Welcome back to Modern Fantasy Quest, the quest where Tristan, a modern-day paladin, tries to stop the Earth from turning into Australia-with-more-tentacles.

Questions/Comments/Criticisms are welcome at any time pls no bully

>>3838406
>I need to report to the Main Temple as soon as possible.

The chapel is our safe place. Everything else can wait until HQ gives us new orders based on the situation.

>>3838400
>”I need to report to the Main Temple a soon as possible.”

>>3838884
>Chapel is safe
I'm more inclined to believed the opposite right now.
>>3838400
>”I need to report to the Main Temple a soon as possible.”

>I need to report to the Main Temple as soon as possible.

“I need to report to the Main Temple as soon as possible,” You tell Ike, “Other issues will have to wait until I receive new orders based on the situation.”

“So that’s what you’re going to do,” Ike says, “Damn, how fucked is the situation for you to need explicit orders from the Main Temple on how to act?”

“Bad enough to be impossible to operate as usual.” You reply. Usually, Templar Knights operated under the vague orders to eliminate sources of magic that had a risk of leaking into the normal world, a world where the average man lived a life of sanity. There was good reason for this policy, not even counting the obvious fact that the Main Temple was much too small to direct the every action of all their field operatives.

Ike crouches and lifts a massive, old-fashioned suitcase up into the air. “You’ll need to borrow my radio, right? I thought you might need to, so I brought my Atelier along ...”

“Thank you,” You thank Ike, glad that he had had the forethought to anticipate one of your potential needs.

“I thought you’d need one thing from an atelier at least, so I brought the whole thing!” Ike proudly explains.

Well, it turned out you did, so you can’t complain …

…

“Tristan? You there?” Benjamin’s scratchy voice comes from the radio.

“Yeah, I’m here, Benjamin.” You answer into the microphone. There were only a handful of times where your faraway friend’s voice had sounded so reassuring. Ike had patched you through to him through his own operator.

“So I hear things are pretty bad on your end. Mind telling me what’s going on?”

“Don’t be impatient,” You chide, “The resident sanctioned Mage has betrayed me and is currently trying to capture me. He appears to have more resources than expected. He may have been rogue for some time now.”

You hear Benjamin’s distinctive whistle. “And the name of this Mage?”

“Jungczant.”

“Right, right,” Benjamin says, “I’ll mention that to the Overseers and have the records on him looked at as soon as I can. Is there anything else?”

>Tell Benjamin about Delilah

>Tell Benjamin that you lost your equipment

>”No, that’s it.”

>Other

>>3840153
>Tell Benjamin that you lost your equipment

>>3840153
>Mention that Jungczant stole your equipment.

>Bring up Delilah

She knows we're a Templar, so no point in keeping her info for self protection anymore.

>>3840153
>Tell Benjamin that you lost your equipment

>Tell Benjamin you lost your equipment

“I regret to inform you of this, but I had all my equipment stolen,” You say.

“Are you serious?” Benjamin groans.

“Unfortunately.”

“Well,” Benjamin sighs, “I guess it’s only to be expected that small things like that happen in situations like yours … do you know who stole your stuff?

“I suspect some of Jungczant’s men.”

“Do you have any reason to believe your texts will be decryptable to them?” Benjamin’s voice had adopted a rote and businesslike tone, like he was reciting a list of standard questions. He probably was.

“No, I do not.”

“Do you have a safe location to operate from?”

“I am currently looking for a safe location.”

“Okay then,” Benjamin’s voice returns to his normal tone, “You’ll have to notify me as soon as you can after you find that, so I can have new equipment sent there.”

“Thank you, Benjamin.”

“It’s no problem, Tristan,” Benjamin reassures you, “It’s kinda funny, you know. The last time you reported to me was this morning, right? I really wasn’t expecting you to contact me again so soon.”

“I see how that could be considered funny.” You admit.

“Well, that’s what I mean, right? Actually, speaking of this morning, I’d like to follow up on something you brought up this morning.”

“What?”

“Ahem” Benjamin clears his throat, “This morning, you mentioned you encountered a woman who wielded a massive cleaver and called herself a freelance competitor manager, right? Was the name she used for herself Delilah by any chance?”

