>>558350
Oh! Well then everything's fine. Introduce yourself as The Pathfinder, and the princess as uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh your traveling partner, leave out the princess part.

>>558353
oh oh, just call her your 'companion', and that you are 'together'.

can you see her lower body? because for whatever reason I can't help but think she's a centaur, no idea why but that thought is stuck in my head.

Also as for what to say, "I'm simply here to fill out my map, if this is considered ill intent then I'll leave before I can cause any problems"
Might as well keep up the small and innocent act as it's always better to have any enemy (potential or otherwise) underestimate you and give you chances to either get away or turn the tides more towards your favor.

>>558350
"Oh, no. We wouldn't dream of causing trouble; we're simple travelers out seeing the world and meeting its people. I am Pathfinder, and my companion is Ella. Pleased to meet you!"

>>558350
Not really possible ma'am, we're just the pathfinder miss and a traveler that we're helping out.
I mean I guess we might want to party with some elves if they'll have us. Getting drunk with good company is always fun. And our tongue gets us into trouble occasionally, I mean, it is supposed to be made of silver but honestly, I think that tongue is only good for eating fish ma'am.

What's that weird face your making ma'am, it's only natural for a Curi to love getting down and eating some good fish, I mean, really, that's one of the stereotypes we actually don't take offense to.

The Pathfinder 2014/01/19(Sun)01:25 No. 558377 ID: 8f7720
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"I'm simply here to fill out my map, if this is considered ill intent then I'll leave before I can cause any further problems"

???: "It is not, Sir Pathfinder. I was not aware your kind had sent a new one. Someone of your title is always welcome within our lands."

She steps out from behind the tree. Before The Pathfinder can see her he can hear the sound of hooves stepping on rock and grass. The woman reveals herself to be a centaur, which certainly explains her height. She puts her bow away and folds her arms.

???: "I must warn you, Sir Pathfinder, that while my people will not hinder you on your mission you may find the dangers of the forest might be a bit more than you and your..."

"Oh, this is Ella. She's my companion."

???: "I am Selene. As I was saying, I fear that you two may have trouble safely navigating this land. I see you are without weapons... Are you spellcasters?"

"Unfortunately, I am not."

Selene: "Hmm... I cannot in good conscience allow you to wander our land by yourself. Not only for your well being but it would shame my people if The Pathfinder were to perish in our land. If you would have me I could guide you through the land, at least enough to fill your map."

Ella: "Oh man... Are we gonna ride the centaur? I always wanted to try that."

"Ella, don't be rude. you can ask, but just assuming is playing on stereotypes.

so, Selene, may Ella get a lift? i am fine with walking myself."

>>558377
That's a bit of a high honor for strangers Ella, even for a Pathfinder. Then again, I suppose I'm only guessing at that. Maybe they would transport a stranger that's a child on their back, but only if the child's alone out in these dangerous woods.

Write to Ella that maybe we should just call her El because if anyone actually knows your name in these lands near you home it could be bad. I'd say whisper to her but honestly the centaur probably has good hearing. Unless that already is an alias. We know we didn't want to call you Princess earlier and wanted your name, but we should have asked for a fake name a while back. it just came to my mind right now when we introduced ourselves.

>>558377
Facepalm.
"Ella, that's not polite.
Thank you, Selene. Your help is most welcome."

We would gladly accept your offer of assistance.

When was the last time a pathfinder passed through these wood?

(I imagine your people only send out something like one or two pathfinders a generation? That implies the centaurs are either long lived, or keep their history well. And if you've had peers map this area before, why is your map completely blank? Wouldn't it be smart to build on or improve old knowledge rather than start fresh each time?)

>Are we gonna ride the centaur?
Only if our guide decides to indulge us. I imagine she has some say in the matter.

>Ella: "Oh man... Are we gonna ride the centaur? I always wanted to try that."
"That would be up to her and I imagine that she would not extend such privileges without an emergency or the trade of something she believes of equivalent value. You might be insulting her by asking, since that compares her to a horse, so please don't press the matter.
"I am a bard of some skill, perhaps I can repay your kindness with song and story?"

>That would be up to her, I imagine
That's really all we need to say. We shouldn't make any presumptions about it being rude or a special privilege anymore than we should assume it's her place to offer us rides.

ha, fucking called it, centaur

anyways to the guide thing, "if you would be willing we'd be very grateful."

to Ella riding Selene's back, "I don't believe she would allow such a thing, at least since we've only just meet."

