Demigod Quest :: Page 18

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You know what? I'm just going to proceed and go with the result.

I won't make any arbitrary decisions or force one decision over the other! I did all of them! All of them! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

A Cautious Advance

CHARGE

Wait

Renowned (112)
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[x] Let go
-[x] Punch it in the eyes

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[x] Twist.
[x] Go under it.
[x] C: Throw the ****ing spear.

Keep doing all 3.

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Going with Prism's vote in about seven hours.

Renowned (112)
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[x] Let go
-[x] Punch it in the eyes

You narrow your eyes.

Then, in one fluid motion, you release your grip its Still pinned to the wall, you let go of the fangs attempting to pin you into a wall, and deliver a right hook right it in the eye.

Your fist simply smashes into the mass of tiny black orbs with little resistance. It feels as if you had punched a cluster of a hundred tiny grapes.

The Ankheg made an odd convulsion, the beginnings of a scream exiting its throat, abruptly veering aside as you lean away, trying to avoid its lunge-

Then a fang punctures your chest.

Black and red cover your vision, and your mouth fills with blood as you struggle to breathe.

You fall to the ground, and you're pretty certain some of your bones broke from it.

The Ankheg collapses next to you, feebly twitching. You aren't sure if its alive, dead, or dying. And you can't really bring yourself to care.

Every breath is a struggle, and coughing creates a spray of blood and an explosion of pain in your chest. At this point, you just wish that the Ankheg would kill you already, or the poison could at least send you into painless oblivion.

You couldn't hear the sound of crossbows being fired, but you do see the gleaming steel tips of a dozen crossbow bolts rip through the Ankheg's skull and emerge from the other side.

It doesn't scream or flail or move at all. The monstrous engine of destruction and death suddenly becomes...parts. Like an abandoned marionette.

You view the sight with a calm detachment. Even the sight of your blood pooling beneath you stirs little more than a vague acceptance.

The pain melts away.

It's getting dark early, you note.

You close your eyes.

QM's Note: No, this is not over. I just wanted to post an update and let you guys know I haven't forgotten this.

I guess I was a little burnt out from the triple post.

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You open your eyes.

The first thing you see is Ares is leaning over you, scowling.

“Listen, boy. Someone is hunting you.” His voice slowly rises to a roar. “So stop lazing about and GET MOVING!”

Then, before you can say anything, he dumps a bucket of water on your face.

You wake up, spluttering and coughing.

The old woman puts down the bucket. For once, there isn’t a hint of mockery or irreverent cheer in her face.

You take a few deep breathes. You were alive.

The dream was still vivid in your mind. Someone was hunting you? Who? Why?

You could still see daylight, so you figure you were dreaming for only a few hours, at most. You’re back in her house, laying on the floor, which felt oddly sticky.

A quick examination reveals it to be congealed blood.

“The Ankheg is dead,” she says tonelessly. “Well done, I knew you could do it, blah blah.”

You attempt to stand up, but then sag against the nearest wall, panting.

“Now, I’ll be honest,” she says, folding her arms. “When you arrived on my doorstep, I thought you were another hero who couldn’t clean his own messes.” A nasty smirk makes its way on her face. “They don’t last long, one way or another. But after seeing you in action, so to speak...”

She shakes her head. “Like seeing a fresh recruit. Sad sight.”

You don’t have time for this. “I’m leaving,” you say flatly. “Thank you for the assistance.”

You’re only a step from the door when she speaks, with a hint of a break in her voice: “I’m a demigod, too.”

You slowly lower your hand from the doorknob, and turn around.

The old woman is sitting cross-legged on the bed, having fished out another bottle out of nowhere. She pops out the cork with her teeth, before taking a swig. “I see them, sometimes. They come about more often than you might think, with all the gods running about who can’t keep their loins girdled. It became a...game, of sorts.”

“I try to help them, when I can. A little nudge here and there." She takes another drink. "Mostly, I never see them again."

She glares at you, her face slightly flushed. "You're on a quest, right? Hmph. All you heroes are. Let me tell you something: I've met many heroes, on many quests, and out of those who didn't give up and quit, I can count the survivors with one hand. You can still walk away from this."

But you're already shaking your head. "I can take care of myself, and I have to leave, now."

"Pride," she sneers. "You can't be left along for more than a day without something trying to kill you, and you almost died to the Ankheg today. What makes you think you won't end up like the rest?"

You reply with the only thing you can think of. "My father will help me," you say firmly, and open the door to leave.

As you step out, you can hear her laughing harshly. "Your father? Who do you think sent the Ankheg?

What.

[x] Heed Ares' words and depart immediately.
[x] You have unfinished business here.
-[x] Find your spear first.
-[x] Go back inside and talk.
--[x] Write-in... (Multiple questions allowed.)

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[x] You have unfinished business here.
-[x] Find your spear first.

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Votes locking in about 31 hours.

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Votes locked, writing update, probably up tomorrow morning.

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[x] Depart.
-[x] Find your spear first.

Whatever you were facing, you couldn't go off unarmed, Ares be damned.

You run through the familiar path through the row of buildings into the town square.

The square is deserted. The absence of the colorful tents and stalls leave it empty and barren. A large bloodstain marks the conclusion of the day's battle, and the brown-colored streaks show that the Ankheg's corpse had been hauled away, for some unfathomable reason.

The only other person in the square is a young man in a heavy, brown cloak, who crouches over a pile of rubble. You step closer, and you can see that he is carefully combing through it, looking dejected.

