>>6450362
THE RULES:
>Don’t Be a Dick: This quest is meant to be collaborative fun. Be respectful to your fellow QMs, be a team player whether you’re writing or reading, and keep things moving!
>First Come, First Serve: once a QM has ended their post with <NEXT>, that means the story is free game! If you want to write the next posts, reply to the last post with the word TAG. Again, if a particular QM is hogging the updates we might give it to someone else. I don’t want to do that a lot, though, so let’s share!
>What’s Established is ESTABLISHED: If the quest takes place on Bunny Island, then guess what? You’re helping write a quest about Bunny Island. That said, if something is deemed not appropriate for the established setting, players may tag me, the QM, to call a vote for its validity. I’d rather not do this, so let’s just try to work together, please!
>Stay In Contact: especially if you call ‘TAG’ but can’t update soon! If you appear to flake then we will pass along the writing privileges to someone else who is ready.
>Keep the Story Moving: Try to keep the quest going–we should be aiming for some kind of an ending, but an abrupt ‘Rocks Fall, Everybody Dies’ might ruin the fun. Let’s shoot for a natural end!
>Discussion is Fine: Want to discuss story ideas or ask an OOC question? Totally fine! Collaboration is key! Again, however, remember that other people will be playing–please don’t try to dominate the quest with your ideas alone! The best salad is made with plenty of ingredients!

With that all set up, let’s get our SETTING rolling! Reply to this post with a 1-2 sentence quest setting! If you like someone’s idea, +1 it! I’ll check in later and we’ll see which one is popular! Ready? Set…

COLLABORATE!

I have to tell you this Bones, I've already seen this attempted before. And it didn't work out much well.

Good luck though, I'll be watching and possibly participating

>>6450365
Good thing I'm a glutton for punishment. We'll see what happens--I figure I'd give it the ole' college try!

This quest takes place on an earth-like planet somewhere else in the milky way. We follow homesteaders in a remarkably Manifest Destiny-esque society in terms of aesthetic and general societal structure (though obviously sci-fi tech exists)

>>6450362
We are a pilgrimage to get a wish from the center of the swamp, the mists create evil illusions that prey on our worst impulses.

>>6450375
+1 for this

Actually, I just got a fun idea, It'd never make it to a proper quest to migth as well throw it out.

You are...an Advisor for the Evil Empire. Your job is to deal with actually running a nation while the dark overlord goes around burning villages, making superweapons and beefing with a young boy.

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>>6450370
>>6450375
>>6450386
Mudambe Corp offers the best employee packages. All you have to do is look the other way as they displace the native aliens, dismantle the ecosystems, and develop the weapon and colonization tech that allows for human expansion. Naturally, all the literature says that the superstitious bunk the natives believe in is a lie. There is no "wish granter".

But when you look deep in the jungle, you see the lights glowing faintly. There is no bioluminescence evolved here. What if Mudambe corp... lied?

>>6450386
+1 to this because I had a similar idea bouncing around in my head (though it actually was the inverse) of playing an archetypal Midgame Boss, the kind of guy who's really tough and intimidating-- to the average peasant. They have a ton of evil skulls and spikes on their armor, of course, but can't even think of going toe-to-toe with those gosh darn "Heroes"!

>>6450375
+1
The quest starts in a mysterious scientific facility. We have no memory of who we are, and our physical body is completely hollow.

>>6450362
>>6450391
IGNORE THAT +1 I DIDN'T MEAN TO RESPOND TO >>6450375

>>6450388
Hmm, I do appreciate the trying to unite the concepts, but if we were to go on a wish seeking journey, we wouldn't get to do funny evil empire shenanigans...

>>6450405
The evil empire is in decline (probably to that one popular rebellion that's still going strong), so we gotta find the wish granter to Make the Evil Empire Great Again!
Especially since the Evil Emperor is busy enacting trauma upon plucky youths by razing their villages and killing their parents, or something like that. He got his hobbies figured out, though.

>>6450386
>Mister DarkLord sir this is the fifth hamlet you have burned this month, I understand there is some 'child of light' in one of them but this situation is unsustainable. At least order a census first to find exactly how many children are in your lan- and he manifested a dark portal and left. Of course. Goddammit.
kek

Alright alley cats, let's get this thing rolling!

>>6450370
>Homesteaders in a Manifest Destiny-like society with sci-fi tech!
>>6450375
>>6450379
>Pilgrimage to the Swamp of Illusions!
>>6450386
>>6450389
>Evil Empire Hopeless Advisor!
>>6450388
>Did Mudambe Corp... LIE? Jungle Lights!
>>6450391
>Mysterious Facility!

Looks like we're tied between SWAMP ADVENTURE and EVIL EMPIRE ADVISOR. There were a couple of replies, but I didn't see some +1's. If you wanna support an idea, say it now! I'll check in later!

Oh, one more thing: I was thinking about how to keep this pretty 'questy' and I think (feel free to weigh in, this'll be your story too) that it might be okay to end your turn's posts with offering choices for other players as long as you let someone else TAG in after. For example:

You come to an old, moldy bridge over a roaring river. A mighty ogre sits at its entrance idly picking its nose. What do?
>Attack
>Bargain
>Sneak by
>Cry/Vomit
>Write-In

>NEXT>

Lemme know what you guyses think. I'm all for making this a collaborative story, but I think adding in actual voter participation might be fun and chaotic.

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>>6450386
+1
we are picrel

>>6450580
This would be very fun to do, I agree!

>>6450579
>+1 to Evil Empire Hopeless Advisor

>>6450583
>>6450592
These two bump
>EVIL EMPIRE HOPELESS ADVISOR
to the winning spot! Let's get this party started!
>>6450592
Also I'm not hearing opposition to offering choices to players, so let's roll with it! Just remember: if you're the one offering choices, be ready for another QM to take over for the next update!

Without further ado... IT'S SHOWTIME!!!! Our setting:
You are...an Advisor for the Evil Empire. Your job is to deal with actually running a nation while the dark overlord goes around burning villages, making superweapons and beefing with a young boy.

If you would like to make the first post, simply reply to this one with TAG! If it goes a little too long I'll see what I can whip up, but for now this shit is FREE GAME!

Ready! SET, QUEST!

>>6450656
Alright, it's been a while and I have an idea or two. Ya' sleep, ya' WEEP.

Also I broke my own rule and didn't end the post with a <NEXT> so that's on me. Anywho, consider this next update...

<TAGGED>
Will get something out in a jiff

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What does it take to shape the world?

Power? Panache? Patience? Pluckiness?

Mighty Demigods… Ruthless Warlords… Unlikely Heroes and Fearless Leaders… countless have risen, most have fallen. None of which are cut from the same cloth, yet beneath all of their larger-than-life shadows lurks–or HAS lurked–an unsung stabilizer. A rock amidst the raging waves. The impenetrable castle’s keystone.

And in this particular tale, that ‘honor’ falls upon you.

You wake, as you always do, long before your daily tasks demand–long before the gloom turns brighter… when the sound of the henchmen beginning their morning drills creeps into your quarters along with the distant wail of hungry warbeasts. Sleep, as usual, came fighting, and as you rub the sandman’s lingering gifts from your weary eyes, you rise from your bed like a corpse and prepare yourself for the day’s many, MANY tasks.

Somewhere in your shamblings, you manage to catch a glimpse of yourself in your chamber’s dusty old mirror. Not the most welcome sight this early in the morning, but a necessary one–all endeavors start small, and yours were no different.

What… is your NAME?
>Write-In

What… BEST DESCRIBES YOU?
>Male
>Female
>Something Else

<NEXT> (The next QM can take over once some votes have been made! Just comment <TAGGED> when you want to take over and start writing! First come, first served!)

>>6450762
>Name: Willow Seelehand
>Female

>>6450762
We need an evil sounding name, obviously. But what...?

>>6450772
Sounds too normal and non-evil

>>6450762
>Female

>>6450776
Alright, then how about
>Lady Victorium von Amory de la Eris af Acheron XIII

I'll tag in the morning if no one else claims it by then.

>>6450780
I'd +1 this name idea--sounds sufficiently-evil enough

>>6450762
<TAG>

>>6450780
+1

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>Overlord's Reputation: Abysmal
>GDP: Abysmal
>Food: Low
>Treasury: -5000 gold
>Taxes: High
>Social Spending: None
>Magical Research: Very Low
>Military Spending: High
>Overlord's Allowance: Very High

You are Lady Victorium von Amory de la Eris af Acheron XIII. Your late grandfather, Duke Augustum von Amory de la Eris af Acheron XIII, was an archwizard and a member of the Overlord's party. Many decades ago, after they defeated the Holy Kingdom of Elyseria and crushed the Church of Goddess Elysia, he was ennobled and granted the title of Duke, along with a fief in the north. There, you grew up beneath a cold and merciless sky, amid harsh winters and bitter winds.

At fourteen years old, the Overlord saw in you the ruthlessness and intelligence of Augustum, and decided to make you his Advisor. It has now been two years since you moved to the capital, accompanied only by your personal maid, and took up the position.

You sit at your desk, examining the latest budget reports. The situation is dreadful, and you do not know where to begin tackling the problems. You have been forced to borrow money from nobles and private merchants just to keep the Empire running, but if this continues, the Empire risks falling into bankruptcy. And you know very well that if that happens, your head will be the first to roll. Lately, you have been considering fleeing to a foreign nation, perhaps establishing yourself as a merchant. But for now, you have decided to stay, because you greatly enjoy the power and privileges that come with being the Advisor.

Your maid, Stella, knocks on the door of your chambers and enters. For a fraction of a second, she frowns when she notices that you are still wearing your nightgown.

"Good morning, my lady. I'm bringing your morning tea."

"Ah, Stella. I was waiting for you. Give me the morning report."

"The situation in the West has worsened. The monster attacks have increased, and Fort Wolfdenberg is barely holding. Furthermore, the monsters were diseased and carrying a plague, which has now spread to the neighboring towns. The reports concerning the plague's symptoms are contradictory so far, but they all mention coughing up black phlegm."

"This is within my predictions," you say. "What about the nobles?"

"They are growing increasingly agitated. There are already talks of rebellion. They believe the Overlord will be unable to repay his debts, and they take it as a sign of weakness. If a rebellion were to happen..."

"I know. This is the most urgent matter."

What… is your MAGICAL ABILITY?
>You are without magic or special abilities. Your power comes strictly from your own cunning.
>You have modest magical powers. Enough to hold your own, but not enough to kill the Overlord.
>In secret, you are a powerful wizardess. You have been using your position as Advisor to study forbidden scrolls in the Imperial Library.

What… is your approach to the BUDGET?
>Increase taxes
>Reduce Defense spending
>Request that the Overlord lower his private allowance [Roll 1d100]
>Write-in

<NEXT>

>>6450852
>>6450853
Victorium it is! Heck yea.
>You have modest magical powers. Enough to hold your own, but not enough to kill the Overlord.
>Write-in: Pursue OTHER means for now...
We may need to divert from the norms here...

>>6450853
I don't know about the idea of being a female advisor, but as far as the choices go,
>You are without magic or special abilities. Your power comes strictly from your own cunning.
>Write-in: Pursue OTHER means for now...
I agree with pursuing other means, but I think it's funnier if you got no power and the overlord could just slime you out like all those random mooks that get killed for failing the villain.

>>6450853
>>6450896
Good point about the lack of magic. Swapping >>6450893
to
>You got no magic or special abilities

>>6450853
>You are without magic or special abilities. Your power comes strictly from your own cunning.

>Write-in: Pursue OTHER means for now...
By this I mean gambling at the goblin casino

>>6450853
>You are without magic or special abilities. Your power comes strictly from your own cunning.
I agree it kinda spoils the fun if we're too competent ourselves (outside of administration work)
>Increase taxes
but we're a bureaucrat in an evil empire, I mean, we have to institute at least a few soul-sucking taxes. What are the peasants going to do? Revolt?

>>6450853
12 Hours seems long enough to me... just moving forward, folks, I ain't gonna be the one tracking the time between vote results--if it's been a few hours like this one then feel free to jump in!

If no one else is, though, I think I will....

<TAG>

You can hardly hide the disdain in your expression as Stella delivers the news with a piping cuppa’ tea to your cluttered desk. The Overlord: a shrewd warrior–no one was debating that–but even the most powerful weapon falls when one loses the strength to wield it. Your position was a privilege–far more preferable to some of the treatment other people received when The Overlord came to power–but you’d be lying if you said it wasn’t… vexing… at times.

The Imperial Armed Forces was bloated, to put it mildly, each branch governed by its own scheming, craven crony clamoring and begging for The Overlord’s scraps like a pack of mangy kittens in a restaurant back alley at closing time. All are annoying, yet necessary evils–for every day they plot and sabotage each other, they go another day without coming after YOUR pretty, albeit perpetually-tired head. Love ‘em or leave ‘em, however, an Empire is only as powerful as its soldiers, and while they are effective enough at quelling uprisings and monster outbreaks, they do cost quite a pretty penny to upkeep.

You can’t blame The Overlord. Not entirely. Their understanding of economics comes from years of plundering ancient tombs and violent burglary. The stories Grandpa told you would make a demon blush. Unfortunately for The Overlord, and, by extension, YOU, is that Ancient Tombs are nonrenewable resources… and in this day and age outright robbing your constituents is a good way to foment rebellion, which, as your dear maid has so kindly reminded you…

Is already and HAS already been in the works. The nobles and common folks may not have the means to revolt as of yet, but they certainly have a few reasons clanking around in their thick skulls.

Taking a sip from your tea, you silently weigh your usual options:

You could INCREASE TAXES, of course, but you may as well save yourself some time, call a meeting with the group you’d like to tax more and tell them all to kiss your ass. The nobles had money to spare, of course–hence why you borrow so much from them–and while they’d be able to pay a fairer share, they certainly wouldn’t like it. Unlike the peasantry, nobles and merchants also had ties to some of the other nations in The Arched Isles… and if word got out to them that the fearsome Overlord needed to raise taxes?

You’d never hear the end of it. When The Overlord isn’t conquering, torturing, or beefing with their foes, they LOVE to complain at you… it’d almost be funny if it didn’t eat into your precious time. But no–raising taxes? Only as a last resort.

Reduce spending, then? You cast a furtive gaze towards Stella–your sweet maid humming a jaunty tune to herself as she idly tends to your office.

The tea goes down harsh and warm all the way to your belly. You don’t deserve people like her.

>CONTD.

>>6451064
Right, spending. On one hand, good for keeping the Armed Forces Branches competitive. On the other, you’d be plucking coin straight from your soldiers–you know, the ones currently protecting you from monsters, foreign armies, and violent radicals. Despite their differences, each branch is, for the most part, loyal to The Overlord–both due to The Overlord’s natural charisma and their pro-war, pro-plunder platform they ran on when they first seized power.

The platform in question being a wooden platform The Overlord leapt from onto their foes at The Battle of Bluereach. The Overlord still has a few pieces hanging in their throne room–some still stained!

