural Magicks[B]. Drain life using lifeforce magic[C]. Rely on her mind and body.[D]. Something else.She could try more than one but time could run out...
Always feel free to ask any questions if you ever want anything clarified.
>>6415523[D]. Something else.Look behind us to ensure we are in fact the undead's target.[D]. Something else.If not the target grab/push everyone to duck.orIf we ARE the target. Then run, dodge, and weave while throwing up an emergency flare spell then whatever shielding spells we have to stay alive while running back home to our mother, who is far stronger than us.If someone else is the target the above but drag them along for the ride.
>>6415530+1We never did clear up if life magic directly costs lifespan or just energy that replenishes.
>>6415523>>6415530This will be educational. +1
>>6415523>>6415530 +1
>>6415523[C]. Run for Victor's house[C]. Rely on her mind and bodyAn easy choice
>>6415530>>6415532>>6415556>>6415566>Look behind us to ensure we are in fact the undead's target.It seems like no matter what we do next we'll first try to determine for certain what his target is.From the distance, that seems difficult enough for it to be a skill check to me.When determining how to "roll perception" I stumbled into the realization for the perfect system to use. I still have to stat Hanekawa and I might need some input on that later this afternoon.But until then:Everyone Roll a 1d20 for a Visual Calculus skill check. Best of three wins.
Rolled 4 (1d20)>>6415752
Rolled 14 (1d20)>>6415752HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Rolled 15 (1d20)>>6415752
Rolled 5, 15, 11 + 5 = 36 (3d20 + 5)>>6415752>>6415759>>6415762>>6415871>Rolled 15Cool. This system seems effortless to use directly without any modification. I'm sort of eyeballing the difficulty with an educated guess so far though.I had the DC at 12 for a clear answer with a -2 modifier because the line of sight.So she definitely sees it, regardless of her skill.I'm skipping the opposed roll as the Phantom Rider isn't trying to conceal it. Although perhaps in the future I could use the roll to set the DC? Seems like a wide range but I could tweak it, like giving him a -5 for not hiding it?I'll roll now just to see what it would've been.But I wanted to reward the player for thinking to confirm the target. So she succeeds regardless of what I roll.
>>6415975dice+1d20+-5to roll with negative modifiers.
>>6415977That's right. It's been a minute.
>>6415975>Rolled 15 - 5Meets it beats it? Unless a tie would have an obvious meaning?Even without the modifier, she sees it.Now onto her abilities and skills!She gets 12 ability points to put in four traits:IntelligenceWillConstitutionDexterityEach Trait has five skills that you can put skill points into, up to the maximum of the Trait.So if Hanekawa has an intelligence of 5 and a Constitution of 1, then her constitution skills cap out at 1 while her intelligence skills cap at 6.And each skill point after the first adds +2 to her rolls, ranging from initiate to legendary.She gets 7 skill points to apply to the following skills:>IntelligenceLogicKnowledgeSpeechPersuasionVisual Calculus>WillMoraleIntuition EmpathyAuthorityCamaraderie>ConstitutionEnduranceToleranceStrengthDriveInstinct>DexterityCoordinationPerceptionReactionDetailing ComposureMy thinking was that Knowledge, Speech, Morale, Empathy, Authority, and Composure are all supported by her description.I'll start on the write up.>>6415530>running back home to our mother, who is far stronger than us.See>>6413377>left home to attend the best, closest academy for the Nautical Arts.It's not established exactly how far away her mother is, but it's not impossible she's in the same town. It just wasn't was what I was thinking. But I can make it work.
>>6415992I thought of five different directions she might run and anon picks one I hadn't imagined. Heh.
>>6415993uh I missed that and in my defense I figured her mom wouldn't be enthused with letting her daughter go to a school that has such powerful and active feuding undead nearby without some kind of insurance. Given how she is unpopular woods witch chilling out in the woods like a hermit, safe to say she isn't one to fuck with given just how shitty the planet in question is. I mean it DID have a fucking moon crash into it a thousand years ago. It's clearly a rough ass neighborhood. Also dinosaurs and other megafauna apparently. Plus side dino cowboys. That's cool.
>>6415999>in my defense I figured her mom wouldn't be enthused with letting her daughter go to a school that has such powerful and active feuding undead nearby without some kind of insurance.Entirely fair. I didn't anticipate the helicopter parenting but it makes perfect sense. >Given how she is unpopular woods witch chilling out in the woods like a hermit, safe to say she isn't one to fuck withUndoubtedly.
>>6415992Ermmmm>INT: 1>WILL: 2>CON: 2>DEX :2
>>6416008i'm also confused and i proposed the rule
>>6415992This is already too complex for me to follow along with.>Critical Fails result on a roll of 7 and Critical success results on a roll of 13. A roll of 1 is calculated as if it were a 7 and a roll of 20 is calculated as if it were 13 for mathematical purposes.
>>6415992-Ability Points 6 intelligence 1 will2 constitution 3 dexterity -Skill points4 knowledge 1 logic1 visual calculus1reaction
Sorry, I actually fell asleep while writing and didn't set my alarm so I'll update properly in a few hours.
>>6415992>>6416099Sure, I'll change to this
>>6416008>>6416081>>6416089Sorry. It'll make more sense when I can make a graphic.And it's much simpler in practice.
>>6416099Looks good.And it's a good example of why player input is better. It's not what my first instinct was but it makes better sense than mine.
>>6415992I don't even know what some of those skills names mean. They are suppose to be self explenatory. I reread that several times and sleep on it before I made I understood the skill level ups. What even is a morale skill anyway? At least the stats are a bit better. Which skills matter? >>6416007I mean her mom is cool enough to let her go to such a school and adventure while somehow being powerful enough to keep her daughter entirely clueless about her oddly peaceful and mysteriously innocent upbringing. Props on her mom for that. Scary strong mystery lady tho.
>>6415530>>6415532>>6415556>>6415566>>6415530>run, dodge, and weave while throwing up an emergency flare spell then whatever shielding spells we have to stay alive while running back home to our mother, who is far stronger than us, dragging the target along for the ride.Hanekawa stared at the distant ephemeral gun as the Phantom Rider lifted it and pointed it at them. It seemed like he was pointing it directly at her and she thought to glance behind her to see if his true target was behind her. Then she spotted the slightest adjustment to her left. Quick geometry confirmed it: He wasn't aiming at her at all.His actual target was the strange young woman that had tackled her. Perhaps she had been running from him?Regardless, now that Hanekawa knew that she was protecting someone else, she knew what she had to do.She protectively tucked her book into the bag on her hip and dove without hesitation. She grabbed the girl and rolled further to the left, out of the path of the gun. There was the unmistakable crack of gunfire and the near simultaneous sound of wood splintering as the solid bullet slammed into the walkway behind where the girl had stood. A moment later, a boom cast an impossible jet of green fire erupted from the Rider's gun, bathing the area with eldritch flames.Sparing the quickest glance to confirm that Victor and Etou were unharmed and fleeing the other way, Hanekawa lifted the stunned girl and ran. Hair stood up on the back of her neck and she dodged right as she ran towards the corner. Another green blast missed the pair as they rounded a fence, providing some brief cover. The top of a fencepost splintered as another gunshot rang out.The girl was struggling to keep up but no longer needed to be dragged. The taller girl still led her by the hand as the two scrambled down an alleyway past the penned dodo. Hanekawa knew what she had to do and where she had to go. There might not be a single person in the entire town of Watership that could handle a threat like the Phantom Rider. But if there was only one, it would be her mother.As far as she, or anyone else, knew, there were precious few masters of Natural Magicks around. And despite the open disdain people had for it, her mother was one of the strongest. Hanekawa had chosen to follow her father's footsteps instead of the mother's, hiding her talents and training and disguising them with Lifeforce Magic instead. Yet her mother had supported her daughter's choice and concealed her practices while Hanekawa attended Watership Academy. She lived in a tiny shack on the furthest western edge of town as a recluse herbalist....
>>6416396Taking a deep breath as they bolted across the open road through town, Hanekawa cast her free hand upwards and shouted "Take into the air, prismatic crimson signal, Emergency Flare!"A shuddering bolt of magical energy tore free from her extended hand and her companion uttered a small gasp. Hanekawa's step faltered slightly and she stumbled before the short girl steadied her and the two regained speed. Looking up she saw her signal hanging in the sky above the town and she hoped her mother would see.The girl shoved her roughly, slamming her into the side of the hardware store as another green blast singed the painted storefront. "Run you stupid tyrannosaurus, he's found us already! Move it!"The Phantom Rider turned down the road and his skeletal horse let out a terrifying shriek as it raced towards them.The two girls scrambled up and around the building, ducking down another alleyway. When they emerged, the girl pulled to the left, turning towards the school. But Hanekawa pulled her to the right. "Not the school, this way! There's only one place we can go for help. Come on!" They raced along until they came to a sparsely populated road with little cover and a tiny house with an overgrown garden outside. They bolted down the road until the other girl slid and stumbled on loose gravel, pulling them both down in a pile. Before they could rise, another booming eldritch blast tore past, the heat from the green flame baking their faces.Turning back in terror as the Phantom Rider bore down on them, Hanekawa raised both her hands, palms out and muttered "Shield us, force of light. protect us from harm using my essence and might!" Another blast struck towards them, breaking and cascading across a dome of light surrounding the two. Her legs buckled, her long skirt barely protecting her knees as she dropped. Her arms trembling violently, she kept her arms up.Another blast would drop her below her threshold. She knew it. She might be able to hold the shield together after that, but each moment would drain her lifespan away. She couldn't stand and another blast after that would end her. She'd die a withered husk before she could even reach her mother's house. She opened her mouth to offer a quiet apology but only tiny croak escaped her lips. This was the end....
>>6416398The Phantom Rider pulled at the reins and stopped in front of the two. Hanekawa stared defiantly at the twisted, ghostly face of her attacker. He steadily pointed his gun at the girl next to her. Hanekawa felt the girl bury her face against her side and she wanted to say something, do something, do anything to save them. But she couldn't even look away. Frozen in terror at the power wafting from the legendary spirit in front her, she was struck by the vague awareness that she was still smiling. She was putting on a brave front even at the end.Suddenly, a blue light flared in the sky, a signal much like her own. It came from the direction of the school and she hoped it meant that Victor was safe at least. The Rider glanced up at the signal for a moment and then extended his gun...Instead of the expected blast, Hanekawa felt a gust of warm air filled with the scent of autumn leaves. It caressed her back and blew her hair forward towards the ghost. An invisible ripple washed over her and past her like a breeze. As the wave of air hit the Phantom Rider and his horse, they crumpled backwards as if struck by a charging triceratops. The skeletal horse collapsed into a pile of writhing and clattering bones as the rider stumbled backwards, rolling and rising to his feet, his long ephemeral duster flapping in the wind.Get the FUCK away from my daughter you thrice damned undead piece of shit!"Dropping her shield and letting her hands fall to her sides, Hanekawa looked behind her and saw her mother standing in the road a fair distance from her house, her front door wide open."Dear? Either get your ass inside or help me with some proper magic." ...Regaining herself a little, Hanekawa considered what she could do:[A]. Help her mother fight the Phantom Rider[B]. Take Taiga inside her mother's house[C]. Run away towards the school while the Phantom Rider is occupied[D]. Something else.[A]. Use Natural Magicks[B]. Use Lifeforce Magick[C]. Use her skills[D]. Something else.
>>6416400>[A]. Help her mother fight the Phantom Rider>[A]. Use Natural Magicks
>>6416376>I don't even know what some of those skills names mean. They are suppose to be self explanatory.Fair. I tried to sum them up succinctly to keep it from being even more obtuse and confusing. I didn't want to bog everything down with a bunch of descriptions.>I reread that several times and sleep on it before I made I understood the skill level ups. I didn't understand it at my first pass either. But it makes more sense visually.>What even is a morale skill anyway? It helps you hold yourself together, keep your morale up. It helps you to be kind to others and to yourself. It enables you to resist temptation and gives you the will to continue. It can help protect your sanity.>Which skills matter?I mean, that depends don't it?
>>6416400>A>A
>>6416406>But it makes more sense visually.Might be good to get that visual breakdown before we go with >>6416099 then.
>>6416400>Help her mother fight the Phantom Rider>Use Natural Magicks
>>6416433>Might be good to get that visual breakdown before we goEssentially, I'd describe it as a level 6 Intelligence gives you a maximum of six pips to fill for each intelligence skill.Whereas a level 1 skill gives you a maximum of one pip>>6416099
>>6416490Disco schizo style. Methinks we’re not going to be able to persuade the king to give up his ring or resist alien beaver dentists.Where’s magic? Though I’d imagine the only ones with legendary in that would be the prodigies of prodigies. Lunar magic might be someone whose eaten countless rabbits or figs.
>>6416400>[A]. Help her mother fight the Phantom RiderConsidering the the God's age fuckery, her mother should look fairly young.>[A]. Use Natural MagicksThese don't cost life.>>6416490Looking good, it really shows Hanekawa's otherworldly beauty and starts.>4 knowledge she doesn't know it all, she only knows what she knows.
>>6416498>Disco schizo style.Indeed. It just fits.>Methinks we’re not going to be able to persuade the king to give up his ring or resist alien beaver dentists.Well, there's always ways to overcome one's weakness. But her lack of Game is fairly crippling.>Where’s magic?Pic related.Although, there's Natural Magicks, Lifeforce Magic, Moon Wind Magic, Divine Magic, Demon Magic, and Evil Cult Magic. If we fold Divine and Demon as sides of the same coin, that's five. And I could fit a fifth circle on the left easy. Probably a sixth if I try. Not sure about the system yet. But we'll figure it out.>Though I’d imagine the only ones with legendary in that would be the prodigies of prodigies. Lunar magic might be someone whose eaten countless rabbits or figs.Sounds about right.>>6416507>Considering the the God's age fuckery, Perhaps. I never got clarification on that.At any rate, she's a master at Natural Magicks so I imagine her as quite vibrant.>Looking good, it really shows Hanekawa's otherworldly beauty and stats.Thanks, I'm pretty happy with it. I enjoyed making it. It's been a minute since I gimped up a character sheet.>she doesn't know it all, she only knows what she knows.Indeed!
>>641608969. Critical Fails result on a roll of 7 and Critical success results on a roll of 13. A roll of 1 is calculated as if it were a 7 and a roll of 20 is calculated as if it were 13 for mathematical purposes.
>>6416717Rule:I'll say that Mamakawa (not her name) gave birth to Hanekawa when she was 21. Hanekawa is currently 30 (18) years old so her mother should be 51.If females at her 40's look like 8 eight years old thanks to age fuckery, Mamakawa should have the body of a 19 years old.
Rolled 16, 15, 18, 15, 8, 15, 6, 18, 17, 5, 2, 1, 18, 18, 3 = 175 (15d20)>>6416507>>6416498>>6416466>>6416424>Help her mother fight the Phantom Rider using Natural MagicksAlright. A clear vote. I've been imbedding consequences into choices and clues into the narrative but this one I think I'll just point out directly. Hanekawa is performing the scorned practice of Natural Magicks in front of a girl who considers her a hated rival. To be fair though, Hanekawa has no awareness of Taiga's feelings. We'll find out what happens after, you know, the incredibly powerful threat has been dealt with.Regarding that, Hanekawa needs to call upon her knowledge of Natural Magicks to know what to do to help. So I need a Knowledge Skill check...I'm ruling that a lack of skill is +0 and a level 6 skill is "Godly" and might not need a roll.So:No skill: +0Skill level 1: Initiate +2Skill level 2: Adept +4Skill level 3: Master +6Skill level 4: Heroic +8Skill level 5: Legendary +10Skill level 6: Godly +SSkill checks are Skill Level + Modifiers + Dice Roll.So a Knowledge skill check is 4 + 8 + Roll.Which is kind of broken but she's leaning into her strength there.There's a negative modifier for powerful ghosts being unknown but also a positive modifier for him specifically being heavily documented. So they cancelled out.I'm giving tiered DC for success at 18, 19, and 13.So she needs to roll a 1 or higher than a 7 on a 1d20 to know what she's doing.As far as the magic itself, I'm going with opposed rolls.So I need two more 1d20.I'm rolling two rolls for Hanekawa's mother and two for the Phantom Rider.So my first 6d20 are for her (Bo3 then Bo3) and the next six d20 are for him.Because of their superior power levels for now I'll say she gets a +6 to her best roll and he gets a plus +10, following the skill modifiers although magic isn't necessarily a skill.Narratively, I'm not sure if Hanekawa would be considered an initiate or an adept.tl;dr:I need three players to roll 3d20
>>641673170. "Mamakawa" gave birth to Hanekawa when she was 21 and has the body and appearance of a 19 year old.I'll probably have to codify that kerfuffle eventually, maybe after this next update. But I have it neatly simplified in my mind.
Rolled 5, 19, 15 = 39 (3d20)>>6416733
Rolled 5, 14, 13 = 32 (3d20)>>6416733I think you should nix skill level modifier. A +8 is still a huge advantage by itself. And will give NPCs/us a fighting chance plus stakes when rolling.
>>6416737> kerfuffleWe’re going to have to talk about the cannibal dream gods and how they play with the no aging sleep
>>6416733>16, 15, 18, 15, 8, 15, So mama got 18+6=24 and 15+6=21.The Phantom Rider got 18+10=28 and 1(7)+10=17.>>6416089I assume critical failures and successes would trump Best of Three because otherwise they're effectively pointless.
