[X] She'd point out the tabletop RPG manuals she had, all their maths wouldn't be a barrier of entry to Mira.
"Hey, since you're good at maths and know, er, 'human fiction'," Satsuki started, before she took hold of a couple of RPG manuals from among the pile Mira had taken, "How about these? They're, well they're-" she then paused to think about how to describe tabletop RPGs to the potentially unfamiliar, but just asked, "They have RPGs in the Castle of Night, right?"
"But of course," Mira said, but then her cockiness subsided, "Well, most often it feels like we only have one. It's called Dragon Order, your basic Vampires-Elves-Gnomes-Trolls sort of affair. Core setting has us vampires be the descendants of dragons, hence the name, but you do get way more interesting sub-settings. Like Atomspire, which gives you nuclear magic.
But ugh, ask a vampire to name an RPG other than Dragon Order, chances are they'll have no idea what you're talking about," she then groaned.
"Huh, sounds rough," Satsuki said, "I'm still far from an RPG connoisseur, but I'd say I've got a bit more of a selection. Like this one, Slime: The Genesis. Well, it used to be called Slime: The Indescribable, but the name was changed to something easier in the new edition. Anyway, it's part of a horror line, hence why I thought you'd like it."
Mira looked nonplussed at the cover, which was mostly black save the title and some dripping green ooze in the middle. "Seriously, they made an RPG entirely about slimes? Right, because playing a game about getting one-hit KO'd by adventurers sounds like such a good time," she gagged.
"What? Oh no, it's way more complex than that," Satsuki said, "The game's core themes are losing your identity, the origins and components of life on Earth, the climate crisis, it's a completely serious game.
Well, er, I think it is anyway, I haven't actually played it..." she then admitted.
Mira narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean, 'haven't played it'? Oh, I take it's a recent purchase then?" she asked.
Satsuki then sighed. "No, I've had it a while. I told you I'm not good at maths, so I just look at the art and read all the setting and character info. Doesn't help what people I know aren't really into this sort of thing," she said.
"Hmm, does seem a tad wasteful to buy manuals for RPGs you can't play," Mira began, but her tone then softened, "But yeah, no having anyone around to help you with what you're into, I... I can sympathise. I at least have Phibo, so maybe I should be more grateful."
"Mira, that- that's okay. You don't have to be hard on yourself," Satsuki said, then pulled out another manual. "Said I had a bit of a collection, so it's not just Slime. Look, this one's called Grand Witch Grand Strategy, it's about leading a team of witches and a few cyborgs against an alien threat and-"
Satsuki then twitched when she heard, out of nowhere, a thud near her window. She looked over to see that someone had thrown none other than a blood bag up onto her desk from outside. On instinct she rushed over to the window, making sure not to accidentally put her hands on the still-broken glass, only to see no one around that could've thrown it.
She held up the blood bag and asked, "Phibo would've sent this, right?"
"No, he would've just sent a Bloodfruit if he could, we have..." Mira suddenly paused, "more than enough of them. Ah, speaking of which," she said as she then tossed what looked like an orange Satsuki's way. "Might want to eat that over your window actually, keep the mess out of your room."
"Er, thanks," Satsuki said, "But if this didn't come from Phibo, then- then either this is some weird warning from Archimedea," who already know where I live, "or... someone's already figured out I'm a- I'm a-"
Mira took hold of a hyperventilating Satsuki. She said, "Look, whoever our mystery gifter is, we two are more than capable of tracking them down."
[ ] They turned into animal form to sniff them out.
[ ] They turned into mist to sneak up on them.
[ ] They headed out in human form, this person couldn't have gone far yet.
[ ] They stayed put, always the risk they were taking bait and running into a trap.
[ ] Satsuki could stay home while Mira, not under her mother's eye, searched.
[ ] Write-in