>>562413
"I found a mouse on my way here. I'm sorry.

Segnus should have been back by now. I'll go in after him, but first I should take you back to town - is that alright with you?"

...break the news to them, gently. They deserve honestly, at least.

>take them back to town
Not a terrible idea (for their safety, anyways) although that does set us back another day. Although, it's already 4:30. Could we move two injured and blind walkers to town before dark? If there's anything out there hunting people, we wouldn't be in a good position to protect them. In the short term, a closed house with a sentry golem might be safer.

Longer term, of course, they need care and food.

For the moment, they're relatively safe guarded by the golem.

Netsuki 2015/03/30(Mon)14:14 No. 631795 ID: ec1947
File 142775008899.png - (583.19KB , 1280x800 , SoOutOfIt.png )

what are you even doing here?

the stomach revolving imagery of the mangled corpse, the locked out hut, all the pain, all the suffering, are you even up for the task?

Master... so close, you should chase after him! leave these dumb mice, what hope do they have anyways?


but wait, -HE- tended to them, HE taught you to respect and care for the lives of others, they clearly are in need and he can handle himself right?

right?


... but why did he gave his name so easily to these two? why do you want to care for them just so they can steal his attention away from you?


do you even diserve that attention? the daughter of an innkeeper should be just that, why are you here...?




your head spins, that's the fifth time this thought rolls around your head, your ears are ringing and there's a bit of nausea, you think you hear something like a whisper in the distance but...

Netsuki 2015/03/30(Mon)14:47 No. 631799 ID: ec1947
File 142775205862.png - (158.43KB , 570x565 , Leribroken.png )

... what are you saying? you're better than this, those aren't even your feelings, but why does it hurts...? why does ...

Netsuki 2015/03/30(Mon)14:53 No. 631800 ID: ec1947
File 142775239795.png - (174.72KB , 561x470 , jumpscare.png )

"LINA! MISS LINA!"

a hand heavily lands on your shoulder, you feel a massive headache and are abou to throw up but the sudden touch was DEFINITELY uncalled for

and who is calling you by name anyways? that... dirty... fucking....

Netsuki 2015/03/30(Mon)14:56 No. 631802 ID: ec1947
File 142775260782.png - (326.61KB , 1051x605 , facepunch.png )

...RAT

"STOP TOUCHING ME!"

the surprised squeal is echoed by the younger sister's scream in confusion

w-why did you punched her? you didn't meant to? did you? it's her fault... she could hold him off for you, she didn't had to trouble him, she... what are you even...

Netsuki 2015/03/30(Mon)15:00 No. 631803 ID: ec1947
File 142775283114.png - (261.32KB , 1280x800 , aftermath.png )

...doing!?

you are suposed to help these people! you are a gentle priestess of earth, the embodiment of balance and peace, what has gotten into you?

you can barely see, the sheeplex is out of service, the sun set already? how long where you out of it?

your train of thought is broken by the sobbing of the younger mice and the coughing of the elder, who fell flat on the floor, who is shuffling back in fear of you now

(sorry for the absence guys <.< back now! )

>>631803
Shit, you're infected or cursed or something. Get away from them. You're basically on a time limit now. Go find your master before it's too late.

Apologize and say that you think you are starting to become effected by whatever is happening, and need to step outside to compose yourself. Then go outside and check how clear your head is now and whether time has actually passed. (The darkness in here, and looking back the mention of the husband going insane at night makes me wonder whether the effect is linked to being in physical darkness.)

>can't see
See, this is why I wanted to pick light.

>what happened
Something preyed on your connection to your master, and exploited it. It found a seed of jealousy to foster in a crack of your defenses. Made you doubt yourself, and lash out. Possibly exacerbated by the fact you seem to have some lingering issues of self-worth.

If the threat here is psychological in nature, you need to understand and face your own weaknesses.

>what do
Apologize. You're sorry. You were a overwhelmed there for a moment, you're not going to hurt them.

Bless might be appropriate to cast. If there's something preying on your emotions / fears, it might alleviate it. And if the mice still count as allies it'll help calm and reassure them.

How many spell castings do we have left? It's been a while.

Netsuki 2015/03/30(Mon)16:55 No. 631821 ID: 225ed3
File 142775970967.png - (528.28KB , 1280x800 , Runexclamationpoint.png )

your first response is to get away, unsure if it's for their own safety or your sanity, but you rush out of the door, stumbling, you fall to your knees outside, rather than darkness, you are greeted by the oh-so-comforting blue pale glow of the full moon, before you realize it, your balance feels weird and you throw up a little, coughing as you feel your mind starting to clear...