>>6416740>I think you should nix skill level modifier. A +8 is still a huge advantage by itself. And will give NPCs/us a fighting chance plus stakes when rolling.Fair point. That's an artifact of adding the modifiers to a balanced system. We can do that. But Hanekawa can still cheese this roll with a plus 4...if someone rolls above a 5. Damn. Dice Gods ain't sleeping.
>>641366071. Hanekawa Tsubasa is the president of the working class, that is, she is the president of her class and her class is the working internship class, getting practical experience as they learn.Hanekawa Tsubasa is over 30. (31 to be precise, dividing the post number by 7 and using the remainder). This remarkable as the second highest rated student in her Lifeforce Magic class is only a 9 and the professor herself is only rated at 14.That's why she got that letter.Causal relationships and fate are a convoluted business.Hanekawa is less than 40 years old. She isn't immune to god influence. There can't be timeskips that make Hanekawa be over 40 years old. She can't be more than 40 ever. (This cap on her lifespan is likely due to Lifeforce Magic but her use of that energy could still remain in the predetermined future or during the quest later on) She would die before she turns 40.Chaika and Etou Fujiko are less than 20 years old.The naked sleeping induced by the Matron of Uncovered Dreams completely stops the female aging process from the age of 18 to 40.>>6413542>I don't know if this quest will ever start.Reviewing the gods, I just saw this again.It hadn't started because Hanekawa hadn't received the letter yet. I was kind of expecting a meta rule for when the QM had to begin, like at 50 rules or Page 2 or whatever. It worked out.>>6416742>We’re going to have to talk about the cannibal dream gods and how they play with the no aging sleepWe can totally talk about that and how it affects this rule. It's not fully clear what gods are doing what.
>>6416762>It's not fully clear what gods are doing what.Goddess of Naked Sleeping is making elves and human females sleep nude.Cannibalistic dream gods try to eat other gods and people when smelling a divine sleep related order.God of Youth is stopping aging.>40. The moons and planet each have its own deathless gods. The moons act as a shared conduit for dreams. The dream gods are stuck warding off their crazed cannibalistic peers. A divine order related to sleep risks their attention and devouring of both god and dreamer.>44. Due to an order from the Goddess of Naked Sleeping, every elf and young looking human female cannot sleep with clothes on.The Goddess of Naked Sleeping is the daughter of the major God of Sleeping and the Goddess of being Naked, a minor goddess.>The naked sleeping induced by the Matron of Uncovered Dreams completely stops the female aging process from the age of 18 to 40.It's one thing to just have a minor sleep goddess stealing people's clothes. It's a whole nother level of divine order to halt aging for 22 years straight across the dominant race of the world. Its real bad because the maddened gods will try to eat the god who issued the order and the dreamer, that's half the mortal population at a constant risk of death because they lack the divine capabilities to fend off the gods. It can be assumed this wasn't an issue in the past because the third moon was still around and the dream gods were normal, but that blew up and now the world is real shitty.
>>6416801>It's one thing to just have a minor sleep goddess stealing people's clothes. It's a whole nother level of divine order to halt aging for 22 years straight across the dominant race of the world.That's a fair point. Removing the God of Youth gives an incredibly powerful effect outside her domain to a minor god.But keeping the God of Youth as a major god opens other conflicts and doesn't address your second point: >Its real bad because the maddened gods will try to eat the god who issued the order and the dreamer, that's half the mortal population at a constant risk of death because they lack the divine capabilities to fend off the gods.I interpreted it as "each order" draws the attention of the cannibals and the anti-aging effect was one huge order set into motion long ago. But the connection between mortals as dreamers and gods would seem to support your interpretation far better. I genuinely didn't follow it although it makes sense now.This scenario would be incredibly problematic.The simplest solution I can find is that God of Youth instinctively protected the dreamers and is actively being devoured by the cannibalistic gods, and when he dies, the connection and permanent youth will fade from the world. Perhaps as the god of youth, he has regenerative properties that are allowing him to heal, making him a lasting meal? So the effect is current but the god is dying and the effect will end?Just an idea.>>6416762>The naked sleeping induced by the Matron of Uncovered Dreams completely stops the female aging process from the age of 18 to 40.I'm likely to change or remove this as it seems to be a conflict as written, justified as the discussion was called for before I posted the rule.
Rolled 5, 14, 3 = 22 (3d20)>>6416733
>>6416837>when he diesDude likely got jumped immediately after the moon blew up and those lunar dream gods would've been cranked up on the nightmares of the civil war. If there's any magic/domain it's probably long broken.>All 5soh boy
>>6416840>Rolled 5, 14, 3Got it.So that's:4+8+5=1719+3=2213(20)+3=23I will write but it's late so I might not finish and post tonight. In that case, it'll be tomorrow afternoon.Also:>Rolled 5Damn. She doesn't know everything and she doesn't know this. Which is fair, considering.
>>641348272. PCs and NPCs don’t have plot armor and can die.Not sure how I missed this one. I remember reading it.
Rolled 1, 4, 13 = 18 (3d20)>>6416733
Looks like I lost but as my final try...>>6416837New Rule:Hanekawa is a Quarter Elf because her dad is or was a half elf.Quarter Elves are indistinguishable from humans physically, their bodies look the same, even the ears, but they age just a bit slowly and got extra magic talent on whatever magic the elves use. They aren't immortal and live to be 100 years old in average.So Hanekawa looks from 20 to 25 years old thanks to her elven blood.Even if they are not fully elven, the Goddess of Naked Sleeping treats them as they were normal elves and steals their clothes during all her life.I don't know if this will work, but if you want to play for the majority, then it's ok, I'll look for something else to play. There's no shortage of entertainment on this cursed world or ours.
>>6416937>>6416937>my final try...>I don't know if this will work, but if you want to play for the majority, then it's ok, I'll look for something else to play.I'm genuinely not sure what your goal here has been or what your expectations of success would be.>tfw I was already considering giving Hanekawa partial elven lineage.
>>6417046>I'm genuinely not sure what your goal here has been or what your expectations of success would be. I just don't want a hag MC and I got fond of that rule about girls sleeping bare. Even if the quest will clearly not make it sexual.Do as you please but it would be nice if you let that last rule be. Just that.You're a good guy, OP. Making Hanekawa half elf would be also great.
>A rabbit's left hind foot can be burned to nullify a crit fail.
Damnit.I actually fell asleep twice while trying to type this update up. I was trying to finish before leaving home today and I almost finished.I'll either post it by phone when I can or in about nine hours when I get back.
>>6416738>>6416740>>6416840She stood in the middle of the road wearing a simple grey cloth dress with a leather apron, the knees of her dress marked from dirt and grass. Her long wavy brown hair flowed loose and wild around her head like the plants that abounded her garden. Her fit, boxy figure didn't boast the same curves as her daughter, but she didn't lack any beauty. She looked as lovely as Hanekawa's classmates and not much older, aside from her eyes. There was ancient wisdom in her eyes that made her seem incredibly formidable.Of course, she might seem formidable because she was facing down one of most powerful undead ever recorded and doing it with a smirk.Hanekawa nearly chuckled. She was *definitely* more intimidated by her mother than by the ghost.Then her mother turned to her and said "What have I told you about those trash life rot spells? Stop your foolish games..."Before Hanekawa could reply, her mother spat on the ground at her daughter's feet. A great splash erupted from the spot, coating both girls with bluish clear liquid that seemed to completely refresh them. Taiga looked at the two of them, clearly confused but also seemingly with recognition and anger. Seeing that the small girl was unhurt, Hanekawa turned and stood next to her mother. ...
>>6417787Across from them, down the road, the Phantom Rider and regained his bearing. After failing to restore his horse clattering on the ground, he faced the hedge witches and drew back his left arm, keeping his gun ready in his right.Standing with knees slightly bent with her weight on her back foot, her mother was braced for an impact. Her hands were lowered at her sides, shaking slightly as chamomile petals drifted gently from her fingertips, slowly drifting in languid swirls around her boots.Recognizing the spell, Hanekawa nodded and repeated the motions, silently mouthing the ritual, keeping the patterns straight in her head. The petals fell more quickly and swirled with less grace than her mother's but as they joined her strength was added to the older witch's mastery....Taiga Monday had absolutely no fucking idea what was going on. Not only had she been chased across town by a legendary ghost she'd always guessed had just been a story, but now her hated rival and her rarity show mother were saving her! But what was currently driving her insane was that she didn't even understand what she was seeing. They were clearly casting some slow moving nature spell but somehow the ghost was moving slower still. Even her eyes felt slow as they darted back to the Rider. She tried to stand up but it felt like she was moving through warm mud. Warm soothing mud.Fuck, this hedge bitch was powerful......
>>6417788The petals swirled around them rapidly now, nearly obscuring the rider as he pulled back his hand.In a sudden flick of her hands, the cloud of petals swam through the air, buffeted against the undead gunslinger to no visible effect and he swung his hand around hard and fast, hurling a ball of lightning at the three women. The ball spat white energy out at the petals as it passed, withering them instantly. Directed at Taiga, the ball swerved at the last moment to strike the mother's forearm raised to block it.Her mother staggered but regained her footing as Hanekawa's world for brief moment was shuddering icy stabs of pain throughout her body as some of the energy spilled onto her. The flowing petals thinned but still buffeted against the spectral attacker. His form flickered and his arms dropped to his side. His head drooped as if he was drowsy. At his feet, the bones of his skeletal steed grew still and began to dissolve into the dirt at his feet. Hanekawa's spell broke and the Rider was weakened but still raising his gun at them.Hanekawa recalled her daily early ritual gathering and sacrificing the morning dew from the leaves around her dormitory house. whispering the ritual to herself to keep it straight, she called forth the power of the glistening morning dew and thrust her hands towards the gunslinger. A massive wave flowed from her hands, cascading into him. The power of the mystical waves struck the weakened ghost and seemed to break him up. It was like the ocean reclaiming a sand castle as pieces of the ghost broke off with the flow. With a shrug, he appeared to relax and disintegrate as the magical water flowed into the earth. After a moment, there was no trace the ghost had been there. Even the unnatural chill was gone....
>>6417789Looking back at her mother, the witch just shook her head. "Hanekawa dear, with a threatening ghost, best to put them to rest." Her tone was instructive with a touch of admonishment "Banishing won't last. He'll be back. Still, you did well. That was a good spell."The small smile that graced her lips filled Hanekawa with pride.A moment later the effect was ruined by Tiaga Monday screaming her head off "Why was he shooting bullets and flame at me?! And what hedge spells were those?!"Nervously, Hanekawa looked around and assessed the situation. A few of the neighbors in the spread out housed had begun to emerge, drawn out by the sounds of the battle. In the distance, she could see down both roads leading away. Down the one leading towards the school, she saw three students running towards her. Down the other, she saw a man in black leather running towards them as well. Trailing behind him was a small group of men. Her mother ignored the others and turned to the angry student standing to her feet in the road. "Wait child, you said he shot bullets as well as green flame? That can't happen..."Hanekawa was feeling conflicted. Now that the immediate danger was gone, she wasn't sure what she should be most concerned with. There were the townsfolk, her classmates, the girl, and her mother. She was worried about the consequences of revealing their Natural Magicks to everyone but also wanted to understand what was happening. She wanted to retreat inside her mother's home and discuss it with her mother, but she also felt like she should wait for her classmates, or try to explain things to the neighbors, or find out who those men were first.[A]. Wait for the others to arrive and try to explain to everyone[B]. Take Taiga and go inside her mother's house[C]. Ask Taiga about the attack and possibly keeping the hedge magic secret[D]. Something else.(If there's ever any skills you feel can be used, you can suggest them at any vote.)
>>6417790>B
>>6417790>[B]. Take Taiga and go inside her mother's house
>>6417790>Take Taiga and go inside her mother's house
Can we roll knowledge to identify those men in black?
>>6417836>Can we roll knowledge to identify those men in black?Sure. She doesn't know everything but does she know this?I'll need three 1d20Hopefully we'll get something besides a 5.
Rolled 3 (1d20)>>6417856
>>6417856>Hopefully we'll get something besides a 5.>>6417858>Rolled 3
Rolled 8 (1d20)>>6417856Let ME handle this...>[This roll is sponsored by the TAIGA MONDAY SQUAD: "We're so much better than Hanekawa holy fucking shit"]
>>6417949
Rolled 19 (1d20)>>6417856
>>6417966>Rolled 1919+8=27She doesn't know everything, but she knows this.After a quick look around, Hanekawa felt it would be best to get the girl inside. "Perhaps we could get inside? I want to figure this out but not here...""What? I'm not going with you two! You're both degenerate hedge witches!" The girl was straightening out her clothes and seemed to be regaining herself but not really calming down. Hanekawa smiled patiently at her and looked back at her approaching classmates. If one was Victor, that would be fine. He would understand. But she couldn't tell who they were... She glanced quickly at the men running towards them before turning back to the girl.She opened her mouth to begin urging the girl. She had to make her realize......wait.... That was a white cowboy hat with gold trim. The sheriff? A chill ran down her spine and she spun back around. The men in back were from the sheriff's office? Why had that made her scared? She narrowed her eyes. The man in front. The black leather. He matched the poster she had seen as she chatted with Martha outside the office the other day. He was wanted for murder, contract killings, and......and the wooden walkway had splintered with a bullet. So had that fence post. And her mother said the Ghost Rider wouldn't shoot solid bullets. Ah.Ohnonono!Hanekawa spun back around, her eyes wide in fear. Her mother eyed her quizzically and the increasingly pugnacious girl opened her own mouth to argue again.Nope!Hanekawa bent down, launched herself against the small girl, lifted her over her shoulder and ran towards her mother's house. Running like a crag saber cat with a mouthful of panicked raptor. The girl squealed and squirmed, not stopping until she was unceremoniously flumped into an overstuffed chair by a clutter fireplace. ...
>>6418254
>>6418254Herbs hung drying everywhere, there was a cauldron bubbling of a low fire, and various bottles stood strewn about every surface. Hanekawa closed the drapes and peeked outside as her mother came in behind her, bolting the door."That seemed rather urgent, my daughter. Would you care to explain yourself?"In one breath and a terribly long run on sentence, Hanekawa summed up the last few moments including her revelation that now an outlaw gunman was also trying to kill this girl.Her mother took it in stride. "This leaves three questions as I see it: Why does someone want this girl dead?"She looked meaningfully at the girl who simply shrugged, abandoning her anger for genuine concern."Next, what do we do to survive? We can't linger here, nor can we leave."Hanekawa's mind spun with possibilities, none seeming promising..."And third, Hanekawa dear, why is there soggy toast in your cleavage?"...what? Oh god. There was. And it was crumbling everywhere. Hanekawa felt her face heat as she fished a handful of soggy sporeloaf from between her breasts. Collecting it in her hand, she looked up and thought she her the girl giggle. Hanekawa offered a sheepish grin. A dramatic knock pounded on the door and Hanekawa, startled, flung the wad of wet toast against the far wall, splattering it there."Odd..." Her mother said as she approached door "They should not have been able to get through my garden that quickly..."Hanekawa tensed.[A]. Let her mother open the door[B]. Run out the back door[C]. Risk looking out the window to see who it is[D]. Something else.(If there's any skills you feel can be used, you can suggest them at any vote.)
>>641725773. A rabbit's left hind foot can be burned to nullify a crit fail
>>641693774. Hanekawa is a Quarter Elf because her dad is or was a half elf.Quarter Elves are indistinguishable from humans physically, their bodies look the same, even the ears, but they age just a bit slowly and have increased magic talent. They aren't immortal and live to be 100 years old in average. Hanekawa looks from 20 to 25 years old thanks to her elven blood.The Matron of Uncovered Dreams regards quarter elves as elves and continues blessing of naked sleeping throughout their lives.>>6417066>I just don't want a hag MC and I got fond of that rule about girls sleeping bare.My confusion came from that never being an issue in the first place.
>>6418256>[A]. Let her mother open the door>[D]. Something else:>Find a place to hide!
>>6418268>Warn mother about the wanted man and the broken fence post!>Find a place to hide!
>>6418256>[D]. Something else.Have her mother ask who's there before opening the door.Hide Taiga Monday. She's small enough to fit anywhere.
>>6418269>>6418279>>6418337>>[A]. Let her mother open the door>>Warn mother about the wanted man >Have her mother ask who's there before opening the door.>Hide Taiga Monday. She's small enough to fit anywhere.and the broken fence post!>>Find a place to hide!Crouching Taiga, Hidden TsubasaSounds like a plan.My plan was to write up a sizeable update this evening but mice and men have laid other plans for me, unfortunately.I probably won't be able to start properly writing it up for another 22 hours.
>>6418559I'm not dead yet.I've been too sick to do anything using my brain. Update later today.
>>6419757Ogey
>>6419757hope you feel better, qm.
>>6420083Thanks anonI'm springing back.Just formating the update now.