Well, it seems the Main Temple did have records on Delilah after all …

>”Yes, she did.”

>”No, she didn’t.”

>”I can’t say.”

>”Will it affect the contents of your message?”

>Other

>>3841567
>”Yes, she did.”

>>3841567
>"That's correct. What info do we have on her?"

>Also bring up Nathan

>>3841567
Yes, she did.”

>”Yes she did,”

“That is correct,” You confirm, “What information does the Main Temple have on her?”

“I don’t actually know,” Benjamin admits, “I couldn’t find any relevant files, but after I gave your description of her to the Overseer council, I found a file at my desk titled ‘Delilah’. It was strange, there were no encounter logs or recorded termination attempts. The description was pretty barebones, nothing you didn’t already mention. But the encounter procedure file is what you’ll really be interested in.”

“What’s in it?”

“Again, not that much! It reads, ‘If at all possible, interaction with the Subject is to be avoided. Under no circumstances is the subject to be engaged in combat. This procedure is to be interpreted as a policy, not as a suggested course of action.”

Dear God … What kind of otherworldly monster was Delilah that the Templar abandoned their mission of eliminating dangerous sources of Magic in favour of avoiding her? What the hell was Delilah?


>”What do you think about that file?”

>”I encountered another dangerous being …”

>”Is there anything else I need to know?”

>Other

>>3843122
>”Is there anything else I need to know?”

Delilah has been rather good at finding us since we met her, and I don't expect that to change any time soon.

>>3843122
I guess that settles it as del beating out isolde for strongest encountered npc.

>"I encountered another dangerous being..."

All the details on Nathan, since he's the one actually hunting us to kill, while Delilah just does it to emasculate.

Also note that Delilah knows about the Templar. Probably knows more about them than we do.

>Combine options

As concerning as Delilah was, there was another massive threat in Winterpine that was even more immediate in it’s danger.

“There is another part of my situation which you should know,” You say.

“Huh? What is it?”

“Nathan visited Jungczant’s office and recognized me. That seemed to be the reason Jungczant wanted to capture me: To question me about what happened in Los Angeles.”

“You think Nathan might be involved in something he’s not supposed to be?”

“I’m almost completely sure that is the case, given how Delilah reacted when I mentioned the Eldritch Entity. There certainly seems to be an unknown organization both Nathan and Jungczant are subject to. Delilah’s involved as well.”

“I’ll remember to mention that to the Overseers.”

“Thank you Benjamin. Is there anything else I should know?”

“Nah, avoid Delilah as much as possible, okay?”

>”I’ll remember that,” (sign off)

>”My circumstances may not allow that.”

>”There’s something else.” (what)

>Other

>>3844831
Have we reported that Father Cullen might be missing? I would expect to have mentioned it already, but I can't find an instance where it is explicitly stated.

>>3844860
Thread 10 begins with you already in the middle of a report to Benjamin, you would have mentioned Father Cullen sometime during that report.

>>3844831
>"I'll try, but she's taken an interest in me and haqs the nose of a bloodhound so I fear it's futile. Send me your thoughts and prayers, and put that in her file. Inhumanly good sense of smell."

>>3844831
>”I’ll remember that,”

>>3844831
>”I’ll remember that,” (sign off) though funny enguh she has been nice to me, saving my life and stuff kinda funny.

>Combine options

“I’ll remember that,” You promise, “But it may prove to be futile. The woman seems to have taken an interest in me for some reason. Add to her file that she has an inhuman sense of smell, on par with a bloodhound.”

“Hey man, I don’t write the files!” Benjamin mock-protests, “I’ll mention it in the next meeting.”

“Thank you, I shall add that to my written report.” You say.

“So, is that it?” Benjamin asks..

“Yes, that is all that was relevant,” You confirm, “Except ...”

“Except what?”


“It’s strange … Delilah has been nice to me. She even saved my life …”

“That’s why you were strange about revealing her name at first, right?” Benjamin was right. You had felt a sense of obligation to Delilah after she had saved your life.

“Yes, you’re correct …”

“Don’t think too hard about it okay?” Benjamin says, “If we could trust the good intentions of the world, we wouldn’t be here.”

“I … you’re right.” You admit.

“I hope you remember that my prayers are with you.” Benjamin promises.

