Investigate the False Saintess - Report (Grade A)

Despite the escape of the so-called dark saintess, Dame Nil Riiche, it felt like your first mission had been a good test of your ability to lead and had proven that the saintesses worked well as a unit. The failure against Nil Riiche had been inevitable, but everything else had come out for the better. Mertz and his men were going behind bars and finally, the checkpoint could return back to its original function. The church, the royal knights, and the people of the surrounding town were all appreciative of the outcome.

In fact, they were all so appreciative, the intended wine donation had turned into a celebration of the saintesses. That had been a fun time, but just as importantly, had come with a generous donation of **** that would ensure some lively nights at the camp. All of the saintesses appeared to be in high spirits-- and deep in the spirits-- as you partied around the campfire.

"Ahem!" Helmid cleared her throat, loudly, trying to grab everyone's attention. "My, the way everyone's carrying on, you'd think we had Nil Riiche in cuffs. Not to make light of our success in the investigation, but remember, there is always room for improvement! We should go over the learnable lessons from our mission today."

"Party pooper!" Belit booed.{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}

At any rate, worrying about Nil Riiche could wait once you had a chance to rest and find some new leads. For now, there was time to celebrate Mertz's downfall and, just as importantly, to party with your saintesses. In a way, that was also one of a squire's duties.

"E-Everyone, are we totally sure that this wine is safe to drink? It's not from Wiseman's stock, is it? Imagine if all seven of us were made demon-friends... I shudder to think of it," Rosary murmured, watching her wine tentatively. Amulette snagged it for her and drained the cup, causing her to gasp.

"If your ill-conceived inhibitions inhibit you from imbibing, then all the more for this merry-maker!" the witch cackled, wiping her lips with her forearm. "If you still yearn for it, teetotaler, you can taste it off my twin tongues," She leaned over the other woman's lap, making a kissy face, which caused the nun to reel back in bashful panic and nearly fall off of her seat.

"Look! Even Liens is drinking! I don't think I've ever seen her put a thing in her mouth that wasn't one of those weird nutrient rations she's always eating," Belit laughed, watching as the inventor sipped at a mug. "Don't you know? **** will slim you up! Well, if you yack after drinking, it will, heh heh heh!"

"Yuck. I'm not going to. Look. Shut it," Liens growled, poking one finger into the other girl's face. "I'm just. Hm. Satisfied. That our squire is safe. That we're safe. That Mertz will finally be **** to take a bath. Progress. Adequate. Good. Enough progress made already that... A drink isn't a setback."

Bangaal danced around the bonfire with her golden coins flickering in the orange light. "Come, Lavender Vin! Join Bangaal in a dance! And when you are done, you will fuck Bangaal! What a reward!" the djinn instructed you, holding out her hands to take yours. You thought you heard someone spit out their drink at her words, but you couldn't see who it was, as your head was pushed up into Bangaal's silk-wrapped breast.

"Now, now... Let's try to be respectful," Helmid chuckled, pressing her hand to her suspiciously reddening face. "Although, I do agree that if anyone is to perform their saintly duties tonight, perhaps it would only be courteous to do it outside, in full view of the others--"

"F-F-Full view?!" Rosary stammered.

"Helmid, you're so frickin' weird," Belit groaned, rolling her eyes.

The revelry continued through the night, enough to make you forget about the dangers posed by Nil Riiche. Tomorrow, you could refocus on that difficult task, but tonight, you could rest and enjoy the company of your wives.

You received: 150 gold and two gifts!

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.

GIFT: Black Forest Cider

A niche flavor, supposedly backwards-developed from a beverage enjoyed by the demon army, using apples harvested from a haunted forest. It's hard to say how much of that is myth, but the unusual taste does speak to unusual origins. Drinking it requires a great deal of courage, not only because it burns going down, but also, because there are rumors that the apples used in this cider make one bound to the wills of the witches who grew them.

((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!))