>>6418559Hanekawa tensed and then sprung into action. "Mother!" she frantically whispered "Check to see who it is! It could be that wanted man in black!" She raced to a nearby bookcase and pulled an old blanket off a shelf along with a few books. As the girl opened her mouth to protest, Hanekawa threw the blanket over the chair, haphazardly tossing the books on top, disguising the small girl under the draped mess. For good measure, she spun the chair so it was against the wall with the thick wood back facing the door.As for herself, she ducked behind the hutch near the fireplace, flattening against the wall, gripping the straps of her heavy bookbag like an improvised weapon.Her mother tossed her a little smile and whispered something to the door as she approached. A moment later, the leaves of the herbs hanging drying on the back of her front door rustled and parted to reveal a small gap. Peering through, the woman sighed and opened the door with a grin."Good morning Victor, what brings you to my home this morning? Want breakfast?""Uh, hi Mrs Tsubasa? Is Hanekawa here? There was....a...ghost?" Victor stepped into the room and looked around curiously. Hanekawa's heart leapt in her chest. She hadn't even realized how worried she'd been about her friend."Yes dear, I noticed. I must ask, how'd you get past my plants so quickly?" Hanekawa's mother opened the door further to allow two more students in. Etou was looking around as if she was trying to make sense of the chaotic home spread out around her. The white haired girl following Etou carried a large wooden case and set to off to the side with a loud thunk to take the witch's hand in both of hers."Chaika greet nice plants. They like Chaika's shoes. Your home cozy. Chaika thank."Etou began explaining what the new girl meant as Victor asked where Hanekawa and Taiga were. Hanekawa burst out from her hiding spot and tackled Victor with a hug. Taiga pulled off the blanket, demanding to come out from hiding. And Hanekawa's mother excused herself outside before the sheriff uprooted her petunias trying to come in her front walk.The five teenagers busily chattered with each other explaining what had happened and when Sheriff Thomas, an experienced lawman with strong white mustache and stern disposition quieted them all down, asked them to start from the beginning, and then they all started up again at once.At Hanekawa's insistence, he assured her that the outlaw had run off further out of town. It seemed to the sheriff that the gunman had anticipated the girls running out the back and tried to ambush them only to be chased off by the deputies....
>>6420136At this point, Hanekawa's mother asked if they could all go somewhere else to talk, as she had to prepare a special "sleeping tonic" for a visitor who might return any day now. At Taiga's suggestion, the students were escorted to her house. With the exception of Taiga who excused herself to change and freshen up they all sat around the dining room table, filling the sheriff in on everything that'd happened. Hanekawa omitted details about the Natural Magicks she and her mother had used. And she learned that Victor and Etou had gone towards the school for help and had encountered Chaika who insisted on rushing to help fight the Phantom Rider.The sheriff explained that the gunman was a known killer for hire and they knew that he'd been in town a short while and had killed a professional courier that morning. When Taiga rejoined them, the sheriff questioned her about why a gunman might have any interest in killing her. She cried, saying that she hadn't a clue. That is until he mentioned the courier. Taiga shot up like a bolt and rushed to her book bag, pulling out her books. Opening each one, she couldn't find the letter the courier had left for her father.And it was about that time that a deputy came in and reported that they hadn't been able to find her father anywhere. Taiga started crying fiercely then, inconsolably worried about her father. The sheriff tried to tell her that there'd been no sign of struggle at his office at the academy so there was no sign the gunman had been there."...huh? The academy? He has an office there? Who is her father?" Hanekawa asked, confused.Victor blinked. "You don't recall? He's Professor Horatio Monday, our teacher!""The expedition expert? But that can't be, his daughter is our age!""I *AM* your age, you dumb cuh- Wait! Expedition! Check the front closet!" Taiga leaped up from the table, knocking her chair backwards onto the floor. She scrambled and raced towards the front of the house. The sheriff, moving faster than it seemed like he would, was on her heels before she opened the closet door and watched as she threw it open, pulled out a few coats frantically and then collapsed into seated position, laughing hysterically.The students gathered around and looked confused."Chaika does not understand. Why does Taiga sit and laugh in closet?""I don't reckon I know. Mind fillin' us in on the joke lil' lady?" the sheriff asked."It's gone. His expedition bag's gone. He left before they could get him!""Well that's great, Taiga." Victor said. "But where did he go? Shouldn't we, you know, find him?"...
>>6420137Hanekawa thought long and hard about the team and what she'd need.Taiga Monday was their researcher, deciphering her father's notes. She was essential.Victor Noble was strong, smart, and she knew she could trust him no matter what. But it could be dangerous and she didn't want to risk losing him.Etou Fujiko was an incredibly smart and capable student. She had excelled at leading the dormitory housing but Hanekawa didn't know her well. Chaika Trabant was a new student with a mysterious history. The girl was unquestionably talented in magic and sharpshooting but her knowledge was extremely erratic and...she was just odd and confusing at times.She wanted to ask her mother but she was likely preparing to put the Phantom Rider to rest when he returned.Sheriff Leroy Thomas was by far the most capable man she'd ever met but he might be too busy in town to come and he'd likely take control of the team, which might go poorly.She'd need an experienced gunman in case the outlaw returned.She'd heard Deputy John Marsh was skilled with a rifle. He'd won some sort of contest. And he'd tracked the outlaw half a day out of town across rocky terrain. But he was gruff and more than a bit crude.Deputy Ray Arnold was much friendlier, always had a clever joke and a warm smile. And he'd been quick to chase after the gunman. He was very fit but always seemed to be thinking one step ahead. And she was pretty sure she'd heard that looking for the professor had been his idea. Deputy Cassie was good with the horses and could probably help organize the supplies they'd need. She was the most friendly of all the deputies, but Hanekawa had heard a fair number of odd rumors about her that she'd never really listened to.And then there was Klaus, who probably could use a gun, but was usually twirling his knife in his broad, strong hands. She wasn't sure what he did as a deputy but she'd heard that he only helped out part time when he wasn't busy with his practice. She'd seen him a few times, and she's looked for him a few times when she'd stopped by. His smile was always so bright and infectious. She's wondered why he wasn't married after all he was such a...What was she doing again?Oh. Right. Focus. The plan.Who should join the expedition?[A]. Victor Noble[B]. Etou Fujiko[C]. Chaika Trabant[D]. Sheriff Leroy [E]. John Marsh[F]. Ray Arnold[G]. Cassie Fields[H]. Klaus Wunderschon[I]. Someone else....Taiga read over her father's notes carefully.It seemed strongly that he would have headed to the:[A]. uncovered ziggurat near the desert ankylosaurus ranch [B]. lost ruins in the wilderness to the north[C]. cavern dig site near Sapphire Lake to the east[D]. Something else.(If there's any skills you feel can be used, you can suggest them at any vote.)
>>6420139[C]. Chaika TrabantI feel like she won't snitch on Hanekawa's special magic. Even if she tried, nobody would understand what's she's saying.[C]. cavern dig site near Sapphire Lake to the east
>>6420139>Victor Noble>Chaika Trabant>Ray Arnold>Cassie Fields>[B]. lost ruins in the wilderness to the north
>>6420139[A]. Victor Noble[B]. Etou Fujiko[C]. Chaika Trabant[G]. Cassie Fields[I]] Do we know someone with first aid skills?[B]. lost ruins in the wilderness to the north
>>6420191>Do we know someone with first aid skills?You could create a character with a rule and add him/her
Rolled 11, 10, 5 = 26 (3d20)>>6420191>[I]] Do we know someone with first aid skills?Technically, Klaus is a Doctor of Dental Surgery, the distractingly attractive bastard.It's possible that one of the other characters might have first aid skills.My mental characterizations of them would leave Victor or Etou with possibly limited first aid skill and Cassie has nothing preventing her from having such skills.I could roll a d20 for each and see if they have some skill for a 7 or considerable skills for a 13.>>6420357>You could create a character with a rule and add him/herThis is also true.
>>6420376Oof.Even using normal roll readings that doesn't make for very good skills.
>>6420378If nobody creates a medic in the next hour, I'll do it.
>>6420382If they're new, they should be connected to the sheriff's office otherwise already involved in this already.
>>6420406Oh, I wanted to add a school nurse.
>>6420421Queen Sensei
>>6420421>>6420422Not impossible.I'll see what I can make work.
>>6420612
Can we roll for Hanekawa’s medical skills? Knowledge
>>6420815>Can we roll for Hanekawa’s medical skills? KnowledgeHuh. I'm embarrassed that I didn't think of her. Yes. Hanekawa could easily have those skills.Let's roll! Gimmie 3d20.If Hanekawa is our medic, Queen Sensei might appear later in some form. She's now tumbling around the electric dryer of ideas this quest has going on.
Rolled 19 (1d20)>>6420875
>>6421000Based
>>6421016Roll, anon. We might crit
Rolled 6 (1d20)>>6421017Yeah
>>6421021
>>6420148I’ll switch this to support >>6420191 team buildTo get the ball rolling
>>6421000Oh, trips +2, so we got 21
>>6421000>>6421030Hanekawa doesn't know everything, but she knows first aid! She could probably do an emergency tracheotomy.My writing window got devoured today so I'm probably not going to be able to post an update until tomorrow evening.
>>6421316>My writing window got devoured today so I'm probably not going to be able to post an update until tomorrow evening.And my writing window tonight was just plain assassinated.Running a quest consistently while working full time might be even more difficult than I expected.And Tuesdays are planned to suck for me so I don't know what. But we'll get this expedition on the way as soon as we can.
>>6421588No problem, OP. You're still on Page 3 of the catalog so you've got plenty of time. Thanks for keeping us in the loop. We'll be here when you're ready!
>>6421588All good, QM.
>>6421593>>6421748I appreciate it. Thank you.I'm not going to get into how my last few days went but it's been rough.I'm going start writing after one quick post.But if history repeats itself, I'll probably fall asleep before I finish. I expect to finish tomorrow.At any rate, the expedition is about to begin!
>>6423930The setting sun cast a soft amber glow through the window and over the desk Hanekawa worked at, illuminating the quiet room as her twitching pencil made little marks as she went over each list again. The sheriff's men had done well, finding the supplies and loading up the wagon for the expedition. She had understood, but the sheriff's adamant refusal to let anyone involved leave Taiga's house had frustrated her to no end. She'd only been to small digs in the desert and had never fully led one before. Not being able to triple check the loaded wagon before they left was giving her anxiety. She'd even considered sneaking out to make sure they'd done it right. But no. No.They had done as she'd asked.She sighed, leaning back, stretching her elbows out, straining the reliable stitching keeping her blouse's buttons in place. Looking around the room, she mentally assessed her team. Cassie had seemed like the best choice if they had to bring along a presence from the sheriff's office. She seemed kind and capable. She wasn't here now as she'd gone home to sleep in her own bed before setting out with them in the morning.The tiny girl, Taiga as she was apparently called, was asleep in her bed at the far end of the room. She'd reluctantly allowed the girls to lay out bed rolls in her room for the night. After dinner, she had suddenly had a fit of crying and then spent the rest of the night sobbing in her bed. Hanekawa suspected that her worry for her missing father finally hit her. Right now, the tiny girl was perpetually droning out a quiet snore from beneath a crumpled blanket.The strange foreign girl, Chaika, was a clear choice to bring along. She'd been steadfast, eager to help, had sent up a flare and passed her mother's garden in an impressive bit of magic, and, what's more besides, the scuttlebutt on the school firing range was that Chaika had the all time highest marks at long range marksmanship. For some reason, she had moved her bedroll into the far corner of the room and bunched it in a circle, almost like a bird's nest. Right now she seemed to be....playing a game of chess with herself using rifle ammunition? Hanekawa considered asking about it but shook her head as if to dismiss the thought. It wasn't important right now.Victor was an easy choice as he always makes everything better. He's fit, smart, and he takes direction well. Plus she could use a friend around. He was staying in Professor Monday's room with the sheriff.Etou was a solid choice for second in command. Victor was capable but Etou was just as intelligent and had experience in running the dormitory houses. She was seated on her bedroll idly brushing her hair. She had slipped into a nightdress she had brought to her with the rest of her travel bag. Hanekawa herself had only gotten the essentials and briefly lamented not asking for a book to read to settle her nerves. Oh well, she still had her textbooks and might review them on their trip if she need to.
>>6426978The rattle of the bedroom doorknob alerted the awake girls and the three turned to see Victor's smiling face poke into the room. "Victor..." Etou coaxed playfully "hoping to spy on some sleeping girls? Too soon, maybe later?" She winked as he turned red."I- what? No! I-" He frowned then smirked as she broke out in a soft giggle. "...just came to remind Hanekawa to get good sleep." He knew her too well. She thanked him and the three wished him a good night.Then Hanekawa locked the door and packed up her bag before undoing the buttons and toggles keeping her bodice in place. She worked on her nightly rituals, she saw the Chaika girl strangely loosen her clothing before standing in the bedroll nest she'd made in the corner, facing the wall. Then one fluid motion, she knelt down, pulled up her bedroll around her, shimmied and shook, then lied on the floor, pulling her removed clothes from her bedroll and dropping them in a cute little heap.Hanekawa had never seen anyone do that before but it was effectively concealing. Perhaps the girl was shy or had a different cultural sensitivity to nudity? Perhaps she might ask about it sometime.For right now, Hanekawa let out a gentle sigh as she removed the final layer of cotton and leather support, folded her garments into a neat stack next to her bedroll, and slipped inside the comfortable portable bed."You really are a beautiful, remarkable young woman, you know." Etou said from her bedroll, her face hidden in shadow as the sun had finished setting, draining all but the faintest amber light in the room.Hanekawa thanked Etou but wasn't certain how to take the compliment. She wasn't certain about a lot of things. And those things raced and danced in her mind as she followed the sun into a long night's rest.Hanekawa was surprised to find that she was the last one to wake up, quickly dressing, packing her books and bedroll with her bag, and joined the others. Victor was leaned back against the wall by the front door with his arms crossed. His expression was casual but Hanekawa could see the nervous tension in his stiff frame.Taiga sat hunched over in a chair in the front room, leaning away from Etou. She was eating an apple as Etou chastised her as they planned to stop for breakfast later in the morning after they were well out of town. The usually bright, cheerful Chaika still smiled but it seemed a touch forced as she watched the two girls bicker. Cassie stood by the door, next to Victor, calm as the dawning sun. The deputy's outer calm did a solid job of hiding the trepidation that Hanekawa momentarily glimpsed as it flickered across her face as she glanced her way.Hanekawa simply nodded to her with confidence and resolve. And with that simple gesture, the fated expedition began.
>>6426980***The wagon rolled along out of town, north towards the wilderness. Cassie sat in the front, driving, while the rest sat in the back, quietly. All remained still, except Hanekawa fussing about as she checked over the supplies.Taiga offered a sharp inhale, her voice barely above a whisper, "What if...we’re not prepared for what we find? What if those stories are true?""What stories have you heard?" Victor asked. "I've only heard 'bout wild dinos 'n beasts n'such.""I've heard of inhuman tribes that stalk the wilderness..." Etou said with a mischievous grin. "...and snatch people!""Eep!" Chaika whimpered. "Chaika has hear of worse things! Sink eye people from sink holes!""Well, I heard that there's some strange force out there controlling some of the beasts..." Taiga whispered."Whatever is out there," Hanekawa declared confidently, "We are prepared for it as much as we can be."She hushed their whispering as she knelt in the back of the wagon, framed by the light of the rising sun. She was was the very picture of hope and determination.A loud gurgling from her empty stomach immediately ruined the effect and the entire wagon erupted into giggle fits and laughter."Awww...I just didn't eat a lot last night, I was planning...come'on...guys..."****The sun seemed to have barely inched above the horizon, its reluctant warmth casting long shadows across the dusty road where the wagon sat as they ate a hasty breakfast of dodo eggs and entelodont sausage with biscuits. The wagon was a common covered wagon, a clattering assemblage of wood and iron covered with a worn white canvas that wouldn't stand out from any other leaving the town. The morning’s chill bit at the students’ skin as they stood huddled together around Cassie's small fire, glancing nervously toward each other and the wilderness seen only as a distant dark spot on the horizon. They hadn't spoken much more that morning.Hanekawa felt like she needed to say something to hearten her group. "I don't know everything but I know this: You are all brave for coming."They all looked up at her in mild surprise."Courage is not the lack of fear but the will to move forth despite it!" Hanekawa declared, looking confidently at all of them in the eyes, each in turn. Etou, Victor, and Cassie smiled warmly. Chaika brightened and nodded. Taiga looked down and kicked at the dirt with her shoe.Victor caught Hanekawa's gaze with a slight spark of admiration lighting upon his features. "You really believe that we're going to succeed, that we'll find him, don’t you?" "I do," she said, keeping her voice steady with the resolve she thought a leader should have, regardless of her doubts. "If we don’t try, we'll never know. Can’t let fear rob us of choice." Victor nodded firmly and Taiga started to say something that turned into a mumble.
