>>43348446
>A banker: +Charisma +Bargaining –Fortitude

>A guard: +Bravery +Violence –Intelligence

>>43348446
>A coroner: +Intelligence +Medicine –Charisma

>>43348446
>An artist: +Perception +Creativity –Violence

>>43348446
>A guard: +Bravery +Violence –Intelligence

>>43348446
>A coroner: +Intelligence +Medicine –Charisma

>>43348446
>>A coroner: +Intelligence +Medicine –Charisma

Votes closed

My father is the local coroner, and even though I was never planned to follow in his footsteps, my father did always encourage me to read, picking up on some of medical terms over the years. Unfortunately... he was never so strong with his social cues, something he's also happened to pass on to us. Not to mention most people tend to not like spending time around the man who sticks his hands in cadavers, or his kids.

The sun's setting on my fourteenth birthday, and I'm inspecting the tree again. Still silent, thankfully, the only remnant of them a strange symbol carved into the tree trunk, vaguely resembling a capital 'G'.

My brother calls me, the second oldest of us, Tom. "Hey, idiot!" Thanks Tom. He wraps his arm around my neck and knuckles my head, chuckling a little before he release me. "Come on, your big birthday dinners' ready."

"Mmm." I grunt, brushing the symbol one last time, before following him inside.

Tom's wife greets him with a kiss, greeting me with a grin, "Leon, how's your birthday been?" She asks. "Any of the kids come around to say goodbye?"

Tom grimaces uncomfortably, "Ellie, just... go take a seat alright?"

Her smile fades, "Sorry." She apologises, bustling towards the dining room, her belly protruding in front of her as she waddles.

Tom slaps me on the back as I wash up, "Well, look on the bright side. At least you'll be an uncle. That's exciting, right?"

"Mum figured out the gender yet?" I ask, as dad joins us, his hands reeking of flowers as he washes them off.

"Well, she reckons a girl... and she's not usually wrong about this sort of stuff." Tom shrugs, "Was hoping for a son, but I'm just happy there's no problems so far."

I nod, and Tom and Dad make conversation for a while. We finally sit down for dinner, mum having cooked a hot pot, especially for me.

"Now, be sure to have as much as you want." She assures me.

"I heard spooks only eat three days of the week?" Ellie asks.

"Oh yes, and they transform into bats and suck the blood from naughty children." My father retorts dryly, my mother giving him a stern look.

"What he's trying to say, Ellie, is that there's nothing for Leon to worry about." My mother finishes for him. "It's a very fufilling job, Leon, don't you worry."

Tom coughs, "Well... those that survive training anyway. How many have even done that? From what I've heard, not too many."

Even I know that, spooks apprentices have an incredibly high mortality rate. Dad's even had to examine a few in his time. He says they usually die gruesomely.

"Well.... Leon's smart, and knows how to look after himself." Dad mutters, "I'm sure he'll be the best damn spook we've ever seen."

Tom chuckles, "Hey, if you're lucky, you might even find a nice old hag lady who thinks you're cute and settle down. How's that sound? A witch wife?"

I can feel a lump sitting in my stomach, the dinner tasting like ash.

>Can't I just learn medicine? It's much safer.
>I'll make you all proud, don't worry.
>I'm not going to let a witch trick me, I'm not an idiot.
>Write in

>>43348890
>I'll make you all proud, don't worry.

>>43348890
>Can't I just learn medicine? It's much safer.

>>43348890
>>Write in
"Maybe, if I don't wind up dead."

>>43348890
>Can't I just learn medicine? It's much safer.

>>43348890
>>Can't I just learn medicine? It's much safer.

>>43348890
>I'll make you all proud, don't worry.

I set my fork down, "Couldn't I just learn medicine? It's sounding safer by the minute."

Mum and dad exchange a look, each of them shaking their heads. "Leon, I know it sounds hard. But you have a talent that most don't have. One that can be used to help people. Your master can explain it better, but you have an obligation to help others, don't you think?"

I stare down into my food, the table lapsing into silence. Dinner's used to be a lot noisier, when the rest of brothers were at home. But now they're all spread out across the country plying their trades. Only Tom stayed close to home, a diligent farmhand just outside the village.

I reach for the salt, knocking the shaker over accidentally. On instinct, Tom grabs a pinch and tosses it over his shoulder, always was superstitious. Mum and dad frown at him for wasting it, but say nothing.

Dinner ends quietly, and dad tells me to go to bed early. "You've got a long walk tomorrow. Rest up."

He stands with me, moving around the table and offering his hand. I shake it firmly and he nods to me. His hands still smell like flowers... "You'll make us proud, no doubt about it."

Mum and Ellie clear the table off as Tom steps up, leaning down from his considerable height and lifting me into a bear hug. "Gonna miss you midget." He laughs, "You're the last brother I have to pick on."

"Gee, thanks." I grunt, massaging my chest after the squeezing he gave me, while he helps Ellie clean up.

Mum sweeps by too, giving me a kiss on the forehead. "Good luck Leon, sorry about... freaking you out, I guess? I'm sure you'll be fine."

File: Johnson.jpg (82 KB, 699x1017)

82 KB JPG

I head up to my room. The tree is casting shadows inside, the moon bright tonight, only two days from being full. I'm sure that can only be a good sign. Either way, I climb into bed and will myself to sleep. It takes a few hours, but it finally comes.

Barely feels like I closed my eyes before a gentle knocking comes at my door. "Leon? He's here." Mum calls. It's barely dawn outside, but I pull my boots on and make my way downstairs.

He's standing in the doorway, hunched inside his drab brown cloak, staff in hand, he watches me silently. "Feel free to eat before we leave." He nods.

Mum forces a plate of bacon on me, which I try to eat as slowly as possible, savouring every crispy bite, but too soon the plate is empty.

My belly filled, I stand. Mum stares at me as I stand from the table, giving me a little smile, as she fixes the collar of my shirt. "You'll do great." She assures me, handing me a small sack. "That's coin for him taking you on, a few changes of clothes, and a sandwich for the road.... Love you."

She ushers me to the hallway, nods to the spook and receives one in return and I step outside with him, mum shutting the door behind me.

He stares me up and down for a few moments, his eyes icy blue, his beard short and trimmed with hints of grey. "On the short side, aren't you?" His teeth look sharp, and yellow, like the fangs of a wolf. "Can't be helped. Sixth sons of sixth sons aren't growing on trees, now are they?" He turns and sets off, heading to the north end of town, "Come along!" He calls.

I take off at a trot, following behind him.

"First things first, I have business to attend to north of here, few towns over. Far too dangerous on your first day, so you'll wait." He briefly turns his head to look at me. "Call me master, or Mr Johnson. You'll learn my first name when I say so."

>What's the work to the north?
>Why do you only take sixth sons?
>Yes Mr Johnson
>Write in

fuck autopost

>>43349353
>What's the work to the north?

>>43349353
>>What's the work to the north?

>>43349353
>Why do you only take sixth sons?

>>43349353
>Yes Mr. Johnson.
>Anything I can do while you're gone? Or specifically shouldn't do?

>>43349432
Good idea, ask for some basic training exercises or something.

>>43349353
>Yes Mr Johnson
>write-in: Any instructions or things to not do while I wait?

"What's the work?" I ask him, picking up pace as he leads the way out of town, the guards leaning on their muskets carelessly.

Mr Johnson rolls his eyes, "It's either a very powerful witch that I'll have to deal with, or some of the local housewives are jealous of a woman that's prettier than the rest of them."

"Does... that happen a lot?" I ask him.

He snaps his fingers at me, keeping up his pace, "Lesson number one; Never trust women, especially pretty ones." He spares me another glance, "And that's not some ill informed abandoned husband nonsense. There are witches out there capable of disguising themselves. And they just love to doll themselves up and ensnare men in their webs."

With that he marches on at his furious pace, striding up the road faster than I can follow without breaking into a jog.

He spares a glance at my boots as I follow. "You're going to regret wearing those." He sighs.

I frown, these boots were a present from my father, sturdy leather fitted for me. "These ones are fine!" I insist.

He shakes his head, "Not in this line of work. Your feet will bleed by the end of the day no doubt. We do a lot of walking in this line of work, I don't take a horse or boat unless I have no other choice. You need something better than those."

Right. "Well, while I'm waiting, is there anything I could be practising, or doing?"

Mr Johnson nods, "There is, but I'll tell you when we get there. I need silence to think about how I'll approach this."

With that, I let silence lapse over us, the country side rolling by as we walk farther and farther from home, until we pass the farm Tom works at, officially the furthest I've even been.

After a few hours, we break for lunch, my bacon sandwich doing little too alleviate my growling stomach, while Mr Johnson barely nibbles at a chunk of crumbling cheese, barely bigger than a walnut.

