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At the ferry itself the mood is frantic, refugees from up the river Adian telling tales of oppression, pogroms, racism, and mass executions. It seems the fanatics at the fringes of the kingdom are using this as an opportunity to close ranks and eliminate political opposition.

There is little travel up river, but rumor says the mood in the capital is relatively subdued. While the Cathedral sends out holy proclamations anointing more Inquisitorial Deputies each day, they hold little sway over the city's aristocracy.

>Join one of the conversations
>>Interject about Marshes
>>Interject about up-river
>>Interject about capital
>Attempt to swipe some purses
>Leave the impromptu market, heading north to the ferry
>>heading back south towards a crossroads

>>43000545

>Join one of the conversations

>>43000770
>2/2/23KR, Vampire Fledgling, Male
>6.25 Hours Until Dawn

"The fire's all outside the wall," you interject, perking the interest of several people in a circle. "There are people dousing the flames as well."

"Thank the gods, we'll still be able to bring our cork to market!"

"What started the fire? How close did you get?"

"I'm sure it's one of those heretical rabble up to no good!"

"Are you daft man? Surely the inquisition smoking out some old timer what brews stews to cure a pox or some such silliness!"

The crowd's conversation rolls and a few people split in, others jumping in and fervently asking questions. It seems this was part of a Splitlynds caravan that elected to take the river rather than brave the roads to Durudel Urb from the north.

Travelers regale you with tales of bandits menacing the road. There was a lycanthrope attack at the ferry before the group left, however, and a rash of mysterious deaths before that.

>Head down the road towards the ferry
>Head off the road looking for the road north

Shameful self bump, will be the only 1.

>>43001761
>Head off the road looking for the road north

I don't know how well we will react to crossing water, and I don't want to risk it. Can't escape on a boat, but on the road you can at least avoid what you see up ahead.

Sorry I'm late, went to sleep and slept past my clock.

>>43005330
All good friendsies.
Mayhap the thread may yet be saved. I'm also thinking of generally transferring to Tuesday/Thursday.

>>43001761
>Head off the road looking for the road north

>>43005330
>>43005575
>writing

>>43005575
>>43005330
---
>2/2/23KR, Vampire Fledgling, Male
>5 Hours Until Dawn

It takes you a long time to traipse through the bramble and ferns, keeping low between the foothills to avoid attracting attention. You give retreating groups of satyrs a wide berth--you doubt they'd pick a fight as-is, but the horny bastards can always be full of surprises.

Eventually, you come out onto a country lane. It isn't the well-paved road north to the Splitlynds but you strongly suspect it'll take you there.

Following the lane a ways brings you along the edge of a field. A cry in the night grabs your attention--a man has been thrown to his feet, and two satyrs are thrusting at the air before him with spears, growing closer.

"Where'd she go," one snarls loudly enough for you to hear from where you now hide behind a tree.

"The girl took the druid's map, and now he says he can't bring us home to the glen!" the other snarled, and rather than stabbing the air with his spear he whipped in about to crack the man on the ground across the face with the shaft.

"Stop, I d--" the spear shaft caught him hard on the face, bruising his cheek and leaving a copse of splinters. "FUCKING try that one more--!" he tries to shout and stand, but the other one tears into his shoulder with a lunge of his wooden spear.

He gives out terrible howl of pain.

>illusion up a giant shadowy hawk to make a pass at them
>sneak by, un-involved
>get their attention

>>43006159
>illusion up a giant shadowy hawk to make a pass at them

They might be Zealots who want to attack satyrs home, scare em off and if it turns out to be true, we can have a little snack. If not, then see if hes got any info to offer up for us saving him.
Plus the girl might come out of hiding if she thinks it's safe.....

So due to a lack of participation should this be dropped and tried again at a later date or perhaps make a thread general about what could help attract players?

>>43006159
>illusion up a giant shadowy hawk to make a pass at them

>>43007409
I've been asking in the irCs and asking in threads. I think the original fan base was weekdays earlier.

If anyone has suggestions please voice them either here or at my dedicated twitter via dm

>>43007662
irCs?

Well I think some people qm's generate interest by holding a pre quest thread that lets other anons give suggestions on what could be in a quest, and people more likely join since they helped create or contribute their interest in them?

>>43008044

Yeah, the IRC channels from weekend quest thread.

That does sound like a good idea, but my /tg/ threads generally garner no replies cause they kind of think my (non-already-started-quest) ideas are shit.

I even bounced an idea with a system and setting and all in the weekend quest thread and nobody bit.

Our issue now seems to be retention and planning good times, not so much attracting in the first place.

Also, I'll get to
>writing
on that:
>>43007458
>>43006323

>>43008119
Link plz? I never got into the irc stuff so idk how it really works.

>my (non-already-started-quest) ideas are shit.
Like what? (did they want waifus or something?)

>2/2/23KR, Vampire Fledgling, Male
>4.75 Hours Until Dawn

You flick your fingers a bit and make a swoop with your hands, and the illusion goes off as planned--if a bit shakily. It forces the satyrs initial retreat as the man pops to his feat, but then they begin to close on him once more.