>>6426981Cassie finished picking up the cooking kit and stood up, sweeping her loose auburn hair sweeping beneath a wide-brimmed hat decorated with a single yellow feather. "Alright, you lot! Time to get this trip moving. Everybody back on!" she called, her chuckle mingling with the nervous chorus from the group. She loaded the kit onto the wagon, slid into the seat, and grabbed the reins as the chill of the morning seemed to break and lift as everyone's mood seemed to brighten.Eager and anxious, they climbed aboard, this time with Hanekawa taking the shotgun seat to the right of Cassie. As she rode beside the deputy, her fingers gripped the seat and side of the wagon as they careened down the road. The road they took was rougher and seldom used. Less traveled than the stretches towards civilization, the southern sea, or even the vast stretch of Lagomorph desert to the west. Few aside from loggers hauling timber traveled this road often. The northern wilderness eventually opened up before them, vast and daunting, an endless stretch of rugged beautiful nature. Hanekawa could feel the potential magicks lurking within the ancient depths. Towering trees loomed like powerful sentinels, and the dense underbrush seemed bulging with mystery.In the rear, Victor sat close to Taiga, whose eyes danced with a mixture of awe and anxiety. Chaika perched opposite them, her odd, natural cheefulness bubbling to the surface with strange comments and questions. Etou tried to answer and respond to the girl at her side but when she made a comparison to something called a "dodgy tall whirled" Etou simply sigh and threw up her hands in exasperation. The others chuckled, the sound mingling with the clop of hooves on the overgrown road but there was an unspoken tone of tension as they ventured further away from the familiar and into the fearsome heart of the wilderness.Yet, as the laughing continued, it was still punctuated by the strange sounds echoing from the depths of the wild—a rustle here, a snap there. Each noise sent a shiver cascading down a spine or frozen stare out into the wilds.As they rode deeper in, the vibrant sun became veiled by a thick canopy of branches and leaves high above, casting a shadow that settled cloyingly over them. The eerie silence that followed was as thick as the hovering mists curling around the trees, making Hanekawa’s heart race. Her breakfast reassurances, meant to embolden the group, felt distant, thin, and fragile now, under the weight of uncertainty. She felt like a fraud, an impostor who shouldn't be leading. But she shook away the thoughts and kept a careful watch around them.
>>6426983"Guys? ...see that shadow back there?" Etou broke the silence, her normally smooth and confident voice faltering yet still steeped in an unsettling certainty. "There’s something watching us. Something... big." She stared straight into the wilderness well behind them, past the last bend in the road they'd passed. Her eyes flickered with apprehension yet Hanekawa was gratified to see that her second in command was more filled with determination to discern what it was than with fear.Chaika, sensing the shift, tried to salvage the atmosphere with a grin that crumpled at the edges. "Chaika think it just a rabbit, yes? Or maybe a giant beaver!" She seemed to be trying to lighten the mood but her following chuckle felt hollow and she was entirely ignored.Each bump in the road was met with a wince as the wagon trundled left and right along the unkempt road. With each passing shadow cast by the towering trees that lined their route as if guarding ancient secrets. Hanekawa kept looking out from all sides as best she could. The large shadow behind them could easily be a massive stone outcropping. There were lots of caves, hills, and cliffs in the wilderness. It could also be a massive fallen tree...Judging from the white knuckled grip on the reins and the nickering, the horses and Cassie were of the same mind: they wanted to run. It would be dangerous to rush forward down this road but perhaps less dangerous than being caught.Victor was looking out the sides into the treeline. Hanekawa felt he was right to be wary. Tribal aggressors, those eyeless creatures, or any manner of smaller threats could be out there. They couldn't be entirely focused on-Etou's whisper soft gasp brought Hanekawa's gaze snapping to the girl's face whose smooth pale skin had just gone two shades paler. Immediately look back at the large shadow, Hanekawa saw that it was completely gone without a trace, without a sign of disturbance, and, most chillingly, without a single sound.Ice filled Hanekawa's veins even as blood pounded in her ears. She was vaguely aware of many overlapping whispers of alarm from within the wagon that seemed a great distance away. She couldn't process how something that large could move that quickly.
>>6426986Just then, appearing between the trees to the right of the wagon, a figure flickered into view. It was a massive shape, it seemed bipedal and reptilian yet vaguely ethereal. She seemed to see through it even as she saw it solidly move along the wood, leaves, and stone. It moved too fast yet made solid sounds as it outpaced the horsed. She felt it seemed far too small to have cast that huge shadow although it still seemed nearly as tall as the wagon itself.It raced ahead, turned, swayed and shimmered into place, and then stood motionless in the distance, a figure that was a behemoth of sinew and scale. As they approached, its details were difficult to see. The creature’s presence was visceral yet seemed like a physical manifestation their earlier fears, coalescing where the shadows draped thickest across the road ahead, concealing its form.Before any of them could fully register the implications of what they were seeing, a thunderous crash rumbled through the trees, the source was unseen but far too close to their location.***Hanekawa knew she had to act but there didn't seedm to be any time to assess properly.She doesn't know everything, but she was going to have to guess:What does Hanekawa guess is the figure ahead of them?[A]. A bipedal beast.[B]. An tribal warrior.[C]. An eyeless creature.[D]. A master of beasts.What does Hanekawa guess was the source of the silent shadow?[A]. The figure.[B]. A dinosaur.[C]. A prehistoric beast.[D]. Something else.What does Hanekawa guess was the crash was?[A]. An attacking beast.[B]. A natural phenomenon .[C]. An attack.[D]. Something else.What does Hanekawa guess is the right thing to do?[A]. Attack the figure. [B]. Stop the wagon and talk.[C]. Race pass the figure and flee down the road.[D]. Something else.(If there's any skills you feel can be used, you can suggest them at any vote.) I'm also going to to need a Bo3 d20 Perception check.Also, what should the next subplot focus on?[A]. Exploring personal relationship (platonic or romantic )[+1 Social Intrigue]. With who?[B]. Developing character knowledge [+1 Character Mystery]. With who?[C]. Investigate aspect of the surroundings [+1 World Mystery]. What aspect?[D]. Something else.
>>6426987Oh shit, you're back! Good to see you again!>[D]. A master of beasts.>[C]. A prehistoric beast.>[C]. An attack.>[B]. Stop the wagon and talk.>[B]. Developing character knowledge [+1 Character Mystery]. TAIGA
Rolled 19 (1d20)>>6426987And a roll
Rolled 9 (1d20)>>6426987>[D]. A master of beasts.>[C]. A prehistoric beast.>[C]. An attack.>[B]. Stop the wagon and talk.>[B]. Developing character knowledge [+1 Character Mystery]. TAIGA>>6426983>the vibrant sunMoon?
>>6426993>>the vibrant sun>Moon?Oh shit!Good catch! I overlooked something!
Rolled 15 (1d20)>>6426987[D]. A master of beasts.[A]. The figure.[A]. An attacking beast[B]. Stop the wagon and talk.Subplot [B]. Developing character knowledge [+1 Character Mystery]. Taiga Monday She's way too nervous and belligerent, might be a problem to let her unchecked.
>>6426991>>6426992>>6426993>>6427096Seems fairly consistent.Hanekawa perceives the beastmaster, has guesses about the shadow and the crash, is stopping to talk, and will be trying to get to know Taiga better.Just a heads up, I have plans tonight and work in the morning but the quest should be updated by tomorrow evening unless I get some time before then.
>>6427595TAIGA MONDAY shall await your return with bated breath, QM
>>6427595Sure QM. Btw this quest is great, like a mix of OG Dragon Ball and Monogatari.
>>6427597>TAIGA MONDAY shall await your return with bated breath, QMThank you!>>6427600>Sure QM. Btw this quest is great, like a mix of OG Dragon Ball and Monogatari.I appreciate it.I hadn't considered the Dragon Ball parallel before. Nifty!The update is written.I just need to format it before I fall asleep.
>>6427595It was the brightest time of day, when the two closest moons both hung high in the sky overhead.But beneath the blanketed canopy of leaves enfolding this dense wilderness, barely any light seemed to penetrate down to the loamy jungle floor. A few shafts of yellow moonlight pierced the darkness and it was as the figure bounded past them that Hanekawa had spotted the few key details. The flap of hide. The slap of boot against root. The glint of intelligent eyes beneath a row of teeth.The figure stood now, concealed in shadow in front of them, looking for all the world to be a beastly dinosaur, like a Dire Raptor. Hanekawa Tsubasa doesn't know everything. But she knew who this was....sort of."Stop the wagon." Hanekawa declared confidently, causing Cassie to simply gawk to the side at her like she was mad. "I said stop! We need to stop the wagon, right now! Please!"Cassie shook her head as if to clear her confusion and pulled up on the reins. The horses whinnied in protest but slowed to a stop. The wagon halted a few steps away from the figure who regarded them silently.Hanekawa sat up straight and tried to project more authority than she felt."We are travelling to the ruins in search of a man named Monday." She cleared her throat. "For what reason have you approached us on the road, mighty beastmaster?"There was a hushed murmur and movement of the students behind her in the wagon. The figure stood motionless. There was another loud crash from somewhere behind them, causing a few to release stifled shouts. The figure stood silent.Then he threw back his hood, tilted his head back, and started laughing.Hanekawa blinked in surprise. She'd concluded that he was the fabled beastmaster. He was clearly alone and wearing the pelt of a fearsome beast. He'd raced along the jungle on foot with supreme confidence and no fear of beasts. It was the most rational conclusion.But she hadn't expected him to be so muscular or so...barely clothed. He was wearing a dinosaur hide cloak but under that, he had a satchel, a loincloth, thick boots, and nothing else. And his chest, arms, legs, and every part of his body seemed incredibly fit, toned, and bulging with muscles. And...And she needed to stop staring. His laugh was hearty and seemed human enough. Although his hair was long, wild, and unkempt, his face was dirty and sweaty yet clean shaven. He tilted his head back and smiled at her. ...she didn't think he had noticed her staring. ...was that a *fur* loincloth? In this heat?
>>6429062"You are a sharp one! You are strangers to the trees yet you saw my truth!" His voice boomed across the jungle even as another crash resounded even closer. "Few are so clever. The glasses man, Monday, was. But he was slower."Taiga gasped loudly from inside the wagon and started to clamber forward. Hanekawa opened her mouth to say something, anything, to keep the small girl from upsetting the situation. Unfortunately, she was interrupted herself by a large allosaurus bursting through the treeline. ...ah. Of course.She'd thought for a moment that the figure could have been making that crash sound but guessed that it was a large beast, trained and controlled by the Beastmaster. That seemed to be the case exactly as the allosaurus seemed to lower its massive head to the man to receive a gentle pat.Hanekawa was marveling at this as Taiga scrambled past her and hopped onto the jungle floor, approaching the beastmaster and his dinosaur. Hanekawa leaped down and halted the girl, grabbing her elbow. "Not now you...tall know it all! He said...I need to know if he's okay!"Hanekawa started whispering furiously, trying to hush Taiga and get her back on the wagon."It is fine." The beastmast smiled. "You can talk to your small friend while I talk to my large friend."Hanekawa muttered nonsensical gratitude and pulled Taiga around to the side of the wagon. Meanwhile, the other students watched while the man seemed to have a grunting one-sided conversation with a large, attentive dinosaur with a brain the size of a peanut.
>>6429063"Okay Taiga, what's your issue? I know you're worried about your dad...""You know NOTHING!" The tiny girl's scream echoed across the jungle, frightening some wildlife. "You ruined our lives and you don't even know it!"Hanekawa simply stared at Taiga, utterly confused."After my dad's final mission failed, he fell into a depression." Taiga began, unsuccessfully trying to hold back tears. "My mom and I couldn't help him. But he found relief in something else..."Tears were flowing from Taiga's eyes now but her face was one of unshaken resolve. "...or should I say in *someone* else? That's right. It was your slut witch mother." The last phrase was spat out in an accusatory whisper.Hanekawa's mind spun. It made no sense. Her mother had always been alone after her father died. Wait, she'd once mentioned some short lived, poorly conceived idle fling with some stud named Horace. She had told Hanekawa about it to caution her against acting on her hormones, even when vulnerable. But that couldn't... wait. Horatio? Ew. Her mom thought Professor Monday was a stud? The image of her balding, pudgy professor with his shirt open invaded her mind and refused to leave. Hanekawa very much wished she was talking to the allosaurus instead right now.She blinked and saw the crying face of her new friend in front of her and softened immediately. She wanted to do everything she could for her. Yet Taiga hated her. But why did Taiga hate her?"I think I get it but if I didn't know they, um, uh... ...why hate me?""Because! She left him and broke his heart so you could go learn everything!"The small girl sagged and dropped into a heap, sobbing as she clung to the wagon wheel for support. Hanekawa instinctively knelt down and hugged her, surprisingly she wasn't pushed away. Instead the girl turned and sobbed into the large soft chest of her friend."I just wanted to beat you, to be better than you, so I could win..." The girl looked up at Hanekawa miserably. "But you're so damn good, smart, and kind. I can't even hate you properly...""I thought you did well." Taiga chuckled, wiping away tears as Hanekawa helped her stand back up. "And you can't help looking up to me, I'm taller."Taiga playfully punched Hanekawa in her taut stomach, a little harder than she needed to. "Hey witch, that doesn't mean anything. Everyone is taller than me!"
>>6429064The two girls walked back around the wagon to find the man animatedly grunting and jabbering at the dinosaur. He turned to them, slightly more agitated than before."There is something I must know. Who else is with you? Who are your allies?"Hanekawa was cautious. She wasn't sure why he suddenly seemed interested in her friends but she didn't trust it."There are six of us in the wagon but you haven't said who you are.""That is not what I meant." He sighed frustratedly. "But I am simply known as Dar the Beastmaster."He opened his mouth to speak but Taiga found her voice first."Mister Dar, please tell me what you know about my father, he's missing." Taiga pleaded. "His name is Professor Horatio Monday and he's bald and chubby with glasses." She was doing a better job of holding her tears back this time. "He's missing. We think he's going to the ruins. I'm very worried..."Dar looked at her with a smile "Glasses man talks too much. It seems it is a family trait. He's not safe." Taiga's eyes widened. "He went to ruins. I told him it's a wrong place. No beasts will go there."Taiga started to speak again but a dismissive wave of his hand silenced her."Now, sharp girl..." He said as he approached very close to Hanekawa. She imagined she could feel the heat radiating from his skin. She could certainly smell him from this close. It wasn't unpleasant but his scent was strong and somehow feral yet not unappealing. Her mind was wandering again and she just wanted him to finish talking so she could stop pretending to be a brave leader. ...it was really difficult to maintain eye contact... "Tell me about your other allies. Those following you." ...wut"I don't-" She put her hand up to protest and accidentally pressed it against his pec. "Uh, you eat a lot of meat, huh? ...I don't know what you're saying..."His hand moved quick as flash. In the briefest of moments, Dar had Hanekawa gripped by the throat and was lifting her in the air with one hand.To his credit, Victor was nearly out of the wagon almost as fast. But Dar froze him with a look and a slight shake of his head. His grip tight around her throat, Hanekawa pulled at his hand fruitlessly as she hung there."Unlike these, I know those coming are your kin, I smell them in your blood...." He leaned in close to whisper menacingly, his smell only slightly less distracting this time. "What betrayal are you planning? Do your friends know you are inhuman?"A thousand questions swirled in her head. First among them was simple, direct, and pressing: How in the Matron's bare ass did he expect her to answer when she couldn't shucking breathe?!
>>6429065Hanekawa was vaguely aware of the sound of rushing wind before she was suddenly thrown aside onto a lumpy bundle of twigs and cloth and a tremendous roar shook the ground. Sitting up and gasping for breath, she immediately assessed what had happened:First, there seemed to be several sharp sticks driven into the ground behind where she and Dar had just been.Second, there seemed to be several sharp sticks driven into the face of the allosaurus, who was very displeased about it.From these two points, Hanekawa concluded that they were being fired upon.Third, the bundle of sticks and cloth she'd landed on had very soft breasts and was almost certainly, in fact, Taiga.Victor was leaping out of the wagon, knife in hand, rushing towards Hanekawa and Taiga.Etou seemed to be kneeling in the back of the wagon.Chaika was rummaging around her suitcase.Cassie had a firm grip on the reins and locked eyes with Hanekawa and called out:"What's the call, little lady?"What does Hanekawa want to do?[A]. Stay and fight(attack Dar, attack shooters, or wait).[B]. Run from Dar and shooters.[C]. Defend themselves from attack but otherwise just watch.[D]. Something else.What does Hanekawa think of Dar the Beastmaster?[A]. He's violent and possibly a crazy enemy.[B]. He's odd but just protecting his jungle.[C]. He's sexy, but not dentist sexy.[D]. Something else.What does Hanekawa feel about the revelations with Taiga?[A]. An unnecessary distraction that's hopefully over.[B]. A bonding moment with a new trusted friend.[C]. A disturbing secret about her mother and Professor Monday.[D]. Something else.Despite the danger of the situation, one person remains prominently in Hanekawa's mind. Who is it?[A]. Taiga[B]. Dar[C]. Professor Monday[D]. Her mother[E], Victor[F], Chaika[G], Etou[H], Cassie[D]. Someone else.(If there's any skills you feel can be used, you can suggest them at any vote.)
>>6429066>B>A. GUN HIM DOWN>D. GROSS>A
>>6429066[B]. Run from Dar and shooters[A]. He's violent and possibly a crazy enemy.Something else: it's certainly a bonding moment but it's too soon to call her a friend. Taiga should be significantly less hostile now. Her mother's affair is not her problem.
>>6429066I forgot the last option.[B]. Dar What does she want with her?
It seems like we're down to two quality players at the moment but I've run for less.Tomorrow is another long day but I should be able to write the update before the end of the night.
>>6429066>>6429071+1 this. Also woah shit I'm a quality player
Rolled 14, 17, 7, 12, 19, 2 = 71 (6d20)>>6429594>>6429077>>6429076>>6429071I think I am going to need a Visual Calculus roll and a luck roll.So can I have 2d20? Bo3
>>6429777Our first crit fail! Good news for the group.