At the crunch of your footsteps, he turns around and his eyes widen. He abruptly sprints away through a street and vanishes.

Huh.

Near where the young man was crouching, you spot the spear, still faintly glowing. It's slightly chipped and scratched, but it was like that when you got it. You bend to reach it and...

You pause. Did you really want to pick that up?

Yes, you do.

You pick it up, and smile.

"Excuse me! Sir?"

You turn to the voice, and the same young man before you sits hands-to-knees, gasping. "I" - pant - "can't believe" - pant - "it's you, sir" - pant - "got your money!"

You gives him a questioning look. The slightest bit of curiosity enters your voice. "What money?"

"The reward money, sir!" he says eagerly. "You held off that beastie by yourself before the watch showed up! Split it seven ways! We'd have given it to you sooner, sir, but you weren't breathing, sir, and we were going to stuff your body with the coins 'fore we buried you, but you're not dead and that's even better!" He beams.

"And you are?"

"The magistrate's assistant, sir!" he says, taking out a leather purse from a pocket.

You take the purse in his outstretched hand, unclasp it, and whistle. Dozens of obol glitter in the sun, more than a week's wages for the average worker.

Meanwhile, the young man - more of a boy, really - keeps on prattling. "There's going to be a feast, sir, in your honor! Well, more of a funeral dinner, only now it's going to be a not-funeral dinner! Julius has already chopped up the Ankheg into nice big steaks, and we've got the wood for the bonfire, and we're going to make a - sir?"

You're already back on the streets, toward the outskirts of the village.

"Sir!" The boy runs back to your side. "Are you leaving?"

"Got-" You cough. "I need to leave immediately. Sorry."

The boy stammers, "But...but-"

You forestall the flood with a raised hand. "There is one thing you can do for me."

He nods, standing at attention.

"Is there anywhere I can get a horse?"

You were off, on the public road, your purse considerably lighter but atop a new horse.

The assistant had assured you that he was bred for endurance and stamina, and could gallop for a day before needing rest. e was hardly an epic war horse, and a great deal shorter than you expected, but you could feel his strength through his shaggy grey coat, as his hooves pounded on the dirt trail.

You had never ridden a horse in your life, but some instinct in your bones told you that wouldn't be a problem. And true enough, the moment you stepped in the saddle, you felt like you were born to ride.

According to the map, the closest settlement, Ancona, was only a few hours away on full gallop. And from there, across the sacred Mount Parsanassus, was Delphi.

With the wind on your back and the sun in the sky, you felt like fate itself was propelling you toward your destiny.

You were on your way.

More than a mile away, Petrus the Magistrate's assistant stopped in his tracks.

"Dammit, I forgot to ask his name! Now what will I tell them?

Now to introduce a new mechanic: The Board!

Every time Dromichaetis visits a new town, village, or some other settlement, he will take a glance at the notice board, to catch up on recent news.

You may choose to act upon these, or you may not. It's up to you. However, some of the information here will be relevant.

MYSTERIOUS TOWN HERO

A poster with an axe and a fire

A poster with a drawing of an outstretched arm

Special of the day

WANTED: Dromichaetes

The stranger had been glancing at the board for a long time, she noticed.

He was tall and heavily built, and what wasn't covered by the heavy grey cloak was wrapped in leather-and-plate armor. An enormous crossbow was slung on his back, and he gave the impression of a coiled spring, ready for sudden violence in an instant.

She smiled.

"Can I help you, stranger?" she drawled.

He turned to look at her. From under the cloak's hood, she saw a smoothly shaven, unmarred face, twisted into a grin with pearly teeth. "Why, yes you can." The voice was unfailingly smooth and polite and sharp, like the edge of a knife.

Over the years, she had developed a keen instinct for danger, and those instincts were telling her to sleep with a knife under her pillow tonight. She made a mental note to load the crossbow, too, just in case.

He lifted a poster with a familiar face.

"Have you seen this man?"

What does the face look like?

[x] A young man, barely an adult, with a lean, wolfish face.
[x] A man with haggard eyes, his face prematurely aged by hardship and suffering.
[x] Write-in...?

She grunted. "He's the hero of the hour, that's what. Got blood all over my stall and home, hardly sanitary. Last saw him headed to the north end of the village."

"North?" he replied, mystified. "Why would he go north?"

She shook her head. "Sorry, haven't the foggiest."

He smiled, a bit more genuinely this time. "Well, thank you for your help. I'll be on my way." He tossed a coin at her, nodded once, and walked away.

She stared at his retreating back, then at the coin in her hand, its dented metal face staring back. She scowled.

"The things I do for you, Dromichaetes..."

And this concludes the second segment of Demigod Quest.

Slaying the Ankheg has given you power. Pick a stat to increase by 10 points, and another to increase by 5 points.

New Traits:

Venom Resistance: You're less likely to succumb to the venom of monsters and animals.
Obey the Voices: You gain +50 Will against other possession effects.

Pick Two: (Vote only once per person, please)

[x] When in Doubt, Punch Face: Your fists hit faster and harder. (+15 to punch rolls during surprise attacks.)
[x] Social-Fu: You decide that making some friends wouldn't be that bad. (+15 to Social Skills, gain more dialogue options)
[x] Spear Specialization: Sticking with this spear is a good idea.
[x] Right in the Eyes: You deal more damage when striking critical areas.

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