Ranger Quest

Ranger Quest by LightsaberGuy
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Ranger Quest was created on tgchan by LightsaberGuy to serve as introduction to his magnum opus Tales of Malvynnia saga. As a "test quest", the author's first contribution to the community, it comes off a little shaky in terms of tgchan standard course of sequencing. Due also to lack of illustrating resources, stock fantasy images had to be used to portray the story's aspects.

The game centers a veteran ranger who is assigned to train unlikely set of recruits during a new rising threat to the larger nation of Sholesdon. But before he leaves, his old friend gives him grave news while the protagonist faces an adversary in his new commanding officer: A young and cocky though reasonably equipped female ranger.

Due to complicating issues in the author's personal life, as well as time needed to digest the website's formatting, the game has been put on hiatus for about a year. However, the game is set to restart in the near future.

Plot

Prologue: A New Threat

The game begins as Lester "Les" Helms, former field ranger and current instructor to the junior recruits, is making his daily rounds in the Summerscourt grounds when he is called to the private quarters of colonel Kay Randall, his commanding officer and original mentor. Something that has not happened in quite a while. Though he has much respect for her, as tgchan surmises (and his old misogynist ways prove) he contemplates she might propose something extra curricular. Either that or some ancient ranger secret.

His intuition proves wrong, begrudgingly, when she greets him as officer standard and informs him of the true nature of the recent hushed rumors of a new threat to the land. A technologically advanced society is on the move, one that the Victoria era-esque/steampunk hybrid Traskan Empire pales in comparison to. Col. Randall explains that this hyper society seemingly rose suddenly from the ashes of the centuries dead Háború civilization, as if a surviving virus. This new warrior race, christened the neo-Háború or informally X-Legion (in reference to the X insignia imprinted on their suits), has dominated the Frunfoc and te-Arcadian regions. She informs the protagonist that the ranger council has proposed to send their most adept personnel to an old ranger enclave in the forest to house, aid, and train the region's refugees, who have personal experience with the invaders, to fight back and reclaim their land, and in exchange for some precious coin. Col. Randall urges Les to join their desperate plan.

Initially, the protagonist is conflicted. He always would have rathered to still be fighting in the field himself, if it weren't for thatone incident. But he also considers it good chance to again prove his worth, as he sees the situation could use his expertise. Before committing to an answer, however, the protagonist floods his commanding officer with a series of questions concerning their current battle situation, such as current tactics, the enemy's background, and the ranger's resources. She calmly addresses his concerns and when he finds her answers adequate he accepts her request. The two exchange the ranger salute of farewell and the scene fades to black.

Chapter 1: Poor Introductions, Worse News

The protagonist wakes up after an anxious night, worrying about the fate of his new mission and of Sholesdon's future. He was never much for worrying, but Co. Randall sure put a name and urgency to the rumors. After exiting the barracks, Les began on his way to meet his escort Ira Ruskin, Col. Randall's associate from the special ops division, a passing courier approaches him and informs him that Almond Sherwood, his companion from his original brigade, has requested his presence in the dining hall. He decides to meet his friend after introducing himself to Ira.

After telling the courier to relay his course of action, he heads directly to find Ira by the stables beside her chestnut horse. Immediately, the two do not get along. Ira appears to do her best to show him his place as his new commanding officer, causing Les to lose his cool. As tgchan urged, the protagonist swallowed his pride and apologized, little to Ira's concern. By her permission, Les steps away for the moment to unite with his friend.

When he arrives at the dining hall, he finds his friend Al holding back tears—very unusual for someone as reserved as him. When Les asks, Al tells the protagonist that their other friend from the old brigade, Dan Krabill, has fallen deathly ill of Bloodbane Virus while defending the villages just south of the Far East against Mad Morgan, the bandit lord, and his men, hiding out in Blunderhaal Woods. The situation turns even worse when it is revealed that among the multitude afflicted by the illness wave, the bandits were unaffected. This is due to a warlock, Malachite the crystal sorcerer, on their payroll imbuing them with the purifying effects of Yellow Jasper.

Lester fears for his friend and for the villages in the East. He offers his friend his own sympathy and asks to know everything he can, so he can offer his best advice. From here, Ranger Quest enters hiatus.