[CYOA]Circle Magic Quest #4

>>27786465
>>27787366
>Maybe you could find the filly yourself? But aimlessly walking around is probably not going to help you much
>So instead you decide to head to the general store first, you don't wanna keep the mare waiting
>It's a short and uneventful walk and you head into the store without hesitation
>On the other side of the counter, the mare immediately perks up: "Oh, welcome back! So I take it you came to get your stuff?"
>With a nod, you pull out the small bag of bits and count out the bits. Seems you have about 75 bits right there
>Most of the stuff she already prepared for you and placed it on the counter
"How about provisions, how would a week of food cost me?", you ask the mare as she watches you
>"Food? I'd say 5 bits. You still gotta decide if you want the torch or the magical light though, remember?"
>Do you buy food? Will you get a normal torch or a magical light?
>Is there anything else you want to talk about with the shop keeper? She probably knows the town and what's going on far better than you.
>If not, where would you like to head next?

>>27875611
What was the prices of the torches again? How much money do we have left? I think we should hold off on the food until before we leave.

>>27875611
What is the difference between the torch and the light? In price and effect. It's been too long and I forgot.

>>27875658
>>27875758
"Well, sorry to ask but I kind of forgot what the price for all these things were", you sheepishly admit
>"Oh, don't worry about that, honey, it really isn't a problem! Again, all the stuff would cost you 50 bits, 60 if you took the torch. 5 bits for the rations!", she tells you with a smile
>She closes her eyes and nods. "The torches are versatile and can be used by anyone, easy to light up, it's fire"
>"On the other hand", she pulls out a small, round amulet made out of what looks like silver.
>Into the silver multiple lines and symbols are carved, symbols you quite clearly recognize: It's 2 fire pictures 2 order symbol
>"This thing is quite the light source and can actually keep you warm in addition... if you pump a bit more fire into it"
>Then she puts it back under the counter. "Unfortunately, I can't demonstrate it since I don't know how to use circle magic", she sighs
>"It's a powerful tool in a circle magician's hooves, but unfortunately, they aren't exactly common around here"
>What do you do?

>>27875919
Lets hold off on more purchases until we can leave. Let's do some detective work instead and ask about the surrounding area.

>>27875919
Take all the stuff, and the magic light since we're a circle mage. It can even help keep us warm for traveling at night.

>>27875919
Changing my vote from >>27875960 to >>27875949, but we should definitely get the magic light when we're ready to go.

>>27875966
If we save the town, we might get a discount.

>>27875949
>>27875960
>>27875966
>>27875986
"Actually, I think I'll hold off with buying until I leave. I still have something important in the town to do", you admit
>She nods once more. "Sure, I guess I can keep this for you for a while longer. Anything else I can help you with?"
>Taking a moment you shake your head, "no, I think I got it from here!", you tell her before turning around and leaving
>The door jingles again as you exit the store, a fresh breeze rushing past you, it's rather soothing
>It's probably going to be a good idea to do some detective work, but you've never done that before
>The sun also seems to be going down quite soon, you might want to think of where to spend the night
>But you'll try to figure out as much as you can for now, unfortunately you are unsure where to start
>The Inn and the blacksmith are still an option, although you aren't sure if they know anything
>Is there any other place that might be good to start looking at?

>>27876407
Lets check with the guards.

>>27876442
>You decide to check in with the guards, since they might know the most of these kidnappings
>The walk through the town is peaceful, most ponies have left the streets as dusk sets in
>Some houses start to light their lights already and you can see families sitting inside some
>It seems to be around dinner time, the air filled with smells of different kinds of food
>Your stomach grumbles in response, telling you that you should eat something soon
>Dismissing these thoughts for now, you finally reach the Guard's outpost and knock
>From inside you hear hoof steps and shortly after the guardsmare from earlier opens up
>"Oh? What can I do for you? It's late, shouldn't you find a place to rest soon?"
>For some reason she seems quite nervous, her eyes darting left and right
>She seems to be looking for something behind you and then back at the sun a few times
>What do you do? What do you want to ask?

>>27876895
Can you tell me what you know about the disappearances as of late? Also if you can tell me where to find a comfy inn it would be much appreciated.

>>27876895
Is there something bad that happens after dark? You seem nervous about it.

>>27876895

[Concern]

We better ask if theres anywhere we can stay and get there fast. I dont think we want to be out after dark, but if the guards are worried than we shouldn't take it lightly. Ask what happens after the sun goes down if we get the chance.