Netsuki 2015/03/30(Mon)17:06 No. 631823 ID: 225ed3
File 142776038207.png - (437.90KB , 1280x800 , Full Moon.png )

you kick some dust over the little mess you made and look up at the moon, as you take a deep breath, you feel much better, calming down, you realize the scent of blood inside of the house was a bit too much for you to take

glancing back, you see both mice sisters in the hut, it seemed to be more of an issue of your sight blurring

"I- I'm sorry... I don't know... I'm just..." you sigh and start to stand up, brushing the dust off your knees as you reflect a little on what happend "... I'm scared and confused"


silence

with a glance over your shoulder, you notice there's a tiny hint of red hue on the mountains, and purple in the sky, not all the stars are out and the ones that are are blocked by the moonlight, the sun must have set not long ago, you probably zoned out some two hours or so

your mind is a little hazy, not able to really conjure up a spell on the spot right now, nor measure up how much mystic energy you have left (yet, you feel it's still there) but you decide to do what's right...

Netsuki 2015/03/30(Mon)17:20 No. 631826 ID: 225ed3
File 142776122458.png - (311.65KB , 752x795 , prayingformice.png )

you drive your hammer to the ground and softly begin chanting a prayer, as you do, you can't help but to feel silly about all the fuzz you made, but you do realize it's all true to a certain degree, it all seemed nice and dandy at the village but the closer you get the more you realize you've never been this close to real danger before

as you end the chanting, you get up feeling refreshed, the fear is still there, but the resolve seems clear now, you -do- want your Master to be safe and for the people in the village to be safe

you turn away with a sigh and fling your backpack over your shoulders, before you hear a little whisper

-"be brave, Lina... for us, for our people" turning back, you find the young sister by the door with a little smile before she closes the door

Something's wrong.

You know this, even if you can't figure it out. This whole quest to find your master is slowly turning into a nightmare of blood, guts, and gore. You know something's wrong, you didn't want to hit the little girl, nor call her bad names.

Choose a different path to your master. Whatever is tormenting you will likely win if you keep playing whatever sick game they've inflicted upon you. You might not know who they are, but that doesn't mean you can't play by your own rules.

Take detours, learn non-priestess skills, recruit bandits, do anything that seems too ludicrous to be a predictable or manipulative move! Whatever you do, do NOT abandon hope - IN YOURSELF. Your faith may be a guide, but do NOT close your eyes.

>>631826
Alright let's get going.

Right. So... we've freaked out and wasted two hours, but we never actually resolved our dilemma. What to do with the blind mice?

Leaving them helpless and injured to fend for themselves is worrisome, as is trying guide them back to the village in the dead of night.

Netsuki 2015/03/30(Mon)18:04 No. 631834 ID: 225ed3
File 142776387405.png - (567.53KB , 1280x800 , NotAlone.png )

it has to be done, no doubt, but, this is true, diving headfirst is a sure way to lose it

you still feel too dazed to even recall the spells you learned trough months of practice, however, right now you do feel the connection to mother earth's strenght more powerful than ever

but what of it? you can't go off on your own path, it's not sheep nature, sheep follow, sheep obey.... then again, how does that turns out for feral sheep....?

as you look back at the mice, you realize even trying to escort them in your present state might be more dangerous to them, a glance at the golem makes you feel even more confused

you can't help but to feel a bit jealous that he spent so much magic power to create something like that to protect someone other than you.... but then you can't deny it's flattering that it's on your image, reflecting on that, you DO realize you are in no shape to watch over the sisters, and decide to leave it up to the golem.

leaning your hammer over your shoulder, you nod once and start walking down the path, towards the mine. those two hours felt like over a year, perhaps it's time to start doing things -your- way

>you can't help but to feel a bit jealous that he spent so much magic power to create something like that to protect someone other than you
Girl, it's not a slight. If you could spend magical power like that to protect them, if you could have. In fact, you have spent magical power to protect people who aren't him, today. Your spells just aren't that good yet.

Take comfort in the fact, that in some way, you got to protect them after all. He thinks of you as a protector.

>perhaps it's time to start doing things -your- way
Well, what is your style, then?

Not sure it's the best idea continuing on in the state we're in, but standing around in the middle of the night isn't a good idea, either.

You chose to refuse a way of life that has led you into fields of horrifying things that you did not want to see in your lifetime, that's a very intelligent and mature decision.

Now boop/honk the golem.

Onwards to the mine I guess.

>Now boop/honk the golem.
Let's not poke the war machine to see how it reacts.

>chose to refuse a way of life that has led you into fields of horrifying things that you did not want to see in your lifetime, that's a very intelligent and mature decision
That's not an option. We're already in this situation- now we choose how to deal with it. Denying reality isn't at all the mature decision.

