Thread #6395258
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The Dark Lord has lost, defeated by the Heroes. Where once there was a mighty empire, now there is only cursed land, waiting to be reclaimed and subjugated by the powers of light, and scattered monsters prowling aimlessly and trying to survive.
You are a demon. The mental shackles subjugating your mind to your superiors have been broken in the chaos following the dark forces' complete defeat, and now you're free to act out of your own will.
And you sure as fuck don't know where to go from here.
You are one of the weakest demons, but even in your current form, you can take on several humans, untrained or with low fighting experience, and win.
You derive your power from the souls you collect by slaying humans, elves and other sapient beings. You can spend them to strengthen yourself. Besides regular souls, beings of great power and heroes possess greater souls, which you'll need once you grow sufficiently powerful.
Besides souls, you have equipment, objects you will need to gather resources and a skilled craftsman to make for you. Currently, you do not know any, but you will meet some as you explore. Generally speaking, looted equipment is made for people of other races and skillsets, so you will need custom-made pieces the vast majority of the time. You can, however, salvage or modify existing equipment to fit yourself. It would still require some resources and a craftsman, however.
Finally, there's your base. Currently, you don't have one, but in the future, creating a place from where to mount expeditions to far lands, house your partners, be they companions or craftsmen, and retreat to and rest in, will be important.
OPPORTUNITY LIST
>Remember / Scout: You've been stationed here, in this province, for some time as part of a garrison to oversee the local humans. You know some local places of interest which you can map now that your "comrades" have scattered.
>Scout / Contact: See if there are any demons or other beings worth knowing in this area.
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Showing all 27 replies.>>
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Hi, welcome to another demon quest.
What to expect:
-Fairly structured sandbox, meaning it will be more of a "going down the list one task at a time" thing than a traditional seamless plot and action.
-Full narrative, no system, meaning no dice rolls. Safe if you're cautious, if not then going down some paths unprepared may result in death.
-A fair amount of grind and gradual upgrades (focus of the quest)
-Some story and interactions with companions and their own paths.
-Maybe haremshit and some comedy during downtime.
-Update times may vary.
-Oneshot probably.
-No QM plans to flake, but if I do, I'll wrap things up with a conclusion post.
-I may have technical difficulties due to censorship, so if I disappear and don't inform you, assume I'm looking for a way to access 4chan.
Hope you enjoy.
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>>6395293
I'll update now to get us going, maybe more anons will arrive later. I think it makes sense that the pace should be a bit quicker than the usual quest, what with the grind I promised. Later updates will most likely be shorter, unless plot-worthy options are picked.
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>Remember / Scout: You've been stationed here, in this province, for some time as part of a garrison to oversee the local humans. You know some local places of interest which you can map now that your "comrades" have scattered.
Kastar. A northern province, far from the most important in the Dark Empire, yet making its small contribution nonetheless. That's how it was, at least.
You travel through the lands, marking places of interest. The mines are the first thing you visit. Abandoned by the freed slaves, they stand empty and dark, wounds upon the sides of the hills. Iron ore was mined here to be forged into weaponry and armour for the battle-hungry army of the Empire.
Not far stands the city of Mardon, the robust but dull centre of the province. The areas near its walls are littered with smithies that forged the iron from the mines into tools of war. Their furnaces stand cold now, and where a thunder of hammer strikes upon steel was heard, there is now only stillness and silence.
Mardon won't let you in, now that they have cast down their yoke, but you can still peruse the neighbouring smithies - human grip upon things beyond the city's walls will remain weak for a while, until the demons stop prowling the countryside and the cursed land stops spitting out monsters.
One of the smithies seems to have been used recently. You don't happen upon its owner.
There's the Kastarian Woods as well. Beasts both common and magical dwell between its dark trees and along its thorny trails. A source of hides, wood and essence from whatever inhabits them.
There is a light somewhere deeper, and a vague vision of a building, but you do not pursue it. Not yet.
A camp of hobgoblins is set up in the north, where the hills begin rising to the mountains. Their equipment is remarkable, and should you lay your hands upon it, can be reforged into something useful for yourself.
There's also the usual villages, scattered around the province, scared and ripe for harvest, should you be smart enough not to take the entirety of their denizens on at once.
OPPORTUNITY LIST
>Gather: Mine iron for equipment.
>Gather / Fight: Kill monsters of beasts in the woods for resources (hides, tooth, low possibility of essence)
>Gather / Fight: Kill lone hobgoblins and loot their armour and weapons. Their souls could be useful as well. (leather armour, steel weaponry, knowledge of craft / recipes, low possibility of magic items)
>Contact / Scout: Investigate the light in the woods.
>Contact / Scout: Find the smith.