>>27876965
>>27876974
>>27877129
>The guard's behavior doesn't exactly give you any confidence, something is not right
>Is it about the night? Are there bad things happening in the night?
>That actually might be worth looking into, it might be a clue
>...although you don't really want to deal with whatever it is that comes out at night entirely unprepared
"I wanted to know, do you know anything about the disappearances lately? Any help would be much appreciated"
>"I.. I think you should... find a place to stay.. it's late and... tomorrow might be a better time to talk", she tells you
>And immediately she starts looking around again. "P-please come back tomorrow, will you?"
"Is there something bad happening after dark?", you ask her, completely emotionless
>She just shakes her head, "N-no, of course not! Now if that is all, I'd like to...", she looks at the sun
>"O-oh no. I think you should really hurry up, there is an in just down the r-road", she points a hoof down the street
>As she said, a building with a "TAVERN" sign on it stands at the end
>"I... I think I'll have to w-work Nightshift anyways", she says before turning around and trying to get back inside
>Are you going to push this? Head to the inn?
>Or do something else?

>>27877332
Better get to that inn.

>>27877332
I wonder how she'd react if we say we'll sleep outdoors tonight.

have a bump from page 10

have a good night bump

>>27877332
Wow, she's kind of a pussy, especially for a guard. Let's just go to the Inn and ask around there, leave captain courageous to herself.

boop the fish

>>27877332
Well she's acting fishy.

leaving page nine.

>>27882522

Too busy playing dnd to run bump

bump since most players of this quest are currently playing D&D anyways

>>27885604

>>27887686

>>27887686

I'm not sure I want to bump this anymore

>>27890079
I'll give it one.

>>27891024

>>27877389
>>27877552
>>27880291
>>27881494
>Well that was... fishy. And kind of cowardly for a guard as well, this gives you a bad feel.
>Is she a pussy or something? Might be best to leave captain courageous to herself and head to the inn though
>Although you have an idea you want to test out before
"Well, not sure if I can afford an inn tonight. May have to sleep outside", you exclaim loudly as you slowly turn around
>"S-s-sleep outside? Oh by Celestia, no I can't let you do that! I... I'll have to detain you if you try!", she turned around quickly and stares at you in disbelief
>"Or... I could give you the money if you need it, a night at the inn is about 3 bits....", she reaches into her pocket holding out the glowing coins
>She also seems to be sweating and you can see that she wants nothing more but to return back into the station
>You could probably afford the inn by yourself, but you might want to take the coins?
>Or do you want to let yourself get detained, might be a way to ask more questions
>Is there something else you want to talk about with the nervous mare?
>Maybe you have another idea, what's the plan of action?

>>27892485
Does the inn give ponies that get a room a free meal? Will we be fed if we get detained?

>>27892485
Okay, you are obviously keeping something from me. Tell me what is so scary about the night or I'll have to wait here until you do.

Right here.

Outside.

In the dark.

>>27892550
This

>>27892521
>>27892550
>>27892793
"You are obviously keeping something from me here", you state, narrowing your eyes at the guard.
"Tell me what it is. Otherwise I might be forced to stay right here. Outside. In. The. Dark", you make sure to pronounce these last words
>She just stares at you, "I... I cannot let you do that", her voice went from the scared and soft spoken mare to commanding in the blink of an eye
>"I must demand that you leave for the inn right now. I won't let you stay like this here", she doesn't sound angry... more just distant and cold
>The shine in her eyes that you noticed when you met her the first time is also gone
"W-will I at least get a free meal with the room?", you ask, feeling extremely uneasy. So much in fact, that you take a few steps back.
>The mare nods but doesn't take her eyes off of you. "Yes, a free dinner and breakfast are included with the room"
>She holds out the bits to you once more while still staring in your soul
>How do you respond? What will you do?

>>27892799
Welp, she gets possessed at night. That neat, I guess.
Commence with the swiftly leaving in the direction of the inn.

>>27892799
Dang it, you're not protecting me by not telling me what's going on! I'm not a foal, I think I have the right to know what dangers exist in this town!

>>27892799
We can always get gossip at the inn

>>27892799
Um, I can cover the cost. Thank you.

Then turn fishtail and quickly get to the inn.

>>27892893
Take the free money. It's only 3 bits.