>>558377
Ride a centaur like a common pack animal? I highly doubt that is socially acceptable. It seems like it would be something only done in emergencies. She's not wearing a saddle anyway, it wouldn't be very comfortable.

Wait, another one? This has been attempted before, I take it? The other one must have died or something considering that we don't have knowledge of these lands.

The Pathfinder 2014/02/04(Tue)23:14 No. 560936 ID: 8f7720
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>Wait, another one? This has been attempted before, I take it? The other one must have died or something considering that we don't have knowledge of these lands.

As I mentioned before we Curi do this every few years. It helps us keep the maps up to date. Sure some have perished on the job but our maps of this particular part of the land are fairly up to date. However, none of us have ever gotten a full map of any villages or cities here.

"Ella, that's not polite. Thank you, Selene. Your help is most welcome."

Selene: "It is my pleasure. Please, follow me. I will be sure to stay close."

The Pathfinder and Ella stick by the centaur as she leads them through the woods. As she does she points out the different plants and landscapes around them. The forest is brimming with life and a few things seem to dart away as the Pathfinder spots them.
However, as they walk he can't help but notice that there are no other centaur around.

"Selene, are you alone out here?"

Selene: "Hmm? Of course not. My people are all around us and many are at my home. We are not easy to spot unless we desire and I am forbidden from leading you to my home unless there were an emergency. I apologize if this causes you some difficulty."

"It's fine. So tell me, are you a hunter for your people?"

Selene: "A guard. Though I do hunt when needed. People of my rank typically take this position."

"Of your rank?"

Selene: "It is complicated to explain to outsiders. It is similar to the Curi, I suppose. We are given ranks upon our birth and our jobs are restricted based upon that. I am too high to be a simple farmer but not quite enough to be a merchant or ambassador. This job is fine with me. I enjoy testing myself against creatures. In fact... It is my dream to one day hunt the Dark Dragon, Ur-Embra. I will bring it's meat to my people and fashion a bow out of it's horns. It will be glorious."

>>560936
She's forbidden from leading you to her home, so that means we won't be getting it on your map, doesn't it? That would be why your maps never have info of the centaur village, right? Ask if there is some way to get around your map's requirements. If not, I suppose we can just play this by ear.

Ask about the dragon. Does it live near here?

>>560936
Well that sounds like a dream to achieve. Well, want to achieve it while we map our shit? If you're going to do it someday, might as well be in your prime and with a party. We'll imagine we'll pick up a few adventurers along our way, a nice quest with a party ought to fill up our map pretty good.

We'll get rapped up in sidequests, Princess gets to see more of the world and adventure, we get to map a lot of the shit that the adventurers get us into, centaur gets the horns and meat and the adventurers get the some of the hoard, with us taking a bit of a finders fee and mapping fee from the hoard, not to mention some sort of rewards for sidequests we are a large part of.
Win/win for everybody.

does this beast live in the forest as well?

is this dragon nearby or is it far away? Why do you wish to hunt this dragon anyways? Is it because it's a threat to your home and/or people, simple to prove your mantel, or is it for some other reason if you don't mind my asking?

>>560936
Ask what's stopping her from pursuing her dream.

The Pathfinder 2014/02/20(Thu)23:59 No. 563672 ID: 8f7720
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>>560937
Unfortunately without going in the city my map will have a bit of a blind spot. Ah, if only I could just get close to it that would be enough...
We'll see what happens. I may have to use my other Dailies.

"So what is stopping you from pursuing your dream?"

Selene: "A few things. Namely that I am certain fighting the beast will mean my death. Dragons are not to be taken lightly. Even their kin, the Dragonborn, would hesitate to fight one. I could fight Ur-Embra any time I wanted, he is not far away, but it would be foolish. But that is why it's my dream. It's a goal I can work towards. A dream that could be easily achieved wouldn't mean much, would it?"

"No, I suppose not. You and I are similar. We both have tasks that many would find daunting. I would love to help with yours, if I could."

Selene: "Heh. Thank you, Pathfinder. But I think t-!!!"

The centaur gasps and shudders. The Pathfinder can hear a sizzling sound.

"Selene..? Are you okay?"

S: "Pathfinder... I think you and your companion should flee..."

"What's wrong?"

S: "I said flee!"

The Pathfinder can see something creeping down from the tree branches. Blobs of some kind of slime drip down and land on Selene.

>>563672
ACID SLIME! It may be a paralytic!
Cast Neutralize Acid on her back, then levitate her and drag her out of there FAST!

What spells/powers/abilities DO you have, anyway?

