1/3 quietCrisis 2019/02/27(Wed)09:44 No. 923568 ID: 986b2d
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"So," says your Game Master, over the audio call. "You guys have fun this week?"

"Hell yeah!" you say. "You're doing great, Dylan, I thought I was going to literally die in real life during that last encounter."

"Yeah," Maddie agrees. "Great game, Dylan."

"I gotta run for work," says Rowan. "Uhhh, see you guys next Sunday?"

"Ouch," you say. "I have something Sunday."

"Yeah, me too," adds Kudzu. "How about Friday?"

"Can't do Fridays," says Maddie. "I have another game then. Saturday?"

"I work Saturdays," says Dylan. "Unless you guys can do it earlier in the day-"

You scrunch your nose up.

"I work Saturday mornings," you say.

"I have to go," says Rowan. "Let's work it out in the chat, okay?"

"Bye, Rowan," you say.

"Bye, Rowan," echoes the rest of the chat.

2/3 quietCrisis 2019/02/27(Wed)09:45 No. 923569 ID: 986b2d
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"I better sign off too," you say. "Gotta go be actually productive."

Dylan laughs.

"Stop wasting time with us and go do stuff! Your life awaits."

"Haha," you say. "I guess it does."

You reach up to remove your headset and the world goes dark.

quietCrisis 2019/02/27(Wed)09:45 No. 923570 ID: 986b2d
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Oh my. What a tragedy you've found yourself in. It's always such a shame to see a young life end so suddenly. Luckily, we have seen fit to take pity upon your wretched form. If you so desire, we can offer you the chance to continue in life, although the life may not be the one you are used to. We will not bother to ask. The answer is obvious. You want to live, do you not?

You go to open your mouth, only to find that you do not have one. You are formless. It's weird as hell.

Now then. In order to decide what sort of person you should be, we must first know what sort of person you were. We assume you DID something with your life. What sort of skills did you have? What is your expertise?

A) My skills are creative. I was a writer, an artist, an actor, or a musician.
B) My skills are with technology. I was a computer programmer, a hacker, or an IT specialist.
C) My skills are physical. I was a dancer, a martial artist, or an athlete.
D) My skills are academic. I was studying mathematics, science, engineering, philosophy, or history.
E) My skills are interpersonal. I was, or was studying to be, a social worker, a therapist, a customer service worker, or a manager.

A

>>923570
Oh, an isekai quest?
Well, then we need to go with D so we can invent gunpowder. It is, quite literally, required.

D.

>>923570
A

1/1 quietCrisis 2019/02/27(Wed)10:39 No. 923580 ID: 986b2d
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>A

You remember. You were a creative type. Maybe an artist, maybe a writer, musician, or actor, or something like that.

Interesting. You conjure meaning and message from nothing. You create. That will be a useful skill in your new life.

Onto our next question. What ties you to the world from whence you came? Surely there is something there that demands your presence. Something you would be heartbroken to leave behind.

A) My family. The people who raised me are important to me. Someone in my family needs me.
B) My friends. The people I care for are my strength. I'm lost without them.
C) My work. I was working on a project that would have changed the world. It can't die in obscurity.
D) My past. Something in my history binds me to my world. I need to make amends for something I've done.

D. You're a functional addict, but you NEED your life to play games and smoke [nondescript drug]. Need it so BAD.

B

B! its friendship time

B. My friends are my power!

B power of friendship!!!!!

1/1 quietCrisis 2019/02/27(Wed)11:51 No. 923591 ID: 986b2d
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>B

You remember. Your friends are the most important thing in the world to you. Losing them would be devastating. You're losing them now. You would feel sick if you had a stomach.

We see....this will be a difficult transition for you. Perhaps you might return to them one day, if you do your duty well. We shall see, we suppose.

Let us....get down to brass tacks, shall we? You will be needing a new form, where you are going. In this case, we should ask. What gender do you see yourself as?

A) I am a woman. I would like to be called she, her, and hers.
B) I am a man. I would like to be called he, him, and his.
C) I am neither, both, or somewhere in between. I would like to be called they, them, and theirs.
D) My situation is somewhat more complicated. ___________

D), what are we??

C

D) You were a hive mind of twins - one male and one female. You spent most of your life pretending that you were faking your mental link. Somehow, you BOTH died at the same time.

>>923593
C, they/them

D: Living Flames. Ever since I first saw a fire elemental in a game, they just seemed to "get me".

c and you dont get gender, like at all

>>923591
C

D

Attack helicopter, Apache Tank, or even better, a flying tank.