>>631863
I meant the "I'm not going to blindly obey if that means becoming jaded, miserable, and dead" part.

Netsuki 2015/03/31(Tue)09:24 No. 631974 ID: 225ed3
File 142781907515.png - (594.94KB , 1280x800 , walkingforward.png )

... the golem makes you feel a little uneasy emotionally and you decide not to mess with it

the house grows distant and the cave nears, with your head cool, you realize it should be closer to 22:00, judging by the moon's position, wich, is making the night walk fairly comfortable, there's enough light and you can barely feel the chill of the night


-believe in your own strenght- ... really who needs magic when you can swing an oversized stone hammer?

you can feel the mana flowing in you stronger than ever... why should you limit yourself to Master's teachings? surely you can do better than that


for now, though, there's only one question, judging by the shadow of the mountain, the cave seems less than 3 hours away, will you dive headfirst into the maw of the cave, or will you try to have a night of rest?

>why should you limit yourself to Master's teachings? surely you can do better than that
There's certainly more than one path to self improvement, and nothing says you need to walk exactly the same one he did.

That said, be careful. Watch your thoughts. I worry now that something might be preying on your pride, the way it did jealousy before.

>really who needs magic when you can swing an oversized stone hammer?
People fighting ghosts? Or who need healing. Not every problem is crushable.

>What do
Let's get closer to the cave and find a campsite. I'd rather be rested and have daylight at our backs than go in tired.

Netsuki 2015/03/31(Tue)17:47 No. 632039 ID: 225ed3
File 142784924634.png - (295.72KB , 1280x800 , Near the mine.png )

two hours later, the moon is still rather bright, other than the ocassional wilderness critter roaming, most respectful of your prescence and the ones that didn't took little less than a gentle pat in the head from your hammer to take the wise choice of running away.

you feel much more refreshed after some reflecting in the run, it might not be as effective as full-on-meditation, but it sure helped you feel much better

the path seems to come to end at last, as expected near a mine's site, you can spot some structures nearby, a large barn-like building to the far left, nearest to you, what seems to be a run down stable, closest to the mine is a decent sized shack, and damn near to the entrance you spot two smaller structures, probably tool sheds or administrative booths?

there's also the wilderness, at either side of you, but given what happend recently, sleeping out in the open doesn't seems like a very good choice

>>632039
Check out the barn. Hay bales are relatively soft and you won't be too close to the mine in case nasty things start coming out of it.

Stable or barn might be safest, if you can pacify the animals. They'd also act as an early warning beacon- get worked up if anything approaches while you sleep.

Should make sure no one's in the shack, though.

Netsuki 2015/03/31(Tue)18:42 No. 632051 ID: 225ed3
File 142785252837.png - (368.34KB , 1280x800 , InsideThestable.png )

the Stable seems preety much abandoned, no hint of animals inhabiting it in the recent weeks or perhaps more, perhaps it was abandoned well before the incidents?

it is relatively well kept, no signs of violence nor unpleasantries, there are several piles of hay, some look comfy, some even look nibble-worthy, scattered around the area you find some planks of wood, brushes, crops, straps and the ocassional horseshoe around


(guys, need help with 1d100 rolls, need to determine something~ with at least three people rolling I'll have enough to choose)

rolled 80 = 80

---

Still think you should at least check the other buildings, make sure there's no one else nearby, even if you stay in this one.

rolled 9 = 9

---

Grab some clean hay to much on, then do a quick survey of the other buildings before you bed down for the night.

rolled 17 = 17

---

>>632052
Yep

Netsuki 2015/03/31(Tue)21:23 No. 632086 ID: ec1947
File 142786222515.png - (310.51KB , 1280x800 , hutinterior.png )

totally down with this!

you set down your heavy backpack in a corner, placing a horseshoe over it so you will be able to tell if someone moves it, picking up only your hammer

after picking up a handful of good looking hay, you head out and get a closer look at the hut, it seems to be shut closed with boards and nails, going around it, you find a small hole in the wood and peer in, there seems to be enough moon light to give you a good view of the interior, it's preety desolated, no furniture or signs of wear, however the slight scent of decayed fruit lingers as you get close to the hole, it's not bad, but not exactley pleasant

pulling back, you take another bite at the hay and realize you could break down the door if you wanted to, but, what would the point be of runing a perfectly good door?

(yay guest artist for this one and the next |3 )

It's barred from the inside. Someone may be in there, and the scent of decayed fruit could be from, say, an alcoholic beverage?

Try knocking or something.

Try to use your intelligence to open the door without using excessive strength or magical skills. A good door will be useful for defending yourself!