Before you can react, something happens--his arms shoot out to his sides, a blood curdling shakes the trees around you, and he begins to change.

Muscles swelling, form ripping his clothes from his back, hair tripling in length across seconds, the man's fingers extended into long, sharp claws. In just as short a time he's leaping, both arms swiping, and the satyrs go down. Cut dead where they stood, he rounds on one and tears into it with his teeth. Blood and flesh and fur fly as he gnaws madly at a leg--he's still half human looking, and his eyes glow gold.

Something snaps in him, he turns pale, and spits out the satyr corpse. Shaking, upset, his body retracts, his clothing in tatters, and he puts his hands to his head. His hear's a bit longer than it was before, his features more chiseled, beard a bit thicker.

"No," he says, "no, not again!" He sinks to his knees. He's sobbing.

>Approach carefully, offer aid
>Quit the scene silently

>>43008326
>Approach carefully, offer aid
Neat.

>>43008326
Generally leaning towards
>Approach carefully, offer aid
But he just ripped 2 stayers apart without trying, so he can probably rip us to shreds even easier.

>>43008579
I'll take that as your vote, then?

>>43008735
Yes.

>>43008408
>>43008579
>>43008947
>2/2/23KR, Vampire Fledgling, Male
>4.25 Hours Until Dawn

You slowly hop the fence and approach the man from across the field. You're fairly confident he's not about to tear anyone in half, as he's currently sobbing incoherently, but you make mental note to keep outside of the range you saw him jump.

"Hey," you say quietly, and his sobbing quiets a bit. "Don't worry, I'm a friend." His face is red, hands bloody, tears streaming.

"Who could be a friend to a monster?" he asks. He keeps looking at you, and something seems to change. His face hardens. You're ready to make a run for it, but he just gives a morose laugh and a hollow smile cracks his face that doesn't reach his eyes.

"Oh, another monster--something tells me. I just know it. The ones who took me in, they'd want me to..." he shakes his head and sighs, hollow smile gone. "Look, I don't care. I'm done with being used. But you should know, I'm a danger to you stranger. Danger to anyone, but you I've been trained to hate. Something about it's natural for me now, if anything's still 'natural' about me now."

"That woman, the map, what were the satyrs on about? Why were they attacking you?" you venture, as he seems to reach his calmest.

"Some woman they were trying to rape managed to snatch a map from a druid and use the threat of burning it as leverage to break away from the raiding party that got her. She made it down the lane to the tavern," he indicates down the road further a ways.

"The people there are bolted up tight, expecting a raid--everyone who got word or fought over the initial assault has gathered up here knowing the city's gates'll be locked."

"I was going to hide there, too, but the cleric took one look at me and ushered me out. He could tell. Then, I saw the girl escape, and get hassled. I don't know her, but I picked a fight I couldn't win with those satyrs to give her time to escape."

>Head to the tavern
>Inquire further about the map

>>43009446
>Head to the tavern
I don't think we'll get more about the map out of him, and I'd rather not tempt his ingrained hatred further.

>That took half an hour
What.

>>43009713
Yeah, I'm trying to travel the ircs and fellate the head homosexuals for knowledge.

Started to make progress, getting good feedback--think my quests will be getting better.

>>43009713
Backing. I forgot to post lol.

>>43009826
Just realizing you mean "hours til Dawn," yeah I guess you did a lot of waiting before your approach... I'll be more reasonable about that.
>>43009713
---

>2/2/23KR, Vampire Fledgling, Male
>4.25 Hours Until Dawn
You proceed down the road a ways and in a clearing you find a stable, three houses, and a tavern.

Two guards with spears are at the front door, and a crossbow pokes out one of the upper windows overlooking the road.

There seems some commotion behind the tavern of people that occasionally flash a dagger or club, but they're largely out of your line of sight.

>Approach the front door, charmingly
>Approach side of building, scale
>Circle tavern wide berth, in shadows/foliage, scout out the back

>>43009896
>Circle tavern wide berth, in shadows/foliage, scout out the back
Reconnaissance before approach.

>Just realizing you mean "hours til Dawn"
Yeah, sorry, should've been more clear about that. The actual post times are fine.

>>43009896
>Circle tavern wide berth, in shadows/foliage, scout out the back
darn was hoping to do some light looting...

>>43010035
Ain't nobooty sayin' you can't nag some swag inside b0ss
>>43009955

>2/2/23KR, Vampire Fledgling, Male
>4.2 Hours Until Dawn

You give the whole place a wide berth and move stealthily through the woods around the edge of the tavern.

There's about a dozen people out back, all paranoid and facing outwards and brandishing clubs. It should seem there's no more room for them inside, else they've not been allowed for some reason.

A small fence blocks one side and there are some wooden stakes for tying up horses in the day (none of them currently used) as well, so you reflect it's better than just standing in a field but not by much.

Then, you step on a twig, and someone looks over. A dozen eyes strain in your general direction against the night.

