I'll try update that soon and also give a more rough overview at the start for people just dipping in. We've had a pretty fast pace and built up a lot of things!
Blaze of Glory (Exalted)
- Thread starter Guancyto
- Start date
- Fantasy
I'll try update that soon and also give a more rough overview at the start for people just dipping in. We've had a pretty fast pace and built up a lot of things!
- Location
- St. Petersburg
I don't think there is a tie, as there is apparently 2 votes for the 3rd one, 1 vote for the 4th, and 1 vote for a wholesome sleep without Demons and Exalts invading our dreams. Admittedly, it isn't a meaningful lead, but still...
Night 6: Meetings and Misery, but I Repeat Myself
- Location
- In Your DNA
You're set to spend an awful lot of time at this Trading House today, so while they fetch the people who were there the morning of the murder (about three hours before dawn, as it turns out - you had reckoned it as later in your autopsy but it turns out you were a little off) they bring you an entire plate of jam tarts and you grab some senior merchants and start pumping them for stories about the deeds of their forefathers.
It's not promising. Makarios offered you the power of legends to restore their fire, but the original Tales came up from nothing, had nothing to lose, and were willing to take some extremely big risks in pursuit of a better life. These guys have a better life and were it not for the impending threat of the Despot they wouldn't be inclined to take risks at all. They do have some absolutely fine jam tarts and you're finished with the first plate before the second group interview has concluded. They do have interesting ideas where the Tales could expand but it's all with the sort of abstract frau-frau language that you quickly come to identify as the talk of someone who likes the idea of being an intrepid explorer but who has absolutely no stomach for the actual work of it. Worse, they start repeating themselves. Apparently the idea of a comeback is something they bat around with regularity.
You have the senior staff run an evening lap around the Trading House just to give you some space, their long robes flapping and their red faces are funny to watch but it's going to take more than a run to turn this around.
The business is good, it'd be so very tempting to mess with it if you didn't know what you were doing but you've picked up a knack for following the money and the Tales' business is a direct line of money from rich people's pockets to their own. The issue isn't what they're doing; despite their questionable competence when it comes to security and crimes when it comes to the running of a business they're actually pretty good at it.
Collecting your thoughts you have to acknowledge that this is, in absolute terms, not your department. You can put together a missing person's location with half a soup bone and a cousin's vague mention about seeing them for a bit, but… what are you going to do with them? Trust falls? Horse rides? Lion fights? You really want to see them fight some lions right now but it wouldn't be useful for anything but making you feel better.
No, the central problem is the lingering question of what you actually want to try and reforge them to be. That should help you decide who you should bring in to whip them into shape. They know money, they understand dreams.
What can be made from that?
There's something to be said for ending where you began, but as you sift through the charred remains of the sitting room you have to admit that it's barely recognizable as the crime scene from before. A stone room can contain a raging book fire and keep the rest of the place from catching, but everything inside is totally destroyed. The wood is charcoal and the paper is just ashes. A book fire isn't hot enough to cremate a body, but that has since been removed for the proper burial rites. Fortunately this particular room is a little nook, one of several meeting rooms and has been closed off since its fateful encounter with a lot of fire.
Teleji and Raicho are flanking you this time though, pointing out where the battle lay. Another senior merchant is on hand and Stalig, a hefty man with a great red beard who is apparently Raicho's comrade, has come by for a consultation as well.
"The trouble is there's really not much to say," Teleji says, adjusting his dark glasses, "when he came to us he brought one of the corrupted stones, hoping to get another empty one to fill. He brought his porter and bodyguards with him, of course. Left them outside the room - it's not like anything could have gotten to him in there. We had a private meeting, we went to our stock to compare it to what we already had, and the second everyone's backs were turned he was dead and the chest was gone."
You're mightily fighting off the urge to threaten him with nail bombs again. "What the hell are you talking about? That's a lot! You've got secret passages all around this place, was there anywhere it could have gone?"
"Not in this room, no."
Stalig nods.
"I was the one watching the hall the whole time, if there was anybody there I didn't see them."
You fix him with a scrutinizing gaze - if he had been paid off to let a killer inside a sensible human being would have decided to disappear, but those seem to be in painfully short supply in this house. You look to Raicho and she just gives you a solemn nod, which you suppose is as good as you're going to get.
"That is a lot to say," you repeat. "So, in the space of ten… ten?"
Teleji shakes his hand in the gesture of 'thereabouts.'
"Ten minutes, the very precise ten minutes you had walked away and left him alone, someone killed a Guild Prince without a fight, took his soul, took his gold chest which had to have been a heavy old thing, carved up the body possibly to cover up the soul theft, and then disappeared without a trace without using the door."
Taken by a sudden inspiration, you start knocking on walls, floors, ceilings - if you were going to pull something like this you'd probably sneakily make a hole in the ceiling, but the solid stone is entirely solid. No secret passages, no sawed-in trapdoors, nothing. There was an extreme dearth of places to hide in this room even while it was intact - you tried under the desk when the hungry ghost came after you and it wasn't exactly the best place for an assassin to lurk. Or any place for an assassin to lurk.
Teleji coughs. "Truth be told, the unusual circumstances of the case are…"
"Ten Feathers didn't believe a word of it, did they?"
"He did, ah, express skepticism on the particulars, yes."
"As opposed to the infinitely more plausible idea that you, who were engaged in a plot to kill him already, got too eager and did the deed yourselves and used your vast wealth to pay off his people and came up with a story full of nonsense about how it couldn't have been you. How are you not dead yesterday."
"Well," Teleji rubs the back of his neck, "the Hound did express a desire to talk with Cheshago's porter and bodyguards. We're not currently on fire, so maybe their story matched ours?"
You put your palm to your face.
"Write down for me everyone who was using a room adjacent to this one. Next to, one floor down, ceiling, doesn't matter. And whether or not they've been back. I want to track them down and have a talk."
The wee hours of the morning aren't a particularly busy time for private meetings in the Trading House of the Midnight Tales, but you're bringing change and like all reorganizations since time immemorial that means a lot of meetings no one wants to be at. These particular ones are particularly excruciating as you grill everyone who'd even looked at the room that Cheshago had died in. The porters and maids are all bemused and eager to help, while even the guards are a little rattled, clearly worried about how this might affect their pockets and possibly their necks if you decide you don't like their answers.
It's a lot of work to find out something you'd known at the start. That you still don't know how the murder happened, you just happen to know a lot more people who didn't do it is all. The murder was simply impossible for any normal person to accomplish. Which leaves several uncomfortable alternative answers.
"Get to work on another set of books to placate the Despot," you say when it's just you and the merchants left, already feeling the ache of fatigue in your limbs after hours of fruitless meetings. "Feathers knows you've a magical means of smuggling in Dreamstones. If you're lucky, they won't get more than that. "
In the meantime, you now have an invisible, teleporting, super-strong murderer to chase after.
Perfect.
Misery had helped you out with the book, so it's only fair you help her out with a little work to pay her back. That's your excuse to Niall anyway and it isn't entirely untrue, if you just happen to learn a little more about ghosts while you're doing it then that's just happy coincidence. Your intentions are pure.
The sun's light is fading when she finally arrives at the Temple to pick you up, saving you from Niall's lecturers on spirituality and the hungry rats who you'd fed a whole bread roll just once a year ago and never given up hope that it might happen again. She was dressed in those nice black exorcist robes with shiny metal buttons and had her hair up in a ponytail, though for some reason it was still incredibly greasy. Whatever she used to try to keep its shape it really wasn't working for her.
"If this is about the kettle," she says, "I'm not buying you a new one."
"I wanted to pay you back for the book," you reply, "but now you mention it you did put a big dent in my kettle."
"Your head dented the kettle, I just helped it along a little. If you want to help me though, you can go home. I'm going to be busy tonight, whatever this is can wait."
"Actually I'd like to help, pay you back for helping me with the poetry. I've learned a little about ghosts and I'm happy to take directions. I could get you through the night quicker?"
"It's a kind offer," she says and then takes a breath to say something further, but you jump right in.
"Great! Where's first? I can guide you around the city too, so you'll get this all done so much quicker."
She closes her mouth and stares at you, but your smile doesn't even falter as you radiate innocent helpfulness.
"Fine," she says as her will to argue breaks, "I'll give you a chance, but if you don't take it seriously, I will send you home."
"You couldn't ask for a better partner," you say as you hop to your feet and salute.
"I didn't ask for any at all. Come on, before I change my mind."
...
As you leave the third house with yet another small sum of silver in Misery's pockets you start to wonder if maybe this is a mistake. It turns out a lot of being an exorcist has nothing to do with ghosts and more to do with correctly identifying squeaky doors, loose window latches and the strange night time noises of animals that can plague a person's sleep.
Misery takes it very professionally though, comforting to each person and letting them learn they've been a bit silly as politely as possible. It has the air of practice about it and the patience she must have to go through this routine is impressive, when people had wasted your time on wild hunts you'd usually resorted to a good yelling. Soft spoken and particular, it's hard to imagine Misery raising her voice for anything.
You're leading her along to the fourth house on her list when you realise her footsteps behind you have stopped and you turn to see her standing there with arms folded, glaring at you. You look around awkwardly but there's no real clue as to why so you venture a simple, "yes?"
"You really want to do this?" she says, "after your last encounter with a ghost I thought you'd have had enough."
Oh, of course. It isn't that being an Exorcist was boring, it's Misery trying to bore you out of following her.
"I want to learn," you nod, "it might be frightening but it's also useful. I can do some good with it."
"The dead aren't there to be useful for you. They're often hurt or confused, we're meant to be there for them," she says, keeping you fixed with her stare.
"I can try to be comforting, but what if they want answers? Wouldn't an investigator be useful?"
"They could be, or they could only hurt them further," she says, still judging you with her stare. "Niall says you're a good woman, I don't have any reason to disagree with that, you seem better than most. I just don't want to hand you something that you'd use to ruin that."
"I'm wrapped up in something big and I could really use the help, but it's your decision. If you want me to go I will, I can find help elsewhere."
"And you're not just saying that because you think I'm testing you?"
You hold up a hand and wave it at her as if weighing something on your fingertips. "Well I'd be lying if I said it wasn't part of my answer. I'd probably have begged a bit more if I didn't work that out, but it's also true? I could use all the help you can give, but I'm not going to try to force you if you're unsure."
"That's stupidly honest of you," she says as she walks past down the street. You stand and watch her go until she turns at the end and calls out.
"I don't know the way! You going to show me or what?"
It's a locksmith's workshop that she's led you to as night has finally set and the moon lights up the streets and gives the flowers a strange ethereal quality. Or maybe that's just the mood you're in right now.
The door is a big solid thing with a cast iron lock and Misery looks at you expectantly.
"You did say you want to help," she says, "can you get this open? We won't be doing anything useful tonight out here."
You look at the door and shake your head. Lockpick a locksmith's own door? It'd be a point of pride that no one can pick their own lock, even Steals might struggle with a challenge like this. Instead you shift your attention to the windows and bank on the fact that when your whole life is locks, you don't think about all the other ways someone can get inside instead. Taking a long thin metal rod from your pockets, it's a fair amount of pushing and scraping to slip it into the gap, but you're eventually able to get it in there and rattle it about until you can slap the latch enough that it gives way and you can slide the window open.
"This is where I reveal I'm actually a thief and now you're my accomplice," Misery says with a smirk as she climbs in first. You can see she's trying to find a ladylike way to enter through a window and you know full well there isn't one. One leg either side she sits on the sill and tries to raise her leg up to pull it inside.
"Slowest thief ever," you say with arms folded. If she gets to tease then you get to let her suffer. "I'd pay money to see you try get back out with a sack full of candlesticks"
She eventually gets herself over, then puts a hand to the window as if she's about to close it and you don't even give her the chance, vaulting on through in one smooth motion. "If we're doing thieving I'll let you be my accomplice, but only if you call me Boss."
"Shame, we've only honest intentions tonight then. Did you bring salt?"
You open a pocket and show her the small bag you've kept tucked away there and it gets a small nod of approval.
"Glad you are taking things seriously. I'll gather a few things then, draw a circle for me."
You pour out a circle as neatly as you can and then go back to tidy it up, patting bits in with your hand where it looks a little misshapen and adding more where it looks thin. You're still at it when Misery returns with a handful of heavy looking tools and clicks her tongue at you.
"It's a circle not an art project, it could be a square for all it matters. The important thing is Ghosts can't cross it, don't worry too much about what it looks like."
You tip the bag up and stand back. Maybe it was unnecessary but it felt wrong to just throw something down and Misery reads the confusion right off your face.
"They won't be happy it's there either way, but it's best not to take risks. You can't handle a ghost if it wants to be trouble for you."
"You mean we?" you say and she shakes her head.
"No, I would be fine, but I've been doing this for a long time. I'm teaching you how to do it safely," she says as she lays out the tools inside the circle. You always thought locksmiths must have incredibly fine tools for working with the mechanisms but these are nothing of the sort. A giant hand cranked screw, a set of heavy looking hammers and pair of metal tongs that'd more suit a forge, you've no idea what they'd even do with them. Are locks really just big bits of metal smashed together in the right way?
She lays down a wooden bowl at the edge of the salt and then takes a seat cross legged looking up at you.
"So then, ghosts. This one I've made a few arrangements with, so it should be easier to call them than usual. A small offering, even for the most friendly of spirits there must always be an offering. It's like putting a call out into the night to see if they wish to respond, or stay hidden."
"An offering. Like money?"
She smiles, "you should ask them about that later, that's a good story. The answer is that money alone isn't worth much, there's only two things you can really offer them. Blood or Prayer."
"What about the tools?"
"Are they Blood or Prayer?" she says, arching an eyebrow.
"No but they are worth something, you said it isn't worth it alone but I'm guessing with Prayer?"
She nods. "It's not their worth that matters, it's your sacrifice. By giving up the wealth of this world your prayers carry more weight."
"So you can buy your way into power?"
Misery laughs, "is that so surprising? I thought a Lady of Gem would know that by now."
"Ugh, never say Lady of Gem again, that's horrible. So money and prayer, or blood. Is it a trick to say I'd rather try prayer without the money?"
"Not at all. It's the more difficult choice, blood is potent and most ghosts will jump at the chance for even a little of it. Prayer is a lesser kind of nourishment all on it's own, by adding opulence or sacrifice can you make it stand out. A lavish funeral is a powerful prayer for sending off a ghost to their life below, even if most people don't quite realise that's the intent of it."
The Old Brothers' grand funerals are costing them a small fortune, you know that, it makes sense they'll actually work if they have ghosts advising them. You think of little Hasa moulding soldiers for her father - not worth that much in terms of coin, but in heart and sacrifice? Probably quite powerful.
"And the tools are our price?" you ask hopefully.
"No, but it was fair to point it out. They're for later, you'll see. Let's try a prayer and save ourselves the cuts. It doesn't need certain words, the spectacle of it is what matters. Make it feel important."
For Misery this means a small song in a tongue you've never heard before, lilting and soft. You shut your eyes and try to follow it along, more singing along by the shape of the sounds in your head than any actual words. It feels like a sad song, it's got gentle pauses and a slow pondering tone with a few heartfelt high notes and you track along it quite deftly. You've always been awful at singing but if you let someone better do the heavy lifting then you have to admit this actually feels quite nice.
"You can stop," a voice calls out and you open your eyes to see a man now standing in the center of the salt circle, dressed in fine purple and white robes with chain patterns in gold stitch running along the edges. His hair is greased back into a knot and held in place by a small black board. It's an old saying that the best clothes people will ever get to wear will also be their last, these are funeral robes for sure.
"Halrun," Misery says with a little dip of her head. "Thank you for coming."
Halrun moves about the circle and sees the tools spread inside, reaching down to grab one of the hammers but his hands go right through it. His head snaps up to look at Misery, already holding out her hands to ward him off.
"Don't worry, they have to be buried with you is all. I wanted to be sure they were the ones you wanted, I'll take them along after this."
"I almost didn't come," he says, "I've been talking with people in our enclave, you've got a poor reputation."
Misery nods, "I won't argue against it, they have their right to be angry with me. But you came anyway?"
"No other choice, a workman with no tools is of no use to anyone," he says "besides you looked after my bones once the rats had their way. I saw my fair share of bodies in my time, never felt like dragging one out of a ditch and giving them the burial they'd earned. So you got a little of my trust, is this your daughter?"
"No!" you both say, sharp and far too quick.
"No," you add a little more levelly, "I'm just here to help."
"She's here to learn," Misery says, overruling you, "and because you have something she'd like to hear."
You give Misery the side eye at this sudden revelation, but she's focusing on Halrun and won't return your gaze.
"Is this about the money?" you say, remembering there was a story there.
It gets a laugh out of Halrun though and even Misery has a smile.
"It's not fair to leave me out of the joke," you say "come on!"
"The first Rankar!" Halrun wheezes, "hah! He thought he could take it all with him, buried with a mountain of coins and statues of rubies and diamonds. A fortune for the ages as his grave goods and he was right, he gets to the next life and there it all is. Mountains of coin! Gems piled so high a man could have drowned in them and… and... "
He's beside himself, so Misery picks up. "There's no use for money among ghosts, it was all completely worthless. He could have paid for a church here in this life and enjoyed a small ocean of prayer, but no, he wanted it all and so he became the richest poor man of the Underworld. "
"Gods, I wish I could have seen his face," Halrun chuckles, "he went back into the cycle real quick I heard when he realised he was going to have to beg people to rob his own tomb if he ever wanted to see the benefit of it. Sorry, I've spoiled dying a bit for you now, that's the funniest part of it by a long way."
"Well I'll avoid doing it until you've got a new joke ready," you say, biting your lip to hold in a laugh. It was kind of good to know the first Rankar got a little bit of what he deserved.
"That wasn't what I meant," Misery says, "but I won't complain that it's picked up the mood. I know I didn't ask for any payment for the tools, but if you could you tell Sharell about how you died it'd be a kindness. She's a good soul."
"In Gem?"
"Yes, it's rare but they do exist I'm told."
Harlun looks you over and then gives a shrug and takes a seat inside the circle, facing you on the outside.
"A small lady like this, can use every bit of help they can get."
You're not sure if you should be offended or thankful at that, but you bite your tongue and let them tell their story.
"Now before I get to it, let me tell you that I am not a good locksmith. I am a great locksmith. If Harlun fitted a lock to a safe than you'd need the help of the gods themselves if you ever wanted to see it open without the key. I actually crafted a lock for a god once, charming lady with eyes of fire, no idea what she was using it for and didn't dare ask."
"Elemental," Misery says, "but please, do continue."
"Right, well. There's a difference?" Harlun replies, apparently willing to just let his story be derailed for minor corrections.
"Vastly, but it really doesn't matter."
"Okay then, if you want to correct anything else about my death you feel free to chip in, though."
You're laughing at her now and she's trying very hard not to look like she cares, but you can see the thin lips. Your laughter seems to satisfy Halrun and he rolls back into the story with a smile.
"I'm exceptional with locks, that's what matters and so when people come for me they know they're hiring the best Gem has to offer and if I don't like the look of their face, I make them really pay for it. So when the Guild swish on in through my door in their fancy robes and try to pay for me like I'm a barber then my hackles go right up and I name a price that'd make a Dragon blush."
He clicks his fingers, a loud snap cutting through the cold workshop air.
"Like that! No hesitation they agree, say this Diamond fella will fill my pockets with so much gold I'll need a new belt to hold my pants up. I want to see the colour of their coin before I agree and it's good, so what's a man to do but accept? I get my toolbag and they take me through half the city to this ratty place and push me into a cellar. I start to worry a little, but they say that if I can open the lock down there then I can go the minute after."
You look again to Misery, who is looking back this time. You'd shown her the book of poetry, but this is a lot more personal than you'd shared. Had someone else told her about this? Ten Feathers? You hadn't told Niall what you were doing and it didn't seem possible he'd pieced it together so where was this coming from.
"Beautiful thing it was," Halrun barrels on "A Black and Gold chest, gold for the lining and the engraving and black, black volcanic rock for the body. But once you try to get inside there's nothing normal about it. I tried to slip the join and I couldn't even make a dent with the chisel and the lock on it? Humbled I was, finer than anything I've ever made and I've made some things that'd make a tradesman weep. I spent hours down there trying to work it out, but the mechanism was just beyond me, it's like it would change to fight back against my picks and it ate my drill up and spat it out like it was made of cheap cast iron."
He sighs in remembrance and shakes his head. "Last lock I'd ever touch with living hands and if it had to be my last then I couldn't have picked better. It beat me, it'd beat any man I think, the thing was a masterpiece. Diamond though, oh he didn't like that answer. Said I'd only get what I earned and told me to go, then as the guards are leading me back out"
He punches his side. "Sword straight through, barely had time to realise what they'd done and they pulled and split me right open. Dead before I hit the ground and I'm off into the black for a while. When I wake I got my robes and I'm in the Underworld, in a cellar that isn't much of anything on that side and... well that's a long story after that."