Rolled 19, 1 = 20 (2d20)>>6429777Watch THIS
Rolled 12, 2 = 14 (2d20)>>6429778
Rolled 5, 5 = 10 (2d20)>>6429777
>>6429792>>6429807>>6429867Unbalanced rolls. Wow. And seriously? With the fives again?HehI'm interested mix.I'm writing but I lost four hours due to power outage. I set up a generator, ran power cords, hooked everything up, and the power came back on when I got back with extra gasoline. And then I had to reconnect everything. So I'll probably end up finishing tomorrow afternoon.
>>6430133No rush, QM, we'll be here when you're fully back in business
If Hanekawa ended up dying would we switch to another POV or is that something to debate with rules? I kind of want a rabbit backup
>>6430133I don't really want you to try to kill Hanekawa just to get another character.Would it be too hard for you to make this quest have more than one MC,OO? We could get multiple point of views. Something like Afterbloom where you change your MC after a relatively short chapter.I'd like a Rabbit, an Undead and something weird like a Fishman, minor God, someone weird. Maybe even an antagonist. Maybe Taigabros could get their own POV chapter.
>>6430247>I don't really want you to try to kill Hanekawa just to get another character.Yea, I agree. It's just that this world is a real rough neighborhood and Hanekawa just got strangled by a crazed man living in the woods. Like how would the quest end if the MC who needs to get laid is dead as a doorknob?>>6430247>someone weirdMaybe even a fig.
>>6430251Whoever you guys like. A fig is ok.
>>6410578>2. The protagonist is: Hanekawa Tsubasa>>6410579>1. The quest ends when: Main Character has consensual coitus.>>6410627>1. The quest ends when the main character has consensual coitus.>2. The protagonist (and de facto main character) is Hanekawa Tsubasa.Technically, Hanekawa is never defined as the exclusive main character.I would say it's like Lord of the Rings. Where we're on Frodo's side. We're rooting for him. But if Frodo died and Samwise carried the ring to Mordor to get laid in a volcano, it'd still count.But at no point could we switch to view Sauron as the protagonist.Meanwhile, we could cut away to show rabbits defending Gondor from figs, so to speak.Plus, we can't overlook obvious solutions like necrophilia or Hanekawa becoming undead.I'm not opposed to a rabbit character at all. Although, the only rabbit I have is a two dimensional idea of the king. When I tried to think of one right now, I accidentally copied Emul from Shangri-la Frontier. Way too anthropomorphic, and stolen. So I'd need to work on that.
>>6430299>I accidentally copied Emul from Shangri-la Frontier. Way too anthropomorphic, and stolen.
>>6430299Upon further reflection, consensual necrophilia would be much more difficult to write convincingly.There's a quote to take out of context!
>>6430361The necro stuff worked for Ishuzoku Reviewers
>>6430299>Where was Gondor when the third moon fell?Is Rabbit king more Denethor than Solomon?
>>6430411>The necro stuff worked for Ishuzoku ReviewersThat sounds... promising?>>6430538>Is Rabbit king more Denethor than Solomon?I would say definitely yes. Solid Denethor vibes.I'm still trying hard not to anthropomorphize too hard.
>>6429792>>6429807>>6429867Hanekawa quickly stood, helping the crumpled Taiga up to her feet. A quick glance around and Hanekawa shouted back "We ride! Let's get out of here!"At hearing this, Dar flashed her an angry look and turned to move towards her. Hanekawa thrust her hand at him, her first finger pointing at him, the other three curling back at herself, and her thumb cocked up. "Don't do it, I'll gun you down!"He looked surprised, then amused. He smiled as he stepped-"Air Bullet!"With a quick but small drain of her vitality, a tiny spinning blast of air whirled out of her extended fingers. Faster than a blink, the spell struck the beastmaster, who grunted in surprise as the impact to his shoulder spun him and knocked him on his back.With his speed, she had cast one of her fastest spells and it had worked. She's given them a chance to escape without hurting him and-Arrows struck his leg and shoulder as the next volley began. He cried out briefly and grasped at the wounds. Already moving and pulling Taiga with her, she darted for the wagon. Victor was half in, hanging from the side, arm extended towards them to pull them up.Hanekawa's eyes scanned the air and her lips quivered silently with pieces of formulas.Left. A quick step to the side. An arrow struck behind them on the right.Right shoulder. She released her grip on Taiga's hand to roll her shoulder and lean back, feeling an arrow graze by closer than she liked.Taiga. Rolling back, her right hand slid to the back of Taiga's neck and forced her to duck as they neared wagon.After that arrow passed, several more whipped past them safely. Hanekawa pushed Taiga forward and Victor easily hauled the small girl in. Hanekawa kicked up off the wagon's seat and tackled Victor, an arrow striking where he'd been gripping the wagon's side.She opened her mouth to shout the command but Cassie already had the horses rushing off. The tremendous boom of rifle file announced their departure and she heard a tree splintering in response.
>>6431406Looking up from her tumbled position on the floor of the wagon, Hanekawa saw Chaika in the back of the wagon, looking through the scope of... of what one classmate might've called a "fuckhuge" rifle. The white haired girl looked back at her and cheerfully smiled."Chaika not hit anybody! Just scatter them like squirrels up trees! Fun!""We're clear now," Etou shouted, still looking out the back. "I counted twenty. If they wanted us dead, we would be."Hanekawa sagged as she relaxed a little. "Gonna lay on him for the rest of the trip?" Taiga asked with a little smirk. Hanekawa looked down and realized she was still piled on Victor. "You do deserve some rest..."Hanekawa scrambled to her feet, apologizing and helping him up. He brushed it off and simply commented "The way you were dodging those shots! That was amazing, Hanekawa!""That, my friend Victor, was math." Hanekawa stated with the tone of a confident teacher. A hard jolt of the wagon cut her good mood off short. "Are we still headed safe to the ruins?""We're headed the right way..." Cassie called back. "But this road has seen far better days. I-"Suddenly, a wheel of the wagon struck something, hard. They all heard the sound of the wheel, cracking, splintering, and wobbling its way free of the axle. Hanekawa raced to think of what she could do."Hold fast and fasten hold," chanted Etou, her hands sweeping as she summoned her energy for the spell. "Restore stability as the wheel rolls... Enhance!"Hanekawa sensed the energy drain from Etou even as magic surged from the wheel below the wagon. She hadn't seen magic this strong from Etou before. She'd held her talent close to the vest but she looked drained and Chaika was urging her to rest but she kept looking out the back of the wagon at the thick jungle behind them."They... were elves. I heard a little of their speech but their words made no sense...""I didn't know you could speak elvish." Victor said, surprised. "Not many can. That's impressive."Expecting another flirtatious witticism, Hanekawa was almost worried when Etou only turned back and smiled a little."I can only understand a little. ...can't make sense of what they said.""It can be a strange language," Taiga said, coming to Etou's side, trying to coax her to rest. "My father told me once. What did they say?"Etou shook her head. "I think: 'Kill the compass, he can open the package and stop the warmth.'"All five students looked at each other in a very confused silence before the moment was broken by Cassie announcing that they were getting close to the ruins.
>>6431408Hanekawa had been to the site of a few ruins and was expecting tents of workers surrounding shallow walls of unearthed building foundations. What they came to was a huge clearing with dozens of mostly intact grey stone buildings gathered together in a deep sinkhole. Cassie pulled the wagon around behind a rather large fallen tree, with the sinkhole on the other side.Hanekawa was the first to emerge as they spilled out of the wagon."Are we safe to stop here?" Etou asked as Chaika helped her out of the wagon. Once out of the wagon, Etou quickly shooed the white haired girl away, clearly feeling a bit better. "This jungle is more dangerous than I feared.""You heard him," Hanekawa said casually as she assessed the ruined buildings in the sinkhole before them. "Neither beasts nor he will approach this spot. Maybe elves..."Hanekawa looked around the treeline in concern. "The ruins guard but we're open from the road we came...""And that wheel..." Cassie added. "I could hammer up a new one but it'd make a ruckus.""I might be able to fix it," Etou offered. "A little magic would be quieter.""No!" Chaika protested. "You used too much already. Let someone else help. You watch for elves."
>>6431410They all looked at Hanekawa but she paid no mind. She was already working out the situation:They needed to find Professor Monday as soon as possible.She needed to lead the team to investigate. She'd already spotted one building made with volcanic stone that seemed like a good place to start. And she should be responsible for anything unexpected.And Taiga was going too. Hanekawa wasn't foolish enough to imagine there was any stopping the pint-sized firecracker.Etou should remain with the wagon with Cassie. She's a natural leader and can make tough decisions.That left Chaika and Victor. Victor was more capable in close quarters and Chaika was a skilled marksman so it made sense for Victor to come with her and Chaika to stay with Etou....but Hanekawa was smart enough to know her own bias. The truth was that she *wanted* her friend Victor with her and that Chaika had proven to be extremely capable in a variety of situations.She wondered what she should do...
>>6431413Who should go with Hanekawa and Taiga?[A]. Victor.[C]. Chaika.[D]. Someone else?Who should fix the wheel?[A]. Cassie.[B]. Etou.[C]. Victor/Chaika.[D]. Someone else.Who watch for elves?[A]. Cassie.[B]. Etou.[C]. Victor/Chaika.[D]. Someone else.Who should make camp?[A]. Cassie.[B]. Etou.[C]. Victor/Chaika.[D]. Someone else.What condition does Hanekawa expect to find Professor Monday in?[A]. Seriously hurt or even dead.[B]. Lost or completely engrossed in the ruins.[C]. Missing, they can't find him at all.[D]. Something else.(If there's any skills you feel can be used, you can suggest them at any vote.)
>>6431415>A>B>A>C>C
>>6431415>A>B>A>C>CThese block choices are kind of killing me, qm. I kind of wish they were condensed. It this how you always write quests?
>>6431436>These block choices are kind of killing me, qm. Sorry to hear that.>I kind of wish they were condensed. It this how you always write quests?No. It's sort of experimental and an attempt to give me more to work with than "which path do you go down, roll to see how well you go".Whether Victor or Chaika goes with Hanekawa determines which friendship and characterization becomes deepened and which subplot is explored as the search goes on.The set up of the camp determines what state they'll return to find it in. Or whether the others can follow and rescue if the search party needs it.And learning what players expectations are helps inform what Hanekawa's mindset is and let's me know what impressions I am giving that I might not be aware of. I could just go with my gut and it'd largely be the same but a few choices would have been different. Also in previous quests, I had more of general idea of where the story was going. So I had a vague outline of the next couple updates while writing the current one.For this quest, I didn't really have a plan beyond Taiga getting mortally wounded at the beginning. And you saw how that went.I could try to condense the choices more though.
>>6431415>Who should go with Hanekawa and Taiga?[C]. Chaika.>Who should fix the wheel?[A]. Cassie.Who watch for elves?[B]. Etou.Who should make camp?[[C]. Victor>What condition does Hanekawa expect to find Professor Monday in?[A]. Seriously hurt or even dead.
>>6431532>>6431436>>6431418Hanekawa considered and stepped towards the edge of the massive sinkhole, looking at the ruins within. She had expected the ruins to be unusual but these buildings were more extensive and numerous than she could have imagined. The structures were surprisingly well intact too. From where she stood, she could tell that the few windows she could make out were circular and so was every door she could see. Each doorway, with the doors themselves seemingly long rotted away, was a raised circle, creating a raised lip they'd have to step over. It was very odd architecture she had never heard of before.Letting her mind wander over the ruins helped clear her thoughts. Chaika was capable and resourceful but Hanekawa and Taiga might need physical strength that Victor could provide.Etou could fix the wheel if she feels she's recovered enough. And since Cassie was a trained deputy with a firearm, she could watch over those two while Chaika makes camp. Perhaps they'll even bring the Professor back for dinner.With a measure of her hope and determination restored, Hanekawa explained the plan to the others and everyone quickly set about their tasks.In short order, Victor, Taiga, and her had their packs ready and giving awkward goodbyes to the others as they set off down a cleared path leading down into the ruins. The path itself seemed to be left by a previous expedition. Chaika was the only one maintaining a bright mood, calling after them "Have fun explore ruins! Chaika hope Taiga find father soon and well!"As the three found their way towards the great sinkhole, it seemed like even the jungle plants avoided the ruins. The only tree near the edge was a scraggly old thin one near a crumbled wall. As the next portion of the path was steep, Hanekawa had Victor tie an extra rope around the trunk and let the rest uncoil as they trekked down. It was a small thing but it might help them on their way back up. She needed to think ahead.There were a number of intact buildings but Hanekawa led them past them all. She'd seen earlier the building she wanted to explore. It was larger than most of the others but it also had a doorway that she could tell even from a distance was made from obsidian or other volcanic rock. That significant difference was alone enough to attract Professor Monday's interest.
>>6433137Taiga hurriedly looked through the camp, searching for anything her father may have written. Victor found some more rope and kept it coiled around his chest like a sash. Hanekawa studied everything trying and failing to draw any conclusions. After poking about a bit and finding no clues or notes to tell them anything, they moved on to the obsidian building.This building had a fully intact roof and was dark as pitch inside. They stepped inside slowly but without hesitation. Several feet in, Victor kicked something that made a loud clatter as it rolled across the floor. Hanekawa let out a little yelp as she jumped that was followed by a small embarrassed giggle in the darkness.After a quick search, he found and lit a metal lantern. It was an expensive, higher quality one that ran off kerosene but had a gemstone backup. They'd brought torches but this lantern could produce much better light. Hanekawa tugged at her lower lip as she wondered why it had been left there. Nevertheless, it revealed the room was simple and nearly barren with little else aside from another raised circular doorway on the other end. Above them on the ceiling, there were strange sideways grooves the width of the door, each roughly a hand apart from each other, running the length of the empty room to the other door. The were well carved and as old as any other part of the room. She simply shook her head at the odd mystery and left it for another time.Walking through the next doorway, they found that the small room just turned and steeply curved around and downward to another doorway leading to another similar room beneath the first. They seemed to be a ramp in place of stairs leading downward. After the second identical room below the first, they found another ramp and a third below the second. And after the third, they stepped onto a ledge around a gigantic chasm that spiraled downward beyond where the light could touch.There was a rope in fine condition tied to a spike driven into a crack in the wall on the right and extended roughly twenty feet to a pile of supplies. The improvised safety measure might've been intended to keep someone from accidentally stepping forward off the ledge, but no other safety measure was apparent. Whoever built this place did not see fit to install any.As disheartening as another pile of supplies without any clues was, Hanekawa was more disheartened by the many, numerous doorways on the ledge as they circled downwards. Taiga looked up at her and she gave the girl a reassuring smile and nod. Refusing to lose time to lamenting the difficulty, they began checking the doorways. The first led to a small empty room, not noteworthy beyond one corner of the room had slightly crumbled, the first real sign of ruin in these ruins.
>>6433138The second doorway led to a long hallway that curved to the right around a space large enough to be a room like the first, likely from the next doorway. The hallway had no other doors and led back to the ledge. Hanekawa looked to her right expecting to see three doors before the entrance. Instead, she was startled to see that she was directly across from the entrance and two stories down. All three of them were extremely confused and it made no sense. Victor lit a torch and went back through the hallway, emerging on the ledge from the doorway they'd entered. Hanekawa didn't feel any magic at work but that didn't mean there wasn't any. She couldn't explain the geometry of how the hallway turned but they joined Victor and kept searching doorways. They found several more small rooms and a few more hallways. Each new hallway curved right and returned to the ledge, sometimes in an impossible way. The lack of clues was beginning to frustrate them. There were occasional footprints, a withering weed struggling in the dark, a dropped tin cup, and yet nothing to explain where the Professor could be or what was going on.They finally came to another room with a crumbling corner, broken apart with dirt spilling onto the floor. Massive and twisted gnarled tree roots had broken through the stone walls. through the gaps of the roots, enough dirt had dislodged to allow a thin ray of moonlight into the room. The light seemed exceptionally bright and they didn't at first notice the book on the floor. An odd pattern of weeds streaked across the floor and some of them had taken the opportunity to grow over the open pages of the book. Unable to resist the first clue they'd found, Hanekawa picked up the book, pulling it free from the weeds on the floor."I think these weeds are growing on top something..." Victor wondered out load. "This is a splatter pattern."Hanekawa turned the book over in here hands. It was an expedition journal. It didn't look like the Professor's. There was some writing on the open page but the previous pages were stuck together and grown over with weeds. Pulling at them, it became clear the rest of the journal was not salvageable. Looking at the writing on the page, the script was loose and it simply read "Worn. They are being worn."She brought the book towards the lantern to more closely examine it. Prying the pages apart, it was clear it had been soaked in a dark liquid now grown sticky. Blood. The book had been soaked in blood. She gently set the book down on the floor and looked at Taiga. The fear was obvious on her face but she was trying to hold back her tears. She held Hanekawa's gaze for a moment before turning away and facing the corner crushed by the massive tree roots.