>>27892814
>>27892817
>>27892823
>>27892893
>>27892939
>Well, that looks a hell of a lot like some kind of possession. Neat.... but also scary
>You really start to wonder what the hell is going on in this town
"You know, you aren't really protecting me by not telling what's going on. I'm not a foal you know", you pout
>Her expression doesn't change though, she simply keeps staring at you in silence
>Guess you'll need to get information elsewhere, the inn maybe
"I... I'm sorry, I'll get going", you say as you take the bits from the mare and put them in your pockets
>And with that, you turn around and dash down the street to get to the inn before sundown
>Fortunately, it's not far and you soon enter a barely lit room, a fireplace crackling in the corner
>The room is void of ponies except the bartender, a small unicorn stallion, washing his glasses
>Weird, shouldn't a bar be filled with ponies at this time of day?
>The stallion looks up to you, not speaking a word
>As you trot up to him, you feel the same cold stare that the guard gave you
>"What do you want, stranger?", the bartender asks

>>27893106
One room please.

>>27893121
Don't forget dinner.

>>27893121
>>27893135
"One room please", you reply, followed by your stomach grumbling loudly. "And something for dinner, please", you blush lightly
>He holds out his hoof expectingly and you place the 3 bits you got from the guard in it
>With a nod, he trots off into a backroom and you can hear keys clinging together, followed by plates getting shuffled around
>A few minutes later, the stallion comes out with a key and a plate with a sandwich on top of it, putting both things down in front of you
>"Eat. Then sleep.", he replies and just keeps staring at you as you take a bite of the sandwich
>It tastes bland, no flavor to it at all. The bread also seems stale. And the stallion's stare doesn't make you feel any better.
>Is there something you want to do while eating? Talk maybe?
>Or do you just finish up as fast as you can, heading to your room?
>Maybe there is something else you want to do?

>>27893441
It'd be nice to know why everybody seems afraid of being out after dark. I'd assume it's why business is so slow.

Stopping. Sorry for the bad session

>>27893441
This is starting to remind me of that story where the whole town is slowly turning into fishponies. Nice!

>>27895237

>>27896027

>>27897125

>>27899353

>>27893468
>>27894230
"So, how come business being so slow? Shouldn't the tavern be filled to the brim at this hour?", you ask innocently, taking another bite
>The stallion just glares at you. "I believe this is none of your business, stranger", he replies, almost robotically
>Looks like you ought to press this a little more. "Is it because of the dark? How come ponies are afraid of it?"
>"You shall have a piece of advice, young pony. Sometimes it is best to not put your snout too deep into other pony's business? Understand?"
>The bartender makes sure to pronounce the last word clearly. Is he trying to intimidate you?
>"Eat. Then sleep.", he repeats his earlier sentence once more as you stopped eating for a moment
"This totally reminds me a bit of that one story my mom told me, where the whole town turned into fishponies!", you tell him cheerily
>"EAT. THEN. SLEEP.", he just hisses in return and you jump a bit before finishing off your... wow, you feel rather sleepy all of a sudden
>You are having a hard time keeping your eyes open, standing up and walking might be doable if you concentrate enough though
>A big yawn escapes you and you could have sworn a hint of a smile appeared on the pony's face
>Should you go to bed? Or is there something else you want to talk with the bartender about?
>Something else you might want to do?

>>27900879
This sudden exhaustion and his reaction seem very suspect. Lets go to our room and set a trap. Also lets see if we can stay awake.

>>27900912
This

>>27900912
>>27900917
>This exhaustion... it's definitely not normal, you shouldn't feel this tired
>Did the bartender drug you? You'll need to get to your room quickly
>Nodding at the bartender, you stand up and shakingly make your way up the stairs
>The dark corridor that leads to the multiple guest rooms makes a cold shiver go down your spine
>Fortunately, your place is right at the beginning and you make for a run to get there as fast as you can
>Once inside, you lock the door and immediately light up a candle, breathing out as you see the place completely empty
>Something doesn't feel right, you better protect yourself today, a trap might be sufficient
>You are trying hard but you can't hold back another yawn.
>What kind of trap are you preparing? How are you going to stay awake?
>What will you do?

>>27901157
We shall make a circle right in from of the door. One that will freeze an intruder. I forget the basic circle recipes.

>>27901205
That would probably be a combination of Water and Order.

C'mon man, Blue and White make Light blue, which is Ice. Is it that hard?

>>27901230
I don't remember shit on how to make circles. Maybe if there was a handy dandy pastebin or something?

>>27901157
Make a small little circle to test the combination of Two water and Two order, and put a pencil on it and see what happens. If it freezes it in place, or does some other affect that would suit our needs, then use that for the trap.