"I got him a proper burial," Misery says, "what you're buried with is what you take. Useful things are best. Tools, weapons and clothes are all excellent choices. It doesn't actually matter so much how good they are, but there's something to be said for a familiar set."
It makes you feel a little guilty to hear it, most the people you'd known who'd not survived the harsh life in Gem had been buried with whatever clothes they wore, if they even got buried at all. You'd put them out of mind really, that they might be still struggling in a different life isn't a pleasant thought.
"Well that's the whole of it really. That useful?"
"It was, I think," you say, "I might be getting revenge for you? At least, I'll try."
"Not really a grudge I care about now," Halrun says, "I got another life to live and I'd rather never see that bastard again. Speaking of which, these tools are close. Get a good file as well and I'll make do with the rest. Put in a good word for you both."
"Thank you," Misery says, "But I don't think you'll win any favours talking about me. Put in a good word for Sharell and I'll worry about my own problems over there."
"Wh-" you go to ask and she halts you by holding up a hand, waiting until Halrun fades away.
"What did you do?" you finish "You're in trouble with the dead?"
"It's not something I want to go into, not right now," she says. "Remember I tested you at the start, to see if you wanted to do this only for yourself? Well, you're a smart woman, you can draw your own conclusions."
Evasive, it's not confidence inspiring but you've another more important question to ask anyway.
"How did you know the chest was relevant to me?"
"You brought me that book on poetry didn't you? I can draw the obvious parallels. When Halrun mentioned it before I thought of you."
"But you didn't say anything until I came looking. Were you going to mention it if I hadn't?"
"Maybe," she says and she's good, oh she's so very good at hiding her feelings but you catch that glint of regret in her eye. She hadn't expected any of this and she'd only made her mind up about you at the very last minute and is already wondering if she's made the right decision. Why she wants to hide it from you though, that's what you don't get.
It's not a question you'll get answered tonight though, Misery makes her polite excuses once you're done to go her own way. She says she'd helped you enough for one night and that you should try to remember all you've learned if you're to pursue the sort of path she's followed. She's already paid for the mistakes, it's your job to learn from them.
But how are you going to do that if you don't even know what they are?
It's already late in the night by the time you get home and Leviathan is curled up in a happy ball by the stove. You envy the cat a little sometimes and don't waste time getting ready to sleep yourself, a dreamstone cradled to your chest because it seems even sleep isn't a respite from work any more.
Sleep comes soon enough.
...
"I know you're watching me."
You let the words hang in the air as you turn slowly in your chair to face the spies who'd been trying to steal away your thoughts.
You stare out at them, willing them to show themselves.
You wait a long breath, then one more.
Nothing, no response. You relax just a fraction, maybe there really is nobody there today and turn back to your latest work, a forest of intricate golden pieces laid out before you on fine cloth that you've been painstakingly assembling for weeks. The forges had grown cold long ago and the last rumbles of the machines are a distant memory. Your forces had been assembled and here you waited for an attack you knew would come. Things were still wrong, you had found an automaton with a loose joint, an essence vent that spluttered with the windings tampered with. The spirits of the forges had become riled and needed to be put down and any rest you got was disturbed by a sudden spark of essence warning you.
Threat, threat, threat. You were in danger, always in danger, hidden foes waiting for their moment to strike. Everyone who could possibly do you harm has been sent away, every servant and bound spirit banished out to the deserts. You'd banished the desire for food and drink and shrouded yourself in power at every moment.
Even she'd left, one more potential threat removed and she'd taken all her creatures with her. There wasn't a heartbeat in the vast forge left but your own.
Threat, threat, threat. Sweat pools along your brow and you mop it away, the Adversary is waiting for their moment. So very confident that you'll let down your guard or overlook one minor detail and then they'll slip into that crack and tear apart everything you've ever worked for.
"I know you're there," you shout, your voices echoing through the forge off cooled metal and polished walls. Wait. Deep breath then another. No response.
Uneasy, unsure, you turn and join two more pieces of the device together, the crackle of essence fusing two golden pieces into one before you carefully set them in position. If you can only complete it before the Adversary finds their chance, that small chink in your armour to slide in the knife.
Someone is watching you who wants your life. You know it in your heart, in your very soul.
Another piece in place and then you spin, slashing with tools made of sunlight at thin air. Nothing there, not even her.
"Show yourself!" you cry, "I know you're there!"
The silence mocks you and bides its time.
Settling back into your seat slowly, you pick another piece and move it carefully into position. You freeze as you place it in its spot, have the pieces moved? Something feels wrong about this, about all of this.
You can't risk it and once again begin to take the device apart. It has to be done right, it's just too important to risk a failure here. Your last chance against an implacable foe, a trap to catch a killer who laughs in silence as they spread poison through everything you've ever done.
There's no justice here or in heaven, let them all fall.
Another day over! Sharell's had a really busy one bless her.
You also get the salt back! Sharell wouldn't leave that just lying around, she is not made of salt.
For training with Misery you've got a point of Performance (Used in prayers) and a point of Occult (For general ghost knowledge), and have learned some interesting new tricks to use with both. We've added them to the sheet.
For choices there's a bonus this round of how you want to handle the Tales going forward. This'll unlock some follow-up options! Or close them off, depending. It should be fairly clear which is which.
[ ] The old Tales were explorers of the unknown! Gem and the other cities of Rankar's empire are too small for an incredible venture like this. Get a real business lady to teach them about expansion into new and foreign lands and begin a partnership between the Guild and the Tales with you guiding the till.
[ ] Although they describe Gem as a paradise for dreamers, you've lived in the dirt long enough to know that it could be far more so. It'll cut into their profit margins, but loaning out stones to artistic types might inspire them to new heights (not to mention the inspiration of actual patronage), and they might inspire others in turn. You know Ten Feathers loves stories and this might be their idea of fun - after they're done chasing them around with a firewand for a bit to drive their point home.
[ ] They have the means to be the secret protectors of Gem with this setup - they don't necessarily have to do the skulduggery themselves, but making them a little better at intrigue than "there's no such thing as attempted bribery" would probably help a lot if they want to get more involved. Steals Kisses is your number one crimes girl and might have some ideas on how to go about doing that, she taught you a fair few things after all.
[ ] Screw it. This is going to take too much time. Figure out a way to save their hides to be taught Dreamwalking, but no more than that.
[ ] You don't want to get involved with this any more. Let them face the consequences of their actions.
[ ] Other (Write-in both what you're after and who you're going to call in to help.)
And our investigation targets! As always, pick two, and unless it says otherwise you can pick as many options under each target as you want.
[ ] DIAMOND'S RUIN - PREPARING FOR WAR
Diamond's compound is about. It'll take some serious doing to crack it open. Each individual choice counts as an investigation target.
-[ ] Recruit: you'll need friends to watch your back, whatever happens.
--[ ] Dreams of Red Sands. The price won't be cheap, see if you can meet it.
--[ ] Mishri and the Old Brothers. For a chance at vengeance and to reclaim what's owed.
--[ ] Misery. She's giving you hints and there's a story there. Get her to tell it and commit herself fully.
--[ ] Niall's Rats. Niall wouldn't want to go personally, but his rats are smart as hell.
--[ ] Steals Kisses. It'd be harder to stop her coming if she finds out, but this is a little bigger than her usual jobs. Maybe you can buy her something that'll give her an edge.
--[ ] Raicho. Convince her your money is worth the risk.
-[ ] Prepare: there's a lot you can do to hone yourself in preparation too. Esoteric and occult power to be grabbed, even by the likes of you. Or maybe even the fabled power of being good at hitting things with sticks.
--[ ] Training. You can't fight, you've never been able to fight. Maybe it's finally time to get someone to teach you.
---[ ] Ten Feathers. The very definition of a crash course.
---[ ] Raicho. She did offer and she probably won't do horrible things to you like Ten Feathers would.
---[ ] Misery. She fights hungry ghosts, people are easy by contrast.
--[ ] Deathspeaking. Plenty of people have died in this Guild War. Some of them might have become ghosts, and some might have information. Get someone to teach you to speak with the dead.
---[ ] The Old Brothers. This would be more active techniques of dealing with the fallen: calling on them, giving them power, that sort of thing. It's not really necromancy though, right?
--[ ] Gold Lion Key. You're reasonably certain you can unlock the chest with the Gold Lion Key as it is now. There's a faint tingling now as you touch it though - what else could it do if you put the effort into understanding it?
--[ ] The Handsome Merchant didn't seem too appealing when people were only getting dead. But now? His standard wares (if they can be called that) are still available, but now you might need a lot of power in a hurry.
[ ] DIAMOND'S RUIN - THE BLOODY BUSINESS
Starting the heist counts as both investigation targets. Make sure you're ready.
You currently have to bring to the table:
Steals Kisses (Cat Burglin' Lady, Standard Gear)
Ten Feathers (Your Partner)
Knowledge of Ghosts: Warding, Summoning, Placating.
Gadgets and a Keen Eye
[ ] DIAMOND IN YOUR KNAPSACK
-[ ] Diamond in your Knapsack and Cheshago had a deal, confront him about it and shake something loose.
-[ ] Diamond in your Knapsack is at war with Wave Crashes Against the Rocks. Pretend to be on his side, find out what you can.
-[ ] You got proof the Guild is surely going beyond what is acceptable. Retrieve the Codebook from its hiding place and figure out if there's a way to alter the proof so that it looks like only Diamond is responsible.
-[ ] Sooner or later, Ten Feathers is coming for him. So make him know it. Make him sweat.
-[ ] The Guild loves money, and that's probably true even in the middle of a civil war. Pay off some of his subordinates for inside information. (This will temporarily use your Resource dot.)
-[ ] Wave Crashes Against the Rocks needs to stop playing it safe, it's time for her to go on the offensive while you pick up the pieces behind her. (This will escalate the Guild war and use your Guild Favour)
[ ] MIDNIGHT TALES
-[ ] They're not going to like it, but the Orrery is an incredibly powerful tool. Is making use of it worth the price? Have the Tales remove the Dreamer's stones and
--[ ] Bury them in the desert. Short-term, hopefully, before the lions find them. (This will keep you from accessing them for your own purposes.)
--[ ] Keep them with you at all times. You know your own memories well enough that some bleed-over isn't going to kill you.
[ ] LOST SOUL AT THE SUN MARKET
-[ ] *NEW* Bring cold iron and some burning questions. The Handsome Merchant sells supernatural power - could faerie treasures be the secret behind Cheshago's killer's exceptional abilities?
-[ ] Cheshago's Yasal Crystal must have come from the Far South, as must the ones that were recently stolen. Ask the Handsome Merchant what he knows about that.
-[ ] The Handsome Merchant's wares are still available, for those with the currency to pay.
[ ] OLD BROTHERS
-[ ] *NEW* Cheshago's killer had to have been capable of some pretty extraordinary things. Are all spirits created equal, or would that be a unique skillset even among the supernatural? Question Mishri on ghost lore.
-[ ] Suspicious. As. Hell. Get Waves to hire some mercenaries to harass their camp, while you take advantage of the distraction to uncover their secrets.
-[ ] A pint of blood can go a long way. Pay Dreams of Red Sands' price (Write in what you ask for).
-[ ] Great wealth, huh? The Guild owes you one, it can pay you so you can pay Red. (Write in what you ask for and go big; this will use your Guild Favor)
[ ] THE DESPOT
-[ ] You got proof the Guild is surely going beyond what he'd find acceptable. Present your findings and let him bring fire and blood.
-[ ] The Despot has a low-key ghost cult operating right under his nose. Is that good? Is that bad? If you wanted to, could you use that to completely ruin their collective days? Do some research with Samet of Iblan and his mountain of legal precedent to find out if that's illegal or not.
-[ ] The Midnight Tales are the servants of a demon. If you brought proof to the Despot his response would be swift and… you're not actually sure it would be lethal any more, given the nature of said demon. But the Tales sure wouldn't like it.
-[ ] You've done the Despot a great favor. If you asked for an audience right now you'd get it. This could be your chance to do nearly anything, if he'll agree to it.
--[ ] Ask for the Midnight Tales to be let off the hook
--[ ] Ask to speak with the Imperial Mercenaries
--[ ] Ask for money. It's the lifeblood of Gem, after all.
--[ ] Ask for nothing, see what he offers. Everyone else is doing it.
--[ ] Write in
[ ] THE VAULT
-[ ] It occurs to you that rather than making educated guesses you might want to actually find out where the Old Brothers found the chest. It's way too hot to go roaming in the desert alone; look into hiring one of them as a guide, and bring lots of water.
-[ ] Roaming the desert and collating records of ruins narrowed it down but not a lot. There are plenty of tombs buried in the sands that no one will touch, and now you know someone that's legally allowed to poke about them. Bring Misery and go looking for some super-old Dragon Ghosts.
[ ] TEN FEATHERS
PICK ONE
-[ ] You've got some information now on what Feathers might like! Propose a morning outing to:
--[ ] Somewhere in your contacts is probably a ticket scalper - spring for box seats for a fancy theater matinee. Nothing but the best for your partner! (This will temporarily expend your Resource dot.)
--[ ] Try to bring them along to a midday puppet show. Seems a little weird but maybe they're into it.
--[ ] *NEW* Find something new and different, the first thing that seems new and different. If the only real crime in Feathers' eyes (aside from actual crimes) is being dull then surely you can find something new.
-[ ] Keep digging, there's got to be more things they like than that. Blood sports. Cooking demonstrations. Street surgery. Gem is not lacking for ways to entertain yourself!
[ ] Other
-[ ] Write in (If your write in isn't chosen first time round it'll be added as an option in future investigation rounds to an appropriate category, as long as it still makes sense to pursue.)
It's not promising. Makarios offered you the power of legends to restore their fire, but the original Tales came up from nothing, had nothing to lose, and were willing to take some extremely big risks in pursuit of a better life. These guys have a better life and were it not for the impending threat of the Despot they wouldn't be inclined to take risks at all. They do have some absolutely fine jam tarts and you're finished with the first plate before the second group interview has concluded. They do have interesting ideas where the Tales could expand but it's all with the sort of abstract frau-frau language that you quickly come to identify as the talk of someone who likes the idea of being an intrepid explorer but who has absolutely no stomach for the actual work of it. Worse, they start repeating themselves. Apparently the idea of a comeback is something they bat around with regularity.
You have the senior staff run an evening lap around the Trading House just to give you some space, their long robes flapping and their red faces are funny to watch but it's going to take more than a run to turn this around.
Int 4 + Bureaucracy 3 = 5 successes. The girl with the plan!
The business is good, it'd be so very tempting to mess with it if you didn't know what you were doing but you've picked up a knack for following the money and the Tales' business is a direct line of money from rich people's pockets to their own. The issue isn't what they're doing; despite their questionable competence when it comes to security and crimes when it comes to the running of a business they're actually pretty good at it.
Collecting your thoughts you have to acknowledge that this is, in absolute terms, not your department. You can put together a missing person's location with half a soup bone and a cousin's vague mention about seeing them for a bit, but… what are you going to do with them? Trust falls? Horse rides? Lion fights? You really want to see them fight some lions right now but it wouldn't be useful for anything but making you feel better.
No, the central problem is the lingering question of what you actually want to try and reforge them to be. That should help you decide who you should bring in to whip them into shape. They know money, they understand dreams.
What can be made from that?
A bonus choice has been unlocked to determine what direction you want to take.
There's something to be said for ending where you began, but as you sift through the charred remains of the sitting room you have to admit that it's barely recognizable as the crime scene from before. A stone room can contain a raging book fire and keep the rest of the place from catching, but everything inside is totally destroyed. The wood is charcoal and the paper is just ashes. A book fire isn't hot enough to cremate a body, but that has since been removed for the proper burial rites. Fortunately this particular room is a little nook, one of several meeting rooms and has been closed off since its fateful encounter with a lot of fire.
Teleji and Raicho are flanking you this time though, pointing out where the battle lay. Another senior merchant is on hand and Stalig, a hefty man with a great red beard who is apparently Raicho's comrade, has come by for a consultation as well.
"The trouble is there's really not much to say," Teleji says, adjusting his dark glasses, "when he came to us he brought one of the corrupted stones, hoping to get another empty one to fill. He brought his porter and bodyguards with him, of course. Left them outside the room - it's not like anything could have gotten to him in there. We had a private meeting, we went to our stock to compare it to what we already had, and the second everyone's backs were turned he was dead and the chest was gone."
You're mightily fighting off the urge to threaten him with nail bombs again. "What the hell are you talking about? That's a lot! You've got secret passages all around this place, was there anywhere it could have gone?"
"Not in this room, no."
Stalig nods.
"I was the one watching the hall the whole time, if there was anybody there I didn't see them."
You fix him with a scrutinizing gaze - if he had been paid off to let a killer inside a sensible human being would have decided to disappear, but those seem to be in painfully short supply in this house. You look to Raicho and she just gives you a solemn nod, which you suppose is as good as you're going to get.
"That is a lot to say," you repeat. "So, in the space of ten… ten?"
Teleji shakes his hand in the gesture of 'thereabouts.'
"Ten minutes, the very precise ten minutes you had walked away and left him alone, someone killed a Guild Prince without a fight, took his soul, took his gold chest which had to have been a heavy old thing, carved up the body possibly to cover up the soul theft, and then disappeared without a trace without using the door."
Intelligence 4 + Investigate 4 = 5 successes. Sometimes finding what should be there and isn't is also a clue.
Taken by a sudden inspiration, you start knocking on walls, floors, ceilings - if you were going to pull something like this you'd probably sneakily make a hole in the ceiling, but the solid stone is entirely solid. No secret passages, no sawed-in trapdoors, nothing. There was an extreme dearth of places to hide in this room even while it was intact - you tried under the desk when the hungry ghost came after you and it wasn't exactly the best place for an assassin to lurk. Or any place for an assassin to lurk.
Teleji coughs. "Truth be told, the unusual circumstances of the case are…"
"Ten Feathers didn't believe a word of it, did they?"
"He did, ah, express skepticism on the particulars, yes."
"As opposed to the infinitely more plausible idea that you, who were engaged in a plot to kill him already, got too eager and did the deed yourselves and used your vast wealth to pay off his people and came up with a story full of nonsense about how it couldn't have been you. How are you not dead yesterday."
"Well," Teleji rubs the back of his neck, "the Hound did express a desire to talk with Cheshago's porter and bodyguards. We're not currently on fire, so maybe their story matched ours?"
You put your palm to your face.
"Write down for me everyone who was using a room adjacent to this one. Next to, one floor down, ceiling, doesn't matter. And whether or not they've been back. I want to track them down and have a talk."
The wee hours of the morning aren't a particularly busy time for private meetings in the Trading House of the Midnight Tales, but you're bringing change and like all reorganizations since time immemorial that means a lot of meetings no one wants to be at. These particular ones are particularly excruciating as you grill everyone who'd even looked at the room that Cheshago had died in. The porters and maids are all bemused and eager to help, while even the guards are a little rattled, clearly worried about how this might affect their pockets and possibly their necks if you decide you don't like their answers.
It's a lot of work to find out something you'd known at the start. That you still don't know how the murder happened, you just happen to know a lot more people who didn't do it is all. The murder was simply impossible for any normal person to accomplish. Which leaves several uncomfortable alternative answers.
"Get to work on another set of books to placate the Despot," you say when it's just you and the merchants left, already feeling the ache of fatigue in your limbs after hours of fruitless meetings. "Feathers knows you've a magical means of smuggling in Dreamstones. If you're lucky, they won't get more than that. "
In the meantime, you now have an invisible, teleporting, super-strong murderer to chase after.
Perfect.
Misery had helped you out with the book, so it's only fair you help her out with a little work to pay her back. That's your excuse to Niall anyway and it isn't entirely untrue, if you just happen to learn a little more about ghosts while you're doing it then that's just happy coincidence. Your intentions are pure.
The sun's light is fading when she finally arrives at the Temple to pick you up, saving you from Niall's lecturers on spirituality and the hungry rats who you'd fed a whole bread roll just once a year ago and never given up hope that it might happen again. She was dressed in those nice black exorcist robes with shiny metal buttons and had her hair up in a ponytail, though for some reason it was still incredibly greasy. Whatever she used to try to keep its shape it really wasn't working for her.
"If this is about the kettle," she says, "I'm not buying you a new one."
"I wanted to pay you back for the book," you reply, "but now you mention it you did put a big dent in my kettle."
"Your head dented the kettle, I just helped it along a little. If you want to help me though, you can go home. I'm going to be busy tonight, whatever this is can wait."
