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The Heartless Demonologist: A Grimbright Fantasy Quest [Complete]

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    Chapter 1.2: The Heartless Demonologist
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    • Chapter 1.2: The Heartless Demonologist



    Vote Tally : Rookie Demonologist Quest Original - Fantasy | Page 7 | Sufficient Velocity [Posts: 167-176]
    ##### NetTally 3.1.4

    [X] No, you are hiding the fact that you are a demonologist.
    No. of Votes: 5
    [x] TimEd
    [x] benji15years ago
    [X] Ghost in the sun
    [x] JiggyStreet
    [x] POTDL

    [X] Yes, you have told Xochitl and Lian that you are a demonologist.
    No. of Votes: 5
    [x] Nevill
    [x] LordEdric
    [x] Negation
    [X] SleepyCaterpilar
    [X] sportoner


    Total No. of Voters: 10

    Xochitl and Lian knew that you were a Demonologist, a dark mage who used the left-hand path of magic to conjure demons from the other side of the veil and make pacts with them.

    What they didn't know was that a few years ago, you had made a pact with one of the Eight Lords of Hell, the Archdemon of Sloth, to save your little sister's life. In exchange, you had offered your own heart. The Archdemon agreed, and your sister lived again, but there had been a terrible cost. Your sister could no longer recognize you as her brother and was forced to become a servant of the Archdemon.

    Now, with your chest empty and your sister a prisoner of the Archdemon, you sought to find something valuable enough to buy back everything you had lost.

    As you walked through the ruined city, you felt a sense of unease creeping up on you. You sensed that this was a cursed place, filled with hidden traps and secrets better left undiscovered, but you had come too far to turn back now.

    "It is true that human sacrifice was widespread in Cibola," admitted Xochitl. "But it was considered a great honor to be chosen for sacrifice and offer your beating heart to the Golden Serpent who protected this city from the Lady of Despair."

    A chill ran down your spine as the "Lady of Despair" was another name for Acedia, or the Archdemon of Sloth, who had bought your heart and held your sister captive in her infernal palace.

    "You all right?" Lian placed a hand on your shoulder when she noticed your unease.

    "I am fine." You gave a grateful nod. For some strange reason, you felt less empty when you were near Lian. Her touch reminded you of what it was like to have a beating heart, even if it was just a memory now.

    What did you do next?

    [] You foraged for supplies before making camp.
    [] You tried to learn more about the Heart-extraction Ritual.
    [] You tried to learn more about the Golden Serpent that once defended this city.
    [] You tried to learn more about the Archdemon of Sloth.
    [] Write In.
     
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    • Chapter 1.3: The Golden Serpent
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    • Chapter 1.3: The Golden Serpent



    Vote Tally : Rookie Demonologist Quest Original - Fantasy | Page 8 | Sufficient Velocity [Posts: 180-184]
    ##### NetTally 3.1.4

    [X] You tried to learn more about the Golden Serpent that once defended this city.
    No. of Votes: 3
    [X] JiggyStreet
    [X] Ghost in the sun
    [X] LordEdric

    [X] You tried to learn more about the Archdemon of Sloth.
    No. of Votes: 2
    [x] Nevill
    [x] sportoner


    Total No. of Voters: 5

    As you continued walking through the ruins of the dead city, you noticed that Xochitl had fallen behind, her eyes fixed on a massive stone altar at the edge of the city. It was carved with strange symbols that seemed to be filled with malice in a way you could not explain.

    "What does it say?" you asked, gesturing towards the altar.

    After a moment of hesitation, Xochitl replied in a low voice, "Life is because of the Old Ones; with their sacrifice, they gave us life. They produce our sustenance, which nourishes life. This is where the offerings were sacrificed to the Golden Serpent."

    Your unease grew as you soon came across a massive statue erected in the image of the Golden Serpent. Its eyes seemed to follow you, and the stone appeared almost alive in the flickering light of your torches.

