It’s when I’m contemplating the optimal way of wasting my life away that there’s a knock on my office door.“Come in,” I grumble, threading the slightest bit of power to the sigil on my left pointer. You can never be too cautious.The door swings open, and in steps a woman wearing a sundress with enough color to give me an instant headache. I note she has four arms, four eyes, and skin leaning on a purple hue. Must be some type of Arachne, then, but the specifics of her parentage aren’t exactly my problem. She steps right up to my desk, fearless, and graces me with a smile rife with one too many fangs.I thread just a teensy, tiny bit more power into my defenses. Just in case.“Hullo, mister wizard!” The woman says in a voice a touch shriller than I expected. “My name’s Gina, I saw the papers you placed around town regarding your services, and I wish I could’ve greeted you earlier, oh, but I’ve been so busy the last week. I adore new arrivals, and magic, and–”“Yeah, hello to you too.” I wave a hand to stop her rambling before it splits my poor head open. “You got a magic problem that needs fixing, or…?” I stare up at her.Gina pauses for a moment, brain rebooting - if she even has one - and smiles wider. “Oh, yes, yes indeed I do! You see, there’s been something strange happening! I run a clothing shop down the street, and I’ve been hearing the strangest noises. It’s like something’s scampering around, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t even catch a glimpse of whatever it might be. I’m worried something sinister might be stalking around. Is it possible your magic might be able to sniff out the perpetrator? I can pay!”A rat? Is that what she wants me to deal with; a wizard, formerly of the Star Circle, reduced to dealing with rodents? I briefly wonder what my mentor would think of me now… if they even deigned to think of me at all after the incident.I look to Gina and…>Agree because I might want to do a good thing.>Agree because I need the money.>Agree… but first I’m hiking up the price as far as I can. A wizard’s gotta eat.>Question her. Why should a wizard like me deal with what might just be a wild animal? That’s a job for the town’s Paladin squad, not me.>Disagree. I’m not in the mood for some menial task, even if there’s money involved.
>>6346147>Agree because I need the money
>>6346147>Agree because I need the money.
>>6346147>Disagree. I’m not in the mood for some menial task, even if there’s money involved.You know what? No way
>>6346147>Agree because I might want to do a good thingWhat a doll, a cute spider lady.
>>6346147>Agree because I need the money.What's the skinny, toots? Sound like scraping, or grinding? Louder at night, or consistent through the day?
>>6346147>>Agree… but first I’m hiking up the price as far as I can. A wizard’s gotta eat.
>>6346147>Question her. Why should a wizard like me deal with what might just be a wild animal? That’s a job for the town’s Paladin squad, not me.
>>6346147>Agree because I might want to do a good thing.
Even if I really wanted to disagree, I realize my coffers’ll disagree with my disagreement and maybe proceed to throw a punch or two at my jaw for my foolishness. I can’t blame them, being as deprived as they are at the moment. Devoid of the Star Circle’s cash flow, I’m flat broke.Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a tad, but I don’t exactly adore slumming it, even a little. So, I nod to the spider woman, despite my gut warning my head of the many pains to come.“I’ll do it.” I say plainly, getting to my feet and rummaging around my desk. I was only able to keep a few of my artifacts in the wake of the previous disaster, so I don’t have much to choose from. I scrounge up the few I can carry without complication and store them within my coat. I turn and grab my staff, the numerous sigils scrawled upon its surface glowing faintly as my hand closes around the wood.“Where’s the hat?” Gina asks, tilting her head in a manner others might find cute.“The what?”“The pointy hat. Don’t all wizards have one?”I stare at her.She grins widely and turns toward the door. “You must’ve lost it.”I choose to practice diplomacy as we walk out of my office and emerge onto the street.The walk to her shop is short and uneventful. Floating lanterns bob across the street, multicolored light fading in and out. Haven’s a strange town, and one of the oddities is that it’s stuck in a perpetual state of twilight. When you look up into the horizon, you can see strands of dawn, almost like a seer peering into the future, but forever proving unable to grasp it. A product of magic, surely, but it wasn’t something I care to try and unravel at the moment.Gina’s shop is a two-story building, one of those pastel-colored affairs meant to instill an instant sense of comfort in a person the second they draw near. Long windows reveal just a hint of the rows of clothing on the inside. Gina pushes open a door drenched in hot pink paint and gestures expansively to the inside. “Feast your eyes!”I have to admit, the selection’s impressive. I glimpse suits, dresses, tunics, livery, coats, blouses, and everything in between. Some of the stuff I can’t even put a name to, but then again, I’m no man of fashion. I’m here to do a job, get paid, go back to the office, and do it all again.Such is life.