>>27901205
>>27901230
>>27901265
>>27901344
>Freezing the intruder might sound like a good idea, that way you can question them
>Fortunately for you, freezing things is fairly easy, a bit of water for the base infused with some order
>That is going to make for some cool little shenanigans, you joke as you finish preparing
>Admittedly, you feel like experimenting a bit though
>As you finish the main trap in front of the door, you use a small pencil to draw another, smaller circle
>Two order signs combined with 2 water signs should do the trick
>Placing the pencil right in the middle of the circle, you gently touch the edge and push a small amount of magic into it
>Moments later, a thin layer of ice starts spreading from the center, freezing over most of the table
>Going over it with your hoof, you feel that is indeed perfectly flat, extremely slippery too. Might come in handy, if not simply for the fact of ice skating
>Anyways, now that SCIENCE has been done, how will you spend the night?
>Anything you want to do? Or maybe you want to go to bed since the exhaustion hasn't really left you

>>27901665
I'd say that that would suit are needs. Lay a larger version of that right in front of the door so that any intruder would slip and fall, waking us with their noise. Then head to sleep.

>>27901804
"That'll do for tonight", you draw the same circle but bigger in front of the door, powering it up
>The floor immediately begins to freeze over, soon the entire room is covered in a thin layer of ice
>Having a hard time walking on the slippery underground, you barely make it to bed safely
>Snuggling into the sheets, you quickly close your eyes and fall asleep
>...You feel as if something is strangling you, you can't move your body
>Opening your eyes in horror, it seems as if the bed came alive, the sheets binding you to the frame
>In front of you, 3 shadow-y figures stare at you, unblinking, their eyes piercing red
>You can't make out much more of their features as a scream gets their attention and they turn their heads
>Sounded like it came from somewhere outside
>In the blink of an eye, you see the three creatures float over to the door, just passing through it
>You realize they never even touched the ground either
>As soon as they left, the bedsheets stop holding you in place and you sit upright
>What do you do?

pausing

>>27902209
Can we unfreeze the floor? If they can fly then it will just make it harder for us to get out

>>27903031
If it's a thin layer, it shouldn't be very durable. We need to be sure not to stumble into our own trap.

active board tonight.

>>27904451

a lot of shit posting tonight.

>>27904897

bumping yet again from 10

>>27905303
page 9

>>27905303

http://pastebin.com/bZLtBLVm
Making sure our SCIENCE doesn't go to waste. Any combinations that we've done in the past that I should put in here?

more of this

damn all you cyoa

QM, it ain't you, it's the glimmer glammer.

бaмп

>>27908605

>>27905992
just saying, we saw that the light spell looked like

>>27903031
>>27903075
>First of all, you need to make sure that you don't accidentally stumble on the ice
>Using a pen you draw a fire symbol onto the floor, activating it
>Surely enough, the frozen water soon returns to it's liquid form, the floor now safe to walk on
>Next step is to disarm your tr- actually, that reminds you it never really was armed in the first place
>You would have needed to manually activate it... you remember there being circles that can trigger other circle's power
>But unfortunately, your teacher never taught you any, you actually aren't even sure if she knew any herself
>That's probably something useful you might want to look into once you don't have any more pressing matters at hand
>Back to your task at hand though, the ghostly ponies still left through the door and there was a scream outside
>Are you going to investigate? Look for the invaders? Check out the scream? Or maybe something else? What will you take with you?
>What will you do?

>>27909707
Truthfully, I don't know.

I'd rather not stay here and wait for them to come back. So I guess we sneak out and check?

>>27909707
Investigating is fun. Do that.

>>27909707
There are mysteries abound, time to investigate.

>>27909707
Can we draw a circle on our hooves so we can do stuff like shooting fireballs on demand?

>>27909794
>>27909767
>>27909748
>>27909730
>You don't want to stay. Whatever these things were, they might be coming back
>Or even worse, there might not only be 3 of them around
>Truthfully, you don't want to find that out anytime soon, so investigation sounds like the far better idea
>As you prepare to leave, you are reminded of the batpony you encountered earlier
>To be more precise, her little trick with the circle hidden in her mouth
>Maybe if you drew a circle on your hoof you could cast spells on demand?
>A fireball from your hoof maybe? Or what about being able to freeze anything by touch? What else might you come up with?
>You also still have to decide on what exactly to investigate.
>Are you going to check out the scream? Or do you look for the shady creatures? Could there be other ponies in the Inn you could check on?
>What do you do?

>>27909994
Lets try the scream. We're more likely to get info from where something is happening.

>>27909994
It'd be nice if we had a bit more knowledge on circles so we could come up with a good option. I'm guessing fire and air either create a fireball or a blowtorch. Both are solid options, but I'm worried about how directly wielding fire would effect us. A freezing touch would be a good non-lethal option, but that relies on actually touching something and these guys seem to be rather immaterial.

>>27910173
Actually, we can have ice on one hoof and fire on the other. A bit more versatility.

