Set Forth on Quest 1

Between the city of Missionaire and the capital lay a well-traveled toll road, around which a small town had sprung, to lodge both travelers and guardsmen alike. In the early days, this checkpoint had been a key fortification to ensure that demons did not freely travel into populated areas from the war zone. Nowadays, the demons had long since been fought back to a further point by the saintesses. The town had continued to grow, the checkpoint had been further staffed, and now, it had become less of a saving grace to travelers and more of an entrapment. The forests and hills were still populated with demons, but this one way was totally safe. The only downside was that the traveler would need an abundance of coin, or else, they could find themselves living in the rapidly expanding slum zone, downtown, past the walls of the city, trying in vain to scrape up enough coin to fund a proper carriage out of town. The cheap carriages were just as likely to be full of bandits, setting back the trip out of town all the more.{if Helmid = True}

"A repulsive place. To think that such villainy thrives just a stone's throw from fair Missionaire," Helmid remarked wearing a sympathetic frown as she rode up front in the carriage alongside you. "To think that in a world beset by demons, human beings would have the gall to prey upon each other. Setting this right is not the responsibility of saintesses, but of authorities and nobles. Coming from nobility myself, I can tell you, that means it will be a long time before we see things restored to decency here. I hope that what we do here today will serve justice all the same."{endif}{if Belit = True}

Belit leaned forward from the backseat, wearing an unusually sour expression. "These scumbags willingly created the slums all on their own. If we end up offing the whole lot of 'em in a tussle, you won't hear me complaining," Belit remarked. "Same goes for that fake saintess of theirs. Only people who'd wish something like this on innocent travelers for a bit of coin are bastards who've never had to live that life themselves."{endif}{if Liens = True}

"Crime. Sanctioned crime. Not so different from the royal capital. Humans. Loathsome at times," Liens grumbled, leaning one cheek on her fist in the back of the carriage. "Not you. But many. Better off living with elves, in the forest. But no way to make progress there. Not so many scientists. No robotics at all. So I came to Missionaire. Glad I could move through the forest. No checkpoint." She sighed and shook her head. "The humans gain an inch against the demons. Then they think it's okay. To stuff their pockets. Forget what's important. Idiots. Fuckwits. Divided like that. Easier targets for demons. The slums would become a feeding frenzy for just one cyclops. Nonsense."{endif}{if Rosary = True}

Sister Rosary spoke up from the backseat. "Missionaire was once known as Pilgrim's Rest, you know. Visitors on religious missions would come from the royal capital and pass down this road. Now, this checkpoint, which was meant to help them, squeezes them for more than they can stand. Oh, what a state of affairs... pilgrims no longer come to Missionaire, for this reason. They can't afford the tolls." The sister rested her hand upon her cheek. "All the worse for those of us in the church who choose to live humbly, forsaking wealth. Without gold on one's person, this place can be especially cruel."{endif}{if Bangaal = True}

Alongside the carriage, Bangaal's form materialized in a puff of red flames and smoke. "Are you in poor spirits, Lavender Vin? There is injustice all over the world, you know? There are places where we see it more clearly, like here, but it truly is everywhere! Humanity often forgets the true form of happiness and how all humans rely upon one another for it. So foolish! Work with Bangaal to make a world of happiness, okay?" she encouraged you, poking your cheek with one finger, before vanishing out of sight.{endif}{if Amulette = True}

From the back of the cart, covered in sheets so as not to reveal her form, Amulette lay crudely hidden from the eyes of guards. "What a humiliating hayride you have humbled me with, husband. Shall I summon a skeleton to spook the sentries as soon as their sights are set upon us? Kehehehee..." You hoped she was only joking and wasn't planning to act upon that idea. "They'll blow back the blankets and be beset by bones!"{endif}

The saintesses made the ride up to the gate more lively than it would have been otherwise. You were glad to have their company, because once you reached the front gate, it became clear how oppressive this establishment truly was. You could see how the checkpoint had started, with a fortified wall, a moat, and a great, iron draw-gate, but it had since expanded to include dwellings, both built into the wall and contained within its circle. Further on, the dwellings actually spilled past the walls and outward, making it so that the people living there, technically, weren't guarded at all.

There seemed to be more guardsmen at the gate's ****-point than there were travelers, creating large pockets where all of people's possessions were being noted down on paper and rigorously inspected. The amount of money changing hands right here made your eyes bulge. Nobles were mostly strolling on by, while commoners seemed to be held up, their bags turned inside and out for any hint of gold.

A tall guard wearing brown armor crafted from the bones of some draconic demon approached. That armor and his trailing, blood-red cape made him stand apart from the other guards, but other guards there were, following him in droves. Your carriage must really look like money, because they were rolling out the red carpet for you. "Welcome, travelers. As you can see, this is a toll-road. I trust you intend to pay the toll? That's quite an unusual family you've got in there... Where are you all headed?" he asked, stroking his patchy black beard while tilting his head up in an expression only half-curious.

You told him that this was your destination. You were here in the company of saintesses, investigating the claims of a false saintess in the area.

The man smirked as his face and his words clashed. "Saintesses? Pray, forgive my discourtesy," he chuckled. "There will be no toll, not for you all. The kingdoms' heroes shouldn't be taxed as commoners. All that you do for the kingdom is payment enough." Just as you were starting to feel encouraged, he smiled to a nearby guard, who mimicked his own irksome grin. "I'm the guard captain, Mertz. Honored to make your acquaintance, squire."

Rather than waiting for you to introduce yourself, he crossed his arms and made a show of looking this way and that over your carriage. "No, no toll today. Although... something you mentioned... yes. You say you're here looking for a false saintess? I can't imagine anyone with the bravado to pull such a scheme, but stranger things have happened," he spoke, with a tone and gait that made you think his interest was just an act for his own amusement. "But, and recognizing that we've already pardoned your toll... we can't be too careful, can we? How do we know your saintesses are the real deal? Can't have fake saintesses sneaking in and avoiding the toll without a proper inspection, can we?"

You groaned, asking him if he was serious. Surely he knew he was near to the warzone, where saintesses were most commonly seen. You'd pay the toll if you had to, but you weren't going to humiliate the saintesses by humoring Mertz's accusations.

"Accusations? You're here to investigate a false saintess. Don't begrudge me for doing the same," he shrugged. "As I stated, no toll. This is what's important now. Present me one of the women and we will verify if she is a true saintess, by making note of her print of Geod. Do not and it will be straight to the prisons with you all," he reiterated, wordlessly arranging his guards so that they entirely surrounded the carriage. "The choice is yours, squire."

It seemed there was really no getting around this without making an enemy of the guards straight off. But who should show their mark?