>>6433141"Taiga, I know that everything looks bad now, but nothing we've seen means-""-shutup-" whispered Taiga. Hanekawa opened her mouth to protest and explain but Taiga cut her off. "Shut your know it all trap you smartass, goodie two shoes, just stop..." Hanekawa closed her mouth and listened.The next whisper came out so soft it could barely be heard. "...don't you think that those roots over there look just like a person? Right there..."Taiga didn't move and kept perfectly still, facing the crumbled corner. Hanekawa froze and slowly stared at the roots hidden in the shadow behind the moonlight. There was a shape that kind of looked like a thin person but...Victor stepped forward with the lantern and the figure erupted forth in the darkness to bolt past them, scrambling against the wall like a lizardling to avoid them as it slipped out the doorway. Hanekawa called out for them to stop, afraid whoever it was might stumble off the ledge but they turned left immediately.They quickly followed and saw them dart into the doorway three down. Without hesitation, they chased their first lead through the doorway. They saw the shadowy figure race down the hallway that this time curved to the left. It opened into a small room with a doorway in each direction. There was no sign which way the figure had gone.They stood silent for a moment and then they heard it. It was a murmur. A mumble. But they all recognized the voice. They'd heard it countless times in many lectures: Professor Monday.
>>6433144The voice was coming from the left and Hanekawa couldn't have stopped Taiga if she'd tried.The hallway connecting to the next room was short and once in the room they saw that the wall across from them had long ago been demolished and cleared away. It looked as though a huge animal had burrowed in and then politely cleaned up afterwards. They heard the voice again, clear and resounding. This time from the right."...help...I need...where are you..."Taiga started to rush to the doorway on the right. Hanekawa wanted to stop her, to warn her that they needed to be cautious. But Victor acted first.Holding his torch away to the side, he wrapped his left arm around her shoulder from behind as she ran past. He effortlessly pulled the petite girl against himself where he held her tight. "Listen, we have to be smart about this. We don't know the danger here." Taiga tried to pull away at first, getting nowhere. Then she relaxed and looked at Hanekawa.Hanekawa matched her gaze and considered. The figure they'd seen could be planning an ambush or to circle around them. They hadn't mapped these hallways. But that was definitely the professor's voice."...where? I need...help...you can...can help ...I..."A chill ran down her spine hearing him like that. He sounded lost and confused. And there was something about it she couldn't put her finger on."I think we need to check the next room." Hanekawa whispered. "Be careful. Victor? Watch our backs."They began to move to the room on the right when they heard the voice again. "It's started again. ...blast...it's my fault...should've brought a second canteen..." Only this time, it came from the room on the left, muffled and less distinct.The three looked at each other in confusion. Had he moved that quickly?"...need canteen...my fault...again you..." His voice came from the room on the right again, quiet at first and then growing clearer.Hanekawa stood in the center of the room where she was and held the lantern towards each room without moving closer.The room on the left seemed smaller but the light fell poorly into it and it was too dark to see further.The room on the right seemed larger and the light cast into the opening but it curved out of her view.And the space beyond the smashed wall looked very much like a large tunnel extending downward at a steep slope.It seemed like she was going to have to step into one of the rooms to investigate.***Where should Hanekawa investigate first?[A]. Room to left.[B]. Room to the right.[C]. Tunnel.[D]. Something else.As always, write ins are welcome and if there's any skills you feel can be used, you can suggest them at any vote.)
>>6433146[D]. Use Taiga's blood to magically track her dad.Spooky, good writing, QM!
>>6433146>>6433148Oh shit! Good thinking! +1
Can Hanekawa, Tagia, and third wheel Victor roll for figuring out?>And there was something about it she couldn't put her finger on.
>>6433146>Room to left.
Rolled 7, 12, 19, 12, 8, 12 = 70 (6d20)>>6433154I'd say Hanekawa could use her Logic skill with a +2 to a d20. It's going to be a high difficulty due to the lack of clues but entirely possible.I can roll for Taiga and Victor using intuition, without modifiers because I didn't start them with skills yet.>>6433148>[D]. Use Taiga's blood to magically track her dad.Solid idea.I still need to stat the magic but I'll ask for another d20 roll for that spell. I can't imagine it doesn't win.So please give me 2d20. The first for the Logic and the second for the Natural Blood Magick.
>>6433245>a 7Taiga is too emotional to follow her intuition, apparently. Victor is uncertain like a good NPC.
Rolled 8 (1d20)>>6433245
Rolled 6 (1d20)>>6433245Watch THIS
>>6433410>>6433414Sweet Christmas we're dancing around that critfail.I do need two d20 rolls each. I'll take those fit the Logic roll.If there's not enough rolls for when I'm sitting down to write, I might roll them myself rather than wait.
Rolled 1 (1d20)>>6433428And one more to take care of business...!
>>6433429FUCK
>>6433429Hahahaha
Rolled 16 (1d20)>>6433428Critfail means fanservice, p
Rolled 14, 8 = 22 (2d20)>>6433428Remember a crit fail is a 7 not a 1
Rolled 7, 16 = 23 (2d20)>>6433428Sorry boss.
>>6433443It's like pottery.
Rolled 4, 8, 1 = 13 (3d20)>>6433410>Rolled 8 for Logic>>6433414>Rolled 6 for Logic>>6433429>Rolled 1 for Blood>>6433440>Rolled 16 for Logic Logic Bo3 is 16+2=18>>6433443>Rolled 14 for Logic and 8 for Blood>>6433447>Rolled 7 for Bloodand we don't need a third roll for Blood because that's a crit fail.Pity because it was a really good fucking idea.I got really turned around there but the ID helped clarify it.I'm going to start writing soon but I might fall asleep before I finish again.I strongly suspect that Hanekawa is going to need a reaction skill roll.Can I get three 1d20?I'll start writing regardless and see what happens.
>>6433587>we don't need a third roll for BloodDamnit that *is* the third roll. I said I got turned around.
Rolled 1 (1d20)>>6433587I would've thought the 2d20 meant logic roll, blood roll. So the 7 applied to logic.Reaction roll.Anyways, for us dummies in the future, QM, can you specifically say dice+1d20 or dice+2d20 when asking for rolls?
Rolled 8 (1d20)>>6433587>>6433592My fault for being a dummy.
Rolled 14 (1d20)>>6433587Yea what >>6433592 said--might make it a lil easier to understand in the future
Wait, if Victor and Taiga also know magic, wouldn't they be casting their own blood tracking spells also? Especially inferiority complex Taiga?
>>6433602Indeed... TAIGA MONDAY is very powerful..
>>6433607>TAIGA MONDAYI don't know, man. At this rate with the subpar rolls of both NPCs and us, her blood might explode in her while everyone gets their skin stolen. We might end up playing as Rabbit Faramir dealing with cave species and fig incursions far sooner than expected.
>>6433592>in the future, QM, can you specifically say dice+1d20 or dice+2d20 when asking for rolls?Absolutely. I think I might've been not quite awake.
>>6433602>if Victor and Taiga also know magic, wouldn't they be casting their own blood tracking spells also? Especially inferiority complex Taiga?I haven't been imagining Victor as being particularly magically adept for some reason.Taiga has some serious magical chops but the question is whether blood tracking magic is life force magic or natural magick.
>>6433615>At this rate with the subpar rolls of both NPCs and us, her blood might explode in her while everyone gets their skin stolen. We might end up playing as Rabbit Faramir dealing with cave species and fig incursions far sooner than expected.This made me laugh. Not only because it's accurate to our rolls and because "Rabbit Faramir" is already more characterization than I've done for our backup bunny, but also because I imagined "everyone getting their skin stolen" in a Hamburgler fashion with a big sack.Tonight got away from me against my will. I need sleep. I will update tomorrow night.>>6433592>>6433594>>6433594>Rolled 14Reaction of 14+1=15
>>6433665Hanekawa looked around the small room, searching for some clue to guide her. But all that was there was her, Victor, and Taiga. ....Taiga!"Taiga, I have an idea!" She began excitedly before pausing and taking a breath. Taiga might not want to go through with it. "...would you give me a small bit of your blood?""What?" The oddness of the request seemed to momentarily break the girl from her distraught state. "What would you want with...Oh! OUR blood! Monday blood! You can track it! Here..."Taiga calmly and gently pulled herself free from Victor. She turned to face him, taking a step forward, intimately close to him. "...uh, Taiga?" Softly, she slid her delicate little hand across his leather belt. And pulled his Fukhuge knife its sheath at his waist. With a quick little turn she faced Hanekawa, holding the blade ready to her palm. Shaking his head, he realized what they were doing. "Blood tracking? I never heard of that spell. Where'd you learn that?""Don't worry about it" Taiga said dismissively over her shoulder. "Bitch doesn't know everything, but she knows this."Hanekawa cupped her hands in front of her and nodded to Taiga. Taiga held her hand over Hanekawa's and slashed the inside of her palm. She didn't cry out or even flinch but merely sucked air in through her teeth. Then she squeezed her hand and dripped blood into a small pool in Hanekawa's hands.Nodding when it was enough, Hanekawa pulled the blood close to her face and whispered the ritual incantations to the blood, focusing her intent on Professor Monday. The blood shivered and vibrated, eventually pooling against the side of her hand facing the room to the right. Excited, Hanekawa slowly walked towards the room but as she passed the others, the blood shifted to indicate the other way. Stepping back and forth, she determined that it was detecting Taiga instead.Taiga cast a minor healing spell on her hand and watched with concern.Hanekawa stared at the blood, focusing on Professor Horatio Monday.The blood shimmered.The blood shook.The blood indicated Taiga.Hanekawa concentrated even harder and the blood shivered violently and......flew out of her hands and splattered across Taiga's chest and face. Hanekawa froze, completely mortified.Taiga spat out a small bit of her own blood. "Hanekawa Tsubasa, I really kinda fucking hate you still."Victor tried to help Taiga clean up while Hanekawa took a couple steps away and tried not to exist.
>>6434977***Hanekawa didn't understand. She was confused.She stopped and took a breath. When she found that she was confused, it meant that she believed something was true when it wasn't. Okay, so what was she confused about? She could figure this out logically.She was confused because they believed they'd heard the Professor's voice from two different places. And she believed he couldn't be in two different places at once....it could be that his voice had traveled somehow but it didn't sound like that and there was that feeling she had that something was wrong.Wait. They believed they had heard the Professor's voice but could it have been someone else's voice?Her gut said no. Not just because they both sounded like him but also because the shorter one...The shorter one! The shorter one was *too* short! Way too brief! Nobody ever talked like that, ever! Even in the most dire times people talk longer than just a couple words!Whatever that was going on in the room to the right, it wasn't human speech."I figured it out!" Hanekawa called out. "He's in the room to the left. I am sure of it!"Holding the lantern, she confidently but slowly entered the next room with the other two trailing a few feet behind her. As she entered, she cast the light around and found nothing. The room was utterly empty.She took another step and it was just registering to her that the texture and feeling under her boot felt different when she heard the wooden boards creak beneath her.She only had half a moment to react as they gave way. She turned, spun, and prepared to leap back to the entrance of the room but the boards collapsed before she could.As she tumbled down with the broken floorboards, she landed in a crouch rather impressively, although nobody could see it. Victor called down to her, calling her name, and asking if she was okay.She looked up and saw she'd fallen over two stories. She was a bit scraped but remained unhurt. She called back up to Victor to let him know and something stirred beneath the wooden debris."...Hanekawa?" A number of boards shifted and a bedraggled bald man wearing a torn sweater vest crawled out from beneath the board she'd knocked loose from above. "Hanekawa? Is that you? I can't believe you came!"He looked absolutely horrible and she'd just dropped a ceiling on him, but she'd found Professor Monday.
>>6434978"This place is remarkable!" Monday continued, not even acknowledging the odd situation. "but it's far too dangerous here. We have to return later, safer ..." "Professor?" Hanekawa said, worried about him. "Are you alright? We came here to save you. You're in great danger...""Danger? Yes, I daresay we all are..." The disheveled man was brushing himself off and trying to straighten badly bent glasses with broken lenses. "I can't tell you- the plants! They're not-""Professor." Hanekawa interrupted. "Are you hurt? We need to get out of here. ...there are people...""Hmm? Yes, quite. Or rather, no. I'm not hurt. I've been 'kept' here, not hurt.""Kept here? What do you mean?" Hanekawa was looking around the room. It seemed to be some sort of crumbling stone pit. It had apparently been covered with rotten wood. They couldn't safely climb out. "Victor! Can you tie us that rope to get out?""...dragged me into this pit, tossed in food and a canteen from our supplies..." He closed his eyes and shook his head. "Brutal what they did to the others. Savage. Violent. They're not human..."Hanekawa rested her hand on his shoulder awkwardly, trying to console him. She'd never seen him like this."They're the real danger. Forget the plants. The others... Did you say Victor?" His head snapped up with a smile. The professor had always been distracted, but his manner was unsettling."Victor came too? Good lad!" He looked up barely making out the figures in the torchlight. "Victor! Can you believe these ruins? Unreal!""DADDY!" Taiga called out. "Shut up about the stupid ruins! You're alive! You dumb old..." She broke off sobbing."Taiga? Taiga?!" The professor blinked, confused before turning to Hanekawa angrily. "You brought my daughter here?! This is a deathtrap! You're mad!""She brought herself here, looking for *you*." Hanekawa replied as Victor dropped the length of rope down. Hanekawa gripped it and tugged it, testing how secure it was. "I doubt anything could stop her.""But you don't... dozens will come now..." He was beginning to panic. "They swarmed...they aren't people. They're just...worn."
>>6434979Then they all heard it. An inhuman scream that was a stark contrast to Taiga's call to her father. Devoid of inflection, it sounded more like metal rending than a person. It came from somewhere below them, followed by a low rumble like soft thunder or a distant rock slide. And rumble seemed to be getting louder."RUN!" The professor had lost all composure. "Victor, take my daughter out of her now! Taiga! I love you! Run!""No! We are not leaving either of you!" Victor yelled back. "We aren't losing anyone!"Hanekawa looked around, if found while trapped in this pit, she wasn't sure if they could escape. But if the others left now, they had a much better chance of escaping before the...things arrived. She could also get above and set a trap or an ambush to try to stop their attackers, to escape without being chased.What should Hanekawa do?[A]. Order Victor to drag Taiga out immediately and follow with the Professor. [B]. Drag Professor Monday and leave together.[C]. Climb up and together set up an ambush or trap to slow them down.[D]. Something else.
>>6434981> [C]. Climb up and together set up an ambush or trap to slow them down.4-person life magic trap
>>6434981>[C]. Climb up and together set up an ambush or trap to slow them down.
>>6434981>Order Victor to drag Taiga out immediately and follow with the Professor.
>>6434978>Nobody ever talked like that, ever! Even in the most dire times people talk longer than just a couple words! I didn't really expect anyone to guess or spot this but I am wondering if anyone has noticed that I have been adhering to rule seventeen this entire time, unless I accidentally slipped up somewhere....I just realized the coincidence that rule seventeen is that all characters speak in seventeen syllables. Eerie synchrony.
>>6435089The dialogue did seem a bit strange, now it makes sense. It also funny to me how little victor talks
>>6435270>It also funny to me how little victor talksIt genuinely isn't my intention to place him in a quiet NPC role. It just sort of... happens. And yeah, it's funny.It reminds me of Cyclops in the 90s X-Men books. He seemed lame and boring but it was only because every other character was more interesting. In the few stories where he was the main character, his unrelenting competence was actually kick ass.Essentially, Hanekawa is Wolverine in this comparison.Btw, I have a start on the next update but I'm about to pass out tonight. Last time I wrote when sleepy, I woke up with 99% of the document being the letter "d" repeated.
Rolled 10, 19, 10, 16, 2, 12, 4, 14, 10 = 97 (9d20)>>6434984>>6435014>>6435223I'm writing now. I thought I asked for a roll this morning but it apparently didn't post.I can start writing anyway but can I get three dice+1d20+2 to see how effective the trap is? I'm rolling for Taiga, Victor, and Professor.
Rolled 6 + 2 (1d20 + 2)>>6435805TAIGA TAIGA TAIGA
Rolled 2 + 2 (1d20 + 2)>>6435805>>6435089I thought you would not be able to follow that rule.
Rolled 1 + 2 (1d20 + 2)>>6435805aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
"Please, Victor! Look at my daughter!" Victor glanced worriedly at the small girl at his side. "Don't let them get her! Take her away!"Victor paused and looked again at Taiga, less certain than he was a moment ago. He turned to her and opened his mouth..."Don't even think about it, Victor!" She held her hand up to his chest. "I'm not going anywhere. Freeze!"Even from a couple stories below, Hanekawa could feel the magic pulse. She could see the small cluster of ice crystals on Victor's chest. It wasn't an attack, just a small frost to show she could stop him. In natural magic, its understood that ice actually pulls heat from the surrounding area so it uses less power, making it useful for practice and- "Taiga! You're a genius!" Hanekawa shouted up at her friend. Taiga looked down startled but smiled and nodded. Snapping to look at her Professor she spoke sternly. "We're all getting out. Move your tush, professor!"She dragged the professor to the rope and shoved it in his hands. With some encouragement and Victor pulling upthe rope, he got up. The sound of the approaching creatures was getting louder as Victor tossed down the rope for Hanekawa. She raced up the rope three times as fast. Once at the top, she quickly led them all back to the end of the tunnel where it met the central ramp. Turning around, she quickly explained her idea.There was a simple spell that used surrounding heat to help fuel a rune mouse trap spell that surrounds the area with a lattice of ice spikes. With the combined power of all four of them working together, they could leave the magic rune behind them to stop and trap their pursuers. Or at least slow them down.Turning to Professor Monday, she asked "Did any of you find any sign of them outside of the ruins?""No, they never seem to go outside. Do you think it is the moonlight?" Hanekawa nods."All we have to do is get out of here and we'll be safe. Let's go."The four of them faced the entrance to the tunnel they just came out of and Hanekawa began chanting the ritual. Taiga joined in immediately. As they repeated it, Victor and Horatio joined in, each providing power. The magic rune appeared on the floor, many times larger than the mouse traps Hanekawa made in her youth. The magic flowing from Horatio began flickering, quickly followed by Victor's flow weakening. The rune wasn't quite ready but Hanekawa was certain that she and Taiga could maintain-A bone chilling howl and the sound of scrambling feet on stone approached from down the tunnel. They were here. They had no time left. They hadn't done it in time. They'd failed. They were going to die and it was all her fault. Hanekawa panicked, shivered, and stepped back from the rune. Victor and Horatio turned to look at her, equally shaken. The magic rune flickered and faded.And a dozen pale skinned people in rags flooded in from the other side of the room in front of them. Their faces were twisted in rage and their eyes were sunken dark pits of black.