Just then, you realize how overwhelmed you had been feeling. Like any other Templar Knight, you had been in situations where almost everything had gone as unexpected, and still managed to keep calm and respond accordingly. But every once in a while, a Templar would be trapped in a situation so bizarre and unexpected that it forced them to reflect on the risks they were taking without the lens of professionalism or duty. And it was in times like this where your own prayers failed you, you were either shaken to the core, or you fell back on the prayers of those supporting you to regain your faith and resolve.

“Thank you, Benjamin. I’m grateful for them.”

“No problem, Tristan. Now, is that it?”

“Yes. I’m signing off now.”

“Alright.”

You turn the radio off.

“All finished?” Ike asks.

“Yes.”

“All right.” Ike begins to pack up the radio, “Sounds like what’s chasing after you in Winterpine is a big deal.”

“She is a dangerous and unpredictable factor in this city.” You agree.

“Well, do you know how you gained its interest in the first place?”

>”I’m not sure, but I think …” (Write-in)

>”I harassed her sexually on my plane ride here.”

>”I don’t know why she’s interested in me, but I do know why she’s in the city …”

>Other

>>3846312
>”I don’t know why she’s interested in me, but I do know why she’s in the city …”

>>3846312
>"She lost her purse in the airport, and I returned it. On a whim, I attempted to exorcise her, and she detected it."

Still salty I missed the start of that thread

>>3846365
Il go with this

>>3846365
Support

>"She lost her purse in the airport, and I returned it. On a whim, I attempted to exorcise her, and she detected it."

“She lost her purse in the airport and I returned it,” You explain, “I suspected that she may have been magical in nature so I tested with a Minute Exorcism, but she detected the exorcism even though it had no effect on her.”

“Wait a minute,” Ike exclaims, “If you cast Minute Exorcism but it noticed even though there was no effect, wouldn’t that mean that Delilah’s a highly magical creature that simply powered through the spell?”

“Or that she is a strong mage who manages superhuman feats with spells, which wouldn’t need her body to be intrinsically magical.” You point out another obvious explanation.

“But a Mage would reproduce in the world the effect a superhuman body would have instead of making themselves superhuman through magic.” Ike counters, “Besides, there’s no magic that allows for the enhancement of physical strength to any relevant degree.”

>”No known magic would allow for the enhancement of physical strength. What if she has access to previously unknown magic?”

>”You seem fixated on the idea that Delilah is a magical creature.”

>”Why do you refer to her as an ‘it’ rather than a ‘she’?”

>Other

>>3846365
Had you not joined in the quest already or did you just miss a vote?

>>3848678
>”You seem fixated on the idea that Delilah is a magical creature, do you have a particular sort of creature in mind?”

>>3848678
>Why do you call her it

&

>What kind of magic creature do you think she is

>>3848679
Missed several votes because I wasn't scouring the catalog and didn't see the new thread for a few days.

>>3848678

>”No known magic would allow for the enhancement of physical strength. What if she has access to previously unknown magic?”

>”You seem fixated on the idea that Delilah is a magical creature, do you have a particular sort of creature in mind?”

”You seem fixated on the idea that Delilah is a magical creature,” You comment, “do you have a particular sort of creature in mind?”

“Well, I think that this ‘Delilah’ is a Demon, judging from it’s superhuman strength despite a human appearance, and capricious nature, I’d say one with a fey origin inhabiting a once-human shell.” Ike answers.

“That’s impossible!” You exclaim, “Fey Demons are all inherently malicious towards humans. The Templar would never allow one to freely roam human society.”

“You would be surprised by some of the things the Templar permit,” Ike mutters, almost to quiet for you to hear, as if he couldn’t hold the feeling of resentment in his voice within his chest any longer.

>”But, I haven’t seen Delilah do anything to harm a human once …”

>”Why do you call her ‘it’?”

>”You still haven’t said why Delilah might not just be using unknown magic to enhance her physical strength.”

>”What do you mean I would be surprised by some of the things the Templar permit?”

>Other

>>3848963
Well I'm glad you're able to follow us now. Hope you have fun here!

>>3850704
>”What do you mean I would be surprised by some of the things the Templar permit?”

>>3850704
>You still haven't said why Delilah might not just be using some unknown magic.