>>27910026
>>27910173
>>27910214
>The scream is probably the more fruitful option out of the two, likely to get more info where something is happening after all
>Also fire and air might sound like a nice idea probably a fireball of some kind or a blowtorch, you might be able to test that out
>Actually, you've got multiple hooves... ice on one hoof, fire on the other? You could be some kind of elemental superhero!
>Quickly scribbling down 2 ice on your left hoof and a fire and air symbol on your right hoof, you think you're prepared
>As you open the door to peep down the hallway, you can see... absolutely nothing. It's completely empty like the first time you've been here
>Yet for some reason you still feel as if someone or rather something was watching your every move in the dark
>Tiptoeing out of the room, you make your way to the stairs and peep down to find the bartender still standing there the way you left
>He's staring at the door, not moving an inch, you could almost believe he might be a statue
>On a closer look, however, you can see that he isn't... he's not breathing, just staring at the door in unmoving, utter silence
>This really starts creeping you out and your neck hair is standing up straight now
>Should you investigate the stallion? Try to sneak out the door to get to the scream? Or maybe there is another way out of here?
>What do you do

>>27910418
The scream seems more important, but I don't like the way he's watching the door. Is there a window?

>>27910418
Greet the stallion, making sure to keep your fire-air hoof at the ready, should you need to use it.

>>27910455
>>27910464
>You don't like this. You don't like this at all. The stallion is really giving you the creeps.
>Looking around, you try to find a window you could climb out of but are unable to find one, unfortunately
>Why is he watching the door like this? Maybe you should just... greet him? With your defenses ready that is
>Slowly and quietly you make your way down the stairs, always keeping an eye on the stallion
>He does not seem to notice you since he still didn't move, even his eyes keep staring at the door
"H-hello!", you stutter as you carefully make your way over to the bartender
>The lighting is far from the best so you can't completely make out his features but he has yet to do anything
>Closer and closer, one step at a time, a cold shower crawling down your back
>You gulp as you finally reach the bar, your fiery hoof ready to attack at any moment
>But the bartender stays still. You look closely and it's true: He doesn't breath. He doesn't even seem to have a heartbeat
>He's frowning but you can see his facial features show something akin to pain
>And his eyes... you didn't notice until now, but these are not the eyes of a normal pony
>No, the eyes are gone. What's left behind is 2 spheres in his eye sockets, some kind of black smoke drifting around inside
>You could also swear that there is someone else here, but you can't put your hoof on it
>What do you do?

>>27910777
Fuck it, open the door and be prepared for a fight.

>>27910794
>No, screw this, this is too weird for your taste and you still need to figure out what that scream was
>They might need help and that help is going to be you!
>Turning around and rushing to the door, you start fiddling with the lock as quickly as possible
>It doesn't take long and you hear the statisfying clicking noise, ready to open the door
>But you get stopped by a sound of pained wheezing and the voice of the bartender
>"S....a.....v.....e........u......s", he asks you and as you turn around, you can see tears streaming down his face
>Otherwise, he still hasn't moved an inch
>Nervously, you nod, turn around and leave the building, the cool night air greeting you
>Unfortunately, there is no time to really take it in as you start looking around for whoever could have screamed for help
>Luckily, another scream echoes from down the road: "S-someone please! H-help me, mom, dad! PLEASE DON'T DO THIS!"
>It sounds like a young filly that seems to be kidnapped here!
>Following the screams with your eyes, you look down the street to find 3 pony shapes walking down out of town
>There's 2 big ones and a struggling small one, but you can't make out any further details from this distance and in this light
>What will you do?

>>27911223
We have to save her! Run to them. We'll decide what to do depending on their response. once we approach them

pausing

>>27911223
Are they taking her somewhere? Is she going to be some kind of sacrifice? It might be useful to follow them far enough to get an idea of where they're going before we stop them.

Leaving page 10.

>>27911299

>>27913095

>>27913914

>>27914658

here is a bump at 10.

>>27917206

>>27918031

>>27920202

enjoy the bump

>>27921680

More updated less bumps

bumperoni

beb

>>27924726

>>27911242
>>27911344
>You do the first obvious thing and dash after them, ready to do whatever it takes to save the filly
>While you run, you try to think of a course of action for when you arrive
>As you try to figure out what to do next, countless questions start piling up
>Are they taking her somewhere? Could this be some kind of sacrifice? What is going on in this town at all?
>You close in far enough to make out more details of the three ponies
>There seems to be two shadow-y creatures, a unicorn and an earth pony taking a small unicorn filly, dragging her behind
>The young pony struggles to break free but is unable to do so as the Shadow ponies increase the strength of their grip
>It might be useful to follow them quietly, maybe gather some more information since they don't seem to haven taken notice of you yet
>No speaking of what'll happen to the filly though
>Or you could show yourself and might have to risk a fight
>Maybe there is something else you can do though?