Manipulation 3 + Presence 1 = 3 successes and hits an intimacy so it works!
"Actually I'd like to help, pay you back for helping me with the poetry. I've learned a little about ghosts and I'm happy to take directions. I could get you through the night quicker?"
"It's a kind offer," she says and then takes a breath to say something further, but you jump right in.
"Great! Where's first? I can guide you around the city too, so you'll get this all done so much quicker."
She closes her mouth and stares at you, but your smile doesn't even falter as you radiate innocent helpfulness.
"Fine," she says as her will to argue breaks, "I'll give you a chance, but if you don't take it seriously, I will send you home."
"You couldn't ask for a better partner," you say as you hop to your feet and salute.
"I didn't ask for any at all. Come on, before I change my mind."
...
As you leave the third house with yet another small sum of silver in Misery's pockets you start to wonder if maybe this is a mistake. It turns out a lot of being an exorcist has nothing to do with ghosts and more to do with correctly identifying squeaky doors, loose window latches and the strange night time noises of animals that can plague a person's sleep.
Misery takes it very professionally though, comforting to each person and letting them learn they've been a bit silly as politely as possible. It has the air of practice about it and the patience she must have to go through this routine is impressive, when people had wasted your time on wild hunts you'd usually resorted to a good yelling. Soft spoken and particular, it's hard to imagine Misery raising her voice for anything.
You're leading her along to the fourth house on her list when you realise her footsteps behind you have stopped and you turn to see her standing there with arms folded, glaring at you. You look around awkwardly but there's no real clue as to why so you venture a simple, "yes?"
"You really want to do this?" she says, "after your last encounter with a ghost I thought you'd have had enough."
Int 4 + Investigation 4 = 5 successes. How could Sharell miss an old trick like this?
Oh, of course. It isn't that being an Exorcist was boring, it's Misery trying to bore you out of following her.
"I want to learn," you nod, "it might be frightening but it's also useful. I can do some good with it."
"The dead aren't there to be useful for you. They're often hurt or confused, we're meant to be there for them," she says, keeping you fixed with her stare.
"I can try to be comforting, but what if they want answers? Wouldn't an investigator be useful?"
"They could be, or they could only hurt them further," she says, still judging you with her stare. "Niall says you're a good woman, I don't have any reason to disagree with that, you seem better than most. I just don't want to hand you something that you'd use to ruin that."
"I'm wrapped up in something big and I could really use the help, but it's your decision. If you want me to go I will, I can find help elsewhere."
"And you're not just saying that because you think I'm testing you?"
You hold up a hand and wave it at her as if weighing something on your fingertips. "Well I'd be lying if I said it wasn't part of my answer. I'd probably have begged a bit more if I didn't work that out, but it's also true? I could use all the help you can give, but I'm not going to try to force you if you're unsure."
"That's stupidly honest of you," she says as she walks past down the street. You stand and watch her go until she turns at the end and calls out.
"I don't know the way! You going to show me or what?"
It's a locksmith's workshop that she's led you to as night has finally set and the moon lights up the streets and gives the flowers a strange ethereal quality. Or maybe that's just the mood you're in right now.
The door is a big solid thing with a cast iron lock and Misery looks at you expectantly.
"You did say you want to help," she says, "can you get this open? We won't be doing anything useful tonight out here."
Dex 3 + Larceny 1 = 2 successes. For a locksmiths door heck no, but why use doors?
You look at the door and shake your head. Lockpick a locksmith's own door? It'd be a point of pride that no one can pick their own lock, even Steals might struggle with a challenge like this. Instead you shift your attention to the windows and bank on the fact that when your whole life is locks, you don't think about all the other ways someone can get inside instead. Taking a long thin metal rod from your pockets, it's a fair amount of pushing and scraping to slip it into the gap, but you're eventually able to get it in there and rattle it about until you can slap the latch enough that it gives way and you can slide the window open.
"This is where I reveal I'm actually a thief and now you're my accomplice," Misery says with a smirk as she climbs in first. You can see she's trying to find a ladylike way to enter through a window and you know full well there isn't one. One leg either side she sits on the sill and tries to raise her leg up to pull it inside.
"Slowest thief ever," you say with arms folded. If she gets to tease then you get to let her suffer. "I'd pay money to see you try get back out with a sack full of candlesticks"
She eventually gets herself over, then puts a hand to the window as if she's about to close it and you don't even give her the chance, vaulting on through in one smooth motion. "If we're doing thieving I'll let you be my accomplice, but only if you call me Boss."
"Shame, we've only honest intentions tonight then. Did you bring salt?"
You open a pocket and show her the small bag you've kept tucked away there and it gets a small nod of approval.
"Glad you are taking things seriously. I'll gather a few things then, draw a circle for me."
Int 4 + Occult 2. 1 success, you only know the very basics of this part. But that won't stop you trying to impress.
You pour out a circle as neatly as you can and then go back to tidy it up, patting bits in with your hand where it looks a little misshapen and adding more where it looks thin. You're still at it when Misery returns with a handful of heavy looking tools and clicks her tongue at you.
"It's a circle not an art project, it could be a square for all it matters. The important thing is Ghosts can't cross it, don't worry too much about what it looks like."
You tip the bag up and stand back. Maybe it was unnecessary but it felt wrong to just throw something down and Misery reads the confusion right off your face.
"They won't be happy it's there either way, but it's best not to take risks. You can't handle a ghost if it wants to be trouble for you."
"You mean we?" you say and she shakes her head.
"No, I would be fine, but I've been doing this for a long time. I'm teaching you how to do it safely," she says as she lays out the tools inside the circle. You always thought locksmiths must have incredibly fine tools for working with the mechanisms but these are nothing of the sort. A giant hand cranked screw, a set of heavy looking hammers and pair of metal tongs that'd more suit a forge, you've no idea what they'd even do with them. Are locks really just big bits of metal smashed together in the right way?
She lays down a wooden bowl at the edge of the salt and then takes a seat cross legged looking up at you.
"So then, ghosts. This one I've made a few arrangements with, so it should be easier to call them than usual. A small offering, even for the most friendly of spirits there must always be an offering. It's like putting a call out into the night to see if they wish to respond, or stay hidden."
"An offering. Like money?"
She smiles, "you should ask them about that later, that's a good story. The answer is that money alone isn't worth much, there's only two things you can really offer them. Blood or Prayer."
"What about the tools?"
"Are they Blood or Prayer?" she says, arching an eyebrow.
"No but they are worth something, you said it isn't worth it alone but I'm guessing with Prayer?"
She nods. "It's not their worth that matters, it's your sacrifice. By giving up the wealth of this world your prayers carry more weight."
"So you can buy your way into power?"
Misery laughs, "is that so surprising? I thought a Lady of Gem would know that by now."
"Ugh, never say Lady of Gem again, that's horrible. So money and prayer, or blood. Is it a trick to say I'd rather try prayer without the money?"
"Not at all. It's the more difficult choice, blood is potent and most ghosts will jump at the chance for even a little of it. Prayer is a lesser kind of nourishment all on it's own, by adding opulence or sacrifice can you make it stand out. A lavish funeral is a powerful prayer for sending off a ghost to their life below, even if most people don't quite realise that's the intent of it."
The Old Brothers' grand funerals are costing them a small fortune, you know that, it makes sense they'll actually work if they have ghosts advising them. You think of little Hasa moulding soldiers for her father - not worth that much in terms of coin, but in heart and sacrifice? Probably quite powerful.
"And the tools are our price?" you ask hopefully.
"No, but it was fair to point it out. They're for later, you'll see. Let's try a prayer and save ourselves the cuts. It doesn't need certain words, the spectacle of it is what matters. Make it feel important."
Charisma 2 + Performance 1 = 3 successes. Beginner's luck!
For Misery this means a small song in a tongue you've never heard before, lilting and soft. You shut your eyes and try to follow it along, more singing along by the shape of the sounds in your head than any actual words. It feels like a sad song, it's got gentle pauses and a slow pondering tone with a few heartfelt high notes and you track along it quite deftly. You've always been awful at singing but if you let someone better do the heavy lifting then you have to admit this actually feels quite nice.
"You can stop," a voice calls out and you open your eyes to see a man now standing in the center of the salt circle, dressed in fine purple and white robes with chain patterns in gold stitch running along the edges. His hair is greased back into a knot and held in place by a small black board. It's an old saying that the best clothes people will ever get to wear will also be their last, these are funeral robes for sure.
"Halrun," Misery says with a little dip of her head. "Thank you for coming."
Halrun moves about the circle and sees the tools spread inside, reaching down to grab one of the hammers but his hands go right through it. His head snaps up to look at Misery, already holding out her hands to ward him off.
"Don't worry, they have to be buried with you is all. I wanted to be sure they were the ones you wanted, I'll take them along after this."
"I almost didn't come," he says, "I've been talking with people in our enclave, you've got a poor reputation."
Misery nods, "I won't argue against it, they have their right to be angry with me. But you came anyway?"
"No other choice, a workman with no tools is of no use to anyone," he says "besides you looked after my bones once the rats had their way. I saw my fair share of bodies in my time, never felt like dragging one out of a ditch and giving them the burial they'd earned. So you got a little of my trust, is this your daughter?"
"No!" you both say, sharp and far too quick.
"No," you add a little more levelly, "I'm just here to help."
"She's here to learn," Misery says, overruling you, "and because you have something she'd like to hear."
You give Misery the side eye at this sudden revelation, but she's focusing on Halrun and won't return your gaze.
"Is this about the money?" you say, remembering there was a story there.
It gets a laugh out of Halrun though and even Misery has a smile.
"It's not fair to leave me out of the joke," you say "come on!"
"The first Rankar!" Halrun wheezes, "hah! He thought he could take it all with him, buried with a mountain of coins and statues of rubies and diamonds. A fortune for the ages as his grave goods and he was right, he gets to the next life and there it all is. Mountains of coin! Gems piled so high a man could have drowned in them and… and... "
He's beside himself, so Misery picks up. "There's no use for money among ghosts, it was all completely worthless. He could have paid for a church here in this life and enjoyed a small ocean of prayer, but no, he wanted it all and so he became the richest poor man of the Underworld. "
"Gods, I wish I could have seen his face," Halrun chuckles, "he went back into the cycle real quick I heard when he realised he was going to have to beg people to rob his own tomb if he ever wanted to see the benefit of it. Sorry, I've spoiled dying a bit for you now, that's the funniest part of it by a long way."
"Well I'll avoid doing it until you've got a new joke ready," you say, biting your lip to hold in a laugh. It was kind of good to know the first Rankar got a little bit of what he deserved.
"That wasn't what I meant," Misery says, "but I won't complain that it's picked up the mood. I know I didn't ask for any payment for the tools, but if you could you tell Sharell about how you died it'd be a kindness. She's a good soul."
"In Gem?"
"Yes, it's rare but they do exist I'm told."
Harlun looks you over and then gives a shrug and takes a seat inside the circle, facing you on the outside.
"A small lady like this, can use every bit of help they can get."
You're not sure if you should be offended or thankful at that, but you bite your tongue and let them tell their story.
"Now before I get to it, let me tell you that I am not a good locksmith. I am a great locksmith. If Harlun fitted a lock to a safe than you'd need the help of the gods themselves if you ever wanted to see it open without the key. I actually crafted a lock for a god once, charming lady with eyes of fire, no idea what she was using it for and didn't dare ask."
"Elemental," Misery says, "but please, do continue."
"Right, well. There's a difference?" Harlun replies, apparently willing to just let his story be derailed for minor corrections.
"Vastly, but it really doesn't matter."
"Okay then, if you want to correct anything else about my death you feel free to chip in, though."
You're laughing at her now and she's trying very hard not to look like she cares, but you can see the thin lips. Your laughter seems to satisfy Halrun and he rolls back into the story with a smile.
"I'm exceptional with locks, that's what matters and so when people come for me they know they're hiring the best Gem has to offer and if I don't like the look of their face, I make them really pay for it. So when the Guild swish on in through my door in their fancy robes and try to pay for me like I'm a barber then my hackles go right up and I name a price that'd make a Dragon blush."
He clicks his fingers, a loud snap cutting through the cold workshop air.
"Like that! No hesitation they agree, say this Diamond fella will fill my pockets with so much gold I'll need a new belt to hold my pants up. I want to see the colour of their coin before I agree and it's good, so what's a man to do but accept? I get my toolbag and they take me through half the city to this ratty place and push me into a cellar. I start to worry a little, but they say that if I can open the lock down there then I can go the minute after."
You look again to Misery, who is looking back this time. You'd shown her the book of poetry, but this is a lot more personal than you'd shared. Had someone else told her about this? Ten Feathers? You hadn't told Niall what you were doing and it didn't seem possible he'd pieced it together so where was this coming from.
"Beautiful thing it was," Halrun barrels on "A Black and Gold chest, gold for the lining and the engraving and black, black volcanic rock for the body. But once you try to get inside there's nothing normal about it. I tried to slip the join and I couldn't even make a dent with the chisel and the lock on it? Humbled I was, finer than anything I've ever made and I've made some things that'd make a tradesman weep. I spent hours down there trying to work it out, but the mechanism was just beyond me, it's like it would change to fight back against my picks and it ate my drill up and spat it out like it was made of cheap cast iron."
He sighs in remembrance and shakes his head. "Last lock I'd ever touch with living hands and if it had to be my last then I couldn't have picked better. It beat me, it'd beat any man I think, the thing was a masterpiece. Diamond though, oh he didn't like that answer. Said I'd only get what I earned and told me to go, then as the guards are leading me back out"
He punches his side. "Sword straight through, barely had time to realise what they'd done and they pulled and split me right open. Dead before I hit the ground and I'm off into the black for a while. When I wake I got my robes and I'm in the Underworld, in a cellar that isn't much of anything on that side and... well that's a long story after that."
"I got him a proper burial," Misery says, "what you're buried with is what you take. Useful things are best. Tools, weapons and clothes are all excellent choices. It doesn't actually matter so much how good they are, but there's something to be said for a familiar set."
It makes you feel a little guilty to hear it, most the people you'd known who'd not survived the harsh life in Gem had been buried with whatever clothes they wore, if they even got buried at all. You'd put them out of mind really, that they might be still struggling in a different life isn't a pleasant thought.
"Well that's the whole of it really. That useful?"
"It was, I think," you say, "I might be getting revenge for you? At least, I'll try."
"Not really a grudge I care about now," Halrun says, "I got another life to live and I'd rather never see that bastard again. Speaking of which, these tools are close. Get a good file as well and I'll make do with the rest. Put in a good word for you both."
"Thank you," Misery says, "But I don't think you'll win any favours talking about me. Put in a good word for Sharell and I'll worry about my own problems over there."
"Wh-" you go to ask and she halts you by holding up a hand, waiting until Halrun fades away.
"What did you do?" you finish "You're in trouble with the dead?"
"It's not something I want to go into, not right now," she says. "Remember I tested you at the start, to see if you wanted to do this only for yourself? Well, you're a smart woman, you can draw your own conclusions."
Evasive, it's not confidence inspiring but you've another more important question to ask anyway.
"How did you know the chest was relevant to me?"
"You brought me that book on poetry didn't you? I can draw the obvious parallels. When Halrun mentioned it before I thought of you."
"But you didn't say anything until I came looking. Were you going to mention it if I hadn't?"
Perception 3 + Socialize 2 = 5 successes. What is this madness? Sharell is on fire with the dice today!
"Maybe," she says and she's good, oh she's so very good at hiding her feelings but you catch that glint of regret in her eye. She hadn't expected any of this and she'd only made her mind up about you at the very last minute and is already wondering if she's made the right decision. Why she wants to hide it from you though, that's what you don't get.
It's not a question you'll get answered tonight though, Misery makes her polite excuses once you're done to go her own way. She says she'd helped you enough for one night and that you should try to remember all you've learned if you're to pursue the sort of path she's followed. She's already paid for the mistakes, it's your job to learn from them.
But how are you going to do that if you don't even know what they are?
It's already late in the night by the time you get home and Leviathan is curled up in a happy ball by the stove. You envy the cat a little sometimes and don't waste time getting ready to sleep yourself, a dreamstone cradled to your chest because it seems even sleep isn't a respite from work any more.
Sleep comes soon enough.
...
"I know you're watching me."
You let the words hang in the air as you turn slowly in your chair to face the spies who'd been trying to steal away your thoughts.
You stare out at them, willing them to show themselves.
You wait a long breath, then one more.
Nothing, no response. You relax just a fraction, maybe there really is nobody there today and turn back to your latest work, a forest of intricate golden pieces laid out before you on fine cloth that you've been painstakingly assembling for weeks. The forges had grown cold long ago and the last rumbles of the machines are a distant memory. Your forces had been assembled and here you waited for an attack you knew would come. Things were still wrong, you had found an automaton with a loose joint, an essence vent that spluttered with the windings tampered with. The spirits of the forges had become riled and needed to be put down and any rest you got was disturbed by a sudden spark of essence warning you.
Threat, threat, threat. You were in danger, always in danger, hidden foes waiting for their moment to strike. Everyone who could possibly do you harm has been sent away, every servant and bound spirit banished out to the deserts. You'd banished the desire for food and drink and shrouded yourself in power at every moment.
Even she'd left, one more potential threat removed and she'd taken all her creatures with her. There wasn't a heartbeat in the vast forge left but your own.
Threat, threat, threat. Sweat pools along your brow and you mop it away, the Adversary is waiting for their moment. So very confident that you'll let down your guard or overlook one minor detail and then they'll slip into that crack and tear apart everything you've ever worked for.
"I know you're there," you shout, your voices echoing through the forge off cooled metal and polished walls. Wait. Deep breath then another. No response.
Uneasy, unsure, you turn and join two more pieces of the device together, the crackle of essence fusing two golden pieces into one before you carefully set them in position. If you can only complete it before the Adversary finds their chance, that small chink in your armour to slide in the knife.
Someone is watching you who wants your life. You know it in your heart, in your very soul.
Another piece in place and then you spin, slashing with tools made of sunlight at thin air. Nothing there, not even her.
"Show yourself!" you cry, "I know you're there!"
The silence mocks you and bides its time.
Settling back into your seat slowly, you pick another piece and move it carefully into position. You freeze as you place it in its spot, have the pieces moved? Something feels wrong about this, about all of this.
You can't risk it and once again begin to take the device apart. It has to be done right, it's just too important to risk a failure here. Your last chance against an implacable foe, a trap to catch a killer who laughs in silence as they spread poison through everything you've ever done.
There's no justice here or in heaven, let them all fall.
Another day over! Sharell's had a really busy one bless her.
You also get the salt back! Sharell wouldn't leave that just lying around, she is not made of salt.
For training with Misery you've got a point of Performance (Used in prayers) and a point of Occult (For general ghost knowledge), and have learned some interesting new tricks to use with both. We've added them to the sheet.
For choices there's a bonus this round of how you want to handle the Tales going forward. This'll unlock some follow-up options! Or close them off, depending. It should be fairly clear which is which.
[ ] The old Tales were explorers of the unknown! Gem and the other cities of Rankar's empire are too small for an incredible venture like this. Get a real business lady to teach them about expansion into new and foreign lands and begin a partnership between the Guild and the Tales with you guiding the till.
[ ] Although they describe Gem as a paradise for dreamers, you've lived in the dirt long enough to know that it could be far more so. It'll cut into their profit margins, but loaning out stones to artistic types might inspire them to new heights (not to mention the inspiration of actual patronage), and they might inspire others in turn. You know Ten Feathers loves stories and this might be their idea of fun - after they're done chasing them around with a firewand for a bit to drive their point home.
[ ] They have the means to be the secret protectors of Gem with this setup - they don't necessarily have to do the skulduggery themselves, but making them a little better at intrigue than "there's no such thing as attempted bribery" would probably help a lot if they want to get more involved. Steals Kisses is your number one crimes girl and might have some ideas on how to go about doing that, she taught you a fair few things after all.
[ ] Screw it. This is going to take too much time. Figure out a way to save their hides to be taught Dreamwalking, but no more than that.
[ ] You don't want to get involved with this any more. Let them face the consequences of their actions.
[ ] Other (Write-in both what you're after and who you're going to call in to help.)
And our investigation targets! As always, pick two, and unless it says otherwise you can pick as many options under each target as you want.
[ ] DIAMOND'S RUIN - PREPARING FOR WAR
Diamond's compound is about. It'll take some serious doing to crack it open. Each individual choice counts as an investigation target.
-[ ] Recruit: you'll need friends to watch your back, whatever happens.
--[ ] Dreams of Red Sands. The price won't be cheap, see if you can meet it.
--[ ] Mishri and the Old Brothers. For a chance at vengeance and to reclaim what's owed.