As soon as I've finished, he's back on his feet and off down the road. "Long way to go still. Heading to Blackrock."

You know the name, a mining village, a full day's walk from my home in Gallia. Blackrock is a small town, creatively named for the coal mines it was founded on. The entire place reeks of sulphur so they say. Not exactly an inviting place, my parents had always said to avoid the place, the people here are known to be unpleasant, and the walk was always too far to bother anyway.

By the time we reach Blackrock, the sun's setting early, hidden behind rolling grey clouds and true to his word, my entire foot feels like one giant blister, waiting to burst.

Still, I feel like I should make an effort to make conversation, as grey clouds start to grumble overhead, the first few drops of rain pattering down as we step into the town proper, Mr Johnson leading the way.

>People don’t like spooks much, do they?
>Don't you need to eat more, for your strength?
>Are you sure I shouldn't come with you?
>Write in

>>43349733
>People don’t like spooks much, do they?

>>43349733
>>People don’t like spooks much, do they?

>>43349733
>Don't you need to eat more, for your strength?
Secrets of net needing that much food, here we come!

>>43349733
>Don't you need to eat more, for your strength?

>>43349733
>are you sure I can't come with you?

mainly because I've read the books OP is getting inspiration from and know the answer to the first two

>>43349855
Metagamers leave

>>43349733
>People don’t like spooks much, do they?
>Don't you need to eat more, for your strength?

>>43349733
>Okay, you were right, my feet hurt, ow...

"Don't you need to eat more? Keep your strength up?" I ask. "If you're going to be fighting a witch and all."

He shakes his head, "No. Every time I think I'm going into danger, I try to fast my body, as will you. Hunger makes the body and mind react faster, makes you more desperate to survive. Always a thing to have."

Fasting, huh? That sounds... not fun, but noted. Still... "People don't like spooks much, do they?"

Mr Johnson shrugs, “People say that a spook is like the echo of a heartbeat. They show up after a sudden violent convulsion, then fade, as the heart lulls, always bound to return to stop the next disaster. I always thought it was ironic then, that when they aren’t absolutely needed, we are instead, about as welcome as a heart attack. People spit in the dirt when they see one, cross the street to get away from us. Make holy signs, like we’re cursed, or demons.” He nods to two miners across the street, faces blackened and carrying shovels on their shoulders. Both keep their eyes averted when they spot Mr Johnson. “There’s more than a fair share who think we’re dark masters, that’s we banish things that bump in the night because we rule over them.” Out of the corner of my eye, I see one of the miners make a holy symbol over his chest.

“And.... you’re not right?” I ask. He spares me a glance over his shoulder, silent disdain radiating from him, before he halts. I stop with him, as he looks to the small building we've halted outside of.

"We're not. There are others in the world, other countries who do similar things, use the dark to fight the dark. But they don't call themselves spooks." He points to the west, "In Fenla, they call themselves witchers and prance about with their silly swords, never settling down." He points to the east now, "And across the sea, in Palorse, they call themselves shami." He shakes his head, "How those fools even stay alive, I'll never know.."

File: basement.png (507 KB, 1000x750)

507 KB PNG

He pulls a key from his pocket, and opens the gate, leading up to the building and peering inside. "Empty. Good." He slots his key into the lock and twists, shoving the door at the same time. “Inside.” He grunts.

You follow him, staring around as you follow. Looks like a bakery inside, long abandoned, the house nothing more than cold groaning wood now. “Follow me.” Mr Johnson orders, heading behind the counter, he opens a trapdoor, a staircase below leading downwards. He takes a moment to retrieve a candle, flint and steel, and with few quick strokes and the flame catches.

The spook leads down the stairs, each one groaning and screaming as you descend, before he finally reaches the basement floor, there’s not much space, most of the room dominated by a large oven.

He sets the candle on a table, before digging inside his bag, silently pulling out a small loaf of bread, wrapped tightly, and a smaller bundle of what looks like cheese. He nods as he sets them down, placing his flint and steel with them, before picking up the candle and blowing it out.

The room is plunged into dark, save the grey light shining in through the trap door. “I have business in this town tonight.” He tells you, “Your lessons will begin tomorrow." You hear him rap his knuckles against the table. “This candle will burn for a few hours, maybe four at most. You’re to stay here while I work, what I have is too dangerous for a new apprentice to face. Understood? In the meantime." He places something else on the table. "A book for you to read, a bestiary of sorts."

>If I stay back, can I observe?
>Yes master.
>Can’t I stay upstairs at least?
>Write in


>>43349855
mostly just borrowing/stealing a few ideas from it, doing my own thing with it

>>43350075
>Yes master.
>Open the book and get to reading. You've got four hours of candle-light.

>>43350075
>>Can’t I stay upstairs at least?

>Write in
You know evil things could do a lot of good, if they tried.

I liked Seventh Son. Good movie. Mostly for the demonic Julianne Moore and Jeff Bridges' Spook was cool. Didn't care for Tom. Felt too short too like it was only showing a small bit of a bigger world.

>>43350075
>Scan the area for spooky things.
"Are there ghosts and spirits here I should be wary of? You're home seems to have an aura of...foreboding master."

>Start reading the bestiary.
"Will we begin weapons practice soon?"

>>43350075
>Yes master.

>>43350075
>Yes master.

>>43350075
>yes master

>>43350118
I couldn't watch the movie with the amount of changes they made. Nice to hear it was good though.

>tfw all you know about this setting is from that half-assed movie

>but witchers getting shit on gave me a chuckle

At least everything here will be fresh. Adventure!

If we follow rule number one, should we not even trust our own mother? IS MOM A WITCH?!

File: b62.jpg (19 KB, 680x150)

19 KB JPG

>>43350368

>>43350368
>mum
>pretty

>>43350421
Hey, she had six sons.

>>43350368
>>43350421
Get out of here Danny, your quest is over.

I nod, "Yes master, I'll get to work."

He nods and disappears up the stairwell, leaving the trap door open behind him.

"Well Leon, four hours of candle light." You sigh to yourself, fumbling around for the flint, you light the candle, sit in a corner and begin your work.

The beastiary's not too thick. About a few dozen pages. Presumably this is just a basic run down. I check the index first... boggarts, ghosts, witches with different categories for their types of magic, harpies, lamia, sirens, goblins and trolls.

Half of these you'd legitimately thought were just fairy tales.... Well, might as well start at the beginning.

Boggarts, according this at least, are immaterial presences, capable of extreme, inhumane power, can compress themselves to escape any trap with more than a hairs breadth of a gap, are largely invisible, but can take on physical form depending on their intent and magical power.

Well. That seems like it would be difficult to deal with, not to mention that the reading is made harder by the spidery writing, cramped and tiny on the page. You squint at the book in the candle light, trying to make out how to deal with a boggart, when you hear something... something from underneath you, scratching echoing up through the floor.

"Hello?" You call out, glancing up at the stair case.

You set the book aside a moment and lower your head towards the floor, the scratching getting more intense, passing right underneath you and-


The hard packed earth underneath you gives out in a large hole, as you claw to grab hold of the edge, your candle slipping downwards, before you hear a panicked animal yell and the sound of enormous running feet below.

You barely manage to cling onto the edge of the hole, barely holding yourself up, as you glance downwards, only about eight feet down, you figure, as the candle slowly gutters out.

>Climb out, go get Mr Johnson
>Jump down, get the candle and get out
>Jump down, take the candle and look around the hole
>Write in

>>43350368
Here's how that conversation went in the book
"Never trust a woman"
"my mother's a woman"
"yes, mothers tend to be"

although it moreso just applies to girls in pointy shoes.

>>43350437
>>Jump down, take the candle and look around the hole
Master's hands are full. We can do this

>>43350437
>Climb out, grab the beastiary, hurry upstairs. You have no weapon, need to rectify that.

>>43350437
>Climb out, go get Mr Johnson
I'd be pretty surprised if we could pull ourselves back out of an eight foot hole with our noodly everythings.

>>43350437

>>43350469
^This

>>43350437
>Jump down, get the candle and get out

>>43350437
>Write in
Grab the Bestiary, run out, close the trap door and wait for Mr. Johnson's return.

>>43350469
Seconded

>>43350437
>Look around the hole

And for the love of whatever gods are in this setting, do NOT try to lewd whatever's down there.

File: 1436806341889.jpg (39 KB, 441x228)

39 KB JPG

>>43350618
>Not wanting to lewd a hideous mole monster.
Check out this filthy casual.

>>43350618
You are such a filthy casual.

>>43350618
Spook and Chill?

File: 1.jpg (115 KB, 878x494)

115 KB JPG

>>43350618
>Oh I don't think you're ugly!