>>27925857
I dunno, I'd rather get them now, just in case they're taking her to a place with more of them.

>>27925857
We have to save her now. Run up to (hopefully) shoot a fireball at one of them and try to snatch the filly away.

>>27925857
Do we at least have a general direction of where they're going?

>>27926230
>>27926239
>>27926301
>They seem to be heading into the direction of the direction of a small plain just outside of town
>If you look closely, there seems to be some kind of cave entrance in a small rock that you didn't notice before in the distance
>Are they taking the pony there? Is this the shadow's hideout or something?
>That doesn't matter now though, you have to save the poor filly from the monsters, they might take her to a place with more of these things
>Breaking out into a gallop, you run up to them and raise a hoof directly at one of the monster's heads
>It turns around and you let magic flow through the drawing on your hoof right as it looks directly at you
>A hot stream of fire erupts from your hoof, blasting right through the creature's face, leaving a hole
>The other creature jumped back a few steps, dropping the filly in the process
>It lets out a terrifying, high pitched scream which feels like it makes your eardrums burst any second now
>A few seconds later, the same screams can be heard from all around town
>The filly is on the ground crying and the creature you blasted is still standing in front of you... the hole slowly filling back up
>What do you do?

>>27926372
Grab the kid and fucking run.

We kept our stuff with us, there's no reason to stay at all.

>>27926382
This one here.

>>27926382
>>27926418
>This is bad, real bad and you seriously don't want to stay any longer in this town
>And this pony is coming with you, you aren't gonna leave her with these ponies
>You take the kids hoof and pull her onto your back where she immediately wraps her hooves around your neck
"Hold on tight, you don't wanna fall off!", is the last thing you say before turning around and rushing back into the center of town
>Fortunately, you have all your stuff with you, which means you could leave immediately if you wanted
>But you never actually purchased the stuff from the general store which might have come in handy
>You actually don't even know where you would like to run as you head through the empty roads
>It feels like you are being watched and you could swear seeing red eyes staring at you
>Actually, you didn't even know where to go, where do you escape to?
>Is there something else you want to do before leaving town?
>What do you do?

>>27926372

Well, fire sort of worked. Maybe we just need to use more! A lot more! Burn the shadows away!
Actually, maybe light magic would work better in this instance, since light usually dissipates shadows.

If not, grab the kid and run for the hills.

>>27926372
Blast their asses with light magic nigga. Light beats shadow that's basic vidya knowledge.

>>27926745
>>27926747
>light
I was busy trying to think of what beats shadow in the circle magic system we were given and didn't even think of using video game rules. I would prefer to find a way to beat them that used the circle stuff but I can't so I guess whatever works works. Use the standard vidya solution.

>>27926797
Can't you summon up raw light with circle magic?

>>27926797
Not every problem has to have an exciting solution.

>>27926842
I don't think so. If we could use light magic then why were we trying to buy torches or a magic light? If we knew light magic then that was an utter waste of time.

>>27926875
How about just making the fire brighter then? Fire makes light.

>>27926875
Order is light.

>>27926875
The magic torch is more efficient since it's a portable permanent circle.

>>27926911
It also makes a lot of heat, which is both a waste of energy and could hurt us. Fire is good if we can have something other than our magic fuel it.

>>27926875
Waste of energy

God damn it guys.
I put in our pastebin, is it that hard to find?
http://pastebin.com/bZLtBLVm
And as for the heat, it isn't that hot, otherwise the magic light that we were going to buy would be difficult to use.

>>27926740
Let's bring up some light for protection.

Try a simple order, see what that does. Hopefully an orb of light.

>>27926745 >>27926747 >>27926797 >>27926842 >>27926875 >>27926911 >>27926959 >>27926972 >>27927031
>You've got time to think of a solution as you dash through the houses
>Fire did work. Kind of at least. It stunned the thing enough at least to get away
>Maybe you could burn them to ashes if you make a bigger fire?
>Unfortunately, that would probably drain your power real damn quick and you'd be screwed
>You might also burn yourself on the fire if you summoned it through the circle mounted on your hoof
>Speaking of that, the running started to take a toll on the pencil drawings, both circles probably won't work for much longer
>Then it hits you all of a sudden. Light. Every shadow disappears in the light
>The flames you used to burn the monster earlier wasn't really doing the damage either you realize
>It was the flash of light that burned it's way through the black body
>Maybe one order might give you a convenient light orb. Stopping for just a moment, you draw order into the dirt path
>Activating it, nothing really happens, unfortunately
>You curse at not having bought the magic light, which isn't really a light you may note, just a neat, permanent circle necklace
>And you even remember the components, two order and two fire
>You quickly get back to running, not wanting to get caught
>You may know a way to defend yourself now. But where do you go? What exactly is the plan?