>>632095
serving drinks and cleaning the kitchen for years taught you well the difference, not even the cheapest drink you know has that scent, this is more like bannanas and melons gone bad

it -is- strange, specially for these typically non-magical folks, so you knock a few times.... to no response, skirting around it, you peer down other holes, no sign of anyone there, feral or anthro

Netsuki 2015/03/31(Tue)21:47 No. 632106 ID: ec1947
File 142786363420.png - (487.45KB , 1280x800 , barninterior.png )

moving on, you notice the barn is closed in a similar fashion, the wood here seems far more deteriorated, as you peek inside, you notice a big hole in the roof and several moonbeams filtering in, there's a disctint lingering scent of nuts, dried fruit and a slight bit of kerosene...? or something similar, , there seems to have once been a second floor but it's almost nonexistant now


>>632099

you know the doors aren't that tightly shut, probably with patience, some twigs and leather straps you could struggle to open them somehow, but then, you -are- tired, probably best to wait?

>>632106
Oh hey, the barn is more secure. Climb up to the top and drop down into it.

This might be a flammable trap. Just sleep on top of the barn for now.

netsuki 2015/04/01(Wed)05:32 No. 632258 ID: 225ed3
File 142789153299.png - (300.28KB , 1280x800 , sketch1427891552141.png )

rolled 15 = 15

---

It does seems safer and hey, food, but climbing up the roof? That never ended well for you, you shuffle back to the stable and return with a thin leather strap, crop and some chips of wood and attempt to release the bar of the door....

netsuki 2015/04/01(Wed)05:43 No. 632259 ID: 225ed3
File 142789218763.png - (341.52KB , 800x1280 , sketch1427892053586.png )

The twig slips from your hand and you nearly drop the crop but somehow you grip it in the last moment and manage to twirl the leather strap in place, with your strenght it's easy task to release the bar but you realize it might take more than two mice to move it unless miner mice are stronger, wich they should very well be.

There is a rack by the door with three lamps and some flasks of fuel for them, at the left several sacks of yummy stuff
Well, for now you , move a bunch of comfy haystacks to the barn, and after triple checking that you are indeed alone, youjam the bar in place and secure it closed with the strap

All right. Do a last sweep of the room for dangers or ways things could get in, then go to sleep.

At least we found some provisions. Who knows what we'd find underground.

Netsuki 2015/04/01(Wed)10:11 No. 632279 ID: 225ed3
File 142790830199.png - (226.06KB , 663x800 , Yaaaawn.png )

there isn't much other than the hole in the roof,the best choice would be to place several nails and shattered glasses directly under it, thankfully there are no ropes or structures near it, so if someone or something comes there, they'll get a nice greeting on their way down

at last you remove your hide armour and get to stretch, tired? yes, sleepy? not really, however, you look at a small plank of wood in good shape and some leather straps and ideas begin forming in your head....

Netsuki 2015/04/01(Wed)10:27 No. 632280 ID: 225ed3
File 142790925372.png - (366.80KB , 1280x800 , newgear.png )

... it's better than nothing, right

you look over to your stone hammer, and the words of one of the regular customers at the inn echo in your head "it's not about the size, it's about how you move it" you're strong enough to punch trough bricks effortlessly, is it really necesary to have such a massive weapon? Master always praised you for being able to effortlessly handle such massive tool, but you might do better with something more delicate and elegant!

grabbing a piece of metal from the ground, you drag your warhammer over to a pile of hay to work...

Recall the shape of the best bludgeoning tool that you have ever seen, and slightly lighten the hammer until you can twirl yourself and attack all around but still stop on a dime without staggering.

>is it really necesary to have such a massive weapon?
Well, the bigger it is, the more inertia it has. Although, you have to overcome that inertia in the first place to move it around. Trade offs.

...although if your strength is magical and literally allows you to move your weapon effortlessly, than yes, using the most massive weapon possible is advantageous. You get to scale force with mass without having to spend the energy to accelerate it in the first place.

Maybe a smaller weapon would be more maneuverable in the confines of a tight cave?

I suppose it all comes down to what you're comfortable with. And you're an earth mage- if we need a new big rock, it's not like we can't get one.

I do kind of think you might be better off getting some sleep than doing improvised weapon paring down in the dark, though.