>>3850704
>"What do you mean by that?"

>"Also Delilah has saved my life more than once, so I seriously doubt she's some kind of demon. "

>>3850704
>”What do you mean I would be surprised by some of the things the Templar permit?”
And like that our fath is broken

>”What do you mean I would be surprised by some of the things the Templar permit?”

“What do you mean I would be surprised by some of the things the Templar permit?” You ask. You didn’t believe what Ike was saying. It wasn’t just criticism of some irksome part of administration or policy, what Ike seemed to be insinuating was that the organization was somehow malicious. But a Knight who had dedicated his life to the Templar’s cause would never believe that … you would not tolerate it.

Ike stares up at the ceiling, glaring sullenly at nothing in particular.

“Do you think any one of us Knights in the field could know what secrets the Overseers are keeping from us?” He asks. His voice was free of condescension, you only heard a deep and bitter resentment.

>”It is the Templar’s nature that necessitates secrets, but our cause is just.”

>”It seems you know something that I do not. But perhaps I should ...”

>”Are you implying that the Templar are malicious?”

>”Let us make this clear … do you stand against the Templar’s activity in this city?”

>Other

>>3851522
>"It is the Templars nature that necessitates secrets, but our cause is just."

Ike cmon. Haven't you heard of OPSEC?

>>3851522
>”It seems you know something that I do not. But perhaps I should ...”

>>3851522
>”It is the Templar’s nature that necessitates secrets, but our cause is just.”

>>3851522
>"It seems you know something I do not. Perhaps I should."
Some lore please.

>Combine options

“Well, it is the nature of the Templar and their work that necessitates secrets,” You point out, “It would be dangerous for a Knight exposed in the field to be aware of the entire body’s actions. But is our cause, to safeguard humanity from the darkness and corruption of the world, not a just one?”

“I can quote the treatises from training as well as you can, you know?” Ike shoots back, “But well … you’re right. It is. Secrets are a necessity, huh?”
Ike’s resentment-filled expression relaxes a little, “I’m sorry. I lost control of myself. What I was upset about has nothing to do with you.”

But even if it didn’t, that didn’t change the fact that the Templar had done something that Ike had felt was worth being angered about. Something you didn’t know …

“You seem to know something about the Templar’s actions that I don’t,” You comment, “Perhaps I should?”

“Ah, forget what I said, I wasn’t thinking when I said it.” Ike closes his eyes in embarrassment, rubbing the back of his head.

>”But you still said it. What did the Templar do to earn such undue resentment?”

>”I won’t be able to trust my back to someone who keeps secrets from me. You’re the only ally I have in this city.”

>”I will have to report seditious thoughts to the Main Temple. Are you sure you are fit to do God’s Work in this city?”

>”Okay I will.”

>Other

>>3852535
>”Okay I will.”

>>3852535
>"Okay I will, but I'd still like to know what you were thinking."

>>3852535
>"Okay I will."

Templar are PERFECT

>>3852535
>”But you still said it. What did the Templar do to earn such undue resentment?”

>”Okay I will.”

“Okay, I will.” You promise. You could overlook a momentary lapse in control. Even Bentham had had those a handful of times, and his had been much more specific in the shortcomings in the Templar he perceived. But you had never reported him. No matter how just a cause, the piety and sense of devotion inspired had to be accompanied by temperance. The path of the uncompromising zealot eventually lead to phariseehood.

In response, Ike nods in thanks.
“Thanks, I was out of line.” Ike says.

“Don’t even mention it,”

“Well then … let’s get back to the topic of this ‘Delilah’.” Ike suggests, “Do you have a plan to deal with it?”

>”Yes,” (write-in)

>”Yes, complete avoidance.”

>”No, do you have any ideas?”

>”What do you mean ‘deal with’ Delilah? You should have overheard, doctrine regarding her is complete avoidance.”

>Other

>>3854744
>”Yes, complete avoidance.”

>>3854744
>Yes, complete avoidance.
It might be difficult since she keeps finding us.

>>3854744
>"Yes, complete avoidance. Though if she decides to pursue me I fear that will be impossible. In which case I suppose my best option is to try and remain on the best terms with her that I can."

>”Yes, complete avoidance.”