--[ ] Misery. She's giving you hints and there's a story there. Get her to tell it and commit herself fully.
--[ ] Niall's Rats. Niall wouldn't want to go personally, but his rats are smart as hell.
--[ ] Steals Kisses. It'd be harder to stop her coming if she finds out, but this is a little bigger than her usual jobs. Maybe you can buy her something that'll give her an edge.
--[ ] Raicho. Convince her your money is worth the risk.
-[ ] Prepare: there's a lot you can do to hone yourself in preparation too. Esoteric and occult power to be grabbed, even by the likes of you. Or maybe even the fabled power of being good at hitting things with sticks.
--[ ] Training. You can't fight, you've never been able to fight. Maybe it's finally time to get someone to teach you.
---[ ] Ten Feathers. The very definition of a crash course.
---[ ] Raicho. She did offer and she probably won't do horrible things to you like Ten Feathers would.
---[ ] Misery. She fights hungry ghosts, people are easy by contrast.
--[ ] Deathspeaking. Plenty of people have died in this Guild War. Some of them might have become ghosts, and some might have information. Get someone to teach you to speak with the dead.
---[ ] The Old Brothers. This would be more active techniques of dealing with the fallen: calling on them, giving them power, that sort of thing. It's not really necromancy though, right?
--[ ] Gold Lion Key. You're reasonably certain you can unlock the chest with the Gold Lion Key as it is now. There's a faint tingling now as you touch it though - what else could it do if you put the effort into understanding it?
--[ ] The Handsome Merchant didn't seem too appealing when people were only getting dead. But now? His standard wares (if they can be called that) are still available, but now you might need a lot of power in a hurry.
[ ] DIAMOND'S RUIN - THE BLOODY BUSINESS
Starting the heist counts as both investigation targets. Make sure you're ready.
You currently have to bring to the table:
Steals Kisses (Cat Burglin' Lady, Standard Gear)
Ten Feathers (Your Partner)
Knowledge of Ghosts: Warding, Summoning, Placating.
Gadgets and a Keen Eye
[ ] DIAMOND IN YOUR KNAPSACK
-[ ] Diamond in your Knapsack and Cheshago had a deal, confront him about it and shake something loose.
-[ ] Diamond in your Knapsack is at war with Wave Crashes Against the Rocks. Pretend to be on his side, find out what you can.
-[ ] You got proof the Guild is surely going beyond what is acceptable. Retrieve the Codebook from its hiding place and figure out if there's a way to alter the proof so that it looks like only Diamond is responsible.
-[ ] Sooner or later, Ten Feathers is coming for him. So make him know it. Make him sweat.
-[ ] The Guild loves money, and that's probably true even in the middle of a civil war. Pay off some of his subordinates for inside information. (This will temporarily use your Resource dot.)
-[ ] Wave Crashes Against the Rocks needs to stop playing it safe, it's time for her to go on the offensive while you pick up the pieces behind her. (This will escalate the Guild war and use your Guild Favour)
[ ] MIDNIGHT TALES
-[ ] They're not going to like it, but the Orrery is an incredibly powerful tool. Is making use of it worth the price? Have the Tales remove the Dreamer's stones and
--[ ] Bury them in the desert. Short-term, hopefully, before the lions find them. (This will keep you from accessing them for your own purposes.)
--[ ] Keep them with you at all times. You know your own memories well enough that some bleed-over isn't going to kill you.
[ ] LOST SOUL AT THE SUN MARKET
-[ ] *NEW* Bring cold iron and some burning questions. The Handsome Merchant sells supernatural power - could faerie treasures be the secret behind Cheshago's killer's exceptional abilities?
-[ ] Cheshago's Yasal Crystal must have come from the Far South, as must the ones that were recently stolen. Ask the Handsome Merchant what he knows about that.
-[ ] The Handsome Merchant's wares are still available, for those with the currency to pay.
[ ] OLD BROTHERS
-[ ] *NEW* Cheshago's killer had to have been capable of some pretty extraordinary things. Are all spirits created equal, or would that be a unique skillset even among the supernatural? Question Mishri on ghost lore.
-[ ] Suspicious. As. Hell. Get Waves to hire some mercenaries to harass their camp, while you take advantage of the distraction to uncover their secrets.
-[ ] A pint of blood can go a long way. Pay Dreams of Red Sands' price (Write in what you ask for).
-[ ] Great wealth, huh? The Guild owes you one, it can pay you so you can pay Red. (Write in what you ask for and go big; this will use your Guild Favor)
[ ] THE DESPOT
-[ ] You got proof the Guild is surely going beyond what he'd find acceptable. Present your findings and let him bring fire and blood.
-[ ] The Despot has a low-key ghost cult operating right under his nose. Is that good? Is that bad? If you wanted to, could you use that to completely ruin their collective days? Do some research with Samet of Iblan and his mountain of legal precedent to find out if that's illegal or not.
-[ ] The Midnight Tales are the servants of a demon. If you brought proof to the Despot his response would be swift and… you're not actually sure it would be lethal any more, given the nature of said demon. But the Tales sure wouldn't like it.
-[ ] You've done the Despot a great favor. If you asked for an audience right now you'd get it. This could be your chance to do nearly anything, if he'll agree to it.
--[ ] Ask for the Midnight Tales to be let off the hook
--[ ] Ask to speak with the Imperial Mercenaries
--[ ] Ask for money. It's the lifeblood of Gem, after all.
--[ ] Ask for nothing, see what he offers. Everyone else is doing it.
--[ ] Write in
[ ] THE VAULT
-[ ] It occurs to you that rather than making educated guesses you might want to actually find out where the Old Brothers found the chest. It's way too hot to go roaming in the desert alone; look into hiring one of them as a guide, and bring lots of water.
-[ ] Roaming the desert and collating records of ruins narrowed it down but not a lot. There are plenty of tombs buried in the sands that no one will touch, and now you know someone that's legally allowed to poke about them. Bring Misery and go looking for some super-old Dragon Ghosts.
[ ] TEN FEATHERS
PICK ONE
-[ ] You've got some information now on what Feathers might like! Propose a morning outing to:
--[ ] Somewhere in your contacts is probably a ticket scalper - spring for box seats for a fancy theater matinee. Nothing but the best for your partner! (This will temporarily expend your Resource dot.)
--[ ] Try to bring them along to a midday puppet show. Seems a little weird but maybe they're into it.
--[ ] *NEW* Find something new and different, the first thing that seems new and different. If the only real crime in Feathers' eyes (aside from actual crimes) is being dull then surely you can find something new.
-[ ] Keep digging, there's got to be more things they like than that. Blood sports. Cooking demonstrations. Street surgery. Gem is not lacking for ways to entertain yourself!
[ ] Other
-[ ] Write in (If your write in isn't chosen first time round it'll be added as an option in future investigation rounds to an appropriate category, as long as it still makes sense to pursue.)
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EternalObserver
eYe Gaze baCk
- Location
- The Void
The dice gods continue to giveth, wonder when will it be the time before they taketh away
- Location
- Vermont
[X] The old Tales were explorers of the unknown! Gem and the other cities of Rankar's empire are too small for an incredible venture like this. Get a real business lady to teach them about expansion into new and foreign lands and begin a partnership between the Guild and the Tales with you guiding the till.
[X] DIAMOND'S RUIN - PREPARING FOR WAR
Diamond's compound is about. It'll take some serious doing to crack it open. Each individual choice counts as an investigation target.
-[X] Recruit: you'll need friends to watch your back, whatever happens.
--[X] Dreams of Red Sands. The price won't be cheap, see if you can meet it.
--[X] Mishri and the Old Brothers. For a chance at vengeance and to reclaim what's owed.
[X] TEN FEATHERS
PICK ONE
-[X] You've got some information now on what Feathers might like! Propose a morning outing to:
--[X] *NEW* Find something new and different, the first thing that seems new and different. If the only real crime in Feathers' eyes (aside from actual crimes) is being dull then surely you can find something new.
[X] DIAMOND'S RUIN - PREPARING FOR WAR
Diamond's compound is about. It'll take some serious doing to crack it open. Each individual choice counts as an investigation target.
-[X] Recruit: you'll need friends to watch your back, whatever happens.
--[X] Dreams of Red Sands. The price won't be cheap, see if you can meet it.
--[X] Mishri and the Old Brothers. For a chance at vengeance and to reclaim what's owed.
[X] TEN FEATHERS
PICK ONE
-[X] You've got some information now on what Feathers might like! Propose a morning outing to:
--[X] *NEW* Find something new and different, the first thing that seems new and different. If the only real crime in Feathers' eyes (aside from actual crimes) is being dull then surely you can find something new.
[X] Although they describe Gem as a paradise for dreamers, you've lived in the dirt long enough to know that it could be far more so. It'll cut into their profit margins, but loaning out stones to artistic types might inspire them to new heights (not to mention the inspiration of actual patronage), and they might inspire others in turn. You know Ten Feathers loves stories and this might be their idea of fun - after they're done chasing them around with a firewand for a bit to drive their point home.
[X] DIAMOND'S RUIN - PREPARING FOR WAR
Diamond's compound is about. It'll take some serious doing to crack it open. Each individual choice counts as an investigation target.
-[X] Recruit: you'll need friends to watch your back, whatever happens.
--[X] Misery. She's giving you hints and there's a story there. Get her to tell it and commit herself fully.
--[X] Mishri and the Old Brothers. For a chance at vengeance and to reclaim what's owed.
[x] LOST SOUL AT THE SUN MARKET
-[x] *NEW* Bring cold iron and some burning questions. The Handsome Merchant sells supernatural power - could faerie treasures be the secret behind Cheshago's killer's exceptional abilities?
-[x] Cheshago's Yasal Crystal must have come from the Far South, as must the ones that were recently stolen. Ask the Handsome Merchant what he knows about that.
-[x] The Handsome Merchant's wares are still available, for those with the currency to pay.
They aren't good at much beyond business, but this is simple business. Just a different clientele. Seduce artists to buy their services
Explorers or protection...too incompetent.
Wouldn't put it past them to get chased by a solar hungry ghost from the Usurpation
[X] DIAMOND'S RUIN - PREPARING FOR WAR
Diamond's compound is about. It'll take some serious doing to crack it open. Each individual choice counts as an investigation target.
-[X] Recruit: you'll need friends to watch your back, whatever happens.
--[X] Misery. She's giving you hints and there's a story there. Get her to tell it and commit herself fully.
--[X] Mishri and the Old Brothers. For a chance at vengeance and to reclaim what's owed.
[x] LOST SOUL AT THE SUN MARKET
-[x] *NEW* Bring cold iron and some burning questions. The Handsome Merchant sells supernatural power - could faerie treasures be the secret behind Cheshago's killer's exceptional abilities?
-[x] Cheshago's Yasal Crystal must have come from the Far South, as must the ones that were recently stolen. Ask the Handsome Merchant what he knows about that.
-[x] The Handsome Merchant's wares are still available, for those with the currency to pay.
They aren't good at much beyond business, but this is simple business. Just a different clientele. Seduce artists to buy their services
Explorers or protection...too incompetent.
Wouldn't put it past them to get chased by a solar hungry ghost from the Usurpation
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- Location
- In Your DNA
I'm still figuring out the wording on Diamond's Ruin Prep to make it clear, but choosing to recruit two people for the heist takes two actions.
...of course the logical result of trying to recruit both Mishri and Red during the daytime without enough time available is that Red is busy hanging out in the Underworld and only Mishri is about, so...
...of course the logical result of trying to recruit both Mishri and Red during the daytime without enough time available is that Red is busy hanging out in the Underworld and only Mishri is about, so...
They were incredibly nice this time. Pretty much every roll had a ten in there! Living a charmed life
- Location
- St. Petersburg
"...when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."
If a murder couldn't have possibly happened, it gives credence to the theory it never happened, that it is some kind of mad scheme by Cheshago to disappear off the radar.
Or so I would say if we didn't get the most blatant confirmation that Diamond has the Chest now, and Cheshago would never part with it.
How did he get it? There is a lot of ghost bullshit that could be pulled on Cheshago, but ghosts don't steal heavy chests! Normally, that is.
It is clear now why the Antiquarian died, and clear as day who hired the mercs to steal the Yasal crystals (the drivers were either Diamond's people, or bought off to betray Waves), but the question of why remains. Who else would he need crystall-ed? We haven't heard of any case-related murders since the Antiquarian... and since he didn't rise it wasn't like his expertise was very valuable.
Was Sharell right about the motive after all? That he wants to keep important people at his beck and call once he thinks he takes over? It just doesn't ring true...
These "intricate golden pieces"... do they happen to look anything like a lock, perhaps?
Did Cheshago happen to spring a trap?
Either that, or we might be getting a glimpse of the Vault's contents, in which case I dearly wish for it to stay closed forever.
I believe this needs to happen before the raid. We need to equip our gang.
If we could persuade Steals to buy something from him, I would probably try too.
...could Ten get us a fairy discount?
Or a fiery discount, whichever is cheaper...Nah, just kidding. Probably.
Edit: do we want Mishri on this? He believes that the Chest belongs to Old Brothers, it says so in the choice.
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So, I believe this one is an interesting one and can be one for more than purely inspirational purposes. You might also offer some artist the chance to show of what they have made in their dreams. Either for the rich to view or sell to your patron. As well as new and interesting dreams inspired by the art. Inspire it as a type of dream farming which also might garner some good will.
[X] Although they describe Gem as a paradise for dreamers, you've lived in the dirt long enough to know that it could be far more so. It'll cut into their profit margins, but loaning out stones to artistic types might inspire them to new heights (not to mention the inspiration of actual patronage), and they might inspire others in turn. You know Ten Feathers loves stories and this might be their idea of fun - after they're done chasing them around with a firewand for a bit to drive their point home.
Still think dates are for after dealing with Diamond. Or dealing with Diamond could even be a date! Though I think recruiting Misery is a good idea after what we learned from going along with her ghostbusting. She does seem to know more and just that might help a lot. I agree with Nevill that inviting the brothers might not be a good idea unless we are planning on using them as fodder and that just doesn't seem right. Especially since the dream implies there is nothing good inside that chest. No I think I'm leaning towards the stealth approach with maybe Ten Feathers as a distraction.
[X] DIAMOND'S RUIN - PREPARING FOR WAR
Diamond's compound is about. It'll take some serious doing to crack it open. Each individual choice counts as an investigation target.
-[X] Recruit: you'll need friends to watch your back, whatever happens.
--[X] Misery. She's giving you hints and there's a story there. Get her to tell it and commit herself fully.
Also a good locked room mystery is just hard to resist poking at you know?
[X] LOST SOUL AT THE SUN MARKET
-[X] *NEW* Bring cold iron and some burning questions. The Handsome Merchant sells supernatural power - could faerie treasures be the secret behind Cheshago's killer's exceptional abilities?
-[X] Cheshago's Yasal Crystal must have come from the Far South, as must the ones that were recently stolen. Ask the Handsome Merchant what he knows about that.
[X] Although they describe Gem as a paradise for dreamers, you've lived in the dirt long enough to know that it could be far more so. It'll cut into their profit margins, but loaning out stones to artistic types might inspire them to new heights (not to mention the inspiration of actual patronage), and they might inspire others in turn. You know Ten Feathers loves stories and this might be their idea of fun - after they're done chasing them around with a firewand for a bit to drive their point home.
Still think dates are for after dealing with Diamond. Or dealing with Diamond could even be a date! Though I think recruiting Misery is a good idea after what we learned from going along with her ghostbusting. She does seem to know more and just that might help a lot. I agree with Nevill that inviting the brothers might not be a good idea unless we are planning on using them as fodder and that just doesn't seem right. Especially since the dream implies there is nothing good inside that chest. No I think I'm leaning towards the stealth approach with maybe Ten Feathers as a distraction.
[X] DIAMOND'S RUIN - PREPARING FOR WAR
Diamond's compound is about. It'll take some serious doing to crack it open. Each individual choice counts as an investigation target.
-[X] Recruit: you'll need friends to watch your back, whatever happens.
--[X] Misery. She's giving you hints and there's a story there. Get her to tell it and commit herself fully.
Also a good locked room mystery is just hard to resist poking at you know?
[X] LOST SOUL AT THE SUN MARKET
-[X] *NEW* Bring cold iron and some burning questions. The Handsome Merchant sells supernatural power - could faerie treasures be the secret behind Cheshago's killer's exceptional abilities?
-[X] Cheshago's Yasal Crystal must have come from the Far South, as must the ones that were recently stolen. Ask the Handsome Merchant what he knows about that.
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- Location
- St. Petersburg
Right. I need to actually vote.
The story does a good job at lighting a fire under the players. All we know is that the stakes are getting higher, and the bodies keep piling up, but we don't know how much we have left before the next escalation. As much as I want to play with fire and tease Feathers a little, I fear for what a delay may cost us.
[x] LOST SOUL AT THE SUN MARKET
-[x] *NEW* Bring cold iron and some burning questions. The Handsome Merchant sells supernatural power - could faerie treasures be the secret behind Cheshago's killer's exceptional abilities?
-[x] Cheshago's Yasal Crystal must have come from the Far South, as must the ones that were recently stolen. Ask the Handsome Merchant what he knows about that.
-[x] The Handsome Merchant's wares are still available, for those with the currency to pay.
Yasal crystals are my personal headache, they just don't fit anywhere. What does Diamond need them for?
Also, if we are going to the Market, we have to arm ourselves at least a little better, it's just action economy. I know, there is a price to pay. Doesn't matter, this is supposed to keep our head attached to our shoulders. We are very bad in a fight on equal ground, so if it does come to it, I want to have extra insurance, or the ability to back up our more martially capable allies.
I almost considered teaching our resident Dream Police some intrigue, if only for how incredibly overpowered such a setup could be, but I decided to spare Gem the yoke of yet another demon overlord.
[x] Although they describe Gem as a paradise for dreamers, you've lived in the dirt long enough to know that it could be far more so. It'll cut into their profit margins, but loaning out stones to artistic types might inspire them to new heights (not to mention the inspiration of actual patronage), and they might inspire others in turn. You know Ten Feathers loves stories and this might be their idea of fun - after they're done chasing them around with a firewand for a bit to drive their point home.
This would probably greatly please their benefactor, if only because of the increased quality of dreams. Would the merchants themselves see the benefit? Time will tell.
Although hiring both Red and Misery seems excessive.
Edit: I'll try to add Dream of Red Sands to our roster.
Edit2: Misery after all.
[X] DIAMOND'S RUIN - PREPARING FOR WAR
Diamond's compound is about. It'll take some serious doing to crack it open. Each individual choice counts as an investigation target.
-[X] Recruit: you'll need friends to watch your back, whatever happens.
--[X] Misery. She's giving you hints and there's a story there. Get her to tell it and commit herself fully.
The story does a good job at lighting a fire under the players. All we know is that the stakes are getting higher, and the bodies keep piling up, but we don't know how much we have left before the next escalation. As much as I want to play with fire and tease Feathers a little, I fear for what a delay may cost us.
[x] LOST SOUL AT THE SUN MARKET
-[x] *NEW* Bring cold iron and some burning questions. The Handsome Merchant sells supernatural power - could faerie treasures be the secret behind Cheshago's killer's exceptional abilities?
-[x] Cheshago's Yasal Crystal must have come from the Far South, as must the ones that were recently stolen. Ask the Handsome Merchant what he knows about that.
-[x] The Handsome Merchant's wares are still available, for those with the currency to pay.
Yasal crystals are my personal headache, they just don't fit anywhere. What does Diamond need them for?
Also, if we are going to the Market, we have to arm ourselves at least a little better, it's just action economy. I know, there is a price to pay. Doesn't matter, this is supposed to keep our head attached to our shoulders. We are very bad in a fight on equal ground, so if it does come to it, I want to have extra insurance, or the ability to back up our more martially capable allies.
I almost considered teaching our resident Dream Police some intrigue, if only for how incredibly overpowered such a setup could be, but I decided to spare Gem the yoke of yet another demon overlord.
[x] Although they describe Gem as a paradise for dreamers, you've lived in the dirt long enough to know that it could be far more so. It'll cut into their profit margins, but loaning out stones to artistic types might inspire them to new heights (not to mention the inspiration of actual patronage), and they might inspire others in turn. You know Ten Feathers loves stories and this might be their idea of fun - after they're done chasing them around with a firewand for a bit to drive their point home.
This would probably greatly please their benefactor, if only because of the increased quality of dreams. Would the merchants themselves see the benefit? Time will tell.
Could you please comment on this? How come Steals is already listed among our allies? What else does the action to recruit her do for us then?
Would you consider talking to just Red, alone? He is not of the Brothers, just a mercenary contracted on their behalf. He won't lay claim to the Chest if we pay him to work for us instead.