1/7 Netsuki 2015/04/01(Wed)17:25 No. 632410 ID: 225ed3
File 142793431460.png - (55.33KB , 252x503 , youare12.png )

(little bonus image over at the Thigh day thread at questdis~)

after messing around with your hammer, you lay down for some well diserved rest...

your dream once again takes you to times past, at the age of 12, things changed, folks still enjoyed your song but the wolf calls and uncalled flirting from old drunks made it harder for you to really enjoy singing on stage anymore

2/7 Netsuki 2015/04/01(Wed)17:28 No. 632411 ID: 225ed3
File 142793448666.png - (267.85KB , 1280x800 , parentsarguing.png )

it didn't helped that your mother had a little... escapade with a customer... or two... kinda explains the gifts you've been getting lately from strangers, your father started arguing with her more and more and she kept threathening to leave, neither of your parents assisted to this year's spring festival to hear you sing

3/7 Netsuki 2015/04/01(Wed)17:29 No. 632412 ID: 225ed3
File 142793459873.png - (300.63KB , 1280x800 , InnTable.png )

years began dripping by in a blur, wake up, clean the bar, move barrels around, cook meals, open the bar, serve drinks, deal with lewd comments and stand the badmouthing of your mother's ocassional absences, each day blended with the previous and was indsicting from the next one

4/7 Netsuki 2015/04/01(Wed)17:33 No. 632413 ID: 225ed3
File 142793482370.png - (198.50KB , 769x800 , be16.png )

tension

it was sometime in autumn, little after your 16th birthday, you hadn't seen your mother in well over three months, at this point you gave up singing after all you get are calls to strip down and dance

to make it worse, this one blue feline kept harrasing you more and more...

5/7 Netsuki 2015/04/01(Wed)17:36 No. 632416 ID: 225ed3
File 142793498754.png - (274.88KB , 743x731 , Bullycat.png )

... until THAT one night, your father out getting supplies for the week, the feline cornered you on your way out of the inn, you shudder at the memory of his breath, cheap liqour and slurry words, he begins bragging of the things he did to your mother and demanded -YOU- to pick up what she left pending

6/7 Netsuki 2015/04/01(Wed)18:37 No. 632435 ID: 225ed3
File 142793866165.png - (426.49KB , 1033x800 , BamHeadshot.png )

... That's when you met HIM

it was all a blurr, one moment you feel him running his hand around your hair and pulling you close, the next, he's tumbling back with a loud yowl, as you sidestep, you see a tall, hansome deer, in a split second, his left hand starts glowing as he kneels down to bash the feline's face down to the ground, the feline spasms for a moment with a harsh meowl before remaining fully limp, the deer turns around and looks at you straight in the eyes "-are you okay, lady?"

7/7 Netsuki 2015/04/01(Wed)18:40 No. 632438 ID: 225ed3
File 142793881427.png - (124.69KB , 536x491 , omg.png )

... perfect black eyes... velvet-like cream hued coat of fur as he smiles, you feel a tingle as he stands up and offers a hand to you, the tingle however, makes you dizzy, slowly, the image starts fading and you feel your counciousness waning.... the same dream... however it rarely ends here, why did you had to wake up in the best part...?

>why did you had to wake up in the best part...?
What's the best part?

Now that you're awake, look around. Is your campsite as you left it?

Are you sure he didn't hire/manipulate that cat so that he could "save" you himself?

Well, you can figure it out later. You're not some dissed barmaid, you're an adventurer. Focus on surviving when there's nobody to save.

Netsuki 2015/04/01(Wed)18:47 No. 632441 ID: 225ed3
File 142793924798.png - (410.98KB , 1280x800 , Crossbowtotheface.png )

>>632439

except for the loaded crossbow three inches from your nose, everything is preety much as you left it, yes

you get the impression that you where somewhat of a heavy sleeper tonight

>loaded crossbow three inches from your nose
Well, shit.

Don't move, and say "Hello?"

Netsuki 2015/04/01(Wed)19:06 No. 632447 ID: 225ed3
File 142794037667.png - (854.23KB , 1280x800 , Crossbowtothefaceorangeglow.png )

the scope on top of the crossbow gives off a faint orange glow as your vision clears

-"what did you do with the mice?"
is the sole response from the raspy, masculine voice

insctintively, you try to hold both hands up, but you notice your wrists are tied together, just as your ankles

"don't you try anything sneaky... "miss" why don't you show me your true form and tell me where the miners are?"

Stay calm. We've got a paranoid adventuring type, here. Apparently investigating the same things you are.

I did nothing to the mice. These buildings were empty when I arrived earlier tonight.

I'm a priestess. If I demonstrate my abilities, will that prove to you I'm not something else disguised as one?

>>632447
"If you mean the pair in the cabin, they should still be there, safe as is possible this close to the accursed mine. I swear by the earth underfoot that this is my true form, and I would prefer not to reveal any more of it to a stranger, armed or otherwise. My name is Lina: What is yours?"