>>6435919"Oh fuck this." Taiga Monday dropped to her knees and slapped her hands onto the ground where the rune was fading. She took over the rune and poured power into it. Hanekawa stood transfixed as the tiny spellweaver masterfully funneled her power into the spell as it activated and siphoned heat from below. The mouse traps she knew as a kid were simple cages of spikes. This was more savage. Stalactites and stalagmites of ice spiked up from every surface. Many of the creatures were instantly pinned, some were impaled, and all of them were trapped. Although they continued to rage and throw themselves against the ice, they were stuck. Taiga Monday had done it. Turning to the others, she staggered wearily and smirked. "Piece of pie. I should've just done it myself. ...oooh...they're piiiissed..."The creatures were slamming against the ice, heedless of the damage to their bodies. And the ice was beginning to crack. The other three shared a look and moved quickly. Without slowing a bit, Victor scooped Tiaga up and princess carried her up the ramp. They ignored the many doorways and just ran up towards the entrance. When suddenly in the pathway, they saw a cluster of those weeds lying in the way where they hadn't been on the way down. It was as if they'd grown in the short time since they'd passed. And this patch of weeds had several strange fruits or pods on them instead of the typical flower. They looked like the green sailor fruit called "limes" only with spikes all over it."Pods! No! Go back!" Professor Monday seemed strangely panicked by the simple plant. Then he glanced back at the cluster of ice in the doorway behind them and calmed down instantly. "Yes, um, no flower? Good, we'll step by them. It's fine, 'sfine..."Clearly, there's something Hanekawa was missing. There was a tunnel doorway nearby but running through it would take more time.What should Hanekawa do?[A]. Step past the pods slowly, maybe getting an explanation from Horatio.[B]. Run past the pods to get out of the ruins before the creatures break free and catch up.[C]. Race down the side tunnel as fast as they can.[D]. Something else.
>>6435920>ARoll visual calc for speediest path?
>>6435920[A]. Step past the pods slowly, maybe getting an explanation from Horatio.
>>6435920>Run past the pods to get out of the ruins before the creatures break free and catch up.
Rolled 9, 17, 8, 13, 9, 16, 8, 5, 7, 8, 15, 9, 19, 18, 11, 16, 13, 14 = 215 (18d20)>>6435963>[A]. Step past the pods slowly, maybe getting an explanation from Horatio.>>6435923>Roll visual calc for speediest path?Yep.I'm going to need three dice+1d20+2 for Visual Calculus. If you'd ran, you'd also need coordination.Don't mind me, I'm just rolling for Victor and Horatio. As well as to see how Etou, Cassie, Chaika, and everyone has been doing...
Rolled 14 + 2 (1d20 + 2)>>6436110I have a bad feeling about this.
Rolled 2 + 2 (1d20 + 2)>>6436110
Rolled 18 + 2 (1d20 + 2)>>6436110
New Rules: Rule: Whenever a fatal outcome falls over Hanekawa, a new MC or anyone on their parties, roll a 1d3. 1= Fatal outcome occurs 2 or 3= No fatal outcome occurs, it gets replaced by ecchi anime fanservice of the affected character. From clothes breaking, characters landing over each other in suggestive positions, the perpetrator of the possible fatal outcome becomes perverted instead of a killer, etc, it's up to OP of course. It needs to be fun and as erotic as it can get taking in consideration the board norms.Rule: Every main character party, human or not, must have at least a cute human, elf or humanoid girl that's less than 30 in it.(Maybe you should start creating that bunny MC. Just saying)
>>6436410Fair enough.I'll codify this later. And hopefully post an update tonight. I was too hot and exhausted last night. I am working 24 hours over the next couple days. The dice gods and events are definitely putting the party in an interesting situation, though.Part of the reason I started the quest was to see what interesting twists and unexpected outcomes might happen with the rules. My first thought upon reading this new rule was: "... knowing our luck we'll end up with Horatio fan service now"No need to amend it. Statistically, there's a lot more pretty girls.
>>6436421He can land on Victor or any on the girls like Yuuki Rito would but it's up to you.
>>6436410> 1= Fatal outcome occurs>2 or 3= No fatal outcome occursThat’ll clash with the no plot armor rule
>>6436445It's not an armor because it's luck based, it doesn't depend of OP"s writing.
>>6436445And they can all still die
>>6436448We’re going to have to ask a ruling from Apoc.
>>6436452Just saying, but if you want a Rabbit MC, we can add the multiple MC rules. I don't remember OP being against it as long as it's like in LOTR.I would prefer ASOIAF style with even the bad guys getting a chapter, but whatever.
>>6435089Yay! You're adhering to my favorite rule. :3
>>6416868>72. PCs and NPCs don’t have plot armor and can die.One side note on this I thought to mention after Dar choked Hanekawa is that I don't intend to kill any important character unless as a direct result of a choice or dice roll. Essentially, I don't intend to kill anyone off in a cinema scene.>>6436410>Rule: Whenever a fatal outcome falls over Hanekawa, a new MC or anyone on their parties, roll a 1d3.>1= Fatal outcome occurs>2 or 3= No fatal outcome occurs, it gets replaced by ecchi anime fanservice of the affected character.>>6436452>We’re going to have to ask a ruling from ApocPlot armor is absolute defense.This "ecchi shield" is more of an overpowered defense. I can make it work with the lore but it *is* overpowered and directly conflicts with the spirit or RAI of "no plot armor" instead of conflicting with the RAW.And for this quest, RAW definitely matters.So the rule stands.That said, it negates 66.6% of party deaths. So my only counterbalance to that is to talk the gloves off.So the gloves are coming off. And it's bare knuckle time.On one hand, I tried to kill Taiga like three times in the beginning and y'all have sidestepped all disasters beautifully. You haven't seen the near misses. I trust you.On the other hand, I have been thinking about the update all day since I got shanghaied into watching fireworks instead of writing last night. And I still have no idea what choices you have at the end. I didn't exactly plan out this scenario and if I were in it, I'm pretty sure I'd die in one of several ways.I'll start writing tonight.Good luck!
>>6436898>I don't intend to kill any important character>On one hand, I tried to kill Taiga like three times in the beginningTaigasisters...
>>6436918>unless as a direct result of a choice or dice roll.I just put her directly in harms way for story reasons and y'all shoved her out of it. If you'd chosen to duck without looking behind you, she'd have been shot, and possibly died afterwards. It's a perfect example of the GM/QM thinking there's only one way forward and the players coming up with another way entirely. Or at least forcing the GM/QM to.After her recent performance, Taiga Monday is proving to be pretty fucking clutch.>>6436918
>MCs of Apoc QM's previous quests will appear, having been isekaied into the world.
Just in case, I made a template for the rabbits. We can add them things to make an important character. If you want. The AI OP is using is quite bad and there are no other drawfags.
>>6436410Rule 74. Whenever a fatal outcome falls over Hanekawa, a new MC or anyone on their parties, roll a 1d3. On a 2 or 3, No fatal outcome occurs, it gets replaced by ecchi anime fanservice of the affected character.
>>6437226Rule 75. MCs of Apoc QM's previous quests will appear, having been isekaied into the world.Sweet Christmas, why would you do this to me?This is like introducing the Deck of Many Things. There's some room to work with this but there's definitely one quest that could implode this quest. I might save that one for last and introduce the others at random.I do need to ask an opinion on this though, as I am biased.Let's say I ran a Daily Planet Quest where the MC was a normal guy who worked at the paper but spent a great deal of time with Clark Kent, Clark ends up resolving the plot conflict, and there's at least one scene featuring Clark but not the MC.Would Clark be considered "a main character" to be included?
>>6437289>I made a template for the rabbits.Awesome. High quality and canon.>The AI OP is using is quite bad and there are no other drawfags.I've been meaning to ask if I should take the time to acquire better images. Usually, I'm posting an update much later than I'd like and I just post what I can get quickly.[red][A]. Post better images.[/red][green][B]. I like most of the update images.[/green][blue][C]. I don't care about the images.[/blue][b][D]. Something else.[/b]Update tonight, 100%
>>6437289Rotund>>6437531> Would Clark be considered "a main character" to be included?No>>6437532>C
>>6437532>>6437532[C]No, focus on the writing. I only said that about the images because of the character design issue at creating original characters with it.
>>6437531No, Clark it's not the MC. Still, there's no sun in this quest. Doesn't that affect SM?
>>6437532>test
>>6436111>>6436119>>6436179A quick assessment using visual calculus told Hanekawa that Horatio was correct. They could easily step to the side a safe distance from the plant. "Everyone follow me and only step where I step." She hugged her satchel, heavy with books and supplies, to her ample chest and began carefully stepping past the pods. "What are these things?"Victor followed her. Nervously carrying Taiga directly over the pods as she was still weakened from her spell.The professor watched Taiga carefully, worried, before he started stepping as well. "F-fig-figuring that out was one of our goals. They only grow here." Hanekawa grunted acknowledgement, suggesting he should continue. As he shuffled forward, he explained that the weeds, flowers, and pods were all the same plant. It seemed like the flowers attract animals and then when they get too close, the pods shoot spines that pierce the skin and have some sort of neurological affect. They were determining what when the creatures came.As the professor stepped beyond the plant, his left leg began to violently jerk, as if from a cramp, and he spun and flailed his hand out, trying to catch himself on Victor. Victor actually pulled away rather than let the man unbalance Taiga from his arms.The professor dropped to his knees and fell forward, catching himself on his hands, his face mere inches from the pod. The pod quivered slightly and everyone held their breath. The pod quieted and Horatio slowly slid back away from the plant.Once he was on his feet, he stretched his leg for a second and the four began racing up the ramp, barely pausing to look back when they heard the sound of ice cracking from an impact. The creatures hadn't escaped yet. They raced and scrambled up the ramps, through the ruins, and finally found themselves outside again. The midday moonlight seemed terribly bright as their eyes adjusted.Without any time to rest, they heard shouting coming from outside of the sink hole. They ran again. As they got closer, they could tell it was Cassie and Chaika along with other, more distant voices. Using the rope they'd tied to the tree earlier, they scrambled up to the camp quickly and with ease. What they found was chaos. The horses were tied behind the wagon and were bucking and pulling at the ropes in alarm. The camp was only partially set up. Cassie was lying under the wagon, firing a rifle into the jungle from behind a large rock. Chaika was sitting cross legged on top of her suitcase with her eyes closed, palms up on her knees. A translucent glowing magic shield was extended over the camp, flashing a tetrahedron pattern as arrows occasionally struck it. Etou was lying unconscious next to the wagon, surrounded by shattered pieces of the wagon wheel.Hanekawa assessed.The elves were attacking the camp.Etou didn't seem to be injured.The wagon wasn't going anywhere with that wheel shattered.Cassie seemed to be calmChaika seemed to be too calm.What the fuck was going on?
>>6437696The four ran up and took shelter behind the wagon, despite the arrows being deflected by magic.Cassie greeted them, never looking up from the sights of her rifle. "Hey all. Hey prof. We got a spot of trouble here. The elves pinned us down." She explained that shortly after Etou knocked herself out exploding the wheel as she tried to fix it, the arrows started flying. She had offered to lay down cover fire while Chaika dragged Etou to cover in the ruins but Chaika refused. She'd insisted on some kind of "dizzy whirl" technique to keep a magic shield up. It was holding but wouldn't last forever."Yer still the leader of this trip, what do you reckon we should do now?"Hanekawa chewed on her lower lip as she concentrated.Repairing or replacing the wheel would take a lot of time and the shield might not hold long enough. And the darkest moonlight was coming.They could take the horses but there were only two horses and seven people. Three to a horse was too much to say nothing of four. They could try dragging something but going through the wilderness like that was sure to wrong. Someone would likely have to run on foot. That would be a difficult call.It's also possible that they could use fire or another spell to keep the elves at bay. Although Hanekawa was the only real spellcaster with any energy left. Except Chaika. Actually, Hanekawa wasn't familiar with that spell she was casting. She quickly walked over to Chaika, looking over her shoulder for incoming arrows. She asked Chaika how long the barrier would last or if they could move it with them."Chaika can't move. Can cast move shield spell, smaller, more power, Chaika wait."Okay, so they could have a smaller shield when they left.Hanekawa had them calm the horses and put Etou and Taiga on them. Victor held Etou on one horse while Horatio held Taiga on the other. Cassie was still using her rifle to keep the elves behind the treeline.If she had to, Hanekawa felt like she could probably escape on foot with Chaika's shield. Although perhaps, another lineup would be more optimal...A thunderous crash interrupted her thought.Dar just smashed through the trees riding a scarred Tyrannosaurus with a sabertooth tiger and some sort of giant tusked bear.
>>6437699Dar's left arm hung useless and bloody at his side and he bore several vicious wounds. Also, he looked rather angry. The giant bear charged at the nearest elf, seized it, and started thrashing it around like a limp rag. The sabertooth tiger charged towards the camp, making a leaping bound towards the prone Cassie, and bounced off the magic shield. Chaika whimpered under the strain. The Beastmaster seemed to be attacking the camp and the elves at the same time, which didn't seem to make any sense. He specifically spotted Hanekawa and gave her an enraged look. The elves were distracted but those beast could make short work of the horses unless they did something to distract him...Hanekawa looked at the lantern she was still carrying. She cocked her arm back and... thought better of it. She tossed the lantern to Victor and had him throw it at the enraged beastmaster. Victor rode well, circling the horse around as he briefly released Etou to hurl the lantern. It sailed in an arc at the Tyrannosaurus and as it struck, Hanekawa cast a simple disenchant spell on the crystal inside, causing the device to explode instead of just shatter. Flames spilled out over the massive beast as it roared in fear, confusion, and rage.She'd bought a few more moments of time. And now- an unearthly howl pierced the scene, coming from the ruins. Hanekawa snapped her head back to confirm her fear. Dozens of pale creatures with black sunken in holes for eyes came pouring out of the ruins. They screamed and howled in rage. Some looked coated in thick black wounds, covered in ice. But they all still moved impossibly fast, racing up towards the camp."I thought they couldn't come out until dark!" Victor shouted. "This is bad. What do we do?"Hanekawa was beginning to panic but as long as Chaika's amazing shield held-The sabertooth tiger leaped into the air to try to jump over the invisible barrier and landed on top of the dome shape. It flickered for a moment as the cat writhed in the air, then Chaika cried out and the shield failed. The cat was dumped on to the ground, rolling a few away from Hanekawa, between her and the path down towards the ruins, near the tree. Shaking it's head, it looked up at the frightened girl.
>>6437701"Good kitty..." She pleaded. "We're not your enemies. We're friends....what is that tree doing?"The tree behind the kitty animated, moving like a twisted abomination of a hand. It reached down and grasped the unaware cat from behind and dragged it down, pulling it under the earth. The rope they had tied to the tree snaked after, getting swallowed up quickly like a piece of spaghetti, indicating the cat was pulled deep, deep underground.Hanekawa stood staring at the spot, turning to Chaika nearby. Chaika was staring too and then shrugged and picked up her suitcase. "Chaika think you have funny trees here in wilderness. Big kitties too."Hanekawa had quite enough of this place and wanted to leave. But how?Cassie had given up taking shots with her rifle and had climbed on Horace's horse, taking control of the reins.What should Hanekawa do?[A]. Ride the horses with too many people for as long as you can(with Victor or Taiga?).[B]. Run into the wilderness after the horses on foot with the shield.[C]. Stay behind to desperately use magic to try to funnel the oncoming horde of creatures into the beasts and elves.[D]. Something else.
>>6437702>[C]. Stay behind to desperately use magic to try to funnel the oncoming horde of creatures into the beasts and elves.This is the beginning of a new adventure.
>>6437702>[B]. Run into the wilderness after the horses on foot with the shield.
What if we let Victor running with the shield and Hanekawa casts magic riding the horse.
>>6437702[B]. Run into the wilderness after the horses on foot with the shield.Need guns and armor
>>6437702[B]. Run into the wilderness after the horses on foot with the shield.
>>6437801>What if we let Victor running with the shield and Hanekawa casts magic riding the horse.The primary issue with this is that Victor is holding Etou on the horse and is both stronger and a much better rider than Hanekawa. But it's certainly possible.
>>6437932Ok, it was an interesting solution but the nerd will need to run for her life though.Still you forgot this rule:Rule: Every main character party, human or not, must have at least one cute human, elf or humanoid girl that's less than 30 years old in it.Also fainting counts as sleeping so Etou should be affected by the Goddess.