You briefly consider asking The Overlord to reduce their own spending–but that idea dies faster than the aforementioned foes at The Battle of Bluereach. You couldn’t quite say why The Overlord keeps you so close and listens to your council–it certainly isn’t your ‘charming’ personality–but you know one thing for certain: asking them to spend less on fancy weaponry and statues is a good way to find yourself in The Oubliette. You’ve watched people get thrown into there before. Not fun. For them, at least. The Overlord finds it hilarious.

“Milady,” Stella murmurs, rousing you back into the present, “You look… troubled.”

The corner of your mouth curls into the beginning of what you hope resembles a ‘reassuring’ smile. The haunted stare Stella responds with tells you it doesn’t land.

Based on your research into Statecraft, Economics, and Evil Civics, the options you’ve just considered are common, tried-and-true solutions. Foolproof? No. Effective? In many cases! But The Empire is not a state built upon common solutions, nor bound to the usual conventions!

“Stella,” You grunt as you rise from your desk with renewed determination in your steely gaze, “Fetch me my clothes. I’ll be going out today.”

The maid’s eyes light up at the opportunity! “Splendid, milady! I know JUST the outfit to make you GLOW-”

“Subtle today, Stella,” you interject, yanking the wind from the servant’s sails like a weed from the garden, “I’d prefer to stay subtle.”

“Subtle…” She repeats, forcing a smile onto her face, “Of course, milady.” Her head cocks to the side. “But where do you intend to go?”

Where indeed?
>Dead Nobles can’t collect debts. Seek aid from some assassins.
>Look into this Plague some more. Perhaps there’s something to be gained?
>Soldiers are expensive. What if we could replace them with something else?
>There are a few neighbors on the nearby isles that are due to pay tribute. Let’s remind a few.
>Go undercover and fish for rumors. Treasure and artifacts are hard to come by these days, but maybe there’s some new leads?
>Gambling. State-sponsored Gambling Dens. What better way is there to legally rob someone?
>Summon a demon to consult on the matter? The library has some tomes...
>Write-In!

<NEXT!>

>>6451065
>Summon a demon to consult on the matter? The library has some tomes...
Everybody knows that Demons are great at giving advice, and as a bureaucrat, we don't have a soul to begin with, so no danger there.

>>6451065
>Summon a demon to consult on the matter? The library has some tomes...

>>6451065
>Summon a demon

When in doubt, the infernal soul exchange pays a lot. Especially on bulk trades. None of them yours! Or the Overlord's. That would just end up in him storming hell itself to get it back.

<TAGGED>

>>6451065
You suppress a shudder from becoming visible.

"I have business to do with Herr Faust."

That's right, the Empire's chief expert on Daemonology and librarian - the Overlord once saved him from being sacrificed by a backwoods cult, and he returns the favor by summoning an army of demons, imps, and other denizens of hell to aid the Overlord's campaign against the Holy Church of Trinitriade. Suffice to say, he is eccentric in the sort of way a cultist would be, and fiercely loyal to the Overlord.

"Ah, so the shabby cloak it is, milady?"

A sigh escapes your lips. No doubt you'll have to bathe again once this sordid affair is over.

"Yes, yes. Make that two; you'll be accompanying me."

+++++

A trip later, you and Stella arrives at the book-tower Faust calls his lair, just as the hour chimes midnight. Magical doors open on its own as you walk through them - though you swear you can hear faint screams of damned souls as they do.
Or Faust just needs their hinges oiled, you're not sure.

In any case, you and Stella eventually find yourselves in Faust's office, a menacingly tall room lit by deep red candlelight. Faust himself, a surprisingly young-looking man with an old voice and a gaze that implies he's always burning his midnight oils, sits behind a large escritoire, flanked by two piles of occult grimoires.

"Ahh, lady Victorum von Amory, in my presence at last. Good for you to wear the usual cultist robes, but I'm afraid the seance wouldn't be for another fortnight."

Rats, so you wore this stenchful robe for nothing, then.

"I'm going to be direct with you, Herr Faust, I need your assistance."

"Oh? For the Imperial Advisor to come debase herself to me? Matters must be grave indeed, khekhekhe. But why should I help you, o blemish on my Overlord's divine visage?"

Of course he went there. In his mind, the Overlord is his only god, and everyone else are a nuisance at best. Better tailor your words to his expectations.

"Because as you know, the Empire is teetering on the brink of destruction right now. I can only do so much for the economy."

He looks on with indifference. You continue.

"Which is why I require your assistance in matters infernal. It would be sad if the Overlord's beloved Empire falls just to a mere financial crisis, wouldn't it? Furthermore, it would be you that saved the Empire - wouldn't the Overlord be very pleased with you then?"

A cracked grin spreads through his face, mimicking the scar on his throat.

"Ahh, I knew you'll be mafginally useful to our regal, divine, BEAUTIFUL Overlord one day, lady Victorum~ and today's the day~"

You can hear the euphoria in his voice escalating. Faust grabs a grimoire from the bibliographic cliffs surrounding him, and then another, and another.

(Cont.)

>>6451486
"Now, there are many ways to gain riches using daemons, but ones that could save an empire are few indeed. I could summon Sneb-heru the Honeytongued, who has power over minds; Tashumene the Dweller that can discern treasures of the cthonic deeps; or Baalzora the Exchanger, if you want to trade souls in bulk. Now, as powerful I am, I cannot summon more than one at a time, lest we all face their infernal malice. Which will it be, lady Victoria?"

>Sneb-Heru, to make merchants from all over the world flock to the Empire
>Tashumene, to reveal deep deposits you can exploit to reinvigorate imperial industry
>Baalzora, to exchange souls the empire owns for direct monetary funds

<NEXT!>

>>6451487
>Tashumene, to reveal deep deposits you can exploit to reinvigorate imperial industry
This one would require effort only once, and as the Evil Empire we probably have a lot of prison workers/indentured servants/obligatory nonhuman furry slaves

Write in: is there perhaps a demon more for personal power?

(I'm thinking about taking the "warlock" path.)

>>6451487
>Tashumene, to reveal deep deposits you can exploit to reinvigorate imperial industry

>>6451487
>Tashumene, to reveal deep deposits you can exploit to reinvigorate imperial industry

>>6451513
Being a warlock does sound fun but at the same time I think it's more intresting to have Victorium be a character that isn't doing crazy magic stuff or fighting on her own. That's what the army and Overlord are for.

<TAG>

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>>6451487
“Are you certain there is nothing I can do to assist?” You question Herr Faust as he continues to scribble chalk lines on the floor– glancing back towards his grimoire every few minutes to check his work.

The young, yet old, man sighs in frustration. “For the last time, Lady Victorium, this work of mine is infinitely complex. For the untrained to even attempt it would lead to results so foul I cannot even think of discussing them in present company. For that would cause insanity as well.” He says before going back to scribbling.

“But are you quite certain? I could easily acquire the necessary sacrifices for the ritual–” You're interrupted when Faust strikes the ground with his fist. Before discreetly trying to hide how much that hurt his hand.

“Lady Victorium, your plebeian understanding of the Dark Arts is plainly disturbing. Sacrifices for the summoning? Absurd! Sacrifices as for bargaining, and how can you collect them before we know what the daemon will desire? It could be wealth, virgins, magicks, damned souls, or whatever else under the Magnificent Overlord’s dark sun. We cannot possibly know what will be requested before the summoning is complete! Daemons have a habit of changing their desires by the hour! So please, I beseech you, stay quiet!”

“My lady, I believe you have hazarded the daemonologist enough?” Stella whispers with a delicate hand on your shoulder. You nod and step back, hiding the slight smile adorning your face with your hood. You must deal with the lowest of low lives, and the dumbest of dumbers for your work, and sometimes making such people tick is the only enjoyment you’ll find in a day. The luxuries of being the nation's chief bureaucrat, you suppose.

“How you're related to the great Duke Augustum, I shall never understand...” Herr Faust mutters as he resumes his work.

Ah, yes. Grandfather, who also just so happens to be the thirteenth of his name as well as being the reason you now have the position you do. He was an unrivaled master of magic, whereas you inherited no such abilities. Unlike math, magical formulas do not make sense in your head, and raw magic seems to go on the fritz when you try to control it. You cannot possibly know why this is, likely another fell consequence of the ever-present miasma plaguing these dark lands. The very same lands that were thought untamable before the Overlord, and which has never so much as heard of recorded history. Before you, that is. Making it rather hard to pinpoint exactly who your name comes *from* despite their clear noble origins. These lands are of course-

>What is the name of the Overlord’s Domain?

>>6451561
“It is done,” Herr Faust says as he rises. “The binding circles along with the wards placed on this chamber will ensure our safety as long as no one,” he gives you a pointed look, “disturbs the salts or blows out the candles. And do not even think about diluting the sinner’s blood!” He snaps, but you’re not sure why you would. Assassinating Herr Faust is not even that high on your to-do list.

“We are ready. You may begin.” You say, causing the man to grumble about ‘Not needing it.’

“Attenrobendum eos! Ad ligandum eos! Potiter eos! Coram me!” The daemonologist chants as the temperature in the subterranean chamber drops, the candles flicker, and the ground shakes. Black smoke rises from the middle of the summoning circle as great talons claw their way from the earth. Arsing is a form most dreadful– with scaly purple skin, great tentacles that form into a bushy beard, and a gargantuan maw with teeth so serrated even the Overlord might manage to get a papercut or two from them.

“WHO DARES SUMMON–” You cut the theatrics off by stepping forward with a slightly raised palm.

And before the daemonologist can even speak, you do. “We,” as in the royal one, “are Lady Victorium von Amory de la Eris af Acreon the Thirteenth of our name, personal advisor to the Mighty Overlord. King of Hell, Heaven, and Earth, The Unstoppable, The Scourge of Elyseria, The Conqueror of Trinitriade, The Tyrant of the Dark, The Glasser of the Rolling Deserts, The Punisher of Gnomes, The Lord Admiral of the Dreadships, The…” You continue to unflinchingly list titles for well over half an hour as the great beast, bound by Herr Faust, can do nothing but listen. By the halfway mark, you’re pretty sure Tashumene has a pretty good idea of who your dark master is, and near completion Faust finally looks impressed. He likely memorized these titles to pray or some such nonsense. “... And many, many, more…” You take a deep breath. “I trust you understand the weight behind my words?”

The daemon looks as if it’s not quite sure how to react as it bounces weight from one knee to the next in a loop around its six legs, bearing the resemblance of five different animals. It merely nods, which is good enough. Not even the Gods stand above the Overlord, much less any demons. “WHAT IS IT YOU HAVE SUMMONED ME FOR?” Thankfully, there is no distant rumbling or other petty theatrics when the demon finally realizes it has permission to speak.

“Allow us to first clarify. We stand ready to deliver any necessary sacrifices or compensation for your work. But before any such can be delivered, we require a token of good faith on your end. As such, please unearth mineral deposits of-”

>>6451563
>”-Gold.” Plain and simple, it can be used in exchange for goods and services.

>”-Magitite.” Not to be confused with magnetite, this magically infused ore can fuel all kinds of spells and is often crushed and snorted by wizards to enhance their own abilities.

>”-Mithril.” One of the strongest of all metals while also being incredibly easy to mold and work with. It is far easier to list what cannot be made with it than what can.

>”-Adamantite.” The strongest of metals and personal favorite of the Overlord. Likely more due to its black and red luster than its strength, but you would never say that aloud.

>>6451564
Oh shit, forgot to add <NEXT>

>>6451564
>”-Gold.” Plain and simple, it can be used in exchange for goods and services.
Simple, easy, and can be used to pay off our debts.

>>6451564
>”-Mithril.” One of the strongest of all metals while also being incredibly easy to mold and work with. It is far easier to list what cannot be made with it than what can.
Versatile, utilitarian, overall safe choice.
zzzmot as boring as gold, which is bound to drive our economy in shambles, nor is magilite makes our magis addicts and adamantite... actually, last one is just feels like we pandering to the Overlord's whims, AND WE DONT WANT THAT.


>What is the name of the Overlord’s Domain?
The Eternal Overland, Because Overlord has a bit of an ego.
It was once called Holy Rivers Union, but it was mostly a loose collection of hundreds of baronies and warring states, and last time you've checked, those rivers most definetely, asbolutely, NOT holy!

>>6451564
>”-Gold.” Plain and simple, it can be used in exchange for goods and services.

>>6451563
>The Punisher of Gnomes
Based. He's clearly the good guy.

>>6451564
>”-Mithril.” One of the strongest of all metals while also being incredibly easy to mold and work with. It is far easier to list what cannot be made with it than what can.


A lot of "just gold for coins" could drive up inflation like crazy. Mithril can be traded, can be made into tools tools (and those also may be traded or sold), and all of it is reasonably easy to regulate. (Well, for an evil empire, that can just execute any smugglers).

Also, another idea, regardless of what deposit ends up winning. We could find some relatively strong noble house that we sure isn`t yet on rebellion planning, and propose "they" develop the mines for some 20-30% of future profits. Then we wouldn`t have to conjure initial investment out of nowhere, and if mines are really prosperous and somewhat tie them to the Overlord. They would of course pocket some, but at the beginning there will be too much scrutiny to pocket much, and "terms and conditions" may be revisited 15-20 years down the line.

>>6451597
We're an evil empire, I doubt we're lacking in free labour.

>>6451602
It still isn`t truly free.
Slaves and their food need to be transported, so is overseers. People who would map out plans of the future mines also should be paid - they are too competent too use "force to do it fo free an quickly and purge anyone who doesn`t like it" method.

So, slave labor isn`t free. Just cheaper. And we are already in a crippling debt, if our balance was around 0 - I would agree to just loan up a bit. But I`m not even sure we can loan up even more without using threats at this point.

>>6451564
>>6451597
+1 to this idea. Gold is good in the long run, but Mithril? That has POTENTIAL!
And as for the realm name:
>The Eternal Overlord's Eternal Overland Empire
Because I feel like The Overlord would be extra like that. Also
>>6451561
Shit yes, we got ART! Excellent work on the cloak and the 'Tired of this shit' eye, man.

Also here's some ambience for the DEMON SUMMONING SCENE:
https://youtu.be/COL4b87sDkw

>>6451564
>Mithril.” One of the strongest of all metals while also being incredibly easy to mold and work with. It is far easier to list what cannot be made with it than what can.

Since no one is claiming, I'll do it

<TAGGED>

will put it out in an hour or more

>>6451564
Mithril is obviously superior because gold can be easily stolen or clipped or reduced in any other number of ways through corruption, where mithril only needs to move between the hands of a few smiths
And given the military budget we can save money by insisting the smiths take payment in mithril

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>>6451564
-mithril"

"VERY WELL" Tashumene says
He swings his tentacles around in some sort of ritual and out comes a large chunk of mithril right from the floor,
it's glowing with magical aura.
You go to pick it up, you look at Faust before that to make sure it's safe, and he nods.
The chunk feels heavy and pristine in your hands, worth a nice fortune, but far from helping the economy at all,
the demon speaks out to you.