>>6346815“Can you point out to me the areas where you’ve been hearing the noises?” I turn to ask, and she nods rapidly, hurrying towards the back of the room. I follow, and we end up in a plain hallway at the back of the first floor, multiple doors leading into what I assume are storage areas.“Here, and here… and here…” Gina’s four arms work in concert to point out every little spot she’s heard a noise. I quickly get the picture.“All right, that’s enough. Step back.” Not that she strictly needs to do so, but I find my presence carries more gravitas when I make myself sound like some mysterious miracle worker.Gina gives me space, settling by the doorway leading back into the shop proper. She eyes me with much anticipation and excitement. Joy.I place both hands on my staff, feed a tiny piece of power into it, and tap it gently against the floor.Casting magic is a lot like making a wish. You envision what you desire, and you imagine what it would be like for it to be true. Maybe you go to an altar and pray to one of the beings who call themselves gods. Wizards don’t bother with gods; they do it their damn selves. When a wizard envisions something they want, they harness the energy of the spirit to bring that something into reality. More specifically, we shape that energy with the help of sigils. Sigils are an ancient language only decipherable to those who can access the spirit, and each sigil correlates roughly to a concept. By carving a sigil onto an object or your own body, you can shape magic into something usable instead of a roulette that might turn your organs into bombs or turn you into a chicken or do otherwise undesirable things the moment you try to use it. Of course, the spell you envision has to match up with the concept the sigil embodies, and a spell too broad or too ambitious in scale might cost more energy than you have.I push power into the Sigil of Searching inscribed on my staff.Despite what Gina might hope, there’s no sparks, bright lights, loud noises, or massive explosions. With this sort of spell, adding anything flashy would only serve to waste energy. Some spells couldn’t avoid being flashy, but then, those were usually much more deadly.The air shimmers ever so slightly as a near-invisible pulse emanates from my staff, sweeping the hallway. Information arrives into my head, and I snap toward a dark corner next to the door at the end of the hallway. I point my staff at the spot and tap the Sigil of Searching again, envisioning piercing the darkness to find what’s within.
>>6346817I’ve seen this one before: artificial darkness, mostly created by demons, like the imp I find as a pulse of energy blows away the sheer blackness it was using as a cover. The little shit freezes up like a deer in torchlight, its long floppy ears stiffening in shock. Imps are nasty annoyances, as small as your average dog, but armed with razor-sharp claws and teeth that can rip and tear with ease. The red-skinned nuisances were some of the lowest demons, but they could cause havoc in numbers, especially against the inexperienced. Unfortunately for this lurker, I’m competent.The imp screeches and tenses up, readying for a textbook lunge. Judging from the angle, he was going for the throat, a quick, bloody kill. I let him make the leap, if only to humor the little guy. He doesn’t know his chances of injuring me lie somewhere between zilch and nada, and that there won't be anything resembling a fight.Mid-leap, the imp jerks to a painful stop, suspended in mid-air. I lower my staff as the Sigil of Grasping on it flashes dully.“Game’s over, champ. Have fun stalking?” I step a bit closer. The imp snarls and claws at me, but remains levitating and firmly out of reach, to his dismay. I peer back at Gina. “Demon infestation. You were right to hire me after all.”She places one hand to her heart - assuming it’s in the same place as a human’s - and wipes her brow. “That was so intense, mister wizard! Your bravery in the heat of battle; my, wizards are incredible!”I really didn’t do all that much at all, but I let her keep her fantasies. Maybe she’ll pay extra, being so impressed. A man can hope!Now, what to do with this imp?>I kill it. It’s a demon infesting someone’s shop. There’s nothing more to be said or done.>I inspect it. I’m not that invested in this, but I find it strange the imp was here at all, the strange part in question being that it had not yet attacked Gina. Why had it waited, watching her? Instinct prods at me.>I try to bind it using one of my Sigils. Could be fun to have a little helper, even useful if I envisioned the spell just right. At the very least, it could be a fun novelty for a few days. >Write-in
>>6346819>I inspect it. I’m not that invested in this, but I find it strange the imp was here at all, the strange part in question being that it had not yet attacked Gina. Why had it waited, watching her? Instinct prods at me.