>>632447
Tell him the mice are down the road, in a building guarded by a golem that looks like you. They are safe for now. The miners are probably all dead, you don't really know.

Ask him why he thinks you're involved. I mean, you're sleeping in a barn.

>The miners are probably all dead
Don't say that. We don't know that for sure, and it will probably just aggravate him. And it could be misinterpreted as taunting him, which he could use to justify his suspicions we're part of this.

Netsuki 2015/04/01(Wed)20:13 No. 632464 ID: ec1947
File 142794443947.png - (937.39KB , 1280x800 , Crossbowtothefaceorangeglowtokidoki.png )

the glow increases as you shuffle to think of an answer but lessens as you do, you can't help but to notice him whimpering slightly

you tell him about the mice in the cabin, but yeah, probably talking about the golem or dead miners won't end up well

-"you expect me to believe a sheep... a priest of all things, is going to be here all alone?" he glances quick to your armour on the floor

"wolf skins? no sheep could have that for clothing" he turns back to you, shaking a little, he seems disturbed "but it is clear you have magic in you, it's what brought me here... so... Sheep..."

you can see his right arm twitches and hear the trigger's mechanism tensing "I-I don't know what cabin you speak of, but if that's a t-trap it won't work well with me"

Tell him that it's an ironic fashion! You're just following someone and this entire adventure got so WRONG so fast!

>is going to be here all alone?
I came searching for my master, who came this way and did not return.

...who is it you've lost? (Stab in the dark, but the way he's tense and nervous, and taking this personally suggests to me he's got a personal stake in the missing people).

Netsuki 2015/04/01(Wed)20:31 No. 632470 ID: ec1947
File 142794547676.png - (198.04KB , 860x650 , justwakingup.png )

focus Lina...

raspy voice, pointy snout, thin ears, certantly canine... inhale... think

dog? dingo? coyote?

you explain you're just looking for someone, and with your most sincere body language, explain how it all got waay out of hand, he doesn't seems convinced, he glances over to the stone hammer and visibly shudders "I knew I should have killed you while you where sleeping, I knew you would not give any information about the mice,very well... " he rolls his shoulder and props the crossbow, preparing to shoot but he IS quite shaken at this point, not really convinced

>>632468
(going to assume this is right after he takes aim!)

the comment about your master does makes him re-consider and he flicks his ears at your last sentence

"a mercenary has nothing... or nobody to lose, Sheep" he steps back and points the crossbow at your chest "I don't need to explain anything to you, but I have to prove myself, and no foul magic using demon is going to make me doubt about it"

...can we still cast while bound in iron? Sanctuary on ourself would be really helpful right now. We could make him lose his already shaky will, and tank a hit even if he fires. Plus, it is divine magic. Proof we're not a demon.

Say that the priestess Lydia in town mentioned him. She said that they had hired a mercenary from a guild and not heard from him since; I guess he is who she was referring to?

rolled 19 - 1 = 18

---

You can cast most divine spells with your focus handy (stone) but right now, you tap into your insctint and begin humming , weaving the earth's mana into the sounds as you look at him...

Netsuki 2015/04/01(Wed)21:48 No. 632499 ID: ec1947
File 142795008407.png - (119.86KB , 467x394 , pufffff.png )

rolled 20, 16 = 36

---

... and it seems the magic didn't quite hit home, you attempted to calm down his feelings but he seems too altered and it had the contrary effect, tears swell on his eyes, however you do manage to mention Lydia, he whines

"It's just too scary! I am tired of this!!!" he pulls the crossbow away but his finger slips

Netsuki 2015/04/01(Wed)21:55 No. 632506 ID: ec1947
File 142795055805.png - (102.79KB , 357x538 , ouch.png )

rolled 6 = 6

---

the canine steps back, looks at his empty crossbow, then at you, he stutters, the crossbow falling off his hand as he stumbles back "I- I'm..."

that certantly -hurt- you've experienced many things but the pain from your right arm is on a whole new scale, you feel an odd warmth irradiate from the bolt for a moment, but then it dissipates inmediately and it's replaced by the sharp pain

Ow. Ask if he can untie you so you can heal the wound.

Netsuki 2015/04/01(Wed)22:21 No. 632512 ID: ec1947
File 142795206627.png - (82.13KB , 355x488 , snap.png )

he runs back, heading for the door, trying frenetically to open it but you seem to have secured it too firmly

you get up and realize the rope he used isn't really that good, it only takes a firm flex of your left arm and the rope snaps, slowly, you prop yourself against the wall, twisting your legs slightly, you snap the rope on your ankle with surprising ease

Knock him unconscious. You can discuss this after he takes a nap and you heal that wound.