Although hiring both Red and Misery seems excessive.
Edit2: Misery after all.
[X] DIAMOND'S RUIN - PREPARING FOR WAR
Diamond's compound is about. It'll take some serious doing to crack it open. Each individual choice counts as an investigation target.
-[X] Recruit: you'll need friends to watch your back, whatever happens.
--[X] Misery. She's giving you hints and there's a story there. Get her to tell it and commit herself fully.
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Since Steals is Sharells best friend getting her coming along isn't really needed as an action, but picking her will upgrade "Standard Gear" to something much fancier.
There's also the chance of extra stuff on top but thats just investigation actions in general for you.
- Location
- In Your DNA
Update will be delayed a bit. On the plus side we updated the Case So Far! summary and added a Mechanics and Terminology section to the first Informational post (eventually going to get Combat mechanics and Setting terms, but this is just the basics), so hopefully things will be slightly less opaque.
...next time I do a Quest I'm gonna stake out more than one post for quest information.
...next time I do a Quest I'm gonna stake out more than one post for quest information.
It's hard to say without actually having seen the lock they're talking about! On the one hand there was too much material to just go in one lock and it looked too intricate, on the other hand it might have gotten pared down during one of those reassemblies and who the heck knows what a dimensional lock looks like on the inside?
Ahah, that would be a meeting and a half. We haven't had the opportunity to dig into how Ten Feathers feels about the fae, but if they had been chosen during character selection the encounter with the Handsome Merchant would have been, ah... different....could Ten get us a fairy discount?
Nah, just kidding. Probably.
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- Location
- St. Petersburg
Please help me decide between hiring Misery and Red. I think an actual ghost may have more versatility, but Misery looks more trustworthy.
Ironic, because she looks trustworthy precisely because of her not trusting us easily last update. It means she isn't opportunistic and is concerned about the collateral damage that may result from our actions above other things.
Ironic, because she looks trustworthy precisely because of her not trusting us easily last update. It means she isn't opportunistic and is concerned about the collateral damage that may result from our actions above other things.
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Misery, personally, her angle seems to bw covering her own ass first. Thats trustable
Yeah, I believe Misery knows more and thus might help us avoid pitfalls. Especially since we already know enough to know this is a ton of trouble with that last dream. I think we need more complete information more than someone good at fighting.
Especially since it feels like we are so close to some major action happening. It feels like the tension has really been ramping up. Which I'm really enjoying.
Especially since it feels like we are so close to some major action happening. It feels like the tension has really been ramping up. Which I'm really enjoying.
Day 7: Fair Trade Agreement
- Location
- In Your DNA
The idea of getting to chase the Tales around with a mad gleam in their eye and firewand held like a spear and calling it a team-building exercise hadn't hooked Feathers in as easily as you'd have expected. Although given the gusto with which they did it anyway their disinterest might have been an act, right now one of the merchants is throwing up into a bucket held by an eternally-unflappable maid while you explain your actual plan.
"It's a good idea," Ten Feathers starts. Is this the first time they've ever given you a compliment? You brace for the other shoe to drop.
"But you're thinking much too small." Aaand there it is.
"I thought small was part of my appeal," you say, tipping up your chin. "Well go on then, hit me with your big ideas."
"So you want to fund the arts, they give dreamstones and a little loose change to artists and the dreamstones come back full of good ideas," they shake their head, "it's a smarter idea than this sorry lot could ever come up with but you're still thinking like a merchant."
They've got that smile of theirs that lights up their whole face, and you have to admit that now that the subject matter isn't who's going to face Justice (and now that it isn't you) it's rather pleasant.
"You give people a little money, they'll do a little work. That's why I don't think bribes are really all that, what's the real gemstones is getting people to want to come to you. They'll work themselves to the bone if it gets them something they really want."
"But we're selling their dreams, how can we make them want that?"
"Easy! They're artists. If they wanted money they'd be bankers or traders, what they want is to be able to make something and what you got is a stone in which you can put just about anything while you sleep. Theatre sets cost a fortune, actors are annoying and temperamental and paint in every shade of colour needs a river of silver to keep that palette full. Then you've got to get everything together, have the right moods and maybe, just maybe you can have a good night."
"Did you used to do theatre?"
"Shut up while I'm fixing your bad idea," they snap. Hmm, you don't think their heart is in it. "You've got something that lets them cut out all the hassle: take an idea and make it a reality over one good night's sleep. Artists will be kicking down your doors to get in on it and you won't have to pay them a penny. Well, okay maybe a little else the silly bastards will starve themselves to death. Then we've got the other side, the people who want to buy this? Well if you've got plays grander than anything ever told, stories that would be time or money makes impossible to ever really make real. A nice little bit of pure artistic intent every night, the biggest worry you'll have is all the people jumping in to try to compete. But you got everything set up first, if you can't crush them you don't deserve to be playing with money in the first place."
"So you'll help?"
"They still need to answer for their crimes," Feathers says immediately, "Cheshago's death looks like it could be the Tales' fault to me and you haven't provided a wonderful little bit of evidence to convince me otherwise. Maybe you can try to sweet talk the Despot and if he says they're not guilty then the facts don't matter at all, if you want to do this the difficult way. But, all that aside, yes, if you want to cook up a brand new way to make giant piles of money then I'm going to need to be here to make sure the Despot gets a taste."
You bite your tongue. There is evidence they aren't responsible, but that evidence is itself evidence of several other crimes, and without the blessing of Makarios the supply of dreamstones is finite. They're being gruff about it but there's this small detail, "you haven't told the Despot about this?"
"Not yet. I'm waiting for the Tales to deliver me another set of fake ledgers," they peer at you keenly.
You bite your tongue again and it hurts this time. "Ha, not that I would know anything about that. They're that obvious, huh?"
The senior staff of the Tales look like they've almost recovered enough for another go, and Feathers shoulders their firewand.
"Yes. But that's not all bad, if they were clever they'd be dead," they say, and go to build the Tales some more character.
…
This time three of them are throwing up, and one of them has collapsed completely on the ground. The maids are trickling some kind of cold drink into his mouth - no need to lose valuable experts to heat stroke.
"So," you say, hands pressed behind your back and your most innocent look on, "I'm going to the marketplace later, and I need to know about the fae."
"You have a real talent for asking the worst questions," Feathers says, catching a glance of your puppy eyes and deliberately not looking, their eyes faced forward. "The Fae are the most beautiful, charming people you'll ever meet, all wrapped up warm in a cloak of decency and normality."
Your follow-up question dies in your throat. That sounded way too nice to be the real answer.
"That's barely a metaphor," Feathers continues, "a faerie is a thing wrapped in human skin. Treating them like real people is how you get," they look down and pull on their coat, "worn."
"That's pretty dark even for you," you say, and seeing just how sour their mood has suddenly gotten you lean your head against their shoulder to try to comfort them. They don't resist the gesture. "So, assuming I had to deal with one, how would I get the better of the encounter? Because he bamboozled me pretty good the last time we met and I kind of want to shove his face in the dirt and get real answers."
Now Feathers looks at you. "What did it cost you?" Their voice is quiet.
"Just a memory, I think. Nothing important, though. I'd notice, right?"
They grunt. "No you wouldn't, but it could have been worse. You want to deal with the Fair Folk? First, iron. Keep some of it on you at all times, they can twist the world around them most of the time but iron makes them only as strong as the skin they're wearing. Though watch yourself, that doesn't mean they're weak even without their tricks. Second, promises. They are what they say they are, but that doesn't mean they can just make anything up. What they swear to they'll try so desperately to make true they'd rather die than be wrong. They make an oath to you, they'll keep it and they'll expect the same of you. What do you want from them?"
"Besides answers, last time he offered me some pretty powerful stuff," you muse, "the one I got seems pretty useful but it was nothing compared to the last bits. Gloves that can throw lightning and the like."
Feathers has this unfathomable expression like they've just discovered a toad in their soup.
"And did you see these wonderful items?"
It's a little fuzzy but, "one, I think, a little, but it wasn't working the way it was supposed to yet, why?"
"Because," they poke your forehead, "the last part of it was you. They'd strip off a piece of your soul and spin it up into some marvelous thing that changes the world that not even iron can deny. Grace Artifacts, they're called."
Oh! Well, what if- "So that's… So I can do all those things already? Because if I can just decide to conjure infinite wine-"
"No. It needs to be shaped, like your soul is just clay that hasn't been worked. You might have power rattling around in there but you don't know how to use it, they do. Which is the problem, they know the rules better, you might get something wonderful out of it but it's still part of your soul. If someone else took it away they'd control a part of your very being. It's a beautifully baited hook, a taste of real power and then you're dangling on the end of someone else's line for the rest of your life."
"So I'm guessing you don't have one?"
Feathers snorts, "my soul's a far better quality, they wouldn't just make a fancy trinket. If I let someone work me a full set I'd be a real terror, like a newly-born Fair Folk noble able to twist the world however I want it, be whatever I want to be. But no. I know what lies behind those smiles, I've seen it closer than anyone. They won't get a single claw in me."
For just a moment you'd felt them shiver against you, your head rolling on their shoulder. But it's so quick and they're so composed that surely it must have been your imagination.
Ten Feathers shakes their head. "I think I know you well enough that it's a waste of breath, but I'll say it just so I can tell you I told you so if you come back all messed up and pitiful. Avoid dealing with them whenever possible. You have a wonderful criminal mind, it'd be a shame to lose it to them."
Two compliments in one day! You must have really sparked their imagination with this dream art thing.
'Avoid dealing with them whenever possible,' though, that's a line for you. You wonder, does that mean Ten Feathers doesn't make themselves aware of what the fae are up to in Gem for fear of letting them get their claws in? If you really wanted to do something behind Feathers' back, get one over on them, would that be the place to go?
You'd just have to make sure they don't get to say "I told you so." They'd be insufferable about it.
Iron jewelry is cheap so you don't leave anything a chance, wearing three iron rings and an iron key threaded through a string and used as a necklace. The blistering of the sun market makes them hot against your skin but you bear the discomfort because the alternative is you get enraptured into making even more purchases and possibly paying far more than you'd care to otherwise.
It's strange, with the hot iron against your skin the Handsome Merchant isn't quite so handsome anymore. He's still tall and has that long flowing red hair that's very dramatically swirling in the morning winds but he just doesn't make your pulse race like before. You can still appreciate the view, but this time you're not so eagerly buying the goods. Maybe it's the iron, or maybe it's just hard to compare to Ten Feathers even if you are one of the pure blooded fair folk.
He smiles politely as you approach, but his gaze lingers on the rings on your fingers and he keeps his distance moving behind the stall and spreading an arm over his wares.
"Couldn't keep away?" he says with a smile and a glint to his eyes you don't like at all.
You reach out and grab some kind of ornately decorated mirror, which cracks as the iron rings tap the edge of the frame and the metal begins to melt under your fingers, silver dribbling over your hand and spattering on the wood where it melts away in wisps of red and yellow smoke.
"There's no need for that, it's a fine day to be a good Customer," he says, reaching over to very cautiously pluck the mirror out of your hand. You move your shoulders just a fraction and he snaps back, holding his hand like he's expecting it to be burned.
"You tricked me into buying the card," you say, "Was that a fair trade?"
"Of course," he replies, sweeping his arms out and giving you a perfectly executed polite bow. "Far fairer than most, it does what I said and I took only what it was worth. Most of my kind would not have been nearly so kind."
"And my consent?"
"Was given," he says, "you bargained with me at a disadvantage, there's no denying that, but that's hardly my fault is it? A fisherman doesn't throw away the fish that didn't know his nets were there."
The iron on your fingers is cool now and the key is like ice. Whatever charm their words have are bled out of the air straight into the iron and while he's still quite charming without it, that little burning flame of indignation in your chest is so much stronger.
"I'll slap you if you say that again," you say, waving fingers bound in iron at him and getting a very satisfying frown. "You traded in my ignorance and I got nothing for it."
"I would do no such thing," he says, stiffening and right there you know you've got him. Ten Feathers' advice was right on the mark.
"Of course not, I will get what I'm owed won't I? A little knowledge for ignorance."
He stares down at you, but the iron gives you the confidence to meet his eyes. If he wants to be an honest merchant than you're going to get something for being swindled.
"A little," he says, shoulders sagging. "But I'll decide the worth and when you're done. You wish to drive a hard bargain then you can't expect the terms to be too generous, we should both walk away a little dissatisfied."
Good enough, you barrel on before they reconsider. Might as well start with the most suspicious.
"Have you sold a golden chest in the past few weeks? Or a Yasal Crystal?"
"It depends how you define it," he says and when you raise your slapping hand he smoothly continues. "Give me an iron ring to demonstrate. Just one, you have a few left no?"
It feels like a trap but if that's the price you'll rely on the others and the key he doesn't know about. You take it off and throw it down on the stall, where it bounces a few times before coming to rest. The merchant takes up the cracked and melted mirror and shows you the spider web cracked image of the iron ring, before reaching casually into the mirror and plucking the image right out. The mirrored ring doesn't burn him and the shattered ring, splayed apart at the edges is so unnatural a construction it's a little unnerving to look at.
"You made a copy," you say and when he just smiles you catch on. "You're not telling me what you've sold, just giving me ideas of what you can do. So there is or was a second chest."
You take off another ring and tap it to the mirror again, watching the metal run and glass crack and flake away like a fine silver mist. "One that you could take apart with iron. Tricky."
He takes the mirror away before you melt it any more.
"And the Yasal Crystal?"
He holds up his two fingers that mirror the ones you have rings on. Is this worth knowing and leaving you with just the key? Does he plan to kill you right here? You can see the shape of a threat resolving. Can you really trust a fair folk no matter the price?
The merchant slaps a hand down on the stall hard and snaps you out of it and his eyes are like fire now.
"What was that?" he hisses, "your soul's taste, there's something wrong with it."
"You're tasting my soul?" you growl, hand going to your pocket and the comforting feeling of a nail bomb in your palm.
"And leaving it no lesser for it, say one more time that I take that which I have not paid for and we will not do business again."
It's tempting, the words are on the tip of your tongue but you need his help and now he wants something from you that isn't just iron.
"One ring and one question about what seems to have you so concerned. If I don't know what the answer is then you get no answer," you say, taking one finger off and balancing it on the end of your finger.
"You could lie," he says, "with iron on you I'd have no way of knowing"
"If I must trust you to do business despite all the misgivings I have then it's only fair you do the same."
He flicks his red hair and considers it, then lays out a cloth for the next ring, asking the question as you lay it down.
"Would you see Justice done Sharell, even if the Heavens fall?"
Well. You can see why Ten Feathers hates Fae so much. Something about it seems so right and you almost agree without thinking, but you catch yourself.
"Those aren't my words," you say slowly and the smile he gives you makes you cringe. You've just given something away for free there.
"It depends how you define Justice," you say, trying to recover and use his own dirty tricks against him. "Maybe the heavens falling would be Justice in itself."
He nods in acceptance of the answer, as wooly as it was.
"Long ago we made Yasal Crystals to try capture the Souls of those who'd try to shape our futures. It didn't work as we wanted but others have found a use for them, who are we to deny them?" he says. "You've one Ring left Sharell, but I can see your eyes hungry for more answers."
The fae had sold a Yasal Crystal to someone who wanted to use it, or maybe multiple? It at least explains where they're coming from. The Merchant is getting rather eager to take that last ring off you though and you don't think he'll be so kind once you're seemingly powerless again.
What do you really want to know?
"Did Cheshago's killer get their gifts from you?" you say, taking out the Spire and twirling it in the hand without the ring. "And no riddles, you're asking for a lot."
"As are you," he says, "why don't you tell me how it happened, and I'll tell you if one of my Treasures could have been responsible, hmm?"
You take a second to give him a quick run-down, although you can't shake the suspicion he already knows.
"No," he says, quick and hard.
"Ah. So you know who the killer is?" you say with a smile and he recoils.
"Robber and thief! Stealing answers now?"
"You gave that away, I don't have to pay for something freely given."
He slaps a square of exquisite cloth down hard enough to shake the whole stall and you gingerly slide the iron ring onto it.
"For a girl so clever you make some rather poor decisions," he says, "Giving yourself to me so fre-"
The words catch in his throat as you pull the iron key on its necklace out of your coat and tap it on the table while giving him your very worst smug smile.
"Just because I showed you three iron rings, doesn't mean that's all the iron I had."
The heat of the market beats down on you as he tries to stare you down, pupils aflame and black painted fingernails drumming on the stall hard enough to dig grooves.
"You'd do well in the Courts. One day I'll have to take you there."
"In your dreams, Cheshago's killer for the key?" you say.
"No, I'd be a fool to trade iron with you now that you've revealed the trick," he says. "But out of respect for an artful trick, I'll let you know that the killer did not use anything of mine. They had no need of them."
"You won't tell me who it is?" you say doubtfully, they're up to something here this shift of tact was a little too strange.
"And draw me into this story any further? Whatever curse lies behind your eyes Sharell I'll have no further part in it. Find those answers out yourself."
You lean on the stall, then over it making him shrink back as the iron key swings off your neck towards them.
"You've no idea who the killer is do you? You're just trying to trick me into paying a price I can't afford."
The merchant smiles, "So you say. You'll always wonder though."
You snort at that. You're not so stupid you'll walk into that trap, you can't afford anything else. However you've rattled them, perhaps you can push your luck just a little here.
"So we're almost done. You said you'd tell me once the price was paid and you haven't said it yet, so I'm still owed."
"Well then the price is p-" he gets out before you cut him off.
"No, no," you tut, waving your finger at him, "you had a chance to say it and you waited too long, now you're just changing your mind about the price of things you've already sold. Absolutely not on. You still owe me something."
"Hang on a moment," he says, holding up a hand, "you can't just upturn this like that."
"Oh no, Sir," you say, shaking your head and delighting in this reversal, "I really do insist."
After an encounter like that you really want a rest, but there's still so much to be done. You can settle for someone who at the very least is quite relaxing to be around and go to the Eatery to drop in on Niall and see if she's still about. He's already busy in a conversation with a merchant who needs to quickly dispose of some spoiled grain, but he takes a minute to point you to the backrooms. The rats hiding around the temple fixtures and littering the floor part for you as you go, something you'd really enjoyed doing when you were younger while you were waiting for Niall to scrounge up some food for you.
The rats seem to respect the privacy of Misery's room, though 'room' is a very charitable description. It's a tiny place with no door and space to stand between the row upon row of shelves neatly stocked with urns, small paper packages and delicate metal tools. A single dresser is piled high with brushes and lotions and a tin wash basin is rested up against it, sparkling clean. For all the effort Misery seems to put towards her appearance it's strange how hair always looks like it's been dragged through a cook's grease tray.
The rest of the room was given over to a hammock, with clothes folded up beneath it and Misery on her back snoring softly, a few furs piled on top of her for warmth. It made sense an exorcist did most of their work at night but you'd come all this way and you weren't about to give up just because she's taking a nap.
You mull over playing a trick on her while you got her at your mercy but the moment you cross the threshold into the room the snoring stops and she opens one tired eye, shuffling to get under the furs a bit better.
"Awful dream," she mumbles, "go out and fetch me someone prettier."
"Maybe I'm a nightmare?" you say, leaning on the archway, "or you've just lowered your standards."
Misery stretches her arms up first and then swings her legs over the edge of the hammock, you're quite relieved to see she was wearing a robe under there, there's only so many awkward moments you can deal with in one day.
"Thank you for last night, " she asks, fingers slicking back greasy hair. "But I'm not looking for a pupil, not yet anyway and you're clearly busy enough even if I was interested."
"That's not why I came," you reply, putting up your hands to placate her. "I need your help."
She mulls that over as she fishes a small tin canteen from the pile of beauty products stacked up on her dresser and takes a quick drink from it, then she pours a little water into her hands and slaps it onto her cheeks. It makes you bristle to see water used like that, Exorcists must get paid a lot better than you usually do.
"I gave you some help last night, you seem nice Sharell but I save my charity for the dead."
"Really?" you say, arms folded "Because you've seemed eager to help me ever since I showed you that book of poetry. All I've had to do ask."
"Then maybe your good favour has finally run out," she says and you don't buy it for a second. So much for a nice talk, you're going to push this.
"You know about the chest, don't you? I mean you really know."
"It's a funerary chest from long ago. I've been doing this long enough to know that is a special kind of trouble." Misery says, offering her canteen to you. It seems a bit of a cheat to try to be friendly, but passing up a drink is a level of rudeness you aren't about to cross just yet.
Taking a swig you're shocked at just how fresh it is, none of that bitter metal taste most water in gem has, she either paid a pretty penny for this or she has a secret source.
For all her seeming reluctance, she's already helped you far more than you've asked. "So you're helping me find it first? Why?"