>>923591
A

C, you're both.

Hey, let's boot the traditional TG choice in the ass and go for B.

>>923617
They/them isn't traditional.

>>923620
It's a modern lunatic indicator though, along with referring to oneself in third person.
So unless the goal is "cuhraysi" balls to the walls quest, it'll be better to skip that one.

(Take a little time off for breaking General Rule #1: Don't be a jerk)

>>923626

lol dude the author of this quest uses they/them pronouns. i don't think this is the place for you.

>>923628
There was also the attack helicopter, so that's a fun addition as well.

A Hind D?!

B

Hey, this escaped my notice since I was off at work, but this seems like a good time to add a note to my "be kind to each other, be kind to the story" rule: If you're going to be a dick about gender stuff or any of the other marginalized identities in my work, this is probably the wrong place for you! Also seems like a good time to reiterate my zero-tolerance policy on slurs.

1/2 quietCrisis 2019/02/27(Wed)21:14 No. 923662 ID: 986b2d
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>After tallying the votes, C is the winner!

You are agender, and you go by they/them pronouns. You've never put much thought into your gender presentation, and you mostly wear what's comfortable to you. But maybe this is an opportunity to build on that skill?

Interesting. You will find this world is not so inhospitable to people like you as you might think. But let's not tarry too long here. There is so much left to be done, after all.

For the first time since entering the darkness, you have a vague sense of...you. You still can't quite nail down any features, but you at the very least seem...somewhat person-shaped. Which is more than you could say before.

2/2 quietCrisis 2019/02/27(Wed)21:15 No. 923663 ID: 986b2d
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In your world, there was only one species of sentient being: the Human. But where you are going, you'll have much more to choose from as far as your form goes. We trust you will find these races...comfortingly familiar. So, tell us. What form does your soul take?

A) Human

Why mess with the formula? Of the sentient races inhabiting the continent of Equix, the humans are likely the most familiar to an outside viewer. Historically, their nation has been not a unified state, but a collection of disparate kingdoms governed by a ruling council of monarchs. Human beings live 70-100 years, on average. Human cultures vary from kingdom to kingdom, but are notable for an emphasis on personal achievement and responsibility. Humans observe, by and large, a binary gender system, but those who eschew these practices are not uncommon. Human politics are notoriously elaborate and opaque to other cultures.

B) Elf

The elves of the Western Woods have been a historically reclusive bunch, but have made notable progress in joining the international community over the past century (a blink of an eye to a species that often lives 700-1000 years). Elves cannot grow facial hair and are overall less sexually dimorphic than humans. They are easily identified by their long, pointy ears. Elf government is a constitutional monarchy, but the workings of the royal family and nobility are more pageantry than actual lawmaking, which is taken care of by the parliament. Elves have a reputation for being a bit stuck up and elitist, but this is more true of the upper classes than the common lay-elf. The elvish concept of gender exists, but is considered as changeable and irrelevant to social roles as the color or length of one's hair.

C) Dwarf

In the mountains to the northeast of Equix live the Dwarves, a hardy and stout species. Dwarves, unlike elves, have always been fairly sociable, despite what their habit of carving their strongholds into cold mountainsides would have you believe. It is more fair to say that eons of being the targets of invasion for the vast supplies of natural resources at their disposal has made Dwarven society healthily cautious. Dwarves range from three to four feet tall, and live about 100-200 years. All dwarves, regardless of sex, grow facial hair, and their culture encourages growing it long and keeping it in elaborate braids. Dwarven society is matriarchal, and is ruled by an elected queen. Dwarves have a trinary gender system.

D) Orc

The orcs of the northern plains share a...complex and tense relationship with the other cultures of Equix. Each of the other nations has, at one time or another, spent time waging war on the Orcs based on the widespread assumption that the species was inherently evil. It is now, of course, common knowledge that no sentient race is unilaterally cruel or malicious, but some do not so easily let go of their old prejudices, and many orcs are rightfully cautious of the other nations after suffering their injustices for so long. Orcs are on average larger than humans, and build muscle more easily. They can be identified by their large tusks and greenish or greyish skin, and live, like humans, for about 70-100 years. The orcs have a largely egalitarian government, ruled by an elected representative council. Orcs do not have a concept of gender, and their language lacks gendered pronouns.

E) Construct

Constructs are a relatively new form of life, and much debate has been dedicated to whether they are actually alive or not. Rather than having their own state or society, individual constructs are born through the magical experimentation of an experienced wizard. Constructs vary widely in shape, sizem and composition, and no two look exactly alike. Most constructs are not sentient. But more than a few are. It is not yet known how long a construct will naturally live. Most have highly personal relationships with gender.