"FOR THE WEALTH YOU SEEK, A GREAT SACRIFICE IS REQUIRED" The demon flails his tentacles excitedly,
"THOU SHALT GO ON A GREAT JOURNEY, AND RETRIEVE FOR ME - A GREAT ARTIFACT"
Tashumene looks at you with a mischievous look in his eyes.
"THE ARTIFACT LIES INSIDE A DUNGEON WITHIN THE KINGDOM OF ELYSERIA, AND THOU SHALT RETRIEVE IT THYSELF"

You look at the demon with a stunned expression, Faust guffaws "Feheh, that is what you get when dealing with demon!"
"B-But why!?" You beseech the demon, "If you need an artifact then a specialized stealth force, or a large regiment wou-"


"FOR IT IS WHAT I DESIRE, FOR A PRICE PAID A PRICE IS GIVEN" The demon looks at Faust "THOU SHALT ALSO GO ON THE JOURNEY"

Faust falls on his ass "B-B-But why?!? What DID I EV-"


"I SHALL LET THE TWO OF YE BRING 3 COMPANIONS FOR THIS QUEST, ANY MORE AND THE CONTRACT IS VOID"

Tashumene brings out a tentacle towards you

"HOLD MY ARM AND THE CONTRACT IS SIGNED"
>1. Grab the tentacle, it's what must be done, perhaps you could ask him more about the journey he's sending you on

>2. Don't, but you have a sense you might not get such an opportunity again, then again, are the risks worth it?

Btw, DemBones, do you need to give it off immediately after a continuation of the quest?
Or can someone have it for like another continuation or two?
If not then I am <NEXT>ing it, if yes I am not "<NEXT>"ing it.

>>6451905
Also guys, pls pick 1, I think this will lead to many great opportunities for the quest, I only gave 2 because I (hope) am not a tyrannical bastard.

>>6451908
Good question. Like I said before I'd like to ensure that everyone gets a turn and one or two QMs don't dominate, but if you write an update and have a good idea for the follow-up I don't think anyone will be upset if you call 'TAG' after posting your prompt, especially if you've got something planned after!

In short, just call <TAG> now for the follow-up. If it seems like a QM is trying to dominate we'll kindly ask that they give someone else a turn, but in this sitch I think you're definitely justified! Thanks for asking!

File: tenor.gif (1.52 MB, 498x234)

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>>6451905
>>1. Grab the tentacle, it's what must be done, perhaps you could ask him more about the journey he's sending you on
>>6451909
>1. Grab the tentacle, it's what must be done, perhaps you could ask him more about the journey he's sending you on

>>6451911
alrighty
>>6451905
<TAGGED>

(also might as well use my actual capcode for this place, sorry if anyone likes my quest, I promise I will get to it, at some point, but I am dealing with IRL troubles)

>>6451905
>1. Grab the tentacle, it's what must be done, perhaps you could ask him more about the journey he's sending you on
Should make a note to ask the Overlord to go down to Hell and crush this guy's tentacles later.

Also, cool art!

>>6451905
Wow, that’s pretty specific, and mostly unrelated to the economy
And difficult to cut short

Well regardless, this is a yes and type venture, so we are/were always going to be taking the tentacle
The main thing we need to do now is get a hard legal guarantee on all of this demon whim stuff and start thinking of contacts to organise the mercenaries we will be hiring. Maybe poach some from the military

>>6451976
Yaeh, not a big fan of hard-turning this bureaucrat adventure into a fetch quest

>>6451977
You're more than welcome to turn it around--this IS 'And Then' Quest after all! I've seen other quests where they balance both individual shenanigans and bureaucrat management before--certainly doable.

>>6451977
oh man, now I feel a little bad, that's what you get when you don't read the replies and only the main questing parts...
Though I think in due compensation this will greatly help the economy part.
.
.
I focus too much on the drama...soz

And actually, I think I'll <next> it, I hope I may be able to contribute again to this quest later, but it's getting pretty late for me and I don't wanna bog you guys down with 10 hours or so of me going to sleep and then having my morning routine.

Welp, that means the next update's fair game then. Tag it if ya want it, folks!

I think the best way to tie this into previous plots is to have the “dungeon” be the home of some rival demon (demon pranks, falseflag etc), and perhaps a congregation of some sort, so that we can then add political intrigue and court drama to the dungeon
But the next page definitely has to be recruiting, and I intend to sleep around now
Best of luck to those who continue the quest

Okay, question since rereading the newest update and noticing a discrepancy or two (we got one chunk of mithril, for example). I don't want to lean on this too hard since I think it goes against the spirit of the quest, but would people want to redo this post >>6451905 so that we get what was originally promised and can take it in another direction? I'll abstain, but from my second reading it looks like we should be getting more mithril and I think there was a bit of confusion as to what was being asked.

No offense intended, just want to get a read on things so that we can proceed in a way that better matches what was originally being asked for.

>No, let's stick with the tentacle contract and a grand journey to get an artifact!
>Yes, let's revert to our decision to ask the demon for Mithril

>>6452011
>Yes, let's revert to our decision to ask the demon for Mithril
Ehhh, I really feel you on not wanting to undercut Torturedqm, I really appreciate the art - but going on a quest like this would definitely preclude us from being an administrative type, and we specifically voted against having powers or skills of our own BECAUSE of the desire to lock in on arranging others to perform tasks for us/the overlord, and the post itself even notes that the single chunk of mithril is 'far from helping the economy' which... Is why we are dealing with the demon at all.

Maybe instead of fully re-doing it we just write-in a vote to tell the demon to leave and take the one chunk of mithril along, then summon a different demon that will give us a boatload of the stuff in exchange for something else - ideally something that requires us to choose between which assets to deploy and/or how.

>>6452011
>Yes, let's revert to our decision to ask the demon for Mithril

Honestly, while it`s not that good of a precedent, genre shift is jarring. Going on adventure before resolving any problem and without having characters established way before to go with just feels wrong for the bureaucrat.

>>6452011
Hmmm... what if we renegotiate with the demon in the next update? To at least delay and pick a delegate (read: persuade or trick another of the Overlord's underlings/hire a merc to do it instead of us)?

>>6451905
>3. Question it, a single chunk isn't what we asked for. Does it really think it can trick us into accepting such a meagre offering?

>>6452081
Support and whoever jumps in can just adjust from there, this is a useable update

>>6452081
Yea, I'll support this. Sorry, TorturedQM--didn't mean to call you out like that! Let's keep things going! Unless anyone has any objections, maybe we just run with this option and open up for the next <TAG>?

a deal with a demon is often twisted so torturedqms update is fair.
that said, i vote 2 dont

I would like for y'all to atleast consider my stance..
I think going on an adventure would lead for a lot of opportunities for QMs to take this in many different ways,
it'll make this quest 'diverse' in a sense, because I think we inadvertently put ourselves on a very specific quest..

Also, isn't this the point of this whole quest? This is about people taking it on many different directions and seeing what happens, I think it hurts the spirit of the quest if we lock ourselves on one specific path.

Thirdly, I think things have consequences, and so if we want to secure great wealth for the empire, a great price must be paid, so forth and whatnot. I think if we get the mithril just like that with minimal consequence, (other than probably a fetch quest) it'd be a little lame.


I insist that I try not to be tyrannical, this is just my view for this whole debacle, and I would like for you to atleast consider it.

>>6452146
I think the fact that the quest was specific and different from a usual dungeoncrawl was a part of the charm, and that people did really want to go down that path they set for themselves
Also, the consequences should be administrative and political
There are no bad playstyles, but there are ill fitting ones, and I don’t think this idea fits. It’s an improv skill to be able to move things forward with the ideas of others instead of moving around them
Also I liked our girl having more aura. She seemed like a high aura 16 year old

>>6452146
Taking the story in different directions is one thing, that's gonna happen, but undercutting previously agreed upon votes is different than that imo. If players vote specifically to not go on an adventure, sending them on one within a few votes feels like bad form, and if they vote to traffick with a demon in order to solve an economic problem, telling them that they get a raw deal and don't get what they bargained for without at least allowing a roll also feels like it subverts the will of the players imo. The point of the quest is for different QMs to contribute ideas, but the idea is also to collaborate on building one story, right? If there isn't continuity from one post to the next, we aren't actually collaborating, we are just competing.

>>6452238
That's how it is... I did not force this on you though, I said I preferred if you did, but I did not force you on this. You are all attacking me for something I didn't exactly do, I put a twist in it yes, but I didn't write "You then grab the tentacle".
You can vote.
(also I should mention that the QM before me did NOT seem to care about how I did it!)

Alright, <TAGGING> this since I think we're stuck in the mud. Will write an update in a lil bit based off of >>6452039
>>6452081
These ideas. Just moving forward, folks: kurul and the others both make valid points, but remember this is a little different from a usual quest: it's one that relies on multiple QMs picking it up and running with it--ones who might not have an insight into what you're planning. Please continue to communicate--I think it's a good way to keep us all on the same page!

WRITING

>>6452256
You got it right before I was about to tag myself... guess I should go update my own quest then.

But also, I wanted to ask everyone their opinions on QM voting etiquette. Should we not vote on updates we plan to tag into? Hold off a few hours on each update to let players go first? Or I'm think about it too much and anything goes? I'd like to hear others thoughts so I'm not in my own head about it/so we can establish rules if there needs to be any.

>>6452262
I think you can schizophrenically act as both player and qm on the basis that you don’t definitively know if you are going to qm, and then simply mentally denote your vote as a tiebreak/ half vote

Your weary gaze flits between the demon’s extended tentacles–one outstretched to shake on the deal, the other cradling an admittedly-sizeable–yet still singular–chunk of mithril.

“... HOLD MY ARM AND THE CONTRACT IS SI-”

Yes, you sigh, you… you heard him the first time.

“OKAY I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE YOU LOOKED LIKE YOU WEREN’T REALLY PAYING ATTENTION”

No, no, you answer in a resigned tone forged in the fires of sitting through countless meetings and getting yelled at by people with less teeth than you’ve had years in this world, you heard him.

“ALRIGHT WELL YOU DON’T LOOK EXACTLY THRILLED”

Ordinarily you’d be ‘jumping for joy’, you reply in a tone that suggests anything but, but you’re looking at a chunk of mithril here.

“BEAUTIFUL ISN’T IT”

Yes, quite, but the issue here isn’t the mineral’s luster so much as it’s… lack.

The demon answers with a blank stare that stretches a bit too long.

You wanted MORE, you grumble, preemptively rubbing your temples to stave off an incoming headache, enough to stimulate the Empire’s economy. More silence.

“... THIS WILL STIMULATE THE ECONOMY.”

“It WILL stimulate the economy.” Faust agrees, the demonologist’s head dipping with a resolute nod.

Yes, you reply with dwindling patience, ONE craftsman’s economy. For one afternoon, maybe. The demon and his demon summoner stare as if you’d just told them the sky was blue. Do… do they understand Macroeconomics?

“A fearsome devil indeed…” Faust mutters under a hushed, wary breath. “I wouldn’t dare attempt to summon him, Lady Victorium.

“I FIND HIS SENSE OF DECOR TACKY.”

You open your mouth to argue, but stop long before your finger raises into the air. Instead, your attention turns towards your ever-patient servant Stella. “Stella, dear, did you bring any refreshments?”

“Of course, Milady.” Answers the maid in a far-kinder tone than you can manage at the moment. “Shall I prepare some for Herr Faust and, erm…”

“SUPER MASTER TASHUMENE.” The demon helpfully answers.

“... Super Master Tashumene?”

Please.

A few cups of tea and a handful of perfectly-flakey scones later, you manage to outline the core tenants of Macroeconomics (the concept, not the demon) as well as a few basic fundamentals like Evil GDP, Debt, and Inflation.

“HELL’S BELLS, WHY DIDN’T I HEAR ABOUT THIS EARLIER?” Moans Tashumene as you let Stella dab away at some jam on your cheek with her trusty handkerchief. “I COULD’VE RETIRED EONS AGO IF I’D JUST INVESTED MY SOULS EARLIER”

“Tangetically-related, Lady Victorium,” Herr Faust interjects with a few crumbs still clinging to his beard.

Shoot.

“Paychecks still go out on Friday, right?”

>CONTD.

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>>6452271
Paychecks EVERY Friday, you confirm with a resolute nod! The Empire may be teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, but you’ll be damned thrice-over before you mess up payroll. You have a reputation to uphold, of course–not to mention Stella would probably throttle you with her apron long before The Overlord’s henchmen ever get the chance!

“OKAY SO” Tashumene gurgles, still cramped in Herr Faust’s summoning circle, but clearly pleased by the raspberry tart it just housed, “YOU WANT MORE. LOTS MORE. MORE MITHRIL MEANS MORE MITHRIL GOODS. MORE MITHRIL GOODS MEANS MORE BUYERS-”

Yes, you interject, you don’t need to recount what we just spent the last few minutes going over–the question is, can they manage it? A sly grin slips onto the fiend’s face as a sound akin to a frilled eel giggling fills the chamber.

"FOR THE WEALTH YOU SEEK, A GREAT SACRIFICE IS REQUIRED" The demon flails his tentacles excitedly,
"THOU SHALT GO ON A GREAT JOURNEY, AND RETRIEVE FOR ME - A GREAT ARTIFACT"
Tashumene looks at you with a mischievous look in his eyes.
"THE ARTIFACT LIES INSIDE A DUNGEON WITHIN THE KINGDOM OF ELYSERIA, AND THOU SHALT RETRIEVE IT THYSE-”

No, you answer flatly, you’re not about to traipse about some dusty old ruin–you’re far too busy.

“BUT”

Not to mention all the rabid vagrants that tend to squat in those deathtraps–is that his goal? To have you stuck like a pincushion by some gibbering, flea-bitten madman?

“If you wanted that, you could simply charter a ferry to the Beastlands and take a walk through their capitol, am I right?” Chuckles Faust as he raises his hand in the air for you to slap.

You don’t.

Listen, you sigh as the demon begins to tremble with barely-concealed sadness, you are open to the dungeon idea-

“EXCELLENT, TOUCH MY ARM A-”

BUT, you interject, you don’t want to do it alone. Hells, you’d rather foist it onto another group of idiots. You don’t even want to imagine the uproar if you leave on an ADVENTURE for a few days–there won’t be a building taller than you left standing if you depart on such short notice!

“YOUR CONCERNS ARE VALID” Tashumene answers with a thoughtful nod, “VERY WELL, YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO IT, BUT I WOULD REALLY ENJOY IT IF YOU DID-”

So we’re agreed, then, you interject with a glimmer in your gaze, collect this artifact from the dungeon… and he will supply you with-

“WE WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH THE LOCATIONS OF SEVERAL FINE MITHRIL SOURCES.” The demon answers, “ENOUGH TO BOLSTER THE ECONOMY AND STOKE ENVY ACROSS THE ARCHED ISLES. BUT I REALLY REALLY NEED THAT ARTIFACT, CANNOT STRESS IT ENOUGH”

>>6452273
Hmmm, you murmur as Faust takes a stealthy glance at his pocket watch, better, yes, but do you accept?