>>563672
Looks like a clothes-eating slime to me. I think your centaur guide here is more concerned about you seeing her naked than your personal safety.

So run off and duck behind a tree until she's dealt with it, I suppose. It's not like we can help her fight the thing.

Well, frick; fleeing entirely would, while saving your own skin, be rather cowardly. Unless you ran to get help. However, backing up quickly and trying to get a better grasp of what's going on might be more merited.

If we have no combat abilities (which I suspect), at least one of you two should run shrieking and hollering for help into the woods. She did say "my people are all around us".

oh dear, it seems a slime just landed on her, do you have anything in your arsenal of tricks to help her out with such a thing cause I think it would be in poor form to just leave her... You may also want to look up and make sure the 3 of you aren't under any more of the pesky beast as well because that could make this situation... a bit more hectic.

you could, like, grab a branch or something and whack at it. or give us a list of your Dailies.

she can't reach her back properly, help throw them off!

Back up, and put an arm to hold Ella back as well.

Don't flee, but quickly study the creature in the tree and what's happening. Is it some form of a slime, or is it merely dripping some kind of slime? What's the effect on Selene? Is that stuff just burning through her clothes, or is i harming her as well? What effect does it have on leaves or branches that it's touching?

Then we're going to need a list of dallies. Anything in the way of dealing with hostile creatures, or freeing or healing or buffing allies? Seems like that would be relevant, now.

>If only I could get close enough...
All you need to be allowed in is an emergency. And if that slime stuff is at all corrosive, you may have one on your hands very soon.

The Pathfinder 2014/04/16(Wed)23:51 No. 571156 ID: 8f7720
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>>563673
I can't do any of those! All I have are Cute Kitty Eyes, Find North, and some basic Bard skills! I don't think lute playing will help here!

>>563694
"I'll save you!"

S: "Fool! I said run! I am okay, I simply do not want-OW! Why are you hitting me!"

"I'm trying to get rid of the slime!"

She cries out in pain as the Pathfinder keeps trying to remove the slime. His attacks seem to have no effects. The centaur backs away with each hit, trying to shake the Pathfinder away without removing her hands.

S: "Stop! It's mostly harmless! Just leave before-!"

E: "The ledge!"

Huh?

The Pathfinder 2014/04/17(Thu)00:02 No. 571158 ID: 8f7720
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The duo tumbles down a cliff and land in more dense woods. Tree branches snap and break as they continue falling. They land with a THUD.
The Pathfinder is knocked out...
================================================

When he comes to he sees his guide nearly naked laying beside him.

S: "Sir Pathfinder, you're awake. I'm so glad."

"What happened?"

S: "We fell. We are no longer in my people's territory..."

"Where are we?"

S: "Goblin land. But we are at the fringes of their land. Few venture here. Are you okay? Anything broken?"

The Pathfinder moves about. A bit banged up but he's well enough.

"I'm fine. Yourself?"

S: "I sprained my leg. My potions were in my satchel."

"Hold on, I may have something."

The Pathfinder checks his own bag and finds that all of his potions have shattered.

S: "Pathfinder, you must leave me here. Go around the cliff and back to my people. These are dangerous lands..."

awesome hat powers go! wrap legs around her waist, hold hat above head and use it as a parachute

>>571158
"You misunderstand. It's impossible for me to leave an innocent person in distress.
I'll have to help you walk out of here. There's no other way."

"it is at LEAST partially my fault this happened, i cannot in good conscience fail you again." remove shirt, give to her.

I don't like the way her left arm is hanging, is that dislocated?

>Pathfinder, you must leave me here.
I could not in good conscience abandon you here, especially as it was due to my own recklessness that you took a fall in the first place.

>Go around the cliff and back to my people.
If we are fortunate, Ella will encounter your people, and they will learn what has happened to us.

>The Pathfinder checks his own bag and finds that all of his potions have shattered.
I don't suppose we could wring anything out of the cloth of the bag? It might not be a full does, but being able to partially treat her wounds is better than nothing.

>what do?
Offer her your own shirt (you appear dressed in layers, anyways). We're at a disadvantage if she's forced to sacrifice one arm to maintain her modesty.

Sacrifice more cloth (if it will help) to splint her injury (you're supposed to compress sprains. ...you're also supposed to keep them iced, elevated, and rest, but I doubt we can afford those luxuries).

she's got like three good legs. you make do with two. she'll be fine if you guys travel slowly.