>>6346819>>I inspect it. I’m not that invested in this, but I find it strange the imp was here at all, the strange part in question being that it had not yet attacked Gina. Why had it waited, watching her? Instinct prods at me.
I inspect it. I’m not that invested in this, but I find it strange the imp was here at all, the strange part in question being that it had not yet attacked Gina. Why had it waited, watching her? Instinct prods at me.
Something felt off about this.I step inches away from the imp, squinting at his scrambling form. Crying out in triumph, he tries swiping my eyes out of my skull, but I just spin him around with the levitation spell. His claws keep flashing out, hoping to claw victory from the clutches of the thin air he was ravaging. Why hadn’t the imp attacked Gina while it was camping out in her shop? The question bounces around inside my head, crowing for my attention. I thread power into the Searching Sigil and wave my staff over the imp’s horned head, looking for any connections. When a demon is bound to someone’s will, a connection is formed between the bound and the binder, no matter the method. With the correct application of magic, you could identify, find, and trace that connection back to the source. There were methods with which you could conceal or muddy the trail, but it didn’t seem any of those were being employed in this particular case, considering that my spell works. In my mind, I feel a tug to the south, and I can almost envision a physical line leading to the imp’s binder.“Someone placed the little bastard here deliberately.” I mutter, loud enough for Gina to hear. She doesn’t respond. I don’t find it too weird; it’s not exactly cause to hoot and cheer.The binder must have ordered the imp to infiltrate the shop, but why? Was it to stake the place out? To steal? But then, Gina’s words had seemed to imply she’d been hearing them for multiple days, an ongoing occurrence. The shop wasn’t huge or well-guarded in the slightest, so casing it shouldn’t have been a long or even necessary process. Was it to watch Gina?I toss a glance at her, finding her staring back at me with her head canted to the left. I have to remind myself I’ve just met her. I know absolutely nothing above the surface level, something which could easily be a mask. “Is there any reason you could think of that someone would want to send a demon after you? Any enemies, or spurned lovers, or something similar?” I ask, keeping my gaze solid.“Hmm…” Gina tilts her head from side-to-side, considering. “Nope! Can’t think of a single one.” She smiles toothily, looking entirely too unbothered.“You sure?”“Yup!”Okay then.
>>6347047We stay in silence for a moment as I think things over. My next course of action…>...is to pursue the binder. The quickest way to get whatever this is done with is to confront it myself, with obligatory and copious usage of magic and fisticuffs.>...is to report this to the town’s Paladins. Paladins are the ones who handle crimes, so it makes sense to get them to help with this, especially if it turns out to be some bigger conspiracy or organization.>...is to get rid of the imp and declare the job done. I’ve finished it to the letter, having dispatched the lurking demon in Gina’s shop, and she doesn’t seem all too concerned about the implications of it having been there.>...is to investigate Gina herself. I’m not certain on this, but the oddities of this case might have more to do with the spider woman herself than I had initially thought.>Write-in
>>6347048>...is to pursue the binder. The quickest way to get whatever this is done with is to confront it myself, with obligatory and copious usage of magic and fisticuffsSweet Gina not a thought in that doll's head.
>>6347048>...is to get rid of the imp and declare the job done. I’ve finished it to the letter, having dispatched the lurking demon in Gina’s shop, and she doesn’t seem all too concerned about the implications of it having been there.Hey man, if she can't think of a single reason why someone would send an imp to spy on her, I can't think of a single reason why she should worry something so random and kooky would happen twice! Let's grab the check and take on a case from someone that isn't full of shit. In this kind of work, a dishonest client is WAY more dangerous than a psychotic perp.
>>6347048>...is to report this to the town’s Paladins. Paladins are the ones who handle crimes, so it makes sense to get them to help with this, especially if it turns out to be some bigger conspiracy or organization.
The leggy dame that saunters into the office about a little old nothin is ALWAYS more trouble than she's worth
>>6347057Some amateur using magic to summon an imp to spy on poor Gina. Probably in love with her but even with eight eyes she can't see too good. Or its a pervert.