"Niall says you're a good woman, I've seen nothing that contradicts that."
You shake your head.
"No that's not it, you're not helping me unless I press it. You've got worries about me, but you're doing it anyway."
She sighs and pats the hammock beside her.
"Come, sit. I don't like how tense this has gotten."
Is she deflecting again? Is this a trick? Why won't she speak plainly with you? Your skin crawls with worries and your fingers itch to go to your pockets. But… but no you're being paranoid, there's no reason you can't be polite here. She's clearly getting ready to open up, not to attack you. Right? Right.
You take the seat as she watches you with a strange look, then she pats your shoulder once you're sitting.
"You need rest more than I do, you're wound tight."
"I have a lot to worry about, it's why I need help," you say, then poke her side, "stop dodging it and tell me what's going on."
"Dreams of Red Sands talked to me," she says ignoring the poke completely, "about what you're doing."
The mercenary ghost who caught you at the Old Brothers' funeral? Why would he go to Misery?
"So you're working for the Old Brothers?" you ask, going for the obvious answer first.
"No, far from it actually," she says, "they started a war in the Underworld over Gem, I've been nothing but disapproving of bringing further death to the Underworld and yet, I can see why they felt the need to overthrow their old masters. It's an argument we've both grown tired of. I've been spending a lot of time keeping the effects of it from spilling into the Gem of the living, which they respect even if they don't like it."
"Who does rule Gem on the… other side of life? What's the term for it?"
"As I said, Underworld. The world of the dead. Like ours, but darker and yet also better in many ways." She smiles grimly, "more water, for one. Gem is ruled by old, old spirits who have very strong opinions on the hierarchy of the dead, or did anyway before they started getting thrown back into the cycle and all order broke down, right now it's ruled by nobody and there's a hundred different groups all fighting each other. "
"And the chest is a part of this?"
"It could be, the Old Brothers certainly planned to use it for their battle in the Underworld. Dreams of Red Sands was willing to pay me for help, a little concerned about how many other people are looking for it."
"They're concerned about me?" you say incredulously. Your encounter had left you feeling like you were digging your own grave with every word, it had not gone well.
"You too, they worry that your investigation will lead you to it and put it in the hands of the Despot. Something I worried about too." Misery says, pushing up off the bed and going to her stand leaving you swinging on the hammock.
"But you don't worry anymore?" you say, still swinging on the hammock. It's actually a little fun, you'd never had a chance to try one of these. You can see the appeal.
"You're working with them, but I don't think you'd do something so reckless. You just go to whoever you think can help and try your best to get it, which is a little charming I will admit."
"What is in that chest?" you say, not letting her compliments distract you. It might not have been intentional, but you can never quite tell.
"Could be anything at all. It would be a dark joke if it was nothing important, but I doubt that if people are willing to kill over it. Besides, you don't fit such an expensive lock to something worthless," Misery says as she takes a brush to her hair. Or her greasy hair mangles a brush depending on your perspective. "No, it's something quite important."
"So why not help Dream of Red Sands? Why me instead?"
"I don't trust him at all and the feeling is mutual. I won't pick a side in a war and unlike him I can't be bought either, it's a very good way to make a lot of enemies quickly. He tries to push me into their camp when he thinks he has an argument that might sway me and just makes it harder for himself every time he tries."
It all tracks for you. When last you met Dreams of Red Sands was a little smug and not easy to get along with. He may have been honest in his intentions, but he also went out of his way to try to make you feel as uncomfortable as possible. The calm and collected Misery would no doubt be seen as a challenge and you don't see her putting up with it for very long.
"I don't have a stake in any war of the Underworld," you say, "but I care about the city of the living. You do too right? Come help me get it in safer hands, I doubt you'd rather Diamond has it."
"No," she says, "but mine would be no better, I've brought nothing but misery to the living in my life. "
Oh, so that's where the name comes from. That's both depressing and worrying, especially since she still hasn't said what it is she's done. Picking at the wound probably won't get her any more on your side though.
"Then just help, don't claim it at the end. You're already helping me right? Might as well go all in."
She gives you a pained look. "I'll be tempted."
"I'll have people there who can quite happily slap you on the wrist if you try. You know who Ten Feathers is?"
"Them?" she says sharply, "I said I didn't want it in the Despot's hands!"
"And it won't be if you come. They'll stop you taking it, you can help stop them. It's that or I try to leave them out and they'd go get it herself. They're not stupid."
"Far from it. We have a history though, it's going to be… very awkward"
Of course they do. Why would this ever be easy?
"I like awkward," you say, just being honest. Something that can ruffle Ten's feathers you're all in for.
"Yes, but you're awful when it comes to jokes. "
"Were you one of their old partners?"
"No, it's something private between us. Which, I guess, is now going to be something you're trying to work out while we're together."
"Absolutely" you say, nodding furiously, "You're coming then?"
She hesitates, looks at your earnest face, sighs. "Yes. You've convinced me that you're hopelessly out of your depth without me."
"Aw, that's the spirit" you say, giving her a hug. "It's good to have friends."
She puts a hand on your head and pries you off with a good push, fingers flicking you towards the door.
"Wake me up early again and I'm feeding you to the rats."
"You wouldn't, you're too nice."
"You'll make a monster of me yet, Sharell."
The Merchant is probably less than thrilled about the squeeze you put on him, but you got a freebie (Well sort of) out of it, so pick one thing to walk away with.
Pick One
[ ] - Spitting Flame - You've already got a knife (who doesn't?) but these blisteringly hot throwing knives shimmer eagerly, desperate to be used. Just the three, but where they land fire is sure to follow
[ ] - Throat-Seeking Blade - You don't know how to use a sword, but after a few swings with a shortsword that catches the light in incredibly strange ways you don't think that'll be an issue. It's like it's got a mind of its own.
[ ] - Jewelled Egg - A crystal egg speckled with coal dust about the size of a vulture's - it doesn't crack when you rap on it. When you do manage to break it though he says it will disgorge a creature for your protection that will obey your commands as long as you hold the shell - for a time.
[ ] - Cracked Mirror - getting to duplicate mundane items sounds crazy useful for getting into a high-security area. What's the saying? You broke it, you bought it?
[ ] - Formless - A necklace of silver that changes shape when out of sight. You can call on it to receive a gift that'll help you accomplish the task ahead of you. Yes, that is a worryingly vague description.
[ ] - Softly Spoken - It's not an item as such, but something that lives in your voice. A lilting call that lets you carry a conversation without fear of attack, as long as you can keep it going. It looks very, very strange.
And here's the investigation and preparation choices. Pick two and also what you wish to do at night.
[ ] DIAMOND'S RUIN - PREPARING FOR WAR
Diamond's compound is about. It'll take some serious doing to crack it open. Each individual choice counts as an investigation target.
-[ ] Recruit: you'll need friends to watch your back, whatever happens.
--[ ] Dreams of Red Sands. The price won't be cheap, see if you can meet it.
--[ ] Mishri and the Old Brothers. For a chance at vengeance and to reclaim what's owed.
--[ ] Niall's Rats. Niall wouldn't want to go personally, but his rats are smart as hell.
--[ ] Steals Kisses. It'd be harder to stop her coming if she finds out, but this is a little bigger than her usual jobs. Maybe you can buy her something that'll give her an edge.
--[ ] Raicho. Convince her your money is worth the risk.
-[ ] Prepare: there's a lot you can do to hone yourself in preparation too. Esoteric and occult power to be grabbed, even by the likes of you. Or maybe even the fabled power of being good at hitting things with sticks.
--[ ] Training. You can't fight, you've never been able to fight. Maybe it's finally time to get someone to teach you.
---[ ] Ten Feathers. The very definition of a crash course.
---[ ] Raicho. She did offer and she probably won't do horrible things to you like Ten Feathers would.
---[ ] Misery. She fights hungry ghosts, people are easy by contrast.
--[ ] Deathspeaking. Plenty of people have died in this Guild War. Some of them might have become ghosts, and some might have information. Get someone to teach you to speak with the dead.
---[ ] The Old Brothers. This would be more active techniques of dealing with the fallen: calling on them, giving them power, that sort of thing. It's not really necromancy though, right?
--[ ] Gold Lion Key. You're reasonably certain you can unlock the chest with the Gold Lion Key as it is now. There's a faint tingling now as you touch it though - what else could it do if you put the effort into understanding it?
[ ] DIAMOND'S RUIN - THE BLOODY BUSINESS
Starting the heist counts as both investigation targets. Make sure you're ready.
You currently have to bring to the table:
Steals Kisses (Standard Gear?)
Ten Feathers (Your Partner)
Misery (The Exorcist)
Knowledge of Ghosts: Warding, Summoning, Placating.
Gadgets and a Keen Eye
A Spire Card
Another fey treasure (To be picked)
[ ] *NEW* TOLLING THE DEAD
You've learned how to summon ghosts during the night, although you aren't that good at it just yet. With your trusty bag of salt you can even do so safely. Write-in if you offer a sacrifice of blood or wealth or something meaningful. A small blood sacrifice will provide a small dice boost but create certain expectations about the encounter; a large one will give a large dice boost but you'll take one Health Level of lethal damage.
PICK ONE
-[ ] Summon Halrun, the Locksmith killed by Diamond when he couldn't open the Golden Chest. Maybe he's got something else to say without Misery present. You know him already and you got along well, so this'll be dead-easy.
-[ ] Summon Hayran, the Old Brother killed by Cheshago in the course of stealing the Golden Chest. Maybe he can give you a new perspective on things. You forged a soldier for his army, know his daughter and were present for his funeral, so this shouldn't be too tricky.
-[ ] Summon the Antiquarian. You don't know why he was killed but it probably had to do with his knowledge of the Gold Lion Key. You knew him and you've got his things (and his cat) that he might want to see again, so this should be manageable.
-[ ] Summon an Avana Dragon. They all died a long time ago, but that might not be as much of an impediment to talking with one as you thought. You've got a Gold Flake from the Chest (maybe?) and the Gold Lion Key to draw them in, but if there are even any left this will be hard. You might need to offer a lot of blood to have any chance of success.
-[ ] Summon Guild Prince Cheshago. Impossible, right? He's almost certainly trapped in a Yasal Crystal. Still, confirming that might be valuable all on its own.
-[ ] Summon the Dreamer. No. No! Don't do that! Even assuming it would work, why would you do that?!
-[ ] Summon the Silver-Traced Woman. Much better idea. Still probably impossible.
-[ ] Other (Write-in)
[ ] DIAMOND IN YOUR KNAPSACK
-[ ] Diamond in your Knapsack and Cheshago had a deal, confront him about it and shake something loose.
-[ ] Diamond in your Knapsack is at war with Wave Crashes Against the Rocks. Pretend to be on his side, find out what you can.
-[ ] You got proof the Guild is surely going beyond what is acceptable. Retrieve the Codebook from its hiding place and figure out if there's a way to alter the proof so that it looks like only Diamond is responsible.
-[ ] Sooner or later, Ten Feathers is coming for him. So make him know it. Make him sweat.
-[ ] The Guild loves money, and that's probably true even in the middle of a civil war. Pay off some of his subordinates for inside information. (This will temporarily use your Resource dot.)
-[ ] Wave Crashes Against the Rocks needs to stop playing it safe, it's time for her to go on the offensive while you pick up the pieces behind her. (This will escalate the Guild war and use your Guild Favour)
[ ] MIDNIGHT TALES
-[ ] *NEW* They've still got a sword on a threat hanging over their heads. Save their sorry butts. Using:
--[ ] Wave Crashes Against the Rocks could put together a comprehensive report from the Guild absolving them of blame in Cheshago's murder. Not even a lie, really. (Uses Guild Favor)
--[ ] Get with Samet, put together a legal case together and bring it before the Despot! Is the Tales' case truly unprecedented? (Can Fail)
--[ ] Use your audience with the Despot to just straight-up ask. They're good for the economy and they'll pay some fines, what's a little lawbreaking between fat cats? (Uses Audience with the Despot; the injustice of it makes your teeth itch, uses a point of Willpower)
-[ ] They're not going to like it, but the Orrery is an incredibly powerful tool. Is making use of it worth the price? Have the Tales remove the Dreamer's stones and
--[ ] Bury them in the desert. Short-term, hopefully, before the lions find them. (This will keep you from accessing them for your own purposes.)
--[ ] Keep them with you at all times. You know your own memories well enough that some bleed-over isn't going to kill you.
[ ] OLD BROTHERS
-[ ] Cheshago's killer had to have been capable of some pretty extraordinary things. Are all spirits created equal, or would that be a unique skillset even among the supernatural? Question Mishri on ghost lore.
-[ ] *NEW* What's this about starting a war in the Underworld? That sounds like the sort of foolery that you absolutely do not have time for, but asking them about it might shake something interesting loose or at least give more context to their desire for the Chest.
-[ ] *NEW* How does one get to the Underworld, anyway? Not that you'd want to go or anything, but knowing how it works could help.
-[ ] Suspicious. As. Hell. Get Waves to hire some mercenaries to harass their camp, while you take advantage of the distraction to uncover their secrets.
-[ ] A pint of blood can go a long way. Pay Dreams of Red Sands' price (Write in what you ask for).
-[ ] Great wealth, huh? The Guild owes you one, it can pay you so you can pay Red. (Write in what you ask for and go big; this will use your Guild Favor)
[ ] THE DESPOT
-[ ] You got proof the Guild is surely going beyond what he'd find acceptable. Present your findings and let him bring fire and blood.
-[ ] The Old Brothers are trying to take over Gem's Underworld? Its literal underworld? Do some research with Samet of Iblan and his mountain of legal precedent to find out if that's illegal or not.
-[ ] The Midnight Tales are the servants of a demon. If you brought proof to the Despot his response would be swift and… you're not actually sure it would be lethal any more, given the nature of said demon. But the Tales sure wouldn't like it.
-[ ] You've done the Despot a great favor. If you asked for an audience right now you'd get it. This could be your chance to do nearly anything, if he'll agree to it.
--[ ] Ask to speak with the Imperial Mercenaries
--[ ] Ask for money. It's the lifeblood of Gem, after all.
--[ ] Ask for nothing, see what he offers. Everyone else is doing it.
--[ ] Write in
[ ] THE VAULT
-[ ] It occurs to you that rather than making educated guesses you might want to actually find out where the Old Brothers found the chest. It's way too hot to go roaming in the desert alone; look into hiring one of them as a guide, and bring lots of water.
-[ ] Roaming the desert and collating records of ruins narrowed it down but not a lot. There are plenty of tombs buried in the sands that no one will touch, and now you know someone that's legally allowed to poke about them. Bring Misery and go looking for some super-old Dragon Ghosts.
[ ] TEN FEATHERS
PICK ONE
-[ ] Propose an evening outing to:
--[ ] Somewhere in your contacts is probably a ticket scalper - spring for box seats for a fancy theater performance. Nothing but the best for your partner! (This will temporarily expend your Resource dot.)
--[ ] Try to bring them along to a night puppet show. Seems a little weird but maybe they're into it.
--[ ] Find something new and different, the first thing that seems new and different. If the only real crime in Feathers' eyes (aside from actual crimes) is being dull then surely you can find something new.
-[ ] Keep digging, there's got to be more things they like than that. Blood sports. Cooking demonstrations. Street surgery. Gem is not lacking for ways to entertain yourself!
[ ] Other
-[ ] Write in (If your write in isn't chosen first time round it'll be added as an option in future investigation rounds to an appropriate category, as long as it still makes sense to pursue.)
And as always, our choices for sleep.
BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL
[ ] Sleep with the Dreamer's first stone - the dream of uncovering a traitor - to see if you can get any more out of it.
[ ] Sleep with the Dreamer's second stone - the dream of forging an army - to see if you can get any more out of it.
[ ] Sleep with the Dreamer's third stone - the dream of creating a Device alone in the dark while lashing out at threats that never quite seem to materialize.
[ ] Sleep with the Dreamer's fourth stone - the one you haven't messed with at all yet.
[ ] Contact Makarios through the dream of his bazaar
-[ ] Write-in what you're calling him about
[ ] The Tales will probably lend you the good stuff if you ask. Have a pleasant dream, even if it isn't yours.
[ ] Can't sleep, dream contamination will get me. Stay awake.
[ ] Enough with all this! Just get a good, honest night's rest.
"It's a good idea," Ten Feathers starts. Is this the first time they've ever given you a compliment? You brace for the other shoe to drop.
"But you're thinking much too small." Aaand there it is.
"I thought small was part of my appeal," you say, tipping up your chin. "Well go on then, hit me with your big ideas."
"So you want to fund the arts, they give dreamstones and a little loose change to artists and the dreamstones come back full of good ideas," they shake their head, "it's a smarter idea than this sorry lot could ever come up with but you're still thinking like a merchant."
They've got that smile of theirs that lights up their whole face, and you have to admit that now that the subject matter isn't who's going to face Justice (and now that it isn't you) it's rather pleasant.
"You give people a little money, they'll do a little work. That's why I don't think bribes are really all that, what's the real gemstones is getting people to want to come to you. They'll work themselves to the bone if it gets them something they really want."
"But we're selling their dreams, how can we make them want that?"
"Easy! They're artists. If they wanted money they'd be bankers or traders, what they want is to be able to make something and what you got is a stone in which you can put just about anything while you sleep. Theatre sets cost a fortune, actors are annoying and temperamental and paint in every shade of colour needs a river of silver to keep that palette full. Then you've got to get everything together, have the right moods and maybe, just maybe you can have a good night."
"Did you used to do theatre?"
"Shut up while I'm fixing your bad idea," they snap. Hmm, you don't think their heart is in it. "You've got something that lets them cut out all the hassle: take an idea and make it a reality over one good night's sleep. Artists will be kicking down your doors to get in on it and you won't have to pay them a penny. Well, okay maybe a little else the silly bastards will starve themselves to death. Then we've got the other side, the people who want to buy this? Well if you've got plays grander than anything ever told, stories that would be time or money makes impossible to ever really make real. A nice little bit of pure artistic intent every night, the biggest worry you'll have is all the people jumping in to try to compete. But you got everything set up first, if you can't crush them you don't deserve to be playing with money in the first place."
"So you'll help?"
"They still need to answer for their crimes," Feathers says immediately, "Cheshago's death looks like it could be the Tales' fault to me and you haven't provided a wonderful little bit of evidence to convince me otherwise. Maybe you can try to sweet talk the Despot and if he says they're not guilty then the facts don't matter at all, if you want to do this the difficult way. But, all that aside, yes, if you want to cook up a brand new way to make giant piles of money then I'm going to need to be here to make sure the Despot gets a taste."
You bite your tongue. There is evidence they aren't responsible, but that evidence is itself evidence of several other crimes, and without the blessing of Makarios the supply of dreamstones is finite. They're being gruff about it but there's this small detail, "you haven't told the Despot about this?"
"Not yet. I'm waiting for the Tales to deliver me another set of fake ledgers," they peer at you keenly.
You bite your tongue again and it hurts this time. "Ha, not that I would know anything about that. They're that obvious, huh?"
The senior staff of the Tales look like they've almost recovered enough for another go, and Feathers shoulders their firewand.
"Yes. But that's not all bad, if they were clever they'd be dead," they say, and go to build the Tales some more character.
…
This time three of them are throwing up, and one of them has collapsed completely on the ground. The maids are trickling some kind of cold drink into his mouth - no need to lose valuable experts to heat stroke.
"So," you say, hands pressed behind your back and your most innocent look on, "I'm going to the marketplace later, and I need to know about the fae."
"You have a real talent for asking the worst questions," Feathers says, catching a glance of your puppy eyes and deliberately not looking, their eyes faced forward. "The Fae are the most beautiful, charming people you'll ever meet, all wrapped up warm in a cloak of decency and normality."
Your follow-up question dies in your throat. That sounded way too nice to be the real answer.
"That's barely a metaphor," Feathers continues, "a faerie is a thing wrapped in human skin. Treating them like real people is how you get," they look down and pull on their coat, "worn."
"That's pretty dark even for you," you say, and seeing just how sour their mood has suddenly gotten you lean your head against their shoulder to try to comfort them. They don't resist the gesture. "So, assuming I had to deal with one, how would I get the better of the encounter? Because he bamboozled me pretty good the last time we met and I kind of want to shove his face in the dirt and get real answers."
Manipulation 3 + Presence 1 = 3 successes and a Major Intimacy exploited. Sharell you're going to start getting a reputation you can't back up!
Now Feathers looks at you. "What did it cost you?" Their voice is quiet.
"Just a memory, I think. Nothing important, though. I'd notice, right?"