The crossbow is on the ground, right? Pick it up (without pointing it at him) and tell him to calm down and not go outside without his weapon. If he does try to get it make him promise not to shoot you again before giving it back.

>>632513
We might have to, but we should avoid that if possible, as physically attacking him will make it even harder to get him to stop panicking.

Pick up his weapon (don't load or aim it) and calmly ask him to stop running away. He shot you, he's not the one with something to be afraid of.

Stand there until he comes to his senses.

If he protests more : if I was a demon I would have struck you from behind while you were panicking.

Now would you help me get this arrow out? I can only reach it with one arm and I can't heal this with it in the way.

>>632512

Oh man.. the hammer is a divine focus, needed for magic, right? That probably won't calm the fella down at all.

Tell him he does not need to kill to prove himself here. The goal is protection. Rescue. If the curse of the mine can be sealed away again, or lifted entirely, that will save more lives than culling the victims of its magic. Your Master knows this too.

Netsuki 2015/04/02(Thu)07:03 No. 632604 ID: 225ed3
File 142798342970.png - (229.25KB , 860x800 , holdcrossbow.png )

you glare at the crossbow and resist the urge to stomp on it, instead you pick it up as harmlessly as you can (not that you'd even know how to operate it) and step towards him, as you start the 'if I was a demo-' he interrupts you placing a hand up in front of your face...

Netsuki 2015/04/02(Thu)07:16 No. 632605 ID: 225ed3
File 142798417766.png - (433.73KB , 1280x800 , Tanavar.png )

"... that bolt was aligned to destroy evil, you'd be withering in agony, if not dead by now if you where evil" he lowers his ears and undoes the scarf covering his face

"... for that matter, how DID you endured that bolt? you clearly aren't evil but now I can see how you made it this far on your own...you are strong...very strong"

he glances away and nods softly "... my clan has always been poor, and I joined the mercenary guild to bring fame and something to the table, I thought rescuing a bunch of mice would be easy, but I had to deal with all sort of weird things... I'm just so in edge..."

he lowers his head "I'm very sorry, miss, let me help you with that bolt... I won't promise it won't hurt though, I just hope you can forgive me"

Netsuki 2015/04/02(Thu)07:36 No. 632608 ID: 225ed3
File 142798538282.png - (153.69KB , 586x413 , pullitout.png )

"... name's Tanavar... by the way... are you ready? at your signal, I'll pull it out"

>afraid, on edge
>I just hope you can forgive me
He's going through the same thing you did, when you lashed out at the blind mice, before.

Understand, and forgive. Accept his help in treating your arm.

Exchange names, stories.

>>632609
And, I don't suppose you can help clear his mind the way you cleared yours?

>>632608
Yeah, alright.

Cast cure minor wounds afterwards.

Netsuki 2015/04/02(Thu)12:46 No. 632632 ID: 225ed3
File 142800396114.png - (175.04KB , 586x413 , yank.png )

rolled 3 + 4 = 7

---

>>632629
you nod and grit your teeth, he takes a deep breath and suddently pulls out

he reaches up with trembling hands to tend your wound but you shake a finger and reach down, taking a small pebble from the leftovers of your hammer, taking a deep breath, you focus on the healing spell and nod at him "... see? all is good now"

Ok, now that we are healed and calmed down we can discuss what we have seen so far and our plans next. The mice said that aside from our master they saw coyote and lynx mercenaries; has he seen either our master or the lynx? Also, has he been in the mine itself so far or just its surroundings like we have?

I was expecting a second post what with the roll.

Sit down, compare stories.

Check sheepedex. What time is it?

1/2 Netsuki 2015/04/03(Fri)10:09 No. 632756 ID: 225ed3
File 142808097864.png - (313.22KB , 1280x800 , sketch1428079109748.png )

after you explain the gist of your story, he nods and starts organizing his gear in the ground

he's an initiate in the silent howl guild, a pack of canines who work to support their comunity and earn respect

since he started this journey, he saved a ferret mother and her kid from a pack of weird blue critters, he tries to make himself sound brave and tough, but you know all too well the fear reflected in his eyes as he describes it, it seems he managed to barely have survived it

out of curiosity, you ask how many times he has been hired, to wich he lowers his ears, saying that other than menial jobs like escorting or rescuing kittens from trees, this is his first actual mission, wich he was already considered on quitting

he had a lot more weapons and equipment but he traded most of it for a special magic stone that glows in presence of magic, convinced by a sneaky saleswoman, wich he mounted on the crossbow, it's not very precise but it's a good indication, in retrospective though, he kinda regrets having sold his compass...