File: yes or no.png (434 KB, 1024x768)

434 KB PNG

I grit my teeth and kick against the wall for purchase, dragging myself slowly up the edge of the hole, managing to haul myself up with a grip on the table leg.

That done, heart going a mile a minute, I grab the bestiary, flint and steel and tear up the stairs, shaking my head as I lean back against the counter.

"Given up already, eh?" Mr Johnsons voice calls from a shadowy corner. "Come now, boy. The actual test hadn't even started. Jumping at shadows?"

I shake my head, "Not shadows sir, there's.... something else down there! Caved half the floor in."

He steps out of the corner, brow furrowed. "Caved in?" He asks, staring at the trap door. "What are you on about?" He snatches the book up and sets it aside. "I won't lie boy, I was planning on testing your mettle, make you think the house was haunted... but this is nothing to do with me."

He lowers his staff threateningly, waving me to the top of the stairs. "You stay here, I'm going in for a closer look."

I nod fervently as he slowly descends. "The candle fell down the hole master... There was nothing I could do."

He steps up to the edge, peering downwards cautiously. "Tell me boy. Did it make a noise of any sort?"

"There was... scratching?" I tell him. "And it sounded like it was screaming when I dropped the candle on it.

Mr Johnson paces around the hole, nearly three men wide at diameter. "This is... nothing I've ever seen. This is something new." He pulls a candle of his own out and lights it carefully, inspecting the walls of the whole. "This..." He snaps his fingers up at me, "Fetch a ladder boy, should be behind an oven up there."

I hurry around, eventually finding it and returning, I lower it down the hole.

"Well boy, this is likely out of your depth... but with something like this, I could use a second set of eyes." He mentions. "I won't force you here... I have no idea how dangerous this is."

>I'll stay here.
>Let's get out of here.
>I'll head down with you
>This is part of the test, isn't it?

>>43350767
>Give me a weapon master and I will follow you to Hell.

>>43350767
>I'll head down with you

>>43350767
>I'll head down with you.

>>43350644
>>43350662
>>43350698
Danny pls go

>>43350767
>I'll head down with you
We are safer with him, than randomly standing around.
>Write in
Can I has weapon, or torch or whatever? If not grab a table leg or something.

>>43350767
>I'm in...but I wouldn't mind a dagger or something.

>>43350851
Preferably short spear(fork, trident, quarterstaff, trowing spears, piluses, long spear(impractical underground), or even a chair.), or something like that. we don't want to get in attack range of anything.

What the fuck we can do with dagger against something that can dig taught the floor with its claws?

>>43350767
>I'll head down with you

>>43350767
>I'll head down with you

>>43350767
>I'll head down with you

This is obviously part of the test

>>43350900
Polearm be good for poking in a tunnel.

I'd suggest a battle shovel! Digging underground and good weapon!

>>43350900
I don't recall seeing anything in the text about our master carrying around an armory with him. With our scrawny 14 year old nerd arms we're not going to be fending off any spooky shit no matter what we're armed with anyway.

>>43350767
>I'll head down with you

>>43350936
1)Go to the nearest barn/farm
2)grab pitchfork
3)???
4)don't get horribly maimed by attempting to face punch monsters

The master should have some weapons with him, or be able to get some on short notice. Who the fuck fights monsters bear handed? Unless he is a shifter or something. Then just carry a torch or some shit. like that. Maybe grab some water in case of cave in.

>>43350987
>4)don't get horribly maimed by attempting to face punch monsters
Why the fuck are we attacking it at all? He wants us down there for an extra set of eyes, not to get in his way flailing around like a retard.

>>43351004
>/tg/
>not flailing around like a retard.

are you new here?

I trust in master to appropriately arm his apprentice against an enemy he's never encountered before.

He'll give brief instruction on how to use it, and when to use it and will also tell us what our real objective is.

"I'll head down with you, but... is there any sort of weapons I could use?"

He scans me with a critical eye. "If you think I'm giving an untrained fourteen year old boy a sword that I don't even have, you're in tough luck." He casts around, "And a bakery isn't exactly in high supply of weapons, unless you feel like attacking whatever it is with a bread knife." He shakes his head, "Hang on."

He stands and turfs the table over, scattering the food. The legs easily fall out, having only been slotted into the under side and hands one to me. "There. I'll be training you with a staff anyway, so this should be a decent stand in." He taps his own staff against the ground, "Solid oak, tends to cause pain to monsters and creatures of the dark, more so than just hitting it with any old stick."

Without another word, he slips onto the ladder and descends, calling me down after him.

I awkwardly cling the leg to my side as I descend picking up my own candle as my master looks around. The bottom of the hole branches off in two directions, both rough circles cutting through the dirt.

"Doesn't look very stable..." He grunts, "Almost looks like... a burrow?" He brushes the floor, "Claw marks." Each one is the size of my forearm. That's... intimidating. "Stay behind me boy, and put out your candle. Let your eyes adjust."

He blows his candle and we wait in silence, as the dark slowly thins enough to see a dozen metres or so ahead.

My master sets off, picking a tunnel at random and keeping straight down it. More tunnels network off of this one, honeycombing every which way, but my master doesn't leave one until it comes to an end, stopping every so often to loudly sniff.

We search for what could be minutes, hours or days, nothing but the scuffle of loose earth keeping us company.

"Whatever it is, it's all under the village, except for the mine... it's just outside of the mine." He comments, as the air starts to reek of sulphur.

I turn to watch behind us, catching a quick glimpse of something brown whipping away, back down from the direction we came.

"Master?" I grab at him, "It's back there."

He starts to brush me aside, when we hear a heavy rumble from all around us.

"Oh... oh no it didn't." He breathes. "Run boy!" He knocks the heavy wooden leg out from my hands and shoves me as the rumbling grows louder.

He takes off, running past me, as I realise what's happening, the tunnel behind us is coming down!

I take off, as Mr Johnson whips down a sideways path, running full tilt with his staff in hand. I can hear those same thundering feet that ran off earlier now as well.

Terror pumping in my veins and weighed down less, I catch up to my master, finding him bashing on a wall with his staff at the base of tunnel leading upwards, this one lit with moonlight.

"What are you doing?" I demand. "This way leads up! Come on!"

He shakes his head, "It got ahead of me, ran up before I got a look at it. For all we know, it's waiting to ambush us at the exit!" He keeps striking the wall, "Just through here's a mine shaft!"

I can hear the rumble of the tunnel getting louder as he bashes the wall harder desperate as he strikes it again.

>Help him with the wall
>We'll die, take the exit!
>Write in

>>43351320
>Help him with the wall
He probably knows what he is doing. He does this for living and is still alive.

>>43351320
>Help him with the wall

>>43351320
>Help him with the wall

>>43351320
>Help him with the wall

>>43351320
>Help him with the wall

>>43351320
>Help him with the wall
Spooks don't get to be old men by making mistakes.

alrighty folks

Roll me 2d20s best of 3 DC is 15

Rolled 10, 5 = 15 (2d20)

>>43351565
Rollin in 1's

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>43351565

Rolled 19, 11 = 30 (2d20)

>>43351565
Come on, let's not die in the first thread.

Rolled 9, 7 = 16 (2d20)

>>43351565

>>43351592
We won't die. We just get bitten and become werehamsters.

>>43351621
does this mean we're on the werehamster waifu track?

>>43351659
Yes, unfortunately she refuses to marry or have any form of sexual contact since she was one of the original werehamster, and the ritual involving the werehamster god was greatly degrading. Still BFFs though with a whiff of mutual romantic tendencies.

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>43351659
We should turn around and seduce that thing. Just saying.

Rolling for seduction.

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>43351703
You just need to show a leg and learn how to whistle

>>43351692
Get out of here Serena.

>>43351703
Fucking degenerate.

Rolled 18 (1d20)

>>43351703
>>43351748
We should cram our cheeks with seeds and grain to impress her.

>>43351764
It was super effective!

>>43351764
Sounds like a plan.

>>43351764
>her.

>>43351778
If it's not a her that just means we get our cheeks crammed with a different kind of seed.

>>43351762
Mike, you could have gotten involved in our degeneracy whenever you wanted. Plus, Carie could have helped you.

>>43351875
Shut up, filth! It's only a matter of time until I implant myself into ZZ's hard drive and ruin everything you've WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE'S NOT GOING TO WEAR THE ARM?!

I pick up a rock, he has to know what he's doing if he's been doing it this long.

I smash and heave my way at the wall, as Mr Johnson slams the heavy end of his staff against it.

"Just a little... more!" He grunts, as sweat pours down your back. I don't dare look back, knowing how close the landfall is would probably break my nerve.

I smash the wall, clawing the loose dirt away in piles, feeling a modicum of hope as you feel a little give.