Give the lady your shirt like a gentleman

>>571347
That's like, not how horses work, man.
Besides, she's built like a thoroughbred. A barrel on stilts. Not without aesthetic or athletic appeal, but entirely sans durability.
If she were built more along the lines of a courser, or a goddamn shire, she'd probably not even have a sprain right now.

The Pathfinder 2014/10/16(Thu)16:44 No. 598595 ID: 3e87de
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"I'm afraid I can't possibly leave you here."

>"Sir Pathfinder, I appreciate your chivalry but I am wounded and it begins to grow dark. I will be worse than useless if we were to be attacked."

"I'm afraid I'll have to insist. I don't think I would be able to live with myself if I found that you were attacked and I couldn't help you."

>"Pathfinder... I ask that you reconsider."

"I can't."

>"... Very well. My people will eventually notice I am gone and find my tracks. Perhaps your friend will find them first."

"Exactly. If we both just wait here I'm certain someone will find us."

>"That is partially what I am worried about..."

The Pathfinder removes his tabard and hands it to Selene. She thanks him and puts it over herself. It's small, barely reaching her navel, but it's enough to give her some modesty. After patching herself up a bit she sighs.

>"This is perhaps the worst thing that could happen to me..."

"I'm not terribly familiar with your people but I know that a sprained leg can be bad."

>"It can. And my potions are gone. I need to make sure it heals well or... Pathfinder, will you do me a favor? There is a plant within these woods that would help. I'm afraid I don't know where it is, that is something the lowerbreeds would know, but I recall that it has blue flowers. Or was it that they had purple flowers... Either way, if you could find it and help me wrap it against my wound it would help. I understand if you simply want to wait, however. As I said these woods are dangerous."

>>598595

Well, what are you waiting for? Go find those plants! Make sure to mark down the way you wander, though.

>>598595
Hang on, she was telling you to leave her, now she's saying the woods are dangerous? What was she expecting you to do exactly, after leaving her? But yeah, go get those herbs. We can't just stand around awkwardly forever.

This isn't a ruse to try and get me to leave you alone again, is it?

Assuming she doesn't react to that, agree.

Press for more information on the herb. Does she know what shape the leaves or flowers are? If it grows low to the ground, or high in the trees? If it has a distinctive smell or taste? Why only lowbreeds would be familiar with it. Anything that would help.

1/2 The Pathfinder 2014/10/16(Thu)17:11 No. 598606 ID: 3e87de
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"You are not trying to trick me into just leaving you, are you?"

>"Of course not. In fact if you can not find the plant nearby I think you should return. It is deeper into the enemy territory and farther from my people. I would not even ask you to search for this if not for my condition. I am sure you are formidable in combat but beyond these fringes even I would be wary."

"Then I suppose it's better I didn't wander off anyway."

>"You would have been more safe going the way I wanted you too. The enemy seldom treads there."

"Fair enough. Can you tell me anymore about this plant? I need to know everything I can."

>"Do you have a notebook? Let me use it."

The Pathfinder hands her his book and a stylus. She draws him a quick example of the plant while noting a few features. She says that her information is only what she was able to glean from seeing the thing secondhand. The lowerbreeds, those who farm and work with such plants, would know more about it than her own people.

She wishes him luck on his search and asks again that he not wander too deep into the woods and stay along the fringe.

The Pathfinder 2014/10/16(Thu)17:22 No. 598607 ID: 3e87de
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The Pathfinder follows her wishes to the best of his ability but finds no such flower along the edges of the deep woods. He takes a few steps into the forest, the thick trees obscuring even more light, and continues his search.

Every step he takes he hears the crunch of twigs snapping underfoot. Creatures move about him but seem to pay him no mind. As he gets farther and farther into the woods he decides that his search may be hopeless.

He turns to walk back when his eyes happen upon a glowing blue flower. A quick check in his book shows that it shares the same characteristics as the one the centaur had written down. He picks up the flower and carefully adds it to his pack.

He then hears shuffling around him. His ears pick up the sound of careful movement and slowed breathing. Something is approaching him from both sides.

Act unawares, and move at the last moment so the creatures flanking you crash into each other.

>>598607

Get ready to bolt out of there. Observe the way back and pay attention to things that could hamper your movement: roots, branches, etc.

Keep moving back, and, very calmly, speak up and say you are not hostile, and neither should they be.

>>598607
Ever spoken to goblins before? This could be your chance! Heck, maybe if they give you a tour of their encampment, it'll count for the map.

drop pants, spin around with hands behind head and pelvic thrust in the direction of the sound. will cause enemy to suffer a massive confusion blow.

>>598607
"Can we talk about this?"