WHAT QUESTIONS DOTH YOU ASK?
>This dungeon. Tell me more.
>What is this artifact you need?
>How do you know about this mithril?
>Other demons wouldn’t happen to want this artifact too, would they?
>What perils might the plunderers expect on their expedition?
>Would you mind altering the deal some more?
>Agreeable. Let’s shake on it.
>I’ll consider it. (Send Tashumene away)
>Write-In!

<NEXT>

>>6452269
>>6452262
I agree with this take. I think if you have a good idea you should just take it while the iron's hot--I don't expect this quest to be extremely well-planned given it's a collaborative effort, but in the spirit of the AND THEN idea I'd just try to keep things rolling and running off of what's already been established.

Above all, feel free to get creative! We're building lore as we go along--no need to wait if you've got a nifty idea!

>>6452274
Given the previously established dungeoneering economy that is currently in a late stage, the military is likely either already working on this dungeon or would love to hear about it
(I imagine a late stage dungeoneering economy has already got around to dismantling and reselling traps and turning monsters into food or warbeasts, as to squeeze the last drops of profit out of a limited resource)
And if we have the artefact we will be in a far better position to negotiate a straight trade then we are now
Let’s just get someone else to locate the artefact and clear the traps then swoop in to retrieve the object at the last second

Ask the demon about the specifics of the dungeon and the artefact and pray it has not already been uncovered

>>6452274
>This dungeon. Tell me more.
>What is this artifact you need?
>Agreeable. Let’s shake on it.

>>6452283
Support

>>6452282
I do want to mention, that I wrote that the artifact lies within the enemy kingdom Elyseria, it is not in the same situation as the evil empire we advise for

>>6452285
Good detail, thank you for the reminder! We HATE Elyseria, folks!

... though I'm willing to bet compared to The Empire they're very nice

>>6452285
I thought the implication of them being defeated and their church being crushed was that the lands we now rule were formerly theirs

>>6452297
Idk man

>>6452286
No yeah, they are SAVAGES. Sure, we are ruled over by petulant, egomaniacal, homicidal maniac, but they eat bread while eating pasta, eat snails and frogs and a hot drink made out of grounded burnt acorns!!! WHO DOES THAT?!

>>6452283
Also, this.

>>6452243
Chill twin, chill. He's not accusing you, he's laying a timeline to explain things to you. You just misread the room is all, it's no biggie.

>>6452243
>>6452346
Yeah man, I genuinely don't want you to feel attacked anymore than I think you want me or anyone else to feel unconsidered with our votes - this is a more challenging exercise than a normal quest and I think alternating QM every update makes it even harder than if the turnaround was a little longer, like every third or fourth post, so there is already a bit of momentum/continuity baked in. With a game like this I expect there will be more updates that cause a little static, whenever I get around to tagging in I very well might be responsible for one. I suppose I just wanted to clarify that while I see your angle, for me, those two points of subversion felt too sudden and executive. But I don't even think it was a flatly 'bad' update, which is why I supported the write-in option, so we could utilize it but still get somewhere more aligned with the prior votes. Your art is based and so are you for putting in the effort to contribute twfold.

>>6452348
'ppreciate it man, I like to think of myself as a chill dude,
but sometimes I take stuff too personally (story of my life man)

Heading off for the night, see y'all in eight hours

>>6452274
If anyone feels like it, feel free to contribute to the Quest as a QM

>>6452555
Well if you insist...
TAGGED. Writing later since I got shit goin on today

This ARTIFACT, you reply, cool as a cucumber, what is it? The demon squirms.

“NOTHING IMPORTANT REALLY I JUST HAPPEN TO NEED IT A LOT”

So they keep saying.

“LOOK YOU DON’T HAVE TO THINK TOO HARD ABOUT THIS” Tashumene adds with growing unease in their unnatural tone, “IT’S NO BIG DEAL”

It is if they want you to go fetch it, you bluntly reply, prompting the demon to quiver with delight!

“RIGHT RIGHT YOU WILL NEED TO KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN YOU GO GET I-”

Or someone ELSE does, you interject as you raise a finely-manicured finger in the air.

“OR SOMEONE ELSE DOES THAT’S TRUE” The devil adds with what you can only assume is some kind of sigh. “VERY WELL THEN I WILL DESCRIBE IT TO YOU”

Good, you nod, that’s-

“CAN YOU IMAGINE IF I GAVE YOU A QUEST AND YOU DIDN’T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR”

Right, you’r-

“WOULD THAT BE MESSED UP OR WHAT”

“Indeed…” Faust murmurs as Stella retrieves a fresh scroll and quill from her maidly-pockets.

“I shall transcribe for you, milady.” She explains with a soft smile. Again, what would you do without her?

“OKAY SO” Tashumene begins with a low rumble emanating from their sizable gullet, “IF YE SEEK THE TREASURE TRUE-”

No rhymes, songs, or riddles, you interject, prompting Stella to pause her penning, just get to the point, if you please.

“WOW I’VE BEEN TO FUNERALS LIVELIER THAN THIS”

“Lady Victorium means no offense, Super Master Tashumene,” Chirps Stella as she glances up from the parchment, “Milady is kept… quite busy, is all.”

“WELL MANNERS DON’T COST ANYTHING, YOU KNOW” Grumbles the devil as Faust sends a sidelong glance your way. “FINE, THE ARTIFACT RESEMBLES A TUBE”

You’d like to think yourself rather unflappable, but that, well… flaps you. A ‘tube’?

“YES, LONG, CYLINDRICAL, HOLE THROUGH THE MIDDLE” Tashumene clarifies with a hint of pity in their strange voice, “DO THEY HAVE TUBES IN YOUR PLANE I CAN NEVER REMEMBER”

Yes, we do, you sigh as you try and fail to hold the scraps of your patience together, but what about colors? Material? Is it magical in any way?

“BURNT UMBER, CERAMIC, AND VERY YES.” The demon nods, taking care not to poke past the summoning circle’s perimeter. “AND THERE SHOULD ONLY BE ONE OF THEM IN THE RUINS THEY’RE HELD IN BUT IF THERE ARE MORE THEN YOU CAN GRAB THOSE TOO”

You and Stella exchange a glance. And what, pray tell, DOES this artifact do, exactly?

“IT DOES NUNYA.”

You didn’t know you could glower this hard. …‘Nunyabusine-’

“NUNYABUSINESS” Cackles the demon, prompting both Faust and even Stella to join in at your expense! “NO SERIOUSLY IT’S DEMON STUFF I WON’T BORE YOUR PRETTY LITTLE MORTAL HEAD WITH THE DETAILS”

>CONTD.

>>6452641
That doesn’t unsink your scowl at all. If it affects The Empire, you fire back in as measured a tone you can manage, then it matters, yes.

“AND IF THIS ARTIFACT GOES TO ME THEN YOU AND YOUR LITTLE EMPIRE HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT” Tashumene replies in a low tone bordering on sinister! “BUT IF SOMEONE ELSE WERE TO OH I DUNNO GRAB IT WHILE YOU KEPT WAFFLING WELL”

The long, hard stare you give the demon brings it back to reality.

“IT IS A RELIC OF GREAT, GREAT POWER” Tashumene explains with a reluctant gurgle, “FORGED LONG BEFORE YOU AND YOUR KIND WERE RUNNING AROUND WITH THOSE GROTESQUE LITTLE TOES OF YOURS” The demon shakes its head before continuing at a slower pace. “TO THE LAYMAN IT WILL APPEAR AS A MAGICAL TRINKET. NOTHING MORE. BUT TO THE RIGHT RECIPIENT WELL…”

It would be very valuable indeed, you conclude, earning a twinkle from the devil’s eye.

“INDEED”

Fine, you sigh, and where would one find this relic? The chamber turns a shade redder as an object emerges from a foul-smelling poof of rust-colored smoke before fluttering into your outstretched hands like a leaf off a tree! Though the parchment feels leathery and the scent is… well… unideal, you recognize the glowing red markings etched into its surface almost immediately:

It’s a map! Of The Arched Isles, no less, but the land appears far different from what modern cartographers have charted out…

“THE RELIC LIES FAR TO THE SOUTH” Tashumene explains as you continue to ogle the map’s contents, “ALONG THE COAST OF TAARAKKHAL. HELL IF I KNOW WHAT YOU CALL IT NOW”

If you’re reading this correctly, you muse as Stella and Faust peek over your diminutive shoulders with growing intrigue, this mountain range here? It’s under the sea today.

“And in Oztnaal’s sovereign territory, no less.” Herr Faust remarks with a grimace. “It would certainly explain why it’s remained hidden for so long.” He blinks. “Well, that and the sea monsters no doubt guarding the area.”

Sea monsters, you mutter with a weary sigh, ALWAYS with the sea monsters…

“YES WELL WATCH OUT FOR THOSE” Tashumene interjects with what you assume is a shrug. “THE RUINS THEMSELVES WERE ONCE A GREAT FACTORY POWERED BY HEAT FROM DEEP BELOW.” The demon pauses. “AND LIKE MOST OF ITS ILK THEY WERE WELL-GUARDED FROM INTRUSION. MAGICAL AND MECHANICAL TRAPS. OH AND SENTRIES CAN’T FORGET THOSE”

You frown. What manner of sentry would remain on-guard for that long? The stare Tashumene responds with doesn’t exactly fill you with confidence.

“LOOK IF IT’S ALL FLOODED THEN IT’S PROBABLY A MOOT POINT BUT I’M JUST SAYING WHOEVER GOES BETTER BE READY FOR ANYTHING”

That’s what worries you, you mutter as your gaze drifts downward.

>CONTD.

>>6452642
Adventurers aren’t cheap, especially the good ones, and while The Empire has no lack of loyal goons to throw at a problem, sending an army of Imperial Troops into another realm would raise suspicions among other things.

You have a few people who might do it pro bono, especially if said ruins have some treasure to loot, but again: is it worth sending adventurers on retainer to die at the bottom of some derelict pit at the bottom of the sea?

“SO” Tashumene purrs, “DO WE HAVE A DEAL OR WHAT”

Stella and Faust watch with baited, but still professional breath as you nod and extend your hand for a shake. One relic for an Empire’s-worth of mithril, you agree, trying not to flinch as your hand falls upon the demon’s slimy tentacle. How do we get the relic to you when the job is done?

“JUST SUMMON ME AGAIN” Tashumene chortles as a spark of energy leaps off of Tashumene’s tentacle and dances up your arm, “I’LL BE WAITING…”

Inhuman laughter rocks the chamber as Tashumene’s tentacle releases its hold on your hand…

“... WHY AM I NOT BEING UNSUMMONED”

“O-oh! Forgive me, Super Master Tashumene!” Faust sputters as he jolts to attention, “I… I wasn’t sure if you were all done or not, Lady Victorium-”

“AWKWARD MUCH”

Are you?
>Ask someone here one more question (Who?)
>Meet your contact in the Trailblazers Guild–maybe you can hire some adventurers.
>Speak to your contact in the Imperial Military about the quest.
>Check in on your contact with the Imperial Intelligence Affairs office.
>Inquire at the Ministry of the Arcane. Maybe they have some ideas.
>Table this issue for now–you have other matters of state to attend to.
>Write-In!

>>6452643
>Write-in!
Well we are the personal advisor to The Overlord himself, and he got his fame from plundering tombs and the like so why don't we ask him if he'd be interested? Stretch the old bones, get the evilness flowing, make some use out of the dreadfully high allowance. Of course, we're not going to TELL him to do anything, that would be suicidal, but a polite inquiry of our favorite Lord of Darkness never hurt anybody (important).
>Ask the Overlord if he'd be interested.

>>6452641
The cylinder MUST remain unharmed.

>>6452662
Huh, good point. He might be interested. +1

>>6452643
>>Write-In!
>Ask that Chosen One looking kid that was standing here the whole time... wait WHAT?

>>6452662
+1 I think this would have the added value of distracting the Dark Lord from shitting in his own sandbox for a little while so we can focus on getting actual WORK done

>>6452643
>>6452662 +1

>>6452662
This is a good idea
>>6452643
Contact the mages guild, they should be best for doing things discreetly and quickly

>>6452662
>AND THOU SHALT RETRIEVE IT THYSELF
Just saying

>>6452750

+1

Shit, guys, sorry! Totally forgot to end my post with a

<NEXT>!

Since I'm a doddering idiot just assume if I end a series of posts then I'm leaving the next bit open to another QM, okay? In this quest, at least

>>6452782
Counterpoint, if the Overlord decides he wants to do something, who is gonna stop him?

>>6452782
>>6452972
Counterpoint
>>6452273
>BUT, you interject, you don’t want to do it alone. Hells, you’d rather foist it onto another group of idiots. You don’t even want to imagine the uproar if you leave on an ADVENTURE for a few days–there won’t be a building taller than you left standing if you depart on such short notice!
>“YOUR CONCERNS ARE VALID” Tashumene answers with a thoughtful nod, “VERY WELL, YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO IT, BUT I WOULD REALLY ENJOY IT IF YOU DID-”
>>6452641
>“RIGHT RIGHT YOU WILL NEED TO KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN YOU GO GET I-”
>Or someone ELSE does, you interject as you raise a finely-manicured finger in the air.
>“OR SOMEONE ELSE DOES THAT’S TRUE” The devil adds with what you can only assume is some kind of sigh. “VERY WELL THEN I WILL DESCRIBE IT TO YOU”
Seems the door is fully open to having somebody else handle this and the vote is for us to pitch it to the Overlord

>>6452974
Indeed... quite the honor--the next updatorre may be able to introduce... THE OVERLORD!

Or something else. Who knows what could happen on the way over?

Ok <TAG!>
Lemme see about kicking in on this

You look to Faust, eyes half-lidded with disinterest now. Glad though you are to have made progress, there is yet more to be done, more fools to wrangle, and so you are ready to dispense with these two. You nod.

"Of course, Lady Victorium." He replies, bowing low, then turns his attention to the daemon, raising his hands high. "Eos potirus! Eos attenbroxus! Loricramilak beyog'ra ka na eosarn!" He chants. You think he might have just made up that last part. Nevertheless, Super Master Tashumene begins to rotate slowly, slowly, and the floor beneath him fades into ochre smog within the limits of the circle.

"WUH-UH OAF! WHAT UNDIGNIFIED RITUAL IS THIS!? WHAT ARE THEY TEACHING IN CONJURATION ACADEMY THIS CENTURY?!" The beast grumbles as his spinning becomes gradually more and more rapid, even while he slowly descends into the circle. "MAKE HASTE WITH THE ARTIFACT, LADY VICTORIUUUUUUM!" He gets out, until only one wavering tentacle remains above the surface of the floor, and then even that vanishes from sight with a [i]POP[/i], not unlike the unbottling of sparkling scorpion wine from the venom vineyards you used to intern at as a bookkeeper so long ago. The stench that remains after his passing is... Objectionable. However, in the wake of the summoning, you have something like an epiphany, a realization that seems almost to come from outside of your mind, and yet manifests within. As suddenly as your heart beats you are aware of the precise coordinates for nine deposits of mithril within reach of the capitol, and can even [i]see[/i] them in your mind's eye by focusing on the numbers. Not so much remote viewing as it is like having a memory implanted. You reflect on each and see stones tumbling away, sinkholes yawning wide... And the ghostly silver-like luster of pure mithril peeking through the sundered earth.