>>6347048>>...is to investigate Gina herself. I’m not certain on this, but the oddities of this case might have more to do with the spider woman herself than I had initially thought.
>>6347107Idunno man, her demeanor is off. She isn't curious about this, she doesn't seem very scared. I think she knew there was an imp and wanted a wizard to take care of it quickly, and there is probably a very interesting larger mystery at play - but it'd be safer to get into it from a different angle. I mean, if she REALLY was clueless and thought it was a rat or something, why go directly to a wizard? If we call the Pallies to handle it, it'll piss off her and whoever it is that was spying on her. If we investigate from here, we will likely be scrutinized by her or the other party; we're visibly in the mix right now. Probably should just walk on this for now and keep our heads on a swivel in case the binder of the imp decides to fuck with us.
>>6347110If shes off shes off and chances are we're roped into it, my question would be did the binder see our face through the imp. Next we know it'll be thugs or dirty Paladins knocking on our door. At that point do we let whoever was doing it, some street sorcerer, have the initiative to gather their street toughs or take the initiative ourselves. It sounded like they didn't even know how to protect their location. We settle it and we make sure whoever did send the imp should make like a banana and split.Though it could be fun to have defenses at the office made if we don't mind getting it dirty.
>>6347048>...is to pursue the binder. The quickest way to get whatever this is done with is to confront it myself, with obligatory and copious usage of magic and fisticuffs.
+ Write in>We have solved this case as requested and we can bill her for our time. If she wants to hire our services to hunt down the perpetrator that is a different job altogether. If she refuses turn over the imp to the paladins otherwise we can use it in the investigation.
Rolled 1 (1d2)(Since we've got a tie, I'm rolling to see which one we do and then writing. 1 means pursuing the binder, 2 means going to the Paladins.)
“All right, I’m off to question the binder. We’re going to have a very pointed chat about their intent.” I turn and begin striding toward the shop entrance, eager to get to the bottom of this. It might feel good to get the chance to stretch my magic muscles again, so to speak.“Ooh, can I come with you?” Gina asks, way too excited. “That is one excessively horrible idea.” And it truly was. If there’s danger, splitting my focus between protecting her and fending for myself could prove disastrous. Not to mention, I still have no clue about her as a person, so I could be digging my own grave just by bringing her. In the event that she is indeed exactly who she portrays herself as, then I’d be exposing her to the very person or people who’ve been keeping watch on her, and that’s just no good either.“But… magic’s so amazing…” Gina gestures incomprehensibly with her hands, pantomiming her own spell. It’s poor choreography. “And I can show you all the magic you want when I get back, okay?” I regret the words the moment I say them, but if she ends up staying out of a fight, it’s worth it. “Stay safe and most importantly, stay here. Got it?” The beginnings of a pout crease her face, but she suppresses it with a breathy sigh and nods. “Oh, if you say so. But you better bring back a fun story to tell.” Gina grins.I settle on some jerky half-nod before exiting the store, the imp levitating at my side. I set off, following the line the Sigil of Searching has imprinted in my mind. The trail leads west.The line stays stationary, indicating the binder isn’t currently moving anywhere. I’m thankful I don’t have to engage in any triangulation nonsense on the way there. When you’ve had to pursue flying targets in the past, you’ll welcome any easier prospects with open arms. The walk is fairly monotonous, the peaceful tap of footsteps occasionally overshadowed by the rabid growls of the livid little shit floating alongside me. I give him a few spins, but the punishment only makes him louder and generally more belligerent. I ignore the nuisance and distract myself by scanning a few of the shops nearby. Haven has a larger variety than I glimpsed on my entrance into the town. Hard to notice much when you’re in a hurry, though.Your mind can hyperfocus on anything when you bid it to.Unfortunately for the man who started following me a few steps ago, I’m not focused on anything, but him and his quiet pursuit. The binder is near, and as I envision the line my spell has created once more, it leads straight to what resembles a warehouse or storage facility at the end of the street. I notice two other men in casualwear lounging around the block, whistling under their breath and looking anywhere but in my direction. When I throw a discreet glance back, the man behind me is idling as well, staring at some bakery across the way.Clever, if I was a blithering moron of a wizard.