"There it is, now break on through!" He barks, throwing all of his wait into shoulder checking the wall. You bash at it, feeling it start to give, as the sound of the collapse drowns everything out.

Mr Johnson rears his staff back, smashing at the wall with the heavy end of his staff, it collapses inwards.

Without thinking, he grabs you by the collar and shoves you through, as you bounce off the far wall of the narrow mine shaft, panting for breath, as you hear Mr Johnson leap after you, suddenly grunting in pain as he lands in a heap next to you.

"Leg's trapped." He groans, "Crushing my ankle, quick! QUICK!" He roars at me. I leap forward, blindly clawing at the end of his leg, I manage to pile away just enough of the earth that he drags his foot free, hissing with pain as he does so.

"Broken." He hisses, clawing himself up the wall to stand and resting against his staff. "Come here, I can't walk on my own."

I step close, grabbing him by the waist as he wraps an arm around my shoulders, trying a tentative hop forward.

He hisses in pain, but his grip is like iron on my shoulders, he grips my shoulder tigher and points upwards, "Come on, let's let going."

It's slow, painful progress, getting him up the incline, not aided much even when we find a mine cart that I help him ease into, pushing his entire weight up the steep incline, after the exhaustion of the escape.

Still, better than most outcomes in that scenario.

"You did well under pressure boy." The spook grunts. "Consider yourself tested."

I just wheeze a weak 'thank you' out, as the cart finally reaches level ground, finally graced by some moonlight, as the cart rolls out of the mine, I collapse onto the gravel, feeling like a ran around the entire world.

"Catch your breath..." He advises."Then we'll see where that burrow came out." He lifts himself up out of the cart, resting on his good foot. "Hopefully, whatever it was ran for it. We're in no shape to be dealing with it."

I get half an hour, before I help the spook limp up over a hillock, crawling the last few metres to the top, I peer over. I can see the tunnel exit... but nothing else, besides colossal footprints embedded in the overgrown grass, heading away from town.

I relay that to the spook and he grimaces, "Very well, we'll take a better look when the sun's up... I'll have to see a healer about my foot however. It's not just broken, it's... clicking strangely."

Sounds like a dislocation.

>I could try and set the bone?
>Sounds like a plan
>Should I follow the tracks while you get patched up
>Write in

>>43351959
>I could try and set the bone?
We did choose the background with that +Medicine after all.

>>43351959
>I could try and set the bone?

>>43351959
>I could try and set the bone?

Wait, do we even know how?

>>43351959
>I could try and set the bone?
We are medic after all. Might as well try to be useful.
We know what we are doing, right?

>>43351959
>I could try and set the bone? It's just dislocated.

>>43351959
>>I could try and set the bone?
>>43351993
Yes, but where are we going to find powdered wolf teeth and virgin blood at this hour?

>>43351959
>I could try and set the bone?

>>43352027
You've got canine teeth and veins, so far as I am aware.

Close enough?

>>43352027
Virgin blood is easy. we should have a medkit for the teeth?

alrighty, that'll be one more d20 DC is 14 best of 3 again

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>43352121
Crushing your hopes and dreams with this roll.

>>43352079
>Implying we didn't shag Mrs Clementine after we helped her carry all that wheat to her husband's barn

Rolled 2 (1d20)

>>43352121

>>43352121
Woot

Rolled 18 (1d20)

>>43352121

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>43352121

>>43352167
Yay, we didn't fuck up!

>>43352147
I was talking about you, anon.

Specifically you.

The anon.

Anon pls.

>>43352147
Putting that -Charisma to good use, eh.

File: 1428997107677.jpg (29 KB, 640x427)

29 KB JPG

>>43352193
wow rude

"I could try and reset the bone? It sounds like you've dislocated your ankle." I offer. "It won't fix any fractures, but it may at least drop the price of a doctors visit."

He stares at me for a long moment, before slowly nodding approval, peeling his boot off gingerly. "Just make sure you know what you're doing." He digs a hand into his bag, digging out a scrap of leather and bites down on it. Hard. "Gff." He grunts.

I poke it lightly, making sure of the ankle, before taking hold of either side of his foot. "Breathe in... and out." I tell him. He follows orders, and I give his foot a sharp yank to the right, feeling the bones grate against each other as the spook's eyes almost roll back in his head, a growl escaping around the leather as I set the bones right.

He falls back, but I make sure he doesn't thrash to much, checking the bones in his foot gingerly. Seems like he fractured his navicular. Even in his prime that'd have a man off his feet for a week.

I help the spook upright as he slowly comes down from the pain, helping him limp back towards town, he points me towards a doctors home, the spook banging on the door loud enough to raise the dead.

The doctor whips the door open, surprise on his face to see us quickly turning to thinly veiled anger when he sees the spook. "What've you done?" He sighs.

I tell him what I think is wrong, as he lets us in, setting the spook down on a bed.

The doctor elevates the foot and tells me to wait in a small lounge room. After about half an hour, he returns. "He'll need to sleep here the night, and stay off his foot as much as possible for the next week. If it gets inflamed or he gets a fever, find a doctor again." He reels off curtly, before tilting his head at me. "So, you're his new boy, are you?"

"My apprenticeship started just this morning." I respond.

He grunts, staring at the door he just exited. "Did you?" He picks up a knife, "Well, expect to see my kind a lot." He tells me, starting to clean under his nails with the knife. "Spooks take quite a beating so I hear." He jerks his chin to the spooks room again, "He's just lucky to be alive."

"Thanks for helping him." I nod to the doctor.

He just shrugs, flashing a small coin purse. "Thank your master for paying." He sighs, "Well then. Would you say you enjoyed your first day of spooking? Or whatever the verb is." He asks.

>It was... exciting.
>I nearly died at least twice
>Got anything for blisters doc?
>Write in

>>43352405
>Got anything for blisters doc?

>>43352405
>It was... exciting.

>>43352405
>It was... exciting.

>>43352405
>I nearly died at least twice
>Got anything for blisters doc?

>>43352405
>It was... exciting.
>Got anything for blisters doc?

>>43352396
>Got anything for blisters?

File: MD.jpg (53 KB, 493x211)

53 KB JPG

>>43352405
>Write in
"Eh, I nearly died twice today. But at least it'll give me more practical experience far faster than a residency could."

>>43352405
>>I nearly died at least twice
>>Got anything for blisters doc?

>>43352405
>Got anything for blisters doc?

I give him a half hearted grin, "Well, that depends. You got anything for blisters doc?"

He returns to cleaning his nails. "I've got advice. Buy some new boots." He remarks dryly. I stare at him for a moment and he rolls his eyes. "Give me a minute."

He disappears upstairs for a few minutes, before returning with a thick pinkish paste. "Rub that on the affected area, should reduce swelling and pain for a few hours at least."

I nod thankfully, pulling at my boots, finding my feet red and puffy underneath, a fresh wave of pain welling in them as the air hits the fresh blisters. The paste helps a little, reducing the ache down enough that I can get some sleep on the doctors couch for the night.

I reapply it in the morning, as the spook limps out on some crutches to meet me. "Much as it pains me to say it on your second day... we'll be taking a cart to get home." He snaps his fingers in my direction, "But first, you need to take a look at those tracks whatever that creature was last night."

He hands his bestiary over to me, flipping to a blank page and digs out a small container from his bag, pulling out a stick of charcoal along with a measuring tape. "Give me the best rendition you can, and measurements. I'll be organising our transport." He pauses, looking over to his staff, "Take that with you. If you get in trouble, give whatever it is as hard a whack to the head as you can. If it even has a head. But don't go chasing it."

>You'd probably do better at this than I would
>Yes sir.

>tfw no "Lone Wolf" references

Chuckles, pls.

You're making the Kai masters sad.

>>43352777
>Yes sir.

>>43352777
>Yes sir.

>>43352786
>tfw you behead 131 lords for the shogun

>>43352777
>Yes sir.

>>43352777
>Yes sir.

>>43352777
>Yes sir.

>>43352777
>Yes sir.

>>43352777
>Yes sir.

File: L tracks.jpg (20 KB, 250x202)

20 KB JPG

I take them, nodding affirmation, "Yes sir."

He nods approvingly, sending me on my way as he crutches off. I make my way back to the edge of town, the place at least looks marginally more hospitable in daylight, along the way I notice that part of the building I'd been in last night has caved inwards, an inner wall having collapsed.

The tracks are starting to fade now, the indents in the grass losing shape as the grass bends back to it's natural shape.

I pull the charcoal out and get to work, studying the prints closely. With the size of them, the foot itself must have been as large as a grown man's torso, and if it's strong enough to carve those tunnels in the ground....

I feel a shiver run down my spine, contemplating what kind of creature could have done this... still, the tracks look vaguely familiar. Glenn, my third oldest brother had an interest in tracking for a while, tried to teach me how to use a bow to no avail, and a few footprints... but it's not ringing a bell.