They grunt. "No you wouldn't, but it could have been worse. You want to deal with the Fair Folk? First, iron. Keep some of it on you at all times, they can twist the world around them most of the time but iron makes them only as strong as the skin they're wearing. Though watch yourself, that doesn't mean they're weak even without their tricks. Second, promises. They are what they say they are, but that doesn't mean they can just make anything up. What they swear to they'll try so desperately to make true they'd rather die than be wrong. They make an oath to you, they'll keep it and they'll expect the same of you. What do you want from them?"
"Besides answers, last time he offered me some pretty powerful stuff," you muse, "the one I got seems pretty useful but it was nothing compared to the last bits. Gloves that can throw lightning and the like."
Feathers has this unfathomable expression like they've just discovered a toad in their soup.
"And did you see these wonderful items?"
It's a little fuzzy but, "one, I think, a little, but it wasn't working the way it was supposed to yet, why?"
"Because," they poke your forehead, "the last part of it was you. They'd strip off a piece of your soul and spin it up into some marvelous thing that changes the world that not even iron can deny. Grace Artifacts, they're called."
Oh! Well, what if- "So that's… So I can do all those things already? Because if I can just decide to conjure infinite wine-"
"No. It needs to be shaped, like your soul is just clay that hasn't been worked. You might have power rattling around in there but you don't know how to use it, they do. Which is the problem, they know the rules better, you might get something wonderful out of it but it's still part of your soul. If someone else took it away they'd control a part of your very being. It's a beautifully baited hook, a taste of real power and then you're dangling on the end of someone else's line for the rest of your life."
"So I'm guessing you don't have one?"
Feathers snorts, "my soul's a far better quality, they wouldn't just make a fancy trinket. If I let someone work me a full set I'd be a real terror, like a newly-born Fair Folk noble able to twist the world however I want it, be whatever I want to be. But no. I know what lies behind those smiles, I've seen it closer than anyone. They won't get a single claw in me."
For just a moment you'd felt them shiver against you, your head rolling on their shoulder. But it's so quick and they're so composed that surely it must have been your imagination.
Ten Feathers shakes their head. "I think I know you well enough that it's a waste of breath, but I'll say it just so I can tell you I told you so if you come back all messed up and pitiful. Avoid dealing with them whenever possible. You have a wonderful criminal mind, it'd be a shame to lose it to them."
Two compliments in one day! You must have really sparked their imagination with this dream art thing.
'Avoid dealing with them whenever possible,' though, that's a line for you. You wonder, does that mean Ten Feathers doesn't make themselves aware of what the fae are up to in Gem for fear of letting them get their claws in? If you really wanted to do something behind Feathers' back, get one over on them, would that be the place to go?
You'd just have to make sure they don't get to say "I told you so." They'd be insufferable about it.
Iron jewelry is cheap so you don't leave anything a chance, wearing three iron rings and an iron key threaded through a string and used as a necklace. The blistering of the sun market makes them hot against your skin but you bear the discomfort because the alternative is you get enraptured into making even more purchases and possibly paying far more than you'd care to otherwise.
It's strange, with the hot iron against your skin the Handsome Merchant isn't quite so handsome anymore. He's still tall and has that long flowing red hair that's very dramatically swirling in the morning winds but he just doesn't make your pulse race like before. You can still appreciate the view, but this time you're not so eagerly buying the goods. Maybe it's the iron, or maybe it's just hard to compare to Ten Feathers even if you are one of the pure blooded fair folk.
He smiles politely as you approach, but his gaze lingers on the rings on your fingers and he keeps his distance moving behind the stall and spreading an arm over his wares.
"Couldn't keep away?" he says with a smile and a glint to his eyes you don't like at all.
You reach out and grab some kind of ornately decorated mirror, which cracks as the iron rings tap the edge of the frame and the metal begins to melt under your fingers, silver dribbling over your hand and spattering on the wood where it melts away in wisps of red and yellow smoke.
"There's no need for that, it's a fine day to be a good Customer," he says, reaching over to very cautiously pluck the mirror out of your hand. You move your shoulders just a fraction and he snaps back, holding his hand like he's expecting it to be burned.
"You tricked me into buying the card," you say, "Was that a fair trade?"
"Of course," he replies, sweeping his arms out and giving you a perfectly executed polite bow. "Far fairer than most, it does what I said and I took only what it was worth. Most of my kind would not have been nearly so kind."
"And my consent?"
"Was given," he says, "you bargained with me at a disadvantage, there's no denying that, but that's hardly my fault is it? A fisherman doesn't throw away the fish that didn't know his nets were there."
Merchant: Manipulation 5 + Presence 5 = Only 2 success. Sharell bounces it easily.
The iron on your fingers is cool now and the key is like ice. Whatever charm their words have are bled out of the air straight into the iron and while he's still quite charming without it, that little burning flame of indignation in your chest is so much stronger.
"I'll slap you if you say that again," you say, waving fingers bound in iron at him and getting a very satisfying frown. "You traded in my ignorance and I got nothing for it."
"I would do no such thing," he says, stiffening and right there you know you've got him. Ten Feathers' advice was right on the mark.
Manipulation 3 + Integrity 3 + Clue 2 = 3 Successes but hitting a major intimacy. It's a wash - you'll need to offer something in exchange. Still, you've got tricks up your sleeve this time.
"Of course not, I will get what I'm owed won't I? A little knowledge for ignorance."
He stares down at you, but the iron gives you the confidence to meet his eyes. If he wants to be an honest merchant than you're going to get something for being swindled.
"A little," he says, shoulders sagging. "But I'll decide the worth and when you're done. You wish to drive a hard bargain then you can't expect the terms to be too generous, we should both walk away a little dissatisfied."
Good enough, you barrel on before they reconsider. Might as well start with the most suspicious.
"Have you sold a golden chest in the past few weeks? Or a Yasal Crystal?"
"It depends how you define it," he says and when you raise your slapping hand he smoothly continues. "Give me an iron ring to demonstrate. Just one, you have a few left no?"
It feels like a trap but if that's the price you'll rely on the others and the key he doesn't know about. You take it off and throw it down on the stall, where it bounces a few times before coming to rest. The merchant takes up the cracked and melted mirror and shows you the spider web cracked image of the iron ring, before reaching casually into the mirror and plucking the image right out. The mirrored ring doesn't burn him and the shattered ring, splayed apart at the edges is so unnatural a construction it's a little unnerving to look at.
"You made a copy," you say and when he just smiles you catch on. "You're not telling me what you've sold, just giving me ideas of what you can do. So there is or was a second chest."
You take off another ring and tap it to the mirror again, watching the metal run and glass crack and flake away like a fine silver mist. "One that you could take apart with iron. Tricky."
He takes the mirror away before you melt it any more.
"And the Yasal Crystal?"
He holds up his two fingers that mirror the ones you have rings on. Is this worth knowing and leaving you with just the key? Does he plan to kill you right here? You can see the shape of a threat resolving. Can you really trust a fair folk no matter the price?
The merchant slaps a hand down on the stall hard and snaps you out of it and his eyes are like fire now.
"What was that?" he hisses, "your soul's taste, there's something wrong with it."
"You're tasting my soul?" you growl, hand going to your pocket and the comforting feeling of a nail bomb in your palm.
"And leaving it no lesser for it, say one more time that I take that which I have not paid for and we will not do business again."
It's tempting, the words are on the tip of your tongue but you need his help and now he wants something from you that isn't just iron.
Int 4 + bureaucracy 3 = 6 successes. An offer too good to refuse.
"One ring and one question about what seems to have you so concerned. If I don't know what the answer is then you get no answer," you say, taking one finger off and balancing it on the end of your finger.
"You could lie," he says, "with iron on you I'd have no way of knowing"
"If I must trust you to do business despite all the misgivings I have then it's only fair you do the same."
He flicks his red hair and considers it, then lays out a cloth for the next ring, asking the question as you lay it down.
"Would you see Justice done Sharell, even if the Heavens fall?"
Well. You can see why Ten Feathers hates Fae so much. Something about it seems so right and you almost agree without thinking, but you catch yourself.
"Those aren't my words," you say slowly and the smile he gives you makes you cringe. You've just given something away for free there.
"It depends how you define Justice," you say, trying to recover and use his own dirty tricks against him. "Maybe the heavens falling would be Justice in itself."
He nods in acceptance of the answer, as wooly as it was.
"Long ago we made Yasal Crystals to try capture the Souls of those who'd try to shape our futures. It didn't work as we wanted but others have found a use for them, who are we to deny them?" he says. "You've one Ring left Sharell, but I can see your eyes hungry for more answers."
The fae had sold a Yasal Crystal to someone who wanted to use it, or maybe multiple? It at least explains where they're coming from. The Merchant is getting rather eager to take that last ring off you though and you don't think he'll be so kind once you're seemingly powerless again.
What do you really want to know?
"Did Cheshago's killer get their gifts from you?" you say, taking out the Spire and twirling it in the hand without the ring. "And no riddles, you're asking for a lot."
"As are you," he says, "why don't you tell me how it happened, and I'll tell you if one of my Treasures could have been responsible, hmm?"
You take a second to give him a quick run-down, although you can't shake the suspicion he already knows.
"No," he says, quick and hard.
"Ah. So you know who the killer is?" you say with a smile and he recoils.
"Robber and thief! Stealing answers now?"
"You gave that away, I don't have to pay for something freely given."
He slaps a square of exquisite cloth down hard enough to shake the whole stall and you gingerly slide the iron ring onto it.
"For a girl so clever you make some rather poor decisions," he says, "Giving yourself to me so fre-"
The words catch in his throat as you pull the iron key on its necklace out of your coat and tap it on the table while giving him your very worst smug smile.
"Just because I showed you three iron rings, doesn't mean that's all the iron I had."
The heat of the market beats down on you as he tries to stare you down, pupils aflame and black painted fingernails drumming on the stall hard enough to dig grooves.
"You'd do well in the Courts. One day I'll have to take you there."
"In your dreams, Cheshago's killer for the key?" you say.
"No, I'd be a fool to trade iron with you now that you've revealed the trick," he says. "But out of respect for an artful trick, I'll let you know that the killer did not use anything of mine. They had no need of them."
"You won't tell me who it is?" you say doubtfully, they're up to something here this shift of tact was a little too strange.
"And draw me into this story any further? Whatever curse lies behind your eyes Sharell I'll have no further part in it. Find those answers out yourself."
You lean on the stall, then over it making him shrink back as the iron key swings off your neck towards them.
"You've no idea who the killer is do you? You're just trying to trick me into paying a price I can't afford."
The merchant smiles, "So you say. You'll always wonder though."
You snort at that. You're not so stupid you'll walk into that trap, you can't afford anything else. However you've rattled them, perhaps you can push your luck just a little here.
"So we're almost done. You said you'd tell me once the price was paid and you haven't said it yet, so I'm still owed."
"Well then the price is p-" he gets out before you cut him off.
"No, no," you tut, waving your finger at him, "you had a chance to say it and you waited too long, now you're just changing your mind about the price of things you've already sold. Absolutely not on. You still owe me something."
"Hang on a moment," he says, holding up a hand, "you can't just upturn this like that."
Sharell: Manip 3 + Performance 2 = 3 Successes.
The reversal of the previous encounter, how can a fey really say no to getting their comeuppance in such a fanciful way?
The reversal of the previous encounter, how can a fey really say no to getting their comeuppance in such a fanciful way?
"Oh no, Sir," you say, shaking your head and delighting in this reversal, "I really do insist."
You've gotten yourself a pick from their wares. The bonus choice for it will be at the end.
After an encounter like that you really want a rest, but there's still so much to be done. You can settle for someone who at the very least is quite relaxing to be around and go to the Eatery to drop in on Niall and see if she's still about. He's already busy in a conversation with a merchant who needs to quickly dispose of some spoiled grain, but he takes a minute to point you to the backrooms. The rats hiding around the temple fixtures and littering the floor part for you as you go, something you'd really enjoyed doing when you were younger while you were waiting for Niall to scrounge up some food for you.
The rats seem to respect the privacy of Misery's room, though 'room' is a very charitable description. It's a tiny place with no door and space to stand between the row upon row of shelves neatly stocked with urns, small paper packages and delicate metal tools. A single dresser is piled high with brushes and lotions and a tin wash basin is rested up against it, sparkling clean. For all the effort Misery seems to put towards her appearance it's strange how hair always looks like it's been dragged through a cook's grease tray.
The rest of the room was given over to a hammock, with clothes folded up beneath it and Misery on her back snoring softly, a few furs piled on top of her for warmth. It made sense an exorcist did most of their work at night but you'd come all this way and you weren't about to give up just because she's taking a nap.
You mull over playing a trick on her while you got her at your mercy but the moment you cross the threshold into the room the snoring stops and she opens one tired eye, shuffling to get under the furs a bit better.
"Awful dream," she mumbles, "go out and fetch me someone prettier."
"Maybe I'm a nightmare?" you say, leaning on the archway, "or you've just lowered your standards."
Misery stretches her arms up first and then swings her legs over the edge of the hammock, you're quite relieved to see she was wearing a robe under there, there's only so many awkward moments you can deal with in one day.
"Thank you for last night, " she asks, fingers slicking back greasy hair. "But I'm not looking for a pupil, not yet anyway and you're clearly busy enough even if I was interested."
"That's not why I came," you reply, putting up your hands to placate her. "I need your help."
She mulls that over as she fishes a small tin canteen from the pile of beauty products stacked up on her dresser and takes a quick drink from it, then she pours a little water into her hands and slaps it onto her cheeks. It makes you bristle to see water used like that, Exorcists must get paid a lot better than you usually do.
"I gave you some help last night, you seem nice Sharell but I save my charity for the dead."
Int 4 + Investigation 4 = 4 Successes. You're smart enough to see through that!
"Really?" you say, arms folded "Because you've seemed eager to help me ever since I showed you that book of poetry. All I've had to do ask."
"Then maybe your good favour has finally run out," she says and you don't buy it for a second. So much for a nice talk, you're going to push this.
"You know about the chest, don't you? I mean you really know."
Misery: Perception 5 + Socialize 2 = 2 Successes
Sharell: Perception 3 + Socialize 2 = 2 Successes
It's a draw, you both have to fumble and guess like normal human beings.
Sharell: Perception 3 + Socialize 2 = 2 Successes
It's a draw, you both have to fumble and guess like normal human beings.
"It's a funerary chest from long ago. I've been doing this long enough to know that is a special kind of trouble." Misery says, offering her canteen to you. It seems a bit of a cheat to try to be friendly, but passing up a drink is a level of rudeness you aren't about to cross just yet.
Taking a swig you're shocked at just how fresh it is, none of that bitter metal taste most water in gem has, she either paid a pretty penny for this or she has a secret source.
For all her seeming reluctance, she's already helped you far more than you've asked. "So you're helping me find it first? Why?"
"Niall says you're a good woman, I've seen nothing that contradicts that."
You shake your head.
"No that's not it, you're not helping me unless I press it. You've got worries about me, but you're doing it anyway."
She sighs and pats the hammock beside her.
"Come, sit. I don't like how tense this has gotten."
Wits 2 + Integrity 3 = 3 successes. You keep a cool head.
Is she deflecting again? Is this a trick? Why won't she speak plainly with you? Your skin crawls with worries and your fingers itch to go to your pockets. But… but no you're being paranoid, there's no reason you can't be polite here. She's clearly getting ready to open up, not to attack you. Right? Right.
You take the seat as she watches you with a strange look, then she pats your shoulder once you're sitting.
"You need rest more than I do, you're wound tight."
"I have a lot to worry about, it's why I need help," you say, then poke her side, "stop dodging it and tell me what's going on."
"Dreams of Red Sands talked to me," she says ignoring the poke completely, "about what you're doing."
The mercenary ghost who caught you at the Old Brothers' funeral? Why would he go to Misery?
"So you're working for the Old Brothers?" you ask, going for the obvious answer first.
"No, far from it actually," she says, "they started a war in the Underworld over Gem, I've been nothing but disapproving of bringing further death to the Underworld and yet, I can see why they felt the need to overthrow their old masters. It's an argument we've both grown tired of. I've been spending a lot of time keeping the effects of it from spilling into the Gem of the living, which they respect even if they don't like it."
"Who does rule Gem on the… other side of life? What's the term for it?"
"As I said, Underworld. The world of the dead. Like ours, but darker and yet also better in many ways." She smiles grimly, "more water, for one. Gem is ruled by old, old spirits who have very strong opinions on the hierarchy of the dead, or did anyway before they started getting thrown back into the cycle and all order broke down, right now it's ruled by nobody and there's a hundred different groups all fighting each other. "
"And the chest is a part of this?"
"It could be, the Old Brothers certainly planned to use it for their battle in the Underworld. Dreams of Red Sands was willing to pay me for help, a little concerned about how many other people are looking for it."
"They're concerned about me?" you say incredulously. Your encounter had left you feeling like you were digging your own grave with every word, it had not gone well.
"You too, they worry that your investigation will lead you to it and put it in the hands of the Despot. Something I worried about too." Misery says, pushing up off the bed and going to her stand leaving you swinging on the hammock.
"But you don't worry anymore?" you say, still swinging on the hammock. It's actually a little fun, you'd never had a chance to try one of these. You can see the appeal.
"You're working with them, but I don't think you'd do something so reckless. You just go to whoever you think can help and try your best to get it, which is a little charming I will admit."
"What is in that chest?" you say, not letting her compliments distract you. It might not have been intentional, but you can never quite tell.
"Could be anything at all. It would be a dark joke if it was nothing important, but I doubt that if people are willing to kill over it. Besides, you don't fit such an expensive lock to something worthless," Misery says as she takes a brush to her hair. Or her greasy hair mangles a brush depending on your perspective. "No, it's something quite important."
"So why not help Dream of Red Sands? Why me instead?"
"I don't trust him at all and the feeling is mutual. I won't pick a side in a war and unlike him I can't be bought either, it's a very good way to make a lot of enemies quickly. He tries to push me into their camp when he thinks he has an argument that might sway me and just makes it harder for himself every time he tries."
It all tracks for you. When last you met Dreams of Red Sands was a little smug and not easy to get along with. He may have been honest in his intentions, but he also went out of his way to try to make you feel as uncomfortable as possible. The calm and collected Misery would no doubt be seen as a challenge and you don't see her putting up with it for very long.
"I don't have a stake in any war of the Underworld," you say, "but I care about the city of the living. You do too right? Come help me get it in safer hands, I doubt you'd rather Diamond has it."
"No," she says, "but mine would be no better, I've brought nothing but misery to the living in my life. "
Oh, so that's where the name comes from. That's both depressing and worrying, especially since she still hasn't said what it is she's done. Picking at the wound probably won't get her any more on your side though.
"Then just help, don't claim it at the end. You're already helping me right? Might as well go all in."
She gives you a pained look. "I'll be tempted."
"I'll have people there who can quite happily slap you on the wrist if you try. You know who Ten Feathers is?"
"Them?" she says sharply, "I said I didn't want it in the Despot's hands!"
"And it won't be if you come. They'll stop you taking it, you can help stop them. It's that or I try to leave them out and they'd go get it herself. They're not stupid."
"Far from it. We have a history though, it's going to be… very awkward"
Of course they do. Why would this ever be easy?
"I like awkward," you say, just being honest. Something that can ruffle Ten's feathers you're all in for.
"Yes, but you're awful when it comes to jokes. "
"Were you one of their old partners?"
"No, it's something private between us. Which, I guess, is now going to be something you're trying to work out while we're together."
"Absolutely" you say, nodding furiously, "You're coming then?"
She hesitates, looks at your earnest face, sighs. "Yes. You've convinced me that you're hopelessly out of your depth without me."
"Aw, that's the spirit" you say, giving her a hug. "It's good to have friends."
She puts a hand on your head and pries you off with a good push, fingers flicking you towards the door.
"Wake me up early again and I'm feeding you to the rats."
"You wouldn't, you're too nice."
"You'll make a monster of me yet, Sharell."
You have recruited the Exorcist, the Hero of Another Story.
The Merchant is probably less than thrilled about the squeeze you put on him, but you got a freebie (Well sort of) out of it, so pick one thing to walk away with.
Pick One
[ ] - Spitting Flame - You've already got a knife (who doesn't?) but these blisteringly hot throwing knives shimmer eagerly, desperate to be used. Just the three, but where they land fire is sure to follow
[ ] - Throat-Seeking Blade - You don't know how to use a sword, but after a few swings with a shortsword that catches the light in incredibly strange ways you don't think that'll be an issue. It's like it's got a mind of its own.
[ ] - Jewelled Egg - A crystal egg speckled with coal dust about the size of a vulture's - it doesn't crack when you rap on it. When you do manage to break it though he says it will disgorge a creature for your protection that will obey your commands as long as you hold the shell - for a time.
[ ] - Cracked Mirror - getting to duplicate mundane items sounds crazy useful for getting into a high-security area. What's the saying? You broke it, you bought it?