"Stella, come along." You say, not even casting another glance to Faust.

>Cont'd

He calls out from behind you as you proceed to the door. "Uh-er, th-thank you for your attendance, Lady Victorium! Your reliance upon my services was the honor of my small life, I will prepare the ritual components immediately such that the daemon can be called forth once mo-"

You and Stella are gone from the room before he's even finished speaking. Out of Faust's office, you begin to descend the stairs of the tower with your hands clasped behind your back.

You sigh, and allow yourself a handful of fluttering blinks, as if doing so might somehow erase the sight of those midwits from your mind. "Stella, prepare missives for three of the most loyal Mine-Lords, and another for the slave-catcher tong. I will supply the locations of mithril deposits, and three will go to each operation, while the tong will need to divert resources from the gladiatorial circuit in order to shore up labor. Let's temporarily close the featherweight division of 'Bloodletters Gone Wild', their small stature will make them most suitable to the tunnels, have all of the fighters classified as petite rerouted evenly among the mine-lords." You instruct, and when you reach the landing at the bottom of the stairs, you come to a halt.

She moves around you to open the door and holds it with one hand, clutching parchment and a quill in the other. She smiles and nods. "Very good, Lady Victorium, I'll have them delivered in short order. Shall I contact the Earl of Furnaces as well?"

"Not today." You say evenly, stepping past her. You hear the door close behind, and then the scrippling on parchment of your companion as she strides along in your wake like the remora in a shark's slipstream. "Send instruction to the stonemasons, we'll subsidize the construction of a foundry for the processing of the material, and allow the peasants and serfs to assist in its building so they have money for spending, and this will hasten our utilization of the mithril. The Earl of Furnaces may be met with tomorrow in order that we might best discuss what precisely to do with our windfall."

More scribbling. "Yes, of course Lady Victorium, pardon my enthusiasm! Now, for the retrieval of the... Tube... Would you like that I should also arrange meetings with a mercenary company, or perhaps one of the generals? Grand Carabineer Heart-Swallow recently ha-"

You shake your head, enough to silence her without even making eye contact or speaking. "That won't be necessary. I already have someone in mind for the task. Be on your way now to the postal dungeon, have the missives dispatched within the hour, and then meet me in my office. Bring a bottle of sparkling scorpion wine, and my good abacus. Thank you." You say, continuing on your way.

"At once, Lady Victorium, I will take my leave, consider these matters fully attended to!" She replies, and you hear her briskly pace off down another hall, but again do not bother to look.

You proceed towards the throne room.

>Cont'd

====

It takes another quarter of an hour of trekking to reach your destination. At your approach, the two guards - nine foot suits of glossy, black plate armor bearing ruby scimitars, inhabited not by human bodies but by writhing animate masses of man-eating maggots, such that they cannot be slain by simple blades, and could strip an unwary hero of their flesh at a touch - push open the tremendous, towering lead doors which open up to the Overlord's most inner sanctum.

The chamber is vast and terrible. The ceiling is a black void of enchanted shadow, making it seem a limitless vault, which is held aloft by dozens of huge, jagged, obsidian pillars. You're aware that the ephemeral darkness above can slink down to the floor, taking many shapes and striking as hard as adamantine. Another of the Dark One's many defenses. The walls of this place are as far apart from one another as six hundred yards in all directions, and the scarce illumination there is comes from skulls filled with green embers that dangle from barbed chains affixed somewhere beyond the trembling shadows hanging overhead.

In the very center of this dread haven is a three tiered dais that rises three yards from the floor, and upon it rests an enormous twenty foot throne wrought of charred corpses which seem to shiver in pain even now, glowing lightly with more green fire that's burned low but persists yet forever. The bodies are contorted into the appropriate shape by cold iron bars; a long look has the chair really looking like a misshapen cage filled nearly beyond its capacity by the tortured inhabitants. You make eye contact with an anguished face on the end of one armrest, and thankfully it's eye sockets are empty but for the emerald flickering within. Still, you feel for a moment that it sees you.

The chair is empty.

Even still, hands clasped behind your back, you come to a stop a dozen yards away. You sigh again. "My Lord, I should hope I my presence is not a disturbance. May we speak?" You ask the open air. You don't bother identifying yourself, he knew who you were before the doors even opened.

Something cold drags across the interior of your mind... A frozen scalpel leaving a scratch on the surface of glass... An intrusive communication...

"Yes, my servant. We may."

>Cont'd

[How do you approach this?]

>Appeal to the Overlord's vanity in order to entice him to retrieve the artifact, once he has placed it in his trophy hall - which you curate for him - you can easily give it to the daemon. He doesn't need to know the details, and he has too many relics and trophies to remember.
>Ask directly and matter of factly for him to claim the artifact for Tashumene, be transparent with him about the arrangement you made and why, and explain that if he cannot attend to this you'll enlist others to do so.
>Play to the Overlord's fondness for you, and offer to go retrieve the artifact yourself, but suggest that you need his company to ensure your safety and success.
>Tashumene is a clown of a daemon, you never intended to honor his trite bargain. Tell the Overlord that the so-called Super Master forgets his place, and challenges his authority. Suggest that he ought to be destroyed or imprisoned for torment.
>Write-in

Forgive me for going over three TECHNICALLY I wanted to give good variety/clarity with the vote and this is just the vote so it only kind of counts as a fourth post I promise I won't do it again I'm just verbose (^: ok

<NEXT!>

I had ideas about how to describe the Overlord but I already spent too much enough words describing the throne room and the walk over, so whoever goes next should decide how this guy actually manifests! Excited to see what it ends up being like!

>>6453031
Stupendous work, Slouch, love your descriptions and all of the FRIGHTFULLY WICKED titles you dropped.

As for THE OVERLORD, well... who knows?
>Play to the Overlord's fondness for you, and offer to go retrieve the artifact yourself, but suggest that you need his company to ensure your safety and success.
I know a lot of folks aren't gunning for the 'let's adventure' route, but I like the idea of THE OVERLORD being fond of Victorium so I'ma vote for this. Maybe we don't even go and just coerce him into setting out on his own? I'm open to thoughts

>>6453031
Hmhhm, well, how about this
>Play to his sense of action, frame it as a glorious challenge to allow him to flex his power and gain great riches for his empire
The earlier posts seem to imply the overlord enjoyed tomb plundering enough that they ran out of those. I'm sure getting an ancient artifact for a big reward would be a fun activity for him.

>>6453033
I am not into the adventure idea myself, but was glad anons wanted to ask the Overlord BECAUSE if we go with him it would surely be wayyyyy quicker and easier, yaknow? Instead of a whole epic journey, it's now like going with Dad to the corner store for cigarettes and a gallon of milk, and you have to stand on the curb while he kicks the panhandler outside in the ribs (because in this situation dad is EVIL). I am imagining him just barreling through traps and swatting dangerous enemies so the whole jaunt becomes like two or three updates rather than a Whole Thing, plus we get to hang out with him!
Though, I do still tend to think that Victorium half wants to send him off on this trip so she gets a brief break from cleaning up his messes. In fact, I kind of like the idea that she regularly directs him at problems because she needs a respite, and he goes for it because he is such a Go-Getter (core overlord trait, obviously), and that ACTUALLY like a third of his evil empire was only ever conquered because Victorium kept pitching him new conquests so she could mop up some messes before new ones cropped up, and maybe squeeze in a daiquiri or two on the tail end KEK

>>6453037
>"Have you heard of the high elves? You should kick their asses, they have a wicked cool sword."
>"Great, now that he's gone I can take a bath and convince the trees not to uproot themselves in anger and destroy all the soil next to our largest patch of farmland. Good grief."

>>6453037
This is actually really cute and I totally endorse it

>>6453031
>It was pretty good, my only issue is how you made Faust go being from someone dismissive to us to "Uh-er, th-thank you for your attendance, Lady Victorium! Your reliance upon my services was the honor of my small life, I will prepare the ritual components immediately such that the daemon can be called forth once mo-"
>>6453031
>Appeal to the Overlord's vanity in order to entice him to retrieve the artifact, once he has placed it in his trophy hall - which you curate for him - you can easily give it to the daemon. He doesn't need to know the details, and he has too many relics and trophies to remember.

>>6453035
+1 While I imagine the Overlord loves to farm aura in his evil lair, I bet he likes the thrill of the dungeon crawl even more- seemingly a rarity these days.

>>6453037
This is awesome, I support this.
>>6453040
Kek

>>6453037
I do love the ideas regarding our relationship with the overlord
>>6453031
I think we should tell him the situation honestly but frame the artefact as an early step to gaining control over the demon realm (In that we don’t actually need to hand it over until we’ve gotten everything we can from the demon)
It would be fun to see the big guy crush a dungeon

The writhing corpses remind me, We should be investing into necromantic research. Given the plague we have plenty of bodies and undead workers can’t rebel.
Once we’ve done this we could set several new taxes on the aquisition of corpses and vital alchemical reagents, hopefully both bolstering the economy and getting us out of debt

<TAG>
I did some art, just gotta do the writing

File: AndThenQuestPic.png (4.13 MB, 900x1200)

4.13 MB PNG

The Overlord’s words rattle away inside your skull.

You’ve been through this enough times to know not to respond immediately. He does like to make an entrance after all.
Your eyes flick between the pillars looking for some sign of arrival, the last time you were here the Overlord burst through a distant wall, riding a primitive wingless dragon, bulldozing through pillar after pillar. That was a fun one.

Rising screams draw your attention to the cage-throne. Eternal green flame surge outwards, scorching bar and body to naught but ash.
The flames arch inwards, flowing towards a single point.
The verdant maelstrom rises high, nearly reaching the boiling shadows above, as the singularity at its core turns a deep red.

Any time now.

With a final woomph the inferno collapses, leaving behind a red doorway, floating mid-air.

And six of the charred corpses. Strange, why would these few be preserved when all others were annihilated. Perhaps they wronged the Overlord to some drastic degree.
You do wonder, if this green necromantic energy can preserve such disfigured forms, could it be used to make some form of immortal workforce? There is a plague going around, plenty of spare corpses.
You’ll have to bring it up to the Overlord if you get the chance.

“Approach, Lady Victorium.”

The Overlord’s voice reverberates though the hall, as a series of translucent red steps appear before you, leading all the way up to the crimson doorway.

Dropping your hands to your sides, you begin your ascent.

You’ve been thinking about what you should say to the Overlord, you really don’t want to go on a long and tedious fetch quest in some far away shithole, you’ve got much more important things to do here in the capital.
Buuuut you’d rather not get on the bad side of a demon. You easily beat it in a verbal engagement, but one involving combat, let alone magic? Your chance of victory would be slim.
And, you’re certain Herr Faust would bring that chance to zero, anyway.
…..Perhaps the Overlord could get this tube thingy for you on his own. He does like a good adventure. It wouldn’t be the first time you’ve sent him off to conquer some far away kingdom….

With a final few echoing steps, you reach the base of the occult portal. The indistinct silhouette of your Overlord looms within.

>>6453095
Oh man, you know I actually meant to put in something along the lines of 'you aren't sure if this effusive politeness is out of embarrassment for how the demon initially failed to meet your needs, requiring a full econ lesson, or if he is being sarcastic now that you're leaving, but the question is fleeting because he isn't worth thinking about further for now'
Fair point!

>>6453220
“My lord,” You begin “A matter of great interest to you has come before me,”

…..

No response. He’s going for ominous and threatening this time.

“As your Overlordship knows the economy of his great and glorious empire isn’t in the best position right now.” The dark silhouette shifts slightly, have you made him angry? You’re glad he likes you so much, otherwise you might’ve become the seventh of the floating corpses surrounding you.
No, he’s egotistical and megalomaniacal, but not delusional, he’s probably just bored.

Perfect!

“I searched for some solution for this dire problem amongst the many resources you mercifully provided to me.”
“I stumbled upon knowledge of the demon Tashumene. He is an infaeri of the deep earth, and all that it contains. You surely can see the connection in your infinite wisdom. As such, I summoned him-“ Best to minimize Faust’s contribution to this scheme “-and subsequently made a lucrative deal for large quantities of mithril to be unearthed throughout your empire.” Another shift, it must be boredom, right?

“Here’s the good part. In exchange for all that material wealth, the demon requires me to bring to him an artifact. That artifact happens to be located deep within a tomb. And that tomb happens to be located…. deep within the sovereign territory of Oztnaal!” You finish with feigned enthusiasm; it really is like talking to a child sometimes.

The Overlord’s silhouette begins to grow larger, towering until it fills the portal.

The silence stretches on for an agonizing minute. Your heart hammers in your chest, please don’t let this be where you die.

You swallow and put on your best smile.

“BAHAHAHAHAHAHAAaaa…” The overlord’s laughter erupts out, shaking the very foundations of the earth.
It almost knocks you off the platform, but in spite of that you’re relieved. You’ve managed to get the Overlord to go along with your scheme… and are still alive.
“HAhaha… You should’ve led with that My Lady, instead of prattling on about economics and daemons. Hmm, an adventure it is then, to the furthest reaches of Elyseria!”
You’ve won.

A true smile comes across your face. All that you need to do now is convince him to go on his ow-

“We leave in six minutes!” The Overlord booms. Six corpses cry out one by one, as the Overlord’s shadowy figure shrinks away.

“Wait-”

>Insist that he goes on his own, you are in no way suited to this mission!
>Ask for some time to prepare, you’ll need it if you’re going to be gallivanting off into a hostile territory.
>Query about that verdant, necromantic energy, now’s good a time as any.
>Write-In

>>6453222
>Write-in
>Suggest a compromise - you will go with him to the tomb, and upon claiming the Tube he can send you home with magic to make the daemon his offering. But, since he'll already be over there, why doesn't he hang back and do some pillaging, perhaps even a little conquering? For like... A week? To stretch his legs a bit... Maybe find his own Tube to keep...
Crazy baller art
Daiquiri time incoming

>>6453222
Oh SHIT! Kino art alert!
>>6453223
+1 to this since I don't want to outright refuse this guy. Seems dangerous. Adding onto the write-in, though, maybe we remind him that he needs someone here just in case that insipid

CHOSEN ONE

boy shows up in his absence? Sure, there's his Spymaster and General and everything, but still!

>>6453274
>"It will be fine. Grand Carabineer Heart-Swallow is unoccupied and can attend to this season's tax records ahead of the next budgetary commission."
>"My Lord, Heart-Swallow can count no higher than six, and only so high as that because it is the greatest number of hearts he has eaten in a single evening and he wanted direly to recall the number for the purpose of boasting to the Court of Sword-Slakers."

>>6453220
This art is wicked gnarly!
>>6453223
>>6453274
+1 to both of these. I'm not exactly a fan of the thought of saying "No" to the Overlord for fear of repercussions, but he seems amendable enough to a few suggestions. If they're from Lady Victorium at least.