I'm not a fantastic artist... something between my brain and my hand just messes with what I'm trying to make, but I get the basics down.

I hear a snapping twig, my head snapping up and looking around. There's a treeline not too far from here, and I swear I see a flash of brown for a split second, slipping away through the trees.

I scrabble to pick up the staff the spook gave me, but it doesn't reveal itself. The spook did say not to chase it... but if it's not attacking... and it didn't wait to ambush us last night....

I chew my lip, drumming my fingers against the book as I approach the treeline. There are more tracks here through the fallen leaves. Fresh tracks leading away.

>Follow at a distance
>Go report what you saw
>Other

>>43353135
>>Other
Climb a tree look around from above, try to stay hidden. Maybe we see whats happening.

>>43353135
>Go report what you saw

>>43353135
>Go report what you saw

>>43353135
>>Go report what you saw

>>43353135

>Follow at a distance

Oh, hey, I remember this book series. But aren't we supposed to be the 7th son?

Lets catch that shit.

>>43353135
Supporting >>43353175

>>43353331
chuckles seems to be 'borrowing' read; stealing parts of it while doing his own thing

love ya chucks

writing

>>43353369
yeah basically fuck that movie

>>43353438
Eh, could have been worse. It could have been "The Dark Is Rising" or "The Last Airbender"-tier for bad adaptations.

File: Spoiler Image (46 KB, 460x500)

46 KB JPG

>>43353484
Nothing is The Last Airbender movie tier bad, well, maybe some things are...

>>43353546
Ah, DB Evolution. What happens when hollywood doesn't even try.

>>43353579
Ahahaha...high school.

I shut the book and head back to town, deciding against asking around for the spook. The town's not that big, and I eventually find him, haggling with a man next to a cart.

"Good news." He greets me, "I've secured us a ride home. Well, mostly. To the village my home is near anyway." He holds a hand out expectantly for the book, and I hand it over.

"Mr Johnson, while I was out there, whatever it was, it was watching me, out in the woods near town." I inform him, showing him my drawing, "Whatever it was, it didn't attack me or anything, just ran off deeper into the woods..."

He takes a moment to digest this. "Well... there's nothing I can do about this now. I need to rest up, and I don't want to send you to fight something of that size on your own. It'd snap your head off in a bite." He takes his staff as well, "For now, we'll head home, I'll rest up and you'll study. Unless some one comes calling about it causing trouble, we'll take our time with this mystery creature."

I nod, as the cart driver tells us to get in, his wagonload of coal being delivered to town as well.

With a snap of his reins the cart trundles off, the spook handing me the bestiary again. "Read the passage on witches first." He tells me. "They're the most common in these parts, or at least, people think that when they're scared."

I thumb through the pages, squinting at the writing again.

Witches are woman born with a talent for magic and the inability to cross running water, whether they're aware of it or not. Apparently there are 'benign' witches, but they're incredibly rare. They're usually healers, midwives or aren't ever aware of their powers their whole life.

hang on 4chans being fucky copy pasting this, gimme a minute

Malevolent witches gain their power from the consumption of blood, borrowing power from a ‘familiar’ dark entity or from bone magic, carving runes into their bones to cast a spell.

Blood magic is the most flexible, but requires constant recharging from drinking fresh blood; the most effective blood is that of children, especially human children though any can do, man or beast,

Meanwhile, bone magic can cast the same spell dozens too hundreds of times or even infinite, but can only be used to cast a set number of spells per bone, based on the rune/s carved into the bone.

Familiar magic is the easiest to use, hypothetically, depending on the familiar. Familiars can be any entity, though beings with magical potential are more useful. Using non magical creatures reduces their life span, while magical familiars drain their power, which must be given willingly. They can cast as much as they want, within the power of their familiar, but run the risk of being made a slave to its will if the creature has a stronger will than the witch.

I close the book as the setting sun makes it impossible to read any more, just having done that had eaten up most of the afternoon.

We climb off the cart as it pulls up outside town, the spook explaining to me. "I have my home outside town. Both the locals and I prefer it that way."

We walk up a small path, light shaded by apple trees, before I spot a small post with a bell hanging from it.

Mr Johnson points to it as we pass. "And that is where we meet our clients. They don't come to the house, 'bad omens' apparently. Suits me fine. My cat is rather territorial."

We reach the house and the old man sags gratefully into a seat. "Go get some sleep. Your room is the first on the right up the stairs. You'll be up early tomorrow."

I collapse in bed, bone tired, asleep instantly.

The smell of cooking eggs drags me downstairs, my stomach cramping from how good it smells and lack of food.

We eat in silence, before the spook finally addresses me. "Your first job, go into town, see the cobbler about getting a new set of boots for the road."

"Actually, a cobbler is just a person that repairs shoes. What I want is a cordwainer if I'm making new shoes."

He stares at me in silence for a moment, rolling his jaw. "Yes, well. See the CORDwainer for some boots, then a seamstress. You want a cloak like mine. It's how spooks identify ourselves."

I nod, as he passes me a small purse and hurry into town. I avoid talking to any of the locals for now, other than directions. I get in, get my business done and get out.

The path back to the house, I snag an apple off a tree, juicy for this time of year, before I spot a woman ahead of me on the road, heading for the calling bell.

She rings it four times, the chime echoing out over the gentle hills, before she spots me. "Oi! You a spook?"

"Apprentice spook." I answer cautiously. "Why?"

She nods, "Right, well we got a witch in our town, down in Galo, gotta come deal with it. She's some new young thing, with great bleeding ears. Driving all the men mad just looking at her, like they can't even see she's a freak. Got 'em all eating out of her hand she has. "

>I'll pass it on.
>Are you sure this isn't some petty rivalry?
>Just have the pay ready for us.
>Write in

>>43354296
>>I'll pass it on.

No taking on responsibility until we're told we should.

>>43354296
>I'll pass it on.

>>43354296
>I'll pass it on.

>>43354296
>>I'll pass it on.

Let master handle the talking, till we are more experienced.

>>43354296
>I'll pass it on.

>>43354296
>>I'll pass it on.

Some poor girl is going to get drown, or burnt at the stake because of ear envy.

Do Spooks intervene to save people who aren't actually witches?

>>43354424
>pretty girl
>not a witch

You must be unfamiliar with the setting.

>>43354424

Sometime.

Spooks aren't more or less nice persons than any other jobs.

>>43354424

I don't think she was talking about her ears

>>43354296

>I'll be sure to tell my master.

>>43354504

Eh, it's not like witches were necessarily bad news.

Did one of our siblings die?

"I'll pass it on." I tell her simply, keeping my head down and moving on up the hill.

The woman calls after me, "Just make sure ya do! If not we're gonna have to take care of her ourselves."

I chew the apple the rest of the way, finding the spook scrawling in a book when I return, his cloak hanging on a hook by the entrance. "You answered the bell I take it?" He asks.

"Some woman says there's an alleged witch in Galo." I inform him.

"And what did you think of her story?" He asks patiently. "From her demeanour that is. Genuine, or just spite against a younger woman?"

I.... "I don't know master. Two days hasn't really given me the judge of character for that yet."

He nods, "Good. Only brash idiots jump to conclusions." He looks down at his foot, "And that can be dangerous in this profession." He sets his quill down, staring at me across the table. "I, however, do know that village. And I'm fairly certain I can guess which woman it was. Blue dress, black hair in a tight bun with a freckle under her eye?"

I pause to remember her, "Yes, that's her."

He nods, "Yes, thought so." He sighs, "That woman likes to cry wolf, according to her, every woman in her town under the age of forty is a witch. But, on the other hand, she has the conscious of mind to pay me even on false call outs."

He gives something akin to a dry laugh, "So Leon, you proved yourself capable in stressful situations. I'd like to see how you handle this." He points to his cloak and staff. "They might be an ill fit, and you don't have your boots yet, but it's not a very far walk." He shuts his book and moves to put a kettle over the fire. "Be back by tomorrow night, preferably with that stupid woman's money. Galo's a little hamlet, about three miles down the eastern road."

I stare blankly as he gives me the order, glancing at the staff.

>You really think I'm ready?
>I don't think I should go alone.
>Yes sir!
>Write in

>>43354754
>What if it turns out she's telling the truth? I mean, she's probably not by your account, but thinking like that could get me killed.

>>43354754
>You really think I'm ready?

>>43354754
>You really think I'm ready?

I don't think I could take on a full on witch. I have no clue how to resist charm magic, or any magic for that matter.

>>43354754
>Yes sir!
>But any tip how to handle her if she is a witch?

>>43354754
>You really think I'm ready?