>>6347375The moment I near the warehouse, a man to the right reaches into his jacket. I flick my staff minutely, and the imp at my side yelps in alarm as I send it hurtling into the thug’s face. He screams in shock and horror as the imp clings on and starts swinging indiscriminately, driven by confusion and pain. I turn to the other two men, raising an eyebrow.They’re eyeing me with trepidation, but it doesn’t last long. Some measure of discipline, then. The two nod to each other, and start circling me. I don’t particularly care for their formation, so I picture a spell. The Sigil of Grasping is all about envisioning a grip. I like to imagine it like I’m directing an invisible hand, prodding and adjusting as I go.The man to my right tries to charge, hand on a concealed weapon. He makes it one step before the invisible grip I have on his ankle opposes his movement and trips him up completely. He cracks his head against the smooth stone below and goes limp like an unused puppet. The last man hesitates after seeing his last buddy fall, so I just manifest a grip around his throat and roughly toss him away. He takes flight and slams into a wall, skidding to the ground. I turn my attention back to the warehouse. Before I go in, I Grasp the imp again and pull him along with me.The metal door in front of me awaits, slightly ajar. They didn’t even bother to shut it. Everything I’ve encountered so far, be it the lack of resistance to my tracking spell, to the shoddy guard detail, to the lack of a locked door… It all indicates I’m dealing with a group full of amateurs. Either that, or they have good reason not to be afraid of potential interlopers.Before I enter, I cast a Searching spell on my eyes. Sixth Sight is the correct term for it, and any wizard worth anything learns it or something similar. It allows you to see and sense magic in your surroundings, and with enough experience, you can decipher the patterns. This means if there are any traps involving magic, I’ll be aware of the encroaching danger right away. It’s all too necessary.I push the door open and step inside. No less than twenty heads swivel to stare me down.I float the imp in front of me and wave his body like it’s a hand. “Evening, fellas. On break?”
>>6347376There are a bunch of tables lying in front of me, chairs filled with various men and women, eyeing me with bewilderment and a fast-growing ire. I see variety in the races of those present: humans, dwarves, therians, hells, I even see an elf among them. Along the room are assorted crates and chests, filled with who knows what. Near the back, I can see sets of towering shelves, chock-full of boxes.A few of the occupants nearest me rise with ill intent, so I prepare to cast first and ask questions later. We’re interrupted by a mountain crashing down upon us, or at least, that’s what the impact sounds like. The thugs going to attack me freeze as a truly monstrous member of the crew rises to her feet, the table she had just struck crumbling to pieces beneath one meaty fist.“Don’t move before I speak,” the red oni woman snarls at her companions, taking one gigantic step in my direction. I clench my staff tighter.Oni are a controversial race of people, not least due to them resembling demons. They’re natural-born warriors, intensely prideful, and in the case of the red oni, extremely prone to bouts of incredibly destructive temper tantrums. The average oni towers over the average human, and they boast high physical strength along with innate magic traits and ability. Oni clans are treated with delicacy, as even a single one feeling slighted might spell disaster for a city’s well-being.The one I’m looking at briefly mystifies me, because for all my knowledge, I’ve never once heard of an oni wearing a damn suit. I can only pity the seamstress stuck with crafting a garment like that. She’s built like a brick shithouse, and I’m confident the bulk of her mass lies in muscle. She has to be at least eight feet tall, likely on the higher end. Her fingers seem thick enough to crush my skull, and her arms are more like mobilized tree trunks. One direct hit, and a mundane person is exploding into red paste. A long, gnarled horn juts out of her head, a white ponytail flaring out around it.“The fuck do you want, little man?” The oni asks sharply. “This isn’t public property.”“No? But the door was wide open.” I shake the imp with a wave of my staff. “And you left your trash outside.”“Release the imp and fuck off.” I think I can see literal steam puffing out from her nostrils as she speaks this time.“Not before you tell me why you had this imp staking out Gina’s clothing store.” I smile drily. “It’s a very simple question.”“Where my subordinates go is my business, not yours,” she growls, taking another step that causes the floor to tremble.“Boss, let us–”“SHUT YOUR MOUTH!” the oni shouts, grabbing a chair and flinging it at the guy who dared to speak out. He ducks in terror, and all I can think is, wow, of all people, SHE’S the boss!?