Forgot to say
<NEXT>

File: Stella.png (14 KB, 288x446)

14 KB PNG

Unrelated to the present discussion, but I tried drawing my take on Stella no matter the actual canonicity of the image

>>6453442
Neat.

>>6453442
Good drawing, I like that you gave her drills

>>6453442
YOOOOO!!!!! She looks amazing, Strange! Look at how prim, proper, and helpful our favorite maid is! Totally couldn't kill you with her bare hands, nope! Glad to see so much art already in the thread--keep it up!

I got our first 'big' day back at work tomorrow, but if no one claims the next update I might snag it by then. Lots of time for someone to swoop in, though!

>>6453222
Nice update
>>6453223
+1, as long as we get home on time it’ll be fine
>>6453442
Decent, although I wouldn’t have imagined her so ominous. In my head she was a metaphorical tie to pre-overlord life as a noblewoman

Time's UP, punks.

>TAGGED

Panic floods your features as THE OVERLORD delivers their fearsome decree! Sure, you’d be lying if you said you weren’t proud at how they gave you a six-minute prep window this time around–considering how THE OVERLORD normally just spirits lackeys away in a poof of sinister magic and a menacing cackle, this is huge progress!

Progress doesn’t get you out of adventuring, though, and you’ve got a bathtub and an Evil Daiquiri with your name on it… but you know better than to refuse an order from the boss. The last person who did is still rotting atop THE OVERLORD MEMORIAL FLESH PILLAR smack dab in the middle of THE OVERLORD SQUARE… and they lived for a long, LONG time before exposure, local fauna, and hurled debris from the locals finally did them in!

Six minutes, you repeat with all the charm you can muster, that’s… very gracious of you, milord-

“Heed me, and heed me well…” THE OVERLORD rumbles like a particularly-bloodthirsty thunder cloud, “Go run and collect your BLOOD AND VISCERA PONCHO from your quarters–you shall have need of it…”

THE OVERLORD’s frightful facade fills the portal like night’s encroaching shadow.

“... You still have it, do you not? I took great pains to make one for you. You see, it doubles as a coat for the colder seasons–I see what you wear and, well, you’re going to catch your death if y-”

You do, you answer, trying not to shudder as the cornucopia of ODORS present in THE OVERLORD’S present fill your mind as if it were sitting in front of you! It’s… listen, about the adventure-

“Fret not, I will try to leave a few simpering fools standing for you to slay!” THE OVERLORD interjects with another booming laugh! “But you know how… CARRIED AWAY I get! GWAAAAHAHA!”

If murder was an instrument, THE OVERLORD would be what you’d call a ‘virtuoso’. Generational talent, really. But you’re not worried about stabbing some fools-

“SIMPERING FOOLS.”

… SIMPERING FOOLS. You’re, well… you’re worried about the state of affairs if you depart on such short notice–

“HA! It’s never been an issue before!” Sneers your boss as flecks of blood and bone fly from the portal’s threshold!

That’s because YOU were around to keep an eye on things, but you don’t dare say that aloud. Milord, you huff, trying your best to navigate the conversational minefield you just wandered into, his foes are many and craven as they are pathetic-

“Yes, yes, they ARE pathetic, aren’t they? GWAAAHAHAH!”

… Yes, well… what if they planned some manner of… ‘shenanigans’ in his absence? There IS the small matter of that ‘CHOSEN O-’

>CONTD.

>>6453657
You’ll never get used to a room screaming. It’s just never going to happen. At the mention of THE OVERLORD’S archnemesis, however, the entire chamber erupts in what you can only describe as a localized bloodicane–its namesake battering your diminutive form in a torrent of frothing, steaming blood and winds that rip at your face like razors… so much so that you’re sent prone in the sudden onslaught!

“DO NOT SPEAK OF THAT PERNICIOUS PEST! THAT VEXXING VERMIN!”

You’re almost certain the six charred corpses surrounding the portal send a sympathetic glance your way, but you’re too busy cowering to confirm…

“THEY FELLED THAT FLESHHULK WE SENT OUT TO RAZE THOSE IRKSOME HAMLETS TO THE SOUTH, YOU KNOW! THE ONE I GOT FOR MY BIRTHDAY!?”

Oh no… he was… he was REALLY happy about that FLESHHULK…

“AND WHILE THAT INSIPID WORM CAVORTS AND CAROUSES WITH THE MEEK AND MILQUETOST, GUESS WHO HAS TO GET AN EARFUL FROM THE PROFESSOR ALL NIGHT!?”

… is it hi-

“ME! ‘THIS IS A MAJOR SETBACK, MILORD!’” Wails THE OVERLORD, his ever-imposing tone slackened by a sudden and frankly disturbing falsetto, “‘FLESHHULKS DON’T JUST GROW ON FLESHTREES, MILORD!’ ‘DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH FLESH I NEED TO STITCH TOGETHER TO MAKE A FLESHHULK, MILORD!?’”

The torrential tempest wanes, but indignance still stains THE OVERLORD’S panting tone! “They ASKED me that, you know. ‘How much flesh in a Fleshhulk’, can you believe it!?”

Yes, you think to yourself, The Professor’s manner deficit is well-known.

“How am I to know that!?” THE OVERLORD roars as the portal’s doorway quakes with unearthly energy, “That’s THEIR job! Always complaints, complaints, COMPLAINTS! But YOU…”

Unseen eyes fall upon you with the weight of planets.

“Vicky, my dear… you, with the mind and mettle of your grandfather--my dearest friend…”

You don’t get up from your fetal position on the bloodsoaked floor. Not yet.

“Ahhh, he’d be so happy to see what you’ve become… what we’ve ACCOMPLISHED!” Feeling the oppressive atmosphere slacken, you dare to peek out from your now-soaked cloak. “And this… this task you’ve unearthed… is PRECISELY what we need to escape this sea of bureaucratic malaise!”

…What you MEANT to say, you mutter as you dab at your blood-slaked face with your handkerchief, is that you wouldn’t want to cut into his pillaging time-

“I DO enjoy my pillaging time, it’s true…” Murmurs THE OVERLORD, still simmering over your mention of his favorite foe.

So, you cough as you stumble to your shaky legs, what if you accompany him until you obtain The Tube… and then, well…

“... Well?”

You’ve got him hooked–time to reel it in…

What if, you cough, he leaves the boring, menial task of delivering the artifact to the demon while he takes his time pillaging and plundering? You know… really letting loose?

>CONTD.

>>6453658
The portal quivers eagerly.

“... But… you wouldn’t feel left out? If I teleported you back?”

You would, you sigh with mock trepidation, but, well… his will MUST be done, right? And you live to serve!

A low, rumbling groan permeates the chamber. Your words are being weighed.

“... What if we left someone else in charge? Make a weekend of it?”

You blink. Who exactly would he suggest fill in?

“... GRAND CARABINEER HEART-SWALLOW?”

… Milord, you sigh, GRAND CARABINEER HEART-SWALLOW can count no higher than six… and only so high as that because it is the greatest number of hearts he has eaten in a single evening and he wanted direly to recall the number for the purpose of boasting to the Court of Sword-Slakers.

A discomforting silence fills the room.

“... Okay, but really now... How many numbers do you need, really? Be honest.”

… a lot more than that, milord. Your answer elicits a drawn-out groan from your addled employer.

“Fine. Fine… will you at LEAST stay long enough to listen to the lamentations of our felled foes? Just a few?”

… Two. Three tops. You cannot promise more.

The dank chamber erupts in roaring green flames as THE OVERLORD fills the room with a booming laugh! “GOOD! GWAHAHAHAAA!! GOOOOOOODDD!! OTZNAAL’S SHORES SHALL RUN RED WITH OUR FURY!”
https://youtu.be/45OMBkuUOOk

… How does he DO that? Very well, you nod, trying not to smile at THE OVERLORD’S renewed enthusiasm, but one more thing, if you may…

The flames fizzle. “... You may.”

You’ll need more time to prepare–an hour at most. As THE OVERLORD opens his unseen mouth to protest, you interject in a firm, but polite tone!

It’s not every day you’re given the honor of embarking with THE OVERLORD, you explain in a measured voice, you must prepare accordingly!

“Mngh…” Groans THE OVERLORD as his shadow beyond the portal flickers like a candle’s flame, “... Very well. But don’t dawdle–I intend to assemble some minions and depart long before anyone else can ambush me with bad news…”

You indulge in a stealthy grin. It wasn’t the best outcome possible, you think, but it was better than most…

With the matter settled, you decide to…
>Ask THE OVERLORD about something else!
>Return to your quarters–you really should prepare for anything.
>Track down someone before you depart. Even if you’re gone for a day, there’s no telling what might happen…
>Take a walk around THE UNHOLY CITADEL. You may as well clear your mind if you’re going on a small holiday.
>Write-In!

OVERLORD’S ORDERS: YOU MUST LOOP THIS ANYTIME THE OVERLORD APPEARS:
https://youtu.be/XrZnovWBOpg
FAILURE TO DO SO WILL SEE YOU NAILED AND FETTERED TO THE SCREAMING CLIFFS FOREVER MORE!
Totally forgot to link this in the first post. Sorry.

><NEXT>

>>6453658
Also for this post I meant that GRANDPAPPY was THE OVERLORD'S dearest friend, not Vicky. Sorry if that was confusing--been a big day

>>6453659
>Take a walk around THE UNHOLY CITADEL. You may as well clear your mind if you’re going on a small holiday.
Preferably somewhere with less moaning and grinding of teeth.

>>6451561
WHY are you so good at drawing????

>>6453659
>Track down someone before you depart. Even if you’re gone for a day, there’s no telling what might happen…

>>6453659
>Track down someone before you depart. Even if you’re gone for a day, there’s no telling what might happen…
There has to be someone we know in the capitol that can keep the Overland from imploding for a day or two.

>>6453771
Thank you! My legit answer to this question is reading "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards, which has probably helped me the most in learning how to draw.

>TAGGED
But only to lock in the vote for
>TRACK SOMEONE DOWN
This'll be a short one, questers

Make use of your none-too-lightly-granted free time, of course! Though you struggle to call it that when it’s more of a desperate struggle to track down someone fit to keep an eye on things while you fling yourself into some murderous company getaway…

Leaving your liege with a low, reverent kneel, you don’t dare move a muscle until the words ‘LEAVE US!’ reverberate around the chamber! You can almost swear one of the charred corpses from before waves you goodbye as you scurry out the way you came, but you know better than to linger, lest your belligerent boss ropes you into watching some deranged pep talk or team-building exercise for the minions.

You’ve learned that lesson far too many times already…

Escaping the Throne Room with a chill running down your spine, you depart with fresh aloofness in your expression as THE OVERLORD’S honor guards watch you all the while–their black-as-pitch helmets barely creaking as the maggoty masses writhe and squirm beneath.

You won’t have long to locate anyone–accustomed though you may be to THE OVERLORD’s shifting citadel, you still seem to arrive at your destination mere moments before you’re due… impressive to outsiders, yes, but not as enjoyable when you’re looking to get somewhere!

Your mind is already elsewhere, however. You’ve an hour before your departure and you don’t plan on leaving before you can speak to a person or two. Your mind drifts briefly to your stalwart servant Stella, but you get the feeling that girl will follow you on your sudden sojourn whether you bid her to or not…

In that case, you seek out (or run into)...
>The SPYMASTER! Where did THEY come fro-oh, right. Sneaky.
>A CAPTAIN of THE OVERLORD’S GRIMGUARD! Imposing indeed!
>The COURT MAGE! If only YOU knew some magic..
>THE PROFESSOR! Surly as usual, from the looks of things…
>A handful of those MERCENARIES THE OVERLORD likes so much!
>GRAND CARIBINEER HEART-SWALLOW! What are THEY doing here?
>WRITE-IN SOMEONE ELSE!

>>6454014
><NEXT>!

>>6454014
>GRAND CARIBINEER HEART-SWALLOW! What are THEY doing here?

>>6454014
>THE PROFESSOR! Surly as usual, from the looks of things…

>>6454014
>THE PROFESSOR!
Will tag in tomorrow if no one else does. Voting's still open!

>>6454014
>THE PROFESSOR
We need some gadgets to keep us alive, STAT

Oh and also <TAGGED>

File: mikeny.jpg (399 KB, 567x850)

399 KB JPG

>>6454564
We're waiting on you

>>6454862
S o o n
(Maybe in a couple more hours I'll start writing, timezones man)

THE CURSE!

>>6454014
If you are to really go on an adventure with the Overlord (short as it may be), you really have to equip yourself properly. And that is why you are currently standing in front of The Professor's underground lab entrance, before a massive vaulted door. Its sheer size deters thieves and adventurers, not to mention the magitech keypads, arcane dimensional locks, and traps permanently cloaked in an invisibility spell. You're not sure if you should even knock; the Professor's genius matches his temper and paranoid tendencies. So, you just stand there, and yell.

"Oh esteemed Professor Quinca-Monstrossar! I, Lady Victorum von Amory de la-"

Suddenly, from behind you, a mechanism activates from the seemingly seamless floor.

"Yes, yes, I saw you through the security orbs, Viccy - what do you want?! And for the n-th time, call me Professor Quasar!!"

Turning around, you see 'Quasar' poking her head inside a pillbox that had seemingly extruded itself from the ground.

"I won't mince words - I am in dire need for your best survival equipment."

She sounds like she's scratching her head in there.

"Expecting *another* assassination attempt? This is why you should've turned your exes into research mat-"

You have no time for a duel of snarks.

"No. Worse. I have to go with our Overlord on an adventure."

A pause.

"Oh shit, really?"

"Really."

"...damn. Alright, get in and I'll kit you up. You still owe me the research budget."

With that, the pillbox retreats back into smoothness, before the section of floor it's in morphs into a staircase leading downward.

As you step inside Professor Quasar's lab, the Professor herself meets you. The bespectacled goblin genius that is Quasar seems to have lost some of her orneriness upon hearing of your impending fate.

"Here I think you won't be foolish enough to risk your life this way. Good thing you didn't press anything on the door, it's all booby traps."

"Dear Quasar, did you think I -volunteered- for this?"

"Good point. So, where are you two going and why?"

She's rummaging through a box labeled 'untested experiments' as she's talking.

"Let's just say I have to get this cylindrical artifact. In exchange, a demon will tell me the five largest deposits of Mithril that we haven't exploited yet."

She looks at you with pity in her eyes.

"Even meeting with Faust... damn, our economy is real bad, huh?"

"No time to explain just how bad it is. The equipments?"

"Yeah yeah, hold your horses. Ah, here we go."

She pulls out another piece of magitek before laying five of them on a hastily-cleaned dissection able.

(Contd.)

>>6454920
"Right. This here's a portable magic shield system, looks like a ring but if you're in mortal danger it'll bubble you up safe and sound. Next up is the multi-wand, you twist the handle like this to change what spell the mana battery will cast, check before casting. Then we have what I call the 'scootboot', it allows you to hover frictionlessly up to two feet over terrain, and slow your descent if you're falling. Next to that is the minigolem prototype, can be tasked to help you menially within thirty feet, but it's a bit stupid. Then lastly we have a survival coat, heats you up when it's cold, cools you down when it's hot, dries you up when you're wet."