    "The Golden Serpent had many names," Xochitl continued in a reverent tone. "The Northern Tribes called him Quetzalcoatl, while the Southern Tribes called him K'uk'ulkan."

    "In Niflheim, the same serpent is called the Níðhöggr," Lian yawned again, then climbed up the stairs to have a better look at the statue. "And in the riverlands of Manu, they call him Apep."

    "My grandmother told me that the Golden Serpent was once a human," Xochitl said in a thoughtful voice. "A boy who wanted to touch the Sun itself, and transformed into a feathered serpent to make his dream into reality."

    "Interesting," Lian nodded with a subtle smirk on her face. "I think I may have heard a similar story once, but it was about a boy with endless greed who turned into an Archdemon."

    As you stood there, taking in the information, you heard a sound coming from behind the statue.

    How do you react?

    [] Draw your sword and lunge at whatever is behind the statue.
    [] Draw your sword and prepare to defend Lian.
    [] Draw your sword and prepare to defend Xochitl.
    [] Take a step back and try to draw a summoning circle.
    [] Write In.
     
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    • Chapter 1.4: Nagual
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    • Chapter 1.4: Nagual



    Vote Tally : Rookie Demonologist Quest Original - Fantasy | Page 8 | Sufficient Velocity [Posts: 188-193]
    ##### NetTally 3.1.4

    [X] Draw your sword and prepare to defend Xochitl.
    No. of Votes: 4
    [X] sevgre
    [x] benji15years ago
    [X] Ghost in the sun
    [X] SleepyCaterpilar

    [X] Draw your sword and lunge at whatever is behind the statue.
    No. of Votes: 1
    [x] Nevill

    [X] Draw your sword and prepare to defend Lian.
    No. of Votes: 1
    [X] sportoner


    Total No. of Voters: 6

    You immediately drew your sword and prepared to defend Xochitl. The Healer had no martial abilities, so it was your duty to protect her from the lurking threats in the ruined city.

    The source of the sound turned out to be a jaguar, a spotted feline predator native to the Western Continent. It growled at you, baring its sharp fangs.

    "It's not a jaguar," Lian said calmly, seeming to read your mind, unfazed by the growling beast. "I can sense something twisted and perverted, the touch of the shadow in it."

    "I think it's a Nagual," Xochitl whispered fearfully. "A shapeshifting minion of the Old Ones. The hearts of the human sacrifices were offered to the Golden Serpent, but the flesh and bones were fed to the Naguals, who appeared as jaguars, eagles, and hairless dogs."

    The Nagual growled again, and its focus was on you. You couldn't help but wonder if it could sense your missing heart. After all, it had once fed on the human sacrifices whose hearts were already removed by the High Priests of Cibola.

    You tried to remain calm but regretted not recruiting a Fighter or a Ranger for this adventure. Neither Lian nor Xochitl were particularly skilled at close combat, so it was up to you to defeat the Nagual.

    However, you were not much of a fighter either. If you had more time, you might have drawn a summoning circle and called a low-level demon to fight on your behalf. Unfortunately, the Nagual didn't seem particularly interested in giving you any time to prepare.

    How do you face the Nagual?

    [] Engage in close combat, use your sword to fight the Nagual directly.
    [] Try to dodge its attacks, and strike at it when you see an opening.
    [] Use the environment, try to use the ruins and rubble around you to your advantage.
    [] Try to lure the Nagual into a narrow passage, or use falling debris to crush it.
    [] Retreat and regroup, the fight seems unwinnable without a better plan.
    [] Write In.
     
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    • [X] Engage in close combat, use your sword to fight the Nagual directly.

    It's a bad idea, but I just like the ring of it.

    Does fear hold sway over the Heartless?
     
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    [x] Use the environment, try to use the ruins and rubble around you to your advantage.
    [x] Write In: Tell Lian to do something while you distract it.

    Don't like the idea of facing a demon jaguar head-on. We do have our other party members, though. Lian can probably whip up some kind of attack given she's a witch, Xochitl is useless for direct combat but can help if anyone gets injured.
     
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