>Harvest / Fight: Hunt and ambush villagers. Obtain souls.
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>>6395483
Hobgoblins have souls. Monsters generally do not, unless they are sapient (like, for example, a fox spirit akin to one in Japanese mythology), and especially powerful ones (classic dragon) have greater souls which I mentioned in the opening post.
>>6395607
There was a typo in my option, "Kill monsters *or* beasts", but the meaning should have been clear.
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>Gather / Fight: Kill monsters or beasts in the woods for resources (hides, tooth, low possibility of essence)
You search for tracks in the woods. Coming across a multitude of them criss-crossing the forest floor as you travel, you pick one trail that seems reasonably wide - enough for its maker to yield a good hide, but not too dangerous for you to take on alone.
After tracking the beast for a while, the quiet of the dark woods sometimes being broken by the rustling of bushes and distant animal calls, you come across a particularly big wolf. It seems to have lost its pack for some reason, but fire in its eyes gives away a willingness to fight for its survival.
The fight is over in a minute. You're bruised from its fangs, but your claws end up prevailing over its wild ferocity. You take the carcass, shouldering the mass with your formidable strength, and hide it in a cave after bringing it out of the forest - not much choice with you not having a base. Then, you rest and recover from the trek and combat.
As you think about your little hunt, you remember the light in the woods. You still haven't approached it. Maybe it's worth finding out whom it belongs to, be they friend or foe.
(You have obtained a hide - enough to make a single piece of medium or small equipment, like gloves, bracers, boots or helm. You'll need some more for body armour or pants though.)
(You have some fangs, enough to make a dagger or similar weapon.)
(You do not currently know a craftsman that can work with these materials.)
OPPORTUNITY LIST
>Gather: Mine iron for equipment.
>Gather / Fight: Kill monsters of beasts in the woods for resources (hides, tooth, low possibility of essence)
>Gather / Fight: Kill lone hobgoblins and loot their armour and weapons. Their souls could be useful as well. (leather armour, steel weaponry, knowledge of craft / recipes, low possibility of magic items)
>Contact / Scout: Investigate the light in the woods.
>Contact / Scout: Find the smith.
>Harvest / Fight: Hunt and ambush villagers. Obtain souls.
>Remember / Explore [Expedition]: To the South lay the main body of the late Dark Empire. Maybe there's something interesting in the next province over?
>Remember / Explore [Expedition]: To the West lay the borderlands, midway to the kingdoms of Man. Perhaps there is something interesting there?
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>>6395955
>Gather / Fight: Kill lone hobgoblins and loot their armour and weapons. Their souls could be useful as well. (leather armour, steel weaponry, knowledge of craft / recipes, low possibility of magic items)
The hobgoblin you find proves to be a troublesome enemy. While your claws are strong enough to inflict deep wounds upon flesh, they are much less powerful against even leather armour. You deal with him by focusing on the exposed parts of his body, but not before he strikes you, leaving a serious gash on your leg.
You strip the corpse of leather armour and use whatever clothes it had on to stop bleeding. It will take some time before you're able to confidently fight the hobgoblins again. And you should probably get some equipment on you if you want to avoid another risky fight.
At least you have a single soul now. You feel like it will take 20 for you to grow in strength in one of your aspects, be it strength of body or the budding magical power within.
Besides that, you have a leather breastpiece and leg armour. There is an old and chipped steel sword, stained with your blood, as well. They will need to be refit or reforged to be of true use.
As time passes, you feel something will change in the near future. An opportunity or a threat, you do not know yet.
OPPORTUNITY LIST
>Gather: Mine iron for equipment.
>Gather / Fight: Kill monsters or beasts in the woods for resources (hides, tooth, low possibility of essence)
>Gather / Fight: Kill lone hobgoblins and loot their armour and weapons. Their souls could be useful as well. (leather armour, steel weaponry, knowledge of craft / recipes, low possibility of magic items)
>Contact / Scout: Investigate the light and house in the woods.
>Contact / Scout: Find the smith.
>Harvest / Fight: Hunt and ambush villagers. Obtain souls.
>Remember / Explore [Expedition]: To the South lay the main body of the late Dark Empire. Maybe there's something interesting in the next province over?
>Remember / Explore [Expedition]: To the West lay the borderlands, midway to the kingdoms of Man. Perhaps there is something interesting there?
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>>6396104
>>6396329
>>6396334
>Contact / Scout: Find the smith.
You search through the Mardonian outskirts, the smithies, for clues. Occasionally meeting a wandering demon, you do not see any of them working the forge, and thus leave in silent agreement not to disturb each other.
Ultimately, you decide to wait in the smithy that seems most used. This approach yields success, as eventually, another demon shows up, a few tools on the hip and a cart of iron rumbling down the dirty street. He notices you.