You move to grab all of them, but Quasar grabs your wrist.

"Hold on, you can only bring two of these, so choose well."

"Why not?"

"Where's my budget?"

"...touche."

"Oh, and these are all experimental prototypes, they're not guaranteed to be without their... quirks."

Of course the mad scientist foists her questionable inventions upon you, but needs must. Out of the five magitech items, you pick...

>CHOOSE TWO

>Magic shield ring
>Multi-wand
>Scootboot
>Minigolem
>Survival Coat

>>6454922
Are you going to do another one after the vote ends, or did you forget to "<NEXT>" it?

>>6454922
>>Multi-wand
>Minigolem

>>6454922
Hm. Torn between Multiwand, Minigolem, and Survival Coat since we're kinda squishy and magicless. I figure we'll keep these after our little sortie too, so...

>Multiwand
>Minigolem

>>6454926
Oh yeah, forgot the
><NEXT!>

>>6454922
>Magic shield ring
>Multi-wand

File: ProfessorQuasar.png (13 KB, 374x276)

13 KB PNG

>>6454922
>Multi-wand
Having a magic gun could definitely come in handy if the Overlord accidently forgets he needs to protect us.
>Minigolem
Even though it's stupid, I wonder if we can make it learn how to write a signature, over and over again to help with our endless stacks of paperwork.

>>6455229
If our signature could be replicated by a golem surely we could replace it with a wax seal or an ornate stamp

>>6454937
+1

>>6455240
But wouldn't it be nice to have a golem stamp over and over, saving our arm the trouble?

https://youtu.be/pkoP3jLjH3U
>TAGGED<

They all sound useful–The Professor’s projects always are–but something about the WAND and THE MINIGOLEM call to you… try as you might, you’ve never really had a knack for sorcery, so having a tool that could evoke some at will? Rather valuable for one cursed with mundaneness such as yourself.

As for the GOLEM, well… you could always use some spare hands in your line of work. If only it didn’t look so… grotesque. Like a skull with some flimsy, foul-smelling arms and legs stitched on-

“You ain’t exactly a looker yerself, kid.”

The sudden speech that springs from the skull sends you stumbling in surprise! Wh-huh!?

“What kind of a golem would it be if it couldn’t take voice commands?” The Professor inquires as she adjusts her dusty spectacles with a spirited sigh!

She said it was DUMB, you fire back, blushing a bit at how un-stoic you just looked!

“You look a few peas short of a pod too, but you’re still walkin’ and talkin’...” Grumbles your new golem as he paces The Professor’s desk eyeing you up and down like a rancher appraising a new horse. “Who’s this broad anyways?”

“This ‘Broad’,” The Professor explains, not even attempting to hide her toothy smile, “Is Lady…”

You cross your arms and wait for the rest of your name–a fresh glower festering on your face as the goblin struggles with the first damned word.

“... in any case, she’s your new MASTER.” She concludes with a dismissive wave of her claw. “You shall serve her to the best of your abilities… or die. Is that clear?”

“Gee, what an honor…” Groans the golem as he points his bony face your way. “You promise to be nice?”

You deftly sidestep your new ‘minion’s question with one of your own: how do you turn this thing off?

“EY!”

“Ah yes, I nearly forgot…” Murmur the tinkerer as she gives her chin a few thoughtful taps, “You can command it to sleep if you wish… though it does tend to SNORE. Haven’t knocked out that kink yet.”

“Never was a problem ‘til I woke up lookin’ like this.” The golem explains with a disdainful look at himself.

“But if you MUST deactivate it permanently, I’ve woven a KILLPHRASE into his magical bindings–one you’ll never use by accident, I can assure you of that!”

You frown. Does the good doctor care to share with the class, or?

“Relax, dear, impatience breeds premature aging, you know…” The goblin grumbles as she sends you a sidelong glance. “The phrase is–and you’re going to LOVE this–’PICKLEPAWS!’”

You can’t help but smile at that. That IS pretty ridiculous, yes!

“Right, just don’t say it around th-”

It’s only after a short, shared laugh that you realize what The Professor just did–and as your gaze wanders back to her desk, you watch in muted horror as your new golem writhes around the table like a rat caught in a trap!

… is she going to-

“Yes, yes… damnable prototypes… HELLS-”

>CONTD.

>>6455335
https://youtu.be/OFiVnvJibGU
Several heated minutes filled with muttered curses and flashes of magic later, The Professor shoves both your BRAND-NEW MULTI-WAND and your FRESHLY-RECONSTRUCTED MINIGOLEM into your not-so-ready arms!

“That’s that, then.” Huffs The Professor as she wipes her claws on her coat with a triumphant huff, “Take care of those–I’d rather you die horribly than see my creations fall into some loincloth-clad cretin’s clutches…”

“I’m fine, by the way.” Growls the golem cradled in your arms.

You blink. Doesn’t she mean SHE’D rather die horribly? The Professor stares you down like you’d just asked to rub her ears.

“... Yes, of course. That’s precisely what I meant.”

Uh-huh. Well, you sigh as you prepare to leave, thanks again for the gifts, Professor.

“They aren’t gifts.” She answers sharply. “They’re a reminder of why you keep those coins and materials flowing my way. You’d do well not to forget it.”

“HAH! You’re the PAYWENCH!? Oh, that’s rich!” Jeers the golem you already regret picking. No, you answer with growing ire in your tone, THE PAYWENCH is another person entirel-

“Shall we be off, milady?”

It’s a good thing you hadn’t readied a spell on your MULTIWAND yet, otherwise the owner of the prim, polite voice looming over you from behind would be a sizzling corpse right now.

Or a frozen one. Or, you know, all poisony. You get the idea. Stella, you sputter as you hastily stow your wand in your pocket, when did she get here?

“A proper maid is always close at hand, milady.” She plainly replies with a small curtsy. Okay, you retort, but she definitely wasn’t with you on the way over here, so-

“Ah. A thousand apologies–there were some miscreants tailing your movements.” She explains with a polite giggle. “Worry not, milady–they’ve been dealt with.”

“Anything left of ‘em?” Asks The Professor, prompting your darling servant to produce a pair of blood-soaked hempen sacks from behind her back.

“... Yea…” The goblin nods, inspecting ‘The Goods’ with a professional eye, “Yea, I can work with these. Leave ‘em on the floor by my bench.”

Ah. That’d be the SPYMASTER’s doing, you answer with a drawn-out sigh and a shake of your head. Them and their assassins… they just LOVE keeping you on your toes…

“They’re getting sloppy.” Stella says with a disappointed sigh. “Shall I speak to the Spymaster on your behalf too, milady?”

No, no, you grumble as you wave off the suggestion, it’s just their way of reminding you why you pay them–all in good fun, really. You prefer The Professor’s method, if you’re being honest.

“I’m TOUCHED.” The goblin grunts as they prod at the bloody sacks with her diminutive foot. “... Where did you say you were headed, again?”

>CONTD.

>>6455336
You didn’t, you shrug, but you’re headed South. Near OTZNAAL. The Professor frowns, but whether it’s because of the name or just her go-to expression is anyone’s guess.

“Whaddaya know about OTZNAAL anyways, hm?”

“They got those dishes, don’t they?” Mutters your minigolem. “Too much sauce…”

What do you know about OTZNAAL? Plenty, actually. In your line of work it pays to be informed… and while OTZNAAL wasn’t the greatest threat to The Empire, it certainly wasn’t a backwater to be ignored either…

What DO you know about OTZNAAL?
>It’s ruled by a COUNCIL OF MAGES…
>It’s ruled by what locals believe to be some kind of DEMIGOD…
>It’s ruled by THE STRONGEST… as for how that’s determined there, well…
>It doesn’t have a ruler, really–though you know something calls the shots…
>It’s run by a LOCAL COUNCIL… boring, really, but they’re doing alright.
>They put way too much SAUCE in their local dishes, it’s true…
>Write-In!

>>NEXT<<
>>6455229
Also I love all the art you're providing, big dog

>>6455337
I'll post a

(<<NEXT>>)

Here just because it blends in with the choices.

>>6455337
>They put way too much SAUCE in their local dishes, it’s true…
They all pretend that eating something that tastes like sulfuric acid is a replacement for good cuisine. Honetly, they deserve to be genocided and enslaved.

>>6455229
Daww, she's nefarious :B

>>6455337
>It's ruled by THE SAUCERER, an arcane chef possessed by an eldritch entity that demands more sauce... or so you've heard.

>>6455337
OTZAAL is ruled by poetry.
They were once and great and sophisticated empire, but after they developed advanced saurcery they became lazy and indolent, and above all uneducated in the ways of the law
As their previous highly aristocratic society wrote all of it’s laws in rhyming verse with perfect meter, the savages occupying the ruins (Who claim the same empire and same legal system) firmly believe any rhyming couplet is a direct quotation from the legal codes
The more beautiful the more important the law and the worse the punishment for breaking it

Anyone who actually tries to govern is quickly ruined by some asshole with a funny rhyming couplet, so they mostly just live in tribes and kill eachother over minor disputes

>>6455337
Gonna support
>>6455618
Just to keep the ball rolling

Aaaand if no one else grabs it by the time I'm caught up with work tomorrow I'll write the next update. Been busy with the 4cc and stuff

Okay, okay, I can read the writing on the wall... I guess I can write another banger update. Ah, the things I do for my questies...
>TAGGED

Otznaal, as you knew all too well, was a paradox: a land characterized by purple sands and gentle cyan seas–a land of gentle sunsets, fair climate, and yes, dishes positively SLATHERED in rich, savory sauces wrought from the spices native to their lands.

Their style of governance, however, leaves much to be desired. History posits that Otznaal was once far more sophisticated–an enlightened land of scholars, songsmiths, and crafters of incomparable beauty and eloquence.

What wiped out their Empire, however, wasn’t invading hordes or financial faltery… it was indolence. The silent killer. Believing themselves to have reached their final plateau, their society drifted into stagnation characterized by decadent Bacchanals and non-stop merriment… and in time all who practiced what made Otznaal so great disappeared into the annals of history. Some donning cloaks and departing for distant, quieter lands… others drowned in their own vomit.

In an uncharacteristic bout with sobriety, some of the remaining rulers decided, in their own twisted wisdom, that since their laws were once written in poetic verse, so too should all subsequent amendments.

“Indeed,” Nods The Professor, salt-and-pepper hair flopping around her goblin head like a mop, “Imbeciles, the lot of them.”

“Doesn’t sound so bad ta’ me!” Remarks your mini-golem still cradled in your arms.

Imbeciles, sure, you say with a shrug, but dangerous imbeciles–the type who seem silly when they send emissaries to court bearing booze and rhyme, but have all manners of ancient devices and weaponry lying beneath a tarp in their unkempt estates back home. You shudder to think what might happen if they recalled how to use any!

“Hmm. Well enough about them,” Grumbles The Professor with a dismissive swish of her baggy sleeves, “I asked because there’s something that grows in Otznaal. Something very useful in the right claws.”

Her claws. The goblin nods.

“There’s a species of lichen that grows in sea caverns. Foul-scented stuff–really burns the nostrils–but it’s quite handy in a variety of concoctions.”

And let me guess, you impatiently reply, she wants you to stuff your pockets with this foul-smelling fungus?

“Right on the first try.” Mutters the machinist. “And like all favors done for me, it’d be-”

‘In our best interest’, you recite like a child repeating playground rules, fine, you’ll keep an eye out–any more than that you cannot promise! You’re a professional–not some bloodthirsty adventurer!

“Says the one about to romp around some sunken, moth-eaten ruins.” She fires back. Does… does she think you have a choice in the matter? The goblin’s smug smile sinks.

“Hm. Point taken.”

>CONTD.

>>6456202
With the matter more or less settled, you feel Stella’s eyes bore into you from behind again–her go-to polite, but persistent way of saying ‘milady, we need to go’ without outright saying it. Leaving the good professor with one last ‘thanks’, you leave the lab with your new goodies in tow.

Your next stop?

The Rift Chamber–THE OVERLORD’S gateway to almost anywhere in the world…

… And Otznaal. Great...

<<<NEXT>>>

>>6456203
<TAG>

Not able to draw this time, sowwry

>>6456575
You can smell the rift chamber long before you reach it. Specifically from two floors below where it cackles in the Overlord’s personal DARK SPIRE. Against better judgements, your advice, and the advice of the poor contractors you hired for maintenance (the leader of which was tortured in a hanging cage for daring to backtalk) The Overlord leaves the rifts open at all times. Even overnight. He says it's so that he may come and go as he pleases, but it's really not much effort to turn the spells on and off– and he has plenty of artifacts on his person that let him do such things anyway. Like his cursed ring of teleportation. As consequence for his negligence you’re now forced to deal with foul odors of the Marshlands mixing with the humidity of the Arched Isles and the heat of the Hells. And that's not even considering all manner of beastie that crawl out of the rifts when no one is looking.

Ever since the rift chamber’s construction common fauna of the DARK SPIRE include dire tarantulas, arthropleura, sandpaper devils– Hells, you once even had to requisition a warband to send on a suicide mission when a group of wraiths escaped the Cursed Lands of Khavok through a rift and infested the tower. Normally such a thing wouldn't even be of note, but one wail too many had awoken the Overlord at night and you were put on the case– when the 12th Southeastern Revolt REALLY required your attention… Damn gnomes.

“Watch your step, milady.” Stella says, maneuvering you away from one of the many traps set in the SPIRE as she holds the golem, its mouth firmly closed as to not embarrass you before the Overlord. Such a common occurrence you can't even complain about it in your own head anymore– the traps that is, not the golem.

Smoke rolls down the steps as you ascend to the fourth floor where the Overlord awaits between dozens of portals to realms both near and abroad. To see such a large black armored man standing intimidatingly in this magically charged room would cause many to flee in fright. However, you are Lady Victorium von Amory de la Eris af Acheron XIII, and you know the sight before you is So. Much. Worse. Why, you may ask? Because The Overlord is in his Thinking Position, with two armored claws cupping his helmet's chin. Dark One have mercy…

“Lady Victorium,” his deep voice growls, “And Stella,” the maid bows, “you are… LATE!” As he says that final word green flame erupts from the corner of the room, creating great columns of torment as a thousand screaming faces emerge within them, all struggling in vain to free their souls from the confines of the inferno.

Stella takes a diligent step back as you try to keep your composure as every ounce of your being begs you to fall to the ground and cry. But you do not, you have a plan. “A thousand apologies, Your Unholyness,” you struggle to say without whimpering as you descend into the deepest curtsy physically possible, “but I was held up by… The Professor.”

>>6456639
“Oh.” Immediately the room's temperature drops as the flames fizzle to naught but sparkles, “did you get lectured?” He asks in a noticeably less overtly evil voice.

“Yes,” you nod gravely, “I did.”