>>43354754
Seconding >>43354904

>>43354904
Supportin'
Also
>How do I convince the people if she isn't? I don't know how to deal with mobs. I mean I've been apart one. Had a pitchfork and a torch. Good times.

>>43354754

Thirding >>43354904

and adding

>She said something about the villagers taking care of it themselves. What are Spooks supposed to do, in those cases?

I nod, "Yes sir! It's just.... how do I deal with a witch if this is a genuine case?"

The spook directs you to his cloak, sealed pockets on the inside where his hands would rest. "Those two pockets there and the staff. The left hand is salt. Salt burns creatures of the dark.There's a reason that superstition exists. The right hand is iron shavings. They bleed away magical power. Not as effective as the salt, but if a witch takes a face full of them, she'll feel it. And the staff, oak wood. Hurts witches to the touch, not as much as the salt, but you can't smack them with the salt, or keep them away from you."

I nod, digesting this quickly. "And what do I do about if there's a mob? The woman mentioned she'd try to fix it herself if we didn't show up."

He shakes his head, "Very bad idea, and she knows that. There are really only to ways to stop a malevolent witch. Bind her in a pit, ten feet deep and six feet wide, with heavy iron bars and coated in an iron solution inside, my preferred method, or...." He curls his mouth distastefully, "Or cut their heart out and burn it." He tilts his head, "Though there are some who say that eating the heart raw has the same effect."

"And... any tips or resisting her charm magic if she's legitimate?" I ask.

He shakes his head, "As a sixth son of a sixth son, we have... a tendency to see through illusory magic, as long as we don't want to believe anything we're told, among other benefits. But keep your wits about you, and you shouldn't be fooled. You seem smart enough."

I take a moment to register all this, before nodding gratefully. "Thank you master."

He waves me to the door, "Go on, rain's going to start tonight and you've got a walk."

I let myself out of the house, a brush of orange fur sweeping by my leg and into the house as I leave. Must be the cat.

I follow the path eastwards, the woman who'd called us already well gone, but a note left behind for me. "The mayor will be expecting you. Look for a tall man with a dark beard." I read aloud. "Joy."

The walk is hell on my legs, and I have to stop to smear the paste on my feet again. By the time I spot Galo, the rain's broken properly, washing down in a constant drizzle.

The men standing in the centre of the hamlet seem glad to see me approaching, they don’t smile, but they stand slightly taller as they spot my cloak and staff, waving me towards them.

“Bit short for a spook, ain’t ya?” The taller man grunts. From his description, you’d guess he’s the mayor.

“Apprentice spook.” I correct. “Mr Johnson is currently recovering from some injuries.” I clear my throat. “But I’ve received enough training that he thinks I can handle this. How can I help?”

The other man, rain dripping into his dirty orange beard, jerks a thumb at a rundown looking stable. “Some sort’ve witch or spirit, taken over a girl’s body. Keeps talking nonsense about this... Equi- thingy”

I furrow my brow. “Not anything I’m familiar with myself... You’re sure it’s a spirit? Was it a girl that anyone knows?”

They shrug, the shorter man shaking his head. “Hell if we know, supposed to be your job isn’t it?” The taller man asks. He pauses, glancing at the stable. “It’s not just that, it’s... something about the girl, just looking at her face, it drives half the men in the village wild, they start fighting and snarling, trying to grab at her. We chained her up inside to stop anyone seeing her.”

I chew the inside of my lip slowly, tapping the staff against the muddy road. “Very well, let me see her first.”

They open the rickety door, the stable dank and musty inside. Near the back wall, tightly bound to a bridling post sits a girl, a sack over her head, trembling all over with fear or cold. “H-hello?” She calls out, her voice high pitched and pure, a waiver of fear in it. “I’m sorry for any trouble I caused, I didn’t mean to do anything!”

The ginger man spits, “Yeah? That’s why it happened four separate times, is it? And even if you didn’t bewitch them, you weres still stealing from my crop!”

She shrinks back, as you notice her clothes. They seem to be well made, expensive looking, if you ignore all the mud and stablefilth caked into them. “I- I didn’t know! It’s never happened to any men from my village before, please, you have to believe me! Just let me go and I’ll never bother your people again!”

I notice one more thing before I glance over at the mayor, there’s two... lumps pressing against the top of the sack from the inside, out the top of her head, hard to make out what they are with it on though.

>Leave me with her, she’s scared to death.
>Stick around, I want to question her.
>Start digging a pit. Ten feet deep, six feet wide.
>Build a pyre.
>Write in

>>43355506
>Leave me with her, she’s scared to death.

Plus we don't want someone without resistance to Illusion in the room when we start interrogation

>>43355506
>Leave me with her, she’s scared to death.
We are the professional here, and I don't want him freaking out if we take off the hood.

>>43355506
>Keep guard at the door. If she is a witch and manages to best me, then I want word to be sent to my master.

>Test her with abit of salt and iron shavings on her bare arm.

"I'm sorry if this hurts but I have to clarify for this for my master."

>>43355506
>Leave her with me, she's scared to death.

>>43355506
>You're not helping any. Please leave, sir. I can handle her.
Keep the staff at the ready, remove the sack. Get a look at her ears.

>>43355506
>Write in
Take a bit of salt, sprinkle it on her exposed skin.

No reaction: "Nope, no witch here. That'll be [standard going rate for services], please."
Reaction: "Yeah...better get a pit ready."

>>43355643
Not all witches are evil. From the sound of it, she didn't even know what she was doing.

>>43355668
Even if she is benign witch, we gotta take her into spookustody.

>>43355643
This is a good idea, sprinkle a little salt just as a preliminary test.

>>43355506
>>Write in
Wait at distance, so you don't get charmed. Hold some cold iron, if you have some.

>>43355638
Don't remove the thing. Have her calm down, and talk taught how it happened, and if she knows if something about it (if her grandma told her something like this, or if she met strange woman or something.

>>43355700
She might not be a witch, just a bunnygirl.

>>43355725
Bunny familiar?

>>43355506
Look through the book, see if there's anything on women of unnatural beauty.

>>43355506
>Leave me with her, she’s scared to death.

>>43355506
Question: They said they CHAINED her up, right? So iron wouldn't be working on her?

>>43355506

>>Leave me with her, she’s scared to death.

>I'll handle it from here, sir. Thanks you.

I turn to the men, "Please leave me with her. She's scared half to death and I can't do my job when she's like this."

They scowl, but shut the doors behind them, while I fetch a candle out from inside the cloak and light it up. As a test, I fetch out some salt from the pocket, "This may hurt, but I need to check this to be sure."

She makes a small questioning noise, but I toss it over her legs before she can hide them under her. She flinches, but there's no other reaction. Hmmm. Come to think of it, the chains are iron, and they're not having any effect on her either, visibly at least.

Her shivering is getting worse as I stop to consider.“Pl-please... it’s cold. Can’t I have a blanket or something?” I hold a hand out to the air, the stable might smell and have quite a few places where the roof leaks, but it’s at least decently heated, as far as I can tell.

“You’re not from around here, are you?” I guess.

She shakes her head, “No... I come from the-” She pauses, “I don’t even know which direction it is. No one’s ever heard of it from this place either.” Her head tilts inside the bag. “Have you ever heard of Lapina Forest?”

Never so much as heard of it. “Sorry, no.” I shake my head, only realising now that the gesture if pointless.

She hangs her head, her shivering increasing again. “Wh-why is it so cold?” She asks, “It’s supposed to be high spring.”

That gives me pause. “Spring? It’s September.”

Her head whips back up, “Se-Septembrrrrr?” She asks, teeth starting to chatter, very loudly. “That- but no, it’s May? Isn’t it?”

>>43355806

Iron's uncomfortable, not actively harmful.

>>43355573
Use the staff instead. No use wasting the consumable stuff

The longer I talk to her the more my head is starting to hurt. “All I know, is that I can ask everyone in the village and they’ll tell me it’s autumn.” I sigh. I spot a horse blanket, it’s rough, and heavy, but it’s close to hand. I fetch it and throw it over her.... very long legs, carefully rearranging it so that it covers to her waist. "Better?"

“Th-thank you.” She breathes, trying to squirm under it as much as possible. “Oh! I just realised I don’t even know your name. I’m Kara, Kara Mellerud.”

>Call me Leon.
>And you can call me Mr Spook
>Take the bag off her head.
>What’s your game here, really?
>Write in

>>43355874
>"So. Bunny ears, right? I think I might have to take you back to my master. At the very least, you don't SEEM hostile."

>>43355874
>Call me Leon.
Ask her to recount how she got here.

>>43355874
>Call me Leon.
>Take the bag off her head.

>>43355874
>And you can call me Mr Spook
>Write in
"How did you come to be here, Kara? What kingdom is the Lapina Forest in?"