F) Otherborn

Any creature of any biological race with enough mystery in their family tree can be born Otherborn. Those with just a few drops of devil, deity, or dragon in their bloodline may be born with traits that resemble those of their otherworldy ancestors: a baby might be born with large horns, or scaly skin, or perhaps eyes that glow. Otherborn also lack a cohesive culture, but they do, puzzlingly, seem to live a bit longer on average than the non-Otherborn members of their race.

C!

elf! or orc! but one of those is my pick

E) BECAUSE WHO DOESNT LOVE A GREAT CALLBACK TO TOUCH THE METAL TITTY

hhhhhhhh they're all so good tho...
ranked:
F (dragonborn)
D
C
B

Orc please, they sound perfect

Otherborn - Crocodile Taur Tiefling

E
B
F(demigod, there are worse fathers than Zeus, maybe...)

Given that this quest will probably span a few days, maybe a month or two, lifespan is most important! More seriously, if a method of returning exists, the time-differential might be based on effective age difference, so as to deprive the returnee of evidence of their absence. Or we just return to the same moment and don't want to be accustomed to a different age.

>>923663
F) Otherborn, with a little bit of dragon in the bloodline.

Otherborn, with dragon heritage.

E) Construct

>>923663
Otherborn with dragon blood!

E) Construct

only answer because obviously this italic voice is a wise wizard with one sense of right and wrong.

>>923663
E) I WANNA BE A GOLEM

How compatible are these races? There's obviously something going on if people can wind up with "a little bit of dragon heritage" around. So are there the more straightforward mixes around? Half-elves? Half-orcs? Half-elf half-orcs?

Because that'd be my vote if it's an option, half-elf half-orc. Failing that, elf seems pretty nice.

1/1 quietCrisis 2019/03/04(Mon)20:36 No. 924513 ID: 986b2d
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[IMG]
>E

You find your form starting to take more concrete shape, and immediately the feeling is completely foreign to you. You do not feel in the way that you're used to out of your frail, soft human body. Instead, you feel distinctly more...solid. You feel your own presence less than you are...factually aware of it. You know without really seeing in the traditional sense, that you are floating untethered in a vast void. Your head feels hot. Not uncomfortably so, but pleasantly warm.

You're a construct, you realize. This comes as no surprise. You've always liked to play characters who were a little outside the bounds of the ordinary.

Unique choice. We have to say, you never cease to surprise. To be a machine with no master is a difficult life indeed. We wonder if you see something of yourself in that struggle. But let us not tarry here.

You strike us as one who is familiar with the workings of this world. If you are to be, as we require, a hero, you shall have to choose what manner of hero you would like to be. After all, there are as many ways to be an adventurer as there are ways to be alive. What is yours?

A) Warrior

The simplest adventuring class for the beginner, the warrior trades largely in skilled violence. Experienced with either a wide range of weapons or one particular specialty, the warrior's purview is close combat.

B)Rogue

The rogue is equal parts thief, assassin, and all-around scoundrel. While not always ill-intentioned, they often choose to help people or the world from the shadows, rather than out in the sunlight. With a silver tongue and a quick wit, they can talk their way out of nigh-any situation.

C) Wizard

The nerds of the magic-casting world. A wizard has gained their magical prowess through years of careful study. Their craft requires an in-depth knowledge of the laws of physics and arcana alike. These guys can't take a hit, but one who knows what they're doing can be a real force to be reckoned with.

D) Warlock

The goth cleric. Unlike the wizard, the power of the warlock comes from a pact with something greater than human. The world is host to many greater powers, ranging from demon to angel to fey and beyond. A bond, correctly written and reviewed by a lawyer, can be a source of enormous power, but never forget that it comes with strings attached.

E) Cleric

The arcane power of a cleric comes, not from careful study or an accident of fate, but from faith and devotion to the worship of a deity. Some believe this power comes from the gods themselves, others simply believe that the rigors of organized faith unlock a potential that was always there. Clerics are often known as primarily medics, but this is not always the case, and they can unleash frightening magics to rival any other caster.

F) Paladin

Want to be a priest, but prefer the sword to the staff? Or perhaps your goal in life is the protection of the weak, or you wave your banner for a nation or creed in the name of a force divine? In any of these cases, the vow of the Paladin may be for you! While their role in combat may resemble that of a fighter, the Paladin is also a powerful ally, commanding limited healing powers and the blessing of the divine upon their sword.