You hear a distinctly unOverlord-like click of a tongue. Who knows where it could have come from. “I hate it when that happens.” You do as well, but at least this time it gave you an out. “Not many people can speak to me the way she does. I can count them on half a hand, but necessary sacrifices must be made for weapons of mass destruction. GWAHAHA, BUT THE WEAPONS THEMSELVES?! MORE THAN WORTH IT I SAY!” Ah, great, you got him monologuing. If you don't do something this is going to take at least another hour!

*cough* “Milord,” you mutter, head still to the ground.

“Ahem, right. Where was it we were going again? To the Hells to slay a demon?”

“No, Milord. We're traveling to retrieve something for a demon. To pillage a tomb.”

“GWAHAHA– Right, right. I love pillaging.” We all know. “But are you sure we cannot go kill a demon, too? We can be quick– the portals right here– in an out, fifteen year adventure!”

Damn it, you knew meeting him in this room would be a bad idea. He always gets sidetracked here, the rifts open up ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES before his eyes, choices upon choices. Sometimes you catch him here just gazing longingly at unconquered land– or treacherous routes– or skantily clad maidens. You’re going to need to find a way to keep the Overlords mind on track or else NOTHING is going to be done for the rest of the DAY!

>Lead the way (with Stella before you) right into the Otznaal rift, hopefully he'll follow right after

>Try to convince the Overlord the IMPORTANCE of this pillage

>Tell the Overlord that if you’re quick you'll be able to eat a quick lunch beforehand. And yes, there will be plenty of SAUCE

>[Write-in]

<NEXT>

>>6456641
>Try to convince the Overlord the IMPORTANCE of this pillage
milord I heard the ruins were full of craven fools talking smack about you. Also they're fans of The Chosen-

>>6456641
>>6456646
>Try to convince the Overlord the IMPORTANCE of this pillage
-and they think that your armor - a thousand apologies for what I'm about to utter - is cringe.

<<TAGGED>>

>>6456641
>Try to convince the Overlord the IMPORTANCE of this pillage

THE OVERLORD was older than you. Vastly. Yet even with all their years of experience tucked away beneath their +10 Belt, they were prone, at times, to bursts of frankly childlike foolishness and whimsy.

You preferred that side far more than you did the one prone to beheading anyone in the general vicinity, namely due to the fact that for all THE OVERLORD’s power, he was still easily-persuaded. And you’d gladly die eight times over before going on a, quote, ‘in and out fifteen year adventure’. Hells, you’d gladly die eight times over before going on a fifteen DAY adventure! It’s nearly noon and you’ve barely looked at your paperwork mountain today!

Milord, you begin in a firm, yet contrite tone as several squads of Imperial Troops enter the Rift Chamber heralded by an earsplitting din of clanking armor and weaponry, you… didn’t want to tell him this, but-

“YOU THERE! IN THE BACK!” THE OVERLORD ROARS, sending a tremor across the chamber, “WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT THOSE HELMETS!?”

“K-KEEP THEM ON A-AT ALL TIMES, YOUR CRUELNESS!” Barks a reedy-voiced recruit as they slam their face-obscuring skull helm back over their head, “Forgive me!”

“What, pray tell, would your SQUAD think if your head was pierced by some wayward stone slung by some flea-bitten cave dweller?!” THE OVERLORD snarls, prompting the recruit and his squaddies to hang their helmed heads in shame, “HELMETS are REPLACEABLE! YOU AREN’T!”

“Y-yes! YES, MILORD!” The soldier stammers as he straightens his posture into a stiffened salute! “THANK YOU, MILORD!”

THE OVERLORD merely stares for a few unnerving moments before shifting his mighty attention back unto you. “... Apologies. You were saying?”

Well, you begin, trying to ignore your Minigolem as he idly chews on your sleeve, while you were visiting The Professor, you erm, came across a missive…

THE OVERLORD’s helmet shifts to the side. “... A missive?”

A missive, you repeat with a resolute nod, or, well, more of a scrying, really… in any case, you continue, it originated from those ruins… from the things that dwell within, you gather.

If THE OVERLORD sees through your lie, they don’t show it. “... And?”

Steadying yourself with a reluctant–and very fake–breath, you look THE OVERLORD dead in, well, where you assume their eyes are.

Milord, you mutter in faux-disbelief, the ruin dwellers? They… they find you, well…

One last pause for the hook.

“... Silly.”

Otznaalian Poets could probably hear a pin drop as your words sink into your lord’s armor-clad skull. Soldier armor shifts anxiously. Your Minigolem stops chewing. Even Stella’s impregnable composure seems to slip!

And you? You feel the weight of THE OVERLORD’s attention press into you like an official seal pressing against a document… which reminds you that you really, REALLY should get back t-

>CONTD.

>>6457097
“Ah. Well… I DO like to keep the mood light around here! GWAHAHA!” The booming laugh dispels the atmosphere somewhat at the expense of your poor ears! Crud, you think to yourself as THE OVERLORD’s loyal troops and your Minigolem join him in raucous laughter, no dice!

Well, you cough, raising your voice a smidge to rise above the laughter, they… they also mentioned your armor, milord! And they were calling it ‘cringeworthy’!

“No…!” Stella mutters, eyes wide in naked disbelief as the laughter dulls around you!

“Hmm…” THE OVERLORD murmurs, “They may not be wrong–it HAS been some time since I updated my wardrobe…” A gauntleted fist smacks into THE OVERLORD’s open palm!

“IT’S SETTLED, THEN! WE MARCH… UPON THE STYLIST’S GROTTO!”

A strangled ‘wait’ wriggles free from your lips as THE OVERLORD jabs an armor-clad finger in your direction amidst a surge of cheers! “You shall join me in the VANGUARD QUEST, Lady Victorium! You know far more about FASHION than I do, after all! GWAHAHA!”

He’s right, of course, but most animals know how to coordinate a wardrobe better than THE OVERLORD! Not important–you need something foolproof… something that’ll get him laser-focused!

M-milord, you sputter as said lord motions to pick you up, they… the ruin dwellers… they also spoke highly of THE CHOSE-

“RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUGH!!!!”
https://youtu.be/cJiVI9do4O0

Ah. It appears THE OVERLORD’s aforementioned ‘beheading anyone within reach’ side has taken over again. Flopping onto your back like a scarecrow in a hurricane, your head rests comfortably in Stella’s waiting lap as you wait for THE OVERLORD to regain his senses. A few beheadings should do the trick…

About twenty seconds and fifty-four-

*SPLOCKT!*

*Thump.*

“Woah!” Remarks your Minigolem with a low whistle, “I guess he really ‘lost his head’, huh, Vic?”

… Fifty-FIVE beheadings later, THE OVERLORD reverts to a panting, clanking mess as the remaining henchmen begin to dutifully drag their headless compatriots out of the room.

“... Hey Vic, I said, ‘I guess he really ‘lost hi-”

So, you begin in a cautious tone, shall we depart, o-

“None shall be left standing…” Growls THE OVERLORD as he takes the first few steps towards the Rift, “They shall rue the day they swore fealty to that IRKSOME ADOLESCENT! TO ARMS, MEN!”

He doesn’t even wait for you to follow–yep, he’s REALLY upset now! Rising from your resting place, you decide to…

>CONTD.

>>6457100

>Hurry through the Rift–The closer you stick to THE OVERLORD the safer you’ll be!
>Pick a HENCHMAN SQUAD and follow them! You just hope they’re not accident-prone…
>Ah, a group of FELLMAGES! They’ll be far from the forefront. Might be good to chat with too?
>Stay close to the FLESHMENDERS. They’ll stick to support. Assuming no one gets too hurt or maimed, it might be downright relaxing!
>Go in LAST. You’re just here for the CYLINDER–no need to be a part of the fireworks…
>Write-In!

-----------------------------[[NEXT]]----------------------

>>6457101
>Go in LAST. You’re just here for the CYLINDER–no need to be a part of the fireworks…

>>6457101
>Go in LAST. You’re just here for the CYLINDER–no need to be a part of the fireworks…
Gotta get back to those excel sheets.

>>6457101
Pick the most competent looking henchman squad and take over their direct command
It seems like the overlord will get sidetracked killing the natives so it would be best if we pushed some people towards the artefact ourselves
We might need more but we’ll have to get them later

>>6457101
>Go in LAST. You’re just here for the CYLINDER–no need to be a part of the fireworks…
Pawns go first, also
<TAG!>
I will check back on the vote later and call it before I start writing

You stand at attention and shift your weight sort of idly as several waves of henchmen clamber like war dogs through the rift's mystical maw, which undulates with arcane power each time a body passes through. They are Blood-Brutes, mostly - the OVERLORD has been pretty fond of them since reading an article about using monster blood to mutagenically enhance minions in an Autumn issue of 'DARK KING'S DIGEST'. They're bloated frames push past each other, and their veins throb between the bands of their armor in hours of purple and green against dark red skin, swollen with evil power. You notice a few squads of Whisper-Wights mixed into the horde, and are glad for the flexibility they might provide. One of the lithe, pale, mouth less corpses gives you a friendly wink and a wave as they shuffle through - Ganomaxes from the mail room at Torturecorp's West branch!?!? She always did want to 'put herself out there's, you think, if she survives the onslaught you make a note to invite her for a brunch.

There's a company of Sword-Slakers that stride along at the back of the underling throng, heads held high and tungsten blades drawn. Behind them are the Fleshmenders, who float along solemnly with gaze cast to the ground, while dozens of silver needles and spools of scarlet spider silk orbit their gaunt skulls, approximating the interlocking rings of an astrolabe and halos at the same time. Behind them are rows of heavily cloaked Fellmages, whose black and burgundy capirotes are nearly as tall as the portal itself.

When the last of them file through, you consider for just a heartbeat's moment that you might... Wait a little bit... Maybe the OVERLORD will be having so much fun he'll forget he even needed you to tag along...
But you dismiss the notion, take a deep breath, and rush forward into the crackling, colorful vapors of the RIFT-

CHUK-CHUK-CHUK
"Wuuaagghhh! Aaahhhgh!"
WRA-KOOM!!!
Tink tink-tink tink tink tink-tink-tink~
THNK!

You emerge into a fray the likes of which you have only ever half-glimpsed in the ugliest of the after action dossiers you file bi-monthly.

This is pure, unadulterated, cat-fucking chaos and carnage.

You're on a cracked basalt dais on the edge of a burnt-ochre ridge of dunes, with wild winds whipping at your hair and clothing. Thunder cracks overhead, and green lightning bolts dance from a storm out at sea. Just below are the orange-red sands of the seashore in Old Elyseria, deep behind the borders of the OTZNAAL PROTECTORATE, what you'd expect to be a quiet and forgotten strip of the coastline... but you and the OVERLORD'S forces have been met by heavy resistance.

>Cont'd

The henchmen and other assorted minions have spread out, breaking into coordinated squads and offensive lines, but many along the front are being torn apart by Otznaalian Ironclad Cavalry, Otznaalian Knife-Waltzers, and... Hells, you even spot TWO covens of Gravity-Chanters in the distance... They are both already arranged into rings, holding hands and skipping along with whimsical glee, their bleached braids swinging in the harsh wind while they sing-song the ancient incantations of physics-rending.

SH-THNK! SH-THNK!

A tremendous indention in the shape of a perfect triangle forms as a chunk of gravity is multiplied hundreds of times, crushing four squads of Blood-Brutes into a flat paste, and compacting the sand beneath them into stone with its force. Immediately after a perfectly circular indention is created where once stood a tall, proud Sword-Slaker; even his mighty blade is compressed to a thin sheet of dark grey metal, the Slaker is unrecognizable as the gravitational attack leaves behind nothing but blue foam and shreds of flattened flesh.

WRA-KOOM!

It's then you notice that there is an entire Otznaalian Chimera-Carrier looming on the dark, roiling ocean, perhaps half a mile out, well beyond the range of the Fellmages. It's launching alchemical mortars that shriek across the bleak, blistering sky, behind the rumbling clouds, and arc down onto the beach with massive explosions. The great bursts of fire dissipate into little animate match-head sized flames that then gather together into minor flame-elementals about as tall as your knee. The creatures would not be too fearsome were it not for their instinct to swarm together and crawl all over your warriors, burning and suffocating them - and that's if they're lucky enough to survive the explosions.

The OVERLORD is sprinting towards it at full speed, walking along the surface of the water and leaving bursts of steam behind in each place where his boots land upon the choppy sea.

WRUM! SPLOOSH! K-TANG!

He bats an alchemical mortar aside with a fist, and it skips along the water twice before slowing and sinking, then with his sword he cuts in half a cold iron ballistae launched from the edge of the Chimera-Carrier. He must want to neutralize it before the artillery can do too much damage, or worse, it releases air support that would completely decimate your incursion.

>Cont'd

A silver dagger whizzes past you, missing your head by an inch, and you see the Knife-Waltzer that just flung it in your direction from lower on the beach right before Ganomaxes beheads her with a fog-blade taking the shape of a falchion.

You dive down for a nearby crater, with the mini-golem clinging desperately to your back and trembling. You grip the multi-wand with white knuckle terror, and peak above the still hot sand at what has become an all out war.

You take the moment to think.

Is this the result of the OVERLORD leaving the rift open all of the time, and the Otznaalian's merely chose to reinforce the position in anticipation? No. You don't see fortifications, just dangerous troops. They could have built towers, walls, traps. They may have known about the rift, but they weren't manning it in case of an invasion.

Somehow they knew you would be here.

The real question is this: why?

Are they also here to access the dungeon on the nearby seabed? Are they also looking for the TUBE? Did TASHUMENE put them up to it, or a different demon? Or... Did someone among the OVERLORD'S own forces leak intelligence? Is there a betrayer in your midst, plotting on his downfall? Or... Yours? The daemon did want you SPECIFICALLY to be here...

Your wondering is interrupted when a Blood-Brute riddled with throwing knives stumbles back clumsily, and tumbles over the edge of the crater, nearly crushing you with his girth were you not quick enough to barrel-roll to the side in time. You look as blood oozes from his head, which really just looks like a big mouth full of lamprey fangs.

Wat do?

>Link up with Ganomaxes and the Whisper-Wights, give them magical support and try to disrupt one of the covens of Gravity-Chanters. If you can break the circle or stop their skipping and chanting, they will lose their ability to rend physics.
>Rush off to the side, to the water. You can use the ice beam of the Multi-Wand to follow behind the OVERLORD, who surely will keep you safe, and it will get you closer, sort of, to the dungeon itself...
>Reinforce the Sword-Slakers and Blood-Brutes battling the Ironclad Cavalry and Knife-Waltzers. They are dangerous foes, but you can perhaps use your superior mind and magic wand to turn the tide.
>Stay close to the Fleshmenders and Fellmages, they will be able to protect your body and mind with their mystic surgery, arcane wards, and intercepting telekinetic needles. You will wait in safety for the OVERLORD or his forces to make an opening

<NEXT>

>>6457517
>Rush off to the side, to the water. You can use the ice beam of the Multi-Wand to follow behind the OVERLORD, who surely will keep you safe, and it will get you closer, sort of, to the dungeon itself...
Maybe he can carry us? Shit, man, this just got hairy! Stella, please prepare the Blood and Gore Parasol...