>>43355874
>You can call me... Uh Mr.Smith
>Take the bag off her head.

>>43355918
>>43355929
>>43355931
>the longer I talk to her the more my head is starting to hurt.
Perhaps we shouldn't immediately jump straight to trusting her, hmm?

>>43355874
Poke it with the oak

>And you can call me Mr Spook
>Write in Take her to master

>>43355919
>>43355929
>>43355931
Don''t tel her our name. Name has magic power over us. Thats why master didn't tel his name to us.
And no taking off the bag, she might accidentally charm someone.

>>43355874
>I think I know what's up, but I'll have to go get my master. He's a fair distance away from here, and you'll have to stay here while he's gone. I'll tell the villagers to not hurt you and keep you fed.

>>43355874
>And you can call me Mr Spook
Ask how she got here.

>>43355874
>You can call me Mr. Spook.

>>43355874

>>And you can call me Mr Spook

>Can you tell me what happened? I'll get you out of this village afterward.

Don't remove the bag or say our name, yet. There is definitively something spooky going on.

>>43355874
>And you can call me Mr. Spook.

>>43355944
>>43355964
Good point.

>>43356010
Too spooky?

>>43355874
She's a witch, but possibly a benevolent one.

>>43356037
Nah. If that were the case, she'd be burning from the salt.

>>43356037
Not a witch. Something else.

>>43355944

I think the headache is because the situation is confusing.

I'm not for trusting her yet, but given she has been subdued by a bunch of farmers, It's probably safe to assume she's mostly harmless. Best move would be to get paid after saying we'll "take care of her the best way we know" and then take her to our master

>>43356098
I agree with the solution provided we don't learn anything really unexpected, but our master sent us here to see how we'd do in the field among other things, so I'd rather we actually investigate thoroughly before we just take her straight back to him.

>>43356078
Well Oak gets them all and we haven't tried that

>>43356056
Dark powers burn from salt, but not all witches have dark powers. Hence, benevolent witch.

>>43356078

She's probably an animal-ear girl.

>>43356137

Salt and iron get them all as well, no?

Though, silver's the real deal. But our master is cheap, apparently

It's most likely a blending of something else's creatures into this world. Like the beast from the town over was most likely from the witcher continent.

>>43356148
Or cursed like King Midas was. Only bunny ears instead of donkey.

>>43355874
>I fetch it and throw it over her.... very long legs
>very long legs

c'mon now, it's obvious she's something else if she's not a witch.

>>43356219
like a waifu?

>>43356241
The most dangerous creature of all.

>"Did you know my number one rule is not to trust a woman. I wonder if witches' number one rule is not to trust men."

So if we adapt salt and metal into our staff?

Salt Shaker to smash onto witches? Metal tipped ends for maximum hit?

>Shake salt from far away onto enemies from a staff-lengths away.

"Safety first!"

didn't the MC in the spooks books have the witch girl as a waifu?

I rock back on my heels. "Alright, you can call me Mr Spook for now." I walk a small circle around her. "Tell me Kara, everything you can about how you got here, in your words."

She dithers to gather her thoughts. "I... well, I was taking part in the Equinox festival. The spring one, that is. And... my father let me have a glass of wine. I got all light headed, and challenged a friend of mine to a race through the woods... then I tripped in the middle of the race, and fell under the roots of a tree and hit my head. Next thing I knew, I woke up, it was raining and freezing cold."

"So you... fell under a tree, and got here somehow?" I ask.

She nods, "I have no idea how it worked Mr Spook, honest. I woke up by a little lake and my clothes were all muddy. I heard people in this direction, so I walked here... they were nice at first, but every so often... the younger men seem to sniff me, and they all go crazy!"

"It's not magic... is it?" I ask.

She shrugs, "What's magic?"

What's... "You've never heard of magic?" I have to ask. Another shake of her head. "Could it be something..." I cough awkwardly. "Biological then?"

She tilts her head, "Like what?"

"Well... pheromones maybe?" I prompt.

She shrugs again. "Please Mr Spook... these chains are squeezing me too tightly... and this hood hurts. I swear I won't bother you, or anyone else again... I'll- I'll just go live in the woods and eat from the trees?"

>My master may know a way to help you, come meet him.
>>The stuff stays on.
>>You can go free.

>Sounds fair.
>Write in

>>43356373
>My master may know a way to help you, come meet him.
We can let her free AFTER we're away from the town, we don't want them trying to lynch her because they think she's taken over our mind or something.

>>43356373
>My master may know a way to help you, come meet him.

>>43356373
>My master might know a way to help you, come meet him.
>The stuff has to stay on, though.

Never hurts to be careful.

>>43356373
>My master may know a way to help you, come meet him.

"I can take the hood off but I'll need to bind you with rope. The towns people here might be weary if I just let you go."

>>43356373

>My master may know a way to help you, come meet him.
>>The stuff stays on.
>Attach her chains to our staff.

"You'll be safer with me. I'll free you once I prove you innocent or my master sees you guilty. For now Mr. Spook will protect you. If we're attacked I will free you, but only if you promise to stay with me, deal?"

>>43356373
>My master may know a way to help you, come meet him.
>The stuff stays on.

>>43356373
>The stuff stays on.
>My master may know a way to help you, come meet him.

Sounds shifter like to me. Not werewolf, but close enough to not set her free. Don't trust the suspect over all of the fucking town. Don't set her free, because even if she is not guilty, there is ongoing magical effect on her that might harm her, and people around her.

>>43356485
She could be the burrowing animal obviously.

Lets...uh compare her feet with our molds?

...

I promise I don't have a foot fetish.

>>43356373
>The stuff stays on.
>My master may know some way to help you, but you'll have to wait here for him to recover. It's only one week, and I promise to stay here until he arrives to make sure the villagers treat you well.

>>43356373
>My master may know a way to help you, come meet him.
>>The stuff stays on.
"For your safety, and mine."

I chew the inside of my mouth, weighing my options. "How about this? I'll get you out of here, you can come meet my master, he may know a way to help you... but the sack and the chains have to stay on. For your own safety and mine."

She takes a breath in, pauses, then her head sags again. "Okay." She slowly agrees. I nod, letting myself out of the stable. The mayor and the ginger men are arguing nearby, collecting firewood for reasons I don't want to dwell on. "She's not a witch, as far as I can tell. But she is something else.. abnormal. I'm taking her back too my master for judgement."

The ginger man spits in the mud again. "Whatever, as long as she's not here any more." The mayor nods in agreement. "Eloise left your pay with me, she's out gathering berries or something. Just hope that little demon ain't in your head too."

I pocket the coin and take the key to the chains unlocking her, before wrapping them around my borrowed staff. "For appearances." I tell her. "If anything happens, I'll drop the staff and you run for it. Alright?"

She nods, her head hanging low. "I feel like an animal..." She mutters. "Put on a leash." I lead her out the door, her footsteps unsure, considering she's still blinded, and the muddy path isn't helping her either. "How far is it?" She asks.

"About four miles." I mutter back, as the villagers crowd into their doorways, watching us walk away through the rain.

She stops and staggers, loses her feet in the mud and ends up a stained mess before we even make a mile out of Galo, I can hear her sobbing inside of the bag as I help her back up, her arms still tight at her side, her shoulders bouncing with each sniff.

We trudge through the setting sun, night dropping quickly in this weather. Kara lost a shoe in some mud puddle without even noticing, now trodding along with one bare foot.

We're out of sight of the village now...

>It stays on, can't trust her yet
>Let her loose, she's harmless.

AND

>Stop and wait out the storm
>Keep pushing on
>Write in

>>43356809
>It stays on, can't trust her yet
>Stop and wait out the storm

>>43356809
>>It stays on, can't trust her yet
>Keep pushing on

>>43356809
>It stays on, can't trust her yet
>Stop and wait out the storm
"I'm sorry, I'm still training and the first rule was not to trust women. Don't wanna mess up so soon."

>>43356809
>Let her loose, she's harmless.
>Stop and wait out the storm

>>43356809
>It stays on, can't trust her yet
>Keep pushing on
>write-in: Wrap her bare foot in our shirt; not much of a shoe, but better than nothing.

>>43356809
>It stays on, can't trust her yet
>Stop and wait out the storm

>>43356809
>It stays on, can't trust her yet
>Stop and wait out the storm

>>43356809

>Remove the chains, but ties her arm to ours with a cloth.

>Apologize

>Put the Spook's cloak on her, it'll protect her from the storm

The chains are probably overboard, at this point.

>>43357055
This.
Don't jugde me.

>>43356809
Seconding >>43357055
>>43357070

Worst case scenario?

>She transforms into a giant vorpal bunny.
>Super-kicks us to death and finds out master and drags him deep underground and he dies buried alive.

Best case scenario?