G) Bard

Heroes are, of course, all well and good, but what good is it to slay a dragon if nobody is there to tell others of their victory? The bard is equal parts field historian, entertainer, and support caster. Their knowledge of the world can be invaluable to an investigative mission, they navigate social spheres with the greatest of ease, and their skill on an instrument is so powerful it can literally heal wounds and bolster spirits.

It occurs to you that going by your existing skills, you're probably best qualified to be a bard. But then again, this is an opportunity for reinvention, right?

rogue rogue rogue rogue

>>924513
F for the god almighty.

Or G for the hell of it

PALADIN PALADIN PALADIN PALADIN LETS SMITE SOME BAD GUYS

>Warrior
HAHAHA no
>Rogue
You have flexible joints but far too shiny
>Wizard
Maaaybe... but AI isn't known for creative thinking
>Warlock
I don't think you have that much loose mana, most of it goes into keeping your parts 'magnetized'.
>Cleric
You don't seem faithful.
>Paladin
You don't seem faithful.
>Bard
You're eye-catching, filled to the brim with memes and lore, and you have nimble interconnecting floating limbs that can strum a banjo rock at 180 notes per minute! Do it!

rogue

Warlocks are the coolest.

But maybe you could be the rare paladin without the stick up your ass!

1. D
2. F

C Wiz.
Why? If you can magic, then magic. Always! Pals and bars are half magic, go whole or god jump in one. Wars can never exceed the powers they are given. What is the point when you know that you can never exceed the BBEG because they are the one paying you? Clerics are always OP, but may have the same issue warlocks have and have too many rules regardless. Wizards? If they put in the effort? They have no limits!

Hm, who are we talking to?
if a god: Cleric (E)
otherwise: Warlock (D)

Let's solidify this relationship.

>>924532

>>924513
G), Let's bring a new age of good taste with our sick tunes.

F) Constructdin, Constructdin, where will you roam?

D!
i'm gay

>>924513
E or D, whichever represents service to the being we're negotiating with during this second chance.

Pretty sure that the the thing talking to us somehow orchestrated our untimely demise via some means that probably took place outside of our field-of-view and then hijacked our proper afterlife in order to have an incompetent dunce who is too old to learn and has no idea how things work in this world but looks like some otherworldly hero for PR purposes. This is all a big plot by the BBEG to make all the credible threats sit back and let us handle it until it is too late to do anything.

>>924540
I already voted, but I agree with this post

B)Rogue!!!!

1/2 quietCrisis 2019/03/05(Tue)09:13 No. 924579 ID: 986b2d
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>3 Way Tie between Rogue, Paladin, and Cleric

You seem...of two minds. Tell us what you are thinking.

You find, for the first time since you died, that you can speak, even if you don't necessarily have a mouth. So you do.

"What are you?" you ask.

I- ah- We hardly see how that is relevant-

"It is relevant," you interrupt. "It'll affect my choice. You saved my life, I'd like to build on this relationship."

You hear a wave of nervous laughter echoing through your head.

We...ah, this is very flattering but...oh, fuck it. One moment.

2/2 quietCrisis 2019/03/05(Tue)09:14 No. 924580 ID: 986b2d
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Something in front of you materializes out of absolutely nothing, condensing into solid form out of blurry fog. When your not-eyes finally focus, you see that the person in front of you is not some imposing avatar of divine energy, but a teenaged girl, wearing an oversized robe and enormous, thick-framed glasses. She gives you a sheepish look.

"I, uh. I'm afraid that that won't be possible. Not because I don't want to help you, but, you see... shit, uh, okay. My name's the Gatekeeper. I'm a goddess, but I don't take on worshippers the way the others do, and I promise it's not personal. It's just...my influence is really limited outside my domain, and that's this place. The World Between Worlds. I can't offer you any boons or powers, and if you carry my sigil nobody will know what the hell it means. I'm sorry, you seem really clever and with anyone else your question would have been a really good one, but...I'm afraid that as a goddess I'm really rather useless."

You frown.

"But, um!" she says, clearly catching on to your disappointment. "I really am flattered, and I'm more than willing to broker some kind of vow of fealty to any of my other deities, lots of them really are good people....I think you would really like my sister, Lux, and she's much more useful overall! I really am sorry. I don't know if this influences your decision any, but please take all the time you need..."

Tiebreaker round!

A) Rogue
B) Paladin
C) Cleric

Whoops, Typo! Gatekeeper says "any of my other deities," but she means "any of the other deities."