>>6347377She has the intimidation factor down pat, at least.“You listen before I lose my shit,” she jabs a thick pointer finger in my direction. “What we do is sanctioned by Haven’s mayor. You have a problem, go take it up with them.”Sanctioned by the fucking mayor. Isn’t that just peachy?>I stand my ground and refuse to be intimidated by her. There will no doubt be a fight as a result, but I can’t just leave Gina hanging when she’s counting on me.>I leave… to go chat with this mayor. I’ll drill them for answers and get it from the source.>I leave… to reflect on what I’ve learned. I’m not confident I’m prepared to deal with something on this scale right now.>Write-in
>>6347379>Write-in Cast a spell of transmutation on the clothing of as many people in the room as possible, including the Oni, turning all of the fabric and/or armor into pitch. That should not only be highly incapacitating, but it would allow you to threaten them all severely with only a simple flame, which may be necessary in order to leave without being murdered or followed directly. Though I suspect we will no matter what.
>>6347421That would be pretty sweet. 20 smackers says Gina made the oni's suit.>>6347379I'm curious if our sixth sense can tell us whats in the boxes. Or whats on the tables.
>>6347379>>I stand my ground and refuse to be intimidated by her. There will no doubt be a fight as a result, but I can’t just leave Gina hanging when she’s counting on me.
>>6347379>I leave… to go chat with this mayor. I’ll drill them for answers and get it from the source.
>>6347421Sure, I’ll back this.
>>6347379>I leave… to go chat with this mayor. I’ll drill them for answers and get it from the source.Color me intimidated
>>6347421support if it wasn't clear
I recognize I may have stumbled into something I’m ill-equipped to deal with. But I’m not about to chicken out and let these cronies walk right over me, either. You have to set a good first impression with these types so you don’t become some hapless mark for them to fuck over or kill or something even worse. I slip a hand into my pocket and press my thumb against something stashed inside.The air shimmers, something sweet wafts across the air, and a dull hum rings once before going silent.Everyone in my general radius is tensed up, swapping nervous glances with their peers as if expecting imminent disaster to crash down upon them. The oni squints at me, looking more confused than anything else.“You do fucking party tricks or somethin’?” she growls.I hold up a finger. “If only you were so lucky.”“B-boss!” one of the goons to my left gasps out. “He’s doing weird mambo jumbo on me!”The oni woman snaps her head in his direction. The man’s shirt is melting. It drips down in tatters, a substance like black sludge drenching his arms and legs. He attempts to shake it off, but it becomes clear he’s being weighed down by all the gunk itself, rendering him unable to do much as anything. A lady to my left starts to charge me, but the same fate befalls her outfit, leaving her hopelessly stuck.“What do you think you’re doing?!” The oni snarls, and I can almost feel the heat from here. She takes another huge step, and I know I have to act quick to make this work the way I want it to.“Ah, ah, ah. One more step…” I flick my pointer finger, a spark catching on the tip, “...and everyone in the room goes up in flames. I’ve turned their clothes into pitch. It’s extremely flammable, y’know? Makes for great funeral pyres.”“What do I care? You think your pitiful sorcerer’s fire will have any effect on me?”“Not to you, no, but can you let your subordinates take the risk? You said the mayor sanctioned this, so I can’t imagine they’ll be too happy you took action leading to the bottom line being torched. Not good for business, I imagine.”Her face scrunches up in disgust, but she doesn’t fire back with anything. I take that as a cue to keep going.“So, here is what's going to happen. You’ll refrain from placing any more of your demons inside Gina’s shop, or you deal with me. Whatever you’ve got going on here–” I gesture expansively to all the crates and chests lodged around the room, “--you keep that shit far away from people who want nothing to do with you. Are we clear?”The oni woman’s fists clench so hard you hear the cracking clear as day. “You’re fucking dead when I get my hands on you.”I smile too cheerfully. “Glad that won’t be today, then.” I wave obnoxiously, and depart, nary a scratch.