"Do you need something from me?" Introductions out of the way, Bar'dagol asks.
"For what purpose do you still work the iron? The Empire has fallen. There is no more need for weaponry for the army."
"Fallen, but it may rise again," he says. "And some demon may still need the equipment. Someone like you," he nods towards you. "I don't see armour on your body, and the sword you carry is chipped and dull. I could help with that."
"What's the price?"
"The materials. Experience in my craft is enough reward besides that."
"I may have some leather armour to refit, a hide to make into a piece, and this sword besides that."
"A hide and leather... I'm no leatherworker. Best I can do is steel armour, if you get me some ore. Heavier, but stronger."
"Fine. Where may I find someone who knows how to work leather, then?"
"Godplanes if I know. Try further to the south, towards the core lands. I heard beastmen live in the forest in the next province, and every single one I saw shunned heavy iron in favour of leather or hides. That's how it was before the fall, at least. Maybe you'll meet someone who can help you there."
"I see. What about bone? I have some wolf fangs. Maybe they can be made into a weapon?"
"I can try that."
With Bar'dagol available, you can now order steel armour and weapons, as well as equipment from other materials like mithril and adaman, once he gains experience.
Also
>Please write-in the name that you introduced yourself with.
Nothing exceptional happened yet.
(cont. with choices)
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OPPORTUNITY LIST
>Gather: Mine iron for equipment.
>Gather / Fight: Kill monsters or beasts in the woods for resources (hides, tooth, low possibility of essence)
>Gather / Fight: Kill lone hobgoblins and loot their armour and weapons. Their souls could be useful as well. (leather armour, steel weaponry, knowledge of craft / recipes, low possibility of magic items)
>Contact / Scout: Investigate the light and house in the woods.
>Craft: Reforge the hobgoblin sword to fit your hand and skills.
>Craft: Make a wolf fang dagger.
>Harvest / Fight: Hunt and ambush villagers. Obtain souls.
>Remember / Explore [Expedition]: To the South lay the main body of the late Dark Empire. Maybe there's something interesting in the next province over?
>Remember / Explore [Expedition]: To the West lay the borderlands, midway to the kingdoms of Man. Perhaps there is something interesting there?
PLOT POINT LIST
>Bar'dagol: Like Moths to a Flame
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Plot points will appear occasionally as time passes, you explore and your companions interact with each other and the world. They are usually scenes that do not necessarily improve your party's skills or equipment, but show how characters change over time. Usually they do not take up time, so by picking them you do not lose opportunities, but they themselves may be timed to certain events and locations.
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>>6396447
Forgot to mention that since Bar'dagol has some stored ore, you may make a single steel piece of equipment right away.
Types include:
Weapon, Arms, Hands, Legs, Feet, Body, Head
Just pick a type and he'll work on something made out of iron for that part, or a weapon you specify.
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>>6396473
>>6396517
>>6396533
>Valefar
>Craft: Reforge the hobgoblin sword to fit your hand and skills.
>Helmet
Sorry for the delay, got hooked on a distraction. I'll try to remain more consistent from now on. Glad to see 3 votes since the quest began with 1-2.
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You observe Bar'dagol working hard, iron bent into proper shape with every hammer strike. A few hours later, he presents you with the blade and the helmet.
You put the helmet on, clasping on the flaps accommodating the horns - a necessary complexity for demons - and give the sword a few swings. They're good.
"Thanks," you say.
"Come any time," the smith smiles.
As you travel the land to your next destination, you cross paths with some demons that share a tale. It seems a Dark Seer has taken temporary residence in the woods. You heard they serve the Dark Lord with their divination and blessings, but not much else - their magic is shrouded in mystery. Why one of them might travel to this unimportant province - you do not know. The Seer seems to accept some visitors, and the demons come to pay respect and ask for blessings.
You consider making a visit yourself.
OPPORTUNITY LIST
>Gather: Mine iron for equipment.
>Gather / Fight: Kill monsters or beasts in the woods for resources (hides, tooth, low possibility of essence)
>Gather / Fight: Kill lone hobgoblins and loot their armour and weapons. Their souls could be useful as well. (leather armour, steel weaponry, knowledge of craft / recipes, low possibility of magic items)
>Contact / Scout: Investigate the light and house in the woods.
>Craft: Make a wolf fang dagger.
>Harvest / Fight: Hunt and ambush villagers. Obtain souls.
>Remember / Explore [Expedition]: To the South lay the main body of the late Dark Empire. Maybe there's something interesting in the next province over?
>Remember / Explore [Expedition]: To the West lay the borderlands, midway to the kingdoms of Man. Perhaps there is something interesting there?