A) Rogue! Rogue! Rogue!

B. I mean, if she wants us to work with Lux, that's fine.

B)
Let's see what our options are.

>>924580
Go paladin so you can keep in touch with her through her sister. You can carry a spare sigil around if no one knows what it means anyways.

A) Rogue

A) rogue, who knows maybe there is a god of trickery and thievery like Hermès, get some help keeping track on the gatekeeper and lux.

>>924580
C: Cleric

CC, all of the magic.
B pals! Paladins have swords, so they don't 'need' magic. We can be a follower of Gatekeeper, get advanced notice of inter-world intrusions, have a direct line to the path back home, and have someone to chat to who won't be all hassling us about how the world should be run(because her domain isn't even in the world). It is also a chance to spread the word of Gatekeeper. There must be people who like the idea of a wall to stop immigrants and make fantasyland great again someone regulating the influx of heroes, Lovecraftian horrors, Grey Goos... well, it is an easy concept to sell once people fear understand it. Given the "Just Wanna Go Home" line from the intro, there really is no other choice.

Ask what sort of parents name one kid Gatekeeper which is simply a profession, and the other Lux, which is more a property, ambiguous, and crazily obscure. Did they just assume that she would never have to introduce herself socially?

Has she ever tried granting powers? I bet she could throw around some visions of The Great Beyond that could be used to stun people and encourage them to reconsider their philosophical positions. She also must have seen all sorts of stuff, surely she can offer some above-average(if esoteric) visions and prophecies? She might not be shattering any mountains, but a subtle hand can work wonders. That all assumes that summoning isn't an option. Even just a lump of detritus that most resembles a rock can save someone if it is in the right place at the right time. If she can grant temporary visas to stuff that just drifts by...

>>924599
I mean, luckily, paladins have a bit of magic too.

What if we're a paladin with a little more focus on the magic than usual and whose physical focus is more on the sneaking and stabbing than the straightforward fighting? So y'know, divine assassin!

Failing that we could be a regular paladin I guess... so B

>>924606
Except The Gatekeeper doesn't grant magic. We obviously can't settle for one of the dozens of light-emitting deities when we can personally ask the god of being banished back from whence we came.

>>924580
B for paladin.

1. we can go on a crusade

2. Take back the holy land!

3. fight for a god or goddess!

4. swing that sword while patching your injuries up.

5. Deus Vult!

>>924611
We're not settling. She recommended someone she thinks is way better! Even if we owe her, we can get actual powers from her sister. No point in being a paladin without magic, that's just half a fighter.

paladin time!

and maybe we can work out a deal with gatekeeper where we just worship her family of gods as a whole? or maybe if we're her follower some of her siblings will help us out with powers because it sounds like shes never had a follower before honestly and we should be the first

>>924641
Do you honestly believe her when she says that Lux is better? Can't you see her rampant self-esteem issues? She is the sole barrier between all that lies within her world, and ALL that lies without. That their world isn't 800% tentacles by volume is proof that she must be amongst the most hardcore beings in existence. but from her attitude it looks like she thinks she was dumped out here so that she wouldn't mess-up and ruin anything important.

Lux would be the convenient choice. She has been doing this whole mortal empowerment thing forever and probably comes with an instruction manual and a choice of starter pack of shiny magic to use. Gatekeeper knows what enters and leaves the world, that knowledge alone is powerful, control over such adds the potential for force. Not to mention all that she has seen. Want a lightsaber? Maybe she got a good look at one when a sith lord tried to sneak it through customs and she could pass on the schematics. You want to know the political background of a region? Probably half the nations were founded on Isekai nonsense and she has dossiers on all of them. Sick of being blind-sided by doomsdays? We'll be on her (tragically small) shortlist of social contacts when the other gods are all whining about foul miasmas or the latest god of destruction decides to barge in. And as her prototype paladin all her efforts to discover a way to empower a mortal will be customised to suit us instead of "magic was made for humans, not golems" nonsense.
And for her side? She finally gets a proxy in the world to vicariously play in the sandbox while she personally has to sit on the sideline and stay sober to keep the weight of all the other worlds from crushing this one.

>>924696
I mean, yes? She's probably as strong as Gatekeeper says. I don't mind going with GK if that's the way it goes, but if that's actually a real option, it's going to be a harder route, and it's going to take a lot more work to gain power.

A) Fffine go with Rogue you have the 'flexibility' for it.

>>924580
OH! ask her how to pray for her anyways!
always good times making allies with superior beings.