>>6347981The artifact I used to fake that display hums again in my pocket. It only has one shot before I need to recharge it - and boy, is it draining to fill back up - but it’s incredibly useful at turning a situation to my advantage without using my own power. Even after the effect ends, it’s disorienting to the victims.On my way out, I toss a glance at some of the crates, using Sixth Sight. I see a few auras indicating magic items. I store them in my memory for later and leave. It’s a shame I can’t get more out of the oni, but I get the feeling she won’t answer any of my questions. Best to go to the top for this sort of situation.I make my way back to Gina’s clothing shop unmolested, but there’s the briefest moment where I get the feeling I’m being watched. Not entirely surprising after what just transpired, but it’s a little surprising I can’t spot them. It’s another reminder to stay on my guard. Just a week after I’ve arrived, and I’m already making so many friends.Hooray for me.Gina is behind the counter in the shop, inspecting something I can’t see. She puts whatever it is away and perks up with excitement as I push the door open and walk inside. She comes forward to greet me.“Mister wizard, I’m so overjoyed to see you again!” It’s only been like, an hour, mind you. “Did you battle an evil sorcerer for my pride and honor?”“What?”“Y’know, like in the stories!”I remind myself this is a real person I’m speaking to and not some drug-fueled illusion.I tell her what went down over at the warehouse. Her cheer doesn’t exactly vanish over the course of my retelling, but she also doesn’t say much of anything, her expression thoughtful. Either she’s an expert at concealing what she’s really feeling, or maybe there just isn’t anything going on in that head after all. Why this gang wants to watch her is beyond me.When I’m finished, she pushes a baggie full of tiny, sparkling gems into my hand. I give the currency a cursory glance, and it seems the correct amount. Maybe a little more, even. A job well done.“Thank you, truly. Now, I can sleep at night without all that rattling in the walls.” Gina beams at me. I offer a small smile in return.“It’s what I do. If you have any other troubles similar to this, you come to me immediately, and I’ll get it fixed up.” She nods like a dutiful soldier, snapping a mock salute. “Aye aye, captain!”
>>6347982I turn away. Before I go, I set some subtle protections on the front door of her shop, pushing power into a few spots, just in case. I glance back to find her watching me, completely motionless. After a strange second or two, she smiles brightly and waves. I wave back.Now, there’s a few things to do.>I’m heading straight to the Mayor to chat about this gang. The quickest way to tackle this problem is at the top.>I’m going back to investigate the warehouse. I think I can gain more information there that’ll be key to me solving the issue.>I’m studiously ignoring all this and heading back to the office to await my next case. This stuff isn’t what I signed up for, coming here. I’ll keep my head down until the storm passes… or until they make the first move.
>>6347983>I’m heading straight to the Mayor to chat about this gang. The quickest way to tackle this problem is at the top.
>>6347983>I’m heading straight to the Mayor to chat about this gang. The quickest way to tackle this problem is at the top.Bring lie detector spells/artifacts if we can, this is a politician we’re dealing with.
>>6347983>I’m going back to investigate the warehouse. I think I can gain more information there that’ll be key to me solving the issue.I feel it would be more prudent for us to get as much info as we can before heading to the mayor.
>>6347983>>I’m studiously ignoring all this and heading back to the office to await my next case. This stuff isn’t what I signed up for, coming here. I’ll keep my head down until the storm passes… or until they make the first move.
>>6347983>Write-in "I've, unfortunately, directly pissed off this Oni and all of those other mooks by blundering directly into what was obviously a fishy situation. If I confront the mayor head on it will only make things worse. I am going to use magic to ward my office against intrusion and put a scrying sigil up in order to surveil the place, and the same with my home. But, I'll plan on sleeping at the former, for now, as they're less likely to send someone here to hurt me than my house. Once I have put up some protections, I should put on a disguise and head to city hall - perhaps I can observe a clue about what kind of company the mayor is keeping lately by going there, or I can tail them after she leaves and see where they're socializing on their off hours."
Anons we HAVE to be more subtle about this... We should not have gone directly to someone we knew was doing something so strange to a client that was also acting strangely, and we should not go directly to the mayor if they're somehow behind whatever this is... Let's move quietly, deliberately, carefully, like someone trying to solve a mystery (and get paid), not someone trying to disappear after hours.