he has seven regular bolts, two bolts aligned to destroy evil, two bolts aligned to destroy chaotic beings

three throwing daggers, three healing potions, three packs of rations (ew, dried meat)

grappling hook, rope, healing kit and a set of climbing claws

2/2 Netsuki 2015/04/03(Fri)10:18 No. 632757 ID: 225ed3
File 142808149623.png - (309.32KB , 1280x800 , sketch1428078593387 (1).png )

he shakes his head when you ask about him being in the mine, he arrived from the east, skirting the mountains, since he sold his compass, it was the only reliable way to make it, but that did costed him an extra day and half of traveling

Lynx... and Coyote, he looks away for a moment, then nods

"if those are who I think... they're the glistening fangs... the coyote is a traitor from our guild, since he can read our jargon and shares contacts, they tend to steal our jobs, usually by less than honorable means, the lynx is an outright bandit, preety dangerous group, with the coyote's scent tracking and strenght and the lynx's hearing and sight, well..." he looks up at the hole in the roof "we might as well be wasting our time here, it's likely they have already either rescued what miners where there or dealt with them, we should just go back home"


while he talks, you adjust your sheeplex and do a quick check, 07:45 23 seconds, you can't get a precise moisture reading but judging from the moon yesterday, it didn't seemed likely to have rain today

I don't know about the miners, but it would take more than a pair of thugs to take our master down, and as far as we know he is still in the mine. Besides, if he hasn't come back yet that means that whatever evil is lurking in the mine is still there. He can head home if he wants, but we are still going in.

>we might as well be wasting our time here, it's likely they have already either rescued what miners where there or dealt with them, we should just go back home
Shake your head at that. There's still something wrong here. We both feel it. And my master is still missing. I plan to keep going.

I'll welcome the company if you decide the same, but your decions are your own.

Netsuki 2015/04/03(Fri)12:56 No. 632781 ID: 225ed3
File 142809098334.png - (597.77KB , 1280x800 , RESOLVE.png )

>>632767
>>632769

you tell the coyote to do as he likes, with that, you unfasten the leather straps from the barn door and remove the bar

looking back at him, you ask him to leave so you can get dressed up for going into the mine, as far as you're concerned, you are going in, with him or without him

Tanavar lowers his ears and packs up his things, walking past your side "... I am scared, but, I want to do the right thing, and I still want to prove myself, count on me, miss..." with that, he leaves and closes the barn door behind him, waiting for you outside


... you look around, no, no mouse boy around

Make sure you take turns on offense and defense; you have good fighting skills and healing abilities, but you are susceptible to magic and don't have many ranged spells. Tanavar has ranged skills and inventory items designed to target specific enemies, but not much else. Make sure you decide who attacks the enemies at close-medium range based on the situation.

Also, try to find a lantern, and some torches or some matches. You'll want to throw them into the caves to prematurely detonate any gas traps.

>... you look around, no, no mouse boy around
Honestly, if he had managed to follow you, that might almost be a good thing. We could certainly downgrade our threat assessment if children can walk around safely away from town after dark.

>no compass
Well, thankfully that's not an issue with sheep magic.

What's the duration on bless? He sure seems like he could use the morale bonuses, and if it would last all day, there's no reason not to start the day by buffing the party. (Whereas if it's short lived, we'd be better off conserving mana).

Netsuki 2015/04/03(Fri)14:47 No. 632806 ID: 9c7387
File 142809763770.png - (104.17KB , 619x617 , tinderdotcom.png )

>>632783
>>632796


there -are- three lamps by the barn's door, four bottles of kerosene with enough in them, several flint and steel pairs and a box with tinder available, more than enough equipment


Bless... the moral effect is inmediate and it does sustains for a while, but you know it's combat effectivity wears off if not used soon (it's a minute, but let's leave it as a whole encounter)

sheep... magic...

right, there's that, you need to meditate, an hour should do, and you need to do that before putting on your armour and gear, do you ask Tanavar to:

-wait for you outside patiently, maybe eat breakfast
-go outside to explore the surounding buildings but keeping an ear out for you
-ask him to stay close


(what do you guys say? should we call it a day and start off in chapter 2 starting in next response, new thread?)

Ask him to stay close. You don't want to be ambushed.

Chapter 2 sounds good. This thread's had a good run.

Sharing a meal before heading off into danger seems reasonable.

>new thread
Basically when you think it's necessary.

>>632807

(again)

Netsuki 2015/04/03(Fri)15:51 No. 632818 ID: 9c7387
File 142810151718.png - (228.00KB , 1280x800 , fooocus.png )

you consider it over and call Tanavar over, inviting him to have his breakfast in the barn while you meditate, as long as he doesn't interrupts your meditation and keeps an eye out for you, he's free to do as he likes

</thread>