Bunny waifu!

If she's genuine, I hope she doesn't hate us afterward. But seriously, it's so easy to fake being sad and scared that we can't take the risk, here.

>>43357070
For all we know she will turn into a werewolf and eat our face off. Are you guys out of your mind?

Don't trust woman. its one of core rules of gaming.

>>43357128

She was overpowered by farmers. If we can't handle her while she's blinded, we don't have what it takes to be in this profession.

>>43357128
Shut the fuck up nigger we have a waifu
>>43356809
>Other: Listen, little baby. You're gonna get a lot of hurtful and degrading comments from the riff raff, but that's not what I'm about. Let me just say, you're perfect just the way you are. You hear me sugar? Per-fect. Don't ever change. You deserve everything and anything you want. Stay safe and warm for me, baby girl. Here, have my spook cloak.
>My visage when thinking about you hurting
>You done eating my arm and drinking my spine fluids by the way?

>>43357202
>not forcing her to eat a bowl of eggs.

pleb.png

>>43357182
We are a freaking teenager. Farmers are strong as fuck compered to us. And she might transform into something, or use magic on us.

>>43357274

It's not winning, anyway.

File: Spooky Eggs.png (87 KB, 355x422)

87 KB PNG

>>43357268
5000000 hours in ms paint

>>43357268
Pretty sure she'd prefer carrots.

>>43356809

>It stays on, can't trust her yet
>Keep pushing on

If we stop the pheromones will overwhelm us.

Also, sounds like this girl got Faejacked.

>>43356809
>>It stays on, can't trust her yet
don't trust women

>>43356809
>it stays on
>keep pushing on

We're not in the mood for any tricks, let's get this business over with

I ask her to stop, "Come on, let's wait this out for a while." I call to her over the storm.

She nods as I gently usher her into a thicker clump of trees, most of the rain being kept off of us as the wind only blows harder and harder, rain growing louder and louder as it buckets down.

Kara bolts upright, stiffening with terror as a thunder clap booms over the hills, sheet lightning forking across the sky. "It's just lightning." I assure her, setting the staff down by digging it into the dirt, leaving it standing.

I pull the cloak tight. It seems to be slightly water resistant, but in this downpour it's still managed to soak through, chilling me to the bone. Kara's hands are white as snow now as she keeps flexing her fingers. "I'm sorry!" I call over the storm. "But this would get even worse if I started acting like those men back there."

She nods silently, her teeth chattering so loud I can hear them over the rain.

I'm half tempted to offer her space inside my cloak... but if she turned on me, she could be too close for me to stop her.

We sag against a tree trunk for a few hours, the heavy apple tree blocking most of the rain and wind.

Eventually the storm blows over. Her teeth are chattering so loudly I'm impressed they aren't breaking.

I take a moment to shake the cloak out for rain, but it's waterlogged, not drying out any time soon.

"Come on Kara. Not too long to go." I assure her, helping her stand again.

She nods silently, letting out a small whimper as she steps through a pool of cold mud with her bare foot again.

I have no idea what hour is when we finally reach the path to the spook's house. My feet are killing me, I'm freezing and probably blue in the face.

The cat hisses, fur on end as it sees us walking up the path, but makes no move against us.

The door is still unlocked, embers burning in the hearth, so I let us in, leading Kara to sit by the heat as I tug my cloak off to dry.

>>43357421

She fell down the rabbit hole

File: Spoiler Image (433 KB, 2000x3000)

433 KB JPG

Kara sighs with relief as the coals provide what little heat they have. I keep the staff with me, silently removing the chains and slip away to change, before knocking on the spooks door.

He answers with bleary eyes, "You're back then? Couldn't wait til morning?"

I jerk a thumb at the stair case. "Not a witch at the at Galo, something... else."

He raises an eyebrow and I fill him in on what I know as a fact, before he follows me downstairs.

"Leon here tells me you're not a witch... and yet you drive normal men into a furious rage." He tells her. "Tell me Kara, your story again."

She repeats it mostly word for word, her chattering having calmed down by the fire, including my experiment with salt, the spook nodding approvingly.

"Well then... Leon never asked directly." He mutters. "Kara, what are you?"

She tilts her head, "Well I'm a Lapine. Haven't you heard of us?"

The spook shakes his head, "Lapine, huh? Interesting... Then those lumps are?" Without ceremony, he whips the bag off her head.

Underneath, she's got a button nose and two deep brown eyes... but those aren't the stealing your attention, that would be the two brown, soft looking ears springing up from under the bag, standing about an extra foot over the top of her head. I feel light headed for a moment, just from looking at her, but.... I blink a few times, slapping my cheek, and everything refocuses.

"Oh thank you..." She breathes, moving to rub them, before the chains hold her hands down. "That hurt like no other."

The spook nods, "Whatever she's doing, it's not intentional, at least as far as I can tell. The iron would be preventing it otherwise." He leans down and pulls her up by her collar none too gently."Kara, was it? Well then, promise not to hurt anyone, or go into town without a mask and you can stay here, while we look for a way to help you."

She smiles brightly, even despite the mud caked onto the side of her face. "Really? Oh thank you!" She hops a little. "I appreciate the help mister. There were people back in Galo who were talking about roasting me for a stew!"

Mr Johnson grunts, "Right. Well, it's late, and I'm, old." He raises a warning finger as he undoes the chains, letting them drop to the floor. "I'll warn you now. You'll regret trying anything funny"

She nods sincerely. "Yes sir, I'll do my best." She glances down at her clothes, "You wouldn't... happen to have anything for me to wear though, would you?"

The spook sighs. "Leon, she's even shorter than you, give her some of your spares for now.

"Leon?" Kara asks. "Oh, Mr Spook was a fake name?"

I nod, as the fire gives out finally. We fumble our way back upstairs the spook leaning on me for his ankle, before I supply Kara with something dry to wear and show her to a spare bedroom.

"Thank you Leon, for taking a chance on me. You won't regret it! I'll... I'll... I can clean up around here?"

The spook cuts her off. "We'll figure that out tomorrow. Get some sleep." He pulls her door shut for her, patting me on the shoulder. "You already disobeyed lesson one." He sighs. "If she pulls anything, it's on your head boy."

"Yes master." I nod, heading for my own room.

He just shakes his head. "Two days... two bloody days and you fell for a pretty face. That might be a record. Still, you handled the people well and you were thorough in checking her. Good work on that part."

I lay back on my new bed once again.... this spook thing... well it might not be as bad as it's hyped up to be."

>End of Spook Quest 1

>>43357682
"To be fair sir, I never saw her face, tested her with salt and iron, and kept her bound the whole way here in case she tried something."

Well that was fun, I'll be looking forward to more threads to come. Thanks Chuckles.

Thanks for the thread. Nice writing.

>>43357744
Seriously.

What a dick.

>>43357682
>He just shakes his head. "Two days... two bloody days and you fell for a pretty face.

Objection! We didn't see her face before, and we were reasonable

>>43357762
I bet he was just thinking back to when he broke that rule the first time. He's projecting brah.

when's the next thread going to be?
Solid start, loving it so far.

>>43357762
In his defense, in this world a pretty face means you're going to get stabbed.

Shit is like Dragons in Shadowrun.

>>43357682
>Thanks for running, Chucks. Off to a good start.

>>43357809
See
>>43357744

It's a dick thing to say when it's completely false.

>Not a witch
>dunno what the fuck she is, though
>take precautions and bring her here because what the fuck else can we do?

>"lolno u lil shit, u fucked up becuz ur a chump!"

The fuck, mang?

>>43357761
>>43357754
thanks guys, glad you liked it

I thought fucking no one had ever read those books but me

>>43357789
Soon™

look here for updates https://twitter.com/PokeMangQM

>>43357905
Dude it's a passing comment from our old mentor who as >>43357787 said was probably just projecting, are you going to flip the table on him every time he says anything that hurts your feelings?

>>43357905
You know he probably wasn't being entirely serious, right?

>>43357905
taking it a bit more seriously than it was intended anon

What's that I smell? Is it hundreds of half bunny babys?

>>43358235
My god, so that's her plan. Seduce us with her bunny wiles then breed until the human race is no more.

>>43358258
I'm not seeing a problem anon

Yo chuckles, she hiding a fluffy tail under her skirt?

>>43358258

Does she have an Australian accent?

>>43358287
maybe

>>43358289
no

>>43358258
truly the greatest evil genius of our times

File: panne.jpg (107 KB, 500x744)

107 KB JPG

bunny girls a best monster girl

>>43358111
>implying

ill fite u bro.

What other spooky waifus should we try and get/like to see

A witch we anti corrupt into enjoying holding hands and missionary

>>43358870
Missionaries don't like witches, they spread their religious word and gather mobs against them.