>>27927212
I really don't care. Just run until we're not being followed anymore. We can hit town again in the morning.

>>27927715
this

>>27927212
Draw the fires and orders somewhere easy to get to, then head back to the shadow beasts and try to get them following you. Lead them back to the circle and try to activate it to take out as many as you can.

>>27929116

well damn

good night.

>>27929116

>>27931792

>>27932948

>>27933580

>>27927715
>>27927813
>>27927818
>You round a corner into an alley, making sure no pony followed you
>Quickly scribbling up a few magic light circles onto the walls you nod your head
>The filly is still on your back, sobbing quietly while hugging your neck tight
>Damn, with a pony you've got to protect fighting them might actually be a pretty damn bad idea
>You run further through the alley and manage to leave the town mostly undetected
>At least you hope you got away safely, there doesn't seem to be anyone behind you at all
>Running around town a good distance away you make it back to the river where you arrived earlier today
>The unicorn on your back stopped sobbing by now but is still burying her head in your mane
>She also shivers quite a lot
>Having time to clear your thoughts, you actually realize that it is rather cold tonight
>Maybe you should make a fire? But how and what would you burn? Would that make you easier to find?
>What about shelter? Or maybe you can just go to sleep, although you aren't sure what to do with the filly in this case
>Maybe you have another plan of action? What will you do?

>>27934586
Lighting a fire shouldn't be too hard with circles,and we're in a forest. Branches should be everywhere.

Skip tinder because we have magic, just get big sticks that are nearby. Then once the fire is lit, hold the filly and try to calm her down.

>>27934586
Entropy usually inverts the effect of the runes, so make a standard light rune, and add entropy to it to make a wall of darkness at the entrance of the alleyway so that we can't be seen. Then, set up a little magic light inside the alleyway so that we have light and heat.

R-right? That's how it works? If I messed up, pls don fuck us up.

>>27934634
This. Fire makes light. It'll keep us safe until it goes out.

>>27934646
Nevermind, I misread the post. I thought we were still in the alleyway.
>>27934634
>>27934872
Changing my vote to these.

>>27934634
>>27934646
>>27934872
>>27934897
>Well, you'll definitely need something to keep you warm and that's gonna be a fire
>Fortunately, fire is one of the most basic spells and one of the first ones you ever learned
>You won't even need tinder, just gotta collect some sticks around here
>Still taking the filly with you (she is getting a bit heavy admittedly) you search around for a bit
>Soon you'll come up with a bunch of sticks that should in theory keep you warm for the rest of the night
>You'll place the filly down on a small rock and draw a circle into the sand with a stick, the sticks on top
>And with a simple bit of magic your campfire shines bright
>That reminds you, you might be seen. Maybe you can place some kind of shadow wall to conceal yourself?
>Light and entropy might do the trick here, or it could end in a horrible explosion or worse
>Your teacher did warn you that anything higher than 3 symbols can become unstable
>Would you still want to risk it?
>Oh, there's also the filly, who currently is lying on her belly, drawing small shapes into the sand while sniffing occasionally
>You slowly trot up to her and take her into your hooves, dragging her into a tight hug
>At first she tries to break free but then relaxes and accepts it, before looking up to you with red eyes from all the crying
>How are you going to comfort the poor thing though?

>>27935012
No, I say we rely on keeping the fire nice and bright to keep the shadows away.

Tell her that it's going to be okay and that she's safe now. Ask her what her name is, and if she'd like us to sing her a song to help her get to sleep.

>>27935040
>No, you aren't going to do something and screw up without proper preparation. Which you don't have right now.
>You'll just keep the fire burning, if they really are weak to light, that should keep them away
>You gently stroke the shivering pony in your embrace's mane, keeping her close to you
"There, there.. it'll all be fine, don't worry, you're safe with me", you gently tell her
>She just shakes her head and holds you tighter. "M-mommy...", she mumbles in between sobs
>Then she starts crying loudly: "M-MOMMY, DADDY!" She then buries herself in your chest
>You can feel the wet tears roll down through your fur, the filly in your arms still calling for her parents
"W-would you tell me your name, little one?", you ask, hoping you might be able to get her thoughts of this horrible night
>She just shudders but stops sobbing. "Emerald Swirl", she mumbles into your fur
"Would you... like me to sing you a song? Maybe it helps you to fall asleep?"
>Emerald Swirl just shakes her head slightly while silently hugging you
>Maybe a song would still work? Or you could try to talk to her, she might know about all of this more than you do
>There might be other things you could do though, if you had different ideas

>>27935325
I'd rather not make her talk about it, not now. Poor girl is scared senseless.