It’s time to go chat with the mayor and get to the bottom of what’s going on in this town. What could go wrong?I return to my office before I set off. I dump the money, confirm that everything is untouched, and I double-check the defenses I’ve set in place in case of a break-in. It won’t do to be assassinated before I’ve even gotten properly settled in here. It makes for a poor image, too.I took a brief tour of town a few days prior, so I’m already aware of the town hall’s general location. It’s smack-dab in the center of Haven, if my intuition is correct. I make my way over there, keeping a close eye on my surroundings and a tight grip on my staff.Again, nobody comes out of hiding to accost me with violence. I catch a few cursory glances here and there, but I can attribute that to me still being new in town. Something brand new has a way of drawing the eye. Or, maybe I’m only hoping that’s the case, and the truth is much darker.Not that making up scenarios in my head will help me any, though.Haven’s Town Hall is a multi-story building, made out of cherry-red bricks, looking as if they’ve never met the guy called erosion. Two statues reign side-by side by the front of the building. The one on the left is a knight, with this helm shaped like the head of a dragon, wielding a silvery blade. The one on the right is some sort of horned warrior, wielding a blade with teeth along the edge. Both blades cross over the entrance, beckoning me forward.I step up to the double doors out front and key up Sixth Sight, dragging my gaze up, down, and all around, extra careful in case I miss something crucial. The assorted auras I glimpse are enough to blind a man, clustered tightly together and blazing with power. It seems the mayor isn’t one to skimp on a well-made, layered defense system. I make my educated guess the wards won’t just strike out at someone the moment they cross the threshold, because then every civilian wanting to enter would simply get fried. But could I already be blacklisted thanks to my actions earlier today?No better time than now to find out.I step up to the doors, threading power into my staff. No less than three of the sigils inscribed onto the casting implement begin to brighten up. Am I to be attacked by the security system, I have threat prevention of my own prepped and ready to go. No more dithering. I have to enter now.I grasp the silver handle of the left door and push inward.I don’t explode, or get turned inside out, or turn into a rat.Nothing happens. The door swings open. My eyes dart to the sides, where the magic of the Hall remains dormant. I’m either being allowed inside or being ignored. I take the opportunity and step inside.
>>6348258The entrance hall is long and wide, almost too much so from the size of the building as seen from outside. The floor’s made out of this spotless marble, and even scuffing my boot against it yields no mark. Paintings line the walls, but I’m not too sure what to make of any of them from where I’m standing. A red carpet leads down the middle of the room, leading to the front desk.There are these super expensive-looking couches scattered around before the desk, and I clock that it must be a waiting area. There’s only one person sitting down, a guy with a black coat and a wide-brimmed hat like those cowboy types far to the west. I can’t see much of his face, other than that he’s very pale. I put him out of my mind and gaze at the secretary behind the reception desk.The secretary wears an emerald-green blouse that matches her eyes, and she cuts a pretty nice figure from what I can see. She’s got blonde hair tied back into a disciplined bun, and thin glasses fit for reading perched over her nose. Overall, she looks well-adjusted and totally sane. Will that actually be the case? Take your bets.She locks eyes with me, throwing out a cordial smile she must use daily. I notice her nametag, which denotes her as Carly.“Greetings, sir,” Carly says, voices sweet as syrup. “Do you have an appointment today?What do I say to that?>I tell the truth and say I don’t. I tell her I’m new in town and want to greet the mayor.>I lie and say I do. My appointment with the mayor is today, of course.>I tell the truth and say I don’t. I then apologize for wasting her time and step away from the desk, after which perhaps one of my sigils can assist me with sneaking past her.>I ignore her completely and walk past her towards the stairs at the back. Dealing with this only wastes time. It’s not like a secretary is gonna kick my ass.
>>6348259>I tell the truth and say I don’t. I then apologize for wasting her time and step away from the desk, after which perhaps one of my sigils can assist me with sneaking past her.
>>6348259>I tell the truth and say I don’t. I tell her I’m new in town and want to greet the mayor.Mention that we are a wizard, that puts us on the important people list.
>>6348259>>I ignore her completely and walk past her towards the stairs at the back. Dealing with this only wastes time. It’s not like a secretary is gonna kick my ass.
>>6348259>I tell the truth and say I don’t. I tell her I’m new in town and want to greet the mayor.We clearly have no sense of prudence, so we might as well.
>>6348375I have faith in OP after how well the “turn all their clothes into pitch” write in was handled. Seems to be a good enough QM to not hit us with trap options in the first arc when we’re still figuring out the setting. Prudence has nothing to do with it.
>>6348259>>I tell the truth and say I don’t. I tell her I’m new in town and want to greet the mayor.