>Event / Boon: Pay a visit to the Dark Seer. [do you want a blessing, a glimpse into something you don't know, or something else?]
PLOT POINT LIST
>Bar'dagol: Like Moths to a Flame
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Mechanic: queue
To speed things up, you may queue up some repetitive actions and Valefar will perform them in order until complete or something happens to interrupt them, like receiving a wound, encountering an obstacle or boon, or an unrelated event.
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>>6397827
>Event / Boon: Pay a visit to the Dark Seer. [do you want a blessing, a glimpse into something you don't know, or something else?]
Blessing
>Contact / Scout: Investigate the light and house in the woods.
Not sure if this counts for repetitive actions, if it doesn't the seer take priority
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>>6397941
Visiting the Seer is not a repetitive action, this is meant for stuff like "hunt beasts and make leather armour until a full set is made" if you had a leatherworker or "mine iron and make steel weapons until all companions have one", among other things.
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>>6397941
>>6398074
>Event / Boon: Pay a visit to the Dark Seer. [Blessing]
In the middle of a clearing in the woods, there is a tent illuminated from within, smoke escaping from a hole at the top. Demons, men and other beings that drank of the corruption plaguing the land come and go, awaiting their chance to speak to the Dark Seer. Soon, your turn comes.
You enter the tent, finding an arrangement of charms and magical items you do not know the purpose of standing and hanging like a forest within, precariously close to the fire yet untouched by it. Amid this forest, before the flame, sits a figure in black robes. A staff is inclined leisurely between his arms.
Your cannot clearly see the Seer's facial features, not only because of the hood, but because even in front of the bonfire, they are not illuminated. Only purple, glowing eyes watching everything around him, watching you.
He doesn't speak until you do.
"Greetings, wise one," you say, kneeling in respect. "May you live for thousands of years, and your eye witness any danger, and your hand stop it. May the fates bless you with luck, and your hand seize it. May your wisdom never end, and your hand dispense it to us. My name is Valefar. I ask of a blessing, if you would be generous enough to give me one."
"I will." The Seer responds simply, his voice calm and surprisingly human. "Come closer."
You don't hesitate to do so. The Seer grasps his stuff, and touches your forehead with it, charms dangling in front of your face. You brace yourself.
Nothing happens for a few moments.
"You will be the Bane of Man," the Seer says, his voice suddenly no longer human, but like a thousand whispers moulded into one. "The terror bringing about the end of our human enemies. That is my blessing to you, and that is your fate."
The staff glows briefly, and you feel something changing within yourself. A kind of knowledge you can't quite grasp. But before you can understand it, it is over.
The Seer carefully hugs his staff again, returning to his initial position.
(cont.)
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"It seems you have a question," he says, his voice normal again. "Ask away."
You're surprised by his willingness to indulge your curiosity, but don't miss the opportunity.
"What brings you to this land, travelling alone? It is far from the most important of provinces."
"Everyone is leaving the cursed land," the Seer says. "I'm going north, where the hand of Ascelian kingdoms won't reach me." The fire crackles in peace for a few moments, but you do not interrupt him. "They will soon be here, too. Their priests are already cleansing the core lands. They haven't reached the beastmen' forests yet, but they will. It'll be years before they purge the corruption, but their dominion is already there, with heavy garrisons patrolling the land, killing demon and monster alike."
He pauses.
"You'll need to find a way to hide and work from the shadows or leave as well, north or east, beyond the mountains. Take that as a suggestion. Go away, now. I have already spent too much time on you... even considering what I've seen in your future."
You bow and dare not object. You exit the tent and head out of the clearing, into the night.
[You will be slightly more powerful when fighting against humans.]
OPPORTUNITY LIST
>Gather: Mine iron for equipment.
>Gather / Fight: Kill monsters or beasts in the woods for resources (hides, tooth, low possibility of essence)
>Gather / Fight: Kill lone hobgoblins and loot their armour and weapons. Their souls could be useful as well. (leather armour, steel weaponry, knowledge of craft / recipes, low possibility of magic items)
>Contact / Scout: Investigate the light and house in the woods.
>Craft: Make a wolf fang dagger.
>Harvest / Fight: Hunt and ambush villagers. Obtain souls.
>Remember / Explore [Expedition]: To the South lay the main body of the late Dark Empire. Maybe there's something interesting in the next province over? You heard the beastmen there may be adept at working leather.
>Remember / Explore [Expedition]: To the West lay the borderlands, midway to the kingdoms of Man. Perhaps there is something interesting there?
PLOT POINT LIST
>Bar'dagol: Like Moths to a Flame
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>>6398641
for some reason this post loaded for me only now.
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