Investigate the False Saintess - Report (Grade B)

Dame Nil Riiche was on the run, but otherwise, the royal knights and townspeople had all been very appreciative of your efforts at the checkpoint. Ousting Mertz had been well worth the effort and the community's leaders had been happy to change the wine donation ceremony to a celebration of your party. It wasn't quite the picture perfect first outing with your saintesses that you'd pictured, but it wasn't as bad as you'd feared either. You thought your recruit commander would be proud, if he'd seen what you accomplished.

His wife was proud, anyway. Back at the camp, your party assembled around the bonfire at the center to review the outcome of your first mission. Helmid had seemed to believe it was cause for celebration and accordingly broke out her wine for the celebration. "A solid first outing all around. I'd like to thank you all for your work, and, most importantly, I believe we should give a round of applause to our new squire. Your commands led us to achieve nearly all of our objectives soundly and, more importantly, to free the checkpoint from the influence of demons and demon-friends alike."

"Solid. Yeah. Not perfect. There were some weird mishaps. Gotta admit," Liens murmured, biting her glove's thumb. It looked like she wasn't going to touch the noblewoman's wine at all. "Room for improvement. No mistakes next time. Okay?" You supposed it would be too much to ask that she'd be all smiles at any moment-- it would be a conflict of character, to be sure.

"I suppose we should take stock of potential areas of improvement, yes. Never overlook an opportunity to grow. Well said, Liens," the paladin agreed, although you thought she didn't sound super pleased that the mood was being brought down.{if Quest 1 Gate Crash = True}

Amulette and Belit cackled, discussing the start of the quest. There was something said about 'the stupid look on Mertz's face.' It was true, it had been funny to see the look on his face, but giving Mertz's faction a public humiliation wasn't going to make the job of the inquisition against him any easier. He could now say that you were the first to enact ****, after all.{endif}{if Quest 1 Guards Attacked = True}

The way you all had gotten through the barracks hadn't been particularly graceful. Plans had failed and it had ended with you all slugging it out with the guards. While that had all gone over mostly without injury, it wasn't a particularly good look for the holy saintesses. That sort of fighting was usually reserved for demons, not people who-- at least theoretically-- are human peacekeepers. It wouldn't be particularly good if word of this got around without the proper context.{endif}{if Quest 1 Injured = True}

You'd been injured pretty gravely during the encounter with Nil Riiche. An impossibly powerful opponent, she'd had an answer for every trick you and the saintesses threw at her. No one would hold your failure to capture her against you-- that was all but an inevitability-- but the saintesses were all pretty crestfallen at their inability to protect you at such a critical moment. Luckily, you'd been quickly attended to by the church's healers, but if something like this happened out in isolated, demon-infested wilderness... It could cut your journey quite short.{endif}

Once you all finished discussing the scattered mishaps, Belit raised her mug into the air with a raucous cheer. "Best of all: they gave us some of the wine from the party! You got a little cut of the cash as well too, eh, squire? Aaah, it's great being a saintess, heh heh heh!" the party's ranger giggled, draining deeply from her mug. "Thanks wasn't something I got a lot of as a thief, you know?" She took her seat again, then grinned. "Plus, seeing a guy like Mertz in chains made it all worth it."

"Satisfying. Agreed," Liens murmured, finally taking a drink of her wine.

"Bangaal thinks you did a very handsome job, Lavender Vin! Let us spread the fame of chaos magic far and wide, together!" Bangaal giggled, appearing behind you to throw one arm around your shoulders.

"A-And the name of Geod," Rosary murmured, wringing her hands together as wine and revelry filled the camp.

"Geod can join once he journeys down to joust with jerkish jesters in the guise of guards! Kehehehe..." Amulette cackled, causing Rosary to jump as she grabbed her mug from her and drained it in one gulp.

"Yes, celebrate now. In the morn, we'll ponder what to do about Nil Riiche," Helmid reminded everyone, as you settled in next to the saintesses to show your drinking ability.

You received: 100 gold and one gift!

GIFT: Royal Red Wine

Few outside the nobility of the royal capital are ever privileged to taste Royal Red. A rich, red wine, devised to be sipped tastefully among elites who can't afford to get punch drunk in front of their high-born compatriots. If one downs a full glass, or worse, a bottle, one can expect to take full leave of their senses and have a nasty hangover in the morning... but one may expect to enjoy one hell of a night as well.

((Remember-- You can replay quests as many times as you like after returning to the camp hub! Try again to gather more gold, more favor, and see scenes you may have missed!))