“Yes, complete avoidance.” You reply.

“But it’s taken an interest in you,” Ike points out, “are you sure complete avoidance will be possible?”

You sigh.
“It might be difficult,” You admit.

“Do you even have a plan for if that Delilah catches you?”

>”Yes.” (write-in)

>”I’ll just have to deal with that when the time comes.”

>”I’ll just have to not get caught.”

>”Do you have any ideas?”

>Other

>>3855315
>"Placate her. Whatever it takes. "

>>3855315
>”I’ll just have to deal with that when the time comes.”

>>3855315
>”I’ll just have to deal with that when the time comes.”

>”I’ll just have to deal with that when the time comes.”

“I’ll just have to deal with that when the time comes.” You answer. It was the most honest answer you could give. There weren’t many countermeasures that could be set up ahead of time for something as deadly as Delilah.

“Are you sure that’s safe?” Ike asks, “If that thing is really interested in you, you’ll get caught before you know it.”

“There’s nothing I can do.” You adamantly insist.

“Fine then,” Ike gives in, “But the rest of your shitty situation you can do things about. Can you share your plan of action in Winterpine with me?”

>To eliminate Jungczant before he becomes more of a problem

>To slay Nathan before he finds and kills me

>First of all, I need a safe base of operations … know any good places?

>This is not necessary for you to know

>Other

>>3856335
>To eliminate Jungczant before he becomes more of a problem

>>3856335
>Safe base of operations
Then
>Slay Nathan
It would honestly be great if we could find a place where Delilah can't find us. Also, by eliminating Nathan first, we weaken how much Jungczant can threaten us.

>>3856335
Backing
>>3856516

We really should wait for official confirmation before killing Jung, since he used to be sanctioned and all.

>Safe base, slay Nathan

“My first priority is to establish a safe base of operations,” You say, “Then, I will slay my most dangerous hunter, Nathan before he finds me.”

“What are you going to do about Jungczant?” Ike asks.

“I can’t really do anything, I’ll have to wait for permission to eliminate him since he’s still a Sanctioned Mage in the eyes of the Main Temple.”

Ike nods, “That’s fair. If Nathan’s working for Jungczant like you said, then Jungczant won’t be as dangerous after he’s gone.”

“My thoughts exactly,” You concur.

“So how are you planning to catch Nathan?” Ike asks.

>”He’s hunting for me and will come to me eventually, right into a trap of my own making.”

>”I know where he’ll be, scouring the streets for me. But I will be the one hunting the streets, not him.”

>”However I do it, he’s not something I can tackle alone. I may need your help.”

>Other

>>3856779
>”He’s hunting for me and will come to me eventually, right into a trap of my own making.”

>>3856779
>”He’s hunting for me and will come to me eventually, right into a trap of my own making

>>3856779
>”He’s hunting for me and will come to me eventually, right into a trap of my own making.”

>>3856779
>”He’s hunting for me and will come to me eventually, right into a trap of my own making.”
Let's also ask for help? Just in case.

>”He’s hunting for me and will come to me eventually, right into a trap of my own making.”

“He’s hunting for me and will come to me eventually,” you say, “And when he does, it will be into a trap of my own making.”

“Right, right,” Ike nods, “But it’ll have to be after you find a safe base, right? Can you set a trap without your Atelier?”

“I would be more confident in my success with one,” You admit. Although you had been taught to be able to set up lethal traps just with what was available at convenience stores, you were not foolhardy enough to expect those to work against something as potentially supernatural as Nathan. It would be better to confront him with the small library of arcane lore contained inside a Portable Atelier.

“Well, you’ll have to tell me where you’re staying,” Ike reminds you, “I’m the one with the radio, after all.”

>”I’ll probably be staying at a hotel.”

>”I’ll rent an apartment somewhere in the city.”

>”I’m actually just going to fortify the Chapel into a proper base of operations.”

>”It would be unsafe for you to know given the circumstances.”

>Other

>>3858217
>”I’m actually just going to fortify the Chapel into a proper base of operations.”

>>3858217
>Fortify the chapel

Hallowed ground bonuses

>>3858217
>”I’m actually just going to fortify the Chapel into a proper base of operations.”

>”I’m actually just going to fortify the Chapel into a proper base of operations.”