>>6436460>Yay! You're adhering to my favorite rule. :3Always happy to please!
>>6437958>the nerd will need to run for her life though.Indeed.>Still you forgot this rule:>Rule: Every main character party, human or not, must have at least one cute human, elf or humanoid girl that's less than 30 years old in it.Where did I forget that?>Also fainting counts as sleeping so Etou should be affected by the Goddess.Questionable. I'll review.
>>6437983It's under the new fanservice rule.Fainting, coma and other forms of loss of consciousness is forced sleeping.
>>6437985>It's under the new fanservice rule.Oh, I thought you meant I forgot to enforce it. Yup. That's the second time I read a rule and incorporated it without posting it. Oops.>>6436410Rule 76. Every main character party, human or not, must have at least a cute human, elf or humanoid girl that's less than 30 in it.Dang. I just realized that my Plan A this with Team BunBun won't work as she only *looks* under 30. Plan B it is.>Fainting, coma and other forms of loss of consciousness is forced sleepingI disagree. Drugged sedation would be. A sleeping person can be woken up.There's a distinct difference in the method of falling asleep. And one must consider the lore implications of the goddess and her intent. The in world ramifications of knocking a young woman out making her naked would also be substantial.
>>6438007> she only *looks* under 30Well it doesn’t specify 30 years old, just 30. Could mean under 30 ft. I’m also just tired of this age 30, sleeping naked, and ecchi specific rules
>>6438007Ok, fair enough.
Rolled 10, 5, 18, 16, 13, 14, 18, 20, 16, 8, 7, 2, 7, 4, 14 = 172 (15d20)I finally slept.>>6437875>>6437850>>6437768>Run into the wilderness after the horses on foot with the shield.It took me a bit to figure some variables out.I am rolling for Victor's horse, Cassie's horse, elves, beasts, and creatures.I need three 1d20. I tried stretch one of her skills to give her a bonus. But Hanekawa has to hoof it.
Rolled 15 (1d20)>>6438513
Rolled 2 (1d20)>>6438513
>>6438513My total was 172. 1+7+2= 10. 1+0=1>>6437531My list of 9 previous quest MCs was written down in no particular order:EFP,QotDESOSHJotASQTODBOotASQJPCTVIDOTGBThe first one will be the first to show up. The ninth will probably doom the quest no matter what I do. I might fiat it to be last no matter what.>>6437541>No>>6437555>No, Clark it's not the MC. Still, there's no sun in this quest. Doesn't that affect SM?Good. And Superman would be affected. He'd lose his powers over time or exertion as he drained the solar radiation from his body. This was explored when he fought xenomorphs.But it wasn't actually Superman. That was hypothetical. It was Judge Dredd. Fucking hell, he would've been tough to wrangle.
Rolled 13 (1d20)>>6438513
>>6438764>Rolled 13Fucking clutch. Hanekawa had to beat an 18 and rolled a critical success.
I'm still alive. My boss dropped a bunch of extra work on me and I did have a few nights when I would have had time to write, but I was too tired to think straight. Plus this update might get more involved.Anyway, I should definitely be able to update tomorrow afternoon or evening.
>>6441276It could be worse desu. Waiting to see what you come with.
>>6441276Update is written but I'm going to proofread and polish it in the morning when I am less unconscious.
>>6441713Hanekawa needed to act. Now.She asked Chaika if she could cast the shield centered on Hanekawa, so that she could block attacks as the others escaped on horse and she followed after. Chaika at first shook her head and babbled quickly at length using words Hanekawa had never heard before. Until an idea seemed to occur to the strange girl and she removed a strange pendant from her suitcase and put it around Hanekawa's neck. It was an odd series of squares or equilateral diamonds nested within each other, alternating between black and gold. Hanekawa gathered from what Chaika said that the spell could be targeted on the pendant and therefore Hanekawa."You only borrow from Chaika," Chaika said seriously, after putting the necklace around her neck, holding the sides of her face. "Give back after you return alive."The strange girl's eyes were wet but she then stepped back and smiled cheerfully, waving goodbye before turning and hopping up onto the back of Victor's horse with casual ease, holding her suitcase to the side as if it were weightless."Wait, what is going on?" Victor asked. "Hanekawa what are you doing? Come on!""You and Cassie are riding west, out of this mess, and I will catch up."Victor looked like he wanted to protest but Dar and his dinosaur mount crashed towards them, now ignoring the elves and charging the group, trampling and crushing the wagon entirely.The horses were beginning to panic and with a curt nod to Hanekawa, Cassie spurred hers on into the treeline. Behind her on the horse with her rescued father, Taiga Monday offered her rival a tight smile that didn't reach her eyes. Victor hesitated, looking back at Hanekawa.Summoning up her bravery, she waved him off, turning back to distract the mad Beastmaster.Dar's wild eyes full of rage bore into her as the great lizard stomped closer. She hoped the shield would protect her long enough for Victor, Etou, and Chaika to get to safety. She would stand her ground. She had her magic, her training, and her mother's fighting spirit. She was confident that she would survive, somehow.Suddenly, the tyrannosaurus threw its head back and roared, but more in pain than in rage. It thrashed back and forth as a swarm of pale humanoids with black sunken holes in place of eyes swarmed and crawled all over it. They seemed to be digging their hands into the tough hide. In horror, she watched as the beast crushed and killed many and they kept crawling over it, clawing at it. Black smoke issued forth from some of the fresh wounds. Dar had drawn a blade and was striking at any that climbed up onto its back.NOPE. Nope. Nope, fuck this.
>>6442206Hanekawa ran like a bitch past Victor into the treeline and did not stop.Victor's horse soon followed her and passed her. The horses followed something resembling a trail through the plants going vaguely west. The horses were out of sight before the sounds of battle had faded behind her. Still, she ran. She'd kept fit, training for deep sea expeditions and could handle the running. It was scrambling over the terrain that was the issue. She knew the horses couldn't be doing much better with three riders on each of them.Sure enough, before long, the trees thinned and she found the others in a field of long grass. The field seemed calm and empty aside from a stegosaurus the size of a house across the field. It was grazing on the grass and eyeing them disinterestedly.Hanekawa panted and slowed as she saw them. She started to wave triumphantly when she heard an elven battle cry in the distance behind her. She turned back to the treeline. It couldn't be. They couldn't... Not from this distance... Not through the trees...A dark shape clouded the sun as countless elven arrows filled the sky. She heard the horses being urged to run again but Hanekawa didn't turn and kept her eyes transfixed on the arrows. She gripped the necklace, funneling her energy into the strange artifact, empowering it using the fundamental principles of natural magicks and energy flow. The arrows descended onto Hanekawa with startling accuracy. Dozens of the deadly projectiles were deflected and, for the briefest of moments, the sphere of energy around her resembled a hedgehog or porcupine.The entire volley was scattered all around her, arrows vibrating on the long grass as the stegosaurus' booming steps resounded. Hanekawa turned to see if the beast was running off in the same direction as her friends. Instead, she saw that it had apparently decided that the intrusion was her fault and was charging, no, turning, no, whipping its tail... ...oh no.
>>6442208It was instinct. It was simple survival instinct. Hanekawa used the taboo energy draining technique to pull the power she needed. Her mother had long ago deeply instilled in her to never allow her own energy to dip too low. Rather than be drained to weakness like Etou had, she pulled the energy from the life energy of the plants and earth around her, leaving a large circle of dead grass in the area where she had been standing. It was a shunned practice, largely looked down upon like slavery or slipping a girl a sleeping drought to get her naked.The stegosaurus swung its tail around violently, striking the shield. She'd strengthened it tremendously, still gripping the pendant. She was unprepared for the result. The arrows had stopped cold. She was expecting a similar effect, perhaps glancing the tail off the shield. This time however, the world launched and spun around her, there was a whirling tumult of trees, tree branches, sky, and leaves buffeting the shield as it was launched into the air by the tremendous force of the beast.The stegosaurus snorted as it looked off into the distance it had smacked the strange thing, not certain what became of it. It sniffed the dead grass, snorted, and shuffled back to the sweet grass it had found before.
>>6442211***Jasper bounding quickly down the hallway. He was bothered. Of course he was bothered. Everyone always wanted him to keep a careful accounting of the ankylosaurus ranch but they kept interrupting him and pulling him away. So yes, he was bothered. But he was also being called to the throne room. The king himself had called for him. HIM. So it was an honor. But he was going to hear about delays for weeks now. His nose twitched. It was fine.He respectfully bounded to a full stop outside the throne room. The two guards on either side of him nodded to him and disabled the glowing opaque moon wind doors blocking the way. He hopped in, paused, hopped once more, paused, hopped, paused, and proceeded forward in the traditional manner when entering the king's court. There were a few quiet murmurs as he entered but he kept his eyes forward, respectfully. As he approached, he saw something large and strange on the floor in the opulent burrow, resting in front of the king's throne.The throne itself was a beautiful iridescent moon wind construct, intricately detailed. The king looked truly majestic and regally fluffy upon it, watching him approach. But on the floor was a large mammal, pink and hairless aside from a startling bright red mane on its head. Honestly, the shade of red was remarkable. As he got closer, her realized it was a two-legs. The smell wasn't human, more elvish he concluded. It looked at him with it's large eyes, surprisingly intelligent and calm. The thing was secured to the floor with moon wind shackles on three of its paws, the light from the constructs glowing faintly against its odd fur-less flesh. He trusted that it was safe to proceed or it wouldn't be in front of the king.He lowered his ears and bowed his head as he stood next to it, facing the king. After they exchanged the traditional greetings, the king quickly told him why he had been called. Apparently, this two-legs had tumbled out of one of the sinister black cracks that had been appearing with the burrow walls and disappearing without a trace. He hadn't seen any of them but those who had seemed very disturbed by them.So? He had thought. Simply kill the intruder and use the body as feed for the velociraptor pens.To show him the answer to his unasked question, a guard kicked a stone knife to the two-legs. It lowered its head in an imitation of a proper Lunarian Lagomorph bow, showing some sign of being more respectful than most two-legs. It then picked up the knife with its unshackled paw and pointed it at its chest. Odd...Then it plunged the knife into its own heart, pulling it out, dropping it bloody on the floor, collapsing on the floor dead. Surprising.What was the point of that? He was confused as to why he was here if- Bright flames erupted from the chest wound and she gasped and opened her eyes. He shrieked his high pitched scream in surprise.
>>6442212The two-legs sat up and rubbed its breast. Oh, lumpy breasts. That's right. This one was female. Jasper was confounded and wanted to know what that was and how this elf woman could die and flame back to life.The king calmly explained that Jasper had touched on the exact purpose for his presence. It was well known that his managing of the ankylosaurus ranches meant that he often had to speak with two-legs. He was the most qualified to interrogate her. His nose twitched. It genuinely bothered him that his accounting and business management skills were not was he was known for. Instead it was his ancillary ability to talk to lesser species. He was bothered by it.But the king himself had asked so of course he was more than happy to talk to the savage, in court, as the king watched. His ears drooped slightly as he sighed.The idea was sound but his grasp of elven was more limited than human. He turned to the female and asked her who she was and what she was doing here. Immediately he realized that whatever dialect she spoke was different than what little he knew. The conversation flowed poorly with broken phrases and poor translation assisted by one-handed gestures. Jasper relayed it as best he could to the king and court, beginning with her response:"Animal speak wrong bad elf. I think maybe words.""Not animal. Lagomorph do not speak elf. Who are you and why are you here?""I 'Edellafarn'. I top elves of time from bright moon and darkest moon.""You are queen, like king? This is the king.""Yes. I queen. I acknowledge king.""Why are you here?""I have no brain of here.""You have no memory or knowledge of where you are?""I no hear animal talk before.""Not 'animal'. We are Lagomorph, Lunarian Lagomorph.""I humbly apologize. I respectfully apologize for any offense.""You are a respectful two-legs.""I queen.""How did you get here?""Dark magic pull from land. I go back land. I go back people. I go back mates.""What do you know about the dark magic?""Dark magic lightening quick. I have no brain.""How will you go back?""I have no brain.""How are you able to do that with the knife? The fire?""I Edellafarn of the fire bird heart. I eat fire bird heart. I have fire bird life. I have no death. I have no brain.""Can we learn how you can do that?""I queen far. King here. I respectfully acknowledge king. Yes.""I think that is all for now.""I speak""Yes?""Where clothes? I sleep. I wake. No clothes.""...yes. That happens to two-legs everywhere in the world. Two-legs are weird. Lunarian Lagomorphs do not wear clothes.""I far world.""Yes."
>>6442214So, they came to understand that the elf woman was a queen from very far away, perhaps another world, that spoke a different kind of elf language. But she was brilliantly intelligent, even for a Lagomorph. She was adapting and learning. As a particularly intelligent two-legs, she recognized their superiority and her position as a prisoner. She was willing to let them learn from her. The king asked Jasper what his suggestion was and he only had one. They needed someone more familiar with two-leg physiology and their inferior magics, preferably someone who knew elves. He only knew one but it would take a week or so for them to arrive. She would do it for the purified yellow rock dust two-legs enjoyed collecting for some reason and they had plenty of it. Before Edellafarn, she had been the smartest two-legs Jasper had ever encountered. Most were useless.A week later, Jasper had received word that his guest had arrived in the two-legs visitor burrows. He went to fetch Edellafarn from her enclosure, but found it empty. One of her guards had remained while the other had escorted her to the Dire Velociraptor pit. Jasper yelled at the guard for allowing it to happen and bustled to the pit. Outside, he found the other guard waiting outside and demanded to know where she was. The guard indicated the pit, where she was arranging feathers among several of the larger, fiercer Dire Velociraptors. Despite being fearsome predators, they seemed to be nuzzling her as she tried to work. The guard explained that they had attacked her but the flames had made them back off, then she soothed them and they just seemed to accept her. Jasper demanded to know what she was doing there in the first place."She insisted on coming here to make something. It's, uh, hard to say.""What? You allowed her to come here and you don't know why? What do you mean?""No sir. I mean that it's hard to say, to pronounce. She called it 'a dress.'"So it was, the elf queen apparently had the skills to assemble clothing from feathers and tame deadly feathered predators. Jasper escorted the queen to the meeting area with a table and two-leg chairs made of stone provided for meetings. Jasper, of course, rested on the table as usual. The other woman was already in the room. The was a healthy human female with long black hair, some of it falling over one eye. She wore a long white coat, white top, and black leather boots that extended up her thighs.It was only upon introducing them to each other that Jasper realized the disaster. He sat deflated. His ears drooped. And then he spent far too much time explaining that one woman was an elf queen named Edellafarn and the other was a human doctor named "Queen", but was not a leader but was instead a mercenary.He already had a headache.
>>6442215Eventually, after extensive testing from Queen on the queen, they determined that Edellafarn had powerful regenerative powers only triggered from extensive damage. The source or mechanism of it was unclear but the king wanted answers. Queen's suggestion was to travel to the nearby community of elves and determine if they could help them understand it more. The king allowed it, but only if Jasper led the team. Jasper was honored and bothered. Of course he was bothered. The ankylosaurus ranches were going to be horribly mismanaged by the time he got back. He just knew it.So here he was, planning a trip out to a border town to the east and then proceed further east to the elves that lived in the vast wilderness beyond.He was allowed to build a team to take with him however. Obviously, he would take the two queens, but who else would he need?Warriors would be essential for protection. But too many would seem like a military force.If they chose to travel by dinosaur, they would need a rider. Jasper could manage it, of course, but he wasn't great and he also just didn't want to. They could travel on one larger beast or several smaller ones.They would need someone to handle the provisions and feed the two-legs and other beasts.(How should we assemble our team of Lagomorph characters to accompany the queens?[A]. Make the QM do it.[B]. The QM rolls some up randomly.[C]. Individual player suggestions and possible drawing contest![D]. Something else....
>>6442216After the first full day of travel across the desert, Jasper was alarmed to find that the landmark stone outcropping that travelers often rested by had been swallowed up by a sinkhole. The wind from that direction smelled off. He was reluctantly considering investigating the destruction of such a long standing feature, despite approaching the darkest part of the moon cycle. Suddenly a meteor pierced the night sky and landed with a crash not too far out of their way. Such events were rare and sometimes yielded potent events and discoveries. Yet, it was further north than they had planned to travel. He had to decide which path they should take before it got darker. Predators or attacking two-legs were rare in the desert but far from unheard of. The meteor to the north was remarkable but they were not here for adventure. The path to the east would bring them past the sunken landmark. The southern path seemed the least eventful but would take them longer to get out of the desert.What should Jasper do?[A]. Investigate the meteor strike.[B]. Proceed to where the stone landmark resting spot was.[C]. Avoid both and pass south through open desert.[D]. Something else.
(I struggled to imagine how an intelligent society of rabbits would function without technology or anthropomorphized forms. I also wasn't sure what "moon wind magic" was. I decided that Lunarian Lagomorphs all use what is essentially low-powered Green Lantern abilities. They can create glowing green energy constructs and utilize them in any way they might use technology instead.)
>>6442217> [A]. Make the QM do it.> [A]. Investigate the meteor strike.Just fly there using a fig ship, that’s likely how they lowered the capital.
>>6442218> forms. I also wasn't sure what "moon wind magic" wasI would’ve thought it’d be straight up air manipulation. With the upper strata being able to manifest hurricanes, razor winds, etc. Make good sailors