Just keep holding her close, gently rock our body back and forth, and be her rock right now.

>>27935514
>No... The poor thing has been through enough tonight, she's scared senseless
>Right now, the only thing you can do is hold her close, keep her safe
>You gently rock back and forth, giving the filly all the time she needs
>With time though, you can feel her body relax, her group lessen... and soon after, her chest rises and falls gently
>You can also hear tiny snoring from the unicorn as she rubs her head into your chest
>She looks so peaceful, even with a small smile on her face. It fills you with a warmth you admittedly didn't feel that often before
>Is that what it felt like being a mother? Would you be a good one? The thought alone drives a smile on your own face
>As you watch the pony nap, you try to think of what to do now.
>You could definitely go to sleep, you might need your strength tomorrow
>But what if these things attack? Maybe you should stay awake for the rest of the night, but no sleep might make you exhausted
>Or is there something else to do?

>>27935740
Fuel the fire enough to keep it going until sunrise.

Also remove the ice circle from our hoof and put fire+order on it just in case we do get ambushed and need to defend ourselves with light.

>>27935810
>Touching the circle once more you power it up so that your campfire should burn until sunrise
>Next you rub away the ice circle from your hoof (or rather what was left of it) away on the ground and replace it with a light spell
>That should keep you covered in case you are getting ambushed... hopefully at least
>Luckily you managed to do so without disturbing the filly too much and she continues to snore lightly
>Lying on your back with the filly still on your belly, you decide to get some shut eye yourself, falling asleep quite fast
>...your dreams are filled with monsters and shadows hunting you, a younger version of yourself trying to escape but ultimately fails
>You wake up in cold sweat, the first rays of sun tickling your nose
>Birds are chirping happily and everything seems peaceful
>Until you realize that there is something missing, a weight on your chest
>The filly that you have taken with you is gone and nowhere to be seen
>You start to panic slightly, where could she have gone?!
>Could she have wandered off? Been taken? Did she go back to town?
>What do you do?

>>27936021
They can't have taken her without a struggle. She must have left on her own. Though surprising that we didn't feel her get off of us.

Maybe check the area for tiny hoofprints?

>>27936041
>No, no clam down. She can't have been dragged away without a struggle, they would surely have woken you up
>She left on her own, you keep telling yourself, hoping that it might calm you down a bit
>Unfortunately, it does not really help that much and you pack your stuff together in panic
>Looking around camp, you try to find clues as to where Emerald might have wandered off to
>Thankfully, the ground around here is slightly soft so you can actually see hoof prints - your own mostly
>Nope, you are not having any luck. Apart from your own there are no other prints visible
>You still doubt that she was captured though, since they wouldn't have been able to do that quietly
>By now, the sun has fully appeared on the horizon and light is shining bright
>Are the shadow monsters still there you wonder?
>But more importantly, what will you do next? Go back to town? Look around this area? Check out the cave the shadows tried to take the filly to?
>Or maybe you have something else in mind...

>>27936269
I don't like that she wandered off at all, but I kind of want to check the cave they were dragging her to.

I'll actually cut the thread here, it's time the players of Custos aka Linkeh get their fix

Before I go, though, I'd actually like to ask for feedback this time, anything that you can tell me is going to be appreciated.
Question I actually have is what about my prompts? Do you think they're good? Bad? How would I change them to make 'em better?
Also, is my writing style ok? Any other comments on the quest or my writing?

I'll also answer questions now as long as they don't spoil the world or story too much, if anyone wants to ask something.

>>27936532
Your writing style is good. The prompts are fine, but sometimes they sound like you already have a "right" answer in mind the way you phrase them.

>the players of Custos aka Linkeh
And Doxel, and the third guy.

>>27936892
I usually don't have a right answer in mind, no. Sorry if it seems that way

OP that circle is supposed to be a pentagram because mlp loves satan you dummy poopyheads

>>27938567
Almost no one does that, dude. That's just your style.

>>27938575
Not actually him, just had that on for a reason and forgot to take it off. Whoops.

>>27938584
Either way, it's just a stylistic choice. Adding "What do" to the end of the post doesn't make a prompt stronger.