“I’m actually just going to fortify the Chapel into a proper base of operations.” You decide aloud.

“Eh? Living in a building whose caretaker went missing? That’s pretty brave of you.” Ike comments.

“It is more defensible than any other building in Winterpine.” You reply. As a Templar stronghold, there would be spells worked into the structure of the chapel itself, a conceptual foundation of blessings and sanctity alongside its physical foundation of stone and mortar. With the right materials, you would be able to activate powerful wards that would keep unwanted intruders from being able to enter the Chapel.

“Well, I guess you could say that,” Ike admits, “Have you found the basement?”

“There’s a basement?”

“Yeah, I figured you didn’t know about it since you’re new to Winterpine.” Ike says, “Yeah, the basement’s where the library and armoury are. The entrance is hidden under the carpet in the lounge.”

>”How well is the library and armoury stocked?”

>”Did you see anything of note in the basement?”

>”The notes I was given didn’t say anything about there being a basement …”

>”Take me there.”

>Other

>>3859826
>”Did you see anything of note in the basement?”

I can see Isolde forgetting to mention it

>>3859826
>”How well is the library and armoury stocked?”

>>3859826
”Take me there

>>3859826
>Take me there
Might as well just assess it ourselves.

>Combine Options

“How well is the library and armoury stocked?” You ask. That was your primary concern. If it was well stocked, then you might not need a new Portable Atelier.

“Pretty well actually,” Ike says, “The library has the standard resources on classical spellcasting and other arcane subjects, nothing too esoteric. The armoury has a good selection of bladed weapons, no enchanted ones.”

“I didn’t expect any.”

“Who would?” Ike agreed, “The firearm selection wasn’t too shabby either. Nothing that can’t be bought locally.”

“How about alchemical equipment?”

Ike shook his head, “There’s some chemistry equipment, but none of the more specialized tools or reagents.”

You shrug. “I wasn’t planning on turning lead to gold.”
Not that that was possible in the first place.

“I get it, I get it,” Ike says “Why don’t I show you the basement?”

“Take me there.”

…

You follow Ike to the lounge. The carpet had been rolled up and was leaning against the wall, alongside a large panel of wood flooring. The coffee table that had been in the middle of the room was also moved to the side. In its place was an iron spiral staircase leading down into the dark.

“I uncovered this while I was waiting for you,” Ike explains.

The two of you descend down the stairway. It’s walls were made of concrete, the stairway was dug through the faux-archaic foundation of the chapel. A few meters down, you come to a brick-lined room under the foundation of the chapel, just large enough to draw a medium-sized magic circle on the floor. In one corner was a small shrine, plain except for an ornate crucifix standing within it. There were three doors leading to rooms deeper in the basement.

“Did you find anything of note in here?” You ask.

“Yeah, there were a few notes on disappearances in different parts of the city in the library, I didn’t read too much of it ...”

>”What were in the notes? Do you think this might be connected to Father Cullen’s disappearance?”

>”Show me the notes.”

>”Thanks for your help … I’m going to look around now.” (Explore a room in the basement)

>”Actually, I might not set up my base here after all.”

>Other

>>3861563
>”Thanks for your help … I’m going to look around now.”

>>3861586
Which room do you want to explore first, anon?

>>3861605
Library

>>3861563
Backing library exploration. Notes on disappearances would be nice to look into, but not while Nathan is hunting us.

>>3861563
>”Thanks for your help … I’m going to look around now.” (Explore a room in the basement

>”Thanks for your help … I’m going to look around now.”

“Thanks for your help,” You tell Ike, “I’m going to look around the basement now …”

“That’s going to take a while, right?” Ike says, “I’ll stay here for a while in case you need help with something. I’ll be upstairs.”

“Go ahead.”

Ike climbs back upstairs, leaving you to explore the basement by yourself. You open the door to the left, finding a small, compact library. The shelves were full of treatises and grimoires on magic and arcane lore, you had studied most of the titles you spotted extensively.
Sequestered in the far-left corner was a small metal desk. Like Ike said, the desk was strewn with various printouts as well as a notebook. Above the desk hung a bulletin board on which was pinned a map of Winterpine, with several stick-it notes marking locations of disappearances as well as some details on the circumstances of those disappearances. Beside the desk was a filing cabinet. You test the drawers, but they were all locked.