[ ] - Formless - A necklace of silver that changes shape when out of sight. You can call on it to receive a gift that'll help you accomplish the task ahead of you. Yes, that is a worryingly vague description.
[ ] - Softly Spoken - It's not an item as such, but something that lives in your voice. A lilting call that lets you carry a conversation without fear of attack, as long as you can keep it going. It looks very, very strange.
And here's the investigation and preparation choices. Pick two and also what you wish to do at night.
[ ] DIAMOND'S RUIN - PREPARING FOR WAR
Diamond's compound is about. It'll take some serious doing to crack it open. Each individual choice counts as an investigation target.
-[ ] Recruit: you'll need friends to watch your back, whatever happens.
--[ ] Dreams of Red Sands. The price won't be cheap, see if you can meet it.
--[ ] Mishri and the Old Brothers. For a chance at vengeance and to reclaim what's owed.
--[ ] Niall's Rats. Niall wouldn't want to go personally, but his rats are smart as hell.
--[ ] Steals Kisses. It'd be harder to stop her coming if she finds out, but this is a little bigger than her usual jobs. Maybe you can buy her something that'll give her an edge.
--[ ] Raicho. Convince her your money is worth the risk.
-[ ] Prepare: there's a lot you can do to hone yourself in preparation too. Esoteric and occult power to be grabbed, even by the likes of you. Or maybe even the fabled power of being good at hitting things with sticks.
--[ ] Training. You can't fight, you've never been able to fight. Maybe it's finally time to get someone to teach you.
---[ ] Ten Feathers. The very definition of a crash course.
---[ ] Raicho. She did offer and she probably won't do horrible things to you like Ten Feathers would.
---[ ] Misery. She fights hungry ghosts, people are easy by contrast.
--[ ] Deathspeaking. Plenty of people have died in this Guild War. Some of them might have become ghosts, and some might have information. Get someone to teach you to speak with the dead.
---[ ] The Old Brothers. This would be more active techniques of dealing with the fallen: calling on them, giving them power, that sort of thing. It's not really necromancy though, right?
--[ ] Gold Lion Key. You're reasonably certain you can unlock the chest with the Gold Lion Key as it is now. There's a faint tingling now as you touch it though - what else could it do if you put the effort into understanding it?
[ ] DIAMOND'S RUIN - THE BLOODY BUSINESS
Starting the heist counts as both investigation targets. Make sure you're ready.
You currently have to bring to the table:
Steals Kisses (Standard Gear?)
Ten Feathers (Your Partner)
Misery (The Exorcist)
Knowledge of Ghosts: Warding, Summoning, Placating.
Gadgets and a Keen Eye
A Spire Card
Another fey treasure (To be picked)
[ ] *NEW* TOLLING THE DEAD
You've learned how to summon ghosts during the night, although you aren't that good at it just yet. With your trusty bag of salt you can even do so safely. Write-in if you offer a sacrifice of blood or wealth or something meaningful. A small blood sacrifice will provide a small dice boost but create certain expectations about the encounter; a large one will give a large dice boost but you'll take one Health Level of lethal damage.
Healing the damage to your -0 Health Level will take two days, but since it is a -0 level there's no penalty to your actions while you do. Further injury will start to penalize your dice pools and takes longer to recover from, and you cannot heal from lethal damage to your -2 and -4 levels at all unless you dedicate actions to rest and healing.
-[ ] Summon Halrun, the Locksmith killed by Diamond when he couldn't open the Golden Chest. Maybe he's got something else to say without Misery present. You know him already and you got along well, so this'll be dead-easy.
-[ ] Summon Hayran, the Old Brother killed by Cheshago in the course of stealing the Golden Chest. Maybe he can give you a new perspective on things. You forged a soldier for his army, know his daughter and were present for his funeral, so this shouldn't be too tricky.
-[ ] Summon the Antiquarian. You don't know why he was killed but it probably had to do with his knowledge of the Gold Lion Key. You knew him and you've got his things (and his cat) that he might want to see again, so this should be manageable.
-[ ] Summon an Avana Dragon. They all died a long time ago, but that might not be as much of an impediment to talking with one as you thought. You've got a Gold Flake from the Chest (maybe?) and the Gold Lion Key to draw them in, but if there are even any left this will be hard. You might need to offer a lot of blood to have any chance of success.
-[ ] Summon Guild Prince Cheshago. Impossible, right? He's almost certainly trapped in a Yasal Crystal. Still, confirming that might be valuable all on its own.
-[ ] Summon the Silver-Traced Woman. Much better idea. Still probably impossible.
-[ ] Other (Write-in)
[ ] DIAMOND IN YOUR KNAPSACK
-[ ] Diamond in your Knapsack and Cheshago had a deal, confront him about it and shake something loose.
-[ ] Diamond in your Knapsack is at war with Wave Crashes Against the Rocks. Pretend to be on his side, find out what you can.
-[ ] You got proof the Guild is surely going beyond what is acceptable. Retrieve the Codebook from its hiding place and figure out if there's a way to alter the proof so that it looks like only Diamond is responsible.
-[ ] Sooner or later, Ten Feathers is coming for him. So make him know it. Make him sweat.
-[ ] The Guild loves money, and that's probably true even in the middle of a civil war. Pay off some of his subordinates for inside information. (This will temporarily use your Resource dot.)
-[ ] Wave Crashes Against the Rocks needs to stop playing it safe, it's time for her to go on the offensive while you pick up the pieces behind her. (This will escalate the Guild war and use your Guild Favour)
[ ] MIDNIGHT TALES
-[ ] *NEW* They've still got a sword on a threat hanging over their heads. Save their sorry butts. Using:
--[ ] Wave Crashes Against the Rocks could put together a comprehensive report from the Guild absolving them of blame in Cheshago's murder. Not even a lie, really. (Uses Guild Favor)
--[ ] Get with Samet, put together a legal case together and bring it before the Despot! Is the Tales' case truly unprecedented? (Can Fail)
--[ ] Use your audience with the Despot to just straight-up ask. They're good for the economy and they'll pay some fines, what's a little lawbreaking between fat cats? (Uses Audience with the Despot; the injustice of it makes your teeth itch, uses a point of Willpower)
-[ ] They're not going to like it, but the Orrery is an incredibly powerful tool. Is making use of it worth the price? Have the Tales remove the Dreamer's stones and
--[ ] Bury them in the desert. Short-term, hopefully, before the lions find them. (This will keep you from accessing them for your own purposes.)
--[ ] Keep them with you at all times. You know your own memories well enough that some bleed-over isn't going to kill you.
[ ] OLD BROTHERS
-[ ] Cheshago's killer had to have been capable of some pretty extraordinary things. Are all spirits created equal, or would that be a unique skillset even among the supernatural? Question Mishri on ghost lore.
-[ ] *NEW* What's this about starting a war in the Underworld? That sounds like the sort of foolery that you absolutely do not have time for, but asking them about it might shake something interesting loose or at least give more context to their desire for the Chest.
-[ ] *NEW* How does one get to the Underworld, anyway? Not that you'd want to go or anything, but knowing how it works could help.
-[ ] Suspicious. As. Hell. Get Waves to hire some mercenaries to harass their camp, while you take advantage of the distraction to uncover their secrets.
-[ ] A pint of blood can go a long way. Pay Dreams of Red Sands' price (Write in what you ask for).
-[ ] Great wealth, huh? The Guild owes you one, it can pay you so you can pay Red. (Write in what you ask for and go big; this will use your Guild Favor)
[ ] THE DESPOT
-[ ] You got proof the Guild is surely going beyond what he'd find acceptable. Present your findings and let him bring fire and blood.
-[ ] The Old Brothers are trying to take over Gem's Underworld? Its literal underworld? Do some research with Samet of Iblan and his mountain of legal precedent to find out if that's illegal or not.
-[ ] The Midnight Tales are the servants of a demon. If you brought proof to the Despot his response would be swift and… you're not actually sure it would be lethal any more, given the nature of said demon. But the Tales sure wouldn't like it.
-[ ] You've done the Despot a great favor. If you asked for an audience right now you'd get it. This could be your chance to do nearly anything, if he'll agree to it.
--[ ] Ask to speak with the Imperial Mercenaries
--[ ] Ask for money. It's the lifeblood of Gem, after all.
--[ ] Ask for nothing, see what he offers. Everyone else is doing it.
--[ ] Write in
[ ] THE VAULT
-[ ] It occurs to you that rather than making educated guesses you might want to actually find out where the Old Brothers found the chest. It's way too hot to go roaming in the desert alone; look into hiring one of them as a guide, and bring lots of water.
-[ ] Roaming the desert and collating records of ruins narrowed it down but not a lot. There are plenty of tombs buried in the sands that no one will touch, and now you know someone that's legally allowed to poke about them. Bring Misery and go looking for some super-old Dragon Ghosts.
[ ] TEN FEATHERS
PICK ONE
-[ ] Propose an evening outing to:
--[ ] Somewhere in your contacts is probably a ticket scalper - spring for box seats for a fancy theater performance. Nothing but the best for your partner! (This will temporarily expend your Resource dot.)
--[ ] Try to bring them along to a night puppet show. Seems a little weird but maybe they're into it.
--[ ] Find something new and different, the first thing that seems new and different. If the only real crime in Feathers' eyes (aside from actual crimes) is being dull then surely you can find something new.
-[ ] Keep digging, there's got to be more things they like than that. Blood sports. Cooking demonstrations. Street surgery. Gem is not lacking for ways to entertain yourself!
[ ] Other
-[ ] Write in (If your write in isn't chosen first time round it'll be added as an option in future investigation rounds to an appropriate category, as long as it still makes sense to pursue.)
And as always, our choices for sleep.
BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL
[ ] Sleep with the Dreamer's first stone - the dream of uncovering a traitor - to see if you can get any more out of it.
[ ] Sleep with the Dreamer's second stone - the dream of forging an army - to see if you can get any more out of it.
[ ] Sleep with the Dreamer's third stone - the dream of creating a Device alone in the dark while lashing out at threats that never quite seem to materialize.
[ ] Sleep with the Dreamer's fourth stone - the one you haven't messed with at all yet.
[ ] Contact Makarios through the dream of his bazaar
-[ ] Write-in what you're calling him about
[ ] The Tales will probably lend you the good stuff if you ask. Have a pleasant dream, even if it isn't yours.
[ ] Can't sleep, dream contamination will get me. Stay awake.
[ ] Enough with all this! Just get a good, honest night's rest.
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[X] - Softly Spoken - It's not an item as such, but something that lives in your voice. A lilting call that lets you carry a conversation without fear of attack, as long as you can keep it going. It looks very, very strange.
[X] DIAMOND'S RUIN - PREPARING FOR WAR
-[X] Prepare: there's a lot you can do to hone yourself in preparation too. Esoteric and occult power to be grabbed, even by the likes of you. Or maybe even the fabled power of being good at hitting things with sticks.
--[X] Training. You can't fight, you've never been able to fight. Maybe it's finally time to get someone to teach you.
---[X] Raicho. She did offer and she probably won't do horrible things to you like Ten Feathers would.
[X] OLD BROTHERS
-[X] Cheshago's killer had to have been capable of some pretty extraordinary things. Are all spirits created equal, or would that be a unique skillset even among the supernatural? Question Mishri on ghost lore.
-[X] *NEW* What's this about starting a war in the Underworld? That sounds like the sort of foolery that you absolutely do not have time for, but asking them about it might shake something interesting loose or at least give more context to their desire for the Chest.
[X] Sleep with the Dreamer's third stone - the dream of creating a Device alone in the dark while lashing out at threats that never quite seem to materialize.
[X] DIAMOND'S RUIN - PREPARING FOR WAR
-[X] Prepare: there's a lot you can do to hone yourself in preparation too. Esoteric and occult power to be grabbed, even by the likes of you. Or maybe even the fabled power of being good at hitting things with sticks.
--[X] Training. You can't fight, you've never been able to fight. Maybe it's finally time to get someone to teach you.
---[X] Raicho. She did offer and she probably won't do horrible things to you like Ten Feathers would.
[X] OLD BROTHERS
-[X] Cheshago's killer had to have been capable of some pretty extraordinary things. Are all spirits created equal, or would that be a unique skillset even among the supernatural? Question Mishri on ghost lore.
-[X] *NEW* What's this about starting a war in the Underworld? That sounds like the sort of foolery that you absolutely do not have time for, but asking them about it might shake something interesting loose or at least give more context to their desire for the Chest.
[X] Sleep with the Dreamer's third stone - the dream of creating a Device alone in the dark while lashing out at threats that never quite seem to materialize.
- Location
- Earth
[X] - Formless - A necklace of silver that changes shape when out of sight. You can call on it to receive a gift that'll help you accomplish the task ahead of you. Yes, that is a worryingly vague description.
[X] DIAMOND'S RUIN - PREPARING FOR WAR
-[X] Prepare: there's a lot you can do to hone yourself in preparation too. Esoteric and occult power to be grabbed, even by the likes of you. Or maybe even the fabled power of being good at hitting things with sticks.
--[X] Training. You can't fight, you've never been able to fight. Maybe it's finally time to get someone to teach you.
---[X] Raicho. She did offer and she probably won't do horrible things to you like Ten Feathers would.
[X] OLD BROTHERS
-[X] Cheshago's killer had to have been capable of some pretty extraordinary things. Are all spirits created equal, or would that be a unique skillset even among the supernatural? Question Mishri on ghost lore.
-[X] *NEW* What's this about starting a war in the Underworld? That sounds like the sort of foolery that you absolutely do not have time for, but asking them about it might shake something interesting loose or at least give more context to their desire for the Chest.
[X] Sleep with the Dreamer's fourth stone - the one you haven't messed with at all yet.
[X] DIAMOND'S RUIN - PREPARING FOR WAR
-[X] Prepare: there's a lot you can do to hone yourself in preparation too. Esoteric and occult power to be grabbed, even by the likes of you. Or maybe even the fabled power of being good at hitting things with sticks.
--[X] Training. You can't fight, you've never been able to fight. Maybe it's finally time to get someone to teach you.
---[X] Raicho. She did offer and she probably won't do horrible things to you like Ten Feathers would.
[X] OLD BROTHERS
-[X] Cheshago's killer had to have been capable of some pretty extraordinary things. Are all spirits created equal, or would that be a unique skillset even among the supernatural? Question Mishri on ghost lore.
-[X] *NEW* What's this about starting a war in the Underworld? That sounds like the sort of foolery that you absolutely do not have time for, but asking them about it might shake something interesting loose or at least give more context to their desire for the Chest.
[X] Sleep with the Dreamer's fourth stone - the one you haven't messed with at all yet.
[X] - Softly Spoken - It's not an item as such, but something that lives in your voice. A lilting call that lets you carry a conversation without fear of attack, as long as you can keep it going. It looks very, very strange.
[X] DIAMOND'S RUIN - PREPARING FOR WAR
-[X] Prepare: there's a lot you can do to hone yourself in preparation too. Esoteric and occult power to be grabbed, even by the likes of you. Or maybe even the fabled power of being good at hitting things with sticks.
--[X] Training. You can't fight, you've never been able to fight. Maybe it's finally time to get someone to teach you.
---[X] Raicho. She did offer and she probably won't do horrible things to you like Ten Feathers would.
[X] OLD BROTHERS
-[X] Cheshago's killer had to have been capable of some pretty extraordinary things. Are all spirits created equal, or would that be a unique skillset even among the supernatural? Question Mishri on ghost lore.
-[X] *NEW* What's this about starting a war in the Underworld? That sounds like the sort of foolery that you absolutely do not have time for, but asking them about it might shake something interesting loose or at least give more context to their desire for the Chest.
[X] Sleep with the Dreamer's third stone - the dream of creating a Device alone in the dark while lashing out at threats that never quite seem to materialize.
[X] DIAMOND'S RUIN - PREPARING FOR WAR
-[X] Prepare: there's a lot you can do to hone yourself in preparation too. Esoteric and occult power to be grabbed, even by the likes of you. Or maybe even the fabled power of being good at hitting things with sticks.
--[X] Training. You can't fight, you've never been able to fight. Maybe it's finally time to get someone to teach you.
---[X] Raicho. She did offer and she probably won't do horrible things to you like Ten Feathers would.
[X] OLD BROTHERS
-[X] Cheshago's killer had to have been capable of some pretty extraordinary things. Are all spirits created equal, or would that be a unique skillset even among the supernatural? Question Mishri on ghost lore.
-[X] *NEW* What's this about starting a war in the Underworld? That sounds like the sort of foolery that you absolutely do not have time for, but asking them about it might shake something interesting loose or at least give more context to their desire for the Chest.
[X] Sleep with the Dreamer's third stone - the dream of creating a Device alone in the dark while lashing out at threats that never quite seem to materialize.
- Location
- St. Petersburg
A word is missing, possibly?
Ah, I see the old men found their fire after all. Fate works in mysterious ways.
It's interesting how they say the Tales would be dead if they were any craftier. Dreams hold a lot of power, and if they had the guts and the means to use it for intrigue they'd likely be considered a lot more of a threat. I wonder if that would have been the result of training them in covert operations, or if they could find a way to avoid being looked at too closely, what with people not expecting them to be any different from complacent simpletons they've been all their lives...
Alas, now this is just another of the paths not taken, and the one we did take is looking pretty good! A Dream Theater in all of its glory! When your business is to trade experiences, the idea to craft one looks so natural that you don't know how they hadn't thought of it before.
Oh. Oooooh.
That's cheating! I mean, yeah, a "teleporting assassin from nowhere" theory we worked with is sufficient indication of cheating in itself, but still! People doubles were briefly considered, but a duplicate of a unique ancient artifact was too far out there.
The blacksmith had iron tools, right? And his Chest didn't go up in flames, so we know Diamond has the genuine article.
I suppose that's one way how Cheshago's Chest could have disappeared - if it got swapped sometime between its acquisition and Cheshago's visit to Midnight Tales. No one climbed out of his room with the treasure because there was no treasure. But... was there a murderer, then? If it were just a trap, even with a Yasal crystal installed for the ease of the soul collection, someone had to pick up the crystal. And stab Cheshago 50 times.
Could it have been a ghost? Did the Brothers pay for revenge, after all? No, they aren't the only ones who can handle ghosts. They are just one side in the war.
Who has Cheshago's soul? I thought Diamon did, and that's why we were targeted, but on the second thought his fumblings about, going to the Smith and (supposedly) the Antiquarian suggests that he might be less informed than you'd expect him to be if he had Cheshago in his literal pocket.
Is there another party to this entire mess? The whole mention of the Underworld this late in the game is making me uneasy.
...can't say I am thrilled about how now we have to touch everything we get our hands on with iron for fear of fae tricks. This city will make a paranoiac out of us yet!
Oi, don't be lazy, Sharell! You want to ruffle Ten's feathers, you do it yourself!
Might need a stool, though.
Edit:
We might want to ease up on Dreamstones. Whatever is there, it's taking a hold in our soul. The fae knows what it is, and doesn't want any of that.
The mystery is alluring, but not enough to sell our soul for it.
***
This is our last day to prepare. We'll need to make the run the next day, call in Steals' favor and all. Let's make sure we are ready.
Since Steals is essential as out recon unit, we absolutely should equip her so she is up to the task.
[x] DIAMOND'S RUIN - PREPARING FOR WAR
-[x] Recruit: you'll need friends to watch your back, whatever happens.
--[x] Steals Kisses. It'd be harder to stop her coming if she finds out, but this is a little bigger than her usual jobs. Maybe you can buy her something that'll give her an edge.
-[x] Prepare: there's a lot you can do to hone yourself in preparation too. Esoteric and occult power to be grabbed, even by the likes of you. Or maybe even the fabled power of being good at hitting things with sticks.
--[x] Training. You can't fight, you've never been able to fight. Maybe it's finally time to get someone to teach you.
---[x] Raicho. She did offer and she probably won't do horrible things to you like Ten Feathers would.
Not sure on the treasure, though. The throat-seeking blade is tempting, because Sharell is helpless in close quarters, but is it worth to shore up our weaknesses if we could play to our strengths instead?
[ ] - Throat-Seeking Blade - You don't know how to use a sword, but after a few swings with a shortsword that catches the light in incredibly strange ways you don't think that'll be an issue. It's like it's got a mind of its own.
[ ] - Cracked Mirror - getting to duplicate mundane items sounds crazy useful for getting into a high-security area. What's the saying? You broke it, you bought it?
[ ] - Softly Spoken - It's not an item as such, but something that lives in your voice. A lilting call that lets you carry a conversation without fear of attack, as long as you can keep it going. It looks very, very strange.
[x] Enough with all this! Just get a good, honest night's rest.
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