"THERE'S SOMETHIN' OUT THAIR!" yells a crone swinging a cooking pot, and suddenly a huge commotion goes up. The back door opens and a militiamen with a staff comes out, then someone with an ax leans out the doorway and begins conversing, trying to calm them down.

>illusion up something in their midst
>retreat backwards into the woods
>drop, stay still, throw up additional shadows as illusions

>>43010130
Risk free I mean.
>retreat backwards into the woods
We want to sneak in not spook them more they don't let their guard down.

>>43010130
Either retreat or drop. They could notice the movement or the deeper shadows, so it's really a toss up.

>>43010225
You can vote to explicitly not add the additional shadows, could garner support.

I was gonna make it a cascade but ya know, looking at OP with its 7 options I think the multichoice kind of kills this quest sometimes so I'm tryna reign it in.

>>43010253
How about drop, stay still and make an illusion of some mundane woodland creature in the same area (preferably starting from behind a nearby tree) that goes just close enough to make out before getting spooked and running away to excuse both the minor movement from dropping and the twig snapping? Can our illusions do something that complex realistically?

Otherwise just drop and stay still.

>>43010225
How about we drop and illusion up a rat being chased by a cat? If we are even capable of that.

We can't hide in the tavern, they have a milita mage their, so I'm thinking sneak in for supplies/map or bypass the place.

If we go for the map we could possible find where the "glen" is, or get supplies to help us trade and make haste to somewhere else. (or some mixture)

What do you have in mind?

>>43010333
Heh, sure I'll go with that.

>>43010130
So we:
>drop to the ground and briefly illusion some woodland critters and hope they dismiss it.

Does that sound ok anon?

>>43010433
Yes.

>>43010384
You could certainly summon the shadowy visage of that event, but not a detailed simulacrum that would hold up to any scrutiny if it included things like color or being particularly near to somebody.

>>43010433

I'll put a bambi in the distance,
>writing
now.

>2/2/23KR, Vampire Fledgling, Male
>4.1 Hours Until Dawn

Sweating, you focus your mind and work on conjuring up something to take your place and emerge from the foliage to put the people at ease. You settle on a baby dear, quickly, and with a furrow of your brow proceed to contort your fingers and strain your neck.

The crowd is silenced with a call of "look!" and a pointed finger. They spy the outline of a baby dear, and the man leaning out of the door harrumphs loudly, calls the militiaman back inside, and with a call of,

"Thom's Crook, woman, don't make a commotion if it ain't the horse-humpers!" slams the door behind him.

With a flick back of the wrist you have the shadow deer prance back off into the darkness. Panting as silently as you can you thank whatever dead gods watch over your kind that you've managed to throw suspicion. The crowd has turned to accuse each other and bickering for the moment, and less sentinels now watch outwardly with weapons clutched close.

The smell of fear is tangible upon them.

>Circle back to the side of the tavern, fence side to block crowd's view of you
>Retreat into the forest again in search of the main road
>Leave a significant distance than loop back to the road to the tavern
>>write in

>>43010605
Do vampires spook horses?

>>43010731
What folklore and wive's tales you can conjure up from your past life saaays--
No, only that they spook when a Vampire is feeding, always throwing their rider to the ground.

>>43010605
Screw it Y.O.L.T.
>Circle back to the side of the tavern, fence side to block crowd's view of you

Try and steal the map and head for safety.

>>43010768
>>43010731
Gonna assume you're the same anOn.

Let's see if le thread can last until some more players wander by.

In other news,
>how is Tuesday/Thursday for players?

>>43010605
>Circle back to the side of the tavern, fence side to block crowd's view of you

>>43010768
>>43011347

>2/2/23KR, Vampire Fledgling, Male
>4 Hours Until Dawn


You manage to skirt the perimeter without further incident.

The two guards by the door are on essentially the far side of the building from where you are, and neither seems to keen on moving far from the entrance.

You see a slightly ajar window you could climb up to. The issue is there are lots of small wooden pieces you're going to need to put your foot on to climb, and if you slip or apply to much pressure and part loudly snaps it could attract unwanted attention.

Additionally from what you remember of the crossbowman's location he's probably in the central bedroom, and on high alert--although aiming out at the road and keeping his vision trained there.

>Make the ascent swiftly and scuttle into cover
>Climb up slowly, peek into the window
>Approach the front door, charmingly greet guards
>Fuck right off towards the main road north

>>43011200
Went to shower, back now, I have classes till evening. so I would be joining late, and since your on the eastern side of the continent it would be even later since your ahead by 3 hours. I don't mind the changes too much but expect a slower start I guess?
>>43010731
>>43010768
Yes these are me, I can trip temporarily if you want.

>>43011387
Is the window on the second floor? can't we vault over it and illusion+charm the shooter?

How many armed peopled are there (that we know of) and what types are they (militia, soldiers, or fanatics etc)

>>43011387
>Climb up slowly, peek into the window
Maybe if we feed him we can spook the horses causing a distraction.
>>43011483
me.

>>43011387
>Climb up slowly, peek into the window

>>43011483
Hey Thameless you still in NY?