With nothing else to see, you sit down at the desk and take a look at the notes. They were all profiles on various people who had disappeared in Winterpine, notes on their careers and personal life. None of the notes were encoded in any of the ciphers used among the Templar. They were just written in plain English. As a mere Templar associate, Father Cullen wouldn’t have the wetware necessary to understand the complex ciphers used to keep Templar secrets. Had that meant Father Cullen had compiled these reports? What was he doing conducting investigations by himself?

>This warrants further attention. Examine his notes closely.

>The library might hold further secrets. Search the library more thoroughly.

>You’ll have to investigate at a later date. Explore another room in the library (Which one?).

>Other

>>3862880
>This warrants further attention. Examine his notes closely.

>>3862880
>This warrants further attention. Examine his notes more closely.
I'd actually be down to investigate disappearances. Sounds intriguing.

>>3862880
>Explore the armory
Gotta know what traps we can set for Nate

>>3862880
>This warrants further attention. Examine his notes closely.

Classes are picking up. Unfortunately, I might not be able to update today. I'm very sorry. Hopefully, I will be able to update twice tomorrow.

I lied
>This warrants further attention. Examine his notes closely.

That made no sense. Why would a templar associate be conducting an investigation by themself? They were all woefully underprepared for anything that might attract the Templar’s attention. Many of them weren’t even Templar-trained, merely clergymen who had come to know of the Templar and be judged trustworthy and potentially faithful enough to be recruited to the cause. Most of them had, at best, rudimentary mental defenses, not the sophisticated network of wards, counter-memetics, and redundant neural pathways that a fully condtioned Templar Knight would have.

At any rate, Father Cullen’s notes warranted closer examination. You sift through them, now reading them closely, instead of scanning through them.

Yancy Costigan - Journalist

Disappeared: May 20XX
Last Seen: Leaving office for home

You look through the assorted and seemingly random notes on Yancy Costigan’s personal life, but none of the details seemed to be related to any reason for a disappearance.

Perhaps you would gain a better understanding if you read some of the other disappearance case files.

Nevil Fox - Journalist
Disappeared: March 20XX

Aretha Dalton - Business Advisor
Disappeared: September 20XX

Louis Durward - Banker … Maeghan Chang - Journalist … Kenneth Lewis - Night Guardsman … Neil Cortez - Gang Member … Last seen heading home, Last seen leaving local bar, last seen walking dog ...

You read closely at first, but eventually just start skimming through the seemingly unrelated cases. What held them in common? What did they all share that linked them to a reason to disappearance …

“Hey, Tristan?”

Startled from your deep thinking, you turn around to the doorway. “Oh, Ike. What is it?”

“Nothing,” Ike replies, “But it’s almost morning … wait, have you just been sitting here reading those notes the entire time?”

>”Yes I have … wait, it’s morning already?”

>”Yes I have … what do you think of this?” (Ask Ike’s opinion on the notes)

>”Oh, I hope I haven’t been keeping you …

>”I got sidetracked … but I’ll probably need your help fortifying in a few minutes.”

>>3864143
>"Yes I have...wait, it's morning already! ?"

Ike is a real bro here. We gotta make this up to him somehow.

>>3864143
>”Yes I have … wait, it’s morning already?”

>>3864143
>”Oh, I hope I haven’t been keeping you …"

>"Yes I have...wait, it's morning already?"

“Yes I have,” You offhandedly say, before you completely finish processing Ike’s statement, “Wait … It’s morning already?”

“Yeah, it’s starting to get bright outside.” Ike confirms. He didn’t waste time asking whether you were tired. Of course you weren’t. No qualified Knight of the Templar would feel anything approaching drowsiness unless they were forced to stay awake for three nights straight. Besides, you had … taken a nap in the alleyway. You were feeling quite well-rested.

“Did you see the rest of the basement?” Ike asks.

“No,” You admit, “I was busy reading through the notes.”

“Is your internal clock working alright?”

