Monster Blood Tattoo Quest: Tales from the Half-Continent

The familiar call signals the end of the night-watch and the start of a new day. Like clockwork, you rouse, clean, and dress yourself in a freshly laundered uniform, ready to start the day's labors. You've just finished up a routine inspection of some of the garrisons at the cothouses further up the road, and taken a rare chance to rest here at the cothouse of Wellnigh House before you set off on your next errand. Settling into the small but cozy office provided to you by the Major-of-House, you are in the middle of writing up your reports when you hear a small knock at the door. A quick 'Come in!' reveals the source - a young boy, looking barely 12 - surely one of the apprentices from the fortress. He meekly hands you a letter marked with the Lamplighter-Marshal's seal.

"Excuse me...
[]Sir
[]Ma'am
I was told to give this to you… is there anything else you wanted?"

Assuring him that there is nothing you require, you dismiss him and quickly open the message:

Attn. Agent [] Your Name
Your presence urgently requested at Winstermill Fortress, to meet with me at your earliest convenience. More details to be conveyed there.

It seems your rest will have to wait. Fortunately, you don't have to wait long for a carriage to Winstermill at this time of day, and you make good time to the fortress.
Proceeding to the Marshal's offices, you are dismayed to find the usual office-clerk replaced by one of the Master-of-Clerk's boot-licking toadies. As he goes on about schedules and appointments, you grow impatient. Pushing past him, he barely has time to say:

"Announcing the
[]Skold: Skolds are combat-chemists, equipped with a variety of potions to both heal and harm. Versatile and inventive, Skolds can fill almost any role on the battlefield, and are quite useful outside it as well. In the Lamplighters, Skolds are valued for their ability to be many things at once, reducing the strain on the limited manpower available. In addition to the standard array of potions, Skolds also have the opportunity to make specially prepared mixtures with powerful and unique effects.
[]Leer: Using a chemical mix to improve their sight and a bio-machine to improve their sense of smell, Leers are expert trackers. In addition, their greatly enhanced senses make them excellent shots, and many Leers have learned how to read minute changes in body language, making them akin to living lie detectors. The Lamplighters employ Leers in many roles, such as overseeing deals and contracts, hunting down monsters, and sniffing out contraband.
[]Surveyor: Having studied for years at the sciences of Mathematics and Architecture, surveyors are prized across the land for their expertise in the building of roads, bridges, walls, and forts used to colonize the wilderness. Having a Surveyor on staff is a huge boon to any organization that deals with the construction and maintenance of fortifications and infrastructure, the Lamplighters included. While not possessing any special abilities in combat, they are often veterans of a great many fights won while out surveying the land for one project or another, and should not be underestimated.
Agent…"

Before you barge into the room. Ignoring the shrill protests from behind you, you spot the top of the Marshal's head behind the piles of paperwork on his desk and give a quick cough.
"Ah! Good of you to make it so quickly Agent. I trust everything is well?"

"As well as it ever is, Sir. You'll have my report soon."

He looks a bit deflated at the mention of more paperwork - "Of course, the report. I would have finished that myself, but, well…" He gestures helplessly towards the paper filled desk. "In any case, it'll have to wait. I have a mission for you."


Here, we finish up character creation and prepare to head out onto the road. Please vote for one option only for each choice.

Another lore post, this time on the subjects of Bright-Limns and the Threwd.
In case it isn't clear, everything in these lore posts represents IC knowledge. They may not be entirely complete or accurate depending on the subject.

Familiar to any lamplighter, Bright-Limns, often simply called lanterns, are found up and down the roads of the Empire, illuminating the paths of all who travel there. A Bright-Limn consists of two parts: The first is a bioluminescent algae known as bloom, grown in great vats to be used in lanterns. The second is a chemical called Seltzer - a potent and caustic mix mimicking the deepest ocean depths. When placed in the Seltzer filled bulbs of the lanterns, the bloom lights up brilliantly, and without any risk of fire - an important consideration given that many houses are at least partially wooden. To douse the light, all one needs to do is remove the bloom from the seltzer. Seltzer goes bad eventually, turning a sickly green color, at which point it must be replaced or it will kill the bloom.

Also known as The Horrors, threwd is a sensation of watchfulness or awareness emanating from the lands or waters around you. Although no one is certain, a popular theory is that the land itself is strangely sentient and aware, and that it resents the intrusions of humankind. Paltry threwd, the mildest kind, can make a person feel uneasy, as if under unfriendly observation. Pernicious threwd, the worst kind, can drive a person mad with unfounded terrors and dark paranoias. It is well known that wherever there is threwd, there are monsters too, and it is said in certain ancient books that the most powerful monsters possess their own threwd used to terrify and dominate weaker minds. It has been posited by certain eccentric natural philosophers that threwd can be not only strong or weak, but also good or bad. Such an idea is borderline treason and not to be taken seriously.

If at any point you have questions about something not answered in one of these posts, don't hesitate to ask.

QM's Notes: I've updated the first page of the quest with a character sheet and a bunch of information about the Lamplighters and the Conduit Vermis, check it out if you have time.

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The Marshal straightens up and begins his briefing:

"I have recently received a series of disturbing reports from the cothouse of Bleaklynche detailing the sightings of gudgeons and other necromantic beasts prowling along the edges of the Highroad. We've long suspected the existence of an illegal fighting-pit in the area, and I would guess that these creatures may be escapees from its cages. Investigate the area, kill any gudgeons you find, and if possible, shut that fighting pit down for good. The Major-of-House there will give you any assistance you require. Any questions?"


'No, Sir. I'll leave as soon as possible."


"Splendid! Take this with you." The Marshal hands you a sealed envelope. "Open it on the road. The more sensitive details of this task are enclosed. Good luck and a light to your path."


"And yours Sir."


Walking out of the office, you consider the envelope now safely inside your coat pocket. The mission the Marshal described to you seemed fairly straightforward, so the need to convey 'sensitive details' is a bit out of place. That, combined with his insistence that you open the letter on the road, makes you suspect that there is more to this assignment than the Marshal is willing to let on, even in the privacy of his offices.


It takes you the rest of the day to gather your things, check your weapons, and acquire the provisions necessary for the multi-day journey to Bleaklynche. There are no coaches running at night, so you'll need to ride solo to Wellnigh house and catch a coach there in the morning. Though this stretch of the road is reckoned to be quite safe, you know full well how dangerous it is to travel alone, and so make doubly sure that all your weapons are in order before heading out.


As you ride your thoughts return to the letter in your pocket. You have it in your hands and are preparing to breach the seal when you are suddenly interrupted by the sound of gunfire from further up the road. Quickly spurring your horse onwards, you see a desperate scene. A carriage dashed by the side of the road, its team dead and being feasted upon by shadowy figures, as its dazed occupants try to muster a defence. Closer to you, a squad of lamplighters has formed a firing line to confront the beasts, manned in part by figures too small to be counted as men. They must be apprentices from Winstermill with their teachers, out on the road to learn the duties of a lighter. The Highroad is attacked!


How will you respond?


[]Rush to assist the occupants of the carriage: They're probably the most in need of help and your fellow lighters can handle themselves. Probably.
[]Take up a position in the firing line: Before you can think about assisting the downed carriage, you need to have a firm base of fire to support you. In addition, the young prentices will need a firm hand to keep them from breaking if the beasts turn upon them.
[]Slide behind a tree and attempt to pick off some of the beasts: This will allow you to pick off any monster that gets too close to either party… If your aim is true. You'll also be alone - a dangerous situation in a fight like this.
[]Other: Write in

Vote for one option only please.