“Yes it is,” You say. Of course it was. You hadn’t been paying attention before, but now, when you looked inwards to your internal sense of passing time … that was strange. Most Templar were conditioned into always having a precise internal clock just below their awareness, one that kept track of the passage of time through all but the most serious losses of consciousness. But according to yours, no time had passed since your nap in the alleyway … or was it merely an indeterminate amount of time? It was hard to tell, the sense of time that was normally just beneath your awareness felt strangely … slippery. As if it was receding back into your subconsciousness.

“Tristan?” Ike says, furrowing his brow in concern. Wait, what was that? Oh yes, you had been talking to him.

>”It’s fine … just wait a few minutes, I’ll need your help fortifying the chapel. Where’s the chemistry equipment?”

>”It’s fine … I just need to do a bit of reconditioning on myself. Anyways, let’s fortify the chapel.”

>”It’s fine, don’t worry about me. Thanks for everything tonight …”

>”No … There’s something off about my mental conditioning.”

>>3865138
>”No … There’s something off about my mental conditioning.”

>>3865138
>"No... There's something off about my mental conditioning."
Well that's somewhat concerning. A mild concussion could have delayed symptoms, but most people fully recover from those. Or perhaps something magical happened to Tristan while he was asleep?

>>3865138
>"Nevermind, my internal clock is completely fucked."

“No,” You shake your head, “There’s something off about my mental conditioning … my internal clock is scrambled.”

“Scrambled?” Ike says, “How?”

“It isn’t registering the passage of time,” You reply.

“But you are?”

“Yes, I can still feel time passing.” You say. The problem wasn’t with your natural sense of time, it was with the superior one that had been conditioned into you.

“Then it’s an issue with your conditioning, not with your brain …” Ike muses, “You might need to get that checked …”

>”In that case, I’ll need to borrow your atelier to re-condition myself …”

>”Re-conditioning will take hours, maybe days. I need to meet my objectives in Winterpine first.”

>”Do you think I should contact the Main Temple about this?”

>”I might have to withdraw from Winterpine.”

>>3865604
>”Re-conditioning will take hours, maybe days. I need to meet my objectives in Winterpine first.”

>>3865604
>"Reconditioning will take too long. I need to settle things with Jung and Nathan first. "

>>3865604

>”Re-conditioning will take hours, maybe days. I need to meet my objectives in Winterpine first.”

>”Re-conditioning will take hours, maybe days. I need to meet my objectives in Winterpine first.”

“Re-conditioning will take hours, possibly even days,” You say, “I don’t have time, I need to settle things with Nathan first.”

“That’s true,” Ike admits, “But you’ll get your conditioning checked over as soon as possible, right?”

“I promise I will.”

“Good,” Ike says, “But until you deal with Nathan, you’ll need somewhere safe to hide, right? I’ll help you set up the Chapel’s defenses before I leave.”
Ike’s words bring a grin to your face. When you had first met him, you had thought he would make a trustworthy comrade. Everything he had done so far in the city had only proven your first impression to be correct.

“You’ve done a lot for me since I came to Winterpine, Ike. Thank you, brother.”

“Okay okay, I got it, I got it, it wasn’t a big deal anyways” Ike says, seemingly embarrassed by your praise. But he tone softens up as he says “Anytime, Brother.”

End of Thread

And that's thread 13! Hope you all had fun. Hope by now you're invested in the story and characters.

New thread Saturday. I'll answer question/comments/criticism until the thread 404's itself pls no bully

>>3866360
How big a deal is it that our conditioning is messed up? Does it introduce any major vulnerabilities? Break any important Templar rules? What could have caused this? Does Tristan know of any similar cases?

Thanks for running!

>>3866590
>>3866590
>How big of a deal is that our conditioning is messed up
It happens on a regular enough basis that a standard portable atelier has a spellbook just on re-conditioning.

>Does it introduce any major vulnerabilities?
If your conditioning's messed up, you're much more vulnerable to mind-influencing magic. It also messes with your ability to use magic yourself or understand any Templar codes. But those different affects really depend on which part of your conditioning is messed up.

>Break any important Templar rules?
Not really

>What could have caused this?
Mental Wards are strained when they are tested.

>Does Tristan know of any similar cases
He'd study multiple cases of this during training.

>>3866618
Ok so it's almost a common occurrence

>>3866678
It's less that and more a very common